123 go Classic package is incorectly adjusted for Australian Solstice departures

[CarolynAustralia]

Most upsetting that very few wines available on classic package as we have three cruises booked on Solstice - the first one Nov. 27th Sydney/Auckland and were looking forward to enjoying wine with dinner..

Brissie

 

Maybe you can check it out for the rest of us Brissie, on one of your earlier cruises. It does seem unfair when Australian and NZ wines are so reasonably priced compared to European wines.

[JNJBris]

I think you will find the Classic drinks package to be very limited and a bit frustrating. For example, you cannot buy a drink at the Molecular bar. In other bars and restaurants you will spend most of your time scouring the drinks menus and asking bar staff for what is available within the classic drinks package. The choices will be very few (with the exception being basic spirits).

 

We had the Premium drinks package on the Celebrity Reflection in May 2014 and even that was somewhat limiting. For example, the suggested wines to match with foods are often beyond the both the Classic and Premium packages. Even some beers were beyond the Premium package.

 

Neither the Classic or Premium drinks packages should be mistaken for an open bar.

 

In 2013, we sailed the Solstice out of Sydney without any drinks package at all and that is the only way to get real freedom to try a wide range of wines.

[SFO-F/A]

The question is 'Has it been corrected now?'

 

Anyone recently off the Solstice?

Please report back with the answer to this question! :confused:

DH and I drink mostly wine and have the Classic Drinks Package.

[Christine Frances]

I think you will find the Classic drinks package to be very limited and a bit frustrating. For example, you cannot buy a drink at the Molecular bar. In other bars and restaurants you will spend most of your time scouring the drinks menus and asking bar staff for what is available within the classic drinks package. The choices will be very few (with the exception being basic spirits).

 

We had the Premium drinks package on the Celebrity Reflection in May 2014 and even that was somewhat limiting. For example, the suggested wines to match with foods are often beyond the both the Classic and Premium packages. Even some beers were beyond the Premium package.

 

Neither the Classic or Premium drinks packages should be mistaken for an open bar.

 

 

 

In 2013, we sailed the Solstice out of Sydney without any drinks package at all and that is the only way to get real freedom to try a wide range of wines.

 

Thats why we loved the Premium Package:) I could have Conundrum or a Pouille Fume at dinner and just pay the $1-$3 difference. With the Classic you have to pay the full price. But I was usually quite happy with the Sav Blancs and Pinot Gris that were in the Prem Pkg limit. Also happily paid the small diff to try the craft beers that I had never seen before.

Edited November 24, 2014 by Christine Frances

[CarolynAustralia]

I have the classic wave promo showing on my reservation. I'm now wondering if this is the alcoholic package or the non alcoholic one?

I have been told if you got the package for free you can't upgrade onboard and must do it 5 days before you sail.

Does anyone know if this is correct? I booked online so don't have a travel agent to ask.

I really only drink wine so I'm obviously not keen on upgrading if I can get a few Sauv Blancs in the package I already have. I didn't buy a package on the med cruise I took in 2013 and just bought bottles of wine in the dining room and also bought a bottle for the stateroom.

I had planned on just getting on board and seeing what was available before I decided, however, with all the recent posts of not much being available on the classic plan, and the fact you "may" not be able to upgrade on board makes me think maybe I should be doing it before I sail.

What are others doing?

Edited November 26, 2014 by CarolynAustralia
Extra

[The_Big_M]

I have the classic wave promo showing on my reservation. I'm now wondering if this is the alcoholic package or the non alcoholic one?

 

The classic package is alcoholic.

 

They have only offered non-alcoholic packages to 3/4 bookings.

 

I have been told if you got the package for free you can't upgrade onboard and must do it 5 days before you sail.

Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Not sure who told you that, but it's incorrect.

 

In fact, they're heavily promoting upsells onboard, as a means of extra revenue since a fair number get this base package now. You'll find it very easy to upgrade onboard, with many staff happy to oblige!

 

I really only drink wine so I'm obviously not keen on upgrading if I can get a few Sauv Blancs in the package I already have. I didn't buy a package on the med cruise I took in 2013 and just bought bottles of wine in the dining room and also bought a bottle for the stateroom.

 

Haven't checked, but if by few you mean a choice of a few sauv blancs, you're out of luck. As I recall, there are probably only 1 or 2 sauv blancs in the classic package. If you just mean being able to drink multiple ones though, that should be fine.

[emileg]

...I have been told if you got the package for free you can't upgrade onboard and must do it 5 days before you sail.

Does anyone know if this is correct? I booked online so don't have a travel agent to ask...

 

...Not sure who told you that, but it's incorrect.

 

In fact, they're heavily promoting upsells onboard, as a means of extra revenue since a fair number get this base package now. You'll find it very easy to upgrade onboard, with many staff happy to oblige!

I will vouch for The_Big_M. Even before you board the ship as you walk through the terminal, there is a desk where they try to up-sell the premium package. Guest relations will gladly do it on board as well. We have upgraded from Classic to Premium twice this year without a flinch of the eye.

[CarolynAustralia]

I actually rang Celebrity here in Australia and they told me you couldn't upgrade on board. So much misinformation!!!

I'm so pleased Cruise Critic gives us this opportunity to share information - vital if we want to get things right.:)

I will now, definitely, just wait and see what's offered in the Classic package - I love to drink wine but if I like one I'm very happy to stick with it for the whole cruise!!!

Thank you for responding.

[emileg]

I actually rang Celebrity here in Australia and they told me you couldn't upgrade on board. So much misinformation!!!

I'm so pleased Cruise Critic gives us this opportunity to share information - vital if we want to get things right.:)

I will now, definitely, just wait and see what's offered in the Classic package - I love to drink wine but if I like one I'm very happy to stick with it for the whole cruise!!!

Thank you for responding.

Who knows? Maybe the rules are different on the New Zealand - Australia cruises.

[The_Big_M]

Who knows? Maybe the rules are different on the New Zealand - Australia cruises.

 

No, that's where I most recently experienced it. Last month out of Sydney we were pounced on straight after boarding, with waiters calling out upgrades as well as straight packages. Then at lunch in the buffet, got asked by a waiter if we had the package, as we could upgrade. There were tables promoting it. For a few days, the daily even had ads specifically for passengers to upgrade. And the CD specifically promoted it as an option in some announcements.

[thebutlerdidit]

I have been told if you got the package for free you can't upgrade onboard and must do it 5 days before you sail.

Does anyone know if this is correct? I booked online so don't have a travel agent to ask.

 

This misunderstanding may have originated because there is a cutoff date prior to sailing when you can upgrade through Celebrity and have the Premium Beverage Package printed directly on your Sea Pass card. You can do that if you'd prefer, and your credit card will be charged at that time. However, many of us don't mind just taking a moment to upgrade on board at any table selling upgrades or at any bar. If you choose to do this, they place a sticker over the Classic Beverage Package information on your Sea Pass Card and you're all set.

[emileg]

No, that's where I most recently experienced it. Last month out of Sydney we were pounced on straight after boarding, with waiters calling out upgrades as well as straight packages. Then at lunch in the buffet, got asked by a waiter if we had the package, as we could upgrade. There were tables promoting it. For a few days, the daily even had ads specifically for passengers to upgrade. And the CD specifically promoted it as an option in some announcements.

Glad to know. I am reassured that I have the option to upgrade to premium if I choose to.

[cruzin-again]

Anyone recently off the Solstice?

Please report back with the answer to this question! :confused:

DH and I drink mostly wine and have the Classic Drinks Package.

 

Can anyone off a recent Australasia cruise on Solstice or Century comment on the following :

 

1. Has the issue on Solstice been corrected ?

2. Does this issue also apply on Century ?

 

Any other info from X crewmembers that might give us an insight into what is going on.

 

Regards,

[emileg]

Can anyone off a recent Australasia cruise on Solstice or Century comment on the following :

 

1. Has the issue on Solstice been corrected ?

2. Does this issue also apply on Century ?

 

Any other info from X crewmembers that might give us an insight into what is going on.

 

Regards,

Hoping a week later we might hear from someone off the Solstice. Thanks.

[quitobaby]

Hi All:

 

Following is my understanding of the classic alcohol package and cost to upgrade as provided by our travel agent who has many clients with Celebrity:

 

-If you have the Classic Beverage Package, and choose an item that is a Premium item they will charge you full price for the item, not a up charge fee.

 

-To upgrade your Classic Beverage Package to the Premium Beverage Package, the cost to do this is 11.50 per person per day or a total cost increase of

 

-$161.00 per person or 322.00 total for both of you. You can do this on the first day on the ship.

Also you can go on line and get a list of the alcohol and non alcohol beverages that are included in both the classic and premium package. From all of the recent cruise critic conversation, it sounds like this list "may" not be completely up to date.

[SFO-F/A]

OK here is the question again.....

 

Is anyone back from sailing the Solstice out of Australia or New Zealand?

 

Have they corrected the wine list accordingly?

Edited December 17, 2014 by SFO-F/A

[Hammer61]

I’m sailing on Solstice next month so have been following this thread for nearly a month now to see any updates from anyone who has been on board recently, all I can assume is she is a ghost ship though :eek:

 

Surely someone out there in cruise critic land has been on this ship in the past month?

[rams1976]

I was on the Solstice last week, but I don't drink wine so I can't answer the wine question.

 

What I can is that some of the bars had drinks menus and some didn't, but there was no information about what drink qualified for the classic package and what wasn't.

 

I did ask one of the bar servers about what was the limits for drinks. Such as the limit for beer, wine and cocktails. But he wasn't very helpful and didn't answer the question.

All he was interested in was getting us to upgrade to the premium package.

 

All I can say is find one of the few staff on the ship who are actually helpful and ask them any questions you have.

 

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[Glyder]

i forwarded this thread to my travel agent and she sent me the following link to a pdf that may help

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/onboard-beverage-packages?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages_overview#onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic_tab/onboard/asrPanel%3Fpagename=onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic

Classic-Premium-Bev-Pckgs-1.pdf

[cruzin-again]

i forwarded this thread to my travel agent and she sent me the following link to a pdf that may help

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/onboard-beverage-packages?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages_overview#onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic_tab/onboard/asrPanel%3Fpagename=onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic

 

Unfortunately it doesn't !

[Glyder]

Unfortunately it doesn't !

 

 

why not you should be able to say this is on the list, what am i missing if you mean the link does not work that's where i got the attached pdf from

Edited December 19, 2014 by Glyder

[emileg]

why not you should be able to say this is on the list, what am i missing if you mean the link does not work that's where i got the attached pdf from

The pdf works fine, but it doesn't include the wine list. The problem is that the classic $9.00 and premium $13 wine limits are imposed, even though Celebrity raised the wine prices for this cruise to include the gratuity that cannot be charged separately. However they did not appear to raise the limits to reflect the included gratuity. The problem is that people paid an extra 15% to cover gratuity; but as the tip was included in the new higher price of the wine, they felt many of the wines were now beyond the range of the classic or premium package.

 

I realize how confusing this is and that is why we were hoping somebody coming off the Solstice could explain whether or not Celebrity made the proper adjustments to the respective $9 and $13 limits. This is because on this cruise, Celebrity could not charge separately for tips; so they just raised the price of the wine.

Edited December 19, 2014 by emileg

[Glyder]

The pdf works fine. The problem is that the classic $9.00 and premium $13 wine limits are imposed, even though Celebrity raised the wine prices for this cruise to include the gratuity. However they did not appear to raise the limits to reflect the included gratuity. The problem is that people paid an extra 15% to cover gratuity, but as the gratuity was included in the new higher price of the wine, they felt many of the wines were now beyond the range of the classic or premium package.

 

I realize how confusing this is and that is why we were hoping somebody coming off the Solstice could explain whether or not Celebrity made the proper adjustments to the respective $9 and $13 limits. This is because they could not charge extra for tips; so they just raised the price of the wine.

 

mine is booked through an agent and thats the best reply i could get out of her. Celebrity will not talk to you unless you are booked direct i have tried. Cost me about $50 in phone calls and 20 emails and still did not get anywhere

Edited December 19, 2014 by Glyder

[emileg]

mine is booked through an agent and thats the best reply i could get out of her. Celebrity will not talk to you unless you are booked direct i have tried. Cost me about $50 in phone calls and 20 emails and still did not get anywhere

We appreciate your efforts. Celebrity shore side usually has no idea what is actually going happening on the ships. I am really not worried about this for our January 4th cruise, since I hope the hotel director has had sufficient time to correct the problem. Nevertheless, it would still be nice to have someone who has actually cruised on the ship with the classic or premium package to let us know that the problem was corrected.

[Glyder]

We appreciate your efforts. Celebrity shore side usually has no idea what is actually going happening on the ships. I am really not worried about this for our January 4th cruise, since I hope the hotel director has had sufficient time to correct the problem. Nevertheless, it would still be nice to have someone who has actually cruised on the ship with the classic or premium package to let us know that the problem was corrected.

 

 

i will find out on sunday 21st and post on here first chance i get