All Inclusive Drink Package available on Star Princess NOW

Forgive me if this has already been posted, but I don't want to look for a post and use my minutes.

All Inclusive Beverage Package - says first time offered.

$49 per person, per day.

Package includes any individual beverage below $10.

A 15% gratuity will be added.

Bottled wines under $100 available at 40% discount.

Select beverages only available in certain locations.

Doesn't include mini-bar items, in-room service, beverages over $10 and a couple other stipulations.

ONLY AVAILABLE ON DAYS 1 AND 2.

It says only available on the Star Princess, so it may be a test event.

Forgive me if this has already been posted, but I don't want to look for a post and use my minutes.

 

All Inclusive Beverage Package - says first time offered.

 

$49 per person, per day.

 

Package includes any individual beverage below $10.

A 15% gratuity will be added.

Bottled wines under $100 available at 40% discount.

Select beverages only available in certain locations.

 

Doesn't include mini-bar items, in-room service, beverages over $10 and a couple other stipulations.

 

ONLY AVAILABLE ON DAYS 1 AND 2.

It says only available on the Star Princess, so it may be a test event.

Do the individual drinks look like they're priced the same as before?

$49 per person, per day.

Group bookings have been able to get this for a while.

There are different "levels" to the packages for the groups and can be found here:

http://www.princess.com/cruise_vacation_planning/groups/Group%20Bar%20&%20Beverage%20Packages.pdf

Everyone in the group has to pay for it and has to be registered with the group booking (see the fine print at the bottom)

Nice to see them trying it out for others. I know a lot of people avoid Princess due to this, works out in our (DH and I) favor to not have to get the soda package and the coffee card and drinks etc. and just know it's all covered in the package.

I would buy one and leave my case of wine at home. They would make more money from me.

I hope it is available on the next sailing. OP, is there anyway you can find out?

Celebrity has had beverage packages for quite a while. For $44 a day per person you can get the Classic Package that includes wine priced up to $8.00 a glass and for $54 you can get the Premium package that includes wines up to $12 a glass. Sounds like the Princess package is right in the middle.

Celebrity sometimes offers the Classic beverage package free as part of their 123Go promotion. One can then upgrade to the Premium package for $10 a day. All these prices are plus 15% gratuity.

We never felt it was worth buying unless it was part of the promotion. But there are other nice features including specialty coffees, freshly squeezed orange juice, premium bottled water and the like. Even the water they sell as you get off the ship in port you don't pay extra for.

Oooh crossing fingers it rolls out soon! This was a HUGE plus for us on our last cruise, and really let us relax and enjoy without worrying about the bill. :D

Holy cow! I can't imagine spending that much on drinks/day. About half as much as the entire cruise cost. Not for me. I guess for some people it's worth it.

Agree.. :eek:

Holy cow! I can't imagine spending that much on drinks/day. About half as much as the entire cruise cost. Not for me. I guess for some people it's worth it.

I'm with Pam. I don't drink anywhere near enough for that to be worth it for me!

Holy cow! I can't imagine spending that much on drinks/day. About half as much as the entire cruise cost. Not for me. I guess for some people it's worth it.

Agree with you.....for two of us that would be almost $700 for a 7 day cruise. If we drank that much, we'd miss the entire cruise:D:D:D

Agree with you.....for two of us that would be almost $700 for a 7 day cruise. If we drank that much, we'd miss the entire cruise:D:D:D

We thought this on the Allure of the Seas - however, the math worked out to something like breaking even at 8 drinks - and they do NOT have to be alcoholic drinks. On a cruise, in the heat, it's easy to have 2-3 beers during the course of the day, a virgin frozen drink or two, and some wine with dinner, followed by potentially a nice nightcap - and not once during the cruise did we feel the ill effects the next day. Instead, I got to try things I'd never try due to cost (and now never have to try again! :rolleyes: :p ), and we paid for it in full far before the cruise, so it made the onboard account almost nothing by the end.

Very convenient, and we'd do it again in a second. :)

I absolutely LOVE the way Princess has included bottled water, soda AND the premium spirits and cocktails together! :) Celebrity doesn't do that and their price JUST on the bottled water is crazy high! :eek:

I've always thought it to be expensive. But after being on Royal Caribbean where a glass of wine was almost $10 after gratuities I'm rethinking it.

It would only take 5 drinks to break even. If you had a lot of sea days it would pay off. A couple of drink by the pool, glass of wine with dinner, a few in the casino or in the lounges at night..........

Especially because it includes water, then I wouldn't have to cart water on with me.

Forgive me if this has already been posted, but I don't want to look for a post and use my minutes.

 

All Inclusive Beverage Package - says first time offered.

 

$49 per person, per day.

 

Package includes any individual beverage below $10.

A 15% gratuity will be added.

Bottled wines under $100 available at 40% discount.

Select beverages only available in certain locations.

 

Doesn't include mini-bar items, in-room service, beverages over $10 and a couple other stipulations.

 

ONLY AVAILABLE ON DAYS 1 AND 2.

It says only available on the Star Princess, so it may be a test event.

Yes, please!:D:D Hopefully it's successful enough and gets implemented fleetwide. Princess would definitely be stepping up their game!

Tony

I absolutely LOVE the way Princess has included bottled water, soda AND the premium spirits and cocktails together!

I'm missing seeing where it said Princess is including bottled water in this new package. Can you point me to the post?

I've always thought it to be expensive. But after being on Royal Caribbean where a glass of wine was almost $10 after gratuities I'm rethinking it.

It would only take 5 drinks to break even. If you had a lot of sea days it would pay off. A couple of drink by the pool, glass of wine with dinner, a few in the casino or in the lounges at night..........

Especially because it includes water, then I wouldn't have to cart water on with me.

There is a misconception in thinking that you have to get fall down drunk before you can break even. People have to consider that even a can of your favorite soft drink can cost you $4.00 with with gratuity. We enjoyed specialty coffee, fresh juice, and we drank bottled water on the ship and we grabbed a few bottles on the way off the ship to drink in port. If you are sitting at the pool and your beer gets warm you can order a fresh one. I also realize that there are those who are happy with the ice tea and the 3 once glass of juice that Princess provides so it would be foolish for them to purchase the package. Normally I would drink the ships water at dinner but on this cruise the water had a strong chlorinated taste to it the few times I had it. What I like about Celebrity's package is that they offer both an alcoholic and nonalcoholic package in a choice of classic and premium so there is something to fit everyone's needs. I also think the package benefits the cruise line as it cuts down on smuggling and frees up the staff from having to carry cases of water and soda to the staterooms.

I'm missing seeing where it said Princess is including bottled water in this new package. Can you point me to the post?

These 2 packages are the only ones I see where bottled water is mentioned.

Group Bar & Beverage Packages from Princess website --

Wine & Dine Package — $25

The package also includes beer, cocktails, soft drinks and bottled water (substitutes for wine) in the dining room. Wine

(or substitute beverage) will be served in the dining room and in

alternative dining outlets.

Wine & Dine Dinner Package — $20*

As above, wine is preselected, and the package also includes beer, cocktails, soft drinks and bottled water (substitutes for wine) in dining rooms. Wine (or substitute beverage) is not offered at buffets.

It is about time Princess had some kind of drink package like all the other cruise lines.

Wondering if every adult in the cabin has to have the package?

It is about time Princess had some kind of drink package like all the other cruise lines.

 

Wondering if every adult in the cabin has to have the package?

Agreed - and good question!! Our daughter had just turned 21 on our last cruise, so we had to get her a package if we wanted one, and we were concerned it might be too much for her - but she didn't abuse it and got her (our) money's worth with fruit and frozen drinks!

I also think the package benefits the cruise line as it cuts down on smuggling and frees up the staff from having to carry cases of water and soda to the staterooms.

I think that those benefits, to the extent they exist, are pretty tangential to the potential financial boon to Princess from people signing up for the package. The drink package is a guaranteed stream of revenue regardless of actual consumption. So while people can and do make it work to their "advantage" Princess is still coming out ahead when you factor in that they're buying the water, coffee, juice, soda, and alcohol at a price way below what they are selling it at. Plus, there are surely people who buy the package who don't drink the requisite amount to break even. Its a good deal for the cruise company, and its a good deal for people who can/do make it worth their while.

My wife and I tend to do port intensive cruises, so even when you factor in water, juice, soda, etc., I dont see it being worth our while. But that's hardly a reason for Princess not to offer the package. My only concern, which may be totally unfounded, is that there could be an increase in individual drink prices to "encourage" people to buy the package.

 

All Inclusive Beverage Package - says first time offered.

 

$49 per person, per day.

 

Package includes any individual beverage below $10.

A 15% gratuity will be added.

Does this mean that the 15% gratuity is not included and will be paid separately? If so, it's looking less like a "bargain" and more like another package I won't have to worry about purchasing.

I absolutely LOVE the way Princess has included bottled water, soda AND the premium spirits and cocktails together! :) Celebrity doesn't do that and their price JUST on the bottled water is crazy high! :eek:

Actually, the classic package on Celebrity is about the same cost and does includes specialty coffee's, soda's, bottled water, wine and liquor drinks up to $8 each and beer up to $5 each. I know this as we cruise Celebrity often and just returned from a transatlantic where we had that package. We are going on Grand to Hawaii in January and are hoping that this package will be available.

Have had both Classic and Premium on Celebrity cruises and well worth the fees figuring alcohol plus premium coffees, bottled water, sodas and juices included. The sommelier came to our dinner table every night, knew that we had the beverage packages, asked what entree we had chosen and brought over a wine to pair with our meal. He came around frequently to refill while we dined. Excellent!!!

Someone on the Celebrity board here has a spreadsheet to figure out if it is worthwhile for you to get it. My husband enjoys showing a card, over and done instead of signing papers for a week.

Fingers crossed Princess will implement starting January 2014!!!

Follow the money.

Cruise lines offer the package because it makes them money. Which means that there is enough slippage that for a lot of people, the package is a convenience rather than a savings. That's the bottom line. They are not being charitable and trying to save you money or decreasing your onboard spending. The majority of revenue is from drinks so if they're making more money with people paying for packages, they will offer the packages. With the test, they are likely looking at and evaluating revenues rather than passenger satisfaction.

How would this work if only one person in the party gets a drink package? For example, let's say just me and my hubby didn't. Does this mean that I can order a bottle of wine and share it with my hubby (or anyone else for that matter?) If so, it would make sense to order one drink package just to cover a bottle of wine and a couple of drinks per day, plus coffee and water.

Hubby would pay for his own individual drinks (which would not be that much because apart from a beer or two, he would drink wine with me).

Perhaps I am figuring this wrong.

FTB?