Beverage Package Pricing Increase

[Cruise Junky]

I don't believe it includes Gelato.:(

 

Package Details: Princess Cruises' package costs $49 per day, plus a 15 percent gratuity per person, and includes all cocktails, spirits, beer and glasses of wine less than $10. Also, all nonalcoholic drinks served in cans or bottles, as well as mocktails and shakes are included, as are all coffee, tea, espresso and specialty drinks and any food items such as crepes and gelato included with the coffee card. Each purchaser of the package also receives a 40 percent discount on all bottled wine less than $100.

[chamima]

Are you serious? The Classic Package includes Gelato? I did not see that in the description of that package. This could be the deal breaker if accurate lol :)

 

I don't believe it includes Gelato.:(

 

On Princess it includes Gelato IF the ship has Gelato.

Not all Princess ships have Gelato, though.

Edited April 5, 2015 by chamima

[denatravels]

 

 

Are you serious? The Classic Package includes Gelato? I did not see that in the description of that package. This could be the deal breaker if accurate lol :)

 

 

 

Package Details: Princess Cruises' package costs $49 per day, plus a 15 percent gratuity per person, and includes all cocktails, spirits, beer and glasses of wine less than $10. Also, all nonalcoholic drinks served in cans or bottles, as well as mocktails and shakes are included, as are all coffee, tea, espresso and specialty drinks and any food items such as crepes and gelato included with the coffee card. Each purchaser of the package also receives a 40 percent discount on all bottled wine less than $100.

 

 

This is a celebrity thread.

[chamima]

Originally Posted by sonnenstrahl View Post

For us it is very simple!!!! If Princess Cruises is not rising their prices,,, than Princess it is!!!! $ 49 + 15 % (Princess) or $ 59 + 18 % (Celebrity) is to me a big difference. And we like Princess just as much!!!!! Guess we have to say bye bye to Celebrity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by huskerc View Post

Does Princess's package include bottled water, sparkling water, and espresso? Serious question. The non-alcoholic coverage on X's packages is what pushes them past the break even point for us.

 

 

Yes!

Anything under $10 .

It also includes their gelato.

We find the wine markup also smaller on Princess.

 

This is a celebrity thread.

 

 

Several pages back people were discussing the value of the beverage packages on Celebrity with the new, higher pricing.

These quotes were from back there. Sometimes when threads get real long like this one things get taken out of context so I tried to post the history of these comments above.

[Oxo]

This is a celebrity thread.

 

Regardless, if this is a Celebrity thread or not. I think that it is very valid to post comparisons from other cruise lines to inform people. That is what CC is all about. Information and comparison. It has been done since day 1.

[yorky]

When you upgrade through the UK office do they charge your card in $$ or sterling? If the latter what exchange rate are they using?

 

It's £45pp per day which includes the gratuities. It's charges in £ as the UK website, you don't need to phone up just add it to your booking online.

[groryjm]

When you upgrade through the UK office do they charge your card in $$ or sterling? If the latter what exchange rate are they using?

 

When we upgraded for our 10 day med sailing in July 2015 we paid only £67.85 :D per person for the uprade from classic to premium for the whole trip. I seem to recall I did it in Sept 2014 to take advantage of a favourable exchange rate.

 

I believe it is the $11.80 per day converted to GBPS at the exxchange rate on the day.;)

[yorkyred]

Sorry deleted, picked you up wrong.

Edited April 5, 2015 by yorkyred

[TommyD3]

I am onboard Equinox currently.

They were just informed yesterday of the package price increases (gave them 2 days notice before implementation).

They also confirmed that none of the drink caps ($8/$9 for Classic and $13 for Premium) will be increasing.

The premium cap has been in place for at least 18 months.

There have been at least 3 wine price increases in that period.

MANY wines in the specialty restaurants that were within the cap are now a surcharge.

It would be nice if Celebrity actually gave us SOMETHING for the package cost increase (like being able to get the same wine within the cap from one year to the next)!!!

[chamima]

i am onboard equinox currently.

They were just informed yesterday of the package price increases (gave them 2 days notice before implementation).

They also confirmed that none of the drink caps ($8/$9 for classic and $13 for premium) will be increasing.

The premium cap has been in place for at least 18 months.

There have been at least 3 wine price increases in that period.

Many wines in the specialty restaurants that were within the cap are now a surcharge.

It would be nice if celebrity actually gave us something for the package cost increase (like being able to get the same wine within the cap from one year to the next)!!!

 

 

 

Agree!!!!!!!!!! :D

Edited April 5, 2015 by chamima

[Oxo]

I am onboard Equinox currently.

They were just informed yesterday of the package price increases (gave them 2 days notice before implementation).

They also confirmed that none of the drink caps ($8/$9 for Classic and $13 for Premium) will be increasing.

The premium cap has been in place for at least 18 months.

There have been at least 3 wine price increases in that period.

MANY wines in the specialty restaurants that were within the cap are now a surcharge.

It would be nice if Celebrity actually gave us SOMETHING for the package cost increase (like being able to get the same wine within the cap from one year to the next)!!!

 

Another example of MODERN LUXURY! What is the explanation for this? Increases 3 times on price, but not increase at all on caps?

 

As long as we all sit quiet, they will continue to raise the $$$$$. Remember, it is us, you and I, the GUESTS, that are footing the bill.

[sonnenstrahl]

Oxo,, so it is ,,, Princess Cruise will have a lot more cruisers. I hope so that Celebrity is learning.

[wallie5446]

Oxo,, so it is ,,, Princess Cruise will have a lot more cruisers. I hope so that Celebrity is learning.

 

We sailed the Ruby Princess in Nov 2012, all of Celebrity's ships would have to be in dry dock before we will consider them again, and we have sailed Princess longer than we have Celebrity.

[hammo]

I am onboard Equinox currently.

They were just informed yesterday of the package price increases (gave them 2 days notice before implementation).

They also confirmed that none of the drink caps ($8/$9 for Classic and $13 for Premium) will be increasing.

The premium cap has been in place for at least 18 months.

There have been at least 3 wine price increases in that period.

MANY wines in the specialty restaurants that were within the cap are now a surcharge.

It would be nice if Celebrity actually gave us SOMETHING for the package cost increase (like being able to get the same wine within the cap from one year to the next)!!!

 

Also Agree !!!!!!

[ORV]

Another example of MODERN LUXURY! What is the explanation for this? Increases 3 times on price, but not increase at all on caps?

 

As long as we all sit quiet, they will continue to raise the $$$$$. Remember, it is us, you and I, the GUESTS, that are footing the bill.

 

So far I've seen no mention of the drink prices currently increasing. Yes, there have been past increases. If they did then there would a cause for outrage. You will still get all the same drinks with the respective packages. Only the price of the packages is going up. Do I like it? No, but you'll still get the same drinks.

 

Frankly I've cruised on Princess and I'd rather pay the higher price and be on Celebrity. Obviously other people's opinions differ.

Edited April 5, 2015 by ORV

[Oxo]

We sailed the Ruby Princess in Nov 2012, all of Celebrity's ships would have to be in dry dock before we will consider them again, and we have sailed Princess longer than we have Celebrity.

 

Personally your choice. We cruise other than celebrity as each cruise line provides a different experience. I am not dedicated to any one cruise line. Been cruising celebrity since 1994. Had some good ones and some bad ones. Not tunnel vision because of that. I agree with you. You need to stay where you are at. Would not want to see you on princess since you are so dissatisfied.

I am not a cheerleader for x or p. Some people are. Lol

Edited April 5, 2015 by Oxo

[Pushka]

I wonder how it is possible to track all wine prices to know there have been three increases? Not saying it hasn't happened but impressed people have tracked that. The last increase i know of was May last year and the caps were increased as a result of cc and FB outrage. Which was appropriate.

 

Also be interesting to see if bookings for 2016/7 with the promo package don't get hit with the increased cost to upgrade.

[wallie5446]

Personally your choice. We cruise other than celebrity as each cruise line provides a different experience. I am not dedicated to any one cruise line. Been cruising celebrity since 1994. Had some good ones and some bad ones. Not tunnel vision because of that. I agree with you. You need to stay where you are at. Would not want to see you on princess since you are so dissatisfied.

I am not a cheerleader for x or p. Some people are. Lol

 

Nor are we, after sailing on 7 different lines, but value the product we receive for our dollar paid. So yes you are correct, and will not see us at the end of the Princess tunnel. Watching the grass grow on Mt Rushmore would be a better expenditure.

[TommyD3]

I wonder how it is possible to track all wine prices to know there have been three increases? Not saying it hasn't happened but impressed people have tracked that. The last increase i know of was May last year and the caps were increased as a result of cc and FB outrage. Which was appropriate.

 

Also be interesting to see if bookings for 2016/7 with the promo package don't get hit with the increased cost to upgrade.

 

The Classic price cap was raised from $8 for everything to the current $8/$9 about a year ago when the wine price increase caused NO red or white wine within the Classic price cap in the MDR.

 

The Premium cap was not raised at that point although many of the premium wine prices were increased past the cap.

 

Don't know when the next wine price increase will be but again most if not all wines will be above the Classic $9 cap when that increase occurs.

[grandgeezer]

Hi all,

 

I wanted to share some news that we just received regarding our beverage packages.

 

Beginning on April 6, 2015 for all sailings beginning on or after that date, we will be raising most of our beverage package prices onboard. *From April 6, 2016 - April 19, 2015, our current prices will remain pre-cruise, thereby giving a "pre-cruise pricing advantage." *As of April 20, 2015, however, the pre-cruise prices will be raised to match the onboard prices.

 

The following changes will be:

 

• Soda Package $8.00 --> $9.00
  
• Premium Water Package $14.00 --> $16.00
  
• Classic N/A Beverage Package $16.00 --> $18.00
  
• Premium N/A Beverage Package $20.00 --> $22.00
  
• Classic Beverage Package $49.00 --> $55.00
  
• Premium Beverage Package $59.00 --> $65.00

 

Please note that the same beverages will still be available under each package, and that no drinks will be removed from any of these packages. The prices also do not include the 18% gratuity. Lastly, the wine package pricing will not be changing.

 

There in no way in h_ll I would ever spend this kind of money on drinks. We have an ocean view balcony booked on th 12 day transatlantic, on the Allure, and the cost of the cruise is less than the Premium Beverage Package once you add the 18% gratuity. I cruise for the ship life and ports, not to drink to excess, even including bottle water, soft drinks, specialty coffee, etc.

[royalcruz]

Regardless, if this is a Celebrity thread or not. I think that it is very valid to post comparisons from other cruise lines to inform people. That is what CC is all about. Information and comparison. It has been done since day 1.

 

I was on Princess a couple of weeks ago and found a very large selection of wines by the glass on the $49 drinks package, including almost every wine in the specialty wine lounge. I wish the same could be said for Celebrity....actually if Celebrity had just one Sauvignon Blanc in the classic package I would be very happy.

Edited April 6, 2015 by royalcruz

[The_Big_M]

I wonder how it is possible to track all wine prices to know there have been three increases? Not saying it hasn't happened but impressed people have tracked that. The last increase i know of was May last year and the caps were increased as a result of cc and FB outrage. Which was appropriate.

 

Also be interesting to see if bookings for 2016/7 with the promo package don't get hit with the increased cost to upgrade.

 

As long as things stay as they are, it will likely stay as is.

 

If the reintroduce the promo package though, could easily configure new ones to pay a higher price.

[yorkyred]

We sailed the Ruby Princess in Nov 2012, all of Celebrity's ships would have to be in dry dock before we will consider them again, and we have sailed Princess longer than we have Celebrity.

 

Princess seems to get a few mentions on the beverage threads. First time coming up this year on Celebrity after a few Princess cruises. I'm actually happy to pay more for the overall package because I'm expecting a step up from Princess, hoping that's actually the case.

[sonnenstrahl]

I did not had the feeling Celebrity is up from Princess. For us it is the same level.

[yorkyred]

I did not had the feeling Celebrity is up from Princess. For us it is the same level.

 

Dissapointing if true, I think Princess standards have started to drop and Celebrity was a lot more expensive for us.