{"id":1100,"date":"2026-08-27T18:09:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T18:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oceanscruise.com\/blog\/?p=1100"},"modified":"2026-08-27T18:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T18:51:36","slug":"ncl-bar-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oceanscruise.com\/blog\/ncl-bar-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"NCL Bar Menu Prices You’ll Actually Pay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most cocktails<\/a> on Norwegian Cruise Line cost $15, beer runs $10, wine by the glass starts at $12.50, and everything gets hit with an automatic 20% gratuity before it lands on your folio. If you’re on the Unlimited Open Bar package, the vast majority of that menu is already paid for. The catch is a small list of “premium” and “connoisseur” pours that sit above the package ceiling, and that’s where most people get an unexpected charge on the last night of the cruise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That last part is the piece most menu roundups leave out. Below, you’ll get the real pricing, exactly what triggers an extra charge even with a drink package, and the venue-by-venue quirks that actually change what you pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Drink Actually Costs on NCL Bar Menu Right Now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"what
what a drink actually costs on ncl bar menu right now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prices are fleet-wide standard, meaning a mojito costs the same on Norwegian Prima as it does on Norwegian Pearl. Here’s the quick-reference version before we get into the nuance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drink Category<\/th>Typical Price<\/th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Standard cocktail<\/td>$15<\/td>Covers most of the menu at every ncl bar menu<\/td><\/tr>
Beer \/ hard seltzer<\/td>$10<\/td>Domestic and imported both fall here<\/td><\/tr>
Wine by the glass (standard list)<\/td>$12.50<\/td>Premium list runs $25<\/td><\/tr>
Well spirits \/ basic pours<\/td>$15<\/td>Included in Unlimited Open ncl bar menu <\/td><\/tr>
Premium spirits (top-shelf)<\/td>$25<\/td>Only included with Free at Sea Plus<\/td><\/tr>
Connoisseur spirits (rare bottles)<\/td>$35 to $50<\/td>Never included in any package<\/td><\/tr>
Specialty coffee \/ matcha drinks<\/td>$3.85 to $7.95<\/td>Starbucks locations onboard<\/td><\/tr>
Soda<\/td>$3.50<\/td>Included in every open bar tier<\/td><\/tr>
Energy drinks<\/td>$6.25 to $6.50<\/td>Red Bull sits at the higher end<\/td><\/tr>
Bottled water<\/td>$4.50<\/td>Not included unless you have a package<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every one of those numbers gets a 20% gratuity added automatically. A $15 cocktail is actually $18 on your bill. Nobody tells you to tip extra on top of that unless the service genuinely went above and beyond, and even then it’s optional, not expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Package Coverage: What’s Free and What Isn’t<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"package
package coverage whats free and what isnt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is the question that generates the most confusion onboard, and it’s the exact gap I noticed missing from other guides. NCL’s bar menu current promotion bundles an Unlimited Open Bar package into most sailings, but “unlimited” has a ceiling most people don’t realize until they order the wrong thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Covered under Unlimited Open Bar (standard package):<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n