Are drinks packages worth it?

[munchybunch1]

We are on celebrity eclipse ship in dec and Iwonder if the drinks packages are worth having or not. Thanks!

[Lovemychoos]

There are many, many threads on just this question - I'm sure if you search you'll find some help and what you are looking for.

 

It really does depend on how much and what you like to drink. Someone posted a chart some time ago, but I'm sorry I can't remember who or where to find it. I'm sure someone else will, and you can check for yourself if you'll get the benefit from a package.

 

Lou

[runnerandme]

I waited until I was onboard to purchase my Premium Non Alcoholic package. I bought it the first day, I did not come out "ahead" moneywise.

 

I would purchase the package again. It was great to order what I wanted and not think about the cost. I enjoyed coffee and teas that I would not have purchased without the package. Also I drank more water ( Evian and Pelligrino) which is a good thing.

 

Next time I will prepurchase the package.

[cruzk721]

It depends on how much you and your partner like to drink. Wife and I purchase it drink hearty no surprises at end of cruise

[Lsimon]

The drink packages are expensive. I'm guessing that they are priced well above the average passenger's bar bill. For that reason their best "value" is to those who drink above average quantities of the included beverages and/or those who are willing to pay a extra for an all inclusive type experience. So the question of "worth" will be different for everyone.

 

If you are unsure if it would be worth it to you, and if you've not had experience cruising or cruising on Celebrity then you might want to take a pass and just buy your drinks ala carte as you go.

 

I used to recommend that people hold off until they are on board and can check out both their own consumption and the prices on board. But recently they increased the prices of the packages if you purchase them on board. This changes that recommendation a bit so it isn't necessarily the good advice it once was. But the fact remains you can purchase the packages on board at a price prorated for the remaining days of the cruise although it now costs $5 more per day to do so.

 

Are you sailing this December, in the next couple weeks, or are you talking about next year? If it is next year then look into Celebrity's current 123-go promotion which offers a "free" drink package and see if you can modify your reservation to include it.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Lsimon

[CaroleSS]

We buy the package with no intention of "getting our money's worth".

 

We buy it for the freedom it affords us. Freedom from signing slips, freedom from wondering what our end bill will be, freedom to do wine pairings with dinner, freedom to grab water on our way to an excursion, freedom to try some new drink we might not otherwise have done. The list goes on, but you get my drift.

 

For us it is well 'worth it'!!

[4cats4me]

For us it would not be worth it. At most we each drink two alcohol beverages a day for only the first 3 or 4 days out of a 10-day cruise. We don't drink soda

We already get bottled water because of staying in Aqua, we drink one cup of coffee at breakfast in Blu

Drink the free fruit punch at the buffet, so for us it would not be worth it. Even if we were to receive it free as part of the promo, we still wouldn't imbibe more

 

However, we have friends who would get maximum value of the package:eek::D

 

If we liked a glass of wine at dinner every night and if we liked a pre-dinner cocktail or two, and if we drank cordials, espressos, drank by the pool et cet, then it would be a great deal.

[CanWeGoYet?]

For us it would not be worth it. At most we each drink two alcohol beverages a day for only the first 3 or 4 days out of a 10-day cruise. We don't drink soda

We already get bottled water because of staying in Aqua, we drink one cup of coffee at breakfast in Blu

Drink the free fruit punch at the buffet, so for us it would not be worth it. Even if we were to receive it free as part of the promo, we still wouldn't imbibe more

 

However, we have friends who would get maximum value of the package:eek::D

 

If we liked a glass of wine at dinner every night and if we liked a pre-dinner cocktail or two, and if we drank cordials, espressos, drank by the pool et cet, then it would be a great deal.

 

I am mainly considering the classic non-alcohol package because I'll end up buying my bottled water either way. Is bottled water in aqua class unlimited?

 

Also - slight derail but any opinions on the taste of the coffee (MDR, buffet or cova cafe)? I had a hard time on my Century cruise because I thought it was quite bad tasting no matter what the venue on the ship. Wondering if things have improved in this regard over the past few years.

[upwarduk]

We had the Classic package added to our recent cruise.

I worked out that the bottled water would have cost us $150 ( 14 night cruise)

That was a litre each per day.

We just broke even with our other drinks,:

1 beer at lunch.

Wine at dinner.

A drink in the theatre.

 

However, we also had Elite coupons, which took care of Happy Hour. So, if we had used the package then as well, we would have gained.

[fishycomics]

How much is the pkg?

 

I drank 8 teas per day for 14 days 112 teas.

I also drank water 2 glasses of water per dinners

So you can say I drank under 150 drinks for 14 days. And a drink pof I am sure cost a good 150 plus.

 

The choice is clear for me Not worth it!

[Lois R]

Depends on you and what is important to you. I drink on my cruises but

it doesn't make sense for me to buy one. Freedom is one thing and I do

understand that part of it but for me? If my bill at the end of the cruise

is less than 200.00 for everything? (that would be drinks, auto tips,

a specialty restaurant, etc...) I have no reason to pay twice that amount

for drinks only.....that is just my view on it.

We all have different priorities in life and what is important to you

may not be important to someone else....and vice versa;)

[Decpl]

We enjoy the freedom of a package. On a cruise its all about enjoyment. We never been drunk but we drink more than we do at home, but hey its a vacation. You figure a premium coffee in morning, fresh squeeze orange juice

maybe a breakfast colada , bottle water at pool, than a beer or two with lunch, than a drink in the bar before dinner, a drink or glass of wine with dinner. Coffee with Frangelica, or Kailua after dinner and a drink or two at the show and a night cap of baileys on the rocks you figure it adds up quick. Hey maybe we do drink a lot lol, But its a vacation unwind and enjoy!!!!:D

[CaroleSS]

As with many things in life, the definition of "worth it" differs from person to person.

[Snorkel Dawg]

To me it depends how port intensive the cruise is

[CanWeGoYet?]

On the HAL cruise I went on, it was short & the embarkation port was my home town. I was able to bring on a roller full of bottled water.

 

Or sometimes I have just bought the bottled water some days & stocked up on bottled water in ports. My next cruise has way too many sea days so I figure I will be paying the cost of the non-alcohol package anyway in the cost of individual bottled waters.

 

I wouldn't go for the alcohol packages, the most drinks I've ever had on a cruise was 4 in one day & that was with an open bar cocktail party. One or 2 drinks in a day is a lot for me, at home it's rare for me to even have a glass of wine.

Edited December 15, 2013 by CanWeGoYet?

[DWhit]

We are on celebrity eclipse ship in dec and Iwonder if the drinks packages are worth having or not. Thanks!

 

Yes, they are well worth having.

[Number34]

There seems to be a lot of discussion on whether they are good value but not enough advice on how to make best use of them, especially the non-alcoholic options. For example at breakfast I assume I would need to remember to get a speciality coffee, freshly squeezed OJ etc. all suggestions welcome.

[CaroleSS]

Coffee, fresh squeezed OJ with breakfast.......

 

my definition of heaven - a mimosa with room service for breakfast.....on my balcony (but remember that you will get it yourself as alcohol with room service is t covered).

 

Bottled water as you leave for an excursion

 

Try a martini at the Martini bar or a fancy drink at the Molicule Bar or a craft beer, something you might not have tried otherwise

 

Keep hydrated at the pool with some water or soda

 

Do a wine pairing with dinner with a nice after dinner coffee/port/dessert wine

 

How about a nightcap under the stars?

[Beanb41]

This notion of paying for bottled water intrigues me. Coming from a country where potable water is the norm I cant see the need to pay extra for a bottle. What is wrong with filling water up from a fountain at breakfast into a sipper bottle and taking it with you or are cruise lines so tight that one is nor permitted to fill one's own bottle with water.

[bigbenboys]

This notion of paying for bottled water intrigues me. Coming from a country where potable water is the norm I cant see the need to pay extra for a bottle. What is wrong with filling water up from a fountain at breakfast into a sipper bottle and taking it with you or are cruise lines so tight that one is nor permitted to fill one's own bottle with water.

 

This can be done. And I think the water is fine on the ships. But you cant just fill your water bottle from the fountain. You must put the water in a glass and fill your bottle. Then get another glass to fill the rest of your bttle. When I have done this I like 1 glass of ice and then ice filled with water. The real question is how many people go to the fountain with a screw top bottle and fill their used bottles.:eek: Yes I have seen it done many time even with the sign posted. Richard

[drfun48]

premium drink package duplicates many of the benefis I have in Elite plus yet I like the cinvenies of not having to sign with the package. I wish X would just discount packages a few dollars to elite +. Don't think that will happen.

[CanWeGoYet?]

This notion of paying for bottled water intrigues me. Coming from a country where potable water is the norm I cant see the need to pay extra for a bottle. What is wrong with filling water up from a fountain at breakfast into a sipper bottle and taking it with you or are cruise lines so tight that one is nor permitted to fill one's own bottle with water.

 

 

At the risk of being flamed over this topic once again - or derailing the thread / opening up a can of worms - for me I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of swelling I get if I only drink the water that has been treated (reverse osmosis) on board the ship - and when I try to drink a good amount of bottled water. I know the ship water is pure, probably more pure than what comes bottled. Issue is sodium, they get most of the sodium out but I don't believe at the same level as you would have with tap water on land.

 

The first cruise I went on where I did not have a great deal of swelling is the one where I had brought my bottled water - the cruise before I had so much swelling it was even in my face.

 

So that is why. I know lots of people have no difficulty with the ships supply water. I know I will be getting a lot of that same water in the coffee I drink, the reconstituted juices and the food. At least if I drink a few of the big bottled waters a day I give my kidneys a little break from the sodium. If I had no problem with swelling - you can bet I would not bother with the bottled water. I don't use it at home, I know it's terrible for the environment.

[DancerOT]

On the last cruise I went on, my mom ordered the premium alcohol package for herself and the premium non-alcohol package for me (thanks mom!) as a kind of "test" to see if she felt it was worth it. For a reference point, this was on a Bermuda cruise, so we were in port for 3 days and she is also an Elite cruiser so she was the happy hour for two hours at night. While, she fully enjoyed the package, she did not think she would order it again. However, we both felt that the premium non-alcohol package was worth it. Typically, we do not buy bottled water on a cruise. However, I probably imbibed 4-6 liters of Evian each day along with a liter of Pellegrino. Additionally, I would have a few of the non-alcoholic cocktails, a couple of specialty coffees. I found that the NA drink package actually contributed to my overall health (yes, I know this sounds hokey), but I Was drinking so much water that I didn't partake in mindless eating and I think I ate less overall. When I thought it about it afterwards, I realized that although I drink a lot of water on cruises, when I need to fill my Nalgene, I don't drink as much as I did on that cruise. The laziness factor of having to refill my bottle apparently limits the amount of water I drink when compared to asking one of the bar waiters for a fresh bottle of water.

 

The next time I will definitely be partaking in the NA package again.

[GranthamMommy]

We went on our first Celebrity cruise this year and bought the premium non alcohol package. We drank the specialty teas and coffees several times a day. It was nice to have soda when I felt like a diet coke, and to grab waters for our excursions. At the time this was $36 dollars a day cheaper than the premium alcohol. I may have had one drink during the day and a glass of wine at dinner, so this was the way to go.

 

So many times people say it's worth it if your drink a lot of coffee, water etc. Well if you only have 1-3 drinks, the non alcohol is worth it.

[English Tim]

I have recently returned from a Princess cruise. I purchase the Ultimate soda package, which includes milk shakes, malts, speciality coffees, etc, but no alcohol. I found myself drinking a lot of malts, simply because they were 'free', which isn't great for keeping your 'figure'!

 

Whilst buying a package enables the cruiser to easily budget, it does encourage over consumption, to get money's worth or because it's available on tap.

 

I should be getting the 1-2-3 Bev package free on my forthcoming cruise, but I don't think I would buy one. My wife didn't gain any weight on our last cruise, but she didn't have a package and drank tap water most of the time.