What do you think about unlimited beer and alcohol packages?

[jocap]

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. :)

I'm with this company on my next cruise, and although we weren't early enough to get the free offer, on the sliding scale we were able to buy it for £69....about $15 per day. This also includes special coffees and named spirits.

Satellite TV is offering it for £40- $60- per week at the moment. - jocap.

[G'ma]

A decent bottle of wine with dinner would cost that, add a couple of cocktails pre dinner and a couple of drinks after dinner and you are probably well over $60, but as I said earlier, they will make exclusions.

 

But this booze package thingie seems to be restricted to certain beverages.

 

As a solo traveler, I buy a nice bottle of wine in the dining room on the first night and it usually lasts until at least the 4th or 5th day. I consider wine a condiment and rarely consume more than one glass during dinner.

 

I guess if you drink a lot, the package might work out. I don't. A cocktail before dinner - maybe one after and that's it. During the day, I prefer ice water.

 

Different strokes.

[99florida]

I wish RCCL/Celebrity would bring back the 12 foo foo drink deal that RCCL once had. It solved the best of both worlds. It was about $45. and you could get a Labadoozie/Coco Loco without feeling that you had to drink a lot to get your money's worth but yet allowed you to enjoy a little discount by buying the drink punch card. They also had this for non-booze foo foo drinks which was great for the children. It was about $25 (?) for 12 drinks. It was so nice. Please bring back that card. Didn't feel like you had to indulge to the point of one embarrasing oneself.

[Mooguy]

Been to a few of the AI resorts in Cancun and everyone pays the same price wether they drink or not so if X just went up a few $$ per day for the cruise and included beer or drinks it would be like the AI resorts. I am sure they have the few that drink like fish but there are so many more that don't at all or only have a few drinks the entire week.

[chasetf]

........Tell us in our poll above what you think about unlimited drinks packages -- and be sure to post your opinion below!

I would purposely avoid any ship or cruise line that makes such a plan available because I would not want to sail with a bunch of folks stumpling about trying to get their money's worth.

 

Oh... and I do enjoy a beer or glass of wine.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Been to a few of the AI resorts in Cancun and everyone pays the same price wether they drink or not so if X just went up a few $$ per day for the cruise and included beer or drinks it would be like the AI resorts. I am sure they have the few that drink like fish but there are so many more that don't at all or only have a few drinks the entire week.

 

I can imagine this is so, if the price of unlimited drinks was simply a standard part of the fare then it might help mitigate the "getting my $'s worth" mentality. A bit. After all, most of us will eat more on a cruise than on a different kind of vacation. I can't see the mass market cruise lines going for this though, considering what they make charging for drinks ala carte (or selling high priced "unlimited" packages.

[cccer]

Love the idea, I wish Carnival and RCL would do it. It would be a lot cheaper and I have never fallen overboard.:D

[IKE]

It wouldn't be worth our while to purchase these packages. I have a glass of wine occassionally and My Hubby doesn't drink. I also feel the soda cards and packages are way overpiced. I know the Cruiselines want to make a profit but I feel it is too costly for passengers.

[jaycee75]

I was on the Celebrity site and saw the drink packages. While I agree that the liquor and beer packages are only a good buy if you are a raging alcoholic, there is one package that I think is a pretty good deal: The Frozen drink package. With this package you get unlimited frozen drinks, alcoholic and non. That way you can have a couple margaritas and then have the non-alcoholic ones so you don't fall over board. This is probably the best deal of the group.

[beachchick]

I would prefer to see Celebrity go "all inclusive" rather than the way they are doing it now. As for "irresponsible drinking," you certainly don't see that on the all-inclusive luxury lines and those who are expressing concerns about it happening on Celebrity seem to be implying that X's passengers are somehow less disciplined or more rowdy.

 

I can imagine this is so, if the price of unlimited drinks was simply a standard part of the fare then it might help mitigate the "getting my $'s worth" mentality. A bit. After all, most of us will eat more on a cruise than on a different kind of vacation. I can't see the mass market cruise lines going for this though, considering what they make charging for drinks ala carte (or selling high priced "unlimited" packages.

 

Been to a few of the AI resorts in Cancun and everyone pays the same price wether they drink or not so if X just went up a few $$ per day for the cruise and included beer or drinks it would be like the AI resorts. I am sure they have the few that drink like fish but there are so many more that don't at all or only have a few drinks the entire week.

 

We are glad that the mainstream cruise lines do not include a base price for alcohol in their fares. My DH doesn't drink and I don't want him to have to subsidize anyone's drinking except mine (and maybe my sister when he treats her to a cocktail, which is often because they are great friends as well as in-laws). My drinking is quite moderate at home and fairly moderate on vacation. There's no way that I would get my money's worth out of Celebrity's premium hard liquor package, which is the one I would want. I have three or four drinks (including a glass of wine with dinner) during the course of the cruise day and always order premium brands, so my bar bill is usually $30 to $40 per day. I want to remember my cruise/vacation and don't care to be drunk/hungover; I know I wouldn't remember and would be drunk then hungover if I tried to "get my money's worth" with an all-you-can-drink package. I also agree with other members that I don't want to be tied to only hard liquor or only wine or only beer.

 

I know some people say, "But it's the same as with food; some people eat a lot and some eat lightly." I suppose there is a bit of truth to that, but the thing is that we all eat, but we don't all drink. For me, the better comparison is other optional things like the specialty restaurants, spa, and excursions.

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

I wish RCCL/Celebrity would bring back the 12 foo foo drink deal that RCCL once had. It solved the best of both worlds. It was about $45. and you could get a Labadoozie/Coco Loco without feeling that you had to drink a lot to get your money's worth but yet allowed you to enjoy a little discount by buying the drink punch card. They also had this for non-booze foo foo drinks which was great for the children. It was about $25 (?) for 12 drinks. It was so nice. Please bring back that card. Didn't feel like you had to indulge to the point of one embarrasing oneself.

 

I agree! I would love to have a package that gave me a specific number of drinks at a discount. I'd like them to offer the punch card packages that include alcohol beverages plus non-alcohol smoothies and milkshakes because my DH has one every day on vacation as a treat. (It's really irritating to him that NCL only offers their smoothie package to teenagers.) I'd also like it if they offered different prices for different "levels." Say $30 for 12 basic/drink-of-the-day/non-alcohol smoothie/milkshake, $40 to add some more expensive options, and $60 to include premium brands (with the exception perhaps of Johnny Walker Blue or the equivalent...that's far beyond any typical premium brand cost).

 

beachchick

[spongerob]

My my, but some of us do seem to be riding some high horses...:rolleyes:

[StillPooh]

The thing I love best at land-based all inclusives is the ability to put my watch and wallet in the safe on arrival, and leave them there for the duration. With how cruise ships nickel and dime you to death on board, that's simply not possible. Yes, the sign and sail cards are convenient. But you are still having to think about prices and tips and yadda yadda yadda. Not nearly so relaxing as paying one price and putting it out of my mind.

 

I can't speak to lower priced AIs, but those I have been to are not chock full of puking drunks trying to get their money's worth. :rolleyes:

[vvnh16a]

Few people drink one and only drink...I know we like to have maybe a beer at lunch or with pizzza...then a martini at the martini bar followed by some wine at dinner. It would be MUCH better to have a $100 drink card at a discount price and then you can chose what drink you want, when, not be limited to buying a drink only for yourself. ...and like someone said earlier for celebrity it would be a GREAT gift card that someone on shore can offer a new cruiser.

[BIG_Steve]

My my, but some of us do seem to be riding some high horses...:rolleyes:

 

It doesn't happen often, but once in awhile the person on a high horse deserves to be there..........

[lisiamc]

The packages offered by Celebrity are too restrictive for us - they're only a good deal if you only like one type of drink. What we like to drink depends on the time of day. I like a Diet Coke (or a beer for my DH) in the afternoon, a martini (or two) before dinner, wine with dinner, a brandy or a Bailey's after dinner and an espresso to end the evening. This makes for a reasonably substantial bar bill, but spread across several types of drinks. If I could get an "any drink" package which would include specialty coffees, soft drinks, beer, wine and mixed drinks, I would go for that!

 

Lisa

[temple1]

I do prefer the idea of a punch card (even card swipe at the bar) package than an all you can drink. I agree with those who think it will encourage bingeing.

 

Plus, I might want to mix beer and liquour.

[chasetf]

I predict this won't last, or at least will be modified in some way. There's already been some discussion on the X board about "scamming" the system, either with two people drinking the same thing and having one person buy all the drinks for two, or else buying one package and then getting a vodka at one bar and then running over for a g&t at the other bar for the second person.

 

I guess with the S&S card tracking things it might be a bit easier to crack down on scammers, but then you get into the PR hassle of having to confront a customer for breaking the rules.

 

Resorts that aren't traditionally all-inclusive have experimented with these packages and abandoned them; it's too easy for one person to order a free round of drinks for their friends, and if the bartender can be in collusion for the price of a tip, it's tough to control.

I agree... to easy to scam. The only successful model would be an all inclusive where all guests are charged the same.

 

And any cruise line doing that would have to charge too much to be able to compete. I like the pay as you go... pay for what you drink.

 

I also think folks will be more responsible in their consumption if they know each drink comes with a tab.....

 

plus .... it would be more difficult to cut someone off if they feel they have "already paid for it".

[LHT28]

I think they are too much $$ & too restrictive in the packages.

Some people like to drink beer & alcohol during the day

 

So why not have a card for the entire cruise like Princess coffee cards.

You can have 10 beers for $50. or 10 drinks for $$, 10 glasses of wine for $$ etc...

if you use up your allotment buy another card for the rest of the cruise.

[Downdie]

I agree... to easy to scam. The only successful model would be an all inclusive where all guests are charged the same.

 

And any cruise line doing that would have to charge too much to be able to compete. I like the pay as you go... pay for what you drink.

 

I also think folks will be more responsible in their consumption if they know each drink comes with a tab.....

 

plus .... it would be more difficult to cut someone off if they feel they have "already paid for it".

 

Currently Royal Caribbean owns several ships which are all-inclusive for all passengers over the age of 18 yrs, including the Sovereign, Empress, Horizon (Pacific Dream) and Zenith in their Spanish line Pullmantur. As for it being too expensive for passengers of a mainstream line, how about $399 for a balcony cabin per person on a 7 day Caribbean cruise I saw being offered by one of the US internet cruise sites for a cruise last week.

On a similar cruise that I sailed, I never saw anybody causing any problem for the ship's staff.

[jester121]

One interesting notion might be a similar tiered pricing approach where you don't have to stick to one category of drinks. For example:

 

Package 1 - beer $

 

Package 2 - beer + wine $$

 

Package 3 - beer, wine, rail liquor $$$

 

Package 4 - beer, wine, rail, frozen drinks $$$$

 

Package 5 - everything including premium drinks $$$$$

 

People might want a beer during the day, wine with dinner, and maybe a couple cocktails before and after dinner. I'd probably have a run at something like this; some days I'd stick to beer, other days might be rum-and-coke type days. I wouldn't need premium liquor personally, but even for people who are willing to spend the big money, they would still be able to order a beer with lunch and wine with dinner.

 

If the bartenders are required to swipe an S&S card each time, the computer could spit out a list of "aberrant" behavior to catch a single person buying 2 different drinks 4 minutes apart at different bars 3 or 4 times throughout the day.

[jkloni]

I think the beer package is fair since a bucket can cost $25.

 

I have friends that order double grey goose and cranberry or ginger ale @$16 each. 5 of those = $80 ...and there are days they drink more than that.

 

We just returned a couple of weeks ago from the Norwegian Dawn repo. On our very first day (embarkation in NY), a friend's bar bill during LUNCH was .....$92 (no wine) - and he wasn't even close to drunk.

 

Other friends have had bar bills of over $1,000 for a 7 day cruise. We haven't cruised Celebrity, but it may be a good option - or maybe other cruise lines will do something like it. :)

 

Kathy

[cruiserbryce]

while the idea isnt a bad one...I change what I drink throughout the cruise too much to get value from the beer package. And as OP pointed out am not sure that every day I would even drink that much to make it worth it. I will probably continue to stick with the traditional methods of getting excesively intoxicated:rolleyes:

[ovccruiser]

It doesn't happen often, but once in awhile the person on a high horse deserves to be there..........

 

 

....said Humpty Dumpty:D:D

[pauly]

It is a terrible idea. IMO, there will be those who insist on "drinking their money's worth" and there will be all the nasty side effects of public intoxication (people getting sick, arguing with the crew, getting into fights, and not to mention the idiots who somehow manage to fall overboard).