All Inclusive Beverage Packages

[cruiser113]

Can anybody compare the Princess AIBP to the Celebrity and HAL offerings? I used the premium beverage package on Celebrity and had a very good experience- I never found a drink that wasn't included, and there were plenty of wine by the glass selections. Conversely, I just returned from a HAL cruise, and the beverage package was not as convenient or inclusive. The dinner menu at the Pinnacle Grill literally did not have a glass of wine that was included; our waiter went to the bar and got the included wine, the cheapest on the menu was $8.50, 50 cents over the max! There were only a couple of included wines throughout the ship, so by the end we were paying for some bottles anyway (with no discount, I should add).

 

We will likely be around a break even, but I was leaning toward the package if it's convenient as it will also encourage me to try different things instead of worrying about ordering an expensive drink or wine that I don't like.

 

We did this package in Feb this year and found very few drinks outside of the $10 limit. At vines only several wines and one champagne over the limit.

 

Ordering by name brand as opposed to house brand was still under $10 ( grey goose bloody mary/ cosmo; bambay sapphire gin and tonic )

 

You still have the option to order any wine per bottle under $100 for 40 % discount. All MDR wines under $10.

 

Bottled water etc are also included,

[St Paul Girl]

We did this package in Feb this year and found very few drinks outside of the $10 limit. At vines only several wines and one champagne over the limit.

 

Ordering by name brand as opposed to house brand was still under $10 ( grey goose bloody mary/ cosmo; bambay sapphire gin and tonic )

 

You still have the option to order any wine per bottle under $100 for 40 % discount. All MDR wines under $10.

 

Bottled water etc are also included,

 

Having done Celebrity with their Premium plan, My husband is a little concerned about ordering a "mixed" cocktail with premium brand alcohol, such as a "Rusty Nail" made with JWB or a Cosmo made with Grey Goose and Cointreau.

Celebrity just mixed what you wanted and a Very decent pour.

have a great cruise

[sandsunsurf]

Thanks for the replies so far! Anybody have HAL experience? I want to know if I'm somehow being biased or missed something, or if other people also felt HAL was stingier and more difficult. Another thing I liked about Celebrity was that bottled soft drinks for taking ashore were included as we got off the ship. Does Princess do that as well?

Edited September 15, 2015 by sandsunsurf

[Colo Cruiser]

Okay, but how do they catch you? It is a very big ship.

Undercover Spies, cameras, DNA testing on used glasses?

 

What would it matter?

[reedprincess]

Having done Celebrity with their Premium plan, My husband is a little concerned about ordering a "mixed" cocktail with premium brand alcohol, such as a "Rusty Nail" made with JWB or a Cosmo made with Grey Goose and Cointreau.

Celebrity just mixed what you wanted and a Very decent pour.

have a great cruise

 

Ask for what you want and the bartenders will make it. If it's not covered (and all of those are), they'll let him know. If he Wants his cosmo with grey goose, Cointreau then no prob - he just has to tell them. If he wants a specific drink made with specific booze, just let then know. No problem.

Princess' all-inclusive beverage package is essentially the same as Celebrity's premium package, as noted above - although with even more inclusions as Princess booze is cheaper overall..

Edited September 15, 2015 by reedprincess

[Steelers36]

This is what I use when transporting a bottle of wine to dinner, or to a friend's house, wine social, etc. Works well and looks pretty cute! ;)

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/insulated-wine-clutch-in-black-croc/1042067276?skuId=42067276&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_winebar_&adpos=1o1&creative=43742615149&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KEQjwu-CuBRCQ2byQtMep7e0BEiQABQKlkShMZ-qerNa2p9NhOUsdAF3Y8T2WS-BpDMtzYh8iMaoaAhqZ8P8HAQ

 

I like the look of that product, but not something I'd want to carry around as a guy. I have a more masculine looking sleeve, but don't take anything with me to the ship.

Edited September 15, 2015 by steelers36

[reedprincess]

Okay, but how do they catch you? It is a very big ship.

Undercover Spies, cameras, DNA testing on used glasses?

 

Your card is swiped for each drink. It comes up on their screen whether you have a package or not. If you don't have the package, you get charged.

And bartenders pat attention - they ate aware of folks trying to game the system, which also ends up cheating them out of their gratuities, and pay attention - they'll notice if you're drinking two different drinks within minutes of each other, passing them on, etc. It's not rocket science. Sure - someone could pass on the occasional drink, I'm sure, but drinking for two on one package is not gonna happen. (or at least very rarely). I have personally witnessed folks getting caught doing so, two separate times. Once the bartenders at Crooners noticed a father passing on his drinks to both son and wife, over several times and called security to keep an eye - and promptly cut him off with no refund. Turns out son was underage too... Second time was in Wheelhouse and Explorers - one guest going back and forth between them ordering two different drinks several times in a row - called security to watch and sure enough, lovely older lady using her package to get drinks for her friend - apparently neither drank enough for the package so they thought they would game the system. How do I know that - she made a big stink when they cut off her package with no refund and she went on and on about it. Why not just pay-as-you-go then?

[cynbar]

My last few cruises have been on Celebrity, and their waiters and bartenders are well trained to keep an eye out for sharing packages. If a group or a couple are sitting in a lounge, it's pretty easy to watch who is drinking what. If a passenger goes from bar to bar, ordering drinks faster than would be expected, he/she is flagged and watched closely. Posters have said they were spoken to for even giving another passenger a "sip", or giving away a drink they ordered but didn't want. Apparently it can be embarrassing. Anyway, the rule is you first get a warning, then the package is cancelled with no refund.

 

On a related topic, our next cruise is on Princess. DH is a big Johnny Walker Black fan, I'm hoping it will be available under the package?

[caribill]

Another thing I liked about Celebrity was that bottled soft drinks for taking ashore were included as we got off the ship. Does Princess do that as well?

 

Cans of soda are available with the AIBP. No bottles. If you wish (and the country allows) you can take them ashore.

[ccruisequeen]

You can bring your own on board too

 

I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

[cruiser113]

Having done Celebrity with their Premium plan, My husband is a little concerned about ordering a "mixed" cocktail with premium brand alcohol, such as a "Rusty Nail" made with JWB or a Cosmo made with Grey Goose and Cointreau.

Celebrity just mixed what you wanted and a Very decent pour.

have a great cruise

 

 

We sat at the bar and watched them poor and after a few days they knew our drink, only once did we need to remind them to use the call brand

[Agua-azul]

We are taking a 17 day cruise which includes 10 sea days. Has anyone used the AIBP on such a long cruise and found it economically advantageous? Im looking at $956 for the package.

[NavyVeteran]

On a related topic, our next cruise is on Princess. DH is a big Johnny Walker Black fan, I'm hoping it will be available under the package?

 

There is a thread on Current Bar Menu (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2171761) with a menu posted from the Crown Princess from February 2015.

 

It lists two dozen whiskeys & bourbons, including Johnnie Walker Black, with the highest price listed for any of them $8.95 - and therefore included in the AIBP.

 

In fact, the only liquor I saw for more than $10 on the entire posted menu was Remy Martin XO - the three VSOPs under cognacs & brandy were all under $10.

[mysaddlebred000]

I don't drink coffee and have the package on our upcoming cruise. My wife will grab a cup of coffee on our way off the ship but I would prefer a can of coke. Can you get cans of soda under the drink package?

It also would be nice to have a can or so in our cabin in the morning for my caffeine so I don't have to run to a bar for a coke. Do they allow you to bring some to your cabin or is it fountain soda?

thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

We are taking a 17 day cruise which includes 10 sea days. Has anyone used the AIBP on such a long cruise and found it economically advantageous? Im looking at $956 for the package.

 

 

Luckily on our 19 day PC cruise next year we have the AIBP included on a promo. At over $1000 each it will be nice to have it on a longer cruise. ;)

[crochetcruise]

I don't drink coffee and have the package on our upcoming cruise. My wife will grab a cup of coffee on our way off the ship but I would prefer a can of coke. Can you get cans of soda under the drink package?

It also would be nice to have a can or so in our cabin in the morning for my caffeine so I don't have to run to a bar for a coke. Do they allow you to bring some to your cabin or is it fountain soda?

thanks

 

From what I've read on both Cruise Critic and the Princess website, it's Fountain Soda only with the Soda and More Package, and cans are available with the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package. From the Princess Website, if you are in the US it is possible to pre-order multiple cans of soda, not sure about posting a link but IIRC it's under Beverages, think it's 6 cans of Soda for the price of 5. I can't get it in Australia. To my knowledge, you can also bring on cans of Soda. I'm going to swap out some Mini-Bar items for what is more relevant to me, and bring some extra Soda Cans with me. HTH.

[Colo Cruiser]

From what I've read on both Cruise Critic and the Princess website, it's Fountain Soda only with the Soda and More Package, and cans are available with the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package. From the Princess Website, if you are in the US it is possible to pre-order multiple cans of soda, not sure about posting a link but IIRC it's under Beverages, think it's 6 cans of Soda for the price of 5. I can't get it in Australia. To my knowledge, you can also bring on cans of Soda. I'm going to swap out some Mini-Bar items for what is more relevant to me, and bring some extra Soda Cans with me. HTH.

 

 

Correct. Cans are only free with the AIBP. Soda bar gun for other soda packages.

[caribill]

From what I've read on both Cruise Critic and the Princess website, it's Fountain Soda only with the Soda and More Package, and cans are available with the All-Inclusive-Beverage-Package. From the Princess Website, if you are in the US it is possible to pre-order multiple cans of soda, not sure about posting a link but IIRC it's under Beverages, think it's 6 cans of Soda for the price of 5. I can't get it in Australia. To my knowledge, you can also bring on cans of Soda. I'm going to swap out some Mini-Bar items for what is more relevant to me, and bring some extra Soda Cans with me. HTH.

 

You cannot get the 6 cans for the price of 5 using the AIBP because the cost of 5 is more than $10 and because you can only get one drink at a time, not 5 or 6.

 

But, with the AIBP there is no charge for six cans if you get them one at a time.

[mysaddlebred000]

Good to know

thanks

[crochetcruise]

You cannot get the 6 cans for the price of 5 using the AIBP because the cost of 5 is more than $10 and because you can only get one drink at a time, not 5 or 6.

 

But, with the AIBP there is no charge for six cans if you get them one at a time.

 

THANK YOU! I missed that point, written down for future reference.

 

I learn something every time I come on Cruise Critic.

[Agua-azul]

Luckily on our 19 day PC cruise next year we have the AIBP included on a promo. At over $1000 each it will be nice to have it on a longer cruise. ;)

 

That is a great deal and I'm glad you will have this. My question to you is, would you otherwise consider purchasing this package for the same number of days? Perhaps for just one of you, whoever is the strongest drinker?

[Colo Cruiser]

That is a great deal and I'm glad you will have this. My question to you is, would you otherwise consider purchasing this package for the same number of days? Perhaps for just one of you, whoever is the strongest drinker?

 

 

I don't think I could justify paying that much, no.

 

 

 

Check out this thread on the AIBP, and spreadsheet, add about $1-$1.50 to drink prices for increases.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2038576&highlight=all+inclusive

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=311975&d=1399496113

Edited September 18, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[sonomaphil]

We bought the package for the first time on our cruise last May and will buy it again this Sunday for our 3 day cruise from VAN-LA. We do like our wine so we make out very well with this package. When you include the cappuccinos, brewed coffee, water for the room and even shakes at Scoops it's a no-brainer for us.

 

What we liked was not having to think about it. No having to think "Oh, that's another $7." We found that we sample more. We never got cappuccinos after dinner, now we do. We never had a shake before on board, they are actually pretty good!

[rambollet]

We bought the package for the first time on our cruise last May and will buy it again this Sunday for our 3 day cruise from VAN-LA. We do like our wine so we make out very well with this package. When you include the cappuccinos, brewed coffee, water for the room and even shakes at Scoops it's a no-brainer for us.

 

What we liked was not having to think about it. No having to think "Oh, that's another $7." We found that we sample more. We never got cappuccinos after dinner, now we do. We never had a shake before on board, they are actually pretty good!

Agree with you completely on the "not having to think about it". Enjoyed the luxury of not having to think about the cost between choosing beer or tea, coffee or cappuccino, wine or none with dinner, call brand or well liquor, etc.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Okay, but how do they catch you? It is a very big ship.

Undercover Spies, cameras, DNA testing on used glasses?

 

Waiters and bartenders have great memories!