Beverage packages

[reet972]

We are first time cruisers and are not sure which beverage package is right for us. We enjoy wine with our meals and for relaxing but also enjoy a cocktail or two . How do you choose and is the Pay as you go, a really bad idea? We are on the Western med cruise aboard celebrity silhouette in September

Edited September 14, 2015 by reet972
didnt include ship or cruise location

[Got2Cruise]

We are first time cruisers and are not sure which beverage package is right for us. We enjoy wine with our meals and for relaxing but also enjoy a cocktail or two . How do you choose and is the Pay as you go, a really bad idea? We are on the Western med cruise aboard celebrity silhouette in September

 

 

Are you particular which brand of alcohol or wine? Or is the house brand ok with you?

 

Is your drink of choice a martini?

 

If you're ok with the house brands and don't drink Martinis the classic package is fine.

[wallie5446]

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, 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 eaThen off to lunch, maybe a soda, or another San Pellegrino $5 eaThe sun is hot hot hot! A cold beer or drink of the day is in order, $6 eaThe 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.[/color]Morning, $24, day, $28, evening $44, total $96.00 each using 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.

 

Depends on how you make use of the package.

 

We have upgraded to the Premium on our last 2 cruises. Our friends stayed with the Classic and were fine. I like the Craft beer selection, the wine the wifester drank last yr was $14.00 a glass x 3 @ dinner = $42.00 without a pkg every dinner.

Edited September 14, 2015 by wallie5446

[flames9]

One needs to know their own drinking style! On our 2 celebrity cruises, both on the Silhouette--med cruise in 2013, British Isles Aug 2015..both had the "free" (nothing is free) classic drink pkg, which we were happy with! BUT we didn't drink enough....and thats including, beer, rum/coke, water, coffees, to actually make it worthwhile paying out of pocket for the drink package. I'm in my 40's, ex-sailor, and I didn't go thirsty! But in port intensive sailings, lot of your time is off the ship! Sure, it is nice not having to worry about a drink bill at the end of the cruise, but why throw away $$$$ if you don't have to.

[biker1972]

Another consideration are the perks that are included when you book or what you get if you have a TA. With a large amount of OBC and a small need to drink things other than water or coffee, the drink package might not make sense.

[Iamcruzin]

We are first time cruisers and are not sure which beverage package is right for us. We enjoy wine with our meals and for relaxing but also enjoy a cocktail or two . How do you choose and is the Pay as you go, a really bad idea? We are on the Western med cruise aboard celebrity silhouette in September

 

Did you have a choice of choosing the classic beverage package when you booked? If so I would choose this perk which covers alcohol and non alcoholic beverages. If you are not fussy about brands of liquor or wine then this would work for you. I have found the Celebrity drink prices are quite high compared to other cruise lines. I can get a Grey Goose Martini on Princess for about $5 or $6 dollars. On Celebrity the cocktail prices are more in line with restaurants in Midtown Manhattan ranging $8 dollars and up. Even the specialty coffee and water is expensive if you pay as you go.Plus add in an 18% gratuity on each drink purchased individually. I wouldn't even consider Celebrity without a drink package included. If you booked an inside and are not eligible for the go big package I would consider upgrading to an ocean view where the package is included. Celebrity offers different drink packages tailored to your drinking habits which can be pre purchased online or purchased on board. Do the math for the daily charge for the package that you are interested in. See if it's more than any on board credit you received or more than just upgrading to an ocean view and picking the classic beverage package. Also remember if you purchase a drink package you only pay the gratuity on the price of the package not on each drink you order.

[gsb]

Are you particular which brand of alcohol or wine? Or is the house brand ok with you?

 

Is your drink of choice a martini?

 

If you're ok with the house brands and don't drink Martinis the classic package is fine.

 

And don't forget the beers--If you can get by with the yellow, fizzy stuff--classic works. If you enjoy the world of craft beers--and the Sil usually has many--premium.

Edited September 15, 2015 by gsb

[Iamcruzin]

Are you particular which brand of alcohol or wine? Or is the house brand ok with you?

 

Is your drink of choice a martini?

 

If you're ok with the house brands and don't drink Martinis the classic package is fine.

 

The OP is new to cruising so I just want to clarify, martini's are available with the classic package. However the Martini's at the dedicated Martini bar are larger and are made with premium liquor. They are even more expensive a la carte than a martini made in the other venues and are not covered under the classic drink package. You would have to upgrade to the premium drink package for them to be included. If you oder a drink at the martini bar you are looking at $10-$12 plus 18% gratuity for each drink.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[sidewalkdrop]

If you buy the Classic package or get the Classic package with the current promos and decide you want one of those big, delicious martinis, or a craft beer, do they deduct your allowance ($6 for beer, $8 for cocktails, I believe) from the full price, or do you pay full price?

[cruisestitch]

You pay full price with the Classic Package.

[melsuli]

Enjoying a glass of wine with a meal and the occasional cocktail sounds like a 'pay as you go' option to me and that's coming from a person who always buys the premium package.

[eandj]

I agree pay as you go. Carry on the two bottles of wine and you can have a glass or two in your room or as some do carry a glass to the dining room. We sometimes have a cold drink or two at the ports. DH enjoys local beers.

You really just have to run the numbers. Unless you drink premium coffees, sodas, need bottled water other than what you fill onboard, or lots of pool drinks, I don't think it's a plus for you.

[Cruise a holic]

We are first time cruisers and are not sure which beverage package is right for us. We enjoy wine with our meals and for relaxing but also enjoy a cocktail or two . How do you choose and is the Pay as you go, a really bad idea? We are on the Western med cruise aboard celebrity silhouette in September

 

I really pays to upgrade if you as previous posters stated, enjoy premium alcohol and wine. In addition, my DH enjoys Pellegrino which is only available on premium package. We also enjoy spending time at the Martini Bar and enjoying the premium martini's. In addition, as with all of the other packages, you get specialty coffee's, tea's and premium beer. Power drinks and fresh squeezed oj also included in premium package.

 

It is worth it- IMO. If you just like regular Beer and house wines, house mixed drinks, regular soda and water the regular package will work for you. As a perk, we got the classic drink package, so upgrading really was inexpensive and worth it to us.

 

Enjoy your cruise. You can always upgrade on board.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Cruise a holic

[drinkspackageexpert]

I ALWAYS get a drinks package and it is always premium. It's not about getting the most for your money. For me it is more about the freedom to drink what I want when I want. Sodas, water, teas, hot chocolate, igloos, wine, beer, cocktails etc etc. whenever I want as often as I want. And no bill to worry about. I just relax and enjoy.my.cruise. :D

[DrivesLikeMario]

Add up how much you're likely to drink on the cruise. Add in bottles of water (I go thru a ton of those), soft drinks, specialty coffees, etc. I would never buy the drinks package on it's own but it was part of the 123Go Promo so it was included in the price. We just don't drink enough to make it worth the cost. But it will be fun to have it and not have to worry about how much we're spending on drinks too.