Buckets of Beer - Pricing and Brands

[RLK33853]

Since there have been lots of questions about buckets of beer, this last cruise on the Coral we took note and tried different ways of purchasing them.

 

I had Bass ($4.95) and Grolsch ($5.95) by the bottle and bought buckets of Becks from both the pool bar and from room service.

 

What seems strange is that the deal at the pool was 5 for the price of 4 which for Becks was $22.77 including the 15% - works out to $4.55 per beer, while the room service beer package for Becks was 6 for the price of 5 – ending up at $24.44 including the 15% - works out to $4.08 per beer. But when you include a couple of bucks for the room service tip, it then costs you $4.41 per beer – which is still cheaper than up on deck, although not by much.

 

Please remember these numbers are for Becks, other brands may be different, both in price and number of beer per bucket.

 

Either way, the price for beer on the ship is still cheaper than bars on land.

 

Types

 

Bass

Becks – Buckets available

Blue Moon

Bud – 16 oz aluminum bottle – Buckets available

Bud Lite – 16 oz aluminum bottle – Buckets available

Coors Lite – Buckets available

Dos Equis – Buckets available

Grolsch

Guinness

Heineken – Buckets available

Miller Lite – Buckets available

Miller Genuine Draft – Buckets available

[Colo Cruiser]

Great info. Thanks for posting. :)

[NeurosurgeryNP]

I am a huge craft beer drinker on land - wish they had more true craft microbrews on board. This is the only downfall for me - I become a liquor drinker for the duration of the cruise.

[newport dave]

I am a huge craft beer drinker on land - wish they had more true craft microbrews on board. This is the only downfall for me - I become a liquor drinker for the duration of the cruise.

 

Only problem with Princess, is their abysmal beer offerings. They need to take a look at what Celebrity offers.

[Gunner22aa]

I fully agree that the selection on Princess leaves a lot to be desired. Up here in Canada we would refer to half of it as swill. I was really displeased when they stopped carrying Fosters about a year back.

[Cauzneffct]

Only problem with Princess, is their abysmal beer offerings. They need to take a look at what Celebrity offers.

 

Do you remember offhand what some of the offerings on Celebrity were?

[Jersey42]

Do you remember offhand what some of the offerings on Celebrity were?

 

Here are two pictures from last August on a Celebrity Bermuda cruise.

 

 

[molme]

You can order from Gifts and Services a bucket of beer (6 for the price of five) for $23 to be delivered to you cabin when you arrive. They have a limited choice, but you might find one you would like. This is cheaper that buying a bucket once you get on board. Think it is 5 for price of 4 for around $24.

[JanaJohn]

Only problem with Princess, is their abysmal beer offerings. They need to take a look at what Celebrity offers.

 

I totally agree! I just don't understand how hard it would be for Princess to carry a wider selection of beers. Try it out on several ships for a year and see how it works out. Even if they only offered the wider selection in a few of the bars on ship I'd still go out of my way to be able to drink a beer with some character! Is this Princess' way of saying that Celebrity can handle the complexity of multiple beer offerings while they cannot?

[Cauzneffct]

I totally agree! I just don't understand how hard it would be for Princess to carry a wider selection of beers. Try it out on several ships for a year and see how it works out. Even if they only offered the wider selection in a few of the bars on ship I'd still go out of my way to be able to drink a beer with some character! Is this Princess' way of saying that Celebrity can handle the complexity of multiple beer offerings while they cannot?

 

I think it all comes down to $. The light/lite beers are both cheap

(So more profit per beer) and popular (so they're fine for most beer drinkers). I'm curious how well the more crafty beers sell on Celebrity. I'd definitely drink a Dogfish Head, Ommegang, or even a Sam Adams, but I wonder if there's enough of a market to tip the scales.

[Full90]

I think it all comes down to $. The light/lite beers are both cheap

(So more profit per beer) and popular (so they're fine for most beer drinkers). I'm curious how well the more crafty beers sell on Celebrity. I'd definitely drink a Dogfish Head, Ommegang, or even a Sam Adams, but I wonder if there's enough of a market to tip the scales.

 

Just got off the Celebrity Equinox last week and enjoyed all of the beers you mentioned several times with our drink package. Never would have paid for them individually as they were listed at $8-10 per bottle. Celebrity really spoils you with the drink package. Does Princess have one? We have been looking at Princess for a Panama Canal cruise and starting to do some price comparisons.

[karena1]

Glad I saw that. I thought I could order the 6 for 5 on the ship. Going to call tomorrow and order it. Hopefully, I can still do it since we are leaving on Monday. Strange that you cannot get the same deal once you are on the ship!:(

[RLK33853]

You can get the 6 for 5 from room service on the ship - you don't have to pre-order. As I indicated at the beginning of this thread - 6 for 5 (Becks) ordered from room service cost me $24.44 including the 15%. This was slightly cheaper than the 5 for 4 from the pool deck.

 

Totally agree with everyone that there could be a few more choices though.

[karena1]

I pre-ordered the beer package this morning. What I find really strange though, is she said all that will be in the cabin is a card saying I bought the package. Then I still have to have the room stewart bring me the type of beer I want. Weird. Why could I not tell her what I wanted and have it in ice waiting for me when I got to the cabin? Oh well, will just order what I want as soon as we can get in the cabin tomorrow. I just found that really different not to be able to have a pre-ordered package in the cabin and ready for you when you arrive.

[islandatsea]

I pre-ordered the beer package this morning. What I find really strange though, is she said all that will be in the cabin is a card saying I bought the package. Then I still have to have the room stewart bring me the type of beer I want. Weird. Why could I not tell her what I wanted and have it in ice waiting for me when I got to the cabin? Oh well, will just order what I want as soon as we can get in the cabin tomorrow. I just found that really different not to be able to have a pre-ordered package in the cabin and ready for you when you arrive.

 

We agree with you that it should be in the stateroom when you arrive & ready to go. Nice to have a couple while unpacking & talking about the days ahead. Strange they have it this way.

[Cauzneffct]

We agree with you that it should be in the stateroom when you arrive & ready to go. Nice to have a couple while unpacking & talking about the days ahead. Strange they have it this way.

 

I think its to ensure that people actually receive it. With people coming and going throughout turnaround day, and people arriving at various times to embark, if they deliver it once you arrive (a) you'll get it (thus cutting down on the chance of the beers being taken by someone else if the room is open or people claiming they never got it) and (b) it will (hopefully) be cold (if they set it out at 11, but you don't get there till 4, it might be warm, wet mess by the time you get there).

[Yehootu]

When you pre order the beer, you get 6 for 5 and don't pay the 15% gratuity that you pay onboard. Then you just need to tip the room service person. The price for 6 Becks= $23.25. My wife wants to order me several buckets. Do they issue a card for each bucket purchased? I saw on the order form you could state day you wanted gift delivered. Should I make 6 different orders??

Tim

[Yehootu]

When you pre order the beer, you get 6 for 5 and don't pay the 15% gratuity that you pay onboard. Then you just need to tip the room service person. The price for 6 Becks= $23.25. My wife wants to order me several buckets. Do they issue a card for each bucket purchased? I saw on the order form you could state day you wanted gift delivered. Should I make 6 different orders??

Tim

Edited January 28, 2014 by Yehootu
delete

[mjrich73]

Do these have to be delivered through room service or can I take one of the "certificates" to one of the bars and get my bucket of beer?

[islandatsea]

Do these have to be delivered through room service or can I take one of the "certificates" to one of the bars and get my bucket of beer?

 

We were wondering the same thing. Princess told us that the coupons would be in cabin & ring the cabin steward & they would bring the brand we wanted.

 

We had Princess e-mail the pre-purchase of the beer so we would have proof once on board that we did indeed ordered it & paid for it in case the coupons never made it to the cabin since we ordered 2 of them :D:D. They are busy on the ship during turn-around day so the coupons could be overlooked.

[ready2cruzagain]

Since there have been lots of questions about buckets of beer, this last cruise on the Coral we took note and tried different ways of purchasing them.

 

I had Bass ($4.95) and Grolsch ($5.95) by the bottle and bought buckets of Becks from both the pool bar and from room service.

 

What seems strange is that the deal at the pool was 5 for the price of 4 which for Becks was $22.77 including the 15% - works out to $4.55 per beer, while the room service beer package for Becks was 6 for the price of 5 – ending up at $24.44 including the 15% - works out to $4.08 per beer. But when you include a couple of bucks for the room service tip, it then costs you $4.41 per beer – which is still cheaper than up on deck, although not by much.

 

 

I am not being cheap or anything but if I remember correctly when we were on the CB last time we were not charged 15% for room service. We just tipped the room service person.

 

If you are charged automatic 15% room service fee now then why should you tip an extra couple of bucks on top of the 15%?

[Colo Cruiser]

I am not being cheap or anything but if I remember correctly when we were on the CB last time we were not charged 15% for room service. We just tipped the room service person.

 

If you are charged automatic 15% room service fee now then why should you tip an extra couple of bucks on top of the 15%?

 

You are correct.....

There is no fee for room service unless you purchase something. ;)

[ready2cruzagain]

You are correct.....

There is no fee for room service unless you purchase something. ;)

 

Okay, I understand that part. I guess we did not purchase the beer package...we had prepaid for the beer package through bon voyage.

 

Now my question is, if you are charged 15% gratuity, then why are you expected to pay more gratuity (couple of bucks) to the person delivering the say...beer package.