Evaluating a beverage package? Here is a beverage list with prices, as of mid-2010.

[colocop004]

I am not sure about this. I think if you purchase your package before you leave, you need to pay taxes, but if you wait until you are in international waters, then there is no tax. Please let me know if I am wrong.

 

deb

 

That is incorrect, we purchased our beverage packages on line last month for our Post Thanksgiving Solstice sailing and were not charged taxes. The total included the cost of the package and the 15% servicee charge. I have heard that this may depend on if your state taxes internet purchases, Colorado does not. That being said, there was no where on the X website for taxes to be added.

 

Has anyone had to pay taxes when making an internet purchase for their beverage package?

[NSgal]

That is incorrect, we purchased our beverage packages on line last month for our Post Thanksgiving Solstice sailing and were not charged taxes. The total included the cost of the package and the 15% servicee charge. I have heard that this may depend on if your state taxes internet purchases, Colorado does not. That being said, there was no where on the X website for taxes to be added.

 

Has anyone had to pay taxes when making an internet purchase for their beverage package?

 

No tax when I pre-purchased mine online

[debadoo]

That is incorrect, we purchased our beverage packages on line last month for our Post Thanksgiving Solstice sailing and were not charged taxes. The total included the cost of the package and the 15% servicee charge. I have heard that this may depend on if your state taxes internet purchases, Colorado does not. That being said, there was no where on the X website for taxes to be added.

 

Has anyone had to pay taxes when making an internet purchase for their beverage package?

 

That makes me happy to know. I wonder if it has to do with your origination port too? I can't book mine now anyways because my cruise is not for over a year yet!

 

Thank you for the input!

 

deb

[CruiseVA]

Is there any chance we could start a list of what beers are served on each ship/itinerary, it seems to vary from what I've read here?

Do all the ships serve the same beers? Do any/all the ships have taps? Has anyone actually seem micro-brews served on a ship - I assume yes, since there are several listed in the comprehensive list posted here...

Does anyone else care, or is it just me who is so focused on beer? Am I obsessed with this? Will I be able to last until my next cruise in January?

Inquiring minds want to know...

 

Ahh - one more question - if I pre-buy the Classic package & want to upgrade to Premium when I'm onboard, can I?

[alexsarasota]

Since we will not make our decision on whether to buy Classic or Premium Package until the day we leave, I assume that I can buy the Package when we board ship.

[nikless]

Just off the Century yesterday, both DW and I had the Premium package. We bought on line and paid the package cost plus 15%. We drink a lot of wine, 2+ glasses at dnner, and it also covered the cappucino after. And a large bottle of water whenever we wanted it. Plus any beer, mudslides, grasshoppers, pretty much any mixed drink, martinis, margaritas.

 

Observations- most of the wine-by-the glass is priced at 8.50 or higher, so if you get the classic, expect to see an extrememly limited selection. The wine we had targeted, pre-cruise was a Super Tuscan priced at $12 per glass. Well they said they claimed ot not have any until the last day when our Sommelier found a bottle at the sunset bar and had it transferred to the dining room for our dinner. They also had a special at lunch buffet - cotes du rhone, carafe, 355mL, two glasses, for 9.95. BUT IT WASNT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE. Nor could you get Cote du Rhon by the glass in the dining room.

 

Our friends had purchased the classic package because their fav wine, KJ pinot noir, was listed on the website as included in the classic and priced at $8 per glass. But when we boarded and found out it was $8.50, they then upgraded to the premium package...

 

We are not alcoholics nor idiots, for the most part we think we drank our share, but it was worth it anyway, to not have to sign anything, and every drink we could think of was covered.

 

You can purchase it on the ship, but on the day you buy it, you must purchase for the rest of the cruise.

 

We have a 12 day cruise coming up, will not buy for the full 12 days, but probably will purchase about mid-cruise.

 

And then catch up....

[colocop004]

Why? 15% is already included in drinks package as does extra cost for speciality restaurant. You can , of course, tip more if you think that you have been given better than average service.

 

Jim

 

I think he is reffering to the tips for your waiter, asst waiter, cabin steward etc...

[colocop004]

That makes me happy to know. I wonder if it has to do with your origination port too? I can't book mine now anyways because my cruise is not for over a year yet!

 

Thank you for the input!

 

deb

 

It will not matter for internet purchases, however if you purchase in some ports you maybe charged taxes based on that port. Long story short, purchase on the internet before you sail!!!

[colocop004]

Since we will not make our decision on whether to buy Classic or Premium Package until the day we leave, I assume that I can buy the Package when we board ship.

 

 

Yes you can

[CruiseChat]

Does anyone know if you can get a bucket of beers with the classic or premium beverage package or do you have to buy each beer one at the time? Just wondering - I usually always order buckets of beer, especially by the pool.

[nikless]

Does anyone know if you can get a bucket of beers with the classic or premium beverage package or do you have to buy each beer one at the time? Just wondering - I usually always order buckets of beer, especially by the pool.

 

One at a time.....

[colocop004]

No Buckets of beer are not included, I would guess that if there are 5 of you in your group that all have a beverage package that they will bring you a bucket, but that is only a guess!

 

Any one know?

[Livvi]

This is so helpful. Many thanks! Does anyone know if champagne is included in the packages?

I likewise will print and do the maths.

[colocop004]

This is so helpful. Many thanks! Does anyone know if champagne is included in the packages?

I likewise will print and do the maths.

 

Yes it is, as long as it fits the rest of the criteria...

[imbeth]

Thanks for posting!! This made my decision to not buy the package. If I would drink enough to get my monies worth, I wouldn't remember the trip! LOL :D

[Janthere]

hi there - we just returned from the Nov 17 3 night cruise on the Eclipse. i got the classic alcoholic package and felt it was a fantastic deal. the best part was my final bill at the end of the cruise was only $23!!! (bought some lipstick lol). i had smoothies, margaritas, wines by the glass, diet cokes in cans, red bulls, large bottles of evian, etc. I think they should make tshirts that say "i left my drink package on the ship :( "

 

i wouldn't think twice about getting the pkg again. in fact, i would specifically go on Celebrity again just for that reason. it was soooo nice not to have to sign a piece of paper everytime you buy a drink.

[bush985]

We just were on the Solstice last week and bought the Premium package. I felt like I got my monies worth and then some. I had over 90 drinks during the week spread out between achohol and non and were able to enjoy new drinks as well as favorites whenever we wanted.

 

I would recommend this if you plan on doing any sort of drinking on a daily basis, it just made life a lot easier and we didn't have to constantly worry about money and charging up our bill.

[MattInFLL]

Just back from Century 4 day. Two of us had premium alcohol packages and would both do it again anytime. For me, I know it was worth it as far as money goes and loved the fact that there was no bill on the last morning. For my friend, who doesn't even drink a lot, he thought it was great not to have to sign slips and also enjoyed being able to get what he wanted without thinking about the bill at the end.

 

BTW, Long Island Iced Teas are available on the classic package but I never did order a Jaeger :)

[Karen Lynn]

If Solstice doesn't have beverage packages...does Equinox?

 

Tks!

[Lois R]

If Solstice doesn't have beverage packages...does Equinox?

 

Tks!

 

All the ships have the packages. I was on Solstice in September and

purchased the Premium Package.

[Lois R]

hi there - we just returned from the Nov 17 3 night cruise on the Eclipse. i got the classic alcoholic package and felt it was a fantastic deal. the best part was my final bill at the end of the cruise was only $23!!! (bought some lipstick lol). i had smoothies, margaritas, wines by the glass, diet cokes in cans, red bulls, large bottles of evian, etc. I think they should make tshirts that say "i left my drink package on the ship :( "

 

i wouldn't think twice about getting the pkg again. in fact, i would specifically go on Celebrity again just for that reason. it was soooo nice not to have to sign a piece of paper everytime you buy a drink.

 

Hi,:) I was on the cruise too. Did we meet? I didn't buy a package

for this cruise. I didn't end up drinking enough to buy one. Actually

my bill at the end of the cruise was really low....so in my case it

was better that I did not buy it for this sailing.:)

Hope you had a great cruise too:D

[Karen Lynn]

Oh allright then..in one of the earlier posts someone remarked that the pkg wasn't available on Solstice..so good to know it is!!!

 

Tks!

[Lois R]

Oh allright then..in one of the earlier posts someone remarked that the pkg wasn't available on Solstice..so good to know it is!!!

 

Tks!

 

Your welcome:). I did not read every post but as I said, I bought

the package on Solstice so it was definitely offered on my sailing.

[Feelin' Nauti']

were not charged taxes. The total included the cost of the package and the 15% servicee charge.

 

Has anyone had to pay taxes when making an internet purchase for their beverage package?

 

It will not matter for internet purchases, however if you purchase in some ports you maybe charged taxes based on that port. Long story short, purchase on the internet before you sail!!!

 

Are you saying, to avoid paying tax we should purchase the package online, not on board?

[MattInFLL]

You would only pay the tax while the ship is in port in Florida (or other US port) and not after the ship gets 3 miles off shore. But one of our friends purchased it as soon as we boarded and I am almost certain that he said he paid the same price I did.... so not sure you will be paying tax at all.