top up drinks packages

A question if I book a cruise and don't have the drinks package and then subsequently see it being offered for say £99 on a special offer would I be able to purchase and add it to my booking or not. I suspect not just wondered.

A question if I book a cruise and don't have the drinks package and then subsequently see it being offered for say £99 on a special offer would I be able to purchase and add it to my booking or not. I suspect not just wondered.

Not sure if this is correct or not but we were given the impression at TA that we had to book the AI at the time of booking.

Just booked a week on Majesty with 2 girlfriends and then realised that my drink requirements are different to when cruising with DH. Don't think any of us could get through £199 each worth of drinks without our DHs helping. :D

I think that they charge you the price it was at the time you booked...

They charge you the price it was at the time you booked.

If you cruise on Spirit/Majesty buying one of the onboard drinks deals might be more suitable.

I was received a call from Shelia @ Thomson's head office the other night asking me if there was anything I needed for my upcomming cruise (North Cape) I said I was thinking of the drinks package but wouldn't I have to book it in the TA as that was where I booked the cruise, I was told that was not necessary and that she could do it for me. I then asked for a free cruise as loyalty discount and we both laughed!! So I think you can book the drinks package at any time:D:D

They charge you the price it was at the time you booked.

 

If you cruise on Spirit/Majesty buying one of the onboard drinks deals might be more suitable.

Yes, I'm looking at that. We three "Let Loose Women" may buy a wine package between us rather than a bottle at a time. But what do you do with all the water? :eek::D

I was received a call from Shelia @ Thomson's head office the other night asking me if there was anything I needed for my upcomming cruise (North Cape) I said I was thinking of the drinks package but wouldn't I have to book it in the TA as that was where I booked the cruise, I was told that was not necessary and that she could do it for me. I then asked for a free cruise as loyalty discount and we both laughed!! So I think you can book the drinks package at any time:D:D

I think since you can now buy it on board you would be able to buy it at any time (at about £200p.p./week) but I don't think you'd be able to buy it at the discounted prices.

As others have said I think this is a booking incentive so free, £69 or £99 p.p./week (the usual offer prices) have to be booked at the time of booking. Unfortunately we've even heard on here of someone who booked on line and missed ticking the free AI at the time of booking - and missed out! :eek: Now that is harsh! Perhaps customer services would help someone who had made such a mistake but in fairness to Thomson I think they state quite clearly that it is a 'at the time of booking offer'.

What drinks packages are available on Spirit please:)

I have a photo of the Special Wine Packages in Majesty. Each of the packages says so many bottles of wine plus the same number of bottles of water (1.5ltr), plus a named bottle of free wine.

Eg. 6 wine plus 6 water plus free Heinkell Troken

3 wine plus 3 water plus free Cruise Choice Splarkling Wine

My question? On the display of wines there was no indication of which wines went with which package other than the free one. Therefore can you choose any wines, eg a mixture, for one package? Or is there a wine dedicated to each package. Or is there a price range of wine for each package. I really do not understand it!

I did try to find out from the waiter standing there but he did not understand what I was asking and DH dragged me away. :eek:

What drinks packages are available on Spirit please:)

DH has just found a photo he took of part of the drinks package available on Spirit which may be of interest (Sept 2012):

Beer bonanza:

35 pints draught lager £79.95 (save £42.55) or 35 cans Boddingtons or Guinness £85.95 (save £36.55)

Warm Drinks:

Choice of 30 hot beverages @ £48.95

Non-alcoholic Cocktails: £25 - choice of 10 non-alcoholic cocktails + 5 free soft drinks

There was also a wine package of so many bottles of wine for a given price - an equivalent number of free 1.5L bottles of water and as I remember it worked out that we were paying about £14/15 bottle but it was for wine which was selling for perhaps £17 on the menu - so rather better quality.

You have asked an interesting question Jakanne - and I'm loathe to give you any info as I only have a hazy memory - and to make things worse, the offer on Majesty was different to that on Spirit! So take this is in the spirit (excuse pun!) in which it is offered which is an approximation of what I remember!

I think on Spirit they offered a choice of wines from a wine package 'menu' so you could have all the same variety if you choose to or have any combination of those on the package you have selected but I'm sure there were different menus with different qualities of wine i.e. you chose how many bottles you wanted and in a given price bracket. Then you could select either the same of different wines from the package you have bought. There were packages for reds, whites, rose.

On the other ship (I think that was Majesty:confused:) there was a selection of a variety of wines within a given package and you could buy packages of different sizes (4/5/6 bottles with a free 'house' wine included for the cheapest one, something rather better with a dearer package and a bottle of bubbly with the most expensive) but it was a set selection of one of each of, say, six different bottles. Again, red, white packages and mixtures with both red and white too but they were specified bottles - at least it was when we bought ours as I remember we saved what we thought we would enjoy most for the last night and our choice of package was driven by what specific wines they were offering within the package. So there was quite a variety of options. Of course, this could all have changed by now! :rolleyes:

I've probably confused you more than ever! :eek:

 

On the other ship (I think that was Majesty:confused:) there was a selection of a variety of wines within a given package and you could buy packages of different sizes (4/5/6 bottles with a free 'house' wine included for the cheapest one, something rather better with a dearer package and a bottle of bubbly with the most expensive) but it was a set selection of one of each of, say, six different bottles. Again, red, white packages and mixtures with both red and white too but they were specified bottles - at least it was when we bought ours as I remember we saved what we thought we would enjoy most for the last night and our choice of package was driven by what specific wines they were offering within the package. So there was quite a variety of options. Of course, this could all have changed by now! :rolleyes:

 

I've probably confused you more than ever! :eek:

Thanks Kruzseeka, it does make a lot of sense. I looked at the bottles on offer on the display, (I thought I had taken a photo of the display but I only have a photo of the sign of the different packages on offer) and although I am not a wine buff, even I could recognise wines of different supermarket prices. Actually the house red and white wine which we drank by the glass on AI was very drinkable.

One of the girls going with me 12th April has been on other cruise lines and could not believe it when I told her some of the drinks prices and the fact you could bring drinks on board and buy drinks duty free and drink then in your cabin. Plus not have 15% plus 10% added to your drinks bill. Of course there's not an ice skating rink on Majesty. :)

As they say on Dragons Den let us drill down more :confused:

if we are going as planned on Celebration and not AI (beloved one has one glass of wine in two weeks :eek:...honest.... me well like a few pints and the odd glass of wine and do not drink many spirits :cool:

so not going AI and someone mentioned there is a drink package for one

something like 75 pints for 11 days :D

Stevie ;)

Thanks to you all don't think we would get through £400 worth between us in a week so we will settle at the end of the cruise and see if it comes close. But the £69 Or £99 deals we would be quids in.

I'm pretty certain (as stated by others) that the discounted AI drinks package can only be taken at the time of booking.

The full price deal can be added on at any time, including on the ship.

At £199 per person you would have to have a major league booze potential to get your money's worth - especially as both clients in a couple have to sign up at that price.

The onboard beer packages are a decent deal.

I'm pretty certain (as stated by others) that the discounted AI drinks package can only be taken at the time of booking.

 

The full price deal can be added on at any time, including on the ship.

 

At £199 per person you would have to have a major league booze potential to get your money's worth - especially as both clients in a couple have to sign up at that price.

 

The onboard beer packages are a decent deal.

Guess DH and I must have that major league booze potential. DH drank mainly alcoholic drinks but I had coffees, virgin cocktails, tea in a teapot, diet cokes as well as wine and Campari and orange, cocktails.....:D:eek: it is surprising how the drink prices add up.

Thanks to you all don't think we would get through £400 worth between us in a week so we will settle at the end of the cruise and see if it comes close. But the £69 Or £99 deals we would be quids in.

Just checked our bill on the Majesty. Altogether - £428 take away shop purchases, trips and my massage it came to £196 spent on drink, so definitely not worth us having it at full price.:eek::D

Have just booked online 24th June ancient wonders on celebration didn't have the drinks package so decision made.:d

Just checked our bill on the Majesty. Altogether - £428 take away shop purchases, trips and my massage it came to £196 spent on drink, so definitely not worth us having it at full price.:eek::D

Think I'm married to an alcoholic, lol. We girls are not bothering with £199 AI for my next cruise because we are trying to keep it a budget holiday. We'll be counting our pennies, or euros, and making our free cups of tea rather than having my favourite Campari and orange on an afternoon! Mm, maybe not too often. :D

Guess DH and I must have that major league booze potential. DH drank mainly alcoholic drinks but I had coffees, virgin cocktails, tea in a teapot, diet cokes as well as wine and Campari and orange, cocktails.....:D:eek: it is surprising how the drink prices add up.

Would you have spent £398 on drinks if you were "pay as you swally" rather than AI deal ?

Would you have spent £398 on drinks if you were "pay as you swally" rather than AI deal ?

I certainly did on previous cruises.

I don't drink the tea or coffee in the buffet and on the Majesty both were rank in the Four Seasons at breakfast.

I liked the coffees and tea in the bars and drank lots of cans of juice too, as well as virgin cocktails, cocktails, wine with dinner, a liquer and some drinks afterwards. DH drank mostly booze with tea and coffees in the daytime. Was definitely value for money for us.

Would you have spent £398 on drinks if you were "pay as you swally" rather than AI deal ?

I guess we might have. I added up our receipts and they came to a lot more than £400 ! :D. I also thought it much nicer to drink either the tea or coffee in the bars or lounges rather than have to trek to deck 10 to make my own at those drink stations.

As they say on Dragons Den let us drill down more :confused:

 

if we are going as planned on Celebration and not AI (beloved one has one glass of wine in two weeks :eek:...honest.... me well like a few pints and the odd glass of wine and do not drink many spirits :cool:

 

so not going AI and someone mentioned there is a drink package for one

 

something like 75 pints for 11 days :D

 

Stevie ;)

not on Celebration/Dream, the onboard drinks deals are only available on Spirit/Majesty

not on Celebration/Dream, the onboard drinks deals are only available on Spirit/Majesty

Thank you Dave for that information

hip flask job it is then;)

Stevie

Thank you Dave for that information

hip flask job it is then;)

Stevie

Isn't it a pain though - a package which it seems would appeal to a lot of passengers and offer some different options but not available across the fleet? I just cannot understand why. :confused: If Louis find it profitable on Majesty and Spirit (I guess they must or otherwise wouldn't do it) why not adopt it on the Thomson run ships?

Isn't it a pain though - a package which it seems would appeal to a lot of passengers and offer some different options but not available across the fleet? I just cannot understand why. :confused: If Louis find it profitable on Majesty and Spirit (I guess they must or otherwise wouldn't do it) why not adopt it on the Thomson run ships?

simples!

Louis own and manage the two ships. Thomson pay Louis a number of pounds for each AI package sold. Louis have discovered they can make more pounds by selling onboard deals. Thomson can't stop them doing it ;)