Sigh - drinks package question

[Adidas4fun]

Have just booked for a cruise later this year, first time with celebrity (8th cruise in all I think)

 

Have been reading many of the threads.

 

My worry if I select a drinks package rather than buying by the bottle is that they may be slow to refill my glass whilst dining. I hate sitting there with an empty glass having had the next course served.

 

Comments - with thanks

[HappyTvlr]

Have cruised with Celebrity several times with the drinks package, and have never seen the bottom of my glass. I suggest you engage the sommelier, and you will be fine. They are being overworked a bit because of the drinks packages, but just find a way to make yourself known to them and you will be right.

[jomf]

Last time on the Eclipse the sommelier left the bottle right by our table and we refilled when necessary!

[kevinyork]

We got off Eclipse last week. There were three of us drinking three different wines. The service was excellent with regular top ups. No complaints here.

 

 

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[Grandmaanne7]

I agree with previous posters. We did a 15-nighter on Century in January and only one evening was there a delay in getting wine topped up. The rest of the time, service was amazing! Glad we have the Classic package again for our next cruise on Eclipse.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

In my experience with the package they are almost too fast topping off your glass. I lose track of how many actual glasses of wine I have drank :D.

 

Unlike if you pay by the glass, they tend to top off your glass whenever they pass by. An empty glass was never a problem.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Cruise Junky]

Our glasses never got low. Excellent pours

[Adidas4fun]

Thank you all, and I did like the idea I saw in another thread of being able to match the wine with each course

[happy cruzer]

We only had the issue once. Our fist course arrived and no wine had been poured. We did not even pick up silverware, the waiter and asst waiter noticed and asked if there was a problem. We said we want wine with the food,they got the sommelier,not another problem that evening.

 

On all other evenings before and after we had excellent wine service. Always mentioned, if I thought I wanted different wines with courses at the first order.

Edited May 30, 2014 by happy cruzer

[rubydoobydoo]

The bottle was left on our table and when it was getting low the bottle was replaced, no problems at all

[happy cruzer]

Another idea is to just wait until you are on the ship to see how the service is. Also you can check the various lists on board. I waited two days to purchase the classic. The next two days I had wine by the glass and ordered the discounted wine for dh who decided to the premium package for the last three days.

[jagoffee]

I have never had a problem with wine service with the package.

[Lyndihop]

Having never sailed Celebrity, the drinks package does nothing but get more confusing for me.

 

1. Do you have to buy it for the entire cruise?? Some have said they bought it partially into the cruise.

2. If you do buy partially into the cruise, do they go back and charge the first days??

3. Do both wife/husband have to buy the package?

4. Can you get unlimited drinks within the package?

5. Can one person get more than one drink at a time?? i.e. sending spouse to bring back a glass or two for the cabin?

6. With #5 in mind......how often can you go get drinks and bring them back to the cabin?

7. If you order a more expensive drink, do they charge the difference or the entire cost of the drink?

8. Is there any benefit of purchasing the drink package before embarkation?

 

Sorry to ask some the same ???, but in reading several posts (many-many) it appears that Celebrity has changed their policies. Again, never having sailed it's a little confusing.

 

We're booked on a Transatlantic and can see it may be well worth the $$ to get the basic alcohol package. Not to picky ..... wine is wine. I only know if I like it or not.

[Pushka]

We only had the issue once. Our fist course arrived and no wine had been poured. We did not even pick up silverware, the waiter and asst waiter noticed and asked if there was a problem. We said we want wine with the food,they got the sommelier,not another problem that evening.

 

On all other evenings before and after we had excellent wine service. Always mentioned, if I thought I wanted different wines with courses at the first order.

 

 

That's a very good idea to use if needed. :p

[rwr235]

Having never sailed Celebrity, the drinks package does nothing but get more confusing for me.

 

1. Do you have to buy it for the entire cruise?? NoSome have said they bought it partially into the cruise. This is possible, but once you purchase it, it is for the remainder of the cruise

2. If you do buy partially into the cruise, do they go back and charge the first days?? No

3. Do both wife/husband have to buy the package? No

4. Can you get unlimited drinks within the package? Yes

5. Can one person get more than one drink at a time?? i.e. sending spouse to bring back a glass or two for the cabin? Only if you have 2 cards with the package...otherwise, it is 1 drink at a time, per card

6. With #5 in mind......how often can you go get drinks and bring them back to the cabin? As often as you like

7. If you order a more expensive drink, do they charge the difference or the entire cost of the drink? On Premium Package you pay the difference in price...On Classic, you pay the entire price

8. Is there any benefit of purchasing the drink package before embarkation? Used to be cheaper, not anymore

 

Sorry to ask some the same ???, but in reading several posts (many-many) it appears that Celebrity has changed their policies. Again, never having sailed it's a little confusing.

 

We're booked on a Transatlantic and can see it may be well worth the $$ to get the basic alcohol package. Not to picky ..... wine is wine. I only know if I like it or not.

 

 

Enjoy

 

Woody

Edited May 31, 2014 by rwr235

[Conshydot]

. Is there any benefit of purchasing the drink package before embarkation?

 

Some people like to prepay as much as possible, so they buy it ahead of time.

BUT, if you have a lot of OBC, you may want to wait until on board.

[Lyndihop]

Thank You-Thank You!!!!! Did I mention "Thank You"!!

These answers have been a BIG help!!

[wallie5446]

Have just booked for a cruise later this year, first time with celebrity (8th cruise in all I think)

 

Have been reading many of the threads.

 

My worry if I select a drinks package rather than buying by the bottle is that they may be slow to refill my glass whilst dining. I hate sitting there with an empty glass having had the next course served.

 

Comments - with thanks

 

Not gonna happen. They will keep you filled till you can't crawl to your cabin if that is what you want.

[wallie5446]

Having never sailed Celebrity, the drinks package does nothing but get more confusing for me.

 

Can you get unlimited drinks within the package?

 

 

We're booked on a Transatlantic and can see it may be well worth the $$ to get the basic alcohol package. Not to picky ..... wine is wine. I only know if I like it or not.

 

Here is my "RUFF" run down of a day with a drink pkg on another thread:

 

For us at least, the package was not just about booze. It was everything else that the pkg includes.

 

A speciality coffee each on the balcony while the wifester is putting on her face, $5 ea.

 

Evian or San Pellegrino with fresh squeezed juice with that second coffee at breakfast, $15 ea.

 

Grab a bottle water on the way to stake out a deck chair, $4 ea.

$24 each before any mind altering liquid is consumed.

 

A beer or the drink of the day by the pool, $6 ea

Then off to lunch, maybe a soda, or another San Pellegrino $5 ea

The sun is hot hot hot! A cold beer or drink of the day is in order, $6 ea

The burger at the Mast Grill is calling our names, it does not go down with out some liquid assistance, $5 ea, then it is time to meet friends to watch the sun set from the Sunset Bar, $6 ea. Afternoon total $28.

And the evening fun has yet to begin.

San Pellegrino and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, and another speciality coffee with desert, $26 ea

Now it is time for some mind altering sampling to happen, or not A cocktail with friends at one of the watering holes on ship $7 ea, or 2 if we are letting our hair down!

One more bottle water on the way back to the cabin just in case we get thirsty during the night, $4. Evening total, $44.

Morning, $24, day, $28, evening $44, total $96.00 each useing the low end of the cost scale and not much mind altering substance.

Some evening's we will grab another coffee ( or worse) and go and sit on deck 5 to unwind, listen to the swoosh of the waves gently breaking down the side of the ship before heading to the cabin.

 

We upgraded to the Premium on the Reflection last Nov as most of the wine the wifester drank was at a higher price point, as were my selections from the Craft beer menu.

[Adidas4fun]

Here is my "RUFF" run down of a day with a drink pkg on another thread:

 

For us at least, the package was not just about booze. It was everything else that the pkg includes.

 

A speciality coffee each on the balcony while the wifester is putting on her face, $5 ea.

 

Evian or San Pellegrino with fresh squeezed juice with that second coffee at breakfast, $15 ea.

 

Grab a bottle water on the way to stake out a deck chair, $4 ea.

$24 each before any mind altering liquid is consumed.

 

A beer or the drink of the day by the pool, $6 ea

Then off to lunch, maybe a soda, or another San Pellegrino $5 ea

The sun is hot hot hot! A cold beer or drink of the day is in order, $6 ea

The burger at the Mast Grill is calling our names, it does not go down with out some liquid assistance, $5 ea, then it is time to meet friends to watch the sun set from the Sunset Bar, $6 ea. Afternoon total $28.

And the evening fun has yet to begin.

San Pellegrino and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, and another speciality coffee with desert, $26 ea

Now it is time for some mind altering sampling to happen, or not A cocktail with friends at one of the watering holes on ship $7 ea, or 2 if we are letting our hair down!

One more bottle water on the way back to the cabin just in case we get thirsty during the night, $4. Evening total, $44.

Morning, $24, day, $28, evening $44, total $96.00 each useing the low end of the cost scale and not much mind altering substance.

Some evening's we will grab another coffee ( or worse) and go and sit on deck 5 to unwind, listen to the swoosh of the waves gently breaking down the side of the ship before heading to the cabin.

 

We upgraded to the Premium on the Reflection last Nov as most of the wine the wifester drank was at a higher price point, as were my selections from the Craft beer menu.

 

Very helpful thank you

[Cruise Junky]

Mind altering sampling? Love it! I had a couple of those in the molecular bar

[MicCanberra]

We only had the issue once. Our fist course arrived and no wine had been poured. We did not even pick up silverware, the waiter and asst waiter noticed and asked if there was a problem. We said we want wine with the food,they got the sommelier,not another problem that evening.

 

On all other evenings before and after we had excellent wine service. Always mentioned, if I thought I wanted different wines with courses at the first order.

 

I have just asked any of the waiters as they pass and they are happy to oblige and get the sommelier.:D

[Pugwash123]

We were on the Eclipse May 10 - May 23 and had the premium drinks package, for what its worth, here are my observations.

 

The choice of wines by the glass especially in the speciality dining rooms is very limited.

 

The wine service in the main dining room was appalling, we often had to wait 30 mins or so to order our wine and on the last formal evening my wife never did receive a second glass.

 

Despite having the premium wine package I still paid a considerable amount over and above the package. I cannot tell you how much extra we paid in total as we never received a final invoice but the extra charge for three glasses of wine in Muranos came to $32.

[wallie5446]

We were on the Eclipse May 10 - May 23 and had the premium drinks package, for what its worth, here are my observations.

 

The choice of wines by the glass especially in the speciality dining rooms is very limited.

 

The wine service in the main dining room was appalling, we often had to wait 30 mins or so to order our wine and on the last formal evening my wife never did receive a second glass.

 

Despite having the premium wine package I still paid a considerable amount over and above the package. I cannot tell you how much extra we paid in total as we never received a final invoice but the extra charge for three glasses of wine in Muranos came to $32.

 

We started our sailing on the Reflection last Nov very similar with our Som in the MDR. The Shiraz that was covered on the Prem pkg she liked was strangely 'not offered' in the DR. So we would make a stop at the Sunset bar where the bartender kept a bottle for her, get a glass and go to dinner. The blue plastic ware stood out on the table like a soar thumb!:eek: after the soup n salad, I went and retrieved her another glass, which the Som quickly poured into a regular glass on the table, hummmmm:rolleyes:

Went to Murano the 2nd evening, the 3rd evening when we sat down in the DR, there was a bottle already on the table! WOW:eek: Never had an issue the rest of the week, even got a tour of the inside of the wine rack!

Edited May 31, 2014 by wallie5446

[kevinyork]

We were on the Eclipse May 10 - May 23 and had the premium drinks package, for what its worth, here are my observations.

 

 

 

The choice of wines by the glass especially in the speciality dining rooms is very limited.

 

 

 

The wine service in the main dining room was appalling, we often had to wait 30 mins or so to order our wine and on the last formal evening my wife never did receive a second glass.

 

 

 

Despite having the premium wine package I still paid a considerable amount over and above the package. I cannot tell you how much extra we paid in total as we never received a final invoice but the extra charge for three glasses of wine in Muranos came to $32.

 

 

I suppose it could be down to different drinks waiters. We were on the same cruise in Select Dining and across 14 nights had 3 different wine waiters. All were excellent. Friendly and very efficient and remembered our drinks when they saw us next. Never had an empty glass on our table and we were all on the Premium package.

 

In any case if what happened to you happened to us we would have quiet word with the head waiter and would not tolerate 14 nights of it.

 

 

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