Just Buy Bottles of Wine - not a Package - Onboard?

[ramco]

Can I Just buy bottles of wine on board to bring back to my cabin? The beverage packages are sold on a per-day basis, on a 16 night cruise are expensive, and almost assume that you will be drinking all day. All I want is a glass of wine before dinner and perhaps a beer at dinner. If you can buy a bottle of wine to take back to your cabin, on average how much would a bottle of domestic white wine cost?

[Sloop-JohnB]

You can most certainly buy a bottle of wine on an individual basis vs in a Beverage Pkg, and drink in which ever venue of your liking, or bring it back to your cabin (we did this on our last cruise picked up a bottle in CellarMasters & enjoyed it on our balcony)

 

You should know however, that There are several types of Bevvy Pkgs... The ones that are "by the glass" in the Non Alcohol & Alcohol Categories (Classic & Premium) as well as some that are "by the bottle" (Stateroom Bar Set Up & Taste of the Vineyards Wine Selections)

 

Celebrity Beverage Pkgs = http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/onboard-beverage-packages?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages_overview

 

A Bevvy Pkg is going to work out to be a better option for most Pax when it comes to costing... So I would fully investigate them before I took to buying a bottle at a time.

 

One has to remember that the Classic & Premium Bevvy Pkgs include a lot more than just alcohol items... Things that can all very quickly add up when bought individually:

 

Bottled Waters (Spring - Still - Sparkling - Flavoured) - Premium Coffees, Teas & Hot Chocolates - Pop / Soft Drinks - Fresh Squeezed Juices - Smoothies - Slushes - and Mocktails

 

On average, if you drink just 2 or 3 alcohol items a day... When you add in everything else that is available (and you may very well want to drink) it is very very easy to break even or come out ahead on one of the "by the glass" Bevvy Pkgs

 

Especially so when the prices onboard the ship for items are comparable to what one would pay at a Hotel or Resort on land (ie $ 3 for a Pop - $ 4 for Bottled Water - $ 8 for San Peligrino - $ 5 for Premium ala Starbucks Coffee - $ 6+ for Beer - $ 8+ for a glass of wine - $ 10+ for a fancy cocktail / martini) **

 

The other nice thing about having a Bevvy Pkg is you can mix it up... You can enjoy a glass of white wine with your Appy, and a red with your main course etc

 

Then it is just a matter of what brands you prefer...

 

Here is the link to Celebrity's Official Bevvy Pkg Lists (brand names) as updated at the end of May 2014 (last big change) and posted here by CC Member CELEBRITY CRUISES (Official Social Media Rep)

 

Celebrity Official Bevvy Pkg Lists = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048745

 

TAs for Celebrity's Wine Offerings they have one of the greatest wine cellars afloat !!

 

Here is a copy of the Celebrity Official List from 2012 that I shared back then... There have been a few changes sine then in regards to Vintages & Pricing (things went up a bit in May 2014 when Celebrity Reviewed their Programs... As I noted above)... But the list will give you a general idea of what is aboard and the costing

 

Celebrity Official Wine List (2012) = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1566983

 

I hope to do an update to the Official Wine List early in 2015 after my upcoming cruise

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

** Ps... Pricing shown here is just "rough examples"... Usually prices are a span depending on what one chooses to drink. Example Beers can range from a low of about $ 6 for a US Domestic up to over $ 12 for an Import or Craft Beer.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Lsimon]

Can I Just buy bottles of wine on board to bring back to my cabin? The beverage packages are sold on a per-day basis, on a 16 night cruise are expensive, and almost assume that you will be drinking all day. All I want is a glass of wine before dinner and perhaps a beer at dinner. If you can buy a bottle of wine to take back to your cabin, on average how much would a bottle of domestic white wine cost?

 

Yes you can. In fact you can order any bottle of wine in the MDR wine list, or any other bottle of wine offered on the ship, from room service and the cost will be the same as buying the bottle in any bar or restaurant.

 

Stop by the dining room, or cellar masters if it is still on your ship, to see the current wine list. Most of these wines may also be listed on the room service interactive menu system on your stateroom TV, but I'm not sure if that list is complete or not.

 

In general the selection of wine by the bottle is much more varied than the wines available in the packages. This is true both in terms of the breadth of selection and in the range of prices.

 

Just to give you an idea of prices and selection I have an older wine list (March 2013) on my web site here: http://lfsimon.home.comcast.net/~lfsimon/Celebrity%20MDR%20Wine%20List%20-%20Eclipse%20March%202013.pdf

 

A more recent list was posted in this thread, but some of the pages are no longer available for some reason: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2042016

 

Of course you'll pay the restaurant/resort type prices on board which are 2 to 4 times retail. If you have time to shop before your cruise you are allowed to bring two bottles of wine on board with you (the allowance is per stateroom). A lot of cruisers do this to enjoy the wine in their stateroom. Your cabin steward will chill it in a bucket of ice on request and can bring you wine glasses. There is no charge for brining on your own wine if you drink it in your stateroom but they do charge a $25/bottle corkage fee to consume it in a dining room or restaurant.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Lsimon

[Jane2357]

Last cruise we did not have the daily inclusive beverage package - but we purchased the premium wine package. The sommelier was wonderful helping us select bottles (red for hubby, white for me) that we loved. I highly recommend this route and I believe you could take the bottle back to the cabin although we kept ours for our dinners.

[RickT]

To the OP, to answer your question, yes to can buy a bottle of wine and do whatever you want with it.

 

- You can buy it from any of the bars/restaurants on board and take it with you from venue to venue or back to your cabin if that's what you prefer.

- You can buy a bottle of wine in the MDR (and possible other places) and if you don't finish it can resume drinking it at your table the next evening.

 

As far as the beveridge packages, there is no way our level of drinking can make that a worthwile investment (even if you add in the coffees, pop, water, etc). I've also looked at the various wine packages (various packages which include a certain number of bottles at various price ranges) and unless you are in love with the wines listed it probably makes more sense to just pay as you go.

 

As a side note, don't forget you can bring 2 bottles per stateroom on board at embarkation. I've also been on a couple cruises where they have sold certain wines for $20 a bottle for in room consumption.

 

Take a peek at what the beveridge and/or wine packages have to offer and decide based on your expected consumption what will work best. The best part is that you can sign up for these packages after a few days if you see you are drinking enough to warrant the cost.

[downundermatt]

Indeed last cruise I took they were selling wine for $20 a bottle in Cellarmasters - I think part of a clearance .......

[cle-guy]

I suggest pre-purchasing your wine thru Gifts by Celebrity.

 

You will save the 15% gratuity by doing so and they will not charge a corkage fee either for bottles bought thru the gifts program.

 

I've also found some bottles have lower prices on the Gifts page versus what is billed on the ship, though this has varied over time.

[Gracie115]

I suggest pre-purchasing your wine thru Gifts by Celebrity.

 

You will save the 15% gratuity by doing so and they will not charge a corkage fee either for bottles bought thru the gifts program.

 

I've also found some bottles have lower prices on the Gifts page versus what is billed on the ship, though this has varied over time.

 

This is a great idea!! And one we'll use for our TA next year since we're restricted to 2 bottles brought on board!!

[capecodder2]

I am with RickT, no way any of the beverage packages are worth our while. I would rather spend our money on something more interesting. We buy a bottle of red and a bottle of white and have a glass for lunch and/or dinner until it is gone, then buy another; occasionally we have a cocktail. Other than that, we just drink iced tea, coffee, or "water from the tap" (our cabin or the dining venue). We don't need or drink all the other stuff they sell. If we want bottled water, we buy some on shore and bring it back to the ship. We have never come near spending what we would with a package.

[ladylemondrop]

I suggest pre-purchasing your wine thru Gifts by Celebrity.

 

You will save the 15% gratuity by doing so and they will not charge a corkage fee either for bottles bought thru the gifts program.

 

I've also found some bottles have lower prices on the Gifts page versus what is billed on the ship, though this has varied over time.

 

That is genius - thank you! :D

[Giorgi-one]

Why would you book a Celebrity Cruise without getting the Classic Beverage Package included at no additional charge?

[Killington]

Why would you book a Celebrity Cruise without getting the Classic Beverage Package included at no additional charge?

 

Because it's not included on a lot of non European cruises if you are booking from UK

[cle-guy]

Why would you book a Celebrity Cruise without getting the Classic Beverage Package included at no additional charge?

 

TA's, TPac's, Repositioning cruises don't allow the perk. 16 night cruise, sounds like it may be one of these types.

 

Booking within 75 days or so the perk isn't applicable.

 

Some discounted fares perks don't apply, especially %off specials (captains club specials sometimes).

 

123 perks don't always apply in all countries, it may be open to US residents, and not UK residents for example, and there have been times where UK had it and US didn't.

[tangerinebunny]

Why would you book a Celebrity Cruise without getting the Classic Beverage Package included at no additional charge?

 

Because we saved $1000 on a seven day cruise by booking during a non-package period? Actually it was $500 off the fare and $500 OBC.

[cle-guy]

Because we saved $1000 on a seven day cruise by booking during a non-package period? Actually it was $500 off the fare and $500 OBC.

 

I was trying to think of periods when 123 wasn't applicable for bookings made within the last year. Seems like it's been extended every month, maybe a week of lag time at some point in the year before it popped back up. I'm thinking of US based bookings specifically.

 

Maybe a period in Dec-Feb where no package was available? I know I booed a cruise in December, and got some sort of Captain's club discount so 123 didn't apply for example, I think I may have booked during the new season deployment period.

 

Does anyone know for sure what periods in the last year 123 wasn;t available (excepting of course the standard non-applicable sailings - close in bookings, and TA, TP Repo).

[Giorgi-one]

Didn't know about differences for UK. However, I am aware specials come and go during the year. You have to know what type of specials each cruise line offers and book accordingly. Best to book as soon as you get the amenities you want. If price drops before final payment you can request price adjustment.

[WestLakeGirl]

Also inside rooms usually don't qualify for the package

[varoo]

Also inside rooms usually don't qualify for the package

Neither do many of the discounted fares, regardless of cabin category.

 

But even when passengers qualify for the perks, many who are not big drinkers discover that they are better off taking the OBC and/or gratuities instead of the drink package.

 

On the ship, unlimited regular water, coffee, milk, hot tea, iced tea, hot chocolate, lemonade and fruit punch are free for everyone.

It is easy to prepare your own iced-coffee drinks at the buffet, or mix up other beverage concoctions there to suit one's own taste preferences.

 

At the embarkation ports, there are always passengers checking in cases of bottled water and carbonated beverages that they buy in port for a small fraction of the cost of purchasing them on the ship.

 

Just slap a couple of luggage tags on a case of whatever (non-alcoholic) beverage you prefer and it will be delivered to your cabin for you.

That is in addition to the 2 bottles of wine that you can carry on at embarkation.

 

 

If in doubt, one can always follow RickT's wise advice:

 

Take a peek at what the beverage and/or wine packages have to offer and decide based on your expected consumption what will work best. The best part is that you can sign up for these packages after a few days if you see you are drinking enough to warrant the cost.

 

 

Edited October 11, 2014 by varoo

[sunnygrannyd]

Why would you book a Celebrity Cruise without getting the Classic Beverage Package included at no additional charge?

 

If you have a military discount, you can't have a perk also. Fair?

[Caribbean Chris]

I was trying to think of periods when 123 wasn't applicable for bookings made within the last year. Seems like it's been extended every month, maybe a week of lag time at some point in the year before it popped back up. I'm thinking of US based bookings specifically.

 

Maybe a period in Dec-Feb where no package was available? I know I booed a cruise in December, and got some sort of Captain's club discount so 123 didn't apply for example, I think I may have booked during the new season deployment period.

 

Does anyone know for sure what periods in the last year 123 wasn;t available (excepting of course the standard non-applicable sailings - close in bookings, and TA, TP Repo).

 

There was a late spring time (May?) this year when it had expired, and they were offering Pick Two. (Might be when tangerinebunny booked.)

 

I recall this because we booked in April under Pick Your Perk and took Classic Beverage Pckg (already had plenty of OBC)...but when relatives decided to join us, they booked under Pick Two, $500 off the fare and $500 OBC. They're not big drinkers and we're all happy.

[cle-guy]

If you have a military discount, you can't have a perk also. Fair?

 

Indeed it is. Pick and choose ones discounts, coupons or perks. "Stacking" of multiple discounts and perks is not common in the general marketplace, nor is it on cruise bookings.

 

If I have a 123 package, I can't also take advantage of my shareholder OBC. If I book a 15% off during a promotion period, I can't get the 123 too.

 

So I do the math and determine which perk/promotion/discount will be the best overall.

[jody75]

I suggest pre-purchasing your wine thru Gifts by Celebrity.

 

You will save the 15% gratuity by doing so and they will not charge a corkage fee either for bottles bought thru the gifts program.

 

 

Hi cle-guy, If you buy thru' the Gift Programme, can you take the bottle to dinner without paying Corkage ? How do they know where you bought the wine ?

[tangerinebunny]

Our booking is dated April 11, 2014 for the December 7 Silhouette seven day cruise.

 

It shows 'Take Both' at $500 off the initial cost and then the $500 OBC. We're in a Sky 1.

 

This works for us because we don't drink soft drinks and have just a glass of wine at dinner.

 

We came out ahead, but it wouldn't be the best option for everyone.

[cle-guy]

Hi cle-guy, If you buy thru' the Gift Programme, can you take the bottle to dinner without paying Corkage ? How do they know where you bought the wine ?

 

Yes you can drink anywhere on the ship without corkage fees. Not sure how they know, I assume they probably ask at dinner, or maybe recognize the label of the wine as one of those they sell on board. Perhaps they affix some sort of label, but I can't say for certain. Or maybe they check the guest record inconspicuously while you dine to see if you had a gift before charging the corkage fee.

 

There are also times they set up "stands" and sell full bottle of wines outside the buffet for discounted pricing.

 

Likely they just know the brands available on board.

[Giorgi-one]

If you have a military discount, you can't have a perk also. Fair?

 

Not being critical but how much is the military discount? The Classic Beverage package is worth about $1000 on our 10 day cruise.