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Unlimited drink package

djms11504

By djms11504,
in Princess Cruises

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
Is there a per day maximum drink amount for Princess?
No. However, there's just so much one person can drink. The maximum drink value allowed with the package is $10/drink.

 

The cruise lines offer drink packages to make money, not because they're nice guys. At $56.35/day/pp, it usually doesn't pay for most people, particularly if you're off the ship and in port.

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lljost

lljost

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There is no limit other than the $10 cost per drink maximum. What most people fail to figure into the cost is unlimited coffee/tea (specialty or otherwise), soda, and bottled water. All you want. So, no the price per day may not sound that cheap but if you consider that it is literally any liquid you may want to drink in a day, it can be more than worth it. If I order anything (coffee, tea, soda or alcohol) I almost always order a bottle of water to take with me to either drink then or take to the room. My room fridge is always stocked with water (which I drink a lot of) and throughout the day I can order anything I want and not have to worry about the cost. It works perfect for my DH and I. It really doesn't matter to us if it is a sea day or port day. Some days you may have more alcohol drinks than others, but it seems to work out in the long run for us. Now obviously, this is not a good package for people who don't drink but one drink a day. But we will usually have one or more drinks during the day (poolside or in the IC), wine before dinner, wine with dinner and after dinner drinks along with specialty coffee. It's works very well for us...

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Papa Yoda

Papa Yoda

Posted
Posted
There is no limit other than the $10 cost per drink maximum. What most people fail to figure into the cost is unlimited coffee/tea (specialty or otherwise), soda, and bottled water. All you want. So, no the price per day may not sound that cheap but if you consider that it is literally any liquid you may want to drink in a day, it can be more than worth it. If I order anything (coffee, tea, soda or alcohol) I almost always order a bottle of water to take with me to either drink then or take to the room. My room fridge is always stocked with water (which I drink a lot of) and throughout the day I can order anything I want and not have to worry about the cost. It works perfect for my DH and I. It really doesn't matter to us if it is a sea day or port day. Some days you may have more alcohol drinks than others, but it seems to work out in the long run for us. Now obviously, this is not a good package for people who don't drink but one drink a day. But we will usually have one or more drinks during the day (poolside or in the IC), wine before dinner, wine with dinner and after dinner drinks along with specialty coffee. It's works very well for us...

 

This has been our experience as well, including 2 ltr bottles of water, dessert coffees, Vines wine bar, etc.. Plus if you figure this as the price difference of an "all inclusive" it seems even more reasonable and it's optional. Also note that you get 40% off bottles of wine at dinner or at any bar. One oddity was sail away drink specials (no souvenir glass) were 11.95 which seemed kind of pointless as top shelf drinks are under 10.00 - sort of one of those "new program" disconnects.

 

There's a thread here somewhere with a spreadsheet to help one calculate the "is this a deal" factor

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pmcue

pmcue

Posted
Posted
This has been our experience as well, including 2 ltr bottles of water, dessert coffees, Vines wine bar, etc.. Plus if you figure this as the price difference of an "all inclusive" it seems even more reasonable and it's optional. Also note that you get 40% off bottles of wine at dinner or at any bar. One oddity was sail away drink specials (no souvenir glass) were 11.95 which seemed kind of pointless as top shelf drinks are under 10.00 - sort of one of those "new program" disconnects.

 

There's a thread here somewhere with a spreadsheet to help one calculate the "is this a deal" factor

 

Are you aware of wine / champagne by the glass pricescin Vines and Bellinis?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Forums mobile app

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fishywood

fishywood

Posted
Posted (edited)

Probably a good thing Princess has not officially set a limit. When HAL announced that they would have the same 15 drink daily limit as Carnival (this was well after they had rolled out the package to all their ships) there were posts on their boards such as "since I prepaid for my 15 drinks now they have to give me two or more at a time" and "at the end of the night they have to serve me however many I have left over from my 15 all at once". Yes, that was the reaction from the "veteran" HAL crowd.

 

Buying a drink package is the same as gambling in the casino--the house always comes out ahead. Yet it is amazing how many people make it their lot in life to prove to themselves otherwise.

Edited by fishywood
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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
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Buying a drink package is the same as gambling in the casino--the house always comes out ahead. Yet it is amazing how many people make it their lot in life to prove to themselves otherwise.
So true! People are figuring that it works for them if they also buy soda, coffee, bottled water, etc. whereas the water on the ship is as good as most bottled water, a coffee card is good for unlimited brewed coffee, and you can get a soda card for unlimited soda for just over $5/day so most of your $56/day/pp is going towards alcoholic beverages. The "house" (in this case, the cruise line) usually comes out ahead.
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tgmtgm

tgmtgm

Posted
Posted
No. However, there's just so much one person can drink. The maximum drink value allowed with the package is $10/drink.

 

The cruise lines offer drink packages to make money, not because they're nice guys. At $56.35/day/pp, it usually doesn't pay for most people, particularly if you're off the ship and in port.

 

 

The cruise line definitely loses money with the crowd I cruise with... :D

 

 

Tony

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OCruisers

OCruisers

Posted
Posted
Pam, ordinarily, I would agree with you, but it appears that the poster is a Carnival cruiser... that may make a difference.

 

The question is posted on the Princess Forum so Pam and the rest of us have to assume the OP is asking about Princess and may be considering a Princess cruise.

LuLu

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markel201235

markel201235

Posted
Posted
Well, maybe makes less money. I doubt most $10 drinks actually costs them much more than a buck.

 

Very true. Let's face it and say that someone drinks a liter of rum a day. That is a lot of alcohol no doubt. I don't know how many bar drinks that would equate to (what's in each drink 50 ml - like a mini you'd get on an airplane?, I'm asking) That's 20 drinks. I'd say very doable in the course of a day for some. Prices at home for a liter of rum (the brands that I think many consume) are between $16-$20 per bottle. I'm sure Princess gets it cheaper then that. Throw in the soda and this big drinker in no way is getting his money's worth when you compare the actual costs. He is getting his money's worth when you multiply the 20 drinks by say $7 per drink. So at the end of the day, the cruise line always wins. Just my opinion. And I am of course not figuring on the specialty coffees, water, etc. Just figuring alcohol.

 

Mark

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tgmtgm

tgmtgm

Posted
Posted
Very true. Let's face it and say that someone drinks a liter of rum a day. That is a lot of alcohol no doubt. I don't know how many bar drinks that would equate to (what's in each drink 50 ml - like a mini you'd get on an airplane?, I'm asking) That's 20 drinks. I'd say very doable in the course of a day for some. Prices at home for a liter of rum (the brands that I think many consume) are between $16-$20 per bottle. I'm sure Princess gets it cheaper then that. Throw in the soda and this big drinker in no way is getting his money's worth when you compare the actual costs. He is getting his money's worth when you multiply the 20 drinks by say $7 per drink. So at the end of the day, the cruise line always wins. Just my opinion. And I am of course not figuring on the specialty coffees, water, etc. Just figuring alcohol.

 

Mark

 

Excellent analogy. I didn't mean to imply that Princess is losing money overall. Their wholesale cost of alcohol allows for a healthy return on the drink packages of even hardcore imbibers.

 

My point is that for some of us, the drink package makes sense, and we come out ahead versus purchasing individual drinks. I guarantee if all package holders consumed at our level, Princess would no longer offer it. ;)

 

Tony

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Morisnfan

Morisnfan

Posted
Posted

We are planning on trying the All Inclusive package. After reading many posts on the subject, it seems like a personal decision, similar to paying for a table in specialty restaurant. Some love to enjoy the food and drinks that don't have added costs, and some like to try more luxury, high end, or whatever. Normally, on cruises we've been on, we get a bottle of wine at dinner, maybe a pre dinner drink, and morning specialty coffees. Never usually buy sparkling water, bottled still water or fresh juices or espresso after meals. I'm really looking forward to all of those things, plus drinks in casino or Bloody Mary's at breakfast. Also, there have been a few times a "drink of the day" had been a total dud. In the past, we sucked it up and drank it, or left it on a tray, rather than go back to bar and hassle bartender. It will be great to not feel like we are taking a risk by ordering something new.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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rdsqrl

rdsqrl

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Posted

I think we all know Princess isn't a charity; they're not introducing new programs out of a sense of noblesse oblige. It's really unnecessary to have it endlessly reiterated that we should all know "the house wins." I personally want the house to win, because I like Princess and have no wish for the line to go bankrupt. So if they're making more on me via the bev package, kudos to them. Meanwhile, for me, I'm down with it for the sheer lessening of that stress as I internally calculate my latest onboard account total each and every time I sign a drink receipt. For $56 bucks a day, I get to Escape Completely just a bit more. I call that worth letting the house win.

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IECalCruiser

IECalCruiser

Posted
Posted
I wonder wht they dont just ask for the difference . That would be fairer all round. Princess gets the extar revenue and the customer (me ) gets to drink my champagne !

 

Scotslizzy

There are only a few wines at Vines that are more than $10/glass. Also a few bellinis at Bellini on the Royal and Regal. Otherwise mixed drinks are $8.95 or less. The $10 limit should not be a significant limit.

 

 

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scotslizzy

scotslizzy

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I only asked because I do like nice glass of bubbly and I noticed the prices on the list provided .

 

Absolutley fine with the wines on offer on the package apart from champers.

 

Just wish they would do the same as Celebrity .

 

Scotslizzy

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