New Beverage Program is here!

[Cruise Junky]

The package prices are absurd. I looked at the liquor packages and almost fell off my chair - and would have if I drank enough to make this work. The el cheapo version is $50 pp/day. A fifth is $90 or so (still high but bearable). So we both would have to kill off the equivalent of a fifth a day:eek:.

 

Agreed. I was really hoping they'd do something like HAL's wine card... where you buy 10 drinks for a reduced price. There's definitely going to be some that try and get their money's worth and that won't be pretty.

[felixdacat]

You know...the more I look at these packages, the more I realize that maybe Celebrity (sorry) missed the boat on them.

I think they should have had different price ranges depending on the level of drinks consummed. And they should have given them cute names.

Here is what I would suggest (from least expensive to the most):

 

1- The Smilin Package

2- The Ship to Shore Divorce Lawyer package

3- The Entire Shipboard credit on one number in roulette package

4- The Pool Pukin

5- The Call the Coast Guard Package

[Flyguy35]

I took a look at the prices as well. If I was just a wine,beer or liquor drinker and that is all I drank each day then maybe this would work. I like different drinks for different times of day, beer or frozen drink during the hot afternoon, a little wine with dinner, brandy or bourbon for an after dinner drink. Of all these I like beer the most and at almost $40 a day, I would have to drink 9-10 beers a day. There is no way I could drink that much and I would not want to try. Other than the wine package, you cannot share with others.

 

Duane

[safarisue]

I am new to message boards - so i to all!

 

Question: Wouldn't we need to know how much the per glass wine, or any beverage for that matter, is to decide whether the package is a good deal? I think you can get about 4 or 5 glasses from a bottle of wine. So if wine by the glass is over $8 or so per glass, $95 for 3 bottles might be a pretty good deal. (assuming you can cork and either store or take the wine with you)

 

I thought that bringing wine and any other beverage on board is not allowed. If that is true does that include soft drinks and water?

[micruiser2002]

You are allowed to bring on board 2 bottles of wine when you embark. You can bring any non alcohol drinks on board as you like, such as pop and water.

 

I believe the drink of the day is normally 5.95 plus tip, wine by the glass varies quite a bit. Other frozen drinks (excluding drink of the day I believe are usually around $6-8 plus tip. The packages all include tips.

[raudacruise]

This pricing has always been available for groups. Everyone had to buy in to get it. Of course, the groups were the AIG's and Lehman Brother's of the world (finger your own bank/insurance/brokerage company that got some of your money). Celebrity has bestowed upon us the abaility to purchase these (overpriced) packages individually (since the previously mentioned folks can't anymore).

 

Its a ripoff that Wall Street could put up with but I hope that =X= reconsiders and offers realistic packages for the rest of us.

[Schmoe38]

I hope someone will answer this question as i too cannot understand how it works. Maybe it just means you get a 5% discount on every bottle of wine in this range you purchase ???

 

Hope someone can clarify these wine packages for all please !!!

 

The wine package allows you to purchase a certain number of bottles for a specific price prior to you boarding the cruise ship. The idea is structured so you can save money versus ordering each bottle individually. Normally, there are 3,5 or 7 bottle packages. If you purchase a 3 bottle package, for instance, then you will have 3 bottles of wine available for you to consume at dinner over the span of the cruise. If you do not finish the bottle, it will be re-corked and made available to you on another night. We are cruising on Equinox Dec 4/09 and we have looked at these packages. As far as we are concerned, a 5% or 10% savings is not enough for us to pre purchase. We sailed on RCCL last November and the discount for the packages was much more attractive. The selection of wines in these packages is not extensive enough for us. We prefer to buy directly from the wine list each time we want wine. The selection in the wine list supplied in the sining room, is very good and you may even save money compared to the packages, depending on the wines you choose.

Hope this helps.

[Albert Ross]

kitkat9438 I was able to find prices this morning for all the new packages. For example as mentioned above the frozen drink package is $22 per day.

 

Could you kindly take time to post them as they are not known in UK yet?

[CruisingChick]

Thank you to whomever posted the link to the Celebrity web-site page on the drink packages. They sound way to expensive to me.

 

I have figured out that my husband and I spend about $75 a day for the two of us on alcohol. We like a variety of things: beer, mixed drinks, martinis, wine. So one package really wouldn't fit our style, plus I think they cost too much.

 

I wonder if they will do away with the bucket of beers now. You can get 5 beers for $20 (plus 15%). Now that's not a bad deal.

[neilrr]

Hello Everyone!!!

 

Just to put in my two cents -- We love Celebrity and are going on the Mille in March, but I must talk about the HAL Beverage system -- simple and easy re: Wine and Alcohol.

 

We bought two 10 pour wine cards. They were for house wine - Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay, etc.. It came out to 3.75 a glass (5-6 oz.) and sometimes the the wine Steward was nice and did not punch the card. The wines were very good for what they were.

 

We used the two 10 drink alcohol cards for our Martini's and if you wanted a super premium brand of liquor they charged you $.50-$1.00 up charge -- though if you were regulars (like we were at the Martini Bar) they let that go by too... Of course we took care of all of the boys.. If we just ordered run of the mill rum and coke we just used our shipboard card, as it was cheaper than using the alcohol card. We loved their beverage system... Also, we read some people would put their leftover cards in the Bible -- well needless to say as soon as I got to the stateroom I rushed to the Bible (first time for that on a cruise) alas -- no cards. We actually had leftover punches that my partner and I brought home, so we can use on our next Holland cruise. Also, the drinks in general -- were MUCH less expensive on Holland..

 

Bottom Line -- If Celebrity overprices the beverage promotion people will not use it...

 

Neil

[Jade13]

 

Fountain Soda Package

*Starting from: 3.50 GBP Per Night = $5.70 US

 

 

*All prices in GBP and subject to change without notice. All Beverage Package prices include a 15% service charge. Availability of beverage packages varies by ship.

 

It's $5.70 per night for the Soda package including service charge. Is it the same price if you purchase before or after you leave port?

[raudacruise]

It's $5.70 per night for the Soda package including service charge. Is it the same price if you purchase before or after you leave port?

 

I believe that if you order ahead of time no 15% gratuity on any beverage service.

[6502programmer]

It's $5.70 per night for the Soda package including service charge. Is it the same price if you purchase before or after you leave port?

If purchased at a US port (while docked), you will have to pay the sales tax. If you pre-purchase, you'll have the benefit of immediate use upon embarkation, as well as not having to pay sales tax.

[cat616]

I am unsure exactly what X is selling.

 

If I get the water package will it include water in my room and on the way off of the ship to an excursion or is it just in bars and restaurants? If it is all inclusive then it just may be worth it, if it is not then it is too expensive for what I can consume in the public areas. Can I buy a bottle at a bar and then take it with me to my room or will it be sold in glasses?

 

Similar questions apply to most of the packages. Are any of the wine packages by the glass or is it for full bottles only. Kind of strange to have full bottles sent all over the ship for you as you try out the different drinking venues. Are the wines limited to what is on the website or will there be other choices as well?

 

The frozen drinks package seems underpriced compared to the over priced alternatives.

 

The soda package seems to be a great deal even if it turns out that it is only for bar & restaurant consumption.

 

I wait for reports from fellow CC members as they actually try out the packages first hand. I am not too sure many will at the prices X is asking.

 

Just one more question... What does "starting from" supposed to mean??????????????????????

[dance4fun]

Hi,

 

What a disappointment :mad:

 

I phoned Celebrity this morning, the 1st person I spoke with told me that there is the soda pkg at $5.75 day, the water package at $12.00 day and 2 different wine packages. The Sommolier (sp?) package at $95.00 and the captains package at $129.00. These prices are for 3 bottles of wine and represent a saving of 5% or 10% depending on the package. She did not know how much the cost was for the 5 bottles or the 7 bottles.

 

I tried again and spoke with another representative, she advised the same thing but also didn't know the cost of the 5 or 7 bottle packages, but at such a minimal discount it didn't matter to me anyway.

 

I asked what was so new about these packages? sounded like the same old to me. I was advised that what's new is that you will be able to order them online. (big deal!)

 

I was advised that the only ship that you can order these packages for online at this time is the Millenium Nov 6 sailing.

 

I don't think they'll be having a stampede to get these packages:rolleyes:

 

I was hoping for a wine package similar to the water or soda package.

 

Maybe Celebrity is taking their roll out of online drinks booking slowly to ensure they get it right and not to tick off a bunch of customers. You can never test in a test environment all the things that real world customers do. While I'm waiting for Aqua Spa bookings to come on-line, I want it to work correctly and not cause me grief when I actualy get to to cruise. The worst thing is to think that you have booked a service, and then find out it is totally hosed up.

 

Celebrity is lagging Princess in the on-line booking department! One of the reasons we pay early is to be able to jump on the on-line booking of spa treatments to get the less expense massages booked at the times we want them.

[montgomeryfamily]

We were hoping there would be a non-alcoholic version of the frozen package. There is a non-alcoholic version of the celebration packages you can purchase from the gifts department, so it is a disappointment that Celebrity didn't think to offer a non-alcoholic version of the frozen drinks.

 

Princess has a beverage program that combines the soda sticker with non-alcoholic frozen drinks and ice cream--they call it the ultimate card. It is a very hot seller, among adults as well as children.

 

If Celebrity did this and priced it reasonably, I bet it would be a top selling beverage package since it would appeal to both children and adults.

[6502programmer]

The frozen drinks package seems underpriced compared to the over priced alternatives.

[...]

Just one more question... What does "starting from" supposed to mean??????????????????????

I was thinking about this last night, and I think I can answer why the pricing for frozen drinks seems so comparatively cheap. A "virgin" (alcohol-free) margarita is significantly less expensive than a regular (with tequila) margarita. The virgin drinks qualify as frozen drinks. There's also a clue in the t&c of the frozen drinks. It says, "You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase the Frozen Drinks Package and to consume alcohol." On the beer page, it says, "You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase & consume the Beer Package. Packages are for individual consumption only." Note, you don't have to be 21 to CONSUME the frozen drink package, just to consume alcohol. It stands to reason that a $22 virgin package and a $40 (or so, I would guess $42.50 if this were a betting competition) package including alcohol is in line with what I would expect.

 

Regarding "starting from", it means just that. The price listed is the basic price, and if you want something a bit nicer, you'll pay a bit more. For example, the standard wine package includes lower tier wines. The upgrade includes some higher tier. The standard liquor package includes blended scotch, and the upgrade includes some single malts.

[tuscansun]

Okay,so I am thinking this is semi-good news! We are wine drinkers, some of our party are beer drinkers....we enjoy wine with lunch and dinner and maybe a glass before dinner...if these packages are unrolled soon, it could be a good thing. We are sailing Solstice, November 30--are they available online yet? I went to the website but did not see it yet. Thanks for all of you who post on these boards, what a help! I know if they roll the wine package out, they will have 8 people signed up asap. Ciao! Keep up with the welcome updates!

[Schmoe38]

Okay,so I am thinking this is semi-good news! We are wine drinkers, some of our party are beer drinkers....we enjoy wine with lunch and dinner and maybe a glass before dinner...if these packages are unrolled soon, it could be a good thing. We are sailing Solstice, November 30--are they available online yet? I went to the website but did not see it yet. Thanks for all of you who post on these boards, what a help! I know if they roll the wine package out, they will have 8 people signed up asap. Ciao! Keep up with the welcome updates!

 

According to the Celebrity website, you may begin ordering on line November 15/09. This schedule applies to Solstice sailings for November 30/09 and beyond. Hang in there...just a few days to go.

[micruiser2002]

tuscansun, have you looked at the wine packages on their web? From what I can tell they are not that great of a deal. Plus they are very limited in the selection.

 

Does anyone else know if Celebrity offers specials during the day on bottles of wine? I thought I read that they did, I know the RCL does this occasionally.

[If only]

We are just off the Infinity. Yes, they do have $20. bottles at the buffett which can be bought right then & there or sent to your room or table for dinner. We tried one & it was very good. There is 3 different wine packages,covering a large variety of white & red from all over the world.

You did not have to decide what you wanted to drink, they put a stamp stating the package that you decide to purchase choices were 3,5,7 or 10 bottles. The wine selection was better than what we thought it would be & were very happy with our choice.

[Issyalex]

How does this work with the wine Package? Has onyone more information on it?

 

Is it just for Dinner in the MDR?

How many glasses you can get per Dinner? (I don´t wont get trunk!!! - but do you get only 1, 2 oder much you like).;)

 

the wine packages quoted are for 3 bottles of wine. you can also buy 5 and 7 wine bottle packages.

[micruiser2002]

ifonly - was this the wine selection in the package? This is the less expensive list on celebrity's website. I just thought it wasn't that extensive and I have heard it is not that great of a deal off the per bottle price. Do you remember what types they had for $20?

Sparkling Wines

Prosecco, Fantinel

 

White Wines

Riesling, Essence SA Prum Germany

Chardonnay, Wente, Riva Ranch, Livermore Valley

Gruner Veltliner Strasslertaler, Austria

Pinot Grigio, Bertani, Italy

Fume Blanc, Murphy Goode, Sonoma

 

Rose Wines

Jean Luc Colombo

 

Red Wines

Pinot Noir, Mark West Sonoma

Zinfandel, Renwood Red Label

Merlot, Calina, Chile

Tempranillo, Condesa de Leganza, Spain

Cabernet Sauvignon, Hayes Ranch,Livermore Valley

[uktog]

Can anyone tell me what these wines would cost if I bought them by the bottle - just trying to price things out, though with the silly $ to £ rate X is using I am not sure

[swigso]

Can anyone tell me what these wines would cost if I bought them by the bottle - just trying to price things out, though with the silly $ to £ rate X is using I am not sure

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beverage/packages/summary.do;jsessionid=0000CowP1bPnSM1ri93dRxNFeAV:12hdbcveb?categoryId=18&pagename=beverage_packages&cS=EnhancedFooter

 

This is the link for the UK prices, £27.25 or $51.50 per day,

Exchange rate is 1.88???

or am I missing something??