Drink Package was best cruise deal ever!

[ariawoman]

WORTH is a relative term (that only YOU can define).

 

Is a balcony WORTH the extra money?

Are the specialty restaurants WORTH the extra money?

Is flying first class WORTH the extra money?

 

Everything depends on your perspective and what it's worth to you.... :)

 

True. I guess I should have asked "is it worth it to YOU" asking for ones opinion :-)

 

I'm just really torn on this one. The frugal side of me says it's wasteful, that I might not drink enough to cover it (though i probably would, it's only 3 cans of soda a day i think to make the cost) but the stressed out side says "if you pay for it now, you wont worry about if it's being charged correctly or about how many you have as you'll be on vacation".

 

It's hard with frugal on one shoulder and convenience on the other! lol

[ariawoman]

True. I guess I should have asked "is it worth it to YOU" asking for ones opinion :-)

 

I'm just really torn on this one. The frugal side of me says it's wasteful, that I might not drink enough to cover it (though i probably would, it's only 3 cans of soda a day i think to make the cost) but the stressed out side says "if you pay for it now, you wont worry about if it's being charged correctly or about how many you have as you'll be on vacation".

 

It's hard with frugal on one shoulder and convenience on the other! lol

[ariawoman]

True. I guess I should have asked "is it worth it to YOU" asking for ones opinion :-)

 

I'm just really torn on this one. The frugal side of me says it's wasteful, that I might not drink enough to cover it (though i probably would, it's only 3 cans of soda a day i think to make the cost) but the stressed out side says "if you pay for it now, you wont worry about if it's being charged correctly or about how many you have as you'll be on vacation".

 

It's hard with frugal on one shoulder and convenience on the other! lol

[judeb23]

Let me start by saying we are not big drinkers per say, however on a cruise, we do like to enjoy ourselves, after all it is a carribbean vacation! We were on the Connie last January and purchased the Premium Drink package prior to boarding. Initially we were concerned that with so many port days we might not get our money's worth.

 

Not only did we get our money's worth and more, there were other perks that we didn't anticipate. Aside from no slips to sign etc, often around the pool when a frozen drink started melting often the staff would ask if they could just make a new one. We tried many different types of drinks esp Martinis that we might not have bought otherwise. If we tried a new drink and didn't like it it was replaced with another drink of our choice without question.

 

In order to show you why we felt this was a great deal I will describe a typical day. Disclaimer... based on this, some may think that we are heavy drinkers...if that is the case , while we appreciate your perspective and opinion please do not comment on our consumption ( this is our first post and we have seen some petty unnecessary replies). The purpose of this information is not to expose our consumption for review and/or public scrutiny, but to demonstrate to those who like to let their hair down a little and are wondering from a ecocnmic standpoint is it worth purchasing a package.

 

0830-Latte with one and half shots of Bailys..........$10.00

1100-large water...............................................$ 3.50

1230- Frozen drink..............................................$6.50

1430- Beer........................................................$5.00

1600- Frozen drink..............................................$6.50

1800- Glass of wine while dressing for dinner............$10.00

1930- Martini and dancing prior to dinner.................$12.00

2030- Dinner ( 4 different types of wine by the glass as suggested with each course by sommommlier-not all entirely consumed)..$ 40.00

2215- Specialty Coffee..........................................$ 8.00

2300- Dancing/Bar/Show/Casino Cocktail.............................$10.00

2400- Nightcap.(wearever..maybe brought back to balcony) $10.00

 

Total...$121.50 ( Drink prices are approx by memory-please don't bust me for not remembering exact price..probably cause I drank too much..Ha ha)

 

Cost per day...$55.00

Remenber this is for one person double the savings when we each bought one!

 

Only difference on port days was that we had two beers when back on ship as compared to 3 poolside drinks. Many nights we actually stayed out dancing etc later and maybe had another one...or if really hot day at the pool and having fun with poolside neighbors maybe snuck in an extra beer!

 

If you think this might come even close to a typical carribbean vacation day for you, then you can see what a true value it is. The other convieniences were no slips to sign, bar servers, waiters and sommoliers knowing your preferences and offering drink suggestions and special cocktails that we had never tried before. We told our assit waiter the first night about the specialty coffee and we had it served with our dessert every night...no hassles. It really added to the vacation atmosphere that we enjoy!

 

Hope this helps!

Firstly, thanks for this very helpful post. We are going on our first Celebrity Cruise on Century next month and our first to Hawaii so we have many sea days and lots of questions! Does anyone know what drinks are available on board without an additional charge? On previous cruises, water, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and lemonade were readily available all over the ship and via room service at no cost. I need to decide which package to choose and am finding it difficult. At present I am thinking of doing a day on board and then deciding so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have been avidly reading the posts for our sailing on October 17th though I haven't read them all quite yet. I am looking forward to meeting all the Cruise Critic folk at the party and especially to meeting all the good Americans who regularly post on there - I feel as though I know some of you already. Out of interest though, if anyone is going on this cruise from the UK it would be good to share some ideas about things relevant to UK passengers; especially luggage allowances and packing for a 15 day cruise and pre cruise visit to Vegas!!

Hope to hear something soon.

[upwarduk]

As the topic is about drinks, does anyone know if Celebrity carry Soya milk?

 

Since I have discovered that I have a sensitivity to Cow's milk, I have transferred to drinking Soya milk.

I ordered a jug per day when staying in Madeira this summer and know that Costa Coffee, Starbucks & M&S all carry it in UK.

 

I will ask my TA to make a request before we sail on Century in March, but I just wondered if anyone knows if Soya is available for Premium Coffees.

[wc123]

Great information to have, this seems like a no-brainer. BTW I don't consider myself a heavy consumer either but at those prices I bet I could up your bill by 30 % or so

[sunkey1]

On our last 10 day cruise, my husband had the premium alcohol and I had the premium non-alcohol package. While we would not do this every cruise, it was really a lot of fun. He got to try out all kinds of different martinis without fear of getting one he didn't like and having "wasted" the money on it - he would simply get a different one when that happened. One of the best things about his package was trying out the drinks at the molecular bar. There were a few there that were really yummy and he would never have tried them normally if he was paying $12 apiece. For me, I loved getting my lattes whenever I wanted, fresh OJ in the morning and bottled water with all my meals. Those were little "splurges" that we normally don't indulge in. We're planning a 20th anniversary cruise next year and I am looking at Celebrity in large part because of these packages (plus they have beautiful ships, great entertainment.....:))

[fridaythe13th]

Yes, we are ready for the rain also, and hope some gets to the NW side of town. We've actually had it where it's raining in the back yard, and dry in the front yard before. Very crazy weather here sometimes.

 

I am new to the Celebrity boards, always just on the Royal ones. We're ready for a change, and Celebrity sounds like it will fit the bill for us. Wife doesn't really drink, so just getting the premium for me would be the way to go. I wish Royal would wake up, and offer it on ALL their ships. :D

 

Not to hijack this thread, but when you are ready to try Celebrity let them know you are a Crown & Anchor member. They will give you a Captain's Club number and your status will be equal to that of RC. :D

[Pilot70D]

Has anyone ever purchased a beverage package, say the soda package which is the lowest level package, knowing that more than likely it might not be the most economical choice, but it would lessen the hassle of keeping track to make sure you weren't erroneously charged?

 

I really don't think I'd drink enough to make it a financial benefit, however from an ease standpoint I just feel like I'd worry less about saving anything or tracking anything or whatever.

 

What does everyone think? Is convenience worth the money?

We bought soda cards for years on our various cruises with X, HAL and Princess. In all cases the soda card was a money saver for us AND the convenience was great.

Now we each get the premium nonalcoholic package on our Celebrity voyages. We do get our money's worth with these packages as well but the main reason we buy them is convenience. The purpose of a cruise for us is to relax while aboard and enjoy ourselves. It is truly nice to be able to stop at any bar and get a Pelligrino water or to get a couple bottles of water as we go ashore. We also like to hang out in Cafe Al Bacio. Yes, we drink a lot more lattes and cappuccinos then we would ashore but so what. We enjoy them. I also like having an unlimited amount of freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast. That is included in this package.

We don't consume enough of the high octane adult beverages to make one of the alcoholic drink package worth while but we view the premium nonalcoholic package as a WIN/WIN. We win with the convenience and we do consume more dollars worth of beverages than the package costs even for two of us.

I would say buy whatever package floats your boat just for the convenience and enjoyment. Now please enjoy that next cruise while sipping a cappuccino.

:):):)

Edited September 14, 2011 by Pilot70D

[JGoacrerlyyn]

Thank you for posting this. We are booked on our first cruise in February 2012 and I didn't know this option existed.

I know I will benefit from this just on the special coffee and wine with dinners!

[BlueBeaver]

For our cruise on Eclipse in July I purchased the Premium package for myself, and the Classic package for my wife. We booked well in advance of the price increase and when onboard the allowence was adjusted to $62.10 and $50.60 per day to reflect the increases.

 

I did attempt to see if we would be getting value but gave up after a couple of days. We certainly felt we got a good deal.

 

The only area to watch are the Martini prices. The Premium packlage covered most drinks, but my wifes did not. Her $9.25 limit fell short in the Martini bar most of the time so if you sit at the bar together then it can hurt! Yes, order one for youself then after a short delay order another for the wife. Not very clever to do because the barman will know. We did not do this but it was an option.

 

Remember, if you order a drink over your limit you pay the entire price and not the extra. My wife had a drink at $13 and got charged just that.

 

The only regret was that we should have both bought the Premium package.

[CMH Traveler]

I can see the prices but for the life of me I can't figure out how to book them? Any hints.....deposit in, cruise "booked", final payment not made, but thought I could order now for next summer? Any ideas?

The best bet is to call the Celebrity Customer Service number 1-800-722-5941 and book them that way. There is a bug in the online order system that MIGHt cause it to overcharge you for the drink packages. The CS people I spoke to are very helpful.

[trikinimaster]

Had the premium Non Alcoholic Package and with a frozen virgin Mud Slide and premium coffees was well worth the cost.

 

Was the big Celebrity Plus.

 

Didn't think the menu was that great :eek:

[RosieCanberra]

Virgin Mudslides sound nice, is just a fancy chocolate shake?

Rosie:D

[linda47]

I just looked for a drink package for an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise and only found soda or wine packages. I know Celebrity has drink packages, so I'm surprised RCI doesn't.

[momofdsc]

Does anyone know if these premium drink packages are available on Carnival or Princess??

[julia]

Does anyone know if these premium drink packages are available on Carnival or Princess??

 

No, they are not offered on Carnival or Princess. This is a Celebrity thing. :)

[Tony UK]

Hi Judeb 23

We are also from NW England and have cruised with Celebrity many time, but not on the Century. We loved Hawaii and am sure you'll enjoy it.

Tea coffee etc are available free through room service, in the restaurant with meals, at the oceanview buffet. We go for the package beecause it is easy, we dont have to think about our budget and we can try lots of different things on board - especially martinis! Have a great cruise. Angie

[upwarduk]

I just looked for a drink package for an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise and only found soda or wine packages. I know Celebrity has drink packages, so I'm surprised RCI doesn't.

 

Do you think it is because RCCL are more family orientated?

 

There do have to be differences, otherwise why have different brands in the same 'umbrella' company.

[LannyLee]

I just looked for a drink package for an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise and only found soda or wine packages. I know Celebrity has drink packages, so I'm surprised RCI doesn't.

 

RCI are currently trialing it on 3 ships:

 

"Drinks packages are only available to book onboard on the following Royal Caribbean cruise ships:

Independence of the Seas – available from 14th March 2011

Grandeur of the Seas - available from 13th March 2011

Legend of the Seas – available from 14th March 2011"

 

Link: http://www.royalcaribbeandeals.co.uk/royal-caribbean-drinks-package.phtml

[linda47]

Thanks for the information. I never considered a drink package until reading this forum. Now I'm disappointed. Oh well.

[cruiser mick]

We bought soda cards for years on our various cruises with X, HAL and Princess. In all cases the soda card was a money saver for us AND the convenience was great.

 

Now we each get the premium nonalcoholic package on our Celebrity voyages. We do get our money's worth with these packages as well but the main reason we buy them is convenience. The purpose of a cruise for us is to relax while aboard and enjoy ourselves. It is truly nice to be able to stop at any bar and get a Pelligrino water or to get a couple bottles of water as we go ashore. We also like to hang out in Cafe Al Bacio. Yes, we drink a lot more lattes and cappuccinos then we would ashore but so what. We enjoy them. I also like having an unlimited amount of freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast. That is included in this package.

 

We don't consume enough of the high octane adult beverages to make one of the alcoholic drink package worth while but we view the premium nonalcoholic package as a WIN/WIN. We win with the convenience and we do consume more dollars worth of beverages than the package costs even for two of us.

 

I would say buy whatever package floats your boat just for the convenience and enjoyment. Now please enjoy that next cruise while sipping a cappuccino.

:):):)

 

Like yourselves, we always buy a soda package on Princess and this year we were offered the new kids package. Which includes unlimited supplies of Non Alcoholic Cocktails, Hot Chocolate, fruit juices, Water, Milk Shakes and all the Soda's, for a very reasonable price of $8 per day. As I am T Total it works great for me and my dear wife can enjoy our cabin Mini Bar. A premium non-alcoholic package, is a great asset to have onboard.

Edited September 15, 2011 by cruiser mick

[cmcvt]

"Any input from those of you that book an Aqua class room and pay for the premium package would be appreciate."

 

 

If you are not big drinkers of alcohol, Celebrity now offers a Premium Water package. I drink a lot of water too, and this was perfect, but it is just water. I found it to be a better package for me, adding a glass of wine with dinner.

[Aurora_tx]

Do All ships have these, because I would love to not worry about how much, and not buying drinks because you are trying to add everything up.. Me and my husband are going on the Carnival Magic next year and I would like to get this...:D

[Gossyboy]

Let me start by saying we are not big drinkers per say, however on a cruise, we do like to enjoy ourselves, after all it is a carribbean vacation! We were on the Connie last January and purchased the Premium Drink package prior to boarding. Initially we were concerned that with so many port days we might not get our money's worth.

 

Not only did we get our money's worth and more, there were other perks that we didn't anticipate. Aside from no slips to sign etc, often around the pool when a frozen drink started melting often the staff would ask if they could just make a new one. We tried many different types of drinks esp Martinis that we might not have bought otherwise. If we tried a new drink and didn't like it it was replaced with another drink of our choice without question.

 

In order to show you why we felt this was a great deal I will describe a typical day. Disclaimer... based on this, some may think that we are heavy drinkers...if that is the case , while we appreciate your perspective and opinion please do not comment on our consumption ( this is our first post and we have seen some petty unnecessary replies). The purpose of this information is not to expose our consumption for review and/or public scrutiny, but to demonstrate to those who like to let their hair down a little and are wondering from a ecocnmic standpoint is it worth purchasing a package.

 

0830-Latte with one and half shots of Bailys..........$10.00

1100-large water...............................................$ 3.50

1230- Frozen drink..............................................$6.50

1430- Beer........................................................$5.00

1600- Frozen drink..............................................$6.50

1800- Glass of wine while dressing for dinner............$10.00

1930- Martini and dancing prior to dinner.................$12.00

2030- Dinner ( 4 different types of wine by the glass as suggested with each course by sommommlier-not all entirely consumed)..$ 40.00

2215- Specialty Coffee..........................................$ 8.00

2300- Dancing/Bar/Show/Casino Cocktail.............................$10.00

2400- Nightcap.(wearever..maybe brought back to balcony) $10.00

 

Total...$121.50 ( Drink prices are approx by memory-please don't bust me for not remembering exact price..probably cause I drank too much..Ha ha)

 

Cost per day...$55.00

Remenber this is for one person double the savings when we each bought one!

 

Only difference on port days was that we had two beers when back on ship as compared to 3 poolside drinks. Many nights we actually stayed out dancing etc later and maybe had another one...or if really hot day at the pool and having fun with poolside neighbors maybe snuck in an extra beer!

 

If you think this might come even close to a typical carribbean vacation day for you, then you can see what a true value it is. The other convieniences were no slips to sign, bar servers, waiters and sommoliers knowing your preferences and offering drink suggestions and special cocktails that we had never tried before. We told our assit waiter the first night about the specialty coffee and we had it served with our dessert every night...no hassles. It really added to the vacation atmosphere that we enjoy!

 

Hope this helps!

 

Hi just seen a link to your post.

Interesting!! We are cruising for the first time on Crown Princess this Christmas. Do you or anyone else know, if they do a similar package on the Princess ships?

Or how would I find out?

 

Cheers.

 

Gossy.