All Inclusive Drink Package available on Star Princess NOW

:confused:Has anyone who has been on the Sapphire report about the new drink package being tested???

We'll be on the Sapphire starting Sunday - I'll report back on what I discover.

We'll be on the Sapphire starting Sunday - I'll report back on what I discover.

When you ask - I'm curious how it will be handled for people that book one adult and 1 or 2 kids in a cabin and the same for the other spouse. Two cabins, two adults 2-4 children. What is the requirement for the children. The same for 2 adults and minors in the cabin.

When you ask - I'm curious how it will be handled for people that book one adult and 1 or 2 kids in a cabin and the same for the other spouse. Two cabins, two adults 2-4 children. What is the requirement for the children. The same for 2 adults and minors in the cabin.

Children have to buy the ultimate soda etc. package.

So I've done the math, and for us the package is worth it. I guess if we get the package on our next cruise (which we will if it's offered) that makes the unused punches on our coffee cards useless. Bummer!

I would be more than happy to make you a fair offer on that partially used coffee card. The drink package sounds great, but it just doesn't work for us.

The wine program is only offered on certain voyages that are 10 days or longer' date=' which are set-up on the beverage tables on embarkation day[/quote']

 

We had to ask for the wine pkg on the Royal TA in October, we did not see it advertised or set up anywhere, maybe we missed it? And they did not push it in the dining room. I only knew about it from these boards. Silver Pkg was any wine $29 and below. Gold Pkg was $30 bottles and up. Dont remember the price, but it depended on how many bottles you bought - obviously the more you bought, the cheaper the per bottle price was. I am also interested in knowing whether they will continue this wine pkg, or consolidate it into the Bev Pkg.

Berni

Children have to buy the ultimate soda etc. package.

Children shouldn't drink soda especially those under the age of 5. :cool:

Does anyone currently on the Star have any new information? Is it really only offered at one bar? Which bar? What do you do if you want a glass of wine with dinner? Or a second glass for that matter? Do you have to leave the table and get it yourself?

Children shouldn't drink soda especially those under the age of 5. :cool:

They should be able to drink etc. Actually I suspect they have to buy the package that includes the soda, but obviously they should not drink everything in the package.

It does seem like a silly requirement.

I took it to mean that you could only sign up for the unlimited drinks bar at one particular bar either on the day of, or the day after embarkation, but that all other bars (excluding room service orders) would honor the card/sticker/whatever it is that Princess uses to identify the passengers that purchased the package.

If not and it is only 1 bar serving, then either I'm going to work up an awful thirst treking back and forth, or the service staff are really going to earn that 15% gratuity running back and forth! ;)

The Star is in Encinada tomorrow, so hopefully someone aboard can update the thread without having to burn up any cruise Internet minutes, or I guess we'll find out for ourselves on Friday afternoon.

I took it to mean that you could only sign up for the unlimited drinks bar at one particular bar either on the day of, or the day after embarkation, but that all other bars (excluding room service orders) would honor the card/sticker/whatever it is that Princess uses to identify the passengers that purchased the package.

 

If not and it is only 1 bar serving, then either I'm going to work up an awful thirst treking back and forth, or the service staff are really going to earn that 15% gratuity running back and forth! ;)

 

The Star is in Encinada tomorrow, so hopefully someone aboard can update the thread without having to burn up any cruise Internet minutes, or I guess we'll find out for ourselves on Friday afternoon.

Thanks! I must have read it wrong. Hopefully someone will update us to whether or not it will be available for us.

Children shouldn't drink soda especially those under the age of 5. :cool:

I think the policy applies to children over 6 and there's a lot more in the package than soda

I think the policy applies to children over 6 and there's a lot more in the package than soda

I agree. We bought the package for my grandson. He was 4 and 5 and we felt it worth it both times. Soda? No, I don't think so. Even at 8 YO he is only allowed one soda per week - dentist orders. We bought it for the freshly made hot chocolate, the juices and the occasional strawberry margarita. Did we get our money's worth every day? I dunno. Was it easy to walk up to the bar or at our table and order his treasured hot chocolate? Yes and he loved that he had the power to do so. It made him feel special. Plus they give you this really cute straw. Yup, he really liked that :D.

I know the test was just launched recently but has anyone returned from one of the test ships and can share their experience with the beverage package?

Thanks!

I think the policy applies to children over 6 and there's a lot more in the package than soda

Yes. In fact, I wouldn't mind buying a non-alcohol beverage package for my husband when I bought in alcohol package, if they're going to require all passengers in a cabin to buy a package. But paying $49/day for someone who doesn't drink ANY alcohol is just not a good deal for us.

We are just off Star. We did not buy the beverage package. A small card advertising the package was found at bars and on tables throughout the ship during the first few days.

During the cruise I had the chance to chat with several bartenders about the package. As mentioned in posts above they told me the package is in a trial phase and will be unavailable on cruises of less than seven days. The bar staff I spoke with speculated on the reason for the seven day policy decision - but I got the impression that were not in-the-loop on Princess' reasons for that decision.

When asked later how many beverage packages they sold I heard 35 from one bartender, 38 from another. Bar staff also speculated that they will sell more packages on the following 15 day Hawaii cruise, given the shift in demographics for the Christmas and New Year holiday.

I hope Princess do expand this fleet wide. We enjoy having the package on Celebrity and feel we get our money's worth without being excessive alcohol drinkers, plus it is the convenience factor of no bills to sign (at least on Celebrity) and no bill shock at the end of the cruise. Also we get to experience new drinks (cocktails etc) that we would not otherwise purchase. All-in-all it makes for a very relaxed and convenient cruise experience for us.

I'll also be on the Star on Friday! We had planned on getting a wine package for dinner and a coffee package for afternoon refreshments (unlimited tea for me as I don't like coffee), but this package might be right up our alley.

 

We've taken numerous all inclusive land vacations and like the fact that it's all been paid for in the price and there are no surprises at the end of the vacation. It's also nice to simply wander up to a bar and order what ever you like. We would typically start out with a mimosa or two for breakfast, go lounge on the beach for a few hours and grab that first rum cocktail around 11AM (though towards the end of the vacation, that 11AM becomes 10:45 and then 10:30!). We would then have a beer or two with lunch, perhaps another cocktail mid afternoon and then a beer at the bar after the sun has gone down before heading back to the room to get ready for dinner. A cocktail whilst waiting for a table, a glass or two of wine with dinner and then a cocktail or two later in the evening and then bed.

 

With 11 of the 15 days of the Hawaiian cruise being "ship" days (10 sea days and a day in Ensenada -We'll be staying on-board as we stopped off there on an earlier Californian Coastal a few months back), there is plenty of time on this cruise to drink at a sensible pace (including juice, water, tea/coffee) to at least get value for money.

 

Sign me up!

 

Pol :D

Wondering if you ended up buying this new drink package. Would love to hear back as to how it is working...

Does anyone currently on the Star have any new information? Is it really only offered at one bar? Which bar? What do you do if you want a glass of wine with dinner? Or a second glass for that matter? Do you have to leave the table and get it yourself?

I started the thread. Sorry I didn't come back sooner to check on it. As others have speculated, you buy the package at one bar on the first two days of the cruise. You can use the promotion in other areas of the ship. I didn't buy the package myself and I didn't speak to anyone who did, so I can't help with answering questions about how it went or their experiences. Hope that helps.

We got back home a few hours ago and we did indeed sign up for the package. There was definitely some effort given by Princess in promoting the offer. There was a sign up in the entry hallway at the port and there were some fliers lying on the check in desks. As was pointed out above, there were also various placards and fliers dotted around the ship on embarkation day and the first day of the cruise, so people were definitely made aware of the promotion.

The fliers didn't show where we needed to sign up for the promotion, so after embarkation and before we hit the lunch buffet, we simply asked at a bar on the pool deck and they pointed us in the direction of Vines Wine Bar which was located on deck 5. There were a few people in front of us, but it didn't take too long for the wait staff to complete the paperwork and attach a sticker to our cruise card. The sticker was good for all bars on the ship and is good for all beverages at $10 and under. On the bar menu, there was only drink that was over $10 (A Remy Martin XO brandy) and all items on the Martini list were under $10 and there were 4 or 5 wines at Vines that were over the $10 limit. It was explained to us that anything over $10 would have to be paid for in full, with no credit given for having the card.

6 out of the 8 people at our late sitting table had the beverage sticker and a good time was had by all and just about every Brit of legal drinking age that I met on board, appeared to have signed up for the package too! You still had to sign for each and every drink (inventory control was the explanation), but the value of the sale was recorded as $0.00. There were a few instances where the wait staff incorrectly coded the sale and it would appear on the room statement, but customer services were quick to remove those charges when pointed out to them. None of the $0.00 charges showed up on the room statement, so for the first time in my life, my folio fitted on one page!

As I said, the sticker was good at all bars, but I still had a little bit of running about to do over dinner. There was wine by the glass available in the MDR, but the quality of some were rather questionable and others were only just passable. We found a few higher quality wines available at Vines and the Martini bar that were $10 or less, so opted to drink those at dinner. We would grab a glass on the way to dinner and although the head waiter said that the wine steward would be able to get us refills for the wines that were only available at Vines and Crooner's, that didn't prove to be the case. The wine steward was willing to sell us a bottle of our chosen wine, albeit at a 40% discount, but wouldn't go and get us a glass, so we opted to pop out after the salad course and grab a couple of refills to drink with the entrees. The sticker was also good for aperitifs in the MDR.

We, along with our table mates thought that we got good value for money and we would all definitely do it again. I drank a little more onboard than I would on a land vacation as the cruise puts a value on the package, rather than having it included in the room rate at an all inclusive land resort, so there was a point to aim at each day to hit that "break even point".

Thank you so much for the quick review of the new drinks package. It appears you answered most of our questions. We were wondering how ordering wine in the dining room would go. That could be a problem and we may have to do as you and pop out for refills. We normally drink a bottle of wine with dinner but I can't see buying a bottle even at 40% discount if you already paid for this package. We will be boarding February 18 and look forward to the cruise and now most likely trying out this package. Hope you had a great cruise!

Not sure if this was covered but with the alcohol drink card are the sodas, teas and coffees included?

Do they allow you to buy more than 1 drink at a time i.e. if i ordered myself and wife a drink (realise both people in cabin need to sign up) do they need to see both cards?

I normally get a bucket of beer - not to get the extra one free - but because it is handy. A bucket of beer is more than $10 - do they allow it as each "beer" is less than $10.

I will be on the Caribbean Princess at the end of april, hoping that this package will be offer. Does anyone know when it will be on all boats?

I will be on the Caribbean Princess at the end of april, hoping that this package will be offer. Does anyone know when it will be on all boats?

thanks for the review...disappointed to hear about the wine at dinner which on celebrity really made it worthwhile--even though we got it by the glass on celebrity the wine steward would open a bottle for us and leave it close to the table and just refill the glass--that was a good deal :) i guess made it easier for him also as he didn't have to go far to refill.