Drink package

[morriscats]

Apologize if this has already been discussed. Was reading on the Carnival board about the new drink package - around 50.00 a day per person (everyone over 21 in stateroom must purchase) for unlimited sodas and alcoholic beverages (under 10.00) per day. Wonder if Princess will follow?

[paul929207]

Nothing yet

[Pam in CA]

Apologize if this has already been discussed. Was reading on the Carnival board about the new drink package - around 50.00 a day per person (everyone over 21 in stateroom must purchase) for unlimited sodas and alcoholic beverages (under 10.00) per day. Wonder if Princess will follow?

I very much doubt it. You'll find far more very heavy drinkers on Carnival than Princess. $50/pp/day is a massive amount to spend on drinks. On Princess, that would translate into 7 martinis or 8 bloody Mary's, etc.

 

Princess offers an unlimited soda package for about $5/pp/day for any bar-dispensed soda. For about $7.50/pp/day (I forget the exact pricing), you get unlimited fountain sodas, smoothies, mocktails, and ice cream shakes. If you get one of these packages and have a couple of drinks a day, you're way ahead on Princess.

[skynight]

Princess has a fountain soda package, $4.25/day + 15% and an ultimate soda package which also includes milk shakes, mocktails, ice cream soda, I think the price is about $8pp/day.

 

No alcohol package yet

[caribill]

I very much doubt it. You'll find far more very heavy drinkers on Carnival than Princess. $50/pp/day is a massive amount to spend on drinks. On Princess, that would translate into 7 martinis or 8 bloody Mary's, etc.

 

 

And since everyone in a cabin must purchase it, on a seven day cruise with two people in the cabin that would be $700.

[Gunner22aa]

Princess markets to a different crowd than the college breakers and equilivents. I highly doubt 10% of the ship customers would be in the market for this and those 10% might be one night only. Personally I enjoy not being surrounded by folks that have to get every pennys worth out of a pre paid drink package. I for one don't want to see it happen. And yes I drink, sometimes more than I should but would not take advantage of this type of offer.

[paul929207]

Princess has started offering a wine package, which gives a discount for pre-purchasing wine for the cruise. It is especially nice on the longer cruises

[Gunner22aa]

This I think is great as opposed to unlimited alcohol. Can't remember the last time I saw someone staggering around with a wine bottle in their hand. Great for dinners and in cabin afternoons. I truly hope Princess keeps it to this, which I do take advantage of and leaves the ""all you can pound back" package to Carnival and the kids.

[bohaiboy]

Celebrity offers a drinks package and yes it is $50 pp/day and yes it is worth it. A pre-dinner glass of wine may be $10, two glasses at dinner, $20, an after dinner martini, $12, and all of the other drinks, soft drinks, bottled water and specialty coffees are also included, so not really a bad deal and not everyone that takes it is a drunk.

[Pam in CA]

Celebrity offers a drinks package and yes it is $50 pp/day and yes it is worth it. A pre-dinner glass of wine may be $10, two glasses at dinner, $20, an after dinner martini, $12, and all of the other drinks, soft drinks, bottled water and specialty coffees are also included, so not really a bad deal and not everyone that takes it is a drunk.

One big difference between Celebrity and Princess that might make their package a "deal" is that drink prices on Celebrity are much higher than on Princess. For instance, you mention the $12 martini. On Princess, a martini that's slightly smaller than the one served on Celebrity is $7-8, depending on the vodka.

 

HAL has what is essentially a debit card for any kind of beverage. You pay $45 for $50's worth of drinks, whether it's a soda, beer, glass of wine or martini. I can see Princess offering something similar rather than an unlimited all-you-can-drink option. People cheat now with the unlimited soda and Ultimate card and this would control the cheating.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

I like the debit card idea.

[Cruise Junky]

I think you'll find it on most lines within 2 years. Celebrity has one, Carnival, Oceania and now RCL is piloting it. I think Princess will bring it in eventually

[SAC69]

One big difference between Celebrity and Princess that might make their package a "deal" is that drink prices on Celebrity are much higher than on Princess. For instance, you mention the $12 martini. On Princess, a martini that's slightly smaller than the one served on Celebrity is $7-8, depending on the vodka.

 

HAL has what is essentially a debit card for any kind of beverage. You pay $45 for $50's worth of drinks, whether it's a soda, beer, glass of wine or martini. I can see Princess offering something similar rather than an unlimited all-you-can-drink option. People cheat now with the unlimited soda and Ultimate card and this would control the cheating.

 

Martini's are $10 on Celebrity and it's a full pour. Their package is a fantastic deal with all the water, special coffee, etc. I got more than my money's worth.

[Pam in CA]

Martini's are $10 on Celebrity and it's a full pour. Their package is a fantastic deal with all the water, special coffee, etc. I got more than my money's worth.

Before taking my Celebrity cruise last year, I debated whether to get their package and decided to wait until boarding. I was glad I did as it would have been far more expensive than getting individual drinks.

[caviargal]

I think you'll find it on most lines within 2 years. Celebrity has one, Carnival, Oceania and now RCL is piloting it. I think Princess will bring it in eventually

 

We opted for the drink package for our Oceania cruise next fall - 49.95 per person per day, gratuities included. Drink prices on O are high and even if we just have 3 glasses of wine each evening we will break even based on their per glass pricing. Also, their included list of wines and liquors is excellent.

 

It is a matter of convenience as well as cost savings for us.

[Cruise Junky]

We opted for the drink package for our Oceania cruise next fall - 49.95 per person per day, gratuities included. Drink prices on O are high and even if we just have 3 glasses of wine each evening we will break even based on their per glass pricing. Also, their included list of wines and liquors is excellent.

 

It is a matter of convenience as well as cost savings for us.

 

And Champagnes :) I would definitely buy the Oceania package with all that it includes.

[Woobstr112G]

Princess has started offering a wine package, which gives a discount for pre-purchasing wine for the cruise. It is especially nice on the longer cruises

 

Paul;

Have you purchased one yet? If so, what do you think of the pricing?

Bob

[paul929207]

Paul;

Have you purchased one yet? If so, what do you think of the pricing?

Bob

Bob,

No, they did not offer it on the Crown when we sailed in October.

 

As I understand there are two levels, silver and gold. With the silver level, you decide number of bottles (5, 7, 10 or 12). Price is $24, 23, 21 or 20, respectively. You get a punch card similar to the coffee card. You can select any wine on the menu for $29 or less.

 

The gold level works the same way, but for wine up to $45. I forget the cost but in mid $30 or so.

[NewPennCruiser]

We tried the wine package on the Crown last February when they were testing it on a few ships. I don't remember the exact cost but Paul's numbers look right. We were on the ship for 14 days and I think we purchased the silver package for $240 for 12 bottles. We really liked the package and would do it again but it seemed like there were a lot of inconsistencies on how the package worked and I'm not sure if it ever expanded to all ships. We are on the Sapphire this February for 14 days and we're hoping its available again. Dave

[paul929207]

We tried the wine package on the Crown last February when they were testing it on a few ships. I don't remember the exact cost but Paul's numbers look right. We were on the ship for 14 days and I think we purchased the silver package for $240 for 12 bottles. We really liked the package and would do it again but it seemed like there were a lot of inconsistencies on how the package worked and I'm not sure if it ever expanded to all ships. We are on the Sapphire this February for 14 days and we're hoping its available again. Dave

Princess has said that it is offered on all sailings of 10 days or more. However, we were on the Crown in Ocotber for three 12-day cruises and it was not offered on any of them.

[Id rather be diving]

We purchased the 12 bottle gold package on our recent 15 Hawaiian cruise. It was just shy of $400 with the 15% tip included. They really need to come up with a better way to track it than a punch card. You have to remember to bring the punch card to dinner along with your room key. They should tie it to your room key so that's all you have to bring.

 

We decided if we did it again we would just do the silver package as we only had a couple of bottles that were over the silver package limit. You can always buy a better bottle and just pay the difference.

[jagoffee]

We purchased the 12 bottle gold package on our recent 15 Hawaiian cruise. It was just shy of $400 with the 15% tip included. They really need to come up with a better way to track it than a punch card. You have to remember to bring the punch card to dinner along with your room key. They should tie it to your room key so that's all you have to bring.

 

We decided if we did it again we would just do the silver package as we only had a couple of bottles that were over the silver package limit. You can always buy a better bottle and just pay the difference.

Yes, it would be an improvement to not have the punch card. RCCL also uses a punch card.

From my experience Princess is behind on the use of technology.