Drinks available at no charge in buffet?

[Dandypanda]

Hello - our last cruise was with Viking where I didn't need to worry about this. Previous cruise was with Princess and we didn't get a drinks package. Our total pay-as-you-go bill for the week was about $300 for two, so we were quite happy with that as it didn't come close to what we would have paid for the drinks package. On Princess, everything in the buffet was included, and some non alcoholic drinks in the dining room were not extra charge. We're trying to figure out if we will spend $144 per day on drinks between us on Cunard. My instinct is that we will not, but that depends a lot on what we can get without extra charge. The availability of drinks in the buffet that are no extra charge is a deciding factor. I'm a latte drinker, but can can switch to drip for the week and just buy the occasional latte. We might have a couple of alcoholic drinks most days, maybe as many as 4 or 5 on a good day, but my math says we need to have six for the drinks package to be a deal. Any thoughts?

[King Amo]

Much depends on the itinerary of the cruise you are on. Something like a transat where it is all sea days, you have more time to drink, whereas if you are visiting ports regularly, you'll spend a lot of time off the ship. 

 

Someone who has been on board more recently than me can advise on the type of coffee machine in the buffet nowadays, but there have always been teas, coffees, and fruit punch/still lemonade style soft drinks from machines available. 

[exlondoner]

Tea and coffee after meals in the restaurants is free.

[D&N]

11 minutes ago, Dandypanda said:

We might have a couple of alcoholic drinks most days, maybe as many as 4 or 5 on a good day, but my math says we need to have six for the drinks package to be a deal. Any thoughts?

If that's your alcohol intake and you don't insist on coffee coming from proper espresso machines, and you use the buffet, then I don't think drinks packages are worth your while.

 

We have at least six a day, don't go near buffets, and I only take two coffees per day but always made exactly to my taste.

[starquake]

39 minutes ago, Dandypanda said:

 We might have a couple of alcoholic drinks most days, maybe as many as 4 or 5 on a good day, but my math says we need to have six for the drinks package to be a deal. Any thoughts?

Depends on what those drinks are.   If they are cocktails or wine, then maybe the drinks package is worth considering (as the good wines are a tiny portion, so effectively in the resturuant you may be served a double portion, so it may be equivalent of a $27 glass if paying cash).    If you prefer the cheaper Cunard label wines, then a large glass is   $13 ish paying cash.

 

If you drink mostly beer or lager, it takes nearer 10 of those to break even (as typically including tip they are $7-8 each).

 

This year for first time since starting on Cunard we are NOT taking the package, as my medication limits myself to 3 units per day of alcohol, and as such I have to be very careful about which drinks I have, and I expect a single cocktail or rum and coke and single glass of wine a day, and as such it is cheaper to just buy Bottles in the resturaurant between us, given there is no way my wife can drink near $100 in her own consumption.

 

 

Edited June 14 by starquake

[Pushpit]

In Britannia, Club and Grills you can have tea, coffee, water without charge. At breakfast there's also juices and smoothies available. In the Lido / Kings Court / Artisans' Foodhall there is in addition to tea, coffee, water, a Nescafé Vitality machine, which gives low spec fruit drinks. You can always get to their range of drinks, it's open pretty much 24/7.

[Dandypanda]

Nice! Thanks so much for the specifics. Sounds like we will be fine without the package.