Big News about All You Can Drink Package

[Potstech]

And those who don't drink wont have to pay for it and get to watch those who do pay for it and the few that abuse it. Will make for an interesting cruise.

[Eaglemad]

I was hoping Frugalist was going to announce the news that it was going to be rolled out through the entire fleet

 

Oh well us Southern Hemisphere Princess customers will have to keep on waiting to be treated equally :(

 

Thanks for taking the time to post during your cruise and enjoy a coldy for me :D

[Dreamer333]

I was hoping Frugalist was going to announce the news that it was going to be rolled out through the entire fleet

 

I thought it was??

[msmoger]

I thought it was??

 

This was from March 6th:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5769

[mariakitty]

We are on the Grand with my mom and brother. Brother bought the package but mom did not (they share a cabin). For those worried about princess getting taken advantage of, don't. You can only buy one drink at a time and bottled beverages are opened by the bartender. To buy drinks for others would be a lot of work.

[Thrak]

Another can of Princess worms ....... So those with larceny in their hearts will share a card.

 

I'll reiterate what others said.

REALLY!!!

 

We don't even share my wife's coffee card. We buy one for her and understand that the unlimited fresh brewed coffee is for the holder of the card - not for friends, spouse, etc. There are plenty of honest people. I think Princess has already anticipated this issue and will deal with it appropriately. I won't be purchasing the package but making everyone in a cabin purchase it if one did was just too much of a burden on people who are with someone who doesn't drink.

 

The OP didn't say but I'm guessing that the ridiculous stricture of making people purchase the soda package for all minors in the cabin has also been lifted.

[LuvmyCruisin]

Did I miss something here, I am booked on the Royal Princess for June 14th, is there some kind of a deal for booze like the coffee cards in the past? Can someone fill me in here, thanks :p

[Pam in CA]

We're on the Royal now. Heard from a bartender last night and just confirmed with Passenger Services:

 

Starting with this cruise, if you want to buy the $49/day unlimited drink package, it is NO LONGER REQUIRED that all of the adults in your stateroom buy the package! I know this will make a lot of you very happy!

Thanks for reinforcing what I have posted for days and been told I was wrong. :)

 

Yes, there will be abuse, just as people abuse the unlimited brewed coffee on the coffee card, the soda card, etc. Some people feel entitled that as long as they're not "caught," it's OK.

[douglinc@msn.com]

You guys are really something else. I'm sorry I wasted my vacation time posting. Now to get back to my cruise.

 

You will find a lot of that on these boards!!

 

Anyway, thanks for the info....That is supposed to be what CC is all about. Sharing information and less critical of the messenger....

 

Doug

Edited March 17, 2014 by douglinc@msn.com

[BarbaraP]

Considering the drink package for my DH, on our next cruise. He likes to pick up a bucket of beer at the pool to take back to the cabin to drink on the balcony. Is there a way to get more than one beer at a time? I don't drink beer and the amount of wine I drink wouldn't pay for the package for me.

[gator582]

Thanks for taking the time to post this info. Good news for many. Still not sure we will do this, but it is good to know it's an option now. :)

 

Where do you purchase the package?

 

Enjoy that cruise!!

[msmoger]

Considering the drink package for my DH, on our next cruise. He likes to pick up a bucket of beer at the pool to take back to the cabin to drink on the balcony. Is there a way to get more than one beer at a time? I don't drink beer and the amount of wine I drink wouldn't pay for the package for me.

 

I believe the answer is no, only one drink at a time.

[caribill]

Did I miss something here, I am booked on the Royal Princess for June 14th, is there some kind of a deal for booze like the coffee cards in the past? Can someone fill me in here, thanks :p

 

$49/day + 15% tip (must buy for the entire cruise on embarkation day) per person

 

Covers all beverages that cost under $10, from martinis to bottled water to canned soda to glasses of wine at dinner and more.

[pcsunlover]

You guys are really something else. I'm sorry I wasted my vacation time posting. Now to get back to my cruise.

 

I appreciate your post! I just called Princess this morning asking about this, and then saw your post so I am very happy.

 

Of course there are going to be people who will take advantage - shame on them! I'm sure the people at Princess were smart enough to realize this but I'm happy they also believe that the majority of their customers are honest adults who will not cheat the system.

[shredie]

And those with spouses that do not drink may participate honestly.

 

Yes. That's the part that seemed a little unfair to me. Now I guess I'll tell DH to start getting everyone drinks and then we will win the popularity contest! (Joke.)

[Zoolou]

Considering the drink package for my DH, on our next cruise. He likes to pick up a bucket of beer at the pool to take back to the cabin to drink on the balcony. Is there a way to get more than one beer at a time? I don't drink beer and the amount of wine I drink wouldn't pay for the package for me.

 

 

Why dont you just buy yourselves some "gifts" from the princess site..6 beers for the price of 5 prior to your trip ,,,,have your kids do the same for you, neighbours,friends.....better way to go

[Paula_MacFan]

Why dont you just buy yourselves some "gifts" from the princess site..6 beers for the price of 5 prior to your trip ,,,,have your kids do the same for you, neighbours,friends.....better way to go

 

We thought about doing this, but the selection is very limited. For some reason they only offer around 5 types of beer, less than the selection you have at the bars.

[lx200gps]

We're on the Royal now. Heard from a bartender last night and just confirmed with Passenger Services:

 

Starting with this cruise, if you want to buy the $49/day unlimited drink package, it is NO LONGER REQUIRED that all of the adults in your stateroom buy the package! I know this will make a lot of you very happy!

 

+2 on this being great news. Thanks for the confirmation. I understand that another benefit of this package is a discount of 40% on certain bottles of wine. If I take the package and my wife doesn't (I'll definitley get my money's worth @$50/day but she won't come close), how would this 40% discount work over dinner? Is she "legally" allowed to partake of my bottle, or will we have to buy her individual glasses on her own? We'll normally be buying her drinks a la carte, but this by-the-bottle over dinner question has me wondering.

[msmoger]

+2 on this being great news. Thanks for the confirmation. I understand that another benefit of this package is a discount of 40% on certain bottles of wine. If I take the package and my wife doesn't (I'll definitley get my money's worth @$50/day but she won't come close), how would this 40% discount work over dinner? Is she "legally" allowed to partake of my bottle, or will we have to buy her individual glasses on her own? We'll normally be buying her drinks a la carte, but this by-the-bottle over dinner question has me wondering.

 

I would bet it wouldn't be a problem. Even if both of you bought the drink package, technically only one of you would be ordering the bottle of wine. However, I suppose the "ruling" could go either way so I guess you'll have to ask before you order the bottle.

[OCruisers]

We're on the Royal now. Heard from a bartender last night and just confirmed with Passenger Services:

 

Starting with this cruise, if you want to buy the $49/day unlimited drink package, it is NO LONGER REQUIRED that all of the adults in your stateroom buy the package! I know this will make a lot of you very happy!

 

Thanks very much for passing this along. :)

Last cruise, we were with a man who really wanted to buy one but couldn't because his wife was pregnant and it would have been a waste to buy one for her.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise! :)

LuLu

~~~

[Redwing55]

Thank you for sharing the info, but I do see problems arising from this decision.

Why so? I suspect there may be an abuse or two, but the servers would have a watchful eye and would limit the abuse. And all it would take would be for a couple of cases to be discovered with appropriate penalty and the abuse would be shut down. Sure, there may be an abuse or two, but for many a couple, one passenger may drink and the other would not.

[shredie]

Have they dropped the rule that minors must purchase the soda package as well?

[Colo Cruiser]

Have they dropped the rule that minors must purchase the soda package as well?

 

 

They may as well, it will be a free for all. :eek:

[Ellipooh]

Thank you OP! Helpful info for me, as i am one of those who drinks with a DH who does not. So while i had ruled this package out when both of us had to purchase, now i will have to re-evaluate.

 

I have questions:confused:: I have already pre-purchased Sodas & More for both of us. Do you suppose they will credit my S&M purchase toward the alcohol package? I cant find that kind of info anywhere.

 

Also, I will be on a 15-day cruise with four port days. Is it like the Sanctuary, where the port days are not counted? Probably not, which puts the package back out of reason again. Cant see paying for full price for days we spend almost completely ashore....

 

(and if I'm wrong about the "full-cruise" Sanctuary cost, someone let me know!)

[Zoolou]

Kinda wished they did this on the crown a month ago....i would have purchased it...my wife's a casual drinker (glass of wine, one drink at the pool) so would i get her a drink off mine ....Ahhh Yeah....Even with me purchasing it..if we have alot of port days i would just barely get or not even close what i need to drink for that day...I dont think its going to cripple Princess....and most of us arent kids either on a Spring Break.....been there and done that...