Premium Alcohol Package Math

[Youalleverybody]

I've searched and read many threads, so I apoligize if I've missed this already.

 

Trying to determine if the premium alcohol package is worth it for our upcoming cruise.

 

$55, including 15% tips, so $46.75 in actual drinks.

 

I've found a few drink menus online which show average drink prices to be:

beer $4-6

wine $7-9 a glass

cocktails $6-9

 

On a cruise, I enjoy drinking wine and cocktails (margaritas, cosmos, martinis). With an average price of $8 a drink, I would need to consume 5.8 drinks a day to make this "worth it". Hmmmm.

 

Now, if they added specialty coffees or bottled water to the package it would be worth it to me. I don't drink soda or juice.

 

Thoughts? Has anyone else done the math and made it make sense to buy the package? Do my drink prices seem correct?

[raerom]

It does not make sense to me. I would not drink 6 alcoholic drinks on board each and everyday especially on port days. But other people will. It all depends on how much alcohol you consume. If the package included bottles of water and speciality coffees (like Celebrity Cruises) I would buy it in a heart beat!

[TxKroozer]

Math is reasonable and could be more drinks than what you compute, but not likely less. The issue is though it is for every day.....departure day, probably not an issue as the excitement and fun is there. Maybe OK on day two. Still excited. Day three, four, five, questionable to cram all the drinks into the evening since you may be in port all day. Day six and seven...is it time to sober up yet...no you have to still have six drinks. Got to break even.

 

Sorry for sarcasm, we figured it out and being over 55 we couldn't handle it or rationalize it for every friggin day of the cruise.

[pmc4009]

We looked at it this way,

Even on port days I could have 1 bloody mary or Vodka and OJ

1-2 drinks by the pool

1 before dinner drink

1 after dinner drink

2-3 drinks in the casino or during a show.

 

I am not a drinker by far, so for me to think I can do 5-6 drinks a day it just might be worth it.

 

It might just beat trying to sneak in anything and have to spend the money anyway

[tneah]

Even tough I could easily drink 4-6 drinks a day at first. I know by day 4 my drinking curbs day by day after the initial start of my cruise.

 

I think I make out better buying a few bottles of wine and then adding in a few beers here and there. Cheaper for me And hubby this way than the package.

 

Oh, and if the package included the speciality coffees, I would buy it.

[SMASHROX]

Even tough I could easily drink 4-6 drinks a day at first. I know by day 4 my drinking curbs day by day after the initial start of my cruise.

 

I think I make out better buying a few bottles of wine and then adding in a few beers here and there. Cheaper for me And hubby this way than the package.

 

Oh, and if the package included the speciality coffees, I would buy it.

 

DH and I are the same. By day 4 or 5 we start to feel the need to "dry out." We tend to buy the wine package instead which works out well because we can always bring an extra bottle back to our room after dinner.

[ejeffo]

This issue I see is that I like to sit on my own balcony with a bucket (or two) of cold beer. I would have to pay for that anyway and that is where most of my drinking budget goes.

[JulieRose]

I actually feel like this package would be a bad investment for us for a few reasons.

 

First of all, we like to have a drink or two at the local bars while in port and I would feel like I shouldn't do that since the alcohol on the ship is "paid for." Since we would still want to go to the local watering hole anyway, we would likely buy non alcoholic drinks and appetizers or small plates therefore likely spending more money than we would otherwise.

 

Second is the amount of alcohol we would have to consume to make it "worth it." We are weekend drinkers and can easily put away a bottle of rum between the two of us between Friday and Saturday nights but I can't see drinking at that level for each and every day for 9 nights. I actually find that I drink less on a vacation night than your average Weekend night because I have paid just to be on the ship so I want to remember every minute. Let's be honest, there are much more exciting things to do on a ship than in my living room so I don't feel the need for the enhancement alcohol offers.

 

Third, I don't get seasick per se but I find that the rocking often makes me feel more intoxicated than I actually am so I use that to keep the bar bill (and my stomach) down!

 

Other than lowering the price, I don't really know what RCI could do to make us buy this package. Call me crazy but $1000 for 2 people to drink like frat boys on a 9 night cruise is just unreasonable to me.

[katydyd]

I had absolutely zero problem making out well with the alcohol plan. But, I generally don't get off the boat anymore (at least on the Western itineraries, which seems to be what I get stuck with every time I can go on a cruise), and, I tend to stay up very late.

 

I typically would have a screwdriver when I got up. Two to three drinks while out by the pool. And, quite a few at night after dinner.

 

I loved it. I didn't drink anymore than I normally would b/c of it, but it was nice not to be thinking about the budget while on vacation. If more than the house wine was included, I'd have made out even better, b/c there were a few nights when I bought a glass of wine with dinner.

[redhead621]

Is there a list of the RCCL ships that offer the package or is it fleet wide?

[setsail]

 

Trying to determine if the premium alcohol package is worth it for our upcoming cruise.

 

 

Only you can answer that. Don't know your lifestyle or how much you drink;)

 

For us no, and we drink a fair amount. Why?

1-Both in the cabin have to buy

2-port days will be off the ship

3- get drinks for no upcharge in the lounge

4-You can bring on wine now

[Mark_K]

I see very limited appeal to those who are sailing in suites, are Diamond+, or are Diamond and sailing on ships with Diamond Lounges.

[Beth C]

I could probably make it worth my while on a 4-5 night cruise but anything longer I wouldn't be able to keep up the pace... Would just need one night of overdoing it to make the following day a write off...

 

My next cruise is 13 nights -$700 for the package... No chance it keeping it up that long!!

 

Friend who sail Celeb get their $$ worth but its nothing for them to polish off a bottle of wine or 2 at dinner alone

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[luckyprincess]

At home a bottle of nice wine lasts my guy and I two nights..we like to have a drink when we get home and can just sit and talk and then we like wine with dinner. On vacation I'll usually buy a white and a red ahead of time and then we'll get a margarita and a mojito and maybe a few beers at the pool and that's it. We just feel like there is so much to do that we want to be aware of it all. We also like to be really active and I guess we associate drinking with relaxing. Finally, I have to take dramamine and ginger and I basically will fall asleep if I drink too much on that combo..:cool:

[Youalleverybody]

Thanks everybody for your input.

 

It's a close call for me. I think it won't be a problem on sea days, and embarkation day to meet the "quota". But port days? Not sure.

 

I'll say it again. I wish they included specialty coffees.

 

So happy and thankful to be going on a cruise, in any case!!!!!

[Shelley61]

Our first cruise was on Indy when they first brought in the trial packages. We contemplated it but although we like a drink (or four!) we decided it didn't seem worth it to us. We don't drink during the day, even on seas days, so wouldn't consume enough to make it worthwhile.

 

Our bill at the end of 14 nights, including all on board drinks, photos, an excursion and various port transfers was significantly less than the total drinks package would have cost.

 

We're lightweights and can't cope with drinking in the day but if you can I'd say its worth looking into. We just had our evening drinks (whiskey or gin and a mixer each) and were well under the package prices.

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

This is great package for a spring break bahama trip if you are 22. Otherwise I can't see it working. Another way it might work is if you have kids and have booked to cabins with one parent in each cabin. Then there would only be one 21 year old in a cabin and drinks might be shared.

[Frankmac]

I would have say 3 beers around midday, glass of wine with lunch, 4 beers in pool bar in the evening, 2 beers in pub before dinner, 2 glasses of wines with dinner, 2 beers at the show, 4 beers in pub after the show and 2 jack daniels to finish off the night. Do you thing the drinks package would make sense for me?

[Youalleverybody]

Frankmac....yes. And I hope we are on the same cruise, because I bet it would be fun.

[raerom]

I would have say 3 beers around midday, glass of wine with lunch, 4 beers in pool bar in the evening, 2 beers in pub before dinner, 2 glasses of wines with dinner, 2 beers at the show, 4 beers in pub after the show and 2 jack daniels to finish off the night. Do you thing the drinks package would make sense for me?

 

20 drinks is a lot! That would be 140 drinks for a 7 day cruise. Are you serious? Do you think the bar staff would cut you off when they realize how much you have consumed? Your sea pass is keeping tack of the number of drinks you are consuming :eek:

[trev71]

I couldnt do that I might be able to have 3 drinks a day max, But like ive said another times I want to enjoy my cruise i dont want to be drunk or have hangovers. not worth it for me

[AllieMBee]

I'm definitely torn.. I don't think I could drink 5-6 drinks a day, but my husband could probably drink more beer and feel fine. He also drinks juice. I wish it included bottled water. I don't want to kick myself if we end up spending more, but I can't see us going through $100 a day of drinks!!

[seahag07]

:) Hi Cruisers: We were on the AOS last year for four straight weeks, and my husband and I drank between 20-25 drinks each every day. We can't wait for the next cruise, the drink pkg. will be a godsend! Well worth the money!:D

[seahag07]

I would have say 3 beers around midday, glass of wine with lunch, 4 beers in pool bar in the evening, 2 beers in pub before dinner, 2 glasses of wines with dinner, 2 beers at the show, 4 beers in pub after the show and 2 jack daniels to finish off the night. Do you thing the drinks package would make sense for me?

 

Frankmac, you ARE the bomb! Very impressive drinking schedule! We would be proud to sit at any bar with you, drink packages in hand! Prost! :D

[phoenix1181]

This is great package for a spring break bahama trip if you are 22. Otherwise I can't see it working. Another way it might work is if you have kids and have booked to cabins with one parent in each cabin. Then there would only be one 21 year old in a cabin and drinks might be shared.

 

There's always someone trying to cheat the system & the rest of us end up paying for it!

 

If they're scanning your SeaPass, it seems like cheating may be a bit more difficult. I hope they have something in place to prevent another drink within a certain time frame.

 

This package will be great for us. After many years of practice, I can drink just about anyone under the table & the only visible difference is the number of trips I make to the ladies room. DH doesn't do badly either but he can't keep up.