Are the Drink Packages Overpriced?

[Hlitner]

Thought it might be interesting to solicit some opinions. We are regular HAL cruisers (5 Star Mariners) who have been on quite a few different HAL vessels. We have also cruised about 1000 nights on 13 other lines (a 14th is booked in the near future). DW and I both enjoy adult beverages and will generally share a half bottle of wine at dinner (we cut back from a full bottle to save some calories). We also enjoy 1 or 2 pre-dinner cocktails and tend to stay awake until at least 11pm...and we do have some drinks in those later hours. This makes is rare among HAL cruisers, most of whom are in their cabins by 10. In the morning of a sea day we might have a Bloody Mary. I am a regular user of both espresso and cappuccino

 

Most would say we drink more adult beverages then the average HAL cruiser. Looking back at our many HAL cruises we average about $70 per day for drinks, which is our average for 2 persons. On some long sea days we might reach $90 in drinks (total for 2). Being 5 Star Mariners we get 50% off the wine packages (better wines then we would get on the Signature Package) and 50% off of espresso drinks. I will often take advantage of HAL Happy hours :).

 

The Signature Beverage Package costs around $115 a day (for 2)! On over 500 HAL days we have never, ever, spent $115 for beverages in a single day! When we look at the HAL sales which include beverage packages it is obvious that HAL increases the cost of the cruise to cover nearly all of the beverage package cost. The reality is that we can save significant money by avoiding the HAL beverage packages...and we drink more then the average HAL cruiser (this is my own anecdotal observation). While we have seen some HAL cruisers who appear to benefit from the beverage packages but they do appear to be the exception.

 

We are wondering what other's think. On a line like Celebrity (where we often have a beverage package) it is a different story where you will find many cruisers crammed around the Martini bar in the evening sample interesting Martinis. But on HAL we often find ourselves alone when we stop at a bar after 10pm. Many HAL cruisers head to dinner at 5 or 5:15. go to a show after dinner, and head off to early bedtime while generally having no more then a single drink.

 

So what do other's think?

 

Hank

 

 

.

[Tricia724]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. There's no way a $115/day beverage package on HAL would benefit us, and from the calculations you've presented, it's no benefit to you either. On our last HAL cruise, I bought an upgraded wine package for the dining room. With the 50% discount, it made some nice wines available at a decent rate. Like you, one bottle usually lasts us two days. We also like lattes at the coffee bar, and the 50% discount kicks in again. Love that discount. Add in the free laundry and the 50% discount on specialty restaurants, and you have more money freed up that can be used on beverages. On a sea day I might have a couple of drinks during the day, but my other half often just drinks Coke, so we wouldn't ever consider purchasing a beverage package on HAL. I can't imagine that too many HAL regulars buy that package.

 

Celebrity is a whole different ball game. Our last cruise and our next cruise include their classic beverage package which works well for us. We're elite on Celebrity and even though we can utilize the free cocktail hour most evenings, I prefer to have my wine with dinner rather than before. Occasionally I'll grab a drink on the way to the cabin and have it on the balcony. That said, we wouldn't buy a package on Celebrity either, but our next cruise is 11 nights and we lucked into a good group rate which included all three perks. Celebrity's drinks and coffees are also higher than HAL's, so the costs add up more quickly.

 

All of the cruise lines are playing around with drinks packages and trying to make people think they are getting "free" perks. We all know they are far from free....they are included in the price we pay. Sometimes it's a better deal than others, but it pays to run the numbers.

[Bill B]

Beverage packages exist for one reason only - to make money for the lines.

[crystalspin]

After years of poohpoohing beverage packages on Cruise Critic, we purchased 5 cabins on the Zaandam last August with Ex4 and everyone enjoyed it (although my mom, who drinks Lido coffee with pleasure, and has one kahlua after dinner, obviously did not get her or rather MY money's worth!).

 

Calculating our minimum average imbibing, I found Ex4 to be a break-even on this coming April's TA. RE-calculating I decided our SEADAY threshold was $44/day pre-gratuity. Close enough to buy the SBP pre-sailing, but we didn't have to -- even comparing to the Restricted Fare, we come out ahead.

 

Now, we have just booked a 28-day (18-seaday) Princess So.Pacific for 2020. THEIR beverage package is $60pp/day, and I'm told they never put it on sale! I'll be watching to see if that is true and if no sale, no deal!

[iancal]

Drink packages do not work for us so we simply do not bother with them. Nor are we at all interested in 'bundled' fares that include this option. Much prefer pay as you go. I guess it really comes down what you drink, and how often you drink.

 

Drink packages are overpriced for us for others they make sense. If they sell well and are popular then they are clearly not overpriced.

[ellieanne]

I enjoyed having the Signature Beverage Package on my last cruise. It was an Explore 4 perk. I would never pay for it on my own, $115 is more than I spend in total for a 10-day cruise (excluding the daily service charge). I know I had more beverages on this cruise than I ever have in the past. I'm not really a drinker, so my beverages are all non-alcoholic, but it was lovely to just be able to get a hot cocoa or a non-alcoholic mixed drink without checking my budget.

 

I would not hesitate to take advantage of the Explore 4 perks again, but I would never buy a beverage package because even if they are only the wine packages, they are not worth it to me.

[anniegb]

Thought it might be interesting to solicit some opinions. We are regular HAL cruisers (5 Star Mariners) who have been on quite a few different HAL vessels. We have also cruised about 1000 nights on 13 other lines (a 14th is booked in the near future). DW and I both enjoy adult beverages and will generally share a half bottle of wine at dinner (we cut back from a full bottle to save some calories). We also enjoy 1 or 2 pre-dinner cocktails and tend to stay awake until at least 11pm...and we do have some drinks in those later hours. This makes is rare among HAL cruisers, most of whom are in their cabins by 10. In the morning of a sea day we might have a Bloody Mary. I am a regular user of both espresso and cappuccino

 

Most would say we drink more adult beverages then the average HAL cruiser. Looking back at our many HAL cruises we average about $70 per day for drinks, which is our average for 2 persons. On some long sea days we might reach $90 in drinks (total for 2). Being 5 Star Mariners we get 50% off the wine packages (better wines then we would get on the Signature Package) and 50% off of espresso drinks. I will often take advantage of HAL Happy hours :).

 

The Signature Beverage Package costs around $115 a day (for 2)! On over 500 HAL days we have never, ever, spent $115 for beverages in a single day! When we look at the HAL sales which include beverage packages it is obvious that HAL increases the cost of the cruise to cover nearly all of the beverage package cost. The reality is that we can save significant money by avoiding the HAL beverage packages...and we drink more then the average HAL cruiser (this is my own anecdotal observation). While we have seen some HAL cruisers who appear to benefit from the beverage packages but they do appear to be the exception.

 

We are wondering what other's think. On a line like Celebrity (where we often have a beverage package) it is a different story where you will find many cruisers crammed around the Martini bar in the evening sample interesting Martinis. But on HAL we often find ourselves alone when we stop at a bar after 10pm. Many HAL cruisers head to dinner at 5 or 5:15. go to a show after dinner, and head off to early bedtime while generally having no more then a single drink.

 

So what do other's think?

 

Hank

 

 

.

 

If you are not a 5 star mariner, the numbers would be different??

 

Possibly HAL are trying to attract a different breed of cruiser.

 

Each to their own.

 

Annie

[anniegb]

After years of poohpoohing beverage packages on Cruise Critic, we purchased 5 cabins on the Zaandam last August with Ex4 and everyone enjoyed it (although my mom, who drinks Lido coffee with pleasure, and has one kahlua after dinner, obviously did not get her or rather MY money's worth!).

 

Calculating our minimum average imbibing, I found Ex4 to be a break-even on this coming April's TA. RE-calculating I decided our SEADAY threshold was $44/day pre-gratuity. Close enough to buy the SBP pre-sailing, but we didn't have to -- even comparing to the Restricted Fare, we come out ahead.

 

Now, we have just booked a 28-day (18-seaday) Princess So.Pacific for 2020. THEIR beverage package is $60pp/day, and I'm told they never put it on sale! I'll be watching to see if that is true and if no sale, no deal!

 

The Princess DP has gone on sale in the past but it is not advertised heavily. It was then followed by a general increase in beverage prices.

 

Annie

[Krazy Kruizers]

For us the drink package isn't one we would buy.

We do not have a drink in the morning. Rarely -- and I mean rarely -- do we have a drink a lunch time.

Maybe a couple of drinks before dinner.

Wine -- even though we are 5 star Mariners -- the wines we like are not listed any wine package. So we don't buy them just to get 50% off.

After dinner -- one drink per person.

I see no reason to pay a higher cruise fare for something that doesn't work for us.

[kazu]

Drink packages are all about doing the math IMO.

 

We have booked the Explore4 for our cruise next year and had it one on segment the previous cruise.

 

In both cases, the cost was NOT $50 USD per day. I do compare the cost with and without Explore 4 and then do my math based on the price differential.

 

For us, it's worth it (especially if we can upgrade to Elite on board for the other wine choices) cost wise. The additional $300 OBC USD pp adds extra value as well ;)

 

Unlike Hank, we haven't found the carpets rolled up on our sailings and enjoy the company of others with a couple of drinks :)

[sambamama]

The only time I booked it was when adding an Explore 4 package made the cost $15 a day for a 22 day cruise in the South Pacific. I jumped on that. I may never book it again, but having the package for the price of two drinks was well worth it.

[anniegb]

Drink packages are all about doing the math IMO.

 

…….

 

Unlike Hank, we haven't found the carpets rolled up on our sailings and enjoy the company of others with a couple of drinks :)

 

Glad to hear it :)

 

Annie

[Overhead Fred]

I always thought that the drink packages were not worth the cost, choosing to have most of our cocktails during happy hours instead.

 

However, for our next cruise I plan on getting the Elite package once we are on board for a couple of reasons. First, we have a fair amount of OBC and our stateroom gratuities are paid for (leaving us some "extra" spending $$ to offset the cost). Second, and maybe more importantly, if we have sufficient onboard spending, we will get to 4* on this cruise!

 

I will report back on our experience with the package and the Nieuw Statendam :D towards the end of January. I do not anticipate doing drink packages in the future, but we will see. Most likely it will be back to happy hours and the soon to be 50% off wine packages while reveling in free laundry!

[Georgie562]

Overpriced drink package?

Norwegian Cruise Line wins the title on that one. ;)

[POA1]

It really depends on what you drink, and of course, how much. Thankfully there are some nice people here who post the drink prices, so it's easy to do the math.

 

For our upcoming cruise, the SBP (via Explore 4) added $330/pp to the base fare. Even discounting the OBC and Pinnacle Grill meal, it's worth it for us. The upgrade to the Elite Beverage Package at $11.50/pp/day is covered by a single glass of Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne. Not everyone can drink a glass of Champagne every day, so it's not worth it for them.

 

I'm happy that HAL gives you the option to get a fare with or without. For DFIL, a beverage package is never worth it. I much prefer this to NCL where they bake the cost into the fare.

[Fouremco]

Our June 2019 cruise was booked quite some time ago, with no HAL perks, and after pricing things out we had decided to purchase the the Quench package for our coffees, water and other non-alcoholic drinks, then pay for wine and cocktails as we went. When Explore4 came along, I priced out refaring with the beverage package and dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and found that it was almost but not quite as cheap. However, as my TA provides OBC based on the total booking fee, going with the Explore4 made it cheaper when factoring in the increased OBC. As others have pointed out, there are many variables and you need to do the math to determine whether the packages are worthwhile.

[kazu]

Our June 2019 cruise was booked quite some time ago, with no HAL perks, and after pricing things out we had decided to purchase the the Quench package for our coffees, water and other non-alcoholic drinks, then pay for wine and cocktails as we went. When Explore4 came along, I priced out refaring with the beverage package and dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and found that it was almost but not quite as cheap. However, as my TA provides OBC based on the total booking fee, going with the Explore4 made it cheaper when factoring in the increased OBC. As others have pointed out, there are many variables and you need to do the math to determine whether the packages are worthwhile .

 

Bolding is mine - I never even thought of that! Thank you for the extra justification for my Explore4 ;).

 

We're in the same boat - US$ OBC is worth more than our Canadian dollar :(

[Viking0040]

Overpriced drink package?

Norwegian Cruise Line wins the title on that one. ;)

The one NCL cruise we took, I am pretty sure they forgot to add alcohol to any of my drinks. Glad I wasn't on the package.

[Viking0040]

My SO rarely drinks so any package that requires both of us to have is definitely not worth it. She does like an occasional fancy coffee and drinks soft drinks but not enough to warrant the drinks package. We intend to buy the drinks card. We can each get the value of card according what we think our needs are and can add funds to them if needed. Having the card rather than just charging drinks to the room means that we don't need to worry about what my final bill is going to be, and if we don't use the entire amount, the remainder will be refunded or credited to our account.

[RocketMan275]

I would not hesitate to take advantage of the Explore 4 perks again, but I would never buy a beverage package because even if they are only the wine packages, they are not worth it to me.

 

 

You are paying for those Explore 4 Perks. While these perks are 'included' they are not 'free'. Next time you book a Holland Cruise that offers Explore 4, ask for the price without Explore 4 included. You might be surprised.