Windstar Alcohol Beverage Package

Well, prices change based on the special of the week. I noticed cruises we have booked in the fall are $700 more this week than last week's sale but now have the offer you listed. So you tell me! If you would purchase drink package, wifi, and want gratuity included then it's a deal - I guess. If you wouldn't normally do this then wait for the next "sale". As I've studied pricing in the cruise industry it's pretty standard. They need to make "xxxx" per person to stay financially viable, don't they? Drink prices are very fair. I think 7 to 9 from what I remember.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

The drink package only is better financially if a couple has more than 10-12 drinks or glasses of better wine, total, per day. But it is convenient, as the bartenders/sommelier soon recognise you and don't ask for your cabin number, etc.

Plus, if you are cheapskates like us, it relieves the pressure to economize :D

We were happy with the selection of wines by the glass available under the $12 per glass limit. And we regularly visit the wine country in California. Though there was one we would have really liked but they priced it at $12.50...

No French champagne is available under the plan, but there was a servicable cava available. Have it with a drop of Chambord as an appertif, yummy.

Does anyone know if VAT tax will be added on in Spain. If so, purchasing ahead may be a bargain. Too bad that they do not have a wine package to be purchased ahead.

Are you asking if WS addd VAT, no they dont.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Yes, I have read on other forums that VAT can be added to alcohol that is purchased on a cruise that has all European ports. I just wondered what the recent experience was. Thanks

The drink package only is better financially if a couple has more than 10-12 drinks or glasses of better wine, total, per day. But it is convenient, as the bartenders/sommelier soon recognise you and don't ask for your cabin number, etc.

 

Plus, if you are cheapskates like us, it relieves the pressure to economize :D

 

We were happy with the selection of wines by the glass available under the $12 per glass limit. And we regularly visit the wine country in California. Though there was one we would have really liked but they priced it at $12.50...

 

No French champagne is available under the plan, but there was a servicable cava available. Have it with a drop of Chambord as an appertif, yummy.

And, at dinner, once you order a glass they just keep refilling it. Just come around with the bottle and ask if you'd like more.

Keep in mind that any drink one orders if you haven't bought an All Inclusive Beverage Plan get gets an automatic 18% tip added to the cost of each drink ordered.

With an All Inclusive Beverage Plan an 18% tip is added to the selling price of the plan not each drink - regardless of how many drinks you order during the cruise.

If a couple EACH buy 5 drinks a day (1 drink before lunch, 1 drink before dinner, 2 classes of wine with dinner and 1 drink after dinner) at a cost of $10.00 per drink those drinks plus tips will cost them $118.00 per day or $826.00 for a 7 day cruise. Five drinks a day per person when you're on a cruise having a great time isn't as high as it sounds. Many will actually drink a bit more. Kind of changes the perspective of how expensive an All Inclusive Beverage Package looks at first. With the exception of river cruises we always buy the Beverage Plan. The plans are convenient and often a considerable money saver if you fit into the 10 drinks a day per couple demographic. Want a Mimosa with breakfast? Now you're drinking 12 drinks per day.

There are two versions of the inclusion list floating around.

We're on the Breeze right now and at embarkation we were handed a list with a long must of Scotches showing as included. I tried to get one at the bar and was told they weren't included and showed me the old list with a just a. iPhone included and the rest as exclusions. When I found the list I'd been given they just said they'd talk to the beverage manager. Very odd.

There are two versions of the inclusion list floating around.

 

We're on the Breeze right now and at embarkation we were handed a list with a long must of Scotches showing as included. I tried to get one at the bar and was told they weren't included and showed me the old list with a just a. iPhone included and the rest as exclusions. When I found the list I'd been given they just said they'd talk to the beverage manager. Very odd.

I hate autocorrect! An iPhone is not included on either list!

In any case, I talked to the beverage manager this morning who said the header for the middle column was wrong and should have said "excluded" rather than "included".

Thanks for the expert analysis of the drink package. It seems to me that the package based on our drinking habits is break even to a little ahead.

Where I get confused is we have 6 stops on our itinerary. If we're spending that much time off the boat, will there be enough time on the boat to get enough drinking in?!

All is well, just need to justify!

If you're active you will be ashore and off ship for lunch. Those few drinks missed at lunch are easily consumed once back on board preparing to sail away. I don't think I've ever eaten lunch on a cruise ship unless it was a sea day. After estimating what my wife and I likely consumed on a 7 day cruise (we are far from being booze hounds) we're glad we bought the bev package.

To us the AIBP represents a good value, is convenient and is one less item to think about as we move forward to our final incidentals billing statement which [in our case] slips easily under our cabin door because we prepay every major expense (laundry package, drink plans, internet packages and gratuities) before walking aboard. Cheers!

Is it possible to prepay laundry and gratuities?

Is it possible to prepay laundry and gratuities?

Laundry service is one of the options on the website that you can select and pay for before the cruise. Tips, not.

The other thing to remember is that many people buy a couple of bottles of wine on shore and bring it on the ship. You can consume it in your cabin or have it opened at dinner.

Laundry service is one of the options on the website that you can select and pay for before the cruise. Tips, not.

Windstar lets you prepay their laundry package if you want to purchase it, all 'mandatory' daily gratuities, all land tours offered by the ship, internet packages, hotel and airport transfers if you purchase them, spa service if you purchase it (spa tips are charged separately to your ships account) as well as their all inclusive beverage plan (order a bottle of wine and you will be charged for it as wine by the bottle isn't part of the AIBP).

Assuming I don't buy photos, bottles of wine or buy something from the ships store my end of cruise bill could be typed on a business card as I prepay everything weeks before I walk aboard.