Overview of drink packages

[chamima]

vulcan1971

There are several factors to consider here before making the decision. Since we here on the forum don't know any/many details about your preferences and finances, I will just offer some ideas to consider:

 

 

[*]Are you on a long or short cruise? More port days or sea days overall? For short cruises or with more port days than sea days, you could be better off paying as you go if you don't consume many martinis.

 

It is an 11 day with 4 sea days

 

[*]Do you have a lot of OBC (on board credit) to spend? If yes, and you don't have other expenses to be covered, this would be a good way to spend some of it to upgrade your overall beverage package experience.

 

Yes, I do have some OBC to help offset the cost

 

[*]If you have a longer cruise or with more sea days, consider upgrading your package part way through the cruise so you are not spending money for an upgrading package when you are off the ship in port.

 

If you upgrade part way, you just pay for the extra days?

 

Yes but you have to upgrade at least 3 or 4 days before the end of your cruise.

 

 

 

[*]Do you drink a lot of bottled water? Specialty Coffee drinks? Higher end wines beyond $13/glass? If yes to any/all of these, then an upgrade to the Premium package makes sense for you.

 

I do like coffees, but could easily do without the. I thought the bottled water was included in the pkg I have? I like to try different martini's, lemon drop, Pomegranate etc.

Regular bottled water is included in the Classic, Pellegrino and Perrier are only in the Premium package.

Same with coffee, cappuccino is in Classic, coffee drinks with liquor just in Premium.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

I tried to separate Vulcan's quotes from your replies.

My replies are in red above.

As I said before, try a day or two without upgrading. If you see there are things you want not included, then upgrade. You can upgrade at any bar the minute you think you want/need to.

Edited January 5, 2015 by chamima

[vulcan1971]

vulcan1971

There are several factors to consider here before making the decision. Since we here on the forum don't know any/many details about your preferences and finances, I will just offer some ideas to consider:

[*]Are you on a long or short cruise? More port days or sea days overall? For short cruises or with more port days than sea days, you could be better off paying as you go if you don't consume many martinis.

 

It is an 11 day with 4 sea days

[*]Do you have a lot of OBC (on board credit) to spend? If yes, and you don't have other expenses to be covered, this would be a good way to spend some of it to upgrade your overall beverage package experience.

 

Yes, I do have some OBC to help offset the cost

[*]If you have a longer cruise or with more sea days, consider upgrading your package part way through the cruise so you are not spending money for an upgrading package when you are off the ship in port.

 

If you upgrade part way, you just pay for the extra days?

[*]Do you drink a lot of bottled water? Specialty Coffee drinks? Higher end wines beyond $13/glass? If yes to any/all of these, then an upgrade to the Premium package makes sense for you.

 

I do like coffees, but could easily do without the. I thought the bottled water was included in the pkg I have? I like to try different martini's, lemon drop, Pomegranate etc.

 

Thanks everyone!

I tried to separate Vulcan's quotes from your replies.

My replies are in red above.

As I said before, try a day or two without upgrading. If you see there are things you want not included, then upgrade. You can upgrade at any bar the minute you think you want/need to.

 

music -

 

You are quite welcome. Looks like chamima has done a decent job of answering your questions and clarifying my comments at the same time.

 

Since you already have the "Classic" package, try it out for a few days and see what you think. You may find that you are fine without upgrading at all... no harm, no worries, and no additional upgrade cost. :)

 

Regarding bottled water.... yes, there are bottles of non-fizzy water available in the classic package, but if you prefer Evian, that is only available in the Premium package. Also, any fizzy waters are only available in the Premium package.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[swcruise]

Hi,

 

I know this thread goes bck over a number of years.I am a newbie to X and am thinking of the Classic Package.

 

Couple of questions if I may :-

I take it you can buy cocktails up to 8 dollars at most of the bars and maybe the Martini bar depending on staff....

For a celebratory b'day b'fast is it possible to have a prosseco of Belini as part of the Classic package.

 

Many Thanks in Advance

Edited January 5, 2015 by swcruise

[DinaS]

I tried to separate Vulcan's quotes from your replies.

My replies are in red above.

As I said before, try a day or two without upgrading. If you see there are things you want not included, then upgrade. You can upgrade at any bar the minute you think you want/need to.

 

 

Do you know why coffees with alcohol are only available in the premium package? I thought it just depends on the brand of alcohol. For example, if the alcohol in the drink is included on the classic list, then why isn't the coffee drink included?

Edited January 5, 2015 by DinaS

[SteveinPhilly]

Do you know why coffees with alcohol are only available in the premium package? I thought it just depends on the brand of alcohol. For example, if the alcohol in the drink is included on the classic list, then why isn't the coffee drink included?

 

Dina. It was when I was on the Summit in Sept. I mean I went to Bacio and had coffee with Kalua and it was covered on the Classic pkg.

 

BTW, the barista at A Bacio on the evening shift Raimano (I think) was the best staff person the ship - bar none! (no pun intended:cool:)

Steve

[DinaS]

Dina. It was when I was on the Summit in Sept. I mean I went to Bacio and had coffee with Kalua and it was covered on the Classic pkg.

 

BTW, the barista at A Bacio on the evening shift Raimano (I think) was the best staff person the ship - bar none! (no pun intended:cool:)

Steve

 

That makes sense - and is exactly what I thought.

 

Someone posted above (Chamima) that coffee drinks with alcohol are only included in premium, and it didn't make sense if the alcohol brand is included in the classic package.

 

I plan to visit Café Bacio frequently :)

 

Thanks!

[SNJCruisers]

First Celebrity cruise for us, We have the classic from the123 promo also. We have already decided that DH needs to upgrade, he drinks mostly beer. My only question is if I want to have a martini before dinner, do I need to upgrade also?

If your DH is upgrading and from your last post you like the upgraded martini's, then you should upgrade as well. The upgrade cost is only 10.00 plus 1.50 tip. You'll then be able to enjoy the larger fancier martinis at the martini bar and the concoctions at the Molecular Bar if you're sailing on a ship that has one. The classic package includes basic no name bottled water, the premium includes Evian and San Pellegrino. You said you like lemon drop martinis...with the premium you can get them with Grey Goose or other high end vodka instead of a plain martini with Stoli or Absolute.

[jagoffee]

That makes sense - and is exactly what I thought.

 

Someone posted above (Chamima) that coffee drinks with alcohol are only included in premium, and it didn't make sense if the alcohol brand is included in the classic package.

 

I plan to visit Café Bacio frequently :)

 

Thanks!

It would make sense as long as the total cost for the coffee with alcohol was less than $8 if it was purchased. It is not an issue for me because I always pay to upgrade. But if I did not I would be tempted to purchase it and if it was less than $8 have the charge removed.

[music]

Thank you all for the info, I'm going to try the classic for a few days, and go from there.

[UniPac]

I don't know if this has been answered yet but what I want to do is:

 

Buying the classic non-alc package and later on upgrading to the classic pkg or the premium alc pkg.

Is that possible? I know I can upgrade the classic to the premium, but I never upgraded from non-alc to alc.

 

And what exactly is included in the "soda" package? Any (still) water or just coke, sprite, fanta? Would the soda package be upgradable to a classic alc pkg?

[SNJCruisers]

 

And what exactly is included in the "soda" package? Any (still) water or just coke, sprite, fanta? Would the soda package be upgradable to a classic alc pkg?

Eight bucks per day plus 15% tip. Soda only, no water. Can be upgraded to any more expensive non alcoholic or alcoholic package and the difference will be pro-rated. The upgrade must be done with at least 3 days left to go on your cruise.

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/onboard-beverage-packages?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages_overview#/onboard/asrPanel%3Fpagename=onboard_beverage_packages_fountain_soda

[VeniceRome]

Yes, WOW!!, what a super comprehensive listing. Great work!! For those who might want a little shorter, more basic listing, here was our cruise key summary of the detailed specifics from our mid-June 2011 cruise on the Solstice from a menu/pricing card that I borrowed from the Sunset/Oceanview area:

 

BEERS: At $4.50 each (plus the added 15% service charge), it is Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Light and Miller Lite; at $5.00 (which goes to $5.75 with tip), there is Amstel Light, Beck’s, Corona, Corona Light, Leffe Blonde, Heineken, Heineken Light, O’Doul’s (NA), Red Stripe and Samuel Adams; at $6.00 (which goes to $6.90 with tip), it is Bohemia, Grolsch, Guinness, Stella Artois, Newcastle Brown Ale and Peroni.

 

RED WINES: At $5.50 each, Cabernet Sauvignon/Pinotage “Basket Pressed” Heron’s Nest, Stellenbosch; at $6.50 each, Tempranillo, Marques de la Concordia, Crianza, Rioja; at $7.50 each Cabernet Sauvignon “Heritage” Wente Estates, Livermore; at $8.00 each, Merlot, Rutherford Ranch, Napa Valley and Shiraz “The Barossa” Peter Lehmann, Barossa Valley; at $8.50 each, Chianti Classico Riserva Tenuta di Nozzole, Tuscany and Pinot Noir, Kendall Jackson, “Vintner’s Reserve”.

 

WHITE WINES: At $5.50 each, Viognier, Maison Paul Jaboulet Aine, Rhone Valley; at $6.00 each, Riesling “Kabinett” Selbach-Oster, Mosel; at $6.50 each, Sauvignon Blanc, Southern Right, Walker Bay; at $7.50 each, Pino Grigio, Bollini, Trentino; at $8.00 each, Chardonnay, St. Francis, Sonoma; at $8.50 each, Pouilly Fume “La Moynerie” Michel Redde, Loire Valley.

 

ROSE-BLUSH: At $5.50 each, White Zinfandel, Beringer, North Coast; at $6.50 each, Rose de Provence, Jean-Lux Colombo.

 

The $8 glass of wine goes to $9.20 with tip added. A $6.50 wine goes to $7.48 with tip.

 

NON-ALCOHOLIC: At $2.50 each, it is Evian, Pellegrino and Perrier smaller-sized; at $3.00 each, they offer Arizona Premium Iced Tea, Green Tea, Lemon Tea, Peach Tea and Diet Lemon; at $4.00 each, they had Strawberry Banana Soda, Peach Sangria, large Evian and Pellegrino, Sparkling Mint Lemonade and Watermelon Tropic; at $5.00 each, it is Red Bull, regular and sugar-free. They also offer various Coca-Cola soft drinks, but those prices were not listed on this card.

 

We were very happy with the free ice tea, juices, etc., that were available.

 

If you have a port-intense cruise, you might find it harder to get your money's worth with some of the packages. As they say on TV ads with the disclaimer "mileage maybe vary", so it does depending on each person's personal needs, travel style and budget.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 64,098 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Was thus premium beverage package? I'm on the solstice in September next year in a 19 day tahitisn holiday celebrating my 50 birthdays

I did book the premium cause we usually get classic and then upgrade to,premium! Classic is usually given on a promo but not this time! Let me know if the above is premium package

Prices have gone a bit up now lol