Any updates - Beverage Package?

[Working 2 Cruise]

I know this has been offered on the Sapphire, Star and Emerald... From reading all the reviews...

 

Has the new beverage package been offered on any other ships?

 

Thanks!

[Working 2 Cruise]

I guess not! I heard it was in the Crown too...

[RNGALNG]

Yes, we were just on the Crown and it was offered there.

[DonJuan77]

We were on the Crown Feb 8th and the all inclusive was offered. Apparently it was the second week they offered it. $49 a day and it included every drink on the boat. The first couple of nights the dining room kept charging us for drinks so we had to keep going to customer relations to get the charges taken off. After that we were all set. It was awesome to just pre-pay for it and not have a huge bill lurking at the end.

[vinoblanco]

I love this idea. I hope it reaches Coral before our Christmas/New Year 2014 cruise.

[chrysalis]

I know this has been offered on the Sapphire, Star and Emerald... From reading all the reviews...

 

Has the new beverage package been offered on any other ships?

 

Thanks!

 

Re: Emerald....this is from a Feb 18th blog posting.....

 

Drink packages

 

We've heard for two cruises now that the unlimited drink packages for $49 pp per day will be offered on the Emerald Princess, but we keep hearing "next cruise, next cruise". Several people have emailed me about this, so I'll answer en masse here: it's imminent but not currently offered

[DonJuan77]

I can say aboard the crown it wasn't promoted very well and we could only buy it at the international cafe. There was a little paper the size of a post-it note the day of embarkation and that was it. It's $49 a day plus 15% gratuity on top of that. It's great if you have sea days + princess cays stop because the package works @ princess cays as well. We had 3 sea days and a princess cays stop so it was a fantastic deal. I really hope they make this available on all cruises because it was well worth the money.

[OCruisers]

Crown began offering it for the first time on the 1/25/2014 sailing. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[1982CruzStart]

We were on the Star where it is offered. We considered buying it but when we reviewed the wines by the glass in the dining rooms that are available in the package it became a no deal for us. The wine by the glass selection is not good enough to want to drink that wine with dinner every night.

If you like nice wines then i would not recommend the package. We had wine with dinner every night buying the gold wine package, drinks before dinner and after and occasionally at lunch and it was cheaper NOT buying the package. Mind you we didn't drink any of the coffees you have to pay for.

 

I had read on one thread someone who bought the package that went to Vines to pick up their wine for dinner in the dining room to get decent wine. That was just too much hassle for us. I didn't want to get up in the middle of dinner to go get more wine.

[xjmox14x]

Has anyone on the Ruby recently seen this offered? I know it says 7 day cruises and longer, but apparently it was only supposed to be offered on 2 ships and that's obviously not the case.

 

Going on Ruby's 5 day sailing March 15th and I'd like to know if they're offering it beforehand. I'm planning on buying a few bottles of rum from the gift department for the room, but won't need to do that if the drink package is offered.

[Pam in CA]

I know it says 7 day cruises and longer, but apparently it was only supposed to be offered on 2 ships and that's obviously not the case.

They tested it on two ships. I don't think it was ever planned to be limited to only two ships.

 

Keep in mind that while it's a good deal for some, the cruise lines offer packages because they make more money. Just saying. :)

[DonJuan77]

They tested it on two ships. I don't think it was ever planned to be limited to only two ships.

 

Keep in mind that while it's a good deal for some, the cruise lines offer packages because they make more money. Just saying. :)

 

We made it a daily challenge to get to $49 before 1-2 pm. A beer after gratuities is roughly $7. So we could easily get to that, but like I said we made it a challenge.

[Whimsy]

All drinks have a high profit margin whether you buy them on land or at sea. Figure out the cost of a bottle of alcohol, divide it by the number of shots in the bottle and how many shots in your drink and a the nickel of fountain soda or the 50 cents worth of juice. A draft beer from a barrel, a case of bottled beer cost and what you can sell one for. You do not have to have to drink alcohol, figure out the cost of a soda or glass of tea and look at the charge on your bill at a restaurant. Of course you could cook the dinner for less at home too but it's all part of the package of dining out.

 

Just depends on if you have cruised before and can take a look at your bar bill and figure out which ways works best for you.

 

For myself it would not be a savings because we just don't consume that much in one day and if we did it would take us 2 days to recover before attempting it again. :o

 

On the other hand if you are someone that can start the day with a few bloody Mary's or mimosas, move on to some drinks in the afternoon by the pool, a cocktail before dinner, wine with dinner, a cocktail during a show and a few drinks while dancing or listening to music than yes, you will find a savings.

 

Just curious if anyone has the latest pricing to do the math. Let's say this was a day for me:

 

Morning: 1 mimosa

 

Lunch: Margarita

 

Afternoon by the pool: 2 Pina Coladas

 

Pre dinner: Martini

 

Dinner: 1 Glass of wine

 

Show: Coffee with Baileys

 

Dancing: 2 rum and cokes

 

Let's add 2 cans of soda to the day as well.

 

Anyone have a guestimate on what this would cost?

 

Bottom line, If you have cruised before and saved your bill the best thing would be to take a look at your drink expenses, add it up, divide it by the days and do the math. Is it a good deal for some, yes. Good deal for everyone, no.

[DonJuan77]

I took a picture of the whole alcohol drink menu, including the non-alcoholic specialty drinks. Hope this helps

[notentirelynormal]

I'd still like to know more about children sailing with adults that take this program. They must have a age limit where the child is too young for it. I mean, if you are sailing with a child under 3 YOs they shouldn't be drinking soda anyway. A child younger than a year would not use any of it. To force the parents to buy it because they want the drink package seems silly. Before I get blasted, we travel with many family and friends and there would always be someone sober to take care of the kids.

[lazyriver]

We were on the 11 day partial transit on the Coral on 30 Jan. They offered a drink package for $49 pp per day. It was a coupon attached to the embarkation Platter.

[BarbaraP]

We were on the 11 day partial transit on the Coral on 30 Jan. They offered a drink package for $49 pp per day. It was a coupon attached to the embarkation Platter.

 

And is it correct that both adults in a cabin must purchase the package:confused:

Edited February 24, 2014 by BarbaraP

[Elkhorn20fan]

On the crown cruise 1/25/2014, we had the package and think it was a good deal. We where on the ship the week before and spent about $850.00 for the week on drinks.

 

We both had to buy the package, the bartenders asked to see both cards at first to get two drinks, but once they got to know us would put both drinks on my card. With the card you can also get 40% off a bottle of wine under $100.00, so you can have your good wine and drink it too.

[Forester Gump]

I think there are some days that you make out, and some days you won't. When you hit a port, that's a day that you'll probably be drinking in town instead of on the boat.

 

We're doing a 10 day trip next week. The drink package would be about $1150 after gratuity. We've never done anything near that on a cruise. But, we don't buy bottled water or trendy coffees. I've been to Starbucks a grand total of 2 times.

 

We're thinking on doing the wine package, which seems to be something that would be a better bargain for us.

 

I've never been on Princess, but on other cruises, there was always a cheaper drink of the day and on days not in port they had a buy one get one free deal during happy hour.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Forester, there is no cheaper drink of the day. Platinum, elite and suite guests do have a cocktail party where drinks can be had for $5. You must show your card at the entrance until the servers know you. As far as happy hour... I've never seen it.

 

For us, the package will work out... Multiple coffees and water during the day, diet sodas and juices, wine with lunch and dinner and cocktails in the evening. My husband can't just have one drink... He has to have at least 2!

 

We don't drink at home so when on a cruise, I'd rather have a zero balance on disembarkation day...

[NeurosurgeryNP]

We are sailing on Sunday on the Royal and hope it will be offered then. We would get our money's worth for sure.

[janetz]

I thought I read a post last week where one man said he was able to purchase the package and his wife did not, as she does not drink. It was 500.00 for him alone.

[Working 2 Cruise]

We are sailing on Sunday on the Royal and hope it will be offered then. We would get our money's worth for sure.

 

Would you mind letting us know?

[Zoolou]

I thought I read a post last week where one man said he was able to purchase the package and his wife did not, as she does not drink. It was 500.00 for him alone.

 

 

If he got that...he was lucky.....both

parties in the room have to purchase

[hotdogworm]

Royal is supposed to start offering it on the next turn around! Sounds like you're in luck!