Drink Package Price Increases from February 27th.

[ready2cruzagain]

30 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

How much more is it to go from rasy plus to premium?

I am booked on a 7 day and an 11 day and to upgrade from Easy Plus to Premium is $20 per day pp

[sidari]

1 hour ago, RudiRatlos said:

That would be a downgrade. According to MSC specialty restaurants should still be included in Easy plus and Premium (this seems to be the new description as it has the new price limit €14 / $16, signature venues like Hola or Venchi have not been included before also):

 

PREMIUM EXTRA PACKAGE

Book now online your drink package at the lowest price compared to the onboard price! Includes all beverages priced up to €14 / $16!*

 

• Wide Selection of Premium and International cocktails
• Non-alcoholic cocktails and all non-alcoholic drinks
• Fresh fruit and protein cocktails
• Premium brand spirits, liqueurs and cordials
• Wide selection of fine wine by glass
• Champagne by glass
• Wide variety of draft and bottled beer
• Bottled Mineral Water
• Wide selection of classic and specialty hot drinks
• 25% discount on purchased of bottled wine and champagne
• Beverage gratuities included

 

*The Premium Extra Package can be enjoyed in our bars, buffet, main restaurant and specialty restaurants as well as on private islands, but does not cover our signature venues. 

Ours still says speciality restaurants for premium extra on our April Virtuosa sailing but it was booked some months back, the price now is over £700 pp for 12 nights.

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by sidari

[bafinegan]

57 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

How much more is it to go from rasy plus to premium?

$20 per day so $140 for 7 day cruise.

[carlmm]

For those interested in prices for upgrades:

Euro area:
Easy to Easy Plus € 12 if bought before, € 16 if bought on board 

Easy to Premium € 20 resp. € 40 Euro

Easy Plus to Premium € 18 resp. € 24 

Dollar area:

Euro area
Easy to Easy Plus $ 13 if bought before, $ 15 if bought on board

Easy to Premium $ 33 resp.$ 44 

Easy Plus to Premium $ 20 resp. $ 28 

[Moz]

I don't quite understand this topic,  We booked a cruise in November of 2022 for October 2023.  We booked the package with Easy plus included.  Will our cruise be charged more or are we grandfathered in at the price we booked at,  Thank you,

[mvh]

It won't change. You will still get the Easy Plus Pkg and whatever is included with it. It looks like the limit went up to $10. My guess is the $9 drinks will all go to $10, so it is basically a wash.  Best case, they don't go up and you will get a few extra drinks on the list. I'm curious to hear if the drinks all go up this week or very soon. This happened a few years ago and it was all good. You should be fine.

[steamboats]

9 hours ago, wallis7219 said:

It has to be noted that you are no longer able to use the premium drinks pkg in the speciality restaurants, which seems to have only just been added.

 

 

That´s just bad wording... The packages are still valid in specialty restaurants except for those venues specifically mentioned (Venchi, Jean Philipe...). But you still can use it in Butcher´s Cut or the Sushi restaurant or the seafood restaurant.

 

@RudiRatlos you may check here for more explanations regarding the beverage package.

 

There is no extra service charge on the packages neither online nor onboard. The price onboard is higher as it now includes the formerly extra charged service charge.

 

Same for upgrades from a lower to a higher package. Cheaper online and more onboard (as it includes the service charge).

 

steamboats

[wallis7219]

Interesting, on my page it does specifically say no to speciality restaurants?

 

[ready2cruzagain]

11 minutes ago, wallis7219 said:

Interesting, on my page it does specifically say no to speciality restaurants?

 

And on the US site it states it does LOL

 

[wallis7219]

🤷‍♂️ Clear as mud. Lol

[PTC DAWG]

On 2/27/2023 at 6:51 PM, styles27 said:

I’ll probably be in the minority here when I say I’m happy to see this price increase.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I'd rather they just go up on your cabin rates. I may or may not be in the minority here.    🙂

Edited March 1, 2023 by PTC DAWG

[steamboats]

2 hours ago, wallis7219 said:

Interesting, on my page it does specifically say no to speciality restaurants?

 

 

You have to read it properly... "specialty restaurants and signature venues" such as "Venchi 1878 establishments or Jean-Philippe Maury venues, MSC Virtuosa Starship Club". The "(...)" refers to both "specialty restaurants" and "signature venues".

 

We asked MSC specifically. Originally on the German website it was the same wording and they changed it. Now it´s:

"Das Paket gilt nicht in den Spezialitätenrestaurants und Bars von Venchi 1878, Lavazza sowie Jean Philippe Chocolate, Coffee, Crepes & Gelato und im MSC Starship Club. "

 

which translates "The packate is not valid in the specialty restaurants and bars of Venchi 1878...".

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

BTW there are FAQs on the German website and there you find:

Welche Getränkepakete gelten auch in den Spezialitätenrestaurants?

 

Alle Pakete können in den Buffet-Restaurants, den Hauptrestaurants und den Bars genutzt werden. Aber nur die folgenden können auch in den Spezialitätenrestaurants genutzt werden:

• All Inclusive Getränkepaket Easy Plus
• All Inclusive Getränkepaket Premium Extra

Das Getränkepaket All Inclusive Getränkepaket für Minderjährige kann auch in den Spezialitätenrestaurants konsumiert werden, wenn die Familie/Gruppe des Minderjährigen das All Inclusive Getränkepaket Easy Plus- oder Premium Extra erworben hat.

Translation:

 

Which beverage packages are also valid in specialty restaurants?

All packages can be used in buffet restaurants, main dining rooms and bars. But only the following are also valid in specialty restaurants:

- all inclusive beverage package Easy Plus

- all inclusive beverage package Premium Extra

The beverage package All Inclusive Beverage Package for Minors can also be used in specialty restaurants, when the family/group of the minor has purchased the all inclusive beverage package Easy Plus- or Premium Extra."

 

steamboats

 

 

[styles27]

3 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

I'd rather they just go up on your cabin rates. I may or may not be in the minority here.    🙂

I’m sure that’s next. Now that they’re filling their ships there’s no reason to charge hundreds of dollars less than their competition. 
I have no problem with that if it makes for a better cruising environment. 

[RandomUser123]

14 hours ago, Moz said:

I don't quite understand this topic,  We booked a cruise in November of 2022 for October 2023.  We booked the package with Easy plus included.  Will our cruise be charged more or are we grandfathered in at the price we booked at,  Thank you,

I believe you are grandfathered in for the price you booked. I purchased a cruise in January for November which had Easy Plus included and when I go online in my account to the payment and price details tab the price is still the same. 

[RudiRatlos]

13 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

@RudiRatlos you may check here for more explanations regarding the beverage package.

 

There is no extra service charge on the packages neither online nor onboard. The price onboard is higher as it now includes the formerly extra charged service charge.

That is exactly what I said.

[PTC DAWG]

5 hours ago, styles27 said:

I’m sure that’s next. Now that they’re filling their ships there’s no reason to charge hundreds of dollars less than their competition. 
I have no problem with that if it makes for a better cruising environment. 

It’s coming, no doubt. 

[steamboats]

14 hours ago, RandomUser123 said:

I believe you are grandfathered in for the price you booked. I purchased a cruise in January for November which had Easy Plus included and when I go online in my account to the payment and price details tab the price is still the same. 

 

Yes, you are grandfathered. You do not pay anything extra but you will get the new benefits.

 

BTW, so far there are no new bar menus.

 

steamboats

[Beamafar]

On 2/28/2023 at 11:56 PM, carlmm said:

For those interested in prices for upgrades:

Euro area:
Easy to Easy Plus € 12 if bought before, € 16 if bought on board 

Easy to Premium € 20 resp. € 40 Euro

Easy Plus to Premium € 18 resp. € 24 

Dollar area:

Euro area
Easy to Easy Plus $ 13 if bought before, $ 15 if bought on board

Easy to Premium $ 33 resp.$ 44 

Easy Plus to Premium $ 20 resp. $ 28 

That’s for the old pricings.   The new costs to upgrade (Euro sailings) pre-cruise are:

 

Easy (€39) to Easy Plus (€54) = €15

 

Easy to PremXtra (€74) = €35

 

Easy Plus to PremXtra  = €20

 

Don’t know, yet, what the onboard prices will be.  I’ll find out in 3 weeks’ time, I guess, when we embark World Europa.

 

For our US sailing next year, those prices are the same on our booking (our currency is Euro so the prices on the website are in Euro).