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Princess Beverage Package Evaluator

kelly94942

By kelly94942,
in Princess Cruises

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fas64

fas64

Posted
Posted
Here is my initial rev of a beverage package evaluator - if you see items that are incorrect/missing, please let me know so I can improve this spreadsheet. All of the soda/water/juice prices are estimates for now, I can't seem to find current actual prices. Hope this is useful!

 

I love my speadsheets and this is a great spreadsheet, Well Done!:)

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Steelers36

Steelers36

Posted
Posted
I am confused... The gelatos are included or not?

 

I have read opposites answers?!

 

Thank you

 

Not included other than ROYAL/REGAL because the charge amount is so low it doesn't make sense. This has been reported.

 

We used our Coffee Card to buy the scoops on REGAL in November. For some reason, it's a higher price point there. Someone please correct if anything has change on ships like EMERALD, or RUBY. On those, the gelato is at the IC and the charge was about $1, so doesn't make sense to have on a package.

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
Not included other than ROYAL/REGAL because the charge amount is so low it doesn't make sense. This has been reported.

 

We used our Coffee Card to buy the scoops on REGAL in November. For some reason, it's a higher price point there. Someone please correct if anything has change on ships like EMERALD, or RUBY. On those, the gelato is at the IC and the charge was about $1, so doesn't make sense to have on a package.

Unless there has been a recent price increase, the three ships that have gelato in the International Cafe, the Crown, Emerald and Ruby, charge $1.50 for three scoops of gelato but there are no toppings available. On the Royal and Regal gelato is not available at the IC but rather at a separate venue called Gelato. There the same three scoops of gelato come with a choice of toppings. The cost was originally $2.75 but recent reports state the cost has increased to $3.25.

 

With 15 punches on a coffee card each punch costs about $2.25. Why use a punch that cost you about $2.25 to get gelato that costs $1.50? That might be the reasoning for not allowing you to use a coffee card punch on those three ships and have the AIBP rule be the same. Who knows?

Edited by IECalCruiser
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Steelers36

Steelers36

Posted
Posted
Unless there has been a recent price increase, the three ships that have gelato in the International Cafe, the Crown, Emerald and Ruby, charge $1.50 for three scoops of gelato but there are no toppings available. On the Royal and Regal gelato is not available at the IC but rather at a separate venue called Gelato. There the same three scoops of gelato come with a choice of toppings. The cost was originally $2.75 but recent reports state the cost has increased to $3.25.

 

With 15 punches on a coffee card each punch costs about $2.25. Why use a punch that cost you about $2.25 to get gelato that costs $1.50? That might be the reasoning for not allowing you to use a coffee card punch on those three ships and have the AIBP rule be the same. Who knows?

 

AGREE.

 

And thanks for clarifying with pricing. I didn't have any toppings on REGAL, so it didn't stick in my mind. $1.50 for the 3 scoops on EP, KP, RU is a great bargain IMO.

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted
My splurge is the soda package - Oasis had the soda machine which had many different flavor including flavored waters - wonder if this new ship has that - tried to find out no luck - Alan is a big ice tea fan - we will see.
No Princess ship including the Royal or Regal have those machines.
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5knotsmax

5knotsmax

Posted
Posted
Yes, a very informative thread! Thank you for the calculation thing. I need it! We're headng out to the Caribbean on the Royal Princess March 2016. We're virgin voyagers and like a drink! We're only going to be 3 days at sea, in the 10 day cruise, but I still think the all inclusive booze etc pack could be worth it.

My ONLY question is....... Sigh..... I would like to be able to drink a couple of gasses of wine (and hub to have a Scotch) on our balcony before dinner, or any time, really, without having to walk a mile to get a drink. Just the one! And bring it to our room.

Can anyone enlighten me on this.

 

 

I think someone did kindly respond to this post, saying she takes a Scotch or port to her room during the day to drink later in the evening.

I rang my agent (and read the brochure) regarding drinks in cabin and it seems a Steward is on duty 24 hours to provide Room Service and that this is included in our Cruise package. i. e. There is no extra charge for this service. Is this correct?

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
I think someone did kindly respond to this post, saying she takes a Scotch or port to her room during the day to drink later in the evening.

 

I rang my agent (and read the brochure) regarding drinks in cabin and it seems a Steward is on duty 24 hours to provide Room Service and that this is included in our Cruise package. i. e. There is no extra charge for this service. Is this correct?

It is not your Steward but a separate Room Service department that will bring items on the room service menu. Unfortunately, the AIBP does not include any alcoholic drinks ordered from room service. You will need to pick up any alcoholic beverages you want to drink in your cabin when you are walking past a bar on the way to your cabin.

 

There is no charge for food items on the Room Service menu except for pizza which has a $3.00 delivery charge per pizza order, not per pizza.

Edited by IECalCruiser
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aussienanna

aussienanna

Posted
Posted

Which are the premium teas included with the coffee card and where do you purchase them please? Also the brewed coffee, is it only at the International Cafe or can these be purchased in other areas? Is after dinner coffee included or an extra in the Dining rooms? Thanks in advance.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
Which are the premium teas included with the coffee card and where do you purchase them please? Also the brewed coffee, is it only at the International Cafe or can these be purchased in other areas? Is after dinner coffee included or an extra in the Dining rooms? Thanks in advance.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Premium teas are only available at the International Cafe and have recently been a selection of Mighty Leaf brand teas. In the DR or the buffet you can get a selection of complementary teas bags from Lipton, Bigelow and Twinings. On ships without an IC there will be another location such as La Patisserie on the Island or the Bar in the Panorama Buffet on the Pacific. In addition to the IC there may be one or more bars that have fresh brewed coffee. It will vary be ship. Fresh brewed coffee is not available in the DR's, only specialty coffee drinks. The coffee in the DR is the complementary coffee from concentrated syrup. Hope this is clear. Edited by IECalCruiser
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5knotsmax

5knotsmax

Posted
Posted
It is not your Steward but a separate Room Service department that will bring items on the room service menu. Unfortunately, the AIBP does not include any alcoholic drinks ordered from room service. You will need to pick up any alcoholic beverages you want to drink in your cabin when you are walking past a bar on the way to your cabin.

 

There is no charge for food items on the Room Service menu except for pizza which has a $3.00 delivery charge per pizza order, not per pizza.

 

 

Thanks very much for this info. We've not been on a cruise before and, although I had expected to pay extra for some things, I hadn't expected it to be so difficult to get straight answers about beverages! I was initially told paying the gratuities up front covered ALL tips, so cancelled the AIBP, after completing that wonderful EXCEL price chart, but then I read the rider about 15% added to drinks which wasn't included, so it's back to the AIBP!! I'm exhausted before I've even boarded Hee

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TheCj's

TheCj's

Posted
Posted

On Sapphire last March we found one of the outside bars (sorry can't remember which) had wine in small bottles ( about a wine glass full). We got a couple a day and took them back to the cabin as pre-dinner drinks on the balcony.

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted
Thanks very much for this info. We've not been on a cruise before and, although I had expected to pay extra for some things, I hadn't expected it to be so difficult to get straight answers about beverages! I was initially told paying the gratuities up front covered ALL tips, so cancelled the AIBP, after completing that wonderful EXCEL price chart, but then I read the rider about 15% added to drinks which wasn't included, so it's back to the AIBP!! I'm exhausted before I've even boarded Hee
As you found out, it can be confusing at first. Not all areas are included in the daily gratuities, only the dining (including dining rooms, buffet, specialty restaurants and the grill and pizza on Lido deck) and housekeeping staff are included in the tip pool, but it includes those who work behind the scenes as well as your steward, waiter and junior waiter. Even though they are included in the tip pool, people often tip a couple of bucks for Room Service. However, as you found out, bar staff are not included in the tip pool. I assume the reasoning is that everyone has a cabin and eats but not everyone will order a drink so the gratuity is added directly to those purchases. Staff in the Spa are also not included in the tip pool. In the U.S. the AIBP is priced at $49/day but with the 15% added gratuity the cost is $56.35/day. For ease, I believe the chart leaves gratuity out of the calculation. In addition, the $10 limit is the price of the drink before gratuity is added and including gratuity may make some people believe a $8.95 drink is not included in the package because the cost with gratuity is $10.30. Using the Evaluator you should compare the cost of the individual drinks to the $49/day cost of the AIBP. The actual cost of either option will be 15% more when gratuity is added.
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5knotsmax

5knotsmax

Posted
Posted
As you found out, it can be confusing at first. Not all areas are included in the daily gratuities, only the dining (including dining rooms, buffet, specialty restaurants and the grill and pizza on Lido deck) and housekeeping staff are included in the tip pool, but it includes those who work behind the scenes as well as your steward, waiter and junior waiter. Even though they are included in the tip pool, people often tip a couple of bucks for Room Service. However, as you found out, bar staff are not included in the tip pool. I assume the reasoning is that everyone has a cabin and eats but not everyone will order a drink so the gratuity is added directly to those purchases. Staff in the Spa are also not included in the tip pool. In the U.S. the AIBP is priced at $49/day but with the 15% added gratuity the cost is $56.35/day. For ease, I believe the chart leaves gratuity out of the calculation. In addition, the $10 limit is the price of the drink before gratuity is added and including gratuity may make some people believe a $8.95 drink is not included in the package because the cost with gratuity is $10.30. Using the Evaluator you should compare the cost of the individual drinks to the $49/day cost of the AIBP. The actual cost of either option will be 15% more when gratuity is added.

 

 

Not to mention the drinks are served as a single shot....

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  • 3 weeks later...
damiross

damiross

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'll be on the Grand in a few weeks. I've already purchased the Sodas and More package for my girlfriend. I'll be bringing on my own Diet Dr Pepper. So, because she doesn't drink sodas that often but does like hot chocolate and some of the mocktails we are trying to see if the card will be worth it.

 

I've tried to locate the prices for milk shakes and hot chocolate. Does anyone know the prices? I didn't see them on the spreadsheet.

 

EDIT: Just found what is probably milk shakes - there's an item called malt shakes on the spreadsheet so I just need the price for the hot chocolate.

Edited by damiross
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Colo Cruiser

Colo Cruiser

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Posted
I'll be on the Grand in a few weeks. I've already purchased the Sodas and More package for my girlfriend. I'll be bringing on my own Diet Dr Pepper. So, because she doesn't drink sodas that often but does like hot chocolate and some of the mocktails we are trying to see if the card will be worth it.

 

I've tried to locate the prices for milk shakes and hot chocolate. Does anyone know the prices? I didn't see them on the spreadsheet.

 

If I remember correctly think I saw a price for milkshakes at Scoops for around $3 with grat?

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