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Unlimited Alcohol pkg on Coral Princess

beccafries

By beccafries,
in Princess Cruises

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Wellybeth

Wellybeth

Posted
Posted

Pros: fixed cost, includes just about everything (only a few drinks over the $10 limit); you can try different drinks without feeling guilty, more expensive bottles of wine at discount

 

Cons: hangovers (joking); I'm sure others may think of some, but none for me.

 

No limit.

No wait time.

 

There are quite a few threads on this topic if you search AIBP and a good one including a beverage calculator (post 205) here:

Princess Beverage Package Evaluator

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

 

 

 

 

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skynight

skynight

Posted
Posted
Can someone explain the pros n cons....

Explain how its done..

 

is it a set amount each day?

do you have to wait a certain amount time to order your next drink?

 

Thanks!

*The $10 limit per drink (menu price) covers about 95% of every beverage sold on the ship.

*No limits per day, per hour, or anything like that.

*All beverages including non-alcoholic, such as espresso drinks are included.

*Must be purchased for ALL days of the cruise, no prorating and no sea days only. Pre-purchase or purchase on the first day right after boarding. You will see tables set up near the bar areas.

*Price charged, $56.35/day includes the gratuity, extra tips not required.

*No sharing. Anyone found sharing risks having the the package revoked.

*Most mixed drinks are in the area of $8.95, so it takes about 5/6 of these a day to break even.

*Straight spirits, liqueurs and beers are less so you would have to drink more of them.

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land lover

land lover

Posted
Posted (edited)

DH and I both enjoyed it on our last cruise, Oct. 15. Last several I have only gotten the drink package...but this time DH had it too.

A sticker is placed on your card, go to any bar or in the dining room, place your order. Alcohol and bottled H20 they generally have you sign, coffee and special teas generally not. 40% off bottled wine...nice

 

Not all bars have everything that is on their menu, Wheel house keeps the most in stock, only one who has the ciders.

Hot drinks can only be had on plaza and a bar on lido, the one under MUTS...they do not do as good of job as the main coffee bar on plaza, and that is my experience with hot chocolate/liqour mixes on more than one sailing.

 

 

 

CON...........C A L O R I E S

 

 

PRO...it is simply wonderful, I drink twice as much as my DH. So when he didn't want a drink I ordered two, one with each card. I swear I tried every drink on their list and more, except anything Gin, apologizes to my UK friends.

This was a Mexican Rivera 7 day, 3 sea days.

 

We never get our monies worth but it sure is S I M P L E and enjoyable knowing that if you don't like it you don't have to send it back, you just order something else from that bar tender.

 

DH loves coffee so he was known as the triple espresso guy at the coffee bar. Nice not having to deal with a coffee card for him and the in consistency of 2 or 3 punches depending how each staff member charges it.

 

We made sure to get a few champagne splits, beers and ciders(ask for them unopened) to keep in our fridge and plenty of bottled water also can buy your wine at 40% off and take it back to your room.

 

Enjoy!

Edited by land lover
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jasmith52

jasmith52

Posted
Posted (edited)
The biggest con I find is making sure I "get my money's worth".

 

 

Fun with Math...

 

If the drink package costs $56.35 then for $10 drinks you'll need to drink 5 or 6 drinks to "break even"

 

with $7 drinks you'll need to drink 8 drinks a day.

 

with $6 beers you'' need to drink 9 drinks a day.

 

Now - Who says that math can't be fun ?

 

Are you up to the challenge ?

Edited by jasmith52
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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted

We've never felt it was worth the cost - and I do like to drink. I simply wouldn't spend that much for drinks. A coffee card works well for me.

 

We have it on our next two (so far) booked cruises as we booked them under the sip and sail promo. On a 28 day cruise with 18 sea days I think it will be a nice thing to have. :D

 

On the 14 day Circle Caribbean there are only 4 sea days but it will still be nice to have the package and I don't have an issue with the cost of the cruise - it will likely sell out well in advance of the March 2018 sailing date.

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beg3yrs

beg3yrs

Posted
Posted

We had the package this year for over three months at sea. Absolutely loved it. Didn't necessarily drink more, just more expensive! Was able to try new drinks, especially all those martini combinations, and if I didn't like them, I just got something else.

 

As another poster said, calories. I haven't yet lost the 15 pounds gained.

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land lover

land lover

Posted
Posted (edited)
We have had it for several promos on cruises.

 

It helped us decide that its not worth buying outright.

We find ourselves drinking way more to justify.

 

Keith, we cruise together about 4 years ago out of SP....and at that time I swear you had 54 cruises ...when r you gong to change your number of cruises or am I imagining things:o:):D:eek:maybe it was 32.....

Edited by land lover
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land lover

land lover

Posted
Posted
We've never felt it was worth the cost - and I do like to drink. I simply wouldn't spend that much for drinks. A coffee card works well for me.

 

We have it on our next two (so far) booked cruises as we booked them under the sip and sail promo. On a 28 day cruise with 18 sea days I think it will be a nice thing to have. :D

 

On the 14 day Circle Caribbean there are only 4 sea days but it will still be nice to have the package and I don't have an issue with the cost of the cruise - it will likely sell out well in advance of the March 2018 sailing date.

 

 

Okay Thrak...u r another one I am going to talk off subject to.. when r you going to make elite?..... again you post alot so I swear you must already be there. but if not, I bet with this 28 day cruise you will be there...or if it doesn't put you over then you need to get off the boards and do a little more cruising.....enjoy...L:)ri

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Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

Posted
Posted
Keith, we cruise together about 4 years ago out of SP....and at that time I swear you had 54 cruises ...when r you gong to change your number of cruises or am I imagining things:o:):D:eek:maybe it was 32.....

 

Ha! It was a tad less then. :D We are due for more though. ;)

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Bill B

Bill B

Posted
Posted
What I plan on doing is buying $56.35/day in OBC. I probably won't drink it all, so it'll be there for other stuff. But I'll still drink as if I had the AIBP because it costs the same either way.

 

If you're sure you won't drink $56.35 worth of beverages, that makes more sense than buying the AIBP. Plus, if you buy on board credit, I believe any unused amount is refundable... so you don't have to spend it on other stuff.

 

What doesn't make sense to me is those who know and admit they will/do not get their 'money's worth', but justify buying the AIBP with: "it's convenient" or "I don't have to worry about my bar bill". Why wouldn't they forego the package and drink whatever they want - secure in the knowledge their final bill will be less than what they pay for the package??? Crazy!

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skynight

skynight

Posted
Posted (edited)
Maybe a dumb question...do they charge you for ALL days? Even the last day when you're leaving early?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

7 night cruise you get charged $56.35 x 7 = $394.45.

Count nights not days.

On a 7 day cruise you board around 1pm on boarding day and disembark around 9am on disembarkation day. You are on board for right around 164 hours, 4 hours short of a full 7 days. So what you call a 7 day cruise is really very close to 7 full days. The AIBP is still valid on the morning of disembarkation day. So get your bloody mary or espresso drink if you wish.

Edited by sknight
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land lover

land lover

Posted
Posted
What I plan on doing is buying $56.35/day in OBC. I probably won't drink it all, so it'll be there for other stuff. But I'll still drink as if I had the AIBP because it costs the same either way.

 

 

At first glance I think great idea...but then you miss out on that 40% wine discount which can be pretty nice.

 

One thing I really liked about the package is that it was so easy to grab a bottled water. I probably used 6 or 7 a day and i still drank the ships water at meals and sometimes at bars when I had them bring me a glass.

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hop2it

hop2it

Posted
Posted

<< What I plan on doing is buying $56.35/day in OBC. I probably won't drink it all, so it'll be there for other stuff. But I'll still drink as if I had the AIBP because it costs the same either way.>>

 

This strategy is brilliant in its simplicity. I hope I might eventually have come to the same conclusion, but maybe not.

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Chunder Worthy

Chunder Worthy

Posted
Posted

Pros: Maybe a modicum of extra convenience.

 

Cons: You pretty much have to be a borderline alcoholic if you want to get your money's worth. I'm a moderately-heavy drinker myself (I could drink say, 3-4 adult beverages a day onboard), but even if I did, it would still be a much better value for one to purchase them as you go or as you need them.

 

Summary: Unless you're financially well off and/or just don't care, the all-inclusive beverage package (AIBP) is a sucker bet.

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mncruizr

mncruizr

Posted
Posted

I usually don't chime in on these discussions because it's really personal preference, $, and lifestyle that dictate who chooses what. When we went on the CB back in January we had a sale and declined the package even at discount rates because I don't want something like that dictating how much I drink. We found we drank way less than we planned mostly because there is so much to do and drinking makes me take more naps etc. If I purchased it I would make sure I got my moneys worth each day which is not a good way to enjoy a cocktail in my mind.

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