Princess Beverage Package Evaluator

[calvin31]

This article also mentions the 'everyone in cabin must have a package' so things are definitely in flux. It will take a lot to get me to purchase it though. I can't drink that much.

 

 

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[PWTexas]

Just wanted to verify that you can purchase the drink package on the 5 day Caribbean Princess, looking at going 8/23/2014...and does everyone in the cabin have to purchase the drink package, I don't drink usually just get the soft drink sticker, but my wife and son who will be traveling for his 21st birthday, they like to have a drink or two, or three.. thanks in advance.

[bhopal21]

The beverage package for our upcoming Ruby cruise is $56.35 so it appears that it has been adjusted as well.

 

Mike:)

[IECalCruiser]

The beverage package for our upcoming Ruby cruise is $56.35 so it appears that it has been adjusted as well.

 

 

 

Mike:)

Mike, If you are on one of the 10 day Canadian cruises, 10 days of the package is $49 and the gratuity is $7.35 so no change from when the package was introduced.

 

 

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[NukeIT]

Thanks for the awesome spreadsheet... Love being able to see all the prices and judge the breakdown....

 

 

Seems still some conflicting info about if everyone in the room has to buy the package or not...

 

Does anyone have recent experience one way or the other???

[bhopal21]

Mike, If you are on one of the 10 day Canadian cruises, 10 days of the package is $49 and the gratuity is $7.35 so no change from when the package was introduced.

 

Actually we are on a 12 day; but I thank you for the clarification.

 

I just can't see me purchasing this. All it does is encourage one to over imbibe.

 

I am a Sapphire and tonic guy and may have as many as 4 or 5 a day one or two days but not every day so it would be a money losing proposition for me.

 

And I have been told by a couple of bartenders that very few people get their money's worth. It is a great income producing product for Princess.

 

Mike:)

[Wavelet]

Actually we are on a 12 day; but I thank you for the clarification.

 

I just can't see me purchasing this. All it does is encourage one to over imbibe.

 

I am a Sapphire and tonic guy and may have as many as 4 or 5 a day one or two days but not every day so it would be a money losing proposition for me.

 

And I have been told by a couple of bartenders that very few people get their money's worth. It is a great income producing product for Princess.

 

Mike:)

 

IMO if you are on a port intensive trip the pkg would not make sense. We are taking a 14 day cruise with 7sea days, so we're planning on purchasing the pkg. while I'm not a heavy alcohol drinker I am a caffeine addict and also drink lots of water during the day. Since the pkg includes basically any liquid under $10, I figured it would be worth it for me also.

One note we discovered using the spreadsheet - the pkg price of $56.35 pp includes the 15% gratuity. The individual drink prices, as others have noted, are approximately $1 more and do not include the gratuity. In another thread, someone posted it cost them about $20 for 2 margaritas.

Again, I would base my decision on the actual amount of time you're going to be on the ship.

[Liz54]

Great Spreadsheet. I too found it not worthwhile, but only out by about $60.00. Interesting. We normally bring wine on board and buy a wine package. We would not bother to carry on wine, saving the purchase price of that, which means I might consider it. Once you add in lattes, water and soft drinks the numbers change!

[Dreamer333]

Great job on the spreadsheet! Thank you!

[martin jenkins]

doesn't take much to rack up $49 per day, i'll be purchasing this, not that we drink a lot but when on holiday tend to relax and drink a bit more than normal.

[Thrak]

IMO if you are on a port intensive trip the pkg would not make sense. We are taking a 14 day cruise with 7sea days, so we're planning on purchasing the pkg. while I'm not a heavy alcohol drinker I am a caffeine addict and also drink lots of water during the day. Since the pkg includes basically any liquid under $10, I figured it would be worth it for me also.

One note we discovered using the spreadsheet - the pkg price of $56.35 pp includes the 15% gratuity. The individual drink prices, as others have noted, are approximately $1 more and do not include the gratuity. In another thread, someone posted it cost them about $20 for 2 margaritas.

Again, I would base my decision on the actual amount of time you're going to be on the ship.

 

If you plan to drink $789.00 worth during the 14 days then you will break even. I just can't afford an extra $789.00 worth of bar bill for a 14 day cruise. Different stokes for different folks with different financial abilities I guess. Now if I could buy it ONLY for the sea days that might be different but there's no way Princess would be crazy enough to offer that type of a deal. I will just have to drink less and, by doing so, be able to cruise more.

[LewesBeach]

Thanks for the awesome spreadsheet... Love being able to see all the prices and judge the breakdown....

 

 

Seems still some conflicting info about if everyone in the room has to buy the package or not...

 

Does anyone have recent experience one way or the other???

 

As recent as May on the Star: both people did NOT have to buy the pkg. My husband bought it, I did not. It still may depend in the ship however.

[suzski]

As recent as May on the Star: both people did NOT have to buy the pkg. My husband bought it, I did not. It still may depend in the ship however.

 

Cruised in June on the Ruby - husband bought it; I didn't. For us, it was definitely worth it as he loves his lattes in the morning so we didn't have to buy the coffee card. Also, even though we only had two days at sea, he drank his money's worth plus with the package.:o

[jg51]

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! I got the soda and water prices (including Perrier!), so I have added those in. I also updated the package price to $49 a day - I originally pulled it from the Princess website and didn't realize it had the 15% gratuity added in. So now none of the items have gratuity in them, which was my original intention. At least it's comparing apples to apples now! The latest revision is attached - ongoing feedback is certainly appreciated. :D

Thanks for doing this, "kelly94942." We don't know if you have published a more recent version of your Excel worksheet. If not, we want to mention that the May 8 version seems to be missing the following items:

 

(a.) milkshakes, available from next to the pizza bar on at least some ships;

(b.) about thirty wines available by the glass at Vines Bar on at least some ships.

 

We don't recall the price of milkshakes, but they must be between $2.50 and $4.50 each. We seem to recall that they are available in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry (and are very rich and delicious, being made from good ice cream).

 

Here are links to the two pages of the Vines Bar wine list. You may want to add the contents of these pages to the list of MDR/Bar wines that are already in your worksheet (since almost all of the Vines wines cost $10.00 or less per glass):

 

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JcR9_ZpK5p8/Uyov-GIBgSI/AAAAAAAABTw/kAij1KITJUk/w261-h715-no/Wines+by+the+Glass+-+Vines+page+1.jpg

 

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qRYGepbCt64/Uyov-JIF5nI/AAAAAAAABTs/KSEEHMnuxi8/w264-h715-no/Wines+by+the+Glass+-+Vines+page+2.jpg

 

Cheers!

[breezy1200]

Thanks so much for building this spreadsheet Kelly! Very helpful!

[Coram]

This helps us with our decision making for our first cruise!

[kelly94942]

Thanks for doing this, "kelly94942." We don't know if you have published a more recent version of your Excel worksheet. If not, we want to mention that the May 8 version seems to be missing the following items:

 

(a.) milkshakes, available from next to the pizza bar on at least some ships;

(b.) about thirty wines available by the glass at Vines Bar on at least some ships.

 

Thanks for the feedback and the links! I do not have a more recent revision, but my parents are going on a cruise next week and I have them all set up to do some recon work for me (aka taking pictures of all of the price lists they see!) I will also add in everything from your links you included! I expect to have a new revision out in 2 to 3 weeks! :)

[PhotogrFrGal]

This is awesome!!! It also helps when budgeting expenses whether you get the All beverage package or not. Thanks for this it is a great tool. You are a gem.

[nanwel]

Agree, it is not for everyone, and not for all trips. I am doing Canary Islands in Oct - 11night 5 sea days - I think it will be worth it on that cruise.

When I did the Med, and different port daily really early to very late - no, I would not bother.

And, if it was just booze, I would not bother, but like that OJ, Milkshakes, Water, Special coffee are included - they are things I like to have - not everyday, but nice to to fork over $ when you do want them. I have seen water 3.50 a bottle in some places, puts a dip in your local currency in a hurry.

Usually spend time looking for a bottle of wine to bring on board, try to remember to bring a water flask for day trips. Then buy the wine package, and a couple of the Drinks of the Day - soon ads up.

A lot of my trips were Seabourn, and Azamara, and got used to not paying extra for those things - spoiled myself - oops.

[WonderingWanderer]

I too am considering the cost efficacy the unlimited beverage package. I wonder if I could get some advice on the following possible scenario and questions:

 

1.Coffees: 2 brewed & 1 specialty coffee - ~$6

Do I understand correctly that specialty coffees and brewed coffee are only available at the IC? And that brewed coffee would not be available at breakfast in the DR? Surely one could order an espresso with the meal? Are brewed coffees available at the bars?

 

2.Bottled Water: 3 large and two small per day: $13.50 ‘value’

Would I be able to obtain multiple bottles of water at any given time so that I could take it along on shore excursions? I assume the bottled water is sold throughout the ship wherever beverages are available?

 

3. Wine by the glass: 3 glasses of even the least expensive wine: $24 value

It appears the better deal on the wine is to drink it by the glass rather than pay anything such as for a bottle?

 

4. Wine by the bottle: Even a very inexpensive bottle for the cabin at $30 - ‘savings’ of $12. I would truly appreciate any information on the wine package that may be offered once we board? Is it allowed to take an opened or unopened bottle of wine to the cabin?

 

5. Cocktail: ~$9 (occasionally?)

Are drinks served or available in any of the Regal entertainment venues?

 

Thank you for any assistance you may provide!

Edited July 8, 2014 by WonderingWanderer

[IECalCruiser]

I too am considering the cost efficacy the unlimited beverage package. I wonder if I could get some advice on the following possible scenario and questions:

 

 

 

1.Coffees: 2 brewed & 1 specialty coffee - ~$6

 

Do I understand correctly that specialty coffees and brewed coffee are only available at the IC? And that brewed coffee would not be available at breakfast in the DR? Surely one could order an espresso with the meal? Are brewed coffees available at the bars?

 

 

 

2.Bottled Water: 3 large and two small per day: $13.50 ‘value’

 

Would I be able to obtain multiple bottles of water at any given time so that I could take it along on shore excursions? I assume the bottled water is sold throughout the ship wherever beverages are available?

 

 

 

3. Wine by the glass: 3 glasses of even the least expensive wine: $24 value

 

It appears the better deal on the wine is to drink it by the glass rather than pay anything such as for a bottle?

 

 

 

4. Wine by the bottle: Even a very inexpensive bottle for the cabin at $30 - ‘savings’ of $12. I would truly appreciate any information on the wine package that may be offered once we board? Is it allowed to take an opened or unopened bottle of wine to the cabin?

 

 

 

5. Cocktail: ~$9 (occasionally?)

 

Are drinks served or available in any of the Regal entertainment venues?

 

 

 

Thank you for any assistance you may provide!

1. Fresh brewed coffee is not available in the DRs, only the coffee made from concentrated syrup. Specialty coffees are also available in the DRs and many of the bars. Several of the bars have a fresh coffee brewer typically including Crooners. The Royal had coffee brewed from beans coffee in the Horizon Court. I assume the Regal does also. We won't board the Regal for two months so I don't know how it tastes but posts have said it tastes pretty good.

 

2. The 1.5 liter bottles are $3.50 plus 15% gratuity and the small bottles are $1.95 plus 15% gratuity so the cost savings would be $14.40 or $16.56 with gratuity. The ship's purified water tastes good.

 

3. Free is better than 40% off.

 

4. You can bring one bottle of wine per person of drinking age that you can drink in your cabin with no corkage fee. You can definitely bring unopened and probably opened bottles to your cabin from the DR. Wine packages should be offered on cruises of 10 days or more. Savings with the package can be around 20%.

 

5. Drinks are sold in the Princess Theater and the Vista Lounge. Other ships have shelves that come out of the arms in the Princess Theater but not the Royal/Regal so no place to set down your glass.

 

 

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[RetiredNTraveling]

Here is my initial rev of a beverage package evaluator - if you see items that are incorrect/missing, please let me know so I can improve this spreadsheet. All of the soda/water/juice prices are estimates for now, I can't seem to find current actual prices. Hope this is useful!

 

This is GREAT! It should be a calculation for those of us who are moderate drinkers to check! :D Thank you for the effort!

 

My wife's favorite drink at Bingo was missing! Bloody Mary's! :D

Edited July 8, 2014 by RetiredNTraveling

[djms11504]

This is such a great thread!

 

Can we buy this before we embark or do you buy it once you get there?

 

I really do hope that the whole room doesn't have to buy it, I had heard that you would all have to!:D

[coconutmonkey]

Does anyone know what is the charge for drinks over $10 on the Princess package? Celebrity's premium drink package charges you the increment plus tip. If the drink is $12, they charge you $2 plus tip.

Thanks.

[IECalCruiser]

Does anyone know what is the charge for drinks over $10 on the Princess package? Celebrity's premium drink package charges you the increment plus tip. If the drink is $12, they charge you $2 plus tip.

Thanks.

It has been posted that you pay the full price for any drink over $10. Princess drinks are cheaper than on X and no mixed drinks are over $10 except for one or two bellinis at Bellini's on the Royal and Regal. There are also a couple of wines by the glass at Vines that are over $10.

 

 

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