Minor Child Drinks OBC

My husband and I always book on-board for future cruises to take advantage of the OBCs offered by X or RCCL.

My minor daughter and I are in one stateroom and my minor son and husband are in another. One of the perks we received was the Alcoholic Beverage Package. Last year, we had the same perk but they only gave us the Soda Package for our minor, full-fare children. We ended up upgrading both of their packages to the Premium Non-alcoholic Package so they could have virgin frozen drinks.

Should I press for a better non-alco for our minor children? I felt they only receiving the soda package as a perk was not on par for what they "could" have recieved had they been adults; or is the soda package a standard even for non-alco consuming adults?

Please, no flaming for bringing my well behaved, full-fared children with me on vacation.

Thanks Much!

Cherrel.

Was this decision made by your travel agent or did you book directly with Calebrity?

We booked directly with Celebrity; no TA.

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Absolutely no flaming. DD cruises with us all the time. Yes - press for the premium non alcoholic package. They can get anything they want anywhere without issue (Not alcohol of course!). The classic one doesn't include things like ice tea or - as you discovered - the virgin cocktails. DD has had the premium pack since our first cruise and we have always managed to get it complimentary one way or another. Through the TA or booking through future cruises. Not scamming it! As adults we have the premium pack too...

Absolutely no flaming. DD cruises with us all the time. Yes - press for the premium non alcoholic package. They can get anything they want anywhere without issue (Not alcohol of course!). The classic one doesn't include things like ice tea or - as you discovered - the virgin cocktails. DD has had the premium pack since our first cruise and we have always managed to get it complimentary one way or another. Through the TA or booking through future cruises. Not scamming it! As adults we have the premium pack too...

DH and I dont mind the $130 upgrade to Premium Alcohol Package, per adult. We take full advantage of the upgraded liquors and mixed drinks.

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Another suggestion is to have you and your wife book in one cabin and take the Alcoholic package as a perk and the kids in another cabin and not get it as a perk. Celebrity allows them to be booked in separate adjacent cabins. Don't let your TA tell you they don't allow it because it is on the web site and wife and I did it 20 years ago with the kids.

From the website

For voyages originating in North America, no guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing. This age limit will be waived for children sailing with their parents or guardians in connecting staterooms; for underage married couples; and for active duty members of the United States or Canadian military. Certain other restrictions and conditions will apply; such as compliance with the age twenty-one (21) alcohol policy, and proof of marriage for underage couples or proof of active duty military status required.

Another suggestion is to have you and your wife book in one cabin and take the Alcoholic package as a perk and the kids in another cabin and not get it as a perk. Celebrity allows them to be booked in separate adjacent cabins. Don't let your TA tell you they don't allow it because it is on the web site and wife and I did it 20 years ago with the kids.

 

From the website

 

For voyages originating in North America, no guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing. This age limit will be waived for children sailing with their parents or guardians in connecting staterooms; for underage married couples; and for active duty members of the United States or Canadian military. Certain other restrictions and conditions will apply; such as compliance with the age twenty-one (21) alcohol policy, and proof of marriage for underage couples or proof of active duty military status required.

I was going to say the same thing. We always did this and it worked well....although we usually upgraded them to the premium non alcohol package, but at least they were able to get the classic as a perk.

I was going to say the same thing. We always did this and it worked well....although we usually upgraded them to the premium non alcohol package, but at least they were able to get the classic as a perk.

Thanks for the heads-up!

Cherrel.

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This would make me mad as well. We have an upcoming cruise with an 18 year old and a 20 year old. We have classic beverage for all and a soda package would not allow them coffee, tea and hot chocolate at Cafe Bachio, would it?

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Basic tea & coffee are covered. But not anything "fancy" - like a cappuccino. The one time DD had a classic only we found she was constantly frustrated by the limitations. But she doesn't drink fizzy drinks or sodas. (or coffee!) so the only thing on the package she could access was still water.

If you have a child over 18 and are cruising in European waters you can have their card marked with permission to include access to the alcoholic element of their package.

I'm jumpstarting this thread again:

Last year on our Equinox sailing, I tried (very nicely, each time) through Captain's Club (we're Elite) 800#; Front Desk; Captain's Club on-board Rep; and Concierge, and was told they could not upgrade DD nor DS's beverage package. I guess I'll try on our Thanksgiving sailing on the Equinox, this year. 

Anyone had any success recently in getting their full-fare, minor child's, beverage package upgraded to Premium Non-alcoholic?

Thanks!

Lady_G 

A few years ago, DW and I had a beverage package issue that we were unable to resolve onboard, and guest services were unable to get Miami to resolve it either. Upon our return home, I sent an email to Michael Bailey, then President and CEO of Celebrity, expressing my disappointment with the manner in which the situation had been handled. Once it hit the office of Mr. Bailey, the issue was resolved quickly and to our complete satisfaction.

While the details of your case are somewhat different, there is a similar inherent lack of logic to Celebrity's stance. Given the fact that they are paying a full adult fare, but are still minors, they should be given the premium non-alcoholic package automatically as the closest in price to the perk they'd receive if they were older. There should be no need for them to upgrade, it should be an entitlement. While you could wait until you board and try to get some satisfaction, you might want to try engaging the office of Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, current President and CEO well in advance of your cruise to see if you can make a sufficiently strong argument. If you can't convince them that the kids should automatically get the premium package, perhaps you can at least get agreement that an upgrade is reasonable. 

Good luck.

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

A few years ago, DW and I had a beverage package issue that we were unable to resolve onboard, and guest services were unable to get Miami to resolve it either. Upon our return home, I sent an email to Michael Bailey, then President and CEO of Celebrity, expressing my disappointment with the manner in which the situation had been handled. Once it hit the office of Mr. Bailey, the issue was resolved quickly and to our complete satisfaction.

 

While the details of your case are somewhat different, there is a similar inherent lack of logic to Celebrity's stance. Given the fact that they are paying a full adult fare, but are still minors, they should be given the premium non-alcoholic package automatically as the closest in price to the perk they'd receive if they were older. There should be no need for them to upgrade, it should be an entitlement. While you could wait until you board and try to get some satisfaction, you might want to try engaging the office of Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, current President and CEO well in advance of your cruise to see if you can make a sufficiently strong argument. If you can't convince them that the kids should automatically get the premium package, perhaps you can at least get agreement that an upgrade is reasonable. 

 

Good luck.

Thank you for your posting! I will do just as you suggested!  I know to some, my posting may seem frivolous; however, I agree my children are entitled to similar/like perks as we are paying full fare for both of them. 

Lady_G

Just a FYI. I had a problem (not related to yours in any way) that was unable to be solved after exhausting all other means. I finally in total frustration Googled for a phone number for the CEO of Celebrity, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo and called. I shared my problem and was connected to an upper level manager who understood and was very helpful in getting it resolved. It's another way you can maybe get some resolution to what seems to be a very reasonable request.

I’m not so sure about that. My bf is a non-drinker. We inquired about downgrading him from the classic alcoholic package to the premium non alcoholic package and they were very clear that this would not be done for free. The classic package only (which alcoholic or non alcoholic) is given as the perk. To upgrade either requires an upcharge. So have to downgrade classic alcohol package to classic non alcoholic package and then pay to upgrade to premium. Not sure why minors would be different. Have seen many posters on here have the same experience. We did talk to the food/beverage manager.

Hmm, now I'm worried.

We recently rebooked to get all 4 perks including premium beverage.

Our 2nd cabin has 1 adult and 2 children, so the 2nd pax is a child.

I specifically asked my TA about what package the child would get and she said the premium non-alcoholic...

On 8/20/2018 at 8:25 PM, Lady_Gamecock said:

. I felt I should have last cruise, but I'm not one to cause any ruckus aboard ship.

You are not! And with all due respect, I think some of the suggestions, like writing to the CEO, are a bit over the top...

All you do is go to guest relations, explain the situation and they will change it - without any problem. 

@sanger727 I don’t drink and when I have the Classic Beverage Package incl. I also prefer the Non alcoholic Premium Package (which is of lesser value) because of the sparkling water included. I go to guest relations and tell them. 3 Minutes later I get a new card with the other package on it and all is well.

There have been many reports of people who successfully changed their classic alcohol package for a premium non-alcohol package.

But that isn’t the OP’s question. Their child has a soda package as part of the booking. They are wishing to upgrade to one of the non-alcohol packages.

The soda package does not include coffees, waters, it is only for Sodas. That’s a different thing than the non-alcohol package.

Can't each parent just "order" a mocktail for their child if the initial request is denied? I know they aren't always hanging with their parents (Not sure how old kids are...) but isn't that one way to get them a drink of choice??? After all, it is actually a "downgrade" to have the premium non-alcohol pkg...

No, purchasing someone else a drink using your beverage package is forbidden and can lead to the cancellation of the package.

Anyone can order a drink for someone else, you just have to pay for it.

6 hours ago, the_dylaness said:

Hmm, now I'm worried.

 

We recently rebooked to get all 4 perks including premium beverage.

Our 2nd cabin has 1 adult and 2 children, so the 2nd pax is a child.

I specifically asked my TA about what package the child would get and she said the premium non-alcoholic...

 

 

If it says Premium Beverage package then that should be fine. Premium Beverage is included for all guests with some of the suites and my son definitely had the Premium non-alcoholic on our last trip. He drinks enough mocktails that it would be an issue if it wasn't.

The nice thing about the Prem Bev is it includes Gatorade, Vitamin water, etc. Does it still include smoothies?