How To Upgrade Drinks Packages

[rdb106]

Total newbie determined to learn as much as possible here...

 

At the risk of reigniting the beverage package debate... :rolleyes:

 

We've chosen to add on the Classic Beverage Package and the OBC for our 2015 Med Cruise thanks to 1,2,3 Go. I'm thinking we'd ultimately like to have the premium package, which would mean upgrading from the Classic Package included with the perk.

 

My questions are these: 1) Can you upgrade a "perk/freebie" beverage package, or must it be a package you've purchased? and 2) When upgrading, is the fee simply the price difference between the two packages (currently $10).

 

In my mind, ultimately paying just $10/day/pp is an awesome deal for having such flexibility with drinks, but that seems WAY too good to be true, so I must be missing something. I've searched the forums and fine print, so I'd love any insight you can offer.

[BCguy100]

We're in the same boat. I think it's only the same 'perk/package', but yes - the Premium pgke is $10.50 pp/day extra ... a pretty good deal.

 

M

[Pushka]

Isn't it $11? This is my plan to use the OBC too. As an upgrade to premium.

[MR_T]

It's actually $11.50 per day to upgrade which include the gratuities!

 

You can do it on board regardless of if purchased or given as a perk or call celebrity or your agent to do it before...

 

I would say I have done both and on the occasion I did it onboard there was a mistake and they ended up charging my account for the full package price which was a paid as I used a pre-paid credit card and that wiped out all the money I had on there... Got it sorted after a few trips to the guest relations but was something I could do without!!! Will always do it in advance in future!!

 

 

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[MR_T]

 

In my mind, ultimately paying just $10/day/pp is an awesome deal for having such flexibility with drinks, but that seems WAY too good to be true, so I must be missing something. I've searched the forums and fine print, so I'd love any insight you can offer.

 

 

It's a great deal if you want to try some different drinks... We love the martini & molecular bars so 1 drink in either a day and you have your money's worth!!!

 

Just for the record I do tend to have more than one a day... Just to make sure!! : )

 

 

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[Pushka]

We had issues with our credit card when on RCL. It wasn't the credit card fault but something RCL was doing wrong. Several trips to Guest Services and some refusal of service in the shops because of the issue. I agree it didn't help with enjoyment of the cruise.

 

If using OBC I think we need to do it on the ship?

[MR_T]

 

If using OBC I think we need to do it on the ship?

 

 

One thing to bare in mind is the OBC might not show until day 2... We have had this issue before wanting to use OBC for our speciality restaurant booking and booked when we boarded only to fine out our card had been charged overnight as our OBC only showed the next day.... More trips to guest relations!!

 

 

 

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[Pushka]

Yep MR_T. That also happens on Cunard ships too. Best wait methinks.

[jagoffee]

One thing to bare in mind is the OBC might not show until day 2... We have had this issue before wanting to use OBC for our speciality restaurant booking and booked when we boarded only to fine out our card had been charged overnight as our OBC only showed the next day.... More trips to guest relations!!

 

 

 

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That is very interesting. My card has never been charged for on board charges until the end of the cruise. The OBC is always netted out at some point, so I never worry about.

[jagoffee]

Total newbie determined to learn as much as possible here...

 

At the risk of reigniting the beverage package debate... :rolleyes:

 

We've chosen to add on the Classic Beverage Package and the OBC for our 2015 Med Cruise thanks to 1,2,3 Go. I'm thinking we'd ultimately like to have the premium package, which would mean upgrading from the Classic Package included with the perk.

 

My questions are these: 1) Can you upgrade a "perk/freebie" beverage package, or must it be a package you've purchased? and 2) When upgrading, is the fee simply the price difference between the two packages (currently $10).

 

In my mind, ultimately paying just $10/day/pp is an awesome deal for having such flexibility with drinks, but that seems WAY too good to be true, so I must be missing something. I've searched the forums and fine print, so I'd love any insight you can offer.

 

Yes, it is one of the best deals around IMO. Based on the various discussions over the last month concerning the Classic package I continue to be surprised that most people do not appear to pay the $11.50 pp daily charge to upgrade to Premium. The other great benefit of the Premium package is the ability to only pay the difference if you want something over the $13 limit. This comes in handy for some large international beers and selective wines.

 

Enjoy your cruise and the package.

[LF2C]

We've got the 123 go deals on our next two cruises and not being big drinkers feel that the choice is plenty big enough on the classic package

[MR_T]

That is very interesting. My card has never been charged for on board charges until the end of the cruise. The OBC is always netted out at some point, so I never worry about.

 

 

Ok maybe the wrong wording... It wasn't charged your correct but celebrity do put a hold on funds over night and then at the end of the cruise they do an actual charge for the total amount and release the holds... Now this might not be a problem with a normal credit card but I use a pre-paid one with only enough on it for my holiday so the problem was they put a hold on a large sum of money which then impacts on available money to spend when needed...

 

Also they tend to have the charge on your card before your off the ship but releasing the holds is another matter... Last time it took around 3 weeks after the cruise ended!! 😡

 

 

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[MR_T]

Yes, it is one of the best deals around IMO. Based on the various discussions over the last month concerning the Classic package I continue to be surprised that most people do not appear to pay the $11.50 pp daily charge to upgrade to Premium. The other great benefit of the Premium package is the ability to only pay the difference if you want something over the $13 limit. This comes in handy for some large international beers and selective wines.

 

 

 

Enjoy your cruise and the package.

 

 

I agree totally 😎

 

 

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[MR_T]

We've got the 123 go deals on our next two cruises and not being big drinkers feel that the choice is plenty big enough on the classic package

 

 

We are also not big drinkers but we do like a couple of Martinis or molecular bar drinks each day/night and if you have 1 a day it's paid for... Plus all the extras you get like fresh OJ/premium bigger waters etc make it worth the little extra! 😃

 

 

 

 

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[rdb106]

Yay! Thanks for all the help! We're not huge drinkers- one or two a night tops- but we're definitely interested in trying out the higher end cocktails in the Molecular Bar and Martini bar, as well as the benefit of all the other non-alcoholic drinks, too. $11.50 is a drop in the bucket for all of that in my book. Not too good to be true after all. :)

 

 

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[gdpups]

If you'd like to upgrade before you board call the Enhancement Dept @

800-722-5941. You can also upgrade onboard and that's a popular option for people who have OBC to spend.

[Patrick IL.]

We have upgraded both ways. That being said our preference is to take care of it prior to boarding. We simply called and upgraded a couple of weeks prior.

When you do it on board, we had to get a bartender, they tend to be very busy that first day. He had to manually write everything down and then he put a little sticker on our cards. Mine fell off 1/2 through the cruise and I had to go back, get another person to verify I had indeed upgraded and get another sticker. Ahead of time its already printed on your card and its one less thing to stand in line for. The price for the daily upgrade is about the price of one martini :)

Edited June 13, 2014 by Patrick IL.

[wallie5446]

 

but that seems WAY too good to be true, so I must be missing something. I've searched the forums and fine print, so I'd love any insight you can offer.

 

One of these days everyone will get tired of seeing my ruff draft!

 

 

We have friends that have been purchasing the packages for a number of years, they are nothing new. The pkg makes it cost effective to order 3 glasses of wine which would cost $12-14 ea than buying a bottle @ $50-60 and only getting 2 glasses each. And yes, there is a lot more to what the total pkg encompasses than just booze.

 

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 drinks that would make us not remember the cruise! 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 (Classic pkg) 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.

 

You are not missing a thing! Depends on how you make use of the package.

Edited June 13, 2014 by wallie5446

[miched]

It's actually $11.50 per day to upgrade which include the gratuities!

 

You can do it on board regardless of if purchased or given as a perk or call celebrity or your agent to do it before...

 

I would say I have done both and on the occasion I did it onboard there was a mistake and they ended up charging my account for the full package price which was a paid as I used a pre-paid credit card and that wiped out all the money I had on there... Got it sorted after a few trips to the guest relations but was something I could do without!!! Will always do it in advance in future!!

 

 

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I had the opposite. I had the drink pack thru the 123. Paid in advance for te upgrade as I wanted to be sure thatI got it. Checked in at the port and it wasn't on my card. The agent said to check at Guest Relations. Wasted time there standing in line and was told that I wasn't on the list. I showed them my emails and cc receipts showing the charges and they said that didn't mean anything. Called my TA and a few ours ater it was confirmed. This happened to me 3 times out of 5 times with the pack. The last 2 times I upgraded on board to avoid the hassle.

 

🍸🍻🍺

[miched]

We have upgraded both ways. That being said our preference is to take care of it prior to boarding. We simply called and upgraded a couple of weeks prior.

When you do it on board, we had to get a bartender, they tend to be very busy that first day. He had to manually write everything down and then he put a little sticker on our cards. Mine fell off 1/2 through the cruise and I had to go back, get another person to verify I had indeed upgraded and get another sticker. Ahead of time its already printed on your card and its one less thing to stand in line for. The price for the daily upgrade is about the price of one martini :)

 

The sticker doesn't mean anything as they still scan your card. If you have the pack or not the drink is added to your folio. If you have the there is no charge indicated, if you don't then you get charged. You can always go to Guest Relations anda they will issue you a card without the sticker. I had it both ways and it doesn't matter.

 

They don't look at you card and just give you a drink if you have the package, they still scan your card. If you have the pack they give you the card back with the drink, if you don't have a pack they give you the card back, give you a slip to sign and give you the drink. Most of my cards got worn out and the print that indicated that I had the package was "erased" from use and sun screen, still got drinks without being charged.

 

 

🍸🍻🍺

Edited June 14, 2014 by miched

[Pushka]

So if I get asked to sign something and I know the drink purchased is included in my classic package then I shouldn't sign as there's an error somewhere?

 

But I always have to have my card scanned?

Edited June 14, 2014 by Pushka
wdit.

[wallie5446]

So if I get asked to sign something and I know the drink purchased is included in my classic package then I shouldn't sign as there's an error somewhere?

 

But I always have to have my card scanned?

 

The card is always scanned, and at the end of the cruise you can do a print out and see just how much you used the package. Then make your determination if it had value for you or not.

 

Yes, if you are handed a slip to sign there is a snap-foo:eek: that needs to be corrected in some way.

 

Footnote: the scan gives them usage figures so they know what to order and stock on average.

Edited June 14, 2014 by wallie5446

[Pushka]

Thanks Wallie! On RCL we had a soft drink card and it wasn't scanned. I still getting my head around it all. 28 days to go.