Celebrity eclipse- don't know what drinks package to have

[dollydimple91]

It's our first time on celeb eclipse next year. Need advice on classic and premium alcoholic packages. Are they worth it or does work out cheaper to make your own. Not massive drinkers couple of beers during day 2-3 cocktails in the evening maybe or odd glass of wine with dinner.

 

 

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[wallie5446]

Everything is based on the price per drink, there are 10 different bars, lounges, ect which all have something different from the other, not much, but a tad. There was a thread that tried to list everything but it was very loooooonnnnnggggg:)

 

The pkg makes it cost effective to order 3 glasses of wine which would cost $12-14 ea than buying a bottle @ $50-60 and only getting 2 glasses each.

There is a lot more to what the total pkg encompasses than just booze.

 

Here is my "RUFF" run down of a day with a drink pkg on another thread

 

For us at least, the package was not just about drinks that would make us not remember the cruise! It was everything else that the pkg includes.

 

A speciality coffee each on the balcony while the wifester is putting on her face, $5 ea.

 

Evian or San Pellegrino with fresh squeezed juice with that second coffee at breakfast, $15 ea.

 

Grab a bottle water on the way to stake out a deck chair, $4 ea.

$24 each before any mind altering liquid is consumed.

 

A beer or the drink of the day by the pool, $6 ea

Then off to lunch, maybe a soda, or another San Pellegrino $5 ea

The sun is hot hot hot! A cold beer or drink of the day is in order, $6 ea

The burger at the Mast Grill is calling our names, it does not go down with out some liquid assistance, $5 ea, then it is time to meet friends to watch the sun set from the Sunset Bar, $6 ea. Afternoon total $28.

And the evening fun has yet to begin.

San Pellegrino and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, and another speciality coffee with desert, $26 ea

Now it is time for some mind altering sampling to happen, or not A cocktail with friends at one of the watering holes on ship $7 ea, or 2 if we are letting our hair down!

One more bottle water on the way back to the cabin just in case we get thirsty during the night, $4. Evening total, $44.

 

Morning, $24, day, $28, evening $44, total $96.00 each useing the low end of the cost scale and not much mind altering substance.

Some evening's we will grab another coffee ( or worse) and go and sit on deck 5 to unwind, listen to the swoosh of the waves gently breaking down the side of the ship before heading to the cabin.

[huskerc]

You're roughly at the break even point at that level. Maybe a bit below. With the package, would you find yourself getting more bottled water, espresso in the morning, espresso after dinner, etc? Maybe a dessert wine with the right dish? If so, then you might find that the packages add value for you, but based on your brief description, I don't think that they will save you money at that level of spending.

[DYKWIA]

I've just come off the Eclipse without a drinks package. My wife doesn't drink and I don't drink too much. Our 14 day cruise was also port intensive so lots of days off the ship.

 

I took advantage of the fact that you can take as many soft drinks as you like on board and at Southampton they'll deliver it to your room. We also had our allotted 2 bottles of wine on board and in addition I ordered a bottle of gin for the room. Teas and Coffees are available in room (with a kettle on ex UK crossings). Also, teas, coffees, a variety of juices and water are available free of charge in all restaurants - we found the quality good to ok.

 

There are also happy hours at various bars on a small selection of beers wines and cocktails where the savings are substantial.

[ECCruise]

I think you have to honestly look at your habits to see if they would mesh with a package.

 

We have never even been able to come close to making one fit. We never drink bottled water at home or away unless we are in an area of non-potable water (definitely not a cruise ship). Maybe one specialty coffee a day on sea days, rarely on port days. Moderate drinkers (5-6 beers for one of us on sea days, 2-3 glasses of wine for the other, less on port days since we would have a drink or two off the ship). Plus, we bring onboard 2 bottles of wine per cruise leg. Wouldn't justify even a basic package, let alone a premium.

 

Just because we could drink all that some people do (alcohol and non) doesn't mean we would. Honestly, our travel habits are virtually no different than our home habits.

Edited September 22, 2014 by ECCruise

[Sloop-JohnB]

It's our first time on celeb eclipse next year. Need advice on classic and premium alcoholic packages. Are they worth it or does work out cheaper to make your own. Not massive drinkers couple of beers during day 2-3 cocktails in the evening maybe or odd glass of wine with dinner.

 

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Hi DOLLYDIMPLE91,

 

I see this is your first post on Cruise Critic and the Celebrity Bard... So first & foremost a big welcome aboard !!

 

My opinion on Bevvy Pkgs is very similar to those that WALLIE5446 outlined above in Reply # 2

 

And is based on much research done as a Wine Lover. Lol, I am one of the guilty parties who was a major contributor to that very lonnnnng post that WALLIE5446 referred to, which can be found here:

 

Overview of Drink Pkgs = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1571274

 

It dates back to 2012, but is the most comprehensive post on Celebrity's Bevvy Pkgs

 

Considering all the various bevvys on a Celebrity Cruise that are chargeable... Bottled Water - Pop - Premium Teas & Coffees - Fresh Squeezed Juices - Smoothies etc... It takes very little in the way of alcohol to actually get value out of an Alcohol Bevvy Pkg, be it Classic or Premium, my belief that most people with all things considered will break even at just 2 or 3 alcohol drinks per day. Then it is just a matter of deciding which list your preferred bevvys are on... Classic or Premium.

 

Classic features many brand names you'll be familiar with for Spirits, Beers & Wines. But there is a higher concentration of US Domestics vs Imports (especially so for Beers).

 

Premium features a Higherend list of products on all 3 fronts.

 

To get a better idea of what name brands are on which pkgs, you should check out this more recent post by CC Member CELEBRITY CRUISES (Official Rep) that was posted at the end of May 2014, after the Bevvy Pkgs were revamped / repriced (Drink Max Prices changed, Bevvy Pkgs increased in price... As did many drinks onboard going up a $ 1 or so)

 

Official Celebrity Beverage Pkgs = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048745

 

This should help get you started...

 

If you have other Questions... Just ask

 

Cheers!

Edited September 22, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[norcalman]

Even though this is my first time on Silhouette (Nov 23-30), I went ahead and booked the standard alcohol package. I've been on Silversea and Seabourn in the past and quickly realized that my "at home" consumption is nothing like my "vacation consumption."

Rather than end up with a very large alcohol bill (because who really wants to try and remember everything they have consumed while on vacation), I felt it would be well worth the money. My traveling companion says that they will start losing money on us after the 1st sea day! Hope that helps.

[Lsimon]

Here is my spin on the matter which is a little different from most:

 

There is no blanket answer as to whether the drink packages are "worth it". For some they are a fantastic value and for some they would be a terrible waste.

 

I will say that in general the packages are expensive.

 

Celebrity introduced these packages a few years back. I'm sure that their purpose was to increase their beverage revenues and not to decrease them. So I presume the packages are priced above the average cruiser's beverage expenditure. I know they are for us and always felt we spent a fair amount when on board.

 

So with all this in mind I think the packages are best for those that either consume above average quantities of the included beverages or those that are willing to pay extra for an all inclusive experience. Don't discount the last part of that as it is a nice feature and many of us are willing to pay a little more than we have in the past for the unlimited nature of the plans. I know that we've done this for the non-alcoholic plans in the past and increased our consumption of bottled water as well as the premium coffees and teas from the Café al Bacio coffee bar.

 

Also keep in mind that for wine connoisseurs the package might not be right. Wine on the packages are restricted to a limited selection of wines served by the glass. For some the selection is more than adequate but some prefer the much wider selection of bottled wines available on board which are not included in the unlimited beverage packages.

 

My general advice for those that are considering buying a package but are unsure of the decision is to wait until you are on board. After you get on board you'll be able to see first hand what the prices and selection is and what your own consumption is. You can purchase the packages on board and if you do so after the first night of the cruise the price will be prorated for the remaining nights.