New Premium package price limit?

[Bo1953]

Does anyone know other cruise lines beverage packages, variety of offerings, policies and costs in comparison to X?

 

I do understand that X is one of the very few that permits two (2) 750ml bottles of wine to be brought aboard at embarkation.

 

I Am interested in those lines which charge for beverages and by extension, beverage packages.

 

bon voyage

[chamima]

Does anyone know other cruise lines beverage packages, variety of offerings, policies and costs in comparison to X?

 

I do understand that X is one of the very few that permits two (2) 750ml bottles of wine to be brought aboard at embarkation.

 

I Am interested in those lines which charge for beverages and by extension, beverage packages.

 

bon voyage

 

On Princess there is only one package. It's $60 + 15% gratuity so $69/day.

It covers all drinks up to $12 , except that on Princess that includes almost everything they have. You get a 25% discount on bottles of wine. You can bring as many bottles of wine on board as you want but after the first two must pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle (even for in room consumption).

It is usually offered as a perk only once a year (typically in June) and any other time you must purchase it. You also must always pay for the whole cruise - no signing up halfway through for a discount. If it's a perk then both people in the cabin must get it - if you purchase then only one has to.

[cruising princess 1964]

Thanks everyone for the information

We upgraded for the next 2 cruises right before the increase. We were told by Celebrity that the upgrade would still only be 10.00 but I knew there was no way that could be true so we did the upgrade. ( I believe its 14.00 now)

We did receive the classic beverage package as one of our perks

Having said that, we LOVE the premium package You can have everything and not think about it

I have looked at other cruise lines and it seems that Celebrity has the best packages.

[janewe]

Per the Celebrity website - Classic Package is $55/day+ 18% gratuity ($64.90/day/pp)

and Premium is $69/day + 18% gratuity..................................................($81.42/day/pp)

The difference is $14/day/pp + 18% gratuity .........................................($16.52/day/pp)

 

If the Solstice is in Australia or Great Britain the gratuity will be included in the price .

 

Also, if the Solstice is in Australia or Great Britain that $15 drink would translate to a $13 drink in the US because the prices in the US are PRE-gratuity and Australia are post.

 

So for Canadians like us with a weak dollar that’s $250 to upgrade to the premium package. Pity I can’t take Glenlivit malt at $30 a bottle (price in Florida) instead of wine. Seems cheap of Celebrity not having at least one decent scotch in the classic. I will remember this when booking future cruises.

[jagoffee]

On Princess there is only one package. It's $60 + 15% gratuity so $69/day.

It covers all drinks up to $12 , except that on Princess that includes almost everything they have. You get a 25% discount on bottles of wine. You can bring as many bottles of wine on board as you want but after the first two must pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle (even for in room consumption).

It is usually offered as a perk only once a year (typically in June) and any other time you must purchase it. You also must always pay for the whole cruise - no signing up halfway through for a discount. If it's a perk then both people in the cabin must get it - if you purchase then only one has to.

 

Additionally the Princess package does not include can soda and has a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day. (Never a problem for me). Overall Princess’s drink prices are lower than Celebrity’s prices, therefore I only get the Princess package when it is offered as a perk.

[jagoffee]

On Princess there is only one package. It's $60 + 15% gratuity so $69/day.

It covers all drinks up to $12 , except that on Princess that includes almost everything they have. You get a 25% discount on bottles of wine. You can bring as many bottles of wine on board as you want but after the first two must pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle (even for in room consumption).

It is usually offered as a perk only once a year (typically in June) and any other time you must purchase it. You also must always pay for the whole cruise - no signing up halfway through for a discount. If it's a perk then both people in the cabin must get it - if you purchase then only one has to.

 

Additionally the Princess package does not include can soda and has a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day. (Never a problem for me). Overall Princess’s drink prices are lower than Celebrity’s prices, therefore I only get the Princess package when it is offered as a perk.

[oskarNZ]

I upgraded my husband before the price rise and am kicking myself for not upgrading myself too.

 

I’m not a heavy drinker at all and I’ll probably drink more non alcoholic drinks on my cruise than alcoholic ones. But I do like the ‘not having to think about prices’ element of cruising, and it seems that unless you splash out for the premium package, Celebrity drink packages are becoming less appealing and more confusing.

 

Looking at photos of drink menus, it seems that very few bars highlight any classic package cocktails. Plus, I have read so many mixed messages of what non-alcoholic things you can actually get on the classic package, especially when it comes to fresh juices, smoothies, canned drinks and certain coffees and teas. The Celebrity descriptions don’t make it much clearer.

To simplify things, I think the difference between package items should come down to price and nothing else. The minute you start adding rules such as ‘this water is included, but this isn’t’, things get silly.

 

Anyway, that’s just my 2cents and small whinge for the day.

[Bo1953]

So for Canadians like us with a weak dollar that’s $250 to upgrade to the premium package. Pity I can’t take Glenlivit malt at $30 a bottle (price in Florida) instead of wine. Seems cheap of Celebrity not having at least one decent scotch in the classic. I will remember this when booking future cruises.

 

If enough passengers are writing or asking the H&B Mgr on-board, then change may get started to include more 'decent' scotch in the classic package.

 

The other option is to not purchase or accept a beverage package and just spend the savings on your favourite brand of scotch?

 

I agree, one needs to take this into consideration when selecting a cruise line or itinerary, when for many it is clearly an important factor when taking a vacation of five (5) days or longer.

 

 

Please let us know which line you may consider that will offer what you desire in beverage packages and brands offered.

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

I upgraded my husband before the price rise and am kicking myself for not upgrading myself too.

 

I’m not a heavy drinker at all and I’ll probably drink more non alcoholic drinks on my cruise than alcoholic ones. But I do like the ‘not having to think about prices’ element of cruising, and it seems that unless you splash out for the premium package, Celebrity drink packages are becoming less appealing and more confusing.

 

Looking at photos of drink menus, it seems that very few bars highlight any classic package cocktails. Plus, I have read so many mixed messages of what non-alcoholic things you can actually get on the classic package, especially when it comes to fresh juices, smoothies, canned drinks and certain coffees and teas. The Celebrity descriptions don’t make it much clearer.

To simplify things, I think the difference between package items should come down to price and nothing else. The minute you start adding rules such as ‘this water is included, but this isn’t’, things get silly.

 

Anyway, that’s just my 2cents and small whinge for the day.

 

I agree it can be 'simpler' with soft beverages and most likely is, with a cut off on price levels on soft as is for wine and liquor.

 

Then the discussion skews towards 'is this really considered to be classic or premium level quality?' What some taste buds and connoisseurs and sommeliers and plain out and out drinkers consider 'good' will vary widely and as such it is a deliberate judgement call on X's part as to what is included or not in the packages. Possibly in a 'deliberate' move to have us move up or ???

 

I support the theory that each passenger needs to consider the package, if any, for which they are comfortable purchasing with the brands included desired or not. Another way around the conundrum is to purchase a cabin which includes the premium beverage package as part of the deal OR sail long enough to enjoy the Elite Happy Hour.

 

 

The real issue comes in when we think 'what is the reason that this brand costs more than this brand'? Each of us have an idea of what we think each brand is worth, some with merit some without. Then again how to evaluate this on any meaningful level for the thousands and thousands of passengers who board annually?

 

bon voyage

[jagoffee]

I just checked my booking for October. It lists the new price ($69 plus gratuity) for the Premium package, but it stills shows an upper limit of $13.

 

Hopefully just another website error.

[Mike981]

We are going to upgrade. And yes we are drinkers.

 

 

 

We did the drink package on Carnival last January and did not like the 15 drink minimum. Let alone having to keep track of where you are in your drink total.

 

Sure 15 drinks sounds like a lot, but they measured every drink and I feel it was 15 ounces. Not a lot over the course of a day.

 

 

 

Like I said, we are drinkers. :cool:

[Bo1953]

I just checked my booking for October. It lists the new price ($69 plus gratuity) for the Premium package, but it stills shows an upper limit of $13.

 

Hopefully just another website error.

 

It is just a matter of that part of the website getting updated yet.

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

We are going to upgrade. And yes we are drinkers.

 

 

 

We did the drink package on Carnival last January and did not like the 15 drink minimum. Let alone having to keep track of where you are in your drink total.

 

Sure 15 drinks sounds like a lot, but they measured every drink and I feel it was 15 ounces. Not a lot over the course of a day.

 

 

 

Like I said, we are drinkers. :cool:

 

m - please remember it also covers upgraded coffees, water (still and sparkling) and other such.

 

 

Just measuring it in terms of alcohol drinks is essentially under counting/estimating the items which contribute towards the overall count towards value.

 

Have fun and bon voyage

[barneymag]

I just checked my booking for October. It lists the new price ($69 plus gratuity) for the Premium package, but it stills shows an upper limit of $13.

 

Hopefully just another website error.

 

We upgraded from Classic to Premium the week before prices increased and sailing in a couple of weeks to Baltic out of Amsterdam - Just checked cruise planner and our order confirmation now shows an upper limit of $15 !!! I’m sure it was showing $13 when I booked it a month ago so guess something’s working it’s way through the X systems :beer-toast::tropical-drink::cocktail::champagne-toast::cool:

[jagoffee]

It is just a matter of that part of the website getting updated yet.

 

bon voyage

I believe you are correct.

[oskarNZ]

Possibly in a 'deliberate' move to have us move up...

 

I think it is this in a nutshell.

[Bo1953]

I think it is this in a nutshell.

 

To be clear(er) if I had a challenge with the new pricing, we would stick with the Classic package.

 

Seeing that we are not 'Professional' cruisers, yet, such increases mean little to us, as we only sail once per calendar year. When or if that changes, then of course pricing of such items will be monitored and calculated more closely.

 

bon voyage

[landlocked12]

This is making me really regret that I was not on the ball and upgraded us before the price went up on 5/15. I meant to but my job gets crazy as the end of the academic year approaches. We had the beverage package on NCL last year and they covered basics like Disaronno, Baileys, and Tanqueray, which are not on Celebrity’s new list. And the wines I recognize on the Celebrity menus posted online for the “Classic” prices are $5-7 bottles of plonk I would pass over at the supermarket and definitely don’t want to drink on my vacation.

 

Sorry about the rant. I understand that Celebrity now allows holders of the Classic package to upgrade drink by drink? But as a previous poster has observed, I don’t want to calculate the up charge every time I order a drink so will probably grit my teeth and upgrade at the current price. Grrrrr