Drink Package-how did you like it?

[Justmekaren918]

I found the package great! No surprises at the end. What is up with still having to sign? What a continuous waste of paper. Another sign of basically begging. I really wish there was a way to get the compass and menu to our smart phones. I wonder if Quantum will be the first one to try it. It would be great if RCI would set up a intranet ship wide.

[medic368]

Looking at the packages, am I correct that the Ultimate is $10 more expensive that Premium and only adds Premium coffee and tea.

 

The " service charge" is also higher on the ultimate package

 

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[Stags14]

Well, it's 5-6 drinks each day, every day. Which can be harder to do on days when you're in port. And by the end of the cruise you may not want to look at another daiquiri for a while. I think for the average person it's difficult to justify financially, although I understand the whole "convenience" argument.

 

Also, I like to drink nice wines with dinner (say, $60-80 on average, but sometimes more). Sure, I can pay the difference on anything by the glass over the package limit, but there really isn't that much variety of good stuff by the glass. And if it's not served at the right temperature, it's difficult to do anything about it, other than order something different (though I would expect all reds are served at ship temperature). With a bottle, I can put it on ice as desired.

 

So for me, if I want to order some nice bottles of wine at dinner, even with the % discount you get being on the package, I'd still probably come away spending more money (and having ingested more empty calories!) than just going a la carte, and I'd be annoyed about having to drink warm red wines. :)

 

 

I just want to address this, it does not need to be 5-6 drinks a day to add up. The ultimate package also includes bottled water, freshly squeezed OJ and starbucks coffee. So if you drink 4 bottles of water, have a coffee in the morning and say 2 espresso's during the day and a freshly squeezed OJ with breakfast you've spent ~$25/day without even touching the booze. So, have 3-4 drinks a day and you're there. Really not hard to do under any combination of what is included. Most vendors will still make you sign.

 

Financially, I'd rather take my room down a notch and enjoy myself onboard then have a balcony or a suite and have to worry about every dollar I spent on vacation. I had a freshly squeezed OJ every morning along with my cafe Americano from starbucks, I tried a bunch of martini's I would have never even thought to order, I enjoyed starbucks espresso with an afternoon snack and after dinner, drank more than enough water and stayed hydrated during hot days while enjoying beers in between water at the pool. If you add all that up it really is not tough to reach $60/day. Obviously for wine, there's a different package for you! But for literally everything else, the UP is the way to go.

[Stags14]

I found the package great! No surprises at the end. What is up with still having to sign? What a continuous waste of paper. Another sign of basically begging. I really wish there was a way to get the compass and menu to our smart phones. I wonder if Quantum will be the first one to try it. It would be great if RCI would set up a intranet ship wide.

 

They still ask you to sign because you can still tip on the transaction!

[TheInnocentAge]

I just want to address this, it does not need to be 5-6 drinks a day to add up. The ultimate package also includes bottled water, freshly squeezed OJ and starbucks coffee. So if you drink 4 bottles of water, have a coffee in the morning and say 2 espresso's during the day and a freshly squeezed OJ with breakfast you've spent ~$25/day without even touching the booze. So, have 3-4 drinks a day and you're there. Really not hard to do under any combination of what is included. Most vendors will still make you sign.

 

Financially, I'd rather take my room down a notch and enjoy myself onboard then have a balcony or a suite and have to worry about every dollar I spent on vacation. I had a freshly squeezed OJ every morning along with my cafe Americano from starbucks, I tried a bunch of martini's I would have never even thought to order, I enjoyed starbucks espresso with an afternoon snack and after dinner, drank more than enough water and stayed hydrated during hot days while enjoying beers in between water at the pool. If you add all that up it really is not tough to reach $60/day. Obviously for wine, there's a different package for you! But for literally everything else, the UP is the way to go.

 

I bought the Premium Package on my Vision cruise a couple of weeks ago, and as stated above, I definitely took advantage of the bottled water in between every couple of alcoholic drinks. Looking back at what we had to drink, the package ended up saving us a few hundred dollars over the five days. I had thought about getting the Ultimate Package, but I'm not that much of a specialty coffee drinker, and I'm fine with the regular OJ for a few days (I have orange trees in my yard, so I get my fill of fresh squeezed).

 

Count me in as a big fan of the drink packages!

[karena1]

I bought the Premium Package on my Vision cruise a couple of weeks ago, and as stated above, I definitely took advantage of the bottled water in between every couple of alcoholic drinks. Looking back at what we had to drink, the package ended up saving us a few hundred dollars over the five days. I had thought about getting the Ultimate Package, but I'm not that much of a specialty coffee drinker, and I'm fine with the regular OJ for a few days (I have orange trees in my yard, so I get my fill of fresh squeezed).

 

Count me in as a big fan of the drink packages!

 

 

Me too! I am a total beer drinker and there is no issue with me getting my monies worth. Add the water and a diet coke every morning, and the PP is well worth it for me

[MuffyKismet]

My biggest problem with this is my husband does NOT drink so why do BOTH of us have to buy a drink program??? The soda program is only $6.50 per day but the soda and premium coffee and tea that he would be forced to purchase is $20 pp. and he does NOT drink coffee or tea!!! So wwe would end up spending $375 just so I could buy the $55 package and he would have to buy the $100 package for the 5 night cruise! UGGGGG Not fair! OH well, I guess I will not be purchasing a drink package :(

[fsjosh]

My biggest problem with this is my husband does NOT drink so why do BOTH of us have to buy a drink program??? The soda program is only $6.50 per day but the soda and premium coffee and tea that he would be forced to purchase is $20 pp. and he does NOT drink coffee or tea!!! So wwe would end up spending $375 just so I could buy the $55 package and he would have to buy the $100 package for the 5 night cruise! UGGGGG Not fair! OH well, I guess I will not be purchasing a drink package :(

 

They changed that months ago. I'm sure thats in this thread somewhere. There are no requirements on the other guests of the room when buying a package.

[reedprincess]

My biggest problem with this is my husband does NOT drink so why do BOTH of us have to buy a drink program??? The soda program is only $6.50 per day but the soda and premium coffee and tea that he would be forced to purchase is $20 pp. and he does NOT drink coffee or tea!!! So wwe would end up spending $375 just so I could buy the $55 package and he would have to buy the $100 package for the 5 night cruise! UGGGGG Not fair! OH well, I guess I will not be purchasing a drink package :(

 

This was changed when RCI repriced the packages back in Nov 2013. One of you can buy a package, you can buy two different packages or neither can buy a package, whatever. You just can't share whatever package you do buy. It is priced per person per day, with only one person to use it. So - he can get his soda package if he wants and you can get whatever other package you like, or he can get no package and you get whatever - or however it works out....

[OU8MINE]

Like many I've been reading and debating the drink packages. We are heading out on a 5 night on the Vision next week with 2 days at sea and 2 ports so there will be plenty of time on the ship for drinking. GF and I both drink lots of water and wanted to confirm water bottles are included in the Ultimate Package. Also, when I cruised on RC back in '06 (my last cruise) we gave the porter a case of water bottles at the port tapped up with our room tag on it and it was delivered with our luggage - is that no longer allowed? That was the recommended thing to do at the time, but its obviously been a while since I cruised.

[Clarea]

Like many I've been reading and debating the drink packages. We are heading out on a 5 night on the Vision next week with 2 days at sea and 2 ports so there will be plenty of time on the ship for drinking. GF and I both drink lots of water and wanted to confirm water bottles are included in the Ultimate Package. Also, when I cruised on RC back in '06 (my last cruise) we gave the porter a case of water bottles at the port tapped up with our room tag on it and it was delivered with our luggage - is that no longer allowed? That was the recommended thing to do at the time, but its obviously been a while since I cruised.

Bottles of still and sparkling water are included in the Ultimate package.

 

Bringing any beverages onboard other than two bottles of wine is technically prohibited, but usually allowed.

[Sail2k]

We did our 1st drink package on the Freedom this past August and will do it again on Oasis this November. It is much cheaper than people give it credit for...

 

We loved the fact that it was a set price that we were fine with, we loved the fact that we could try different drinks that we normally wouldn't try. For me if I am unsure as to if I will like something I usually will stick with something I know, but with the drink package I liked trying different options and if I didn't like it....I would just get something else.

 

I look at it this way... for what I drink (Ketel One), it doesn't take much to rack up a big bill, so 5 or 6 drinks in the day will be more than the $55.00 a day it costs.

[f1mauro]

Can you people please stop talking about what a GREAT DEAL the drink packages work out to be in the end!!! Royal is going to catch on to this and adjust the prices accordingly.;) :p

 

WHAT A RIP OFF!!!:eek:

 

;)

[Sail2k]

True...

 

We totally felt like we got ripped off!!!! I will never sail RCL again!!!!

 

;)

[papcx]

Can you people please stop talking about what a GREAT DEAL the drink packages work out to be in the end!!! Royal is going to catch on to this and adjust the prices accordingly.;) :p

 

 

 

WHAT A RIP OFF!!!:eek:

 

 

 

;)

 

 

 

True...

 

 

 

We totally felt like we got ripped off!!!! I will never sail RCL again!!!!

 

 

 

;)

 

 

I've not sailed RC yet, but I think it's a rip off.

[f1mauro]

I've not sailed RC yet, but I think it's a rip off.

 

That's the spirit!

[beachlover777]

So in regards to drink packages, if my son who is only 1.5 years old needs juice or water, I couldn't let him have some of mine because that would be sharing the drink package? Is there an exception to this rule since he's so little? Opinions please? He obviously wouldn't drink soda but I read bottled water was extra money (I could be mistaken).

[papcx]

That's the spirit!

 

 

The spirits are especially a rip off.

[fiona.anne]

So in regards to drink packages, if my son who is only 1.5 years old needs juice or water, I couldn't let him have some of mine because that would be sharing the drink package? Is there an exception to this rule since he's so little? Opinions please? He obviously wouldn't drink soda but I read bottled water was extra money (I could be mistaken).

 

I would like to find out the same thing i have 2 kids 6 & 3 years old and we were going to buy the soda package for them, however neither of them like fizzy juice so does anyone know if the freestyle machine is all fizzy juice??? (all 106 flavours)

[Capella Black]

Grr, rip off etc... RCI shouldn't increase the prices etc

 

Anyways, another vote here for the drinks packages - having had the premium on Celebrity last year, my OH and I will definitely be upgrading our complementary Select package to the Premium one.

 

As people have put above, the package makes us not care about the cost of a drink, and so not cheap out on things. Which, given that our next cruise is our honeymoon, is especially important. It's great that some people can buy by the drink and not care how expensive it is, but for us it always holds us back from what we really want - for example if it costs me more, I'll always get the slightly cheaper drink of the day, even though I might prefer a different one. When on a package, I'll get whichever looks tastiest, and so enjoy myself a lot more. This was particularly true for non-alcoholic drinks - if no package, I'd just have a lemonade, if yes package, I'll grab a shiny mocktail. Ooh, and having a different wine with every course of my meal - this is so worth doing but if I don't have the package we'll have ordered a bottle to share.

 

Never reached "bored of drinking" phase, and my Celebrity cruise was 12 days long, but then I am in my 20's, so maybe my liver is still a bit kinder to me. Or the variety is still a novel thing?

 

Oh, and in case people are worried about my drinking levels - I drink about 2 units a week for most weeks of the year, and am pretty sure sporadic heavy drinking will do no serious harm. Feel free to direct me to scientific evidence if I'm wrong.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Capella Black

[icsys]

Good idea. There's really no advantage to buying a drink package in advance, except maybe not having to wait a bit in line to buy the package when you board.

There could be another advantage...

Paying onboard, the cost is added to your sea pass account. (Not a problem if OBC covers it) paying in advance it dies not.

 

I had another advantage...

I bought the Select package in GBP a while go. At today's $/£ rate, the package is the equvalent of just under 38 USD per day. Of course it can just as easily go the other way.

 

This will be my first time with a package. I'm sure I will make it worthwhile.

Edited October 6, 2014 by icsys

[jermaine1509]

I have read plenty about the packages ahead of our B2B in November on the Indy, but Im still not 100% sure whether the Premium package will fulfil my needs, or whether I need to upgrade to the ultimate package...

 

my favoured tipples are Greygoose Vodka with mixer, Hendricks Gin with mixer and the occasional cocktail i.e. cosmopolitan... Would these be covered in the premium package?

 

Thanks for any feedback!!

[TheInnocentAge]

I have read plenty about the packages ahead of our B2B in November on the Indy, but Im still not 100% sure whether the Premium package will fulfil my needs, or whether I need to upgrade to the ultimate package...

 

my favoured tipples are Greygoose Vodka with mixer, Hendricks Gin with mixer and the occasional cocktail i.e. cosmopolitan... Would these be covered in the premium package?

 

Thanks for any feedback!!

 

Just had the package a week or two ago, and Greygoose was definitely included. We also had a variety of cosmopolitans that were all included as well. I did not have Hendricks Gin, so I can't answer that one...

 

Enjoy!

[jermaine1509]

Just had the package a week or two ago, and Greygoose was definitely included. We also had a variety of cosmopolitans that were all included as well. I did not have Hendricks Gin, so I can't answer that one...

 

Enjoy!

 

Great news, thanks!! and this was on the premium package ($55 per day)?

[Clarea]

I have read plenty about the packages ahead of our B2B in November on the Indy, but Im still not 100% sure whether the Premium package will fulfil my needs, or whether I need to upgrade to the ultimate package...

 

my favoured tipples are Greygoose Vodka with mixer, Hendricks Gin with mixer and the occasional cocktail i.e. cosmopolitan... Would these be covered in the premium package?

 

Thanks for any feedback!!

Ther is no difference between the Premium and Ultimate packages with regard to alcoholic beverages.