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

[mkschles]

I just got back from a Christmas Cruise aboard the Celebrity Eclipse. My DH and I both purchased the premium drink package. I found that having the premium package made the cruise feel truly all-inclusive. From having fresh squeezed OJ with breakfast, a diet coke, a pot of chai tea in the morning with my book, a pina colada in the afternoon by the pool, wine and Pellegrino with dinner and a drink or two in the molecular bar, it felt indulgent and a lot of fun. Would I have saved money had I not bought the package? Absolutely because I would have never ordered most of those things feeling like I was wasting money. It gave me the feeling like I really could have whatever I wanted on my trip and I feel like I enjoyed the cruise that much more as a result. On a side note, with the premium package, it includes drinks in the Molecular Bar next to the art gallery. It was an amazing bar with fantastic drinks and was never crowded. Check it out if you're on a S-class ship!

 

On the down side - and I think this is kind of crummy - all of the cocktails offered in Qsine are $13 and thus not included. Forget it! We had wine instead and still really enjoyed our dinner!

[peatisback]

My DH and I are struggling to decide on a beverage package. I'm all for both of us getting a Premium package but she is not convinced.

 

I think my usage would probably come close to making it worth it and I am sure I would indulge knowing that I can.

 

She feels she wouldn't be able to make use of the value.

 

In the end I kind of want the all-inclusive feel that mkschles is describing; I wonder if we would come close if one of us had the package and the other didn't. Any suggestions on how to get her on board?

[CruiseVA]

I sold my DW by explaining about the various coffee drinks, fresh juices, and, trying different martini's and other drinks at the Molecular Bar - one $12 drink a day makes the difference between regular & premium. That, and, not having to worry about what we can & cannot drink. I figure that I can make up the slack for her so that we'll break even :)

Edited January 2, 2011 by CruiseVA

[alexsarasota]

Peteisback:

 

Quietly go to the desk and pay cash for hers and charge yours. Tell her they had a 2 minute 2fer1 special and you happened to be at the right place at the right time.

 

Both of us are buying the Premium package on the Eclipse on 1/15. Four $12 wines pays for itself.

 

Good luck:)

[ozark74]

Took me long time to register and find out the prices of these drink packages.

We have this ELITE status. So why would we buy any of these packages? Can't make any sense no?

Still can't find the Persian Gardens on Summit Jan 22-Feb 7. Would love to book................but the web site won't spit it up.

I thank you for your patience, and any help. Also, I guess the first day 1/2 gourmet dining is pretty hit and miss? Must put on my posh frock that day!

 

thanks for any advice.

We got the Persian Garden when we got on the Summit last March. They had a buy the week at discounted price. That was only departure day.

[peatisback]

Great idea but she is way too sharp and would never believe me! She is after all the veteran cruiser, this is only my second.

 

Her argument is that between our sail-away wine, elite cocktail hours, and 2 bottles we bring on board that she will come nowhere close to the ~$400 in spend. And of course 'the regular coffee is fine, I probably wouldn't ever get a real coffee' and 'the regular water is really good'.

 

I might just do that anyways- she'll like it in the end no doubt (in just the same way that loves balcony staterooms and will never book a non-veranda stateroom again after my first cruise when I insisted on complaining about loud drainage-pipe type noises in our interior room and were moved to a balcony stateroom).

 

 

 

 

Peteisback:

 

Quietly go to the desk and pay cash for hers and charge yours. Tell her they had a 2 minute 2fer1 special and you happened to be at the right place at the right time.

 

Both of us are buying the Premium package on the Eclipse on 1/15. Four $12 wines pays for itself.

 

Good luck:)

[alexsarasota]

Peat: Sounds like if you pay-as-you-go, you'll save enough money to pay the next cable bill;). Doing your due diligence is the key. No matter what, you'll have a great cruise I'm sure.

[khalubear]

Easy fix. You buy yours. She pays as she goes. check the bill at the end of the trip..... for next time

Great idea but she is way too sharp and would never believe me! She is after all the veteran cruiser, this is only my second.

 

Her argument is that between our sail-away wine, elite cocktail hours, and 2 bottles we bring on board that she will come nowhere close to the ~$400 in spend. And of course 'the regular coffee is fine, I probably wouldn't ever get a real coffee' and 'the regular water is really good'.

 

I might just do that anyways- she'll like it in the end no doubt (in just the same way that loves balcony staterooms and will never book a non-veranda stateroom again after my first cruise when I insisted on complaining about loud drainage-pipe type noises in our interior room and were moved to a balcony stateroom).

[Magui]

Hi there - we are going on our first cruise with Celebrity on 4 Feb. We are very interested in the premium drinks package, could someone just explain a couple of things:

 

Are you restricted to what amount you can drink (we don't intend on drinking ourselves silly, but we just want to know if we can have more than 1 or 2 glasses of wine during the evening and if we can have a few cocktails before and after dinner, actually, if we can drink alcohol when we want).

 

Do you get a card or something else to identify that you are on a drinks package?

 

Any responses and advice would be gratefully appreciated. The only other cruise we have been on was a Princess one last year and when we got our bill at the end of the stay the majority of cost was for drinks, so I'm thinking the package would be worth it for us and indulgent but I really want to understand how it works as the Celebrity website doesn't really explain it in full.

[newhips]

Hi there - we are going on our first cruise with Celebrity on 4 Feb. We are very interested in the premium drinks package, could someone just explain a couple of things:

 

Are you restricted to what amount you can drink (we don't intend on drinking ourselves silly, but we just want to know if we can have more than 1 or 2 glasses of wine during the evening and if we can have a few cocktails before and after dinner, actually, if we can drink alcohol when we want).

 

Do you get a card or something else to identify that you are on a drinks package?

 

Any responses and advice would be gratefully appreciated. The only other cruise we have been on was a Princess one last year and when we got our bill at the end of the stay the majority of cost was for drinks, so I'm thinking the package would be worth it for us and indulgent but I really want to understand how it works as the Celebrity website doesn't really explain it in full.

 

When you buy the package (either onboard or ahead of time your Seapass card is marked with a sticker or an imprint showing the package you have bought. You show your pass to the bartender or waiter when you order your drink. You can order as many of whatever drink is included in your package, but only one drink at a time per card. If you and your wife buy a package, you can take both cards and get 2 drinks of your choice (to take back to the cabin for instance). You are not limited in the quantity of drinks of any kind which you consume any day, hour or minute. It is solely dependent on how much you can drink and still remember where your stateroom is located - LOL

 

Hope this is helpful - My wife and I felt is was worth every penny to be able to try many new drinks as we wanted (if we didn't like one, we ordered another), plus the Molecular Bar on the Solstice class and waters, coffee, fresh squeezed juice, coffee's, etc. during our lat cruise.

[burrma]

One addition:

Two types to buy: Classic allows all drinks to $8. in price

Premium allows all drinks and wines to $12.

Only big difference is most but not all martinis (there's 30 to try) are $10. Can't add the difference; if you order a $10. martini and have the classic pkg; you get charged the $10

[peatisback]

Will the package cover drinks delivered to our stateroom (for example a bloody mary off the AQ menu)? If so, besides breakfast, are there other opportunities to have drinks delivered (say with the afternoon canapes)?

[Magui]

Bob many thanks for the information, it's most helpful. I have just one more question, I noted that you can have drinks on the premium package up to 12 dollars, does that mean if you order a drink for over the 12 dollars, you pay the difference, or do you pay the full price. Sorry if I sound dim, but I am just trying to get my ahead around how all this works.

[jimzgoldfinch]

Will the package cover drinks delivered to our stateroom (for example a bloody mary off the AQ menu)? If so, besides breakfast, are there other opportunities to have drinks delivered (say with the afternoon canapes)?

 

Hi,

Package does not cover room service. You will need to visit bar personally and take drinks back to cabin.

 

Jim

[jimzgoldfinch]

Bob many thanks for the information, it's most helpful. I have just one more question, I noted that you can have drinks on the premium package up to 12 dollars, does that mean if you order a drink for over the 12 dollars, you pay the difference, or do you pay the full price. Sorry if I sound dim, but I am just trying to get my ahead around how all this works.

 

Hi,

You will need to pay full amount if the cost exceeds $12 (before +15%).

 

Jim

[nyccruiser21]

Just off the Summit (12/26-1/3), wanted to report back on my experience with the Premium Nonalcoholic package. I had asked a few weeks back regarding the availability of soy milk onboard, as I wanted to enjoy my daily soy cappuccinos (the main reason I bought the package). Sadly, I never got a cappuccino because the coffee bar (Cova) never ONCE had soy milk available. The only way to get soy milk was to go to the buffet and find an English-speaking staff member (surprisingly few of those onboard) to understand what the hell I was even asking for, and then wait about 15 minutes for them to bring me a glass of cold soy milk. Bonus points, though, because it was vanilla flavored.

 

I had to then proceed to the cova bar and ask them for espresso. I made my own latte every day of the cruise, but MAN was it a hassle! I discovered about halfway through that in the buffet area where they make smoothies, they can also make espresso, but almost half the time they were out of espresso or the machine was "broken". Once, when one staff member made that claim to me, his manager heard him and demanded that he go upstairs to get me espresso from Cova. I said it was OK, since clearly the staff member did not want to help me and I didn't want to deal with his being upset, but he obeyed his manager and they brought me espresso and soy milk to my table in the buffet.

 

It was just as hard and took just as long in the dining room at dinner if I ever wanted an after dinner make-my-own latte. Bottom line, don't get this package if you're lactose-intolerant and enjoy your coffee drinks! I should also mention that the staff at Cova during my trip were particularly surly and EXTREMELY slow. Not sure if that's the case on every boat or every sailing, but don't expect quick service or even service with a smile. I also watched numerous times as the baristas messed up other people's orders.

 

I want to make it clear that I'm not complaining about all of this, I just want people to be able to make an educated decision regarding their drink package purchase.

[JudyD]

I didn't read all the posts, so forgive me if this has been asked already. Can you order more than one drink at a time? We were thinking about taking drinks back to our room.

[CruiseVA]

I didn't read all the posts, so forgive me if this has been asked already. Can you order more than one drink at a time? We were thinking about taking drinks back to our room.

 

You can only order 1 drink per card at a time,

[marinerq]

You can only order 1 drink per card at a time,

 

There are plenty of bars close to one another. If you want to take more than one to your room, just walk over to next one and get it. You will not get 2 drinks at once at the same spot.

However, it is not a good idea to use same card for more than one person, especially at lounges or bars. They know. They have your image embedded onto card. I've seen a bar manager coming up and putting some people on notice. It could get embarassing.

Edited January 5, 2011 by marinerq

[JudyD]

There are plenty of bars close to one another. If you want to take more than one to your room, just walk over to next one and get it. You will not get 2 drinks at once at the same spot.

However, it is not a good idea to use same card for more than one person, especially at lounges or bars. They know. They have your image embedded onto card. I've seen a bar manager coming up and putting some people on notice. It could get embarassing.

 

Thanks for the information. I wouldn't use the card for anyone else. I figure if I am going to pay that much for the card, then someone else should have to pay it too. ;)

[CruiseVA]

People have indicated that your or your husband can take both cards up & get 2 drinks at a time though.

[Fisherlady48]

The cost is almost $400 for a 9 night cruise, I decided I would rather buy a bottle for the room and get the soft drink package. I just do not think I can spend that much on booze in 9 nights, how much is too much?!!

 

Does anyone know if you drink one bottle, can you have another brought to your room? $80 is a bit high but still cheaper than individual drinks.

 

Thanks.

[Fisherlady48]

The cost is almost $400 for a 9 night cruise, I decided I would rather buy a bottle for the room and get the soft drink package. I just do not think I can spend that much on booze in 9 nights, how much is too much?!!

 

Does anyone know if you drink one bottle, can you have another brought to your room? $80 is a bit high but still cheaper than individual drinks.

 

Thanks.

 

 

I just called and found out that Miller Lite (the beer that I drink) is $4.50 ea on board, I would have to buy almost 90 bottles to make that worth my money. I am not a big hard liquor drinker. I am happy to just buy a bottle for the room and soft drinks. And it looks like I can bring some soft drinks on board, I like diet rite orange and no cruise line carries them.

[ncgolferette]

My DH and I will be on the Equinox next month. I am thinking about getting the Premium package for myself (love Martinis) and getting the classic for my husband. Can a person get a drink besides a martini in the martini bar and get something like a Jack and coke in the Molecular bar?

[marinerq]

People have indicated that your or your husband can take both cards up & get 2 drinks at a time though.

 

Sometimes, but not always, you can get 2 drinks for 2 cards, but never for 1 card. If one of bar managers is present, they will not give drinks without each cardholder present.