Celebrity Price Gouging! - Drink package upgrade

[chamima]

1 minute ago, Cjdbrit said:

The classic doesn’t allow you to pay the difference on a more expensive drink.

It used to be that way? The premium does. Just buy the premium relax and enjoy your vacation 😊😊

 

 

Where did you see that?

[CaroleSS]

It was my understanding that you could pay the difference with the Classic package. Has this recently changed?

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, CaroleSS said:

It was my understanding that you could pay the difference with the Classic package. Has this recently changed?

No. Drink difference plus 20% gratuity. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

28 minutes ago, Cjdbrit said:

The classic doesn’t allow you to pay the difference on a more expensive drink. It used to be that way? The premium does. Just buy the premium relax and enjoy your vacation 😊😊

I believe you just pay the difference 

would you pay $32 a day to up grade , because that is the price in CAD 

[HogDog]

Current Drink Package FAQ's are here: https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/CEL_Beverage_Package_FAQs.pdf

 

It clearly allows for paying the drink difference from Classic Package allowance of $10. It's also been updated to clearly show that the Classic includes non-alcoholic drinks like specialty coffees and bottled water. Like others, we may have just been priced out of the Premium upgrade. Curious though, how much is a Tanquery (my favorite gin) and tonic? I hope it's not more than $12 or $13...

 

[DVDmedic]

This whole thread started because of this message I received from Celebrity Cruises Facebook chat.

 

Celebrity Cruises is constantly reviewing our competitive environment and this adjustment positions us in line with our competitors. We thank you for your feedback, your input will be shared with the proper teams.

[chamima]

57 minutes ago, DVDmedic said:

This whole thread started because of this message I received from Celebrity Cruises Facebook chat.

 

Celebrity Cruises is constantly reviewing our competitive environment and this adjustment positions us in line with our competitors. We thank you for your feedback, your input will be shared with the proper teams.

 

I don't know which "competitors" they are referring to.

Celebrity's drink package is the most expensive one of all the lines I'm familiar with.

[LGW59]

18 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

I don't know which "competitors" they are referring to.

Celebrity's drink package is the most expensive one of all the lines I'm familiar with.

Much like their current cruise pricing, YIKE$!!

[Vagabond Knight]

What are considered "premium coffees?"  Would it include all of the coffees in Cafe al Bacio that don't contain alcohol, such as typical lattes and cappuccinos? 

[Spif Barwunkel]

Personally, we've never felt "gouged" by X's drink package upgrade. We will upgrade to premium on the ship, if we have not already been given one while booking. That is if the typical per person cost is $10 to $12 per person per day. We upgrade for convenience and access to different non and alcoholic beverages, and we never use all of what we spend on the upgrade. We currently have two upcoming Celebrity cruises with the Classic drink package. We will not upgrade on either cruise because our TA onboard credit will more than allow us to drink whatever we want to, with lots left over for a good credit card credit.

 

Yes, all cruise pricing is higher, across the board. If you must use every dollar you spend on any drink package, then you will either not get your full money's worth or you will spend every day in a drunken stupor. Either way, we all have to decide if it's worth it.    

[natshala]

Just now, Vagabond Knight said:

What are considered "premium coffees?"  Would it include all of the coffees in Cafe al Bacio that don't contain alcohol, such as typical lattes and cappuccinos? 

Unless it’s changed in the last month—yes.

[chamima]

29 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Yes, all cruise pricing is higher, across the board. If you must use every dollar you spend on any drink package, then you will either not get your full money's worth or you will spend every day in a drunken stupor. Either way, we all have to decide if it's worth it.    

 

Not necessarily. 

If you drink lots of Perrier or Pellegrino or the like , at approximately the $5 a bottle Celebrity charges, you can easily break even or come out ahead for upgrading to Premium  (not covered AT ALL in the Classic so you'd pay the entire $5)

 

*

Edited January 14, 2023 by chamima

[JaniceGord]

8 hours ago, StellaTN said:

Just upgraded my drink package last night (for Beyond 7 day sailing March 19)  from classic to premium  (1/13) with 5% CC discount here’s the exact cost. 
 

$132.93 package ($20/day - 5% x 7 days)

$26.53 - 20% gratuity 

= $159.46. 
 

Screenshot attached. 
 

Hard to believe on the Apex last year I did the same thing for $84. 

Were you able to upgrade for just one person in your cabin, or did you have to upgrade for each person, as seems to be the new ruling.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

20 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

Not necessarily. 

If you drink lots of Perrier or Pellegrino or the like , at approximately the $5 a bottle Celebrity charges, you can easily break even or come out ahead for upgrading to Premium  (not covered AT ALL in the Classic so you'd pay the entire $5)

 

*

I really don’t notice much difference between Perrier and Club Soda 😁

[chamima]

8 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I really don’t notice much difference between Perrier and Club Soda 😁

 

 

FYI

"Sparkling mineral water is made with water from a mineral spring, like Perrier or Topo Chico.

Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty or lightly sweet flavor. Additives you may see in club soda are potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, disodium phosphate, or sodium bicarbonate."

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, chamima said:

 

 

FYI

"Sparkling mineral water is made with water from a mineral spring, like Perrier or Topo Chico.

Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty or lightly sweet flavor. Additives you may see in club soda are potassium sulfate, sodium chloride, disodium phosphate, or sodium bicarbonate."

That’s ok with me 😁

[talljules1]

3 hours ago, Vagabond Knight said:

What are considered "premium coffees?"  Would it include all of the coffees in Cafe al Bacio that don't contain alcohol, such as typical lattes and cappuccinos? 

 Yes. I think the 'premium coffees' are all those other than the coffee you can get for free at the buffet/MDR.

[jaapie]

3 hours ago, JaniceGord said:

Were you able to upgrade for just one person in your cabin, or did you have to upgrade for each person, as seems to be the new ruling.

Two days ago I upgraded one of us in the cabin from classic to premium for our cruise next month by calling the main 1-800 number so was pleased I was still able to do so as premium would be a waste for one of us who does not drink wine or martinis, just simple drinks like bacardi & coke, pina colada, mudslide, etc.

[StellaTN]

7 hours ago, JaniceGord said:

Were you able to upgrade for just one person in your cabin, or did you have to upgrade for each person, as seems to be the new ruling.

Yes they let me do one and keep the other classic.