Drink Package was best cruise deal ever!

Thanks to the OP for detailing what you had, DH and I loved the premium package on our caribbean cruise last january as well and found it got pretty good use as we were on board most days and when by the pool there is nothing better then trying a fruity cocktail! On our Alaska cruise, we were glad for not getting any package, simply because we weren't on board enough to make good use of it!

True. It really depends on the itinerary and how long you plan to spend in port as opposed to the ship.

Obviously, it does you no good if you're not on the ship to enjoy it. This is why I waited until halfway through my Eclipse Baltic cruise to get the package. More sea days towards the end and the Solstice class ships offer a much more interesting variety to taste with the Martini and Molecular bars as well as the coffee/tea bar. :D

Best deal we made was cancelling ours ! Sorry, but for us it saved over £400!

We really enjoy a drink - had a bottle of wine every night, drinks from our room mini bar, room service drinks, cocktails nearly every night, as well as during the day on sea days and some port days. Our Premium Package would have been about £880 for a 12 day cruise --- our bill at the end was about £550. Must admit, we got our bottled water from the ports of call (refuse to pay a fortune for water when it is so cheap on land).

I think everyone is different --- we were glad we cancelled --- we are sure that for some people it saves a fortune! Must admit. if we'd kept the package I think we would have felt pressurised to drink more to make sure we got our money's worth !!!

PS Our cruise was quiet port intensive --- Holy Land Silhouette --- so we had alreay booked some excursions with drinks included for 50% of the cruise.

PPS All Martinis we had were under the 12 dollar price --------

We have the premium package for our soon Mediterranean cruise and I think we will like it. We will be able to try many drinks ,etc, that we probably wouldn't have without it. We are celebrating 40 years so may as well live it up! Its great that it includes coffees,water, juice, wine, soda, and just about anything else you could want. And we got it before the price increase.

We have opted out of the drink package on both of our previous cruises. With the last one, we brought on a few 12 packs of soda, two gallons of water, and two boxes of wine. That seemed to work fine in most instances, but it was really just too much management having to run back to the room for a drink. So we will likely opt for the premium package on the next one.

We were in the boat of undecided in terms of the drink package, and we definitely made the WRONG choice. We did not get it.

We did everything as we typically would have with it, only decided to chance it and see what the bill would be at the end. We didn't want to make a mistake by getting it and finding it isn't worth it. Our typical day consisted of capuccino in the morning, bottle of water, pina colada or maybe 2 during the day, one more bottle of water, a cocktail for happy hour, drinks in the evening. We are not the kind of people who were up at the nightclub drinking or even up late, and don't drink beer. I think this is where the problem came in. We drink wine or liquor (my husband is a scotch drinker). It kicked out butt in the end. But, we learned from it and now know what to do for next time :)

Also, we had heard you could only get one drink at a time and only for one person. That simply was not the case once you tipped the bartenders at your favorite bar. Another couple we met later on in the trip only had the package for one. They just kept getting refilled, and the bartenders got a bit of extra cash. Not a bad deal if you ask me! You could always go from one bar to the next at the pool as well. You just can't order the drinks at one time, but you can order them back to back.

Also, we had heard you could only get one drink at a time and only for one person. That simply was not the case once you tipped the bartenders at your favorite bar. Another couple we met later on in the trip only had the package for one. They just kept getting refilled, and the bartenders got a bit of extra cash. Not a bad deal if you ask me! You could always go from one bar to the next at the pool as well. You just can't order the drinks at one time, but you can order them back to back.

I thought that both people staying in the same cabin have to buy the drink package. Not so?

I thought that both people staying in the same cabin have to buy the drink package. Not so?

I believe that's Royal Caribbean's rule, not Celebrity's.

Just returned from the Med. cruise on the Solstice and I purchased the Premium package. I was undecided before the cruise but I am so glad that I did as it was well worth it. My wife did not get the package nor was she required to.

Don't let the no souvenier glass rule stop you from getting the Premium Package, just buy one in the gift shops pack it away and enjoy yourself.:rolleyes::D Buying the package on my last cruise was the BEST.:o

Do not let a souvenier glass come between you and getting your Drink On.;)

I've done the package several times and bought it for my upcoming cruises before the price went up (this past May I believe.) If it were only alcohol I wouldn't be interested. But the specialty coffees and teas (Cafe Bacio is one of my favorite ppl watching spots), the specialty waters, and wine w/ dinner, diet cola.... Add to that the ease of not having to sign and collect all those receipts.... I love the Premium Alcohol package.

I actually got the Premium Non Alcoholic Package on our cruise, and it was wonderful. I drink a lot of bottled water, I love smoothies, I adore fancy coffees, and while I prefer alcoholic cocktails, I am content with the non-alcoholic versions. I still drank a fair amount of wine, but we just paid out of pocket for it. My husband did not get a drink package, and really wished he had. As much wine as he drank, we might have saved money with a package, and he might have indulged in and enjoyed a few more drinks.

We're definitely going to get some version of the drink packages next time we sail with Celebrity.

I believe that's Royal Caribbean's rule, not Celebrity's.

Well that's good to know. Hubby likes to drink but it would be really wasted on me. (Real lightweight here) So knowing he could get one type of package (premium alcohol) and I could get another (non-alcohol) is great!

Starting to think this might be the way to go with the variety of drinks included. DH would get his money's woth in beers alone!! I'm assuming you can buy onboard and use OBC toward the pacckage?

Does Celebrity offer a detox package on the last day?!?:D

Your full and frank account of how this drinks package worked for you has made us rethink what we do.

As an Antipodean we looked at the cost in New Zealand Dollars and it is enough to make one faint!:eek:

But looking at how you used the package has put a whole new light on things. We have been squirrelling away USD over the past months while the NZD has been high so it now looks more attractive.

And the idea that you don't have to think about the bill at the end must mean I will relax more (see I am a bean counter by trade and a bean counter at home:rolleyes:)

What we will do is buy the package once onboard.

Starting to think this might be the way to go with the variety of drinks included. DH would get his money's woth in beers alone!! I'm assuming you can buy onboard and use OBC toward the pacckage?

Absolutely.... board ship, buy package.

With our OBC and stock credit, the Classic package (which suits our drink tastes just fine) will only be $72/day for BOTH. ;):eek:

I had the Premium alcohol package on Solstice the other week and it was great.

Bar tenders would have my next Peroni ready before I finished the one i was on

I also went through the whole Molecular bar list with the help of Brian the bar tender who was great.

I've never drank so many Martini's in my life

Peter

It was a nice surprise to discover I could pick up some water at the station just getting off the ship as part of the package. They had large bottles and soft drinks too.

Angie

whichever package we buy (probably premium non alcohol) we will definatly buy on board the morning of the 2nd day- it has been pointed out elsewhere that you pay the same amount for each day & since the day you board the ship is not a full day, you will lose money for that day

whichever package we buy (probably premium non alcohol) we will definatly buy on board the morning of the 2nd day- it has been pointed out elsewhere that you pay the same amount for each day & since the day you board the ship is not a full day, you will lose money for that day

I didn't lose money the first day!

Straight onto the wine once we sat down to eat lunch at 2 pm. Then the sailaway drinks, pre dinner cocktail, wines with dinner, followed by a Sambuca. The evening had only just started by then

Peter

I am hoping to save enough money to purchase this package as a surprise for myself and the hubby at Christmas for our February cruise(s).

2215- Specialty Coffee..........................................$ 8.00

I'm assuming this coffee included alcohol, correct?

I don't know guys, I just cannot justify £494.10 each on drinks. I am not a drinker, I mainly just drink tea so am hoping that I can drink that free of charge on board.

We don't drink in our cabin, so I think the package will work out well for us.

Expensive, but lovely to have no bar billet the end of the cruise!

Wha increase! I thought it was only speciallty restaurants that went up?

Yep, premium package went up by $60. It'll probably go up again.