Lsimon Finally Trys a Beverage Package

[Lsimon]

For some reason the whole subject of beverage packages has fascinated me even through, until now, I didn’t think they were right for us.

 

I bought the premium non-alcoholic packages for my DW and I on our just completed transatlantic cruise – but just for the last 10 nights of the cruise. I waited until the port-intensive first 4 days of the cruise was over as these involved long days ashore (typically from 8AM until 5:30PM) as we toured four major Mediterranean ports. Now I can personally confirm that the package price is pro-rated based on the remaining nights of the cruise. I bought the package early in the morning at the Café al Bacio shortly after they opened.

 

I must say we really enjoyed the packages. I’ll even admit that it seemed very nice at times not to have to bother with them printing a receipt nor having to sign one. This is something I’ve pooh-poohed as nonsense in many past threads and now I have to recant and apologize to all those to whom I’ve said it was no big deal. Well, I still think it isn’t a big deal but now I do understand and agree that it is nice.

 

Why the packages worked for us:

We consumed a good amount of the ship’s espresso based coffee (usually in the form of lattes) as we dislike the ship’s basic coffee. Also we drink large quantities of bottled water on the ship for reasons discussed in many past threads. (If you’d like to know more about our concerns over ship’s tap water then please take a look at the following thread rather than getting off point on this thread: click here for link). It also helped that our cabin was very close to the Café al Bacio so running there to get our morning coffees in to-go cups was not an issue for me.

Did I spend more than I would have without the packages:

YES and No

If we had not bought the packages then I would have continued using the Starbucks Via we brought along to avoid the ship’s basic coffee. The VIA isn’t great but it is much better than the ship’s basic no-extra-charge coffee. If we had not had several cups of coffee or tea from Café al Bacio daily then the package would not have been the best economic choice for us although the cost would only have been slightly higher that our normal spending. Once the package was purchased we felt very comfortable having an extra cup or two and enjoying a few other beverages that we might not have otherwise purchased. I’d say that our consumption would have cost about one-third more than the package cost but that included additional consumption based on the freedom of the package and if we hadn’t purchased the package we would have spent an amount approximately equal to the package cost.

Am I sorry I didn’t purchase the package earlier for the entire cruise? NO.

With the long busy port days the first 4 days of our cruise our purchases were well short of the cost of the package for those days – although it would have been close if we’d consumed more morning coffee from the Café al Bacio rather than using our Starbucks Via.

 

Will I purchase the package again: YES

I’ve already purchased for our upcoming Caribbean cruise next spring and would consider it for any cruise where we take it easy (we do very few early to late excursions in the Caribbean) but I’d think twice about a port intensive European cruise where we’re off the ship a good portion of the time on port days.

 

Will we consider the alcoholic packages in the future: NO

We do spend an amount that is close enough to the cost of the alcoholic packages but that includes a lot of wine purchased by the bottle. The by-the-glass wine list is too limited for our tastes. For those that consume a larger quantity of alcoholic beverages and/or are very happy with the selection of by-the-glass wines the package may be a good value.

 

Do I recommend that others buy the package: Not necessarily

I still believe that the package is best only for those that consume above average quantities of the included beverages and/or those that are willing to pay extra for an all-inclusive experience. My recommendation to those who are not completely sure if a package is right for them is to wait until you are on board and have a chance to check out the selection and prices of items as well as your own consumption. Then if the packages seem like a good idea you can buy them for the remaining days of the cruise at a prorated price.

[FrankinPA]

Larry,

 

I assume you have Elite status and could get lattes at the Elite breakfast. Were the ones from the Cafe that much better, in your opinion? We also have struggled with the beverage package questions and have come down on your historical side of thinking - just not worth the added flexibility versus the perks that Elite status gives.

 

Thanks for you thoughtful post.

another Larry

[Lsimon]

Larry,

 

I assume you have Elite status and could get lattes at the Elite breakfast. Were the ones from the Cafe that much better, in your opinion? We also have struggled with the beverage package questions and have come down on your historical side of thinking - just not worth the added flexibility versus the perks that Elite status gives.

 

Thanks for you thoughtful post.

another Larry

 

Well for starters, my DW needs the smell of coffee to be coaxed out of bed in the mornings so the Elite breakfast wouldn't work for our first cup in any event. We usually prefer our morning coffee in the cabin, preferably on the veranda if weather permits. Quite often we enjoy the second cup there as well and then we're usually done with it for the morning. Being very close to the Cafe (deck 6 mid ship) this past cruise made the coffee trips short and pretty convenient. It didn't take too long before the staff there knew what I wanted before I asked and the almond croissants were a big plus as well.

 

While we usually make it to the Elite coffee hour a couple times a cruise we're not daily regulars there as we generally prefer a slightly wider breakfast selection than what is offered there. On our TA it was pretty busy (we heard over 800 Elites on board) and the breakfast selection as a bit narrower than we've sometimes seen in past Elite breakfast offerings.

[alliebrandy]

May I ask, when you would go in the morning to get your coffees, did you take both your seapass card, as well as your DW's? Had you told the staff ahead of time that you would be picking up 2 cups at a time, 1 per seapass account?

[uktog]

Thanks for a great and well balanced assessment of the package.

 

Like your DW I need some coaxing and we have never had any issue with my DH going down with two passes and getting two "to goes".

 

We do take the alcohol package but find the value we get most from is the non alcoholic elements - we stock up on bottles of water (as you can only buy one bottle each) so we have a supply for shore excursions. You can also get servers to give you cans of soda unopened, so we usually take a couple of sodas ashore especially if we have a beach trip

[Orator]

Larry:

It was a pleasure meeting you on the cruise. Hope to cruise with you again.

[BrendaJ]

Hi Larry!

 

I must admit that, when travelling with Jim, I really doubt we'd get the full value out of an alcoholic beverage package, particularly on a port-intensive cruise. That being said, we have kicked around the idea of getting the non-alcoholic package on our upcoming Australia/New Zealand cruise. We can probably get our money's worth just in coffees, since both of us can put away quite a bit of the stuff and we don't enjoy the basic coffee on the ships. I am also a big fan of sparkling water, and like having bottled water whenever I'm off the ship.

 

However, I'm going on a 4 night cruise in a couple of weeks with 5 of my girlfriends, and we are all getting the premium alcohol package for that one. I expect I'll drink more than my usual amount due to the company I'll be keeping (I picture aft balcony wine and cheese sessions, pre-dinner martini's and wine pairing with dinner, not to mention many early morning coffees). None of us are picky about wine so the by-the-glass selection should be fine for us.

 

For four days, I'll probably get my money's worth and will require a liver transplant by the time we get home. :D

[huskerc]

I'm always interested in reading reports like this one. We're going to try basically the same experiment in February on the Silhouette. I've come to the same conclusion as you--it does not under any circumstance make financial sense for me to purchase the package, however if I do purchase it, I will certainly get my money's worth.

 

The one thing I haven't decided is between premium NA and premium alcoholic. Wines by the glass is the kicker--as you mention, that's very limited. When I run the numbers, it's pretty much a wash between the alcoholic package, versus the NA package and paying for alcohol. A big portion of our consumption would come from coffee and bottled water.

 

However, I would also like the freedom to try new drinks such as the molecular bar (this is our first S-class) without having to feel like I just wasted my money if I don't like it. And the wine by the glass issue cuts both ways--ordering by the glass allows a different selection with each course, which could be nice.

 

Anyway, thanks for the breakdown!

[flames9]

Hi Larry!

 

I must admit that, when travelling with Jim, I really doubt we'd get the full value out of an alcoholic beverage package, particularly on a port-intensive cruise. That being said, we have kicked around the idea of getting the non-alcoholic package on our upcoming Australia/New Zealand cruise. We can probably get our money's worth just in coffees, since both of us can put away quite a bit of the stuff and we don't enjoy the basic coffee on the ships. I am also a big fan of sparkling water, and like having bottled water whenever I'm off the ship.

 

However, I'm going on a 4 night cruise in a couple of weeks with 5 of my girlfriends, and we are all getting the premium alcohol package for that one. I expect I'll drink more than my usual amount due to the company I'll be keeping (I picture aft balcony wine and cheese sessions, pre-dinner martini's and wine pairing with dinner, not to mention many early morning coffees). None of us are picky about wine so the by-the-glass selection should be fine for us.

 

For four days, I'll probably get my money's worth and will require a liver transplant by the time we get home. :D

 

Just keep in mind room service drinks are NOT covered on the pkg(i think,lol)

[flyingv4me]

Okay, the world may now end on Friday! LOL! :D

 

All kidding aside, thank you for the post. We tried the premium alcohol package on our Hawaii cruise and loved it, but would never get it for a cruise that was too port intensive.

 

Thanks, again!

[Lsimon]

Just keep in mind room service drinks are NOT covered on the pkg(i think,lol)

 

Room service and mini bar are definitely not covered. We made it a habit to always think of whether we needed more water in the cabin when heading back to the cabin and passing a bar, the Cafe or the buffet area bar. And of course our morning coffee was delivered to the cabin by yours truly. At least they'll let you get two beverages at once as long as you have both cards with you (as my wife and I both purchased the package) so I could run and pick up the coffees on my own.

[PMT51]

DH and I bought the premium package on our last cruise and remarked how much more we enjoyed ourselves, and not just because of the alcohol either. No trying to figure out the best way to bring wine ;-) aboard. No having to watch how much we spent each day. If we wanted champagne and OJ for breakfast or a fancy smoothie we got it. Fancy coffees with snacks in the morning, what ever we wanted. Water to go when we left the ship, a nice cold beer or 2 when we got back. Went to the bar and brought pre-dinner drinks back to the cabin. Different wines to match the meal courses. A drink while at the show, a liqueur or two afterwards listening to the live music. Tried a mojito, yuck!!!! Tried a lychee martini, yum!!! Did not worry if the margaretta melted into a pool of sugar. Small stuff that really made the difference to us. Best of all $0.00 owing on the last day.

[A Sixth?]

Nice report and you basically have come to the same collusion as we did, sometimes we buy a package, sometimes not.

 

On our next cruise we likely won't buy it save maybe the last for the last few days...

 

What is the minimum number of days remaining that one can still buy a package? two or three days possible on a 14 day?

[Lsimon]

...What is the minimum number of days remaining that one can still buy a package? two or three days possible on a 14 day?

 

The Celebrity FAQ says: "It can be purchased on board up until there are two nights left in the cruise and must be purchased for the remainder of the voyage."

 

I don't know if that means that you can buy it on the day when there are only two nights remaining (i.e. Thursday for a cruise that disembarks on a Saturday) or if the last chance would have been the day before that.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thanks for your detailed and, as usual, well reasoned post, Larry. I looked at that package for my last cruise and determined it wouldn't make sense for me. I don't require coffee to blast me out of bed. :D I'm perfectly happy to go up to the lido, eat a bowl of muesli, and then join friends at the Elite breakfast (particularly if it is in Tuscan) for dessert (chocolate and almond croissants) and cafe mochas.

[pacheco18]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I always have a very generous OBC from my TA which will more than cover lattes, bottled water and even wine. I can't imagine needing to buy a beverage package for those items -- if I were a big drinker of the hard stuff, maybe.

[katienycgrl]

Thanks for posting such a great review and breakdown. I've been so much discussion about the drink packages, we leave this Sat Dec 22nd and I'm still debating on the packages. I think the final choice will be when we board and check out the bars and mood we're in of course. We're on a new island every day and DH and I go pretty hard the first few days on drinks and then slow down a bit so I feel like it evens out.

[Wine-O]

Nice report and you basically have come to the same collusion as we did, sometimes we buy a package, sometimes not.

 

On our next cruise we likely won't buy it save maybe the last for the last few days...

 

What is the minimum number of days remaining that one can still buy a package? two or three days possible on a 14 day?

 

I know a couple that bought it the last 3 days of our recent TA. We disembarked on a Monday morning, and they bought it Friday morning.

[ORV]

The Celebrity FAQ says: "It can be purchased on board up until there are two nights left in the cruise and must be purchased for the remainder of the voyage."

 

I don't know if that means that you can buy it on the day when there are only two nights remaining (i.e. Thursday for a cruise that disembarks on a Saturday) or if the last chance would have been the day before that.

 

I was told by guest relations that the cutoff was 3 days on our cruise. I was told by the beverage guy that sold me ours that depending on whether they need more money or not they will sell it up to the last day.

 

We got it for the last 3 days of our recent EQ TA cruise and got great value out of it. What is important to remember is that if you get the package you will get things that you normally wouldn't buy, like $5 teas at Al Bacio(which for iced tea is much better than the swill from the machines) and bottled water which we normally wouldn't get. Plus you can try some of those drinks you always wanted to try.

[IMac]

Could anyone please provide their experience ordering wine in the dinning room and speciality restaurants by the glass using their drinks package.

I do understand wine is served by the glass only.

? Who do you order the wine from waiter/ wine steward.

? Do they keep an eye on you in order to replenish your glass in a timely manner.

? Do they get the wine from a bar or do they have it in a more easily accessible location.

 

I ask this because I do not want to buy a drinks passage and have to spend a good deal of our dinning time trying to flag down someone to refill wine glasses.

 

Thank you for your consideration. Ian.

[DocJohnB]

At least they'll let you get two beverages at once as long as you have both cards with you (as my wife and I both purchased the package) so I could run and pick up the coffees on my own.

 

Glad I read through the thread as I was going to ask this very question. So as long as I or my brother (roommate) brings both cards there is no problem. Seeing as how he is 10 years younger . . . . :cool:

 

Like you, I prefer a better tasting coffee than the swill they serve and a couple of cups of "good" stuff will get me going in the mornings.

 

What time does Café al Bacio open in the a.m.?

[Despegue]

Decided that for our upcoming Millie cruise, I will take the Premium Non alcoholic and my wife nothing. i drink soda, she does not, and we rarely both need a drink at the same time when at the pool.

Bottled water you can keep for use during the exursions so we see no need to buy two this time around.

The savings will be used for consuming more Martinis no doubt:D

 

Just to make sure...we will NOT be sharing our package. that is obviously not allowed and this is monitored. the occasional sip is alright obviously.

[DocJohnB]

I have never purchased a drink package before as I didn't think it was worth. While researching on these boards for info, I came upon sarafinadh's excellent post on the subject and did a little math. When I figured out the cost of what I usually consume while cruising, it came almost to what the daily amount I normally spend. Then I factored in some of the things I would rarely buy (coffee's, juices, etc.) and I decided I will try the package on my upcoming cruise.

 

Now I am kicking around classic vs premium and will probably opt for the premium.

[scanditaly]

Could anyone please provide their experience ordering wine in the dinning room and speciality restaurants by the glass using their drinks package.

I do understand wine is served by the glass only.

? Who do you order the wine from waiter/ wine steward.

On the Eclipse last year, tablemates had package and their regular waiter served them and kept their glasses full, but the wine steward checked in with them as to any pertinent selections.

? Do they keep an eye on you in order to replenish your glass in a timely manner.

Yes, they were well attended, and their glasses were always full. One evening, the waiter just left the bottle on the table.

? Do they get the wine from a bar or do they have it in a more easily accessible location.

Liquor and wine seemed to me to be available everywhere on the ship. Many bars.. Of course all dining areas, except the burger bar also had various beverages available

I ask this because I do not want to buy a drinks passage and have to spend a good deal of our dinning time trying to flag down someone to refill wine glasses.

 

Thank you for your consideration. Ian.

 

P.s. Larry, I am still so much on the fence due to the fact that I really really prefer either my own wine by the bottle, or something nice from the wine list. DH and I will probably split, with him having a package, and me going a la bottle.

[travelingirl70]

I would like to thank the OP for a very well thought out, detailed and balance review! Like the OP, we have purchased the much under-appreciated Premium Non-Alcoholic package for our cruise departing this Sunday.

 

For me, my reasons were as follows:

 

1) We love Pellegrino and the sparkling water with dinner was a huge plus

2) Premium coffees and teas (we aren't elite, so no special treatment for us)

3) Two teenagers who love virgin frozen drinks

4) With AMEX Platimun we already have 2 bottles of wine coming to our cabins

5) I like the idea of trying the wine bar - the self serve one where you swipe your Sea Pass

6) Bottles of Wine with dinner

7) Avoiding the urge to over indulge just to get my money's worth

 

In the end, I priced out what I might expect to drink in a day (max) and at best, I broke even. Chances are I won't drink my "max" for 7 days straight, so it seems I am better off with my premium non-alcoholic package.