Drink Packages Real Value...

[OliviaJ10]

I debated the drink package when we sailed on Anthem 2 weeks ago, it was glad we got it. I didn’t think twice about a cappuccino at breakfast, a speciality coffee at 2:00 or grabbing a bottle of water when I wanted one. I ordered drinks when I wanted one and didn’t feel bad when I didn’t like something. It was definitely worth being worry free.

 

 

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[mom2tcdx2]

Personally I like the packages, but I am at least a 4-5 drink per day kind of person. I don't even add in coffees (I don't drink it), or water, sodas, nor do we drink wine. My drink of choice is a Sidecar, and at their price it only takes 4 a day to make the drink package worth it. However someone that may be only 1-2 drinks, or less as would be the case with my daughter's boyfriend, it wouldn't make sense for them as a couple to buy the package.

 

We had priced out the NCL Escape and the Harmony for 2020, a balcony cabin on NCL with the drink package included was around $2900, while a balcony on Harmony was $2100, if I then add $800 for the drink package for me and DH, I am still pretty much at the same price level. My daughter however will not spend $800 on alcohol, and they did get the soda package that comes with the Boardwalk Balcony cabin. She can pay for her drinks as she tries things and will come out better without the package.

[ToddnMichelle]

Here is a spreadsheet to help you figure out if the drink package is worth it.

 

this is awesome. Just the thing i wanted to find to show to some new cruisers that will be traveling with my wife and I on our next sailing. Thanks more than you can imagine!

[karena1]

I grabbed the package on my Anthem of the Seas sailing 4/7 and had 10-20 drinks a day ( water / coffee / liquor / wine ) and not having to think of $10 here and $10 there was a huge stress relief on the trip.

 

My wife is a moderate drinker, and easily had 6-7 drinks in a day ( water / liquor / trying new wines ).

 

I was on the fence about getting the package cause of the price ( 750 for the two of us for 7 days ) but not having to think about a bill was so worth it.

 

Also traveled with 8 other family members who constantly counted what they were spending, and would skip drinks cause "I dont want to spend any more today"

 

( probably a repetitive post but figured there is someone like me out there... )

 

Totally agree. We get the package on every single cruise. Just worth it for us. I watch the prices online and if they don't go low enough I wait until we are on the ship. We get 30% off since we are D+ so if the price online does not go down enough we wait and buy it on the ship. But will never cruise without a package again, we consider it part of our cruise price.

[karena1]

My understanding that with the “free” drink packages on other lines, comes decreased bartenders and other ways of limiting access...

 

 

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So not true, we always have the package and have found the service to be fantastic no matter where we go on the ship

[Iamcruzin]

NCL's drink package is significantly cheaper as a promo. We have done it numerous times and I would gladly only pay the "service charge" (18%) which is roughly $200 than the $700+ that Royal charges! While Celebrity's is "free" the increase in cruise fare makes it not so worth it.

Everyone say's that Celebrity pricing is higher because of the drink package. I find that pricing for a similar Caribbean itinerary same weeks on Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean and NCL are just about the same for the same category room. I think that Celebrity actually comes out cheaper because of the drink package and if you can grab a special where they give you a second perk it is a better value. I priced out NCL and Celebrity for Bermuda and the pricing was just about the same. Once in a while Princess offers the drink package but the price spikes when this is offered. With that said, I'm booked on the Anthem for the 9 day Caribbean cruise without a drink package only because it was what the group could all agree on. Does Royal offer any specials on the drink package? We don't sail until June 2019. This will be our second Royal sailing in 18 years so I have to educate myself.

[Laurin612]

Here is a spreadsheet to help you figure out if the drink package is worth it.

 

Your beverage package calculator is great, Travis. Thanks for sharing it with us! (y)

[angelwings75]

I am going on the symphony of the seas in September. Trying to figure out if the drink package is the way to go. While sailing in the Caribbean, I feel like my husband and I drank so much (13 + drinks/day each) and the package was the way to go. Fruity drinks just fit the scene and they were flowing. While in Europe, I feel like we won't be drinking as much, especially on the long shore excursion days, but we'll probably drink on the short days at port and the days at sea. Really trying to figure out whats the best. Also, because we bought the packages on the other ships, we were given the mug to get pop and that sort of stuff but never opened them. Are these tracked some how to show that you are using them? We would like to bring two of them onto symphony, but will it allow us to use them at the machines??

[Clarea]

I am going on the symphony of the seas in September. Trying to figure out if the drink package is the way to go. While sailing in the Caribbean, I feel like my husband and I drank so much (13 + drinks/day each) and the package was the way to go. Fruity drinks just fit the scene and they were flowing. While in Europe, I feel like we won't be drinking as much, especially on the long shore excursion days, but we'll probably drink on the short days at port and the days at sea. Really trying to figure out whats the best. Also, because we bought the packages on the other ships, we were given the mug to get pop and that sort of stuff but never opened them. Are these tracked some how to show that you are using them? We would like to bring two of them onto symphony, but will it allow us to use them at the machines??

The cups will probably not work on the Freestyle machines as they have an RFID chip that will probably have timed out.

[angelwings75]

The cups will probably not work on the Freestyle machines as they have an RFID chip that will probably have timed out.

 

 

Thank you, I didn't know how they tracked these and if you to "ring them in" every time you used them! :)

[hogwildcruzers]

I guess I'm lucky my wife doesn't drink more then 2 or 3 wines a day, because I do buy the package and happy they have it!....a bloody mary in the morning, 4 or 5 drinks laying around the pool, a couple while waiting on wife to get ready at night, a couple at dinner and 4 or 5 during the night, more if we go dancing, so I'm very relaxed knowing no big bill after the cruise!.....and I hadn't even mentioned the sodas or coffee or water!

[dreadpirate3]

We buy the Refreshment package when it goes on sale for $18 per person, per day. That provides nearly all that we drink, including specialty coffee, water, diet soda, flavored sparkling water, etc. I get the value from it every day.

 

We also prepay our on board account a few hundred dollars (depends on the length of the cruise), and buy the 10 drink card so we can try a few drinks per day. That to me is the same as buying the more expensive package, but I get to keep what I don't use.