Booze! Paying extra for drinks not in package

[dingoboy]

We are just about to buy the premium drinks package.

 

Have been told several times on here that if you buy the top level drinks package, and you want to have a drink with a price outside the drink package limit, celebrity now allow you to just pay the difference.

 

This is a significant change of policy as previously they didn't allow this.

 

However the replies that I have read on here only seem to refer to the pending change and I have yet to see any definitive 100% statement of fact from celebrity.

 

Can any one hop on here who has sailed within the last month to confirm or deny this new policy. Thanks.

[jimmythegreek]

Haven't sail recently, but I actually read it on the Celebrity web site...it's hidden, but it's in there!

[cruisestitch]

FWIW, the website, which is notoriously slow to be updated, still shows the former policy. Why not wait until you get on board to buy your beverage package -- get current info from Guest Services (note specially the name of the person who gives you the info, just in case there's a discrepancy later) and buy your package then.

[dzcruisers]

On the Connie in Sept. if youbought $50. a glass champagne or a $15. drink you only had to pay the difference between that and $12. Some of the waiters had to check because they were not aware of the policy. But after checking they did it.

[ljk76]

On our 8/21 Summit cruise I went to guest services and asked this question...was told I would definitely be charged the entire price for any drink over $12. she was a bit annoyed when I requestioned her, saying I had read there had been a policy change. No. Yet when we returned from our cruise I read that at the same time we were cruising on the Summit, on the Solstice up charges only were applied. Before I cruise again I will attempt to get a definitive answer, and I'll be following this thread as well. Good luck! We found it mostly limited our wine by the glass selection. It seemed several we would have ordered were $13 or $14.

[mari10]

On the Solstice two weeks ago we could pay the difference over the $12 mark.

At Murano and Tuscan Grille, my DH ordered wine above the $12 limit. He paid the difference + 15% gratuity.

 

Mari :)

[yvonneh]

I read on these boards if you have the classic package you pay the entire amount...and with the premium package you pay the difference in price.

[cruisestitch]

Yes we read this on the boards, but what the OP is asking is, how does this work in practice -- does anyone have trouble and apparently, yes, some have been told that this is not the policy yet. Since the only ones who can fix errors while on board are the staff at the Guest Services, that's why I recommend consulting with them once on board to see how this is being handled on your particular ship on your particular cruise, until such time as this modification shows up on the website.

[cherylroslyn]

We are just about to buy the premium drinks package.

 

Have been told several times on here that if you buy the top level drinks package, and you want to have a drink with a price outside the drink package limit, celebrity now allow you to just pay the difference.

 

This is a significant change of policy as previously they didn't allow this.

 

However the replies that I have read on here only seem to refer to the pending change and I have yet to see any definitive 100% statement of fact from celebrity.

 

Can any one hop on here who has sailed within the last month to confirm or deny this new policy. Thanks.

I just returned from Infinity on September 26th. I had sailed with a premium alcohol package on the Summit in May and was dissappointed that I couldn't buy an "expensive glass of wine" in Normandy by paying the difference.

 

 

I had heard on cruisecritic over the summer that there had been a change in policy for premium package purchases but I was sceptical. I did not buy my premium package until I was in the port and boarding the ship because I wanted to ask one of the bartenders or somoliers.

 

 

I was delighted to find out that the rumored change was in fact true on Infinity.

 

I am sad to hear that the Summit seems to be the only ship in the fleet not honoring the policy change.....and since Summit is the ship that I travel most frequently I will be interested to see why this is the case???

[sczcardfan]

We are just about to buy the premium drinks package.

 

Have been told several times on here that if you buy the top level drinks package, and you want to have a drink with a price outside the drink package limit, celebrity now allow you to just pay the difference.

 

This is a significant change of policy as previously they didn't allow this.

 

However the replies that I have read on here only seem to refer to the pending change and I have yet to see any definitive 100% statement of fact from celebrity.

 

Can any one hop on here who has sailed within the last month to confirm or deny this new policy. Thanks.

 

On the 8/29/11 Equinox sailing that was definitely the case. It wasn't particularly "advertised" but when I ordered items above the $12 limit they only charged me the difference.

 

The sommelier in Murano's did advertise this (perhaps to the point of annoyance, as he seemed to be using the fact to upsell to the most expensive glasses of wine).

[anniegb]

On the 8/29/11 Equinox sailing that was definitely the case. It wasn't particularly "advertised" but when I ordered items above the $12 limit they only charged me the difference.

 

The sommelier in Murano's did advertise this (perhaps to the point of annoyance, as he seemed to be using the fact to upsell to the most expensive glasses of wine).

 

I have just been reading the Celebrity Today for Aug 29 sailing and it DEFINITELY says that you can purchase a more expensive drink and only pay the difference if you have purchased the premium package.

 

I attach the link from someone's post:

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9zsEeMk2GPCMDlhMjM0M2EtMjM0NC00Nzc1LThiNmEtZGJlOGQyMDFlY2Ji&hl=en_GB

 

So I suppose check the Celebrity today.

 

Annie

[dzcruisers]

I have just been reading the Celebrity Today for Aug 29 sailing and it DEFINITELY says that you can purchase a more expensive drink and only pay the difference if you have purchased the premium package.

 

I attach the link from someone's post:

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9zsEeMk2GPCMDlhMjM0M2EtMjM0NC00Nzc1LThiNmEtZGJlOGQyMDFlY2Ji&hl=en_GB

 

So I suppose check the Celebrity today.

 

Annie

 

Thank you I knew I had seen it written somewhere. X seems to have a communication problem on some ships.

[sczcardfan]

On the 8/29/11 Equinox sailing that was definitely the case. It wasn't particularly "advertised" but when I ordered items above the $12 limit they only charged me the difference.

 

The sommelier in Murano's did advertise this (perhaps to the point of annoyance, as he seemed to be using the fact to upsell to the most expensive glasses of wine).

 

I have just been reading the Celebrity Today for Aug 29 sailing and it DEFINITELY says that you can purchase a more expensive drink and only pay the difference if you have purchased the premium package.

 

I attach the link from someone's post:

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9zsEeMk2GPCMDlhMjM0M2EtMjM0NC00Nzc1LThiNmEtZGJlOGQyMDFlY2Ji&hl=en_GB

 

So I suppose check the Celebrity today.

 

Annie

 

Hmmm...maybe I should read what they give me. I was the one who posted those Celebrity Today's... :o :p