My experience with all inclusive beverage package

[Thrak]

Sadly I'm sure I could drink enough to "make it pay" without ever becoming blotto. I don't metabolize alcohol like most people. I can drink quite a bit. It would never work for my wife as she's more like "normal" people in the way alcohol works for her. (I have the same sort of issue with painkillers. Ibuprofen works pretty well for me but things like Vicodin just don't work very well at all.) I just won't ever buy the package because I don't really want to drink that much even though I can and I think it's a crazy amount of money to budget just for drinks. I will enjoy my cruise with a drink or two here and there - mostly if my wife feels like having one. We both just really enjoy being on the cruise and, by only having a few drinks, it makes them more "special".

 

Our bar bill for a 14 day cruise was pretty small. Our oldest son booked a room on the same cruise and his bar tab was over $1,000. Of course he bought a lot of drinks for other people. He does enjoy treating others. Myself, I really can't afford that kind of a bar bill!

[Cozzette2]

Do you have to buy the whole week or can you just buy a day or two like maybe the sea days ?

[NukeIT]

Do you have to buy the whole week or can you just buy a day or two like maybe the sea days ?

 

 

The entire cruise.

 

It would be a losing bet for them if you could cherry pick which days you wanted it.

 

 

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[senior lady]

I'm going to try the pkg on my next cruise, just out of curiosity

I drink a lot of water, so that is included.

If wine has gone up to $9 a glass, then a couple of those in the evening, maybe a "foo foo" drink by the pool ? I'm thinking I should just about break even.

As some of the other posters have mentioned, it does allow me to try different drinks now as before when you had to pay, I was less adventuresome. LOL.

[martin jenkins]

sorry but it doesn't take much to rack up $65 a day, on the beverage sheet somebody did thats only 3 coffee's, 2 perrier water, 1 beer, 2 gin and tonics, 2 glasses wine at dinner and a liqueur coffee, and i would normally have at least 4-5 coffee's a day and as i go to the gym probably 4 waters as well and just those 2 comes to $25.60.

[crush on cruises]

I don't know if anyone else has notices this. While on our recent Alaska cruise on the Island we noticed several people pretty tipsy before lunch on sea days. One group was using the deck near our balcony. We figured they were starting early to get their money's worth. I wonder if this will be a trend with the all inclusive package. I'm not criticizing, just observing and wondering...:rolleyes:

[tartanexile81]

We're thinking about trying the package on our cruise on Ruby. Can you tell me if it means you're able to order a glass of wine at dinner?

[NukeIT]

We're thinking about trying the package on our cruise on Ruby. Can you tell me if it means you're able to order a glass of wine at dinner?

 

 

No it's only unlimited beverages between 2am and 6am. All other hours you are cut off if you buy the package. 😊

 

Seriously. Yes. Why wouldn't it include dinner?

 

 

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Edited July 21, 2014 by NukeIT

[janetz]

We're thinking about trying the package on our cruise on Ruby. Can you tell me if it means you're able to order a glass of wine at dinner?

 

Yes, of course, at Vine's also, and any other bar. :) The thing that I find odd is that with the package you can order a bottle of wine at 40% off. Why would I buy a bottle, at an extra charge over the package, when I can drink it by the glass. Someone enlighten me, please.

[NukeIT]

Yes, of course, at Vine's also, and any other bar. :) The thing that I find odd is that with the package you can order a bottle of wine at 40% off. Why would I buy a bottle, at an extra charge over the package, when I can drink it by the glass. Someone enlighten me, please.

 

 

If you had a taste for finer wines which are not served by the glass.

 

 

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Edited July 21, 2014 by NukeIT

[janetz]

If you had a taste for finer wines which are not served by the glass.

 

 

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Then Vines is the place I go. :) I do like Vines.

Edited July 21, 2014 by janetz

[lnuzzo]

My husband and I average somewhere around $700 for a weeks bar tab, but then he likes to get a few higher priced bottles of wine with dinner during the week. our last cruise was a group family vacation, and all of the adults except my in-laws opted for the all inclusive package (NCL). It was a good thing we did, as this was a heavy drinking group, and we ended up drinking quite a bit more than we normally do just the 2 of us. We have discussed the all inclusive packages, and our take is that we normally would just break even when traveling as a couple, but with a group or another couple, we can easily rack up the $$ needed to make these packages worthwhile. So for us, it comes down to whether we are traveling with others or not.

 

 

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[Sunviking]

Yes, of course, at Vine's also, and any other bar. :) The thing that I find odd is that with the package you can order a bottle of wine at 40% off. Why would I buy a bottle, at an extra charge over the package, when I can drink it by the glass. Someone enlighten me, please.

 

The wine by the glass selection is limited in the MDR and other dining venues. Also at the bars. The largest selection is at Vines. We went to Vines just before dinner some nights and got a glass from there and took it to the dining room. The choices in the restaurants are acceptable but not as varied.

[tartanexile81]

No it's only unlimited beverages between 2am and 6am. All other hours you are cut off if you buy the package. 😊

 

Seriously. Yes. Why wouldn't it include dinner?

 

 

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Well I can't tell you why, but some packages on other lines only allow the drinks served in bars. I've never had a drinks package on Princess so it was a genuine question so I'm sorry you felt the need to give such a glib answer :(.

 

 

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[tartanexile81]

The wine by the glass selection is limited in the MDR and other dining venues. Also at the bars. The largest selection is at Vines. We went to Vines just before dinner some nights and got a glass from there and took it to the dining room. The choices in the restaurants are acceptable but not as varied.

 

 

Thank you. That's very helpful.

 

 

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[Jim Avery]

I might have missed it somewhere but how is the package handled? Do you still have to sign for each drink or is there some other way they can tell you have the package? Thanks.:D

[LynnMW3]

I'm considering the package if the wine package is not available on our sailing. I drink more than DH (mostly wine), and I would definitely buy the bottles at a discount for us to share at dinner. We'll play by the rules and not share if I end up getting the package...he'll have a coffee card and buy a beer when he wants it, but I'd use the coffee, soda, water and wine daily. Maybe even a froo froo drink on occasion too.

 

Now, if the wine bottle package is available, I'll get that to share with DH (and on the balcony), and get a coffee card and soda card myself (still cheaper on a 14-day than the AI).

 

 

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[brentlym]

I might have missed it somewhere but how is the package handled? Do you still have to sign for each drink or is there some other way they can tell you have the package? Thanks.:D

 

Yes, you still have to sign for each drink. They put a sticker on your cruise card, and the bartender/waitstaff brings you a paper receipt to sign.

 

The package works great for me and my cruise buddies. While we definitely take advantage of the alcohol, coffee, water, and canned soda are a huge benefit.

[janetz]

The wine by the glass selection is limited in the MDR and other dining venues. Also at the bars. The largest selection is at Vines. We went to Vines just before dinner some nights and got a glass from there and took it to the dining room. The choices in the restaurants are acceptable but not as varied.

 

Yes, I have the listing of wines offered at Vines compared to what is offered at other venues. :)

[Pstcrik]

Yes, I have the listing of wines offered at Vines compared to what is offered at other venues. :)

 

Yes, this is what we find annoying about purchasing the All Inclusive. There is four of us who normally travel together and we do not buy the AI as they do not offer the same selection in the MDR as they do in Vines. We just purchase a bottle at Vines and take it to the MDR.

I have no idea why when they carry a nice selection in Vines that you can not purchase it in the MDR.

Certainly it would then be advantageous to purchase the AI.

It is much like the other strange theory that you can order a specialty coffee in the dinning room and they will take your coffee card and get it for you. But if you ask for black brewed coffee in the dinning room it becomes a problem. On occasion they have got it for me but more often I have been told that there is only a couple of locations on the ship that they have it. It seems to be an inconvenience for either the waiter or assist. waiter to get it but when a specialty coffee is order it some how shows up. I do understand these guys are busy but when you sell and charge for brewed coffee then somehow it should be available wherever.

[jagoffee]

Well I can't tell you why, but some packages on other lines only allow the drinks served in bars. I've never had a drinks package on Princess so it was a genuine question so I'm sorry you felt the need to give such a glib answer :(.

 

 

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I think he/her was just joking. I thought it was funny and not really directed at you.

 

Just curious what cruise line offers drink packages that do not include the dining room?

Thanks

Edited July 22, 2014 by jagoffee

[caribill]

Why would I buy a bottle, at an extra charge over the package, when I can drink it by the glass. Someone enlighten me, please.

 

o So you can share the bottle with others at dinner who do not have the package.

 

o Because some wines that people like are only available by the bottle, not by the glass.

[STCKcruises]

o So you can share the bottle with others at dinner who do not have the package.

 

 

Exactly. Which is the attraction to me and my wife. I will take the package and she won't but with her (perfectly allowable and above board) getting her wine purchased by me at a discount price we will both benefit and, I hope, break even/save money overall. 😃🍺🍷👍

 

 

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[lnuzzo]

Yes, of course, at Vine's also, and any other bar. :) The thing that I find odd is that with the package you can order a bottle of wine at 40% off. Why would I buy a bottle, at an extra charge over the package, when I can drink it by the glass. Someone enlighten me, please.

 

I was thinking similarly, But hubby saw this as a plus. One or more nights he will usually order a special bottle of wine, and is planning on using this discount to celebrate our 20th anniversary on our cruise next month.

[jagoffee]

Exactly. Which is the attraction to me and my wife. I will take the package and she won't but with her (perfectly allowable and above board) getting her wine purchased by me at a discount price we will both benefit and, I hope, break even/save money overall. 😃🍺🍷👍

 

 

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Do you also drink the bottled wine? Or do order a bottle with the discount for her consumption only?