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What do you think about unlimited beer and alcohol packages?


What do you think about unlimited beer and alcohol packages (choose all that apply)?  

1,468 members have voted

  1. 1. What do you think about unlimited beer and alcohol packages (choose all that apply)?

    • I love the idea -- it's convenient
      231
    • I love the idea -- it'll save me money
      152
    • I like the idea, but I won't pay what Celebrity's charging!
      290
    • I like the idea, but I don't want to be committed to just beer or just mixed drinks
      141
    • I don't like the idea at all -- it encourages binge drinking
      235
    • I don't drink enough for it to be economical
      294
    • I'm not interested; I don't drink
      58
    • I'll stick with wine and/or soda packages, thanks
      49
    • None of the above
      3
    • Something else (which I'll post)
      15


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Hate shilling out every time you sidle up to the bar? Celebrity Cruises has announced that it is introducing unlimited beer and liquor packages onboard its ships. Celebrity's packages are probably the closest alternative to an "open bar" outside of the luxury niche, with liquor packages starting from $51.50 per night ($76 for premium spirits) and beer packages from $34.50 per night.

 

Convenient they are, but what about the cost? The beer package entitles you to unlimited domestic and imported brews (one beer per package holder, per order), which are ordinarily priced from $4.50 to $6.50 each. You'd need to drink between five and seven beers a day to get your money's worth.

 

Read the full news story here.

 

Would you pay for an unlimited drinks package if it were offered on your cruise? Do they offer added convenience -- or encourage too much spending (and drinking)? Tell us in our poll above what you think about unlimited drinks packages -- and be sure to post your opinion below!

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With so many drunks falling and/or jumping over board these days, I don't think that we need to encourage "all you can drink" options. Why not just offer advance purchase limited drink packages that allow for the passenger to save some money on a limited quantity package. At least this way the passenger saves money and the cruise lines get the revenue up front.:confused:

 

Did anyone else notice that the poll results add up to more than 100%??????? How accurate is this poll?

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I drink on a cruise but not enough to buy a package. I was reading

about getting your money's worth?

6 beers a day? I might have 3 or 4 throughout a 7 night cruise so I would

definitely not got get my $ worth.

51.50 per night? There are times I might have 2 drinks a day...maybe 3.

That doesn't come close to 50.00.

Even if I have 1 glass of wine with dinner, the packages are not something

I would care to spend my money on...but I am guessing lots of folks

will and that is why they are offering this now.

 

The question is would I pay for an unlimited drink package?

No, its too much $ and its not worth it for me.

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My husband and I..together..would rarely meet the $52 per night charge! Even if they'd lower the prices of drinks (I do think they charge way too much), we'd not drink enough to make it worthwhile!

 

I think the soda packages are overpriced, too. Now, if they had some sort of card where someone could buy sodas, specialty coffees, juices...maybe I'd consider it.

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what if someone does not hold the booze very well will they cut them of before they reach there limit

 

Any how would they do this if someone bought "Unlimited" drinks?

 

I would rather see them offer a discount for pre-purchase drink cards (like a 10 rail drink drink card for $50 or something).

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I've travelled on a British cruise line which offers all inclusive packages (drinks) at a set cost, have to say I don't recall anybody jumping overboard.

Personally I don't drink enough to make a package economical so won't be indulging. Though wonder if Celebrity will include it as an incentive for early booking as our British company does. I never turn it down if it's offered for free. :)

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I've travelled on a British cruise line which offers all inclusive packages (drinks) at a set cost, have to say I don't recall anybody jumping overboard.

Personally I don't drink enough to make a package economical so won't be indulging. Though wonder if Celebrity will include it as an incentive for early booking as our British company does. I never turn it down if it's offered for free. :)

 

FREE? I think we ALL like that word:D...but there are no free lunches

in this life:eek:

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If they offered us unlimited bottles of wine off the wine list (not the cheapo stuff) then it might be worth it.

 

Otherwise, there is no way either of us could consume $50 or $75 worth of booze every day. Or, I should say, maybe the first night in celebration then I couldn't touch a drop the rest of the week.

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I voted that it would be a convenience, though it may seem odd because I rarely drink [i am on medications that make it unwise for me to drink more than one or two drinks in a 24 hour period] however if I could drink it would be worth it to me as I would then not worry about how much it was costing me to drink. I could have 2 drinks, or I could drink 14 [starting at 7 am with a bloody mary, and one an hour after that until bedtime!] and not think about the cost as it is already spent.

 

Just like I really do not drink a lot of sodas, but I bought a soda card for my upcoming cruise. I understand I will get a souvenir cup, which is more or less what I really wanted, though I will probably do a soda or two a day while lounging in the sun. I dont know, I might end up getting a soda jones one of the days and hammer down a dozen =)

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I think the prices are too high but I guess it depends on the original price of the drink and how many a person consumed each day.....

 

I would, however, like coupons like on CCL or punch cards, sort of like the Champagne cards on some RCCL ships...

 

I don't think I could drink 50 bucks worth of frozen thinggies or 30-some off bucks worth of bud light in a day!

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I love the idea of a beer package as that is mostly what we drink.

The initial cost seems slightly high as you need to factor in that there may be some long port days. When we are off of ships for long days we might imbibe on shore and then on our return to ship we may be done for the day.

Hopefully RCI and NCL will jump on this idea as well.

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The only people who will use this are the people who spend this kind of money on booze & beer anyway. And the people who almost drink this much. I do beleive it will cause more binge drinking among some people (hey - gotta get my money's worth!)

 

I think some sort of pre-paid discount card with a set $$ limit would have more general appeal - buy the card for a certain $$ amount - $25, $100 or whatever - & automatically get a 20% discount on WHATEVER alcohol you buy.

 

It's be great for gifts, too!

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Why dont they do it like an all inclusive and just include the price in the whole package and then it doesnt seem so bad and that would cover for all your drinks as I do not drink enough either to cover the cost but i would drink alittle more if i knew it was available and i paid for it....just a thought ...............:) I would like to see this on all lines especially Princess !!

 

Tim

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I don't drink enough to warrant $50+ per day ... but I can see how it would be easy to get there.

 

We have friends who have sailed with us and they enjoy their cocktails. They'll start with Baileys in their coffee at 7 am, then Bloodies at 10 am, then beer with lunch and again into the afternoon. Then something frozen mid-day when sitting in the sun, followed by a pre-dinner cocktail (or two), a drink with dinner and at least one nightcap. That's eight drinks right there, over the course of about 18 hours. Hardly enough to keep a buzz on!

 

So for those people, I think the package is a convenience. I am looking at the frozen package as it's more affordable and it would be a real treat for me. But the problem really isn't the unlimited drinks, it's the danged calories that go along with them!

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It's not for me - I don't drink that much, and not at that price.

 

If money were no object, I think it would be great. convenient. I like the idea of discount for prepaid drinks, also.

 

I would expect bartenders would continue to cut off those seriously inebriated. It's for those that are going to drink a lot anyway. I do not see that it encourages binge drinking if a person weren't already going to go on a bender.

 

Poll with over 100% - a voter is not limited to only checking one box. I think i checked 3.

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Not for us,, we are not alcoholics and likely wouldn't make it worthwhile.( who can really justify drinking at 7 am.??.. ) .. Our bar bill for the whole week is rarely over 100-150 dollars,, and thats with at least 2 bottles of wine,, and maybe one frou frou drink in the afternoon on sea days, and one before dinner drink on formal nights.

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Prices seem pretty fair for what they are charging. My wife and I would get our moneys worth on sea days. Six beers at $5 and you are already hitting $30. Pretty easy to do on a a sea day. Port days can be a little tougher as are days when you might feel ill or hit the sack early.

 

Probably not a good idea for the cruise line for a 3-4 day cruise, but on weeklong cruises people tend to take it easier. With the sail card many think that it is all you can drink anyway, until the bill arrives the last morning.

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The only package that made sence to me was the frozen drinks one because this also offered a non alcholic version as well a the alcoholic one. So if I have 2 to 3 non alcohilic ones a day and maybe 1 with I will be fine.

 

However the packages with only alcohlic beverages would probably have been more sensable to sell in 10 or 20 drink packs per cruise to prevent such troubles many of us are forseeing. Also make these repurchaseable so that if I drink more I can purchase another package - this way I could also use it to "pay" a drink for someone else without ripping off the line.

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I think Celebrity cruising population are not "bing drinkers" and would more far in the category of social drinkers. The average age of a Celebrity traveler would be between 50 & 70 years old and thus they should be more responsible in their drinking habits.

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