Recent Cruise Passenger - Please clarify Classic Bev Pkg

[DYKWIA]

U.K. Site is still advertising canned drinks as part of the classic package. If they make you pay extra on board there could be contractual issues, they are clearly selling a well defined product. Bait and Switch?. How about paying for Aqua Class to get on board and be told Blu is now a fee extra Speciality restaurant, but you can dine in the MDR.

 

Currently in our local supermarket - Coke products 25p a can and decent bottled water 30p a bottle - cheap as chips . And there's a profit for the shop there as well. This stuff is so cheap there is no financial reason why it can't be included in a drinks package costing approx $20-60 a day

[helen haywood]

You are applying logic to the Celebrity business model?

 

 

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[tbmrt]

There are many things that were promised or written when booking a cruise and then discovered that it is no longer available or has changed when on the cruise. Sad part is some things that were changed are still being promoted as part of the package.

 

Ex. The daily ice was discontinued long ago but still listed.

 

Biggest joke is the priority, just about everyone has a priority for tender, dining, embarkation and etc and access to the concierge.

 

Happy cruising ����������

Started to ask about no ice policy, but then read further and found that ice was available from cabin steward for someone twice a day.

Edited August 7, 2017 by tbmrt
Read afterward that daily ice was no problem.

[helen haywood]

My experience on Equinox, Silhouette and Reflection was that if you asked for ice the steward brought it. Of course if you'd never sailed before you wouldn't know that was an option.

 

 

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[Syracruisin]

Looks like I'll be getting fountain soda since I have the Classic Package, but it doesn't matter to me if the soda is in a can or from the gun. I fail to see what the uproar is about. On my last cruise (Royal), the "fountain" soda was poured out of two liter bottles anyway. Canned soda costs them more, which is probably why it's now only available in the "premium" package. They want you to pay extra to cover its additional cost. Is it nickel and diming? Maybe a little, but that's what cruise lines (increasingly) do. At least they stopped charging $10 for a hot dog or hamburger.

 

If you're mixing the soda with rum, who cares whether it came from a can or the gun?

[Fish Lover]

Here's the response to a tweet I posted about the cost cutting and dropping soda cans from the Classic Package at the weekend.

 

Here was my tweet and then their response:

 

 

 

 

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Well it would be nice that if Celebrity is going to respond that they do so with something that answers the question/concern. This is nothing more than a canned response and frankly it's insulting to let customer service think this "resolved" the issue.

[Fish Lover]

Looks like I'll be getting fountain soda since I have the Classic Package, but it doesn't matter to me if the soda is in a can or from the gun. I fail to see what the uproar is about. On my last cruise (Royal), the "fountain" soda was poured out of two liter bottles anyway. Canned soda costs them more, which is probably why it's now only available in the "premium" package. They want you to pay extra to cover its additional cost. Is it nickel and diming? Maybe a little, but that's what cruise lines (increasingly) do. At least they stopped charging $10 for a hot dog or hamburger.

 

If you're mixing the soda with rum, who cares whether it came from a can or the gun?

 

An individual can not possibly drink enough canned soda to make the Classic Package less than profitable. The "big deal" is that the fountain soda's are 1) frequently flat, 2) or frequently the wring mix between soda water and syrup, 3) served in small glasses that need frequent refills and with the shortage of bar staff that is problematic, and 4) inconvenient when you want a can to take back to your cabin for middle night or first thing drinking.

 

The decision to only serve cans on the premium package simply is not defensible, no matter how you look at it.

[Syracruisin]

The decision to only serve cans on the premium package simply is not defensible, no matter how you look at it.

It may not be appreciated, but it's certainly defensible. As has been said, canned soda costs far more per unit than fountain. And I get the drink package to drink alcohol, not soda. This is really making a mountain out of a molehill.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Wow, 1st world problems, can or no can. :D I say keep doing it Celebrity, if all these pax want to jump ship over a can of Coke (or a changed policy of a CAN of Coke) I say go for it, less pax, lower prices more cruises for me!:cool: #canvsnocan

 

Hmmmm, is anyone complaining about the change of the classic package to just pay the difference in price of a drink not included instead of paying for the whole cost of the drink? Ya, I didn't think so

 

Happy Cruising everyone---or not!

Agree with your implied premise that we are quick to complain and slow to praise.

 

I note, however, that the change to just pay just the difference for drinks was accompanied by increases in the prices of many liquors and wines and thus an associated reduction in the number of drinks included in the Classic package. I think they either had to raise the ceiling on the price of wine by the glass or do as they did.

[Bo1953]

It may not be appreciated, but it's certainly defensible. As has been said, canned soda costs far more per unit than fountain. And I get the drink package to drink alcohol, not soda. This is really making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

I concur.

 

 

I just returned from an Alaska sailing sometime ago and do not remember if 'canned' soda was provided only to Premium package holders, although I do remember some people getting soda in a glass from a bartender, some got it in a can and definitely remember at the Mast Grill, someone asked for a can of ginger ale and when they were asked for their seapass they walked way... so that told me they knew they were classic or no beverage package at all...

 

At any rate, I always purchase the Premium package. I do not, now, try to figure out how much I need to drink in order to recoup the up-charge, I know I will not drink that much. Yet I must say, it bought me into some fine wines not on the Premium wine list in several venues without additional charge on many nights....

 

 

I did not hear being upset upset, on-board, about what they could or could not get with the respective packages, then again, I was not always at the bars, mainly choose table service when in public areas that offered it or with fellow passengers who knew what was included in their package and ordered accordingly.

 

bon voyage

[musik07]

Just off the Equinox on Sunday. I had the Classic package and depending on the location you could get cans of soda. The gastropub gave 'fountain soda' from a 1 liter bottle. The casino bar, mast grill bar, oceanview cafe bar and somewhere else would give cans!

[Fish Lover]

It may not be appreciated, but it's certainly defensible. As has been said, canned soda costs far more per unit than fountain. And I get the drink package to drink alcohol, not soda. This is really making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

No it's not. 85 % of what we drink is in fact soda. We have occasional alcoholic drinks, which is why we take the classic package. The cost of a can of soda is minimal and a cost argument is indefensible. A can of coke costs far less than a rum and coke. Yet the latter is included and the former is not. That does not make sense. You may be drinking mostly alcoholic drinks and therefore this is a minimal issue for you. It is not for those of us that drink mostly soda with occasional alcoholic drinks.

[suekay]

Well said Fishlover

 

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[Bo1953]

No it's not. 85 % of what we drink is in fact soda. We have occasional alcoholic drinks, which is why we take the classic package. The cost of a can of soda is minimal and a cost argument is indefensible. A can of coke costs far less than a rum and coke. Yet the latter is included and the former is not. That does not make sense. You may be drinking mostly alcoholic drinks and therefore this is a minimal issue for you. It is not for those of us that drink mostly soda with occasional alcoholic drinks.

 

fl - might it be more 'economical' for you to purchase the 'Premium' soda package which includes canned and fountain sodas and then just pay for any 'alcohol' you might reasonably drink, since you drink mainly soda?

 

Just a thought -

 

bon voyage

[NoName]

Can we bring a large Tervis tumbler for them to "fill" with fountain soda, rather than the small glass they provide?

 

Kim

[wrk2cruise]

Can we bring a large Tervis tumbler for them to "fill" with fountain soda, rather than the small glass they provide?

 

Kim

 

I don't think so due to sanitary reasons.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Can we bring a large Tervis tumbler for them to "fill" with fountain soda, rather than the small glass they provide?

 

Kim

If not, just pour the small glass full into your tumbler and then ask for another of their small glass fulls!

[Fish Lover]

fl - might it be more 'economical' for you to purchase the 'Premium' soda package which includes canned and fountain sodas and then just pay for any 'alcohol' you might reasonably drink, since you drink mainly soda?

 

Just a thought -

 

bon voyage

Yes, I understand and I appreciate the suggestion...however, that's really not the point. The policy makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

I'm very appreciate of and respectful of any rules and most policy changes. However, this one boggles the mind and simply makes no sense.

If the goal is simply to make everyone buy a premium beverage package, why not just offer that as a take it or leave it?

[bubbachief]

Can you still get club soda in the can?

[Mythbuster]

No it's not. 85 % of what we drink is in fact soda. We have occasional alcoholic drinks, which is why we take the classic package. The cost of a can of soda is minimal and a cost argument is indefensible. A can of coke costs far less than a rum and coke. Yet the latter is included and the former is not. That does not make sense. You may be drinking mostly alcoholic drinks and therefore this is a minimal issue for you. It is not for those of us that drink mostly soda with occasional alcoholic drinks.

 

I am sorry, I don't understand how a Classic Drink Package for someone who drinks mostly soda and an occasional alcoholic drink makes sense whether you are getting a can or not. At $55/day you would have to drink 14 sodas a day to breakeven versus paying as you go. Even if you get 2 alcoholic drinks ($9 each) and 8 sodas ($4 each) you still don't breakeven ($50 vs $55). What am I missing?

[dutchclogs]

I agree that if I did not have a classic drinks package already included in my fare or drank very little or no alcohol the non alcoholic package is the way to go. However, it does not make sense that cans of soda are not available in either classic (alcoholic and non alcoholic) package. I wonder if it is a question of profit margins. Imagine the same mark up on a can of coke as for wine ......

[Miaminice]

The part I don't really get is: as long as I can have my Diet Coke I do not really care if it comes in a can or not :)

[suekay]

I agree that if I did not have a classic drinks package already included in my fare or drank very little or no alcohol the non alcoholic package is the way to go. However, it does not make sense that cans of soda are not available in either classic (alcoholic and non alcoholic) package. I wonder if it is a question of profit margins. Imagine the same mark up on a can of coke as for wine ......

The mark up on a can of Coke must be in the region of x10. Joe Public can buy a can of Coke for 35 cents (at least in the UK) so what must Celebrity be paying given the economies of scale? Then charging $3.54?!?!!

[WNCtourist]

A question--if your preferred soft drink is not available as a fountain drink (for example, Sprite Zero), will Celebrity give you the soda by the can on the Classic package? Or are you getting a glass poured from a 2-liter bottle? Or does it just depend on the ship, bar location, time of day, longitude and latitude, phase of the moon. . . . . .

[KuffMUp]

Something no one has brought up is it isn't about the price of the can, it is the price of the real estate. Storage for all those cans has to eat up a ton of space. Cut down on the number of cans you serve frees up storage.