Cunard Drink Packages as of 26 Nov 2018

[Vegas-Voyager]

This may have been posted and I know some details have been shared before but here are images of the packages available onboard.  Range from $10-69 USD. 

[Host Hattie]

Thanks, the Cunard website has been updated to reflect the fact that these are now available on all ships.

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/drinks_package

 

[tag1000]

Question about this:  is the requirement that each person buying a package mandatory?  I always bought the soft drink package but the person I travel with would not benefit from any of the packages as they really only drink tea. 

[NavyPanda]

The soft drinks package is now ridiculous. A year or so ago, it was $6.50/day and now its $10! The new terms and conditions are pretty mean-spirited too.

 

There was never a requirement before for (normally) both people in a stateroom to purchase the drinks package. Although sharing, was likely not allowed before, I've not been aware of anyone sharing drinks...

 

Additionally the 15 minute wait between orders seems petty too. I remember being on QV in 40c weather, where I certainly needed more than one drink during that time period!

 

 

If Cunard haven't changed their bar prices, the new pricing would mean I would have to drink an extraordinary large amount of soft drink each day, in order to make it value for money. IIRC a small (just over a half pint?) fountain soda is $2.50 and a large (pint) is $3.50. Even if you take the better value option, it would require me drinking three pints a day plus to break even and that is assuming my travel partner has the same amount (unlikely, in my case).

 

Seeing that I would struggle to drink three pints of soda on even a hot sea day, and I would probably like to take a break from the stuff every so often, I can't see myself buying a soft drinks package again. Which is a shame, as the restaurant sommeliers often have my favourite drink on the table waiting for my arrival, which makes their job a little easier and less rushed and its actually quite a nice touch.

 

 

[majortom10]

27 minutes ago, tag1000 said:

Question about this:  is the requirement that each person buying a package mandatory?  I always bought the soft drink package but the person I travel with would not benefit from any of the packages as they really only drink tea. 

yes if anyone purchases any package any person assigned to the same stateroom must also purchase one.

[NavyPanda]

28 minutes ago, tag1000 said:

Question about this:  is the requirement that each person buying a package mandatory?  I always bought the soft drink package but the person I travel with would not benefit from any of the packages as they really only drink tea. 

It certainly seems like it. As it is (at least for the soft drinks package), I would struggle to make use of it enough to justify the cost. If I'm travelling with someone who isn't a big drinker (soft or alcohol) then just paying for drinks as normal, seems the obvious way forward.

 

I just hope this isn't Cunard going Royal Caribbean and softening us up for huge price hikes on the normal menu. 

[Vegas-Voyager]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

yes if anyone purchases any package any person assigned to the same stateroom must also purchase one.

 

This is not true, at least as of the 26 Nov 2018.  The option is per person.  I was traveling with a companion and asked specifically if we both were required to purchase the same package and we were told NO.  We could select different packages or just one for one person.   The option is assigned to the individual and will be based on the person ordering the drink as that will be the card supplied for the charge.  

 

 

[Bell Boy]

10 hours ago, Vegas-Voyager said:

 

This is not true, at least as of the 26 Nov 2018.  The option is per person.  I was traveling with a companion and asked specifically if we both were required to purchase the same package and we were told NO.  We could select different packages or just one for one person.   The option is assigned to the individual and will be based on the person ordering the drink as that will be the card supplied for the charge.  

 

 

Thank Goodness for that , that's a sensible incentive from Cunard. Originally when this concept was rolled out on QM2  (September 218) the requirement was both guests assigned to a stateroom had to purchase the package. No wonder at the time the uptake  was very low, however, I guess it won't be long before some unscrupulous 'jack the lad' will try and dodge the system and line up a couple of extra drinks for their partner 😉 

[Pennbank]

Interestingly the t&c have not yet been updated then.

" Each adult assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the Beers, Wines & Spirits Option. Sharing is not permitted."

 

Another anomaly back on QM2 was that if you had the Premium drinks package on your card, you were unable to purchase drinks for anyone else , even though you wished to pay the full price and have the cost added to your oba . So buying port for your table companions after dinner or purchasing a round of drinks at the bar for your friends was not possible.

 

Moving on  to "jack the lad" trying to have the system over, The waiters are very astute, The limit of 15 alcoholic drinks (one every 15mins) should sort that out, perhaps they may get away with a few extra Coffees or Sodas though if Cunard have relaxed their t&c regarding each adult in the stateroom. 

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by Pennbank

[ZZRLAD]

Personally, I think it is still too restrictive and not value for money.

 

Our last cruise had a very high drinks bill on board, but that was drinking what we liked, no restriction. It was still less than the package. No doubt helped by being ashore on port days.

 

So unless the drinks prices increase again then I won't be purchasing the alcohol package. However, if they do that then I would then have to reconsider the overall cost and cruising as a holiday style. Fleecing a captive audience would spring to mind.

[majortom10]

States on leaflet at top of thread that both persons in stateroom have to purchase the package. This was the same on QM2 in Oct/Nov because I asked and interestingly as of today it also states on Cunard's UK website that when purchasing drinks packages all occupants of the stateroom have to purchase it.

[tommy k]

       I am doing a TA back to back in April NYC - NYC. I will have to do the math on the new drink package. I have done just the soft drink package in the past. I do like the combination of soda and liquor/wine. I don’t like that one can not buy a round of drinks. I am a Jack Daniels on the rocks drinker, so I will have to price the drink per oz. against the $11 cap. A beer or two with lunch,  club soda throughout the day, a cocktail before dinner, a couple of drinks with dinner and maybe a nightcap in Churchill’s. At $67 a day I am on the fence about purchasing a hard drink package. Any sage advice?

[Bell Boy]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

States on leaflet at top of thread that both persons in stateroom have to purchase the package. This was the same on QM2 in Oct/Nov because I asked and interestingly as of today it also states on Cunard's UK website that when purchasing drinks packages all occupants of the stateroom have to purchase it.

Well spotted majortom 10.  So no change there 😉 

[travelwide]

tommy k - will you be on the April 28th sailing back to New York? If so, perhaps we will run into you as there are 3 of us, former New Yorkers, on that cruise.

 

[Radar boomer]

We asked on the nov 25th cruise and were told both of us required to buy the package. I don’t drink so not worth it. 

 

For the the coffee we were on QM2 in August and bought a coffee card for $38, which worked out to $3.80 per cup, then on Queen Elizabeth, they had a coffee package, same as this one but it was $8.50 a day, and I only bought it...even that was hard had to have 3 good lattes to go past the value...$15 is too high bring back the coffee card, either one of us or both could get a coffee...

[Bigmike911]

I would be in a diabetic coma if I ingested that much soda in one day and I don't like the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks. . And with the Coffee Card, the caffeine buzz might be overwhelming.  I will do the by the drink pricing, thank you very much. As a side note, when the list of exclusions is longer than the list of inclusions, it is usually not a good deal. 

[roscoe39]

On 12/27/2018 at 4:23 AM, Vegas-Voyager said:

This may have been posted and I know some details have been shared before but here are images of the packages available onboard.  Range from $10-69 USD. 

 

On 12/27/2018 at 4:23 AM, Vegas-Voyager said:

 

ouch, im glad I don't drink that much!...i remember when the daily soda package was $6!....

 

 

[cruiseluvva]

None of the packages work for us, as we don’t drink much alcohol, or more than the occasional soft drinks they sell. And one coffee a day.

 

We did have a premium package on another cruise line and found we were drinking far too much for comfort, simply because we could. But we were also leaving much of each drink, which was wasteful. For us anyway, the best way is pay as we go.

[Shiraz49]

Wow ..... for 2 of us, we like a few coffees, martinis and cocktails at US$69/day for a B2B 28days we'd be forking out $3864 .... that's US dollars ... in local Australian currency that's $5483.

NO THANKS

Thankfully we noted on our last cruise (Canary Is. Nov 18) that they did NOT stop people bringing back wines/spirits or soft drinks/water ..... hope that's still the case when we go B2B next August.

Cheers Tom

[MarkBearSF]

It would also be helpful if someone posted a current bar menu. 

 

Thank you,

Edited December 30, 2018 by MarkBearSF

[ClanMcLean]

I've just been looking into this today. We'd already dismissed the $69 ($138) drinks package as we decided it wasn't value for money. You'd have to be drinking a lot of cocktails/wine EVERY night to make it worth while eg: you could buy a bottle of wine for dinner, three cocktails each, drinks coffee & juice during the day and still not spend $138.  You're obviously restricted in your choice also, due to the $11 cap.
Unfortunately, whilst looking at the updated website, I noticed they've put the price up of the wine collections. The Captains Collection is now $560 (up from $495) and the Commodore Collection is up to $715! (from $600). It's really baffling me, as you have wines that you can choose that don't work out any cheaper than buying off menu eg: Yealands Sav. 
So we've decided to just buy as we go. Our next trip is the Northern Lights, so there will be at least one evening that won't involve any alcohol, due to trips.

[tv24]

Useful info, thanks.