X-1 Drink Package

[OhioGirl]

Myself along with the man I'm dating..purchased the X-1 cards for drinks

on our Costa Med cruise...I have to tell you...IT IS SOOOO NOT WORTH THE MONEY!!

 

You are forced to drink what ever beer they want to give you...(it was ok a couple days..but as the week went by, they started pouring a very bad bitter tasting beer.) as for the wine...unless you like a very sweet white wine and the only kind of red wine you are offered to go along with everything at dinner is a Merlot.

 

Save your money!

[racingraysswimmom]

6 people in our group had the X-1 package and loved it. Thought it was well worth the money. Just like everything else onboard a ship, it was either acceptable or not acceptable. It all depends on your taste and perspective. Thanks for your post as it shows that it is not for everyone and that should be in your decision making process before you purchase.

[diathoney]

I had the X1. It worked for me. The Carlsbad draft was good, not my usual Coors light, but fine with a meal. For dinner I had the Merlot which was good and I found a bottled water I liked after 2 tries. We also had white wine at dinner (she brought one of each) which was OK. One night we ended up taking the full bottle of white back to our cabin. The next day we mixed it with some fruit and 7up for white wine spritzers by the pool! I figured I broke even by Tuesday night, so it was worth it to me.

[cls711]

I just returned from Barcelona yesterday after a week on the Costa Magica. I was the only one in our group of 16 that got the X1 package. I did it because I drink way too much Diet Coke. Each can of soda will run you 2.6 euro wich is $4.16 before tip. I can easily drink 3 sodas at 1 meal so $13.00 a day was a good deal for me. The ones who really benefitted were my dinner tablemates. We had a table of 8. On the first night at dinner I requested a glass of wine and bottled water, the waiter checked my card and then brought a bottle each of red & white wine and 2 bottles each of still and sparkling water. He poured for the whole table without question and brought new bottles when something ran out. The next night, and every night the bottles of wine and water were waiting on the table. At open seating lunch in the dining room, after checking my card they would bring wine and beer by the glass but would provide bottled water for the whole table. Sodas are canned, so if you can stop the waiter from opening the can you can manage to slip a couple into your bag at each meal to take back to the room for later. For sodas X1 is way not the same as a coke card on Princess or RCL, as you can only use it during meal times. But overall it was better than nothing.

[diathoney]

Our server offer the wine to the entire table too. Only one other person accepted - we were travelling together so it was great. The X1 works if it fits - no way would I have ordered it for DH. He only drinks Jim Beam and Caffeine-free diet coke. He did drink some of the bottled water and my DS has some coke on the card, but it's only worth it if you like beer and wine.

[PGcruiser]

What is the cost of the X1 and what does it include? My daughter is cruising for her honeymoon and this might work for their budget.

[G.M.T.]

What is the cost of the X1 and what does it include? My daughter is cruising for her honeymoon and this might work for their budget.

If you look further down the Costa forum page, you will see a couple of threads with X1 in the title, have a look at them and they will give you an insight as to what is covered and when.

 

Ron

[PGcruiser]

Thanks Ron, It looks like I should phone Costa directly for this one.

[G.M.T.]

Thanks Ron, It looks like I should phone Costa directly for this one.

Small tip, when you going on any shore excursion, order a bottle of water (or more if needed) the night before while at dinner with your X1, to take with you ashore. Saves Euro 2.50 a bottle on the morning of the excursion.

 

Ron

[carribeansol]

We loved the X1 package although it did not save us much on the total bill. I spent the savings on the bar bill in the spa!!!! I figured I had a budget and since I saved so much on the bar bill I might as well spend it in the spa.

 

Another hint: Order extra water at dinner for the room. My family drinks a LOT of bottled water. It was nice having it in the room.

 

More Hints: If you are a big wine drinker take your bottle with you after dinner. You can finish it later that evening if you want.

 

I wish I had purchased the X1 on our first 2 costa cruises.

 

IT PAID FOR IT SELF THE VERY FIRST DAY.

[Morgsmom]

I have to say that 1 time that I had the X-1 it was a wretched disaster. I think that they had just started the program in the Caribbean and no one would honor it - even in the dining room!! :mad:

 

I have been following the success stories anxiously as I intend to try again this fall. I hope that it is well established in Europe and that DD can maybe get slipped a Fanta while I enjoy some vino rosso with my dinner... (and a glass to go to the show, too!)

[Morgsmom]

Before someone jumps on me as to how no one would honor the X-1-- I totally understood the rules. The lunch DR servers would charge my card for the soda even though I pointed out the X1 before ordering because they didn't know what it meant. They would charge me for a beer at the lunch buffet (because the roving servers would take my card). I spent more time that cruise at the Purser's getting charges removed than enjoying my cruise. So, yes, I understood the limitations, but it was the Magica's first season (and 2nd week) in the Caribbean. I'll blame it on bad crew training.

[monicajay]

Morgsmom,

I had the X-1 it was a wretched disaster.

 

Sorry to hear that, hopefully next time it will go better. On our trip in March it was a wonderful success! Except maybe we drank more than we would have if we'd had to pay for all that beer.

 

Our dinning room waiter had a bottle of red, a bottle of mineral water and 2 large beers waiting for us on the table each night.

[jones721]

I have to say that 1 time that I had the X-1 it was a wretched disaster. I think that they had just started the program in the Caribbean and no one would honor it - even in the dining room!! :mad:

 

I have been following the success stories anxiously as I intend to try again this fall. I hope that it is well established in Europe and that DD can maybe get slipped a Fanta while I enjoy some vino rosso with my dinner... (and a glass to go to the show, too!)

 

Hi, it's Tracey here from the Magica cruise (Belize cave tubing). Simon had the X1 card on that trip and didn't have any problems getting served - although at dinner, they would give him wine by the glass and were so slow at serving, he would end up with probably only 2 glasses for the whole meal. But the bars were fine.

 

We are back from our European cruise and my sister and her husband purchased the X1 card. They had 2 bottles of wine every evening (and took the remainder away with them to the cabin). But it wasn't as easy as getting served the rest of the time at the buffet. On the Magica, Simon used to stand at the bar during buffet hours and got served. Last month, they were refused serving every time at the bar and told to sit down and ask a bar tender (told in a nice way). They were also quite fussy about you eating (ie drink served with a meal). So, they did what I suggested and tipped one waitress - and boy did the service change. She was forever there at lunchtime and brought them 2 beers and 2 sodas each time.

 

At dinner, I didn't drink any of the wine although I am sure if I had, the waiters wouldn't say anything.

 

But they sure had their money's worth!!

 

Tracey

[Morgsmom]

Hope your group had a great holiday! Super to hear from you again!

 

I had the same *service* at dinner -- 2 glasses of wine and that was it. In fact, one night I asked for a 3rd (to take with me) and was told by my server that I must be a drunk :eek: . I was MORTIFIED.

 

I think that I will go ahead and get it for this trip -- have lunch in the restaurant and then we have early dinner (DD prefers it). I should be able to get my money's worth ;)

 

Please post a review of your recent trip! The Costa boards are so slow...

[dalibi]

Hi I was with your group--Cave Tubing! My boys won't forget it.

 

Wishing everyone many more great cruise memories!

 

djsmeenge amd family

Holland, MI

(where the tulips bloom in May)

[jones721]

Hi I was with your group--Cave Tubing! My boys won't forget it.

 

Wishing everyone many more great cruise memories!

 

djsmeenge amd family

Holland, MI

(where the tulips bloom in May)

 

Hi, saw "djsmeenge" on the list of posts and thought, I recognise that name! I loved the cave tubing trip - even though it didn't quite live up to expectations.

 

I also remember sitting by your boys on the tender on the way back from Grand Cayman. I remember them being very polite. How are you all?

 

Morgsmom, we are back in Orlando again this Christmas. I did write a bit on another thread about this trip (a reply to someone else's thread) but haven't got around to writing a review yet. Ship almost exactly the same (Serena) as Magica, service from certain areas not as good and lots of people who pushed in. We just ended up treating it as a joke otherwise we would have got really cross.

 

Three instances, queueing to get off in Barcelona (along with most of the ship) when we docked at 1pm .Stood patiently in the queue (in line) and when we had almost got to the front, a huge Italian group joined from the side and walked straight in front of us. Buses (5 Euros each) to get into town. Were the second group of people in the queue for the next bus. Turned around - now about 20 people in front of us. We laughed at each other and stood in a semi circle (8 of us) and some of the people behind my brother in law got so annoyed because they couldn't get past. They tried everything to squeeze between him and the bus as there was no other way around us. Captains cocktail party (or repeaters party). Huge slow moving queue to get into theatre (photos). Waited for ages. Some people didn't like the look of the queue so walked all the way around the atrium and tried to join in by us at the front, standing straight in front of a couple with a pushchair!! Then they kept trying to move further forward past me. Didn't manage it though.

 

Itinerary great. Ship great. Food similar to Magica (although some portions smaller and a bit hit and miss sometimes). Service poor in some areas (ie I would always move aside to let a member of the crew walk by (usually waiters) and not once did they look at me and say thank you. Cabin staff fabulous. Entertainment good. I speak French and understand a little German so I like listening to different languages. Other people seemed to use the X1 card for whole tables at mealtimes (this happened twice at lunch, one Frenchman ordered 2 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of water with one card, shared them between 6 people and then as they ran out, asked for more - but then maybe all the rest had the cards anyway but just didn't show them).

Overall we enjoyed it and it was great value for money.

 

I will try and post soon. Where are you visiting?

 

Tracey

[Morgsmom]

our ports are Savona, Barcelona, Majorca, Tunis, Malta & Palermo. We are both pretty flexible and I will not be very happy if the Italians start "cutting in line" ahead of us. I can speak French and some German and we are studying Italian for this trip so hopefully I can pull a "what the heck are you doing?" out for this very measure :rolleyes:

 

You are in Orlando at Christmas? How very fun. Give details, please.

 

And, yes, we still talk about Cave Tubing -- a bit hit or miss but worth doing... A$$ES UP everyone!

[jones721]

our ports are Savona, Barcelona, Majorca, Tunis, Malta & Palermo. We are both pretty flexible and I will not be very happy if the Italians start "cutting in line" ahead of us. I can speak French and some German and we are studying Italian for this trip so hopefully I can pull a "what the heck are you doing?" out for this very measure :rolleyes:

 

You are in Orlando at Christmas? How very fun. Give details, please.

 

And, yes, we still talk about Cave Tubing -- a bit hit or miss but worth doing... A$$ES UP everyone!

 

On our first cruise we sailed into Malta. I loved it. It was so different. Savona was a modern port / cruise terminal. We waited a long time to board (about one and a half hours) and then later on I realised that as a past Costa customer, I was entitled to priority boarding. So, good point to remember!

 

Barcelona - gorgeous city. Went there for the first time on Costa Serena. Palermo, visited twice. Last time hired a car and went to Taormina. Very pretty.

 

Remember we have a villa in Orlando - we went there after our last cruise on Magica. Is is 4 miles south of Disney/

 

Our next cruise is with Carnival to Russia and back. 12 nights in August, just Simon and I.

 

Tracey