Drinks advice pleas.

[Spanieleyes]

We have just booked our first cruise with Princess on the Coral to Alaska :D and would appreciate any advice on drinks packages please.

 

I only drink water, diluted cordial/juices, tea (Earl Grey, darjeeling, breakfast), and the odd Latte or Cappuccino. My husband likes water, any tea & coffee, beer, and a nice wine with dinner, but not spirits so not sure if the All Inclusive is for him? I like the idea of the card for the coffees, so do we purchase a card each, or can we use up one and then purchase another?

 

I'm sorry if the question sounds odd but having previously cruised with RC (Liberty & Independence) and Celebrity (Constellation), we have learnt that our drinks package needs vary from ship to ship. With RC I didn't need one, as most things I drink were complementary and easily accessible, but on the Connie I learnt that the only place I could get the inclusive Earl Grey Tea was in the buffet restaurant and was charged at all other venues for it. And the beers my hubby liked were not included in the drinks package, but we didn't realise until we were onboard. Duh!! We are learning as we go along and finding CC a great source of information.

 

Thanks for any advice

[TracieABD]

If you are not fairly heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages, you are probably better off with the coffee card. I have heard it takes about 6 to 8 drinks per day to come out ahead on the AIBP. A coffee card is a one time expense of about $33 dollars. Yes, you can both use one card for the lattes and brewed. When the punches are gone on that one, then you can buy another!

[moki'smommy]

As above, the all inclusive is $56 per person per day, which is about the equivalent of 7 drinks per day.

 

There is an assortment of teas at the beverage area by the Horizon Cafe available all day long. You can't specifically predict what will be there at any given moment, but I always found adequate choices. I know there was Earl Gray sometimes, can't say whether it was there every time. The coffee card will get you a pot of premium brewed tea of your choice as long as you have "punches" left on your coffee card. They don't punch it, but after the punches are gone, they often don't honor it for tea or plain coffee despite the web site saying it is for length of the cruise. Yes, you can buy one coffee card and then use it up and buy another.

 

It doesn't sound to me like you'd get your money's worth out of an AIBP, but you need to evaluate whether your husband would use 7-8 beers/wines per day.

 

One big difference between Celebrity and Princess--on Celebrity, many types of alcohol are not included on the card. On Princess, ANY beverage of $10 or less is included. This is almost everything on the ship. Also, there is no requirement for everyone in the cabin to buy a card/the same card/whatever. Each person can buy the card of their choosing or no card at all.

[Alessandrina]

There is a selection of teas in the buffet (Darjeeling, English Breakfast, herbal). To be sure, I'd suggest you pack the tea you prefer. There is hot water available by spout in the buffet area and you can always get a pot of hot water in a carafe via room service. Of course tea/hot water in the dining room as well.

 

If you do not wish to order specialty coffees, there is regular coffee available for free in the buffet and dining room - although not to everyone's taste....

 

As for wine at dinner, you may order by the glass or by the bottle. If you do not finish the bottle it will be kept for you for the meal time.

 

You may also carry on two bottles of wine at embarkation for consumption in your stateroom or if you bring it to the dining table, you may be charged $15 corkage fee.

 

Cheers.

[Alessandrina]

Sorry, forgot a word in a sentence:

 

If you do not finish the bottle of wine, it will be held for you/put away until the next dinner/lunch - the next day.

[beauty1492]

OK I got confused on Princess the drink card for booze drinks can only one person buy a card in the cabin and not the other?? I don't drink. Hubby does a little. But would love a drink card but I wouldn't. I thought we both had to buy a drink card.

 

I have always found a good selection of teas, and in the lido deck there is more than one drink station if one was empty of what I was looking of the other station usually had it.

[moki'smommy]

OK I got confused on Princess the drink card for booze drinks can only one person buy a card in the cabin and not the other?? I don't drink. Hubby does a little. But would love a drink card but I wouldn't. I thought we both had to buy a drink card.

 

I have always found a good selection of teas, and in the lido deck there is more than one drink station if one was empty of what I was looking of the other station usually had it.

 

Yes, a drink card can be purchased by one person in a cabin and not the other.

 

In your case, husband can buy a drink card but you don't need to. Question though--if he drinks "a little," is it worth $56 per day or would he be better off purchasing on an "as you go" basis?

[Colo Cruiser]

OK I got confused on Princess the drink card for booze drinks can only one person buy a card in the cabin and not the other?? I don't drink. Hubby does a little. But would love a drink card but I wouldn't. I thought we both had to buy a drink card.

 

I have always found a good selection of teas, and in the lido deck there is more than one drink station if one was empty of what I was looking of the other station usually had it.

 

 

There is no "drink card".

Its a sticker on your cruise card. ;)

[CruisinFinsUp]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2038576&page=3

 

Post #205 of this thread has an awesome spreadsheet that you can use to calculate if the package works for you.

The thread has lots of info about the package too.

[skynight]

We have just booked our first cruise with Princess on the Coral to Alaska :D and would appreciate any advice on drinks packages please.

 

I only drink water, diluted cordial/juices, tea (Earl Grey, darjeeling, breakfast), and the odd Latte or Cappuccino. My husband likes water, any tea & coffee, beer, and a nice wine with dinner, but not spirits so not sure if the All Inclusive is for him? I like the idea of the card for the coffees, so do we purchase a card each, or can we use up one and then purchase another?

 

I'm sorry if the question sounds odd but having previously cruised with RC (Liberty & Independence) and Celebrity (Constellation), we have learnt that our drinks package needs vary from ship to ship. With RC I didn't need one, as most things I drink were complementary and easily accessible, but on the Connie I learnt that the only place I could get the inclusive Earl Grey Tea was in the buffet restaurant and was charged at all other venues for it. And the beers my hubby liked were not included in the drinks package, but we didn't realise until we were onboard. Duh!! We are learning as we go along and finding CC a great source of information.

 

Thanks for any advice

The AIBP is $56.35/day/pp and includes ALL alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages priced $10 an under, which is almost all beverages except high end spirits such as single malt scotches. But, from what you say above it appears you will not consume enough to make it pay.

 

If it is water bottles you want Princess does have a package in the cruise personalizer. But, the ship's water is fine to drink, as pure or purer than bottled water, and of course free. They do have a variety of Bigelow teas in the buffet and in the DR at no charge. Earl Grey probably. The Cafe Card can be shared. It has 15 punches for 15 espresso drinks. Unused punches can be used on the next Princess cruise. The Cafe Card also includes unlimited brewed coffee and select teas for the entire voyage.

[kennicott]

I too am a tea drinker. I prefer English Breakfast but also drink Earl Grey quite a bit. Our routine on Princess goes something like this, we get up and go to the fitness center, afterward I go up to the lido, get tea and coffee for my wife. I take extra tea bags back to the cabin. Soon after beginning the voyage I usually order room service in the morning and hold onto the hot water jug. So I use that when I go up to the Lido in the morning, meaning I don't have to make repeated trips for more hot water or worry about spilling hot water on my hands getting back to the cabin.

 

I drink wine and my wife cocktails. In the evening before dinner, we usually have a drink or so in the cabin or on the balcony then sometimes go to the Elite lounge where they serve us half priced cocktails. We normally order some wine bottles for the room plus our two free initial bottles and a bottle of hard liquor for wife's cocktails. Sometimes I order a bottle of wine in the MDR or specialty restaurant but nowadays I take that back to the cabin after dinner as they lose it almost every time or it takes them forever to find it. I think they prefer you take it with you after dinner now, didn't use to be that way though.

 

Anyway, most of our voyages are two weeks or more. So comparing our normal liquor expenses to buying just one AIBP plus paying the price at the Elite lounge for a daily cocktail for one of us (since only one can use the AIBP) and still having to pay 100% for bottles of wine delivered to the cabin (could cut this a little by buying the wine bottles in the dining rooms then taking them back to the cabin after dinner), we are about $600.00 ahead per two week voyage not buying even just one AIBP. Don't think my liver can handle an AIBP either, LOL.

 

"Enjoy the convenience of our All-inclusive Package featuring any drink up to $10 including cocktails, wine, beer, bottled water, sodas, specialty coffees & more! A 40% discount on bottles of wine (below $100 retail) is also offered on bottles purchased in bars, dining rooms or specialty restaurants."

[cb at sea]

You have to drink A LOT to make the package "pay"...

[bigenna]

And as far as my experience goes on Princess, you will not be charged if you order Earl Gray tea in the dining room.

[Thrak]

If you are not fairly heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages, you are probably better off with the coffee card. I have heard it takes about 6 to 8 drinks per day to come out ahead on the AIBP. A coffee card is a one time expense of about $33 dollars. Yes, you can both use one card for the lattes and brewed. When the punches are gone on that one, then you can buy another!

 

This is incorrect unless you "cheat". Fresh-brewed coffee is for the card holder only. It is fine to share punches with anybody you like but "sharing" the fresh-brewed coffee is against the rules. Do people do it? Yes. Is it right? No.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Thrak

[martin jenkins]

If you are not fairly heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages, you are probably better off with the coffee card. I have heard it takes about 6 to 8 drinks per day to come out ahead on the AIBP. A coffee card is a one time expense of about $33 dollars. Yes, you can both use one card for the lattes and brewed. When the punches are gone on that one, then you can buy another!

 

so if i have freshly squeezed orange, lattes, perrier water, red bull during the course of the day, it doesn't take a lot of heavy drinking to reach &56 per day.

[denatravels]

so if i have freshly squeezed orange, lattes, perrier water, red bull during the course of the day, it doesn't take a lot of heavy drinking to reach &56 per day.

 

 

That's totally true-- but for me, I find that it only works when I'm on the ship a lot. I have three long port days on my 7 day cruise-- while I thought about the AIBP, I don't think I can get the value out of the three (and a half) additional days. I'm going to try the soda and more, I think.

[hjd36]

Can anyone tell me if tea is served in a teapot or as a teabag in a cup please? Thank you.

(On the Star in Alaska this summer).

[cbnewfie]

Buffet - tea bag in the cup. Dining room and International Cafe - in a teapot. At least that what I found on the ships that we've been on. We're going to be on the Star for the first time in a few weeks so I don't know for sure about that ship yet.

[hjd36]

Buffet - tea bag in the cup. Dining room and International Cafe - in a teapot. At least that what I found on the ships that we've been on. We're going to be on the Star for the first time in a few weeks so I don't know for sure about that ship yet.

Thanks.

Has to be in a pot for me!

[Spanieleyes]

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone's feedback, it was extremely helpful. My husband has said he doesn't think he would get value out of the AIBP as the beers he likes are "cask beers" which I don't think are too readily available on ships. Having said that, his favourite beer is Bellhaven which is brewed in a small town in Scotland and amazingly they had it on the Celebrity Constellation. So it will be coffee card(s) and then pay as we go along.

 

Thank you again :).

[FawnRiver]

Just wanted to say thank you for everyone's feedback, it was extremely helpful. My husband has said he doesn't think he would get value out of the AIBP as the beers he likes are "cask beers" which I don't think are too readily available on ships. Having said that, his favourite beer is Bellhaven which is brewed in a small town in Scotland and amazingly they had it on the Celebrity Constellation. So it will be coffee card(s) and then pay as we go along.

 

 

 

Thank you again :).

 

 

They do NOT have cask beers. If they did, I'd never get DH off the ship ;)

[Spanieleyes]

They do NOT have cask beers. If they did, I'd never get DH off the ship ;)

 

I have to agree with you here :D:D