Drinks package

The drinks package for £10 a night pp looks really good value. Is it as good as it sounds in reality please?

I think the drinks package is pretty good value. If, like me, you like a G&T or two before dinner and are content to drink a few glasses of the house wines with dinner (or lunch too) it is fine. If, however, you prefer cocktails and more expensive wines I'm not so sure. You do get these at discounted prices but I haven't done the calculation. The coffees in the Bookmark Cafe on the "Balmoral" are not included in the package.

£10 is the general price of the package except on specific cruise eg Christmas and New Year when it leaps to a ludicrous £29 pp per day.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been meaning to ask:

Is there a list of what's included and, more importantly, what's not included. My drink of choice is Guinness - is this included in the package? If not, it would be a no-no for me.

Thank you.

wft

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been meaning to ask:

 

Is there a list of what's included and, more importantly, what's not included. My drink of choice is Guinness - is this included in the package? If not, it would be a no-no for me.

 

Thank you.

 

Here is the link to All Inclusive

 

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise-extras

All posts really helpful thanks. If you have a coffee or tea in one of the lounges ( apart from the special chocolate shop lounge) are they included in the package, are they included in the cruise, or are they extra charges?

Sorry for all of the questions - relatively new to the cruising population.

Thank you.

We had the package on FO the other week we went into one of the lounges one afternoon. My wife wanted tea and was charged for this as they said it is not included.

The lack of tea and coffee in the bars is one of the reasons we do not usually buy the all inclusive. You do not even get half price on hot drinks in bars like you do for many other premium drinks - you have to pay full price for them. You can get tea/coffee 24hours in the self service restaurants or at the hot drinks point if it is somewhere different as on Boudicca. There is also tea/coffee making faciilities in the cabins. It is not the same as relaxing in a bar after a meal (or during the day and ordering a hot drink though.

The drink pack is good value if you drink alcohol and do not mind which brands of spirit, wine or beer you drink. If you drink mixers we found that the house spirits are OK, but not so sure about drinking them neat. The wines vary on different cruises and different ships in our experience. Cocktails are not included, (you pay half price), but for instance if you ask for a vodka and tomato juice or rum and orange it is included, so watch what you ask for!

From memory, on Boudicca, last summer, one of the beers was Spitfire in a can. Vodka was Russian Standard, Gin was Beefeater. Hot chocolate was delicious and even better with a house brandy (£2.10) half price chocolate and free brandy.

We thought it was good value for £10 a day. By the time you have a few soft drinks, wine with dinner and the odd g&t it is well worth it.

The wine was not brilliant but perfectly drinkable (wasn't keen on the rose). The sparkling wine is quaffable.

Agree re the hot chocolate and brandy, really nice.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been meaning to ask:

 

Is there a list of what's included and, more importantly, what's not included. My drink of choice is Guinness - is this included in the package? If not, it would be a no-no for me.

 

Thank you.

 

Here is the link to All Inclusive

 

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/cruise-extras

 

Thanks for the info, all they say is 'selected branded beers'. I'll check direct with FO.

 

wft

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been meaning to ask:

 

Is there a list of what's included and, more importantly, what's not included. My drink of choice is Guinness - is this included in the package? If not, it would be a no-no for me.

 

Thank you.

 

wft

Guinness is not included - I know because my wife drinks it and we have to pay full price for each can. :)

>>>Guinness is not included - I know because my wife drinks it and we have to pay full price for each can.<<<

My husband drinks Guinness and, with all inclusive, pays 50%. We have worked out what we would have spent with and without all inclusive and, for us, it is definitely worth it. E.g. A cranberry with vodka is inclusive or a white rum (sadly no dark rum on AI) and pepsi

We don't have the house wine every night, often buy another at 50%; I have a 50% cocktail most nights. I quite like a glass of the rosé or red, but don't really like the white, although my husband does. So it's all clearly down to personal taste.

Guinness is not included - I know because my wife drinks it and we have to pay full price for each can. :)

Thank you. How can Fred do this:)

Also, my compliments to your wife on her impeccable taste.;)

wft

Thank you. How can Fred do this:)

 

Also, my compliments to your wife on her impeccable taste.;)

 

wft

She developed a taste for it [and Shropshire Blue cheese] when she was first pregnant many years ago. She still loves both. Can't stand Guinness myself. It leads to much confusion when being served - invariably I get the Guinness placed in front of me! :)

On the Black Watch over Christmas the AI beers were Boddingtons & Stella draught, Strongbow Cider, Spitfire, Carlsberg Export and Heineken.

As I said in an earlier post it is not correct that you pay full price on a can of Guinness on all inclusive. My husband always drinks it and we pay 50%.

Still not 100% clear on what is and what isn't included - would the drinks package include:

Port and brandy

Campari and soda

Whisky and dry ginger

Martini and lemonade

Rosé wine

Thanks

Might be an idea if you spoke directly with FO. They will be able to give you a more comprehensive answer then you can let everybody know.

We sailed on the Braemar in 2014 and had the drinks package. Unless you are really hung up about which brands you drink, it is really good value. We are not heavy drinkers but easily got our moneys worth out of it. A drink with dinner, a drink at the show and a nightcap, or just an evening in the bar, can easily see a tenner gone at todays prices.

The bar staff are very attentive and will not let you sit without a drink for long and they are also very quick to learn your favourite tipple.

We are cruising with NCL in September and fortunately their £400+ drinks package is thrown in and that's just for 7 days. This really puts into perspective the value of Freds drinks package.

really is a great deal.

We just came back from Royal Caribbean cruise. There Premium Drinks Package (Thats not the top package) is £41 per day per person. Fred's is excellent value.

really is a great deal.

Agreed!

Just off the Braemar and we saved a lot. Basic price of £1.65 for soft drink, £3.25 for a pint of lager , £3.95 for house wine and £4.25 for a double house spirit makes me wonder how they can price it at £10 pppn and make any money at all.

Agreed!

Just off the Braemar and we saved a lot. Basic price of £1.65 for soft drink, £3.25 for a pint of lager , £3.95 for house wine and £4.25 for a double house spirit makes me wonder how they can price it at £10 pppn and make any money at all.

Sshhhh :D

Thanks everyone - have happily booked the drinks package.

I would agree that, at 10 GBP per person per day the drinks package seems worth it but not sure at 29 GBP per person per day which is what they are asking for the cruise I am booked on. I generally have the water package on other lines (as I drink a lot of water) but FO does not seem to offer anything similar.

I agree that the charge of £29 pppd for the drinks package is ludicrous. On several cruises I have enjoyed the £10 package but I certainly won't be paying £29 for our Christmas/New Year cruise later this month.