wine package question

:confused:Just curious, but why do you think there are no wine packages available for 7 day cruises? We have enjoyed this on our last 5-6 10 day cruises. What do you think the reason is to not offer this on a 7 day cruise?

No biggie, just wondering if anyone knew.

Janet

:confused:Just curious, but why do you think there are no wine packages available for 7 day cruises? We have enjoyed this on our last 5-6 10 day cruises. What do you think the reason is to not offer this on a 7 day cruise?

 

No biggie, just wondering if anyone knew.

 

Janet

We have purchased on 7 day cruises.

The wine packages that we have seen/purchased have not been available until you are onboard.

The list changes so trying to list it pre cruise would not work.

:confused:Just curious, but why do you think there are no wine packages available for 7 day cruises? We have enjoyed this on our last 5-6 10 day cruises. What do you think the reason is to not offer this on a 7 day cruise?

 

No biggie, just wondering if anyone knew.

 

Janet

There is no good reason for Princess to not offer wine packages on 7-day cruises which is something RCI does by offering packages with fewer bottles of wine.

Unlike Colo Cruiser, I haven’t been able to get it on cruises that are shorter than 10 days but such inconsistencies are not surprising to me. It’s just another example about how experiences can vary based on what onboard staff wants to do.

The entire wine program has been mismanaged including having no promotion anywhere on their website...guess it’s a secret. :rolleyes:

Lacking any promotion until boarding is a poor way to generate sales. And even when aware of them in advance there’s a chance it won’t be available due to a lack of inventory.

That’s my wine package rant...if available I usually purchase it on longer cruises but can’t count on being lucky to have it on shorter cruises. Instead I’ll bring my own wine which results in less wine income from passengers like me.

There is no good reason for Princess to not offer wine packages on 7-day cruises which is something RCI does by offering packages with fewer bottles of wine.

 

Unlike Colo Cruiser, I haven’t been able to get it on cruises that are shorter than 10 days but such inconsistencies are not surprising to me. It’s just another example about how experiences can vary based on what onboard staff wants to do.

 

The entire wine program has been mismanaged including having no promotion anywhere on their website...guess it’s a secret. :rolleyes:

 

Lacking any promotion until boarding is a poor way to generate sales. And even when aware of them in advance there’s a chance it won’t be available due to a lack of inventory.

 

That’s my wine package rant...if available I usually purchase it on longer cruises but can’t count on being lucky to have it on shorter cruises. Instead I bring my own wine which results in less wine income from passengers like me.

We don't normally take 7 dayers but we have been successful twice.

Thats the only time we have dealt with it on a 7 day cruise.

I am baffled the way its handled as well. :confused:

We don't normally take 7 dayers but we have been successful twice.

Thats the only time we have dealt with it on a 7 day cruise.

I am baffled to at the way its handled as well. :confused:

Most of our cruises are longer than 7 days but have booked 3 of them in the future by driving to the port of LA. Two of those are the northbound Pacific Wine Country cruises & hope to get lucky like a recent post from the Coral that it was available on the southbound PWC cruise.

We’ll have to decide whether we feel lucky to have wine packages or not. With the uncertainty will most likely bring our own wine onboard which even when paying corkage is still less expensive than purchasing individual bottles of wine.

There is no good reason for Princess to not offer wine packages on 7-day cruises which is something RCI does by offering packages with fewer bottles of wine.

 

Unlike Colo Cruiser, I haven’t been able to get it on cruises that are shorter than 10 days but such inconsistencies are not surprising to me. It’s just another example about how experiences can vary based on what onboard staff wants to do.

 

The entire wine program has been mismanaged including having no promotion anywhere on their website...guess it’s a secret. :rolleyes:

 

Lacking any promotion until boarding is a poor way to generate sales. And even when aware of them in advance there’s a chance it won’t be available due to a lack of inventory.

 

That’s my wine package rant...if available I usually purchase it on longer cruises but can’t count on being lucky to have it on shorter cruises. Instead I’ll bring my own wine which results in less wine income from passengers like me.

Astro Flyer, I think you hit the nail on the head. Our past two cruises, both on the Coral (January/February, 2018) and this week, we had to ask for a wine package. No advertising anywhere. When I inquired about a package on the 7 day, the head waiter responded, "gold or silver, 7, 10 or 12"?

Why the secret? I have no idea. Inventory?

Thank you all for the information. Maybe we may get lucky on our 7 day cruise??? We are taking a few land-based vacations this next year, but have booked the Sky Feb 1, 2020. It just seemed rather odd to me that the wine package would ONLY be available on a ten night cruise. Just didn't make sense.

Thanks again.

Janet

Astro Flyer, I think you hit the nail on the head. Our past two cruises, both on the Coral (January/February, 2018) and this week, we had to ask for a wine package. No advertising anywhere. When I inquired about a package on the 7 day, the head waiter responded, "gold or silver, 7, 10 or 12"?

 

Why the secret? I have no idea. Inventory?

The response I’ve received is because it’s not available on every cruise & is subject to having sufficient inventory even on eligible cruises.

I understand that resupplying ships sailing around the world will sometimes be challenging but not having enough very profitable wine is lost income.

By not promoting the packages on their website that results in most passengers boarding the ship unaware of them.

When Princess first did the trial of the wine packages on an couple of ships they offered 5, 7, 10, and 12 bottle packages and on cruises as short as 7 days. It appears that the results of the trial led them to adopt the fleet wide program of only 7, 10, and 12 bottle packages for 10 days or more.

With the price increases of $2-$3/bottle last year it is often cheaper to bring wine on board and pay the $15 corkage than to buy the package. We will be bringing 18-24 bottles with us on our upcoming B2B cruises of 20 and 8 days rather than rely on buying a wine package or two.

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This is my first post and my first Princess cruise. We normally do European River cruises but have friends that want to do this so we are doing it with them. That being said I am not sure what you are talking about wine packages. Do you have to buy a certain number of bottles? Do you then also have to pay the Corkage fee? River cruises include your wine or beer with lunch and dinner so this is all new to me.

This is my first post and my first Princess cruise. We normally do European River cruises but have friends that want to do this so we are doing it with them. That being said I am not sure what you are talking about wine packages. Do you have to buy a certain number of bottles? Do you then also have to pay the Corkage fee? River cruises include your wine or beer with lunch and dinner so this is all new to me.

Welcome to Cruise Critic...a great source for exchanging cruise related information.

Here’s the description of wine packages which includes the corkage fee. You can only get the wine in dining areas (MDR, specialty, buffet) & they’ll store it for another time or you can drink it anywhere onboard.

The details on the wine packages are:

 

Note: A 15% gratuity is added to all package prices (like any other bar purchase).

 

Silver Package (wines up to $29 per bottle list price)

7 bottles -- $161 (average of $23 per bottle)

10 bottles -- $210 (average of $21 per bottle)

12 bottles -- $240 (average of $20 per bottle)

 

Gold Package (wines up to $45 per bottle list price)

7 bottles -- $217 (average of $31 per bottle)

10 bottles -- $290 (average of $29 per bottle)

12 bottles -- $336 (average of $28 per bottle)

 

You get a punch card which can be used at any of the dining locations.

 

You may choose any wine on on the regular wine menu. If you want to buy a wine that costs more than what the package covers, you just pay the difference. For example, if you have a Gold package and buy a wine that costs $46, the charge for $46 will appear on your stateroom account, followed by a $45 credit

Astro Flyer, I think you hit the nail on the head. Our past two cruises, both on the Coral (January/February, 2018) and this week, we had to ask for a wine package. No advertising anywhere. When I inquired about a package on the 7 day, the head waiter responded, "gold or silver, 7, 10 or 12"?

 

Why the secret? I have no idea. Inventory?

Very interesting. We were also on the Coral this week and saw no indication whatsoever that the wine package was being offered. They apparently do not want to publicize it for whatever reason.

Seems like it is cheaper to bring on two that they allow and than purchase another bottle or two at prevailing prices.

Very interesting. We were also on the Coral this week and saw no indication whatsoever that the wine package was being offered. They apparently do not want to publicize it for whatever reason.

It’s been my experience that too often it isn’t promoted even when available.

I always ask our MDR waitstaff who are happy to sell it because they receive some benefits. Once on embarkation day asked the Alfredo’s headwaiter about getting a wine package. He said it wasn’t available but he was eager to sell me the expensive AIBP package which would never be cost effective for me.

I don't recall ever being solicited to purchase the wine package. It has always been me asking about it.

Astro Flyer, I think you hit the nail on the head. Our past two cruises, both on the Coral (January/February, 2018) and this week, we had to ask for a wine package. No advertising anywhere. When I inquired about a package on the 7 day, the head waiter responded, "gold or silver, 7, 10 or 12"?

 

Why the secret? I have no idea. Inventory?

In our experience this is the way its always been.

We just ask for it.

I have no problem with asking for the package. Often we are on longer cruises then many of the other passengers. I really don't care if Princess only offers the Wine card to people on longer crusie.