The Ultimate Drink Package Question

When do you buy the package? Is there a special place on the ship that you

would buy it?

Thank YOU

Any open bar, dining room, buffet, by the pool, etc. Just ask any beverage staff anywhere.

On the Regal there was a table set up in the atrium with samples of everything included in the package and you could purchase it there.

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There are always tables set up on embarkation day outside the HC.

You can also pre-purchase the package.

From my experience, finding someone selling these packages is not the problem. The problem is avoiding them if you have already bought or don't want one.

Can you purchase the package on any other day after embarkation and only pay for the remaining days of the cruise. Example: on a 10 day cruise, purchase on day 5 for the remaining 5 days.

Can you purchase the package on any other day after embarkation and only pay for the remaining days of the cruise. Example: on a 10 day cruise, purchase on day 5 for the remaining 5 days.

No, Embarkation day and the next. Still pay full price if you wait until day two.

Best to pre-purchase and start drinking the moment you step aboard to get every nickel's value.

Enjoy!

Just back from Regal and got the package at the Lido buffet first day. I had to ask for it and never was asked again to buy one. The question should be is this a great deal. That's a personal yes and no. I had previously gotten the package as a free bonus on Celebrity for the past two cruises. It was great and I loved it, however I did not feel the same pressure as when I paid the nearly $400 in trying to break even each day. Do the math and it's about 7 drinks per day with an average cost of $8. You really got to put them down to reach that goal of it being a deal or not. I did really good with about 10 drinks per day the first few days and then I felt the desire to drink less so I was going for the fancy coffees, cokes, water bottles just to get to my daily quota on prices. Princess I think has lowered their prices and sizes. They got $5 wines and $5 Margaritas so it's tough to average that $8 per drink. Martini's only $8.95 while on other ships they are $10 to $12 and wines $8 per glass. Also if you get your special blend drink the bill only has $0 on it so you really don't know what the regular price would be. If I didn't know better Princess ordered smaller glasses say from a normal 8 oz drink to 7 oz to make up the difference for this new drink package. They also seem to pack them with ice. By day 7 I was fighting to drink 5 drinks that day. So was it worth it to me? No, so I would not pay for this package again. I'm fine with a $200 drink bill after 7 days. If it was free as I got at Celebrity, yes I'd get it for free. But if you are a real alcoholic and since they do have Bill W. and friends each day I say go for it. I'm just not a heavy drinker.

Two $4.00 coffee drinks a day, four bottles of 3.00 water, two glasses of 8.00 wine at vines a glass or two of port after dinner and late into the night pretty much gets you close to the daily price. If you'd paid cash for the wine you'd have been charged 15%, same with the port. If you are worried about falling $4-5 dollars short think about whether you'd use $4-5 of your own personal time reconciling all the drinks on your tab to make sure you weren't overcharged....

Two $4.00 coffee drinks a day, four bottles of 3.00 water, two glasses of 8.00 wine at vines a glass or two of port after dinner and late into the night pretty much gets you close to the daily price. If you'd paid cash for the wine you'd have been charged 15%, same with the port. If you are worried about falling $4-5 dollars short think about whether you'd use $4-5 of your own personal time reconciling all the drinks on your tab to make sure you weren't overcharged....

Excellent point. I am going on my first cruise on the 17th and am planning to get this package. I agree getting two cups of coffee each morning, staying hydrated with water (I did not know I could get bottled water! Yay!), a frozen specialty drink at lunch, and 3 or 4 cocktails at the bar late into the night...I'd rather not worry about how much each drink is costing me, or if my bill is correct. Although, I read somewhere that you cant get sodas in room service as part of the package, or after certain hours, or on certain parts of the ship (ie: only at a bar). Is this true? I'd like to be able to order specialty coffees as part of breakfast room service.

That's correct, you have to physically show up where you want to use your card. It's a bit of an inconvenience but it's good exercise LOL

You can use it anywhere there is bar service except room service.

From my experience, finding someone selling these packages is not the problem. The problem is avoiding them if you have already bought or don't want one.

I've never had a problem. Simply don't walk over to the table.

Purchasing the drink package (though not the Ultimate package) is the first thing we do once we drop our carry-ons in our stateroom.

You can go to any open bar, any open dining room, or the Horizon Court buffet to purchase it. On embarkation day, there are also typically staff members in the forward and aft elevator bays who will sell the packages, and you can usually purchase any of the wine-tasting events at the same time if you choose.

Some bars gave fountain Coke which was full of ice and got watered down pretty quick. Some would give you a can. So goes for the water at a bar. When going of ship to excursions you can get the big bottles of water on the package.

I've never had a problem. Simply don't walk over to the table.

I agree, we have never had one chase us down. :eek:

If one purchases the all inclusive drink package after boarding, will they be charged the Fort Lauderdale local tax ? One could wait until the ship is out of the local tax range, but drinks at sail away is a tradition for us.

Thanks for your help,

Billy

I called Princess a few days before sailing to pay for it and there was no tax.

If there are 2 people in a stateroom, do both have to purchase the ultimate package? (First time on Princess)

If there are 2 people in a stateroom, do both have to purchase the ultimate package? (First time on Princess)

No, if one one of you chooses to purchase the package, it is not required that both purchase it.

I purchased the ultimate package on my cruise this past weekend. It is not required for everyone in the stateroom to purchase it.

I purchased mine online a couple weeks before the cruise through Princess gift shop on their web site. Fully expected to have a sticker on my card when boarding. Wasn't the case. I had to jump hoops to get my first drink.

The gentleman on the phone told me I would receive a paper in my stateroom to bring to the first bar and then would receive a sticker there. Not the case! Ordered mine and my dad's first drink, handed the slip of paper to the bartender and he had never seen this before. Talked to his supervisor and they shook their head too. They told us to consult with the beverage package table where they were selling actual packages and stickers. They never saw this before either. One man went off to call the drink supervisor for 10 minutes. He came back and told us we needed to pick up our sticker from our cabin attendant or guest services. Knowing I wouldn't find our cabin attendant anytime soon we made our way to the front of the ship to guest services.

I'm telling you this was a wild goose chase all around the ship. One of the sales persons even told me, next time purchase on board as no one is familiar with the online gift program.??? Guest services looked at my paper slip and stared at it for a minute. I let them know that I was told to go there and the two packages were purchased online and paid for in advance. They took our two seapass cards and went into the backroom. A couple minutes later he returned with stickers on both cards. I am used to pre purchasing my packages online with RCCL where everything's in order before you board.

Sorry about the long rant, just want to warn other cruisers with my own personal experience. Avoid purchasing online and just buy the package at one of the many tables set up around the ship. Less headaches.

Nice cruise nonetheless. Was quite impressed as a first time Princess customer.

This sounds like a typical case of Princess inconsistency. When we checked in at FLL last March, stickers for all pre-purchased drink packages where put on the cruise cards as part of the check-in process. Those who had purchased the soft drink & more package had their drink tumbler waiting for them in the cabin.

We pre-purchased our drink packages to avoid and FL state taxes collected while the ship was still in port. (not collected when purchased via the internet).

We pre-purchased our drink packages to avoid and FL state taxes collected while the ship was still in port. (not collected when purchased via the internet).

I have never read of anyone being charged sales tax on drink packages.

I think they simply process the purchase later in the evening.

Additionally, I have never heard of anyone walking up to one

of the tables on embarcation day, and having the slightest

problem purchasing drink stickers.

I have read quite a few posts about problems with pre-purchasing

stickers.

We are planning on purchasing the all inclusive drinks package on our upcomming cruise through Asia. Can anyonetell me if you can purchase a beer at a bar without having it opened so that we can take it back to enjoy on our balcony? I realize that you can only receive one drink at a time but am hoping that I may be able to grab a drink if we are heading ack to the cabin and store it in the fridge for later consumption.

Cheers.

We are planning on purchasing the all inclusive drinks package on our upcomming cruise through Asia. Can anyonetell me if you can purchase a beer at a bar without having it opened so that we can take it back to enjoy on our balcony? I realize that you can only receive one drink at a time but am hoping that I may be able to grab a drink if we are heading ack to the cabin and store it in the fridge for later consumption.

 

Cheers.

That should be no problem. Just ask them not to open it and you can take it with you.