QM2 Drinks - advice needed

[GeorgianGal100]

5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Hmph. I’m sure you are right. I looked on the VP and the FAQs, where the price is wrong anyway, and neither of them disclose this gem.

I'm just going to copy this link to you exlondoner as I can't believe I'd know something you didn't.  If you wouldn't mind giving it the once over as I'm a newby to Cunard and could well have misunderstood. 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/activity-types/bars-and-lounges/a-world-of-drinks?s_kwcid=AL!13500!3!!!!x!!&gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6NdliOdv34_WGwuxeNmo_CuXmUvyB-vK594V5_dY-2hJwx5Mnd42uBoCjEAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

I'm just going to copy this link to you exlondoner as I can't believe I'd know something you didn't.  If you wouldn't mind giving it the once over as I'm a newby to Cunard and could well have misunderstood. 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/activity-types/bars-and-lounges/a-world-of-drinks?s_kwcid=AL!13500!3!!!!x!!&gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6NdliOdv34_WGwuxeNmo_CuXmUvyB-vK594V5_dY-2hJwx5Mnd42uBoCjEAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Firstly, you are very generous, and much too kind about the extent of my knowledge.

Secondly, I’m sure you are absolutely correct.

Thirdly, it is very mysterious, because the version on my Voyage Personaliser didn’t mention it when I looked. I shall have another look.

[exlondoner]

It still doesn’t mention it. Perhaps they think if I’m looking at the VP, I won’t be booking on board.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

19 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

There's no need to use your OBC on the drink package, just pay as you go & the price will come off your OBC as you use it up.

Thanks, H.h, but we plan to buy the drinks package. We’ve done it on board before without paying a $5 premium for the privilege. Too bad they’re doing this.

[GeorgianGal100]

15 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

It still doesn’t mention it. Perhaps they think if I’m looking at the VP, I won’t be booking on board.

Curiouser and curiouser...thank you so much for looking anyway. All the best.

[D&N]

It's a fairly recent change but been mentioned in other threads. There was a post about a month ago, not sure if before that.

 

Our experience when it was $69/day and no difference when paying onboard was that there was a member of staff at a table outside Carinthia Lounge to sell packages. Although we were booked as a 14 night round trip crossing, he was only selling the 7 nights Westbound. That meant we had the choice of whether to renew for Eastbound or not. Whereas had we booked on Manage My Booking we required to pay for 14 nights. We didn't know that beforehand but viewed it as a benefit.

 

We had a problem with buying from the man at that table though. He had no terminal, just duplicate forms to complete. Result was that our first coffees and aperitifs were charged before he had registered our purchase in the system and it took a visit to pursers desk then a phone call to get both removed.

For the 2nd week we went to the Chart Room bar, where the bar person registered it directly into his terminal and gave us a receipt you might get when putting a drinks order on your card.

I would advise arranging at one of the bars if buying on board.

 

[TheOldBear]

I would buy the old specialty hot drinks card [from 2010 or so] 

Not unlimited, just a modest discount to pre-purchase 10 or a dozen specialty coffees without any tracking of who was receiving each coffee or what days the card was used.

 

I think our total bar tab [wine by the bottle, corkage, beer, bar drinks, coffees and sodas] for our recent 26 night sailing was under $500 - much less than the $3588 for the unlimited drinks option for the entire sailing.

[LittleFish1976]

4 hours ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

I was meaning if you booked the drinks package before starting your cruise, which I would prefer to do for budgeting's sake, it was cheaper per day than waiting and booking on board. For instance $70 before boarding or $75 when on board.  I'm unable to book two different packages before boarding but as exlondoner kindly advised I may be able to request this on board if they see that although my daughter is 18 and now classed as an adult, she's not, hopefully, going to have much need of the alcoholic drinks package.

 

You're correct. That was the information I found prior to boarding mid-February and I believe the price difference was introduced at that time (around the same time as the increase from $69 to $70 and limit of $12 to $13). When I saw the difference I took the bait and booked the package before boarding.

 

The information was probably found in my voyage personaliser/My Cunard area of the website. I did post about it on this board at the time.

 

I agree it's pretty rich for them to expect your 18 year old daughter to take an expensive alcoholic drinks package just so you can. Good luck if you're trying to negotiate anything with the purser's office!

 

[lissie]

27 minutes ago, TheOldBear said:

I would buy the old specialty hot drinks card [from 2010 or so] 

Not unlimited, just a modest discount to pre-purchase 10 or a dozen specialty coffees without any tracking of who was receiving each coffee or what days the card was used.

 

I think our total bar tab [wine by the bottle, corkage, beer, bar drinks, coffees and sodas] for our recent 26 night sailing was under $500 - much less than the $3588 for the unlimited drinks option for the entire sailing.

This is our experience too - we  did 20 nights with only 4 ports - 2 of which were in the Middle East where we couldn't buy booze - so basically we only carried on about 10 or so various bottles at the start. We  spent a total of US$800 on board - so about $40 /day for 2.  Drank what we want - I'm the first to admit I've slowed down but I do lke cocktails - so it was 1/2 cocktails a night sometimes a beer or cider at lunch.  Sometimes a glass of wine at dinner. A couple of coffees. Sometimes a mocktail if one of us didn't feel like drinking. 

 

20 years ago we would have drunk twice as much - and it will still not have been close to being value for money.   Maybe its different on different lines - but a perfect pour gin or a cocktail has a kick - they are hand-mixed they don't use pre-made mixes and water them down  with excessive ice 

 

[lissie]

3 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

I agree it's pretty rich for them to expect your 18 year old daughter to take an expensive alcoholic drinks package just so you can. Good luck if you're trying to negotiate anything with the purser's office!

 

Haha I was thinking the opposite - I can imagine if I'd cruised with my 18 yo nephew a couple of years ago he'd have been the one justifying we both got a drink's package! 

[LittleFish1976]

3 minutes ago, lissie said:

Haha I was thinking the opposite - I can imagine if I'd cruised with my 18 yo nephew a couple of years ago he'd have been the one justifying we both got a drink's package! 

 

As I was writing it I was wryly thinking that my dear daughters probably would have jumped at the chance of a drinks package like that but not all are so keen!

 

[D&N]

I’m rethinking the package.

 

Without it we’d pay every day for; 2 coffees, 1 hot chocolate, 2 bottles San Pellegrino, 2 bottles still water, 2 x $30ish bottles of wine, a $70ish bottle of wine every 2 days, 2 aperitifs and 2 nightcaps. That costs at least $2,500 for 14 nights.

 

With the package we wouldn’t get the $70 wines and we’d have to drink inferior sparkling water. The latter we can cope with as long as it’s well chilled. We can get everything else in the package albeit by the glass rather than in bottles. But the difference is more than enough for us to have our 7 bottles of decent wines throughout the round trip and still be saving money. I have to admit that it was quite convenient not having to monitor the account for anything other than we needed to sign for.

 

The more important thing is whether everything we’d consider drinking by the glass is in stock!

 

I’ll decide before we next travel, although even paying the extra to buy onboard would still be a saving.

[nadge]

On 3/21/2023 at 10:32 PM, TheOldBear said:

I would buy the old specialty hot drinks card [from 2010 or so] 

Not unlimited, just a modest discount to pre-purchase 10 or a dozen specialty coffees without any tracking of who was receiving each coffee or what days the card was used.

 

I think our total bar tab [wine by the bottle, corkage, beer, bar drinks, coffees and sodas] for our recent 26 night sailing was under $500 - much less than the $3588 for the unlimited drinks option for the entire sailing.

 

Basically, everyone has to work out for themselves if the package is worth it depending on how much you drink.

Less than $500 for 26 nights for 2 people works out as less than $10 a day per person - not even the price of a cocktail!! So obviously a drinks package isn't needed.

 

 

On 3/21/2023 at 11:06 PM, lissie said:

Haha I was thinking the opposite - I can imagine if I'd cruised with my 18 yo nephew a couple of years ago he'd have been the one justifying we both got a drink's package! 

 

Me too. My kids range from 19 yrs old to mid 30s and they would all want a drinks package !!

Chips off the old block 🙂 .

 

My wife and I are on the Tokyo - Vancouver crossing in May (first time Cunard).

I would easily justify a drinks package but not my wife, so I have the same problem as GeorgianGal100. My wife does drink, but only a little - not enough to justify the package.

 

I look at it this way. A package would cost us $2,240 for the cruise - so all we have to do is spend less than that and we're out on top 🙂 .

[exlondoner]

This is most peculiar, though typically Cunardlike. Just now I have had an email from them about our voyage in May, particularly highlighting the exciting drinks options. When I followed the link, again there was no mention that it cost extra to book on board. Grrr.

[Victoria2]

19 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

This is most peculiar, though typically Cunardlike. Just now I have had an email from them about our voyage in May, particularly highlighting the exciting drinks options. When I followed the link, again there was no mention that it cost extra to book on board. Grrr.

I got the same email. Not that we would book any drink packages but it focuses on 'cover  your bar tab in advance' and not  'buy now, it's cheaper'! 🙂

[starquake]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:18 PM, Joe33472 said:

I'm still a little confused about the gratitude and the package, but I think that including the tip that the drink can't be more than $13.  So, $13.00 / 1.15 = $11.30 maximum price.    Plenty to drink on the link above less than that amount, albeit just a couple of red wine choices.  

 

Can confirm it's up to $13 ignoring the tip.    Have ordered items costing $12.30 with no charge to myself.

[starquake]

On 3/22/2023 at 8:55 PM, D&N said:

The more important thing is whether everything we’d consider drinking by the glass is in stock!

 

When the in-package Sancerre ran out last cruise, they swapped for a more expensive unavailable by the glass wine, and same occurred the previous year with the Merlot.   Cunard do still try to give good service, and we so far havn't been unhappy with substitutions.   

 

We have so far been on 4 cruises (well, 3 but one was 2 segments of a larger one) with Cunard, and had package on 2 of the 4, and overall our math worked like yours, we found it better overall.   Even on some of the port days it was useful as allowed us to load up a backpack with cans/bottles of water as we left to avoid expensive port prices ahead of a hike.   (if you ask nicely at some bars they will give you a can unopened if you do it as you go to bed etc).

[Joe33472]

33 minutes ago, starquake said:

Can confirm it's up to $13 ignoring the tip.    Have ordered items costing $12.30 with no charge to myself.

 

Thanks for this update!  This is great news.  On the wine list I see that there small pours of Chianti and a Rioja both just over $12, and I thought these were not on the package, so this gives me hope.   I'm not a big fan of Cabernet or Merlot.  I wonder about availability.  Were you able to order wine per glass in MDR and specialty dining?  

 

This might sound a little bit trashy, but I was thinking that pre-dinner that if I had a really nice glass of wine (or cocktail) in the lounge that by the time I got to dinner that the merlot or whatever was available by the glass wouldn't kill me.   The proverbial "bringing out the good wine first" thing.... But in all honesty, I really don't drink alcohol too much and don't want to over indulge just because we'll be on a package trying to get our "value".  Just being able to drink soda, specialty coffee, bottle water, etc. as much as we want will probably result in a good value. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Joe33472

[D&N]

2 hours ago, starquake said:

When the in-package Sancerre ran out last cruise, they swapped for a more expensive unavailable by the glass wine, and same occurred the previous year with the Merlot.

 

cans/bottles of water as we left to avoid expensive port prices ahead of a hike.   (if you ask nicely at some bars they will give you a can unopened if you do it as you go to bed etc).

We had same experience, particularly in MDR, and I'd have no hesitation in drinking what was available at lunch and while dancing in Queens Room/G32. For dinner wines I either need to take some from our cellar and pay corkage or order some like the 3 we had last time. The Ch.Tour Pibran, Pauillac was exceptional!

 

We had no problem getting unopened water.

My first encounter with CanO Water was quite interesting. I'd never seen cans of water before. The waiter poured the first servings and resealed the lids.  Unfortunately I wasn't given the tutorial on the right. When it came to needing a top-up I lifted the seal end and couldn't quite understand why the hole was so small. I didn't have much time to spend on it as we were just between dances and we don't like to be off the floor for a beat of music.

I squashed the can to get the water out and it ended up crushed to oblivion.  When the waiter returned and I commented on my difficulty and he saw the condition of the can, he just about ended himself.

[D&N]

2 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

 I'm not a big fan of Cabernet or Merlot.  I wonder about availability.  Were you able to order wine per glass in MDR and specialty dining?

We drink lots of tasty Cabernet or Merlot from 5 litre boxes at home with our mainly batch cooked everyday meals. Wine by the glass is certainly available in MDR and I believe in all bars and restaurants.

 

2 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

The proverbial "bringing out the good wine first" thing....

That's my philosophy with making a good wine last two dinners. The wine should survive to a second night but probably deteriorate after that. A decent full bodied red may actually develop different flavours on the second night. After the first decent sized glass we know the difference but won't be too bothered and the steak or whatever we are eating will be gone.

 

The Rioja and the Chablis were too expensive for the package at the time of our crossings. They're possibly the only ones we would have been happy with for our dinners.  What we eat for Sunday dinner, special occasions and when we have visitors is similar to meals on QM2, and we always drink decent bottle(s) from our cellar for those.

[LittleFish1976]

7 hours ago, starquake said:

Can confirm it's up to $13 ignoring the tip.    Have ordered items costing $12.30 with no charge to myself.

 

I had the same experience in February. $13 is the new limit. And the sommelier in the QG dining room always brought me large bottles of sparkling water despite the package 'rules' stipulating that only small bottles of water are included (!).

[LittleFish1976]

3 hours ago, D&N said:

The Rioja and the Chablis were too expensive for the package at the time of our crossings. They're possibly the only ones we would have been happy with for our dinners. 

 

The rioja was the wine I drank most nights with dinner. I found it a very nice wine. The Sancerre is also included in the package and is a very pleasant wine with lunch. There was also a Chilean Sauvignan blanc dessert wine that was absolutely delicious. Apart from the lack of a decent sparkling under the package (the English sparkling was out of stock and they did not offer a decent replacement - I found the prosecco not to my liking) the choices offerred were more than adequate and in fact very enjoyable.

 

Having the package stopped me from indulging in the more expensive wines by the glass but it was also pleasurable being able to take a chance on ordering something and not liking it enough to finish it. The cost per day of either of those options is similar; one very nice glass of wine or a plethora of wines and other drinks scattered throughout the day.

 

 

[D&N]

I've just spotted a change in the T&Cs for the drinks package.

When we used it last year the pdf of T&Cs stated: *Discount does not apply to bottles of wine with a menu price over $150.

The current T&Cs don't list that exclusion: https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/my-cunard-tcs

 

There are a couple of phrases that might permit them to refuse to offer something where the 20% discount would be substantial:  Cunard reserves the right to introduce exclusions or limitations without prior notice.  And: Shipboard management also reserves the right to add additional restrictions...........

 

Unlikely to affect us as there are lots of wines under $80 that we'd be delighted to drink. But it could open up a big saving for some.

Edited March 24, 2023 by D&N
remove unwanted line return

[lissie]

On 3/25/2023 at 3:01 AM, starquake said:

We have so far been on 4 cruises (well, 3 but one was 2 segments of a larger one) with Cunard, and had package on 2 of the 4, and overall our math worked like yours, we found it better overall.   Even on some of the port days it was useful as allowed us to load up a backpack with cans/bottles of water as we left to avoid expensive port prices ahead of a hike.   (if you ask nicely at some bars they will give you a can unopened if you do it as you go to bed etc).

There is a port that charges more for water than Cunard - where is this ? 

[D&N]

14 hours ago, lissie said:

There is a port that charges more for water than Cunard - where is this ? 

I think they were saying that being on the drinks package they wouldn't be paying Cunard for the extra cans/bottles they would take off the ship. 😀

But in practice it depends where you shop. On our first full day in New York last summer, not having had the chance to stock up on small bottles at Wholefoods, we found ourselves at Battery Park and needing hydration. There was no time to waste as we were heading for the Statue and photos of QM2, who was in port that day. A 500ml bottle of Poland Springs water from one of the food trucks was at least $3. Disgusted at myself for falling into that trap I picked up a case of 24 on way back to hotel!