It may be time to reconsider the all you can drink package...

[missyoulikegravy]

We just got off a 9 day Carribbean sampler on the Ruby yesterday. On the first four day part of the cruise we witnessed some of the most ridiculous behaviour from the unlimited alcohol packages. We saw people puking in public areas to our dinner mates who were so drunk the jumped over a table and partition in the dining room. Now I know so many are able to manage their alcohol...but on the four day cruises it turns into an alcohol indused bender for many... Both my hubby and I are in our late 20s early 30s and consider ourselves open minded but it was a very interesting trip at times ...;)

Edited March 16, 2014 by missyoulikegravy

[shredie]

Interesting. I'll be on a short cruise soon, so I think I'll look out for this. (That is, if the package is offered.) I've been on cruises where the booze was not "free," and still there were obnoxious drunks (mostly on another line.) You make me think. Will this be a widespread problem?

[missyoulikegravy]

Supposedly the package has only been on the ship for two weeks and they are working out the logistics...it is a good value if you can hold your liquor!

[msmoger]

We just got off a 9 day Carribbean sampler on the Ruby yesterday. On the first four day part of the cruise we witnessed some of the most ridiculous behaviour from the unlimited alcohol packages. We saw people puking in public areas to our dinner mates who were so drunk the jumped over a table and partition in the dining room. Now I know so many are able to manage their alcohol...but on the four day cruises it turns into an alcohol indused bender for many... Both my hubby and I are in our late 20s early 30s and consider ourselves open minded but it was a very interesting trip at times ...;)

 

That sounds pretty awful. :eek: However, I have to ask, what were the circumstances surrounding your tablemates acrobatics?? Were they obviously blotto when they arrived at the table and how was it handled by the dining room staff? Was this Anytime Dining?

 

I'm sorry for being so inquisitive. ;)

[LoriPhil]

I'm curious about that as well. With these new packages Princess staffers also néed more intensive training on cutting off someone who is visibly drunk.

Edited March 16, 2014 by LoriPhil

[Bases5]

I thinks its also Spring break time.

Sorry you had to deal with that.

[fishywood]

I thinks its also Spring break time.

 

No way is it a coincidence that Princess chose to officially launch the alcohol beverage program (after a soft launch on a few ships in January) during spring break--when other lines like NCL impose a blackout on their packages.

 

Time will tell if Princess will adequately police the program by cutting off those who publicly misbehave, confining them to their cabins until they sober up, and even cancelling repeat offenders--with absolutely no refunds!

[itzmered]

Wow we were on RCL in January and they have the drink package and we never saw anything even remote close to what you are describing. You must have had a really bad bunch of people on your cruise.

[Redwing55]

Might it be the length of each segment being shorter? We had this on a 11 day Panama trip and didn't see this at all. I'm not sure the price-point is that attractive to most anyway. If I were a bigger drinker I might get it as a convenience to avoid the signing thing, but that's me.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Redwing55

[ContemporaryTraveler]

Just got off the Royal Princess today and purchased the drink package. Definitely a great addition to Princess and definitely did not see anyone on the cruise I got off acting intoxicated. I feel the people on your cruise were a bad bunch and would act that way even without a drink package.

[RickEk]

I thought the package was only available on 7 day or longer cruises.:confused:

[Cruise Junky]

Short cruises, spring break what did they expect? I thought this was only available on sailings of 7 days? Wasn't this a 4 and a 5 day B2B? Also, how do you know that all the drunks had the package?

Edited March 16, 2014 by Cruise Junky

[NeurosurgeryNP]

We just got off a 7 day on the Royal and we saw none of that - not one instance of an obliterated person - it was the first week of the package on that ship. Agree that the staff have to cut off intoxicated pax - as we did see this on pax even without the plan this trip - they were obliterated, but they were intoxicated, but they did get cut off due to their behavior in the night club.

Edited March 16, 2014 by NeurosurgeryNP

[Hulagirl]

We just disembarked the Royal Princess today and also never saw anyone behaving like what was described above. For a "spring break" time, there weren't very many younger people on the ship either. It was definitely an older crowd on this cruise.

 

As for the unlimited drink package, I did think it was a decent deal. We thought about it when I read what NeurosurgeryNP had posted the week before. It covered so many things and it turned out to be a alright. Not sure if I would buy it again, but it was fine for this cruise.

 

It also includes the gelato, crepes (when they have them on sea days), coffee drinks, etc. So all in all, not bad.

[Iamcruzin]

No way is it a coincidence that Princess chose to officially launch the alcohol beverage program (after a soft launch on a few ships in January) during spring break--when other lines like NCL impose a blackout on their packages.

 

Time will tell if Princess will adequately police the program by cutting off those who publicly misbehave, confining them to their cabins until they sober up, and even cancelling repeat offenders--with absolutely no refunds!

 

Can you explain what a blackout is? Celebrity is offering the package free as a perk during Spring Break. I realize that Celebrity doesn't draw the same demographic as Carnival and NCL but I always felt that Princess had the same demographic as Celebrity.

 

If the 9 day Caribbean sampler was sold as two short cruises than I can understand the short legs being a party crowd. However I was under the impression that the drink package was only sold on itineraries 7 days or longer. Granted if you signed up for the 9 days than you would qualify.

[missyoulikegravy]

We were on a 4 day and 5 day back to back. The behaviour was worse on the 4 day for sure. They are definitely selling the package for the shorter cruises. It is an amazing deal for some--as it has coffee, bottled water and alcohol (under $10 per drink) included.

 

We had the 8:15 pm dining and after the first night the people around us complained about the people at our table-- we had a table for 8 with 4 of the people being guys in their late 20s. The dining staff really didn't know what to do about them at all--the head waiter was watching our table the following nights for any more crazy behaviour. But I don't think they are equipped for dealing with drunken behaviour in the main dining room.

 

Needless to say--I had a great cruise but the interesting moments tested my patience... However, we were on vacation so what is not to like...we tried to see the bright side of it all

[msmoger]

We were on a 4 day and 5 day back to back. The behaviour was worse on the 4 day for sure. They are definitely selling the package for the shorter cruises. It is an amazing deal for some--as it has coffee, bottled water and alcohol (under $10 per drink) included.

 

We had the 8:15 pm dining and after the first night the people around us complained about the people at our table-- we had a table for 8 with 4 of the people being guys in their late 20s. The dining staff really didn't know what to do about them at all--the head waiter was watching our table the following nights for any more crazy behaviour. But I don't think they are equipped for dealing with drunken behaviour in the main dining room.

 

Needless to say--I had a great cruise but the interesting moments tested my patience... However, we were on vacation so what is not to like...we tried to see the bright side of it all

 

I'm a pretty tolerant person when it comes to other people's drunkenness, but I would have changed my table if my bonehead tablemates pulled this kind of crap. This sounds worse than the puking pole dancer we witnessed on NCL!! :eek::eek::eek:

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Interesting it was offered because from what everything I have heard, it was only supposed to be offered on the 7+ nights cruises.

[Paula_MacFan]

I thought the package was only available on 7 day or longer cruises.:confused:

 

Me too?? I thought that's what the article posted here on CC said -- only 7 days or longer cruises. Is it possible these people just got sloppy drunk the old fashioned way -- buying one drink at a time?

 

Plus as someone mentioned, it IS spring break time, and unfortunately that brings out the partiers:(

[Roses2]

It is surprising that Princess headquarters medical and legal staffs signed off on the "all you can drink" package. From a straight business perspective, the potential downside risk far outweighs any financial gain.

 

While the package may fit many responsible adults, not all who buy the package may be responsible adults. It would not take many incidents attributed to over-drinking that may involve injury or death to result in huge legal claims and this is a litigious society.

[Cruise Junky]

It is surprising that Princess headquarters medical and legal staffs signed off on the "all you can drink" package. From a straight business perspective, the potential downside risk far outweighs any financial gain.

 

While the package may fit many responsible adults, not all who buy the package may be responsible adults. It would not take many incidents attributed to over-drinking that may involve injury or death to result in huge legal claims and this is a litigious society.

 

They needed to offer it to stay competitive. 95% of cruise lines offer a beverage package

[OCruisers]

We never saw anything like that on Crown Princess either.

LuLu

~~~~

[Pam in CA]

I recently returned from the 10-day Sapphire cruise and I didn't see any public drunkenness. The 3- and 4-day cruises might appeal to a different passenger than normally cruises Princess.

 

Something my sister observed is one man who had purchased a package going up to the bar every few minutes to order drinks for everyone at his table. He kept ordering until they all had a "free" drink.

 

FYI, the requirement that everyone in the cabin 21 and over had to purchase the card has been dropped from the final package. In other words, that requirement is not there. In the words of senior staff whom I asked specifically about this, "Princess has the best passengers and know that they'll be honorable." I guess not so much. :(

[dread_pirate]

I was on a Celebrity 5-day Caribbean cruise, during the 123 Go promotion, which means that most people had their alcohol package offered for free (as did we). I didn't see any more drunks than normal. (Not during Spring Break, true, but probably more people had the package than would have if they had had to pay for it.)

[fishywood]

Can you explain what a blackout is? Celebrity is offering the package free as a perk during Spring Break. I realize that Celebrity doesn't draw the same demographic as Carnival and NCL but I always felt that Princess had the same demographic as Celebrity.

 

NCL does not offer their drink packages during spring break (roughly late February to mid-April)

 

Something my sister observed is one man who had purchased a package going up to the bar every few minutes to order drinks for everyone at his table. He kept ordering until they all had a "free" drink.

 

Princess needs to consult with RC and X as to policing this. There have been reports on their boards of "server-hoppers" being publicly relieved of their drinks and having their package cancelled with no refund. But given that they have surrendered to the abusers of the soda cards, the "best passengers" thinking may blow up in their face.

 

They needed to offer it to stay competitive. 95% of cruise lines offer a beverage package

 

Not really from a customer satifaction/retention standpoint, but strictly financially. The number of passengers preferring to prepay as many expenses as possible to avoid a large onboard charges bill even when there is no savings from prepaying has multilplied over the past few years. People are even complaining that Princess does NOT take prepayments for shore excursions!

 

(And I know that the comment you were responding to was quite naive about the proliferation of drinks plans--but where did you come up with your "95%" statistic?)

Edited March 16, 2014 by fishywood