Questions on Elite access of Captain's Club Lounge for coffeehouse style breakfast

[vegasgirl702]

HI VEGASGIRL702,

 

The Beverage Packages are not valid for Room Service.

 

However, there are "perks" on some items being complimentary on the Room Service Menu / In Room Services (non alcoholic items) if you have either a Concierge Class OR Aqua Class Cabin... OR a Suite.

 

So, knowing more about what you've booked would be helpful

 

Hope this is (somewhat) helpful...

 

Cheers!

 

Hello! Sloop-JohnB I booked a balcony room with concierge. They had me at the Pillow Menu:D:p. Also have Elite (Diamond on RC). Would you still get an alcoholic premium package?

[vegasgirl702]

HI VEGASGIRL702,

 

The Beverage Packages are not valid for Room Service.

 

However, there are "perks" on some items being complimentary on the Room Service Menu / In Room Services (non alcoholic items) if you have either a Concierge Class OR Aqua Class Cabin... OR a Suite.

 

So, knowing more about what you've booked would be helpful

 

Hope this is (somewhat) helpful...

 

Cheers!

 

Hello! Sloop-JohnB I booked a balcony room with concierge. They had me at the Pillow Menu:D:p. Also have Elite (Diamond on RC). Would you still get an alcoholic premium package?

[uktog]

Think I can answer that one as an elite member. We had premium packages on our last cruise but on our next one as I like to do a little bit of pre purchasing I am buying additional on board credit for 75% of the cost of the packages. We are still going to drink as if we had the package for those times where we do not access perks.

 

Our thinking is based on an analysis of our bill all be it full of zeros for the bar on our last trip. Here is our rationale

 

* first drink of the day on an at sea day - enjoy at the Elite breakfast

* on one at sea day we will have the senior officers party which is usually late morning so lunch time drinks for that day are included

* each night our pre dinner drink will be at the Elite lounge which will be martinis

* on one day we will have the Captains club do and even if that replaces one of the elite evenings we will probably not want to drink again after that

* we can use the wine voucher to reduce the cost of wine on 1 or 2 evenings

* we are in Aquaclass so will have a regular supply of bottled water

* we will probably carry on two bottles of champagne as is allowed for two special afternoons on the balcony

* we may pick up and bring back a couple of cans of Pepsi when we are ashore each day

 

I think it would be very hard for an Elite passenger to be ahead on a premium card though I accept everyone has different drinking patterns

 

I will post whether I end up ahead or behind on my 75% of the cost obc when we get back but that is not until June. We will also have a record of whether we drank more or less than our last trip

 

Incidentally on our last trip we felt sometimes we drank because we had the card and we did end up about $30 down each at the end of the trip, but that can be offset in part by the fact we dined with the Captain one night - another consideration sometimes for Elites

Edited February 18, 2012 by uktog

[FrankinPA]

Excellent analysis by Uktog. That is our view exactly. We would never drink enough to justify a premium package while being elite.

 

But some people do drink that much and they need to do this analysis for themselves. I remember someone posted on here a few months ago that they drink 16 beers a day plus many other cocktails and even some water with a few Red Bull's thrown in. We were on the Millennium on Super Bowl sunday and I am sure this person or many others just like him were on board.

[Sloop-JohnB]

HI UKTOG,

 

Great post !!

 

I am sure this is going to help many others here have another perspective of the Beverage Packages.

 

You can be sure... that I will refer / link to it often.

 

--- --- ---

 

Even I, one of the big lovers of the Bevvy Package, may have to rethink things for our next cruise (as I say "do the math")...

 

Our last cruise we had 4 Sea Days... our one next year just 1... it is a port intensive cruise (Summit - 7 Night - Southern Caribbean)

 

We are thinking we might do something similar to you UKTOG, put a percentage of what we spent last time aside... and maybe buy a wine package this time... and then pay as we go for the rest

 

And like you, we went to Guest Services and got a print out of all our transactions (and yes they are all 0.00s) and although they don't tell us what we were drinking, just where... they do tell us who had how many... and we have a "rough idea" of what we drank where when, so with the STICKY on the Bevvy Packages, we can figure out aprox what we would have spent if we weren't on "the Program".

 

.

.

 

PS... If you bring Champagne aboard (that is what we did too... good value vs what they charge onboard for the REAL Stuff)... be sure and pack along a Champagne Stopper... they work really well. We found that even though we love our bubbly that we didn't get thru a whole bottle... more like a half bottle when getting ready for dinner etc. The Stopper meant we could drink it the next morning (Mimosas) or even keep it fresh on ice until the next evening.

 

--- --- ---

 

Excellent analysis by Uktog. That is our view exactly. We would never drink enough to justify a premium package while being elite.

 

But some people do drink that much and they need to do this analysis for themselves. I remember someone posted on here a few months ago that they drink 16 beers a day plus many other cocktails and even some water with a few Red Bull's thrown in. We were on the Millennium on Super Bowl sunday and I am sure this person or many others just like him were on board.

 

Hi FRANKINPA,

 

Lol... yes I remember that chap... at time I did one of these :eek:

 

But now that you've brought up the Super Bowl, my view has softened a bit... to one of these :rolleyes:

 

Guessing the next day some of those folks were looking a little more like one of these... :mad::( (same face just going from red to blue... or green actually)

 

Cheers!

Edited February 18, 2012 by Sloop-JohnB

[FrankinPA]

 

But now that you've brought up the Super Bowl, my view has softened a bit... to one of these :rolleyes:

 

Guessing the next day some of those folks were looking a little more like one of these... :mad::( (same face just going from red to blue... or green actually)

 

Cheers!

 

Hey Sloop, you should have seen them. (or maybe not:eek:) The next morning was disembarkation at Miami and most of these (young people especially) looked like a truck had hit them. I suppose they got their money's worth with the drink package. Unfortunately, the alcohol also brought out the worst in some people so ship security was more obviously present than they normally are.

[momofmeg]

If you are in one of the suites, you may be extended elite benefits by the ship. Happened to us on only our second cruise. I think it might depend on how many other elites are on board but not sure about that.

 

No, a spa balcony/ or spa veranda. That's okay-we get breakfast in the Blu, and I don't mind spending $3 or $4 on a fancy coffee. I normally do that anyway. I do not drink alcohol much-only an occasional rum and diet coke.

 

That will be a nice perk when I qualify though.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hey Sloop, you should have seen them. (or maybe not:eek:) The next morning was disembarkation at Miami and most of these (young people especially) looked like a truck had hit them. I suppose they got their money's worth with the drink package. Unfortunately, the alcohol also brought out the worst in some people so ship security was more obviously present than they normally are.

 

HI FRANKINPA,

 

Oh my gosh... I can only imagine.

 

We found getting the last day horrible (lol and we were pretty much sober the night before)...

 

But solely from the perspective of having to get up early, and get off the ship :(

 

Lol, cruise lines really need to change this policy...

 

You have a wonderful cruise, then you get "booted off the ship" practically before coffee !!

 

Can only imagine what that is like with a HANG OVER too boot... not pretty by any stretch of the imagination !!

 

Mr Sloop and I made the best of Disembarkation Day... (and we will do even better next time).

 

We were staying on in Fort Lauderdale... so no rush to the airport for us.

 

We were out of our cabin before 8 AM... and headed UP... when the rest of the world was heading DOWN

 

We watched the "drama" for awhile... it was quite something so many folks trying to cram themselves into those "glass booths"... and others nearby cursing the stairs as they dragged their bags around.

 

Meanwhile... The Sloops were in the Oceanview Cafe picking up a light Breakie... Bagel, Coffee etc. Then out to the back deck to soak in the rays... very very nice.

 

Somewhere after 9:00 AM we noticed the crowds had gone... not many people on the back deck, and now you could actually see thru the Cafe...

 

So we packed up and headed out... catching an elevator was easy... and it was down and out...

 

Good-bye Solstice :(:(:(

 

Then the long hike to Customs...

 

Pick up our luggage (lol, they were the lone bags in one corner... as we did have an earlier time that Celebrity had chosen for us)... then 5 minutes in line, thru Customs, and gone !!

 

Very very smooth... not much tension at all.

 

And I learned this all right here on CC... the most valuable tip of the whole trip IMO

 

Cheers!

[Iamthesea]

Think I can answer that one as an elite member. We had premium packages on our last cruise but on our next one as I like to do a little bit of pre purchasing I am buying additional on board credit for 75% of the cost of the packages. We are still going to drink as if we had the package for those times where we do not access perks.

 

Our thinking is based on an analysis of our bill all be it full of zeros for the bar on our last trip. Here is our rationale

 

* first drink of the day on an at sea day - enjoy at the Elite breakfast

* on one at sea day we will have the senior officers party which is usually late morning so lunch time drinks for that day are included

* each night our pre dinner drink will be at the Elite lounge which will be martinis

* on one day we will have the Captains club do and even if that replaces one of the elite evenings we will probably not want to drink again after that

* we can use the wine voucher to reduce the cost of wine on 1 or 2 evenings

* we are in Aquaclass so will have a regular supply of bottled water

* we will probably carry on two bottles of champagne as is allowed for two special afternoons on the balcony* we may pick up and bring back a couple of cans of Pepsi when we are ashore each day

 

I think it would be very hard for an Elite passenger to be ahead on a premium card though I accept everyone has different drinking patterns

 

I will post whether I end up ahead or behind on my 75% of the cost obc when we get back but that is not until June. We will also have a record of whether we drank more or less than our last trip

 

Incidentally on our last trip we felt sometimes we drank because we had the card and we did end up about $30 down each at the end of the trip, but that can be offset in part by the fact we dined with the Captain one night - another consideration sometimes for Elites

 

We plan on picking up two bottles of wine, but don't the CC and AQ's staterooms also get a bottle of sparkling wine in the stateroom?

 

Also, do we need to bring our own corkscrew? Can we bring some Tonic or Sprite for making wine spritzers?

Edited February 18, 2012 by Iamthesea

[CathyCruises]

Yes, no, and yes!!!!

[Iamthesea]

Does that "no" mean there are corkscrews in the cabin?

[FrankinPA]

We plan on picking up two bottles of wine, but don't the CC and AQ's staterooms also get a bottle of sparkling wine in the stateroom?

 

Also, do we need to bring our own corkscrew? Can we bring some Tonic or Sprite for making wine spritzers?

 

I would recommend you bring your own good corkscrew. The ones in the rooms are the 10 for a $ kind which is a straight plastic handle and a screw vertical to it. In other words, you supply all the leverage. But don't put a corkscrew with a foil knife on it in your carry-on luggage. TSA takes them away (my experience). Not sure how you can hijack a plane with a 2.5 inch foil cutter but logic makes no difference to the TSA brainy folks.

[stavy]

Trying to figure out if we should get the beverage package as it's our first time as elite. We are on a transatlantic and will be at sea for 8 days total out of 14. I read they have espresso based drinks in the morning at the elite breakfast...are they the same as the cafe bacio? We love the coffee there...what other events will we be invited to as elite...Thanks for the help

Rita

[Iamthesea]

I would recommend you bring your own good corkscrew. The ones in the rooms are the 10 for a $ kind which is a straight plastic handle and a screw vertical to it. In other words, you supply all the leverage. But don't put a corkscrew with a foil knife on it in your carry-on luggage. TSA takes them away (my experience). Not sure how you can hijack a plane with a 2.5 inch foil cutter but logic makes no difference to the TSA brainy folks.

 

I'll just stick it in my regular suitcase.

[FrankinPA]

Trying to figure out if we should get the beverage package as it's our first time as elite. We are on a transatlantic and will be at sea for 8 days total out of 14. I read they have espresso based drinks in the morning at the elite breakfast...are they the same as the cafe bacio? We love the coffee there...what other events will we be invited to as elite...Thanks for the help

Rita

 

Just depends on how much you want to drink. You will get espresso based drinks in the Elite breakfast which is open for several hours. It is the same quality as Cova Cafe but I have not been on an S class ship yet so cannot compare it to Cafe Bacio. I would think they are the same, however.

 

You will be invited to a 5-7pm cocktail party every evening, a Captain's cocktail party for all Select and Elite members one afternoon as well as at least one wine experience. So Elites have a lot of drinking opportunities that don't cost anything extra.

[TravelerThom]

...You will be invited to a 5-7pm cocktail party every evening, a Captain's cocktail party for all Select and Elite members one afternoon as well as at least one wine experience. So Elites have a lot of drinking opportunities that don't cost anything extra.

A clarification: no evening Elite Lounge the first [embarkation] night, and no evening Elite Lounge the day of the Senior Officers party [well I have had both the same day, but not on any recent cruise]. But I will quickly state that compared to what they had only a few years ago, I am very happy with the Elite offerings.

 

Thom

[dodger1964]

...We were out of our cabin before 8 AM... and headed UP... when the rest of the world was heading DOWN...

 

 

That is the way we leave ship...get in elevator going "UP" and then ride up and back down...as it stops on each floor going down while people standing waiting for the "down" elevator look at the totally full elevator we are on!!

[FrankinPA]

A clarification: no evening Elite Lounge the first [embarkation] night, and no evening Elite Lounge the day of the Senior Officers party [well I have had both the same day, but not on any recent cruise]. But I will quickly state that compared to what they had only a few years ago, I am very happy with the Elite offerings.

 

Thom

 

Great clarification. So you had a Senior Officers party on the embarkation day on one of your past cruises? That is weird.

[Lois R]

Great clarification. So you had a Senior Officers party on the embarkation day on one of your past cruises? That is weird.

 

Hi Larry, now that is weird. When has there even be a Sr Officers

Party on sail day?

[FrankinPA]

Hi Larry, now that is weird. When has there even be a Sr Officers

Party on sail day?

 

Hey Lois,

 

I think that is what Thom just posted so we will have to wait for him to give us the details. I would think that the officers would be a bit busy with other things as the ship leaves port. But what do I know???? :confused:

[vickykay]

Can you clarify buying OBC at a discount? never have heard of this. thanks.

[FrankinPA]

Can you clarify buying OBC at a discount? never have heard of this. thanks.

 

Which posting number are you referring to? I cannot find a reference to that.

[BarbJ52]

Which posting number are you referring to? I cannot find a reference to that.

I think vickykay is referring to post #28.

[Razl]

Think I can answer that one as an elite member.

Our thinking is based on an analysis of our bill all be it full of zeros for the bar on our last trip. Here is our rationale

 

* first drink of the day on an at sea day - enjoy at the Elite breakfast

* on one at sea day we will have the senior officers party which is usually late morning so lunch time drinks for that day are included

* each night our pre dinner drink will be at the Elite lounge which will be martinis

* on one day we will have the Captains club do and even if that replaces one of the elite evenings we will probably not want to drink again after that

* we can use the wine voucher to reduce the cost of wine on 1 or 2 evenings

* we are in Aquaclass so will have a regular supply of bottled water

* we will probably carry on two bottles of champagne as is allowed for two special afternoons on the balcony

* we may pick up and bring back a couple of cans of Pepsi when we are ashore each day

 

I think it would be very hard for an Elite passenger to be ahead on a premium card though I accept everyone has different drinking patterns

This is our first Celebrity cruise but we are D+ on Royal so are Elite for our Summit cruise in April. I know how everything works with Royal but are still wondering what all to expect with Celebrity. It sounds like they treat their Elite members much better than they do on Royal, which is one of the reasons we are jumping ship. I want to see how the other half lives. :cool: Had been thinking about the beverage package but, since we will be so port intensive and after reading your comments, we'll skip it this time.

 

My question comes from the comment about having martini's at "the lounge" in the evenings. On Royal, the choices are very limited for alcohol brands -- beer, wine, and mixed drinks. My DH enjoys SoCo (Southern Comfort) and they do not offer it. Do they offer a wider range of call brands on Celebrity doing the free events?

 

Thanks!

[FrankinPA]

I think vickykay is referring to post #28.

 

Oh!! I took uktog's note to mean that he/she purchased the equivalent of 75% of the cost of the premium beverage package in OBC and then was consuming against that as a test to see if he really would have benefited by buying the package. Maybe I read too much into his note.

 

Maybe uktog can respond. I don't think he implied that he/she could buy OBC for 75% on the dollar.

Edited February 19, 2012 by FrankinPA