Drinks Package

[Debbie1573]

We are first time cruisers and have bought the drinks package. Has anyone else bought this and could you tell me what exactly is included and are their any hidden extras?:confused:

[CanadianDee]

Oh, you're going to fall in love with cruising.

 

You don't say what kind of drinks package you've purchased, buth here's the link to the page on Celebrity that breaks down your package options.

 

Once you've located your package, click the link to find out what it includes in terms of what you like to drink. :)

 

There's also a thread somewhere here - I'm sure someone'll post - started by a poster whose included tons of firsthand cruiser detail about the drink packages.

[Debbie1573]

Hiya

Everyone says I will fall in love with it, but reading on here about all the hidden extras I wonder whether I will. I thought all the restaurants were included and I didn't realise you had to pay for the speciality ones! Hence the reason I sent this question out. We have the Classic Package drinks (Alcoholic) because I had also heard that drinks onboard any cruise liner can add up! We have just come back from The Moon Palace Resort in Cancun and that was 5 star all inclusive and EVERYTHING was included, even the 8 a la carte restaurants.

:cool:

[Queen of Oakville]

For your first cruise, I recommend trying all the "included" items - the main dining room, the buffet, the free things. You have your drink package so that should cover you for drinks.

 

For me, when I sail a new line, I like to try the included fare. I was pretty content with the included fair and found it better than other lines I've sailed. I have some OBC for my next sailing, so will probably try a specialty restaurant or two, just because we have the OBC to spend.

[CanadianDee]

Hiya

Everyone says I will fall in love with it, but reading on here about all the hidden extras I wonder whether I will. I thought all the restaurants were included and I didn't realise you had to pay for the speciality ones! Hence the reason I sent this question out. We have the Classic Package drinks (Alcoholic) because I had also heard that drinks onboard any cruise liner can add up! We have just come back from The Moon Palace Resort in Cancun and that was 5 star all inclusive and EVERYTHING was included, even the 8 a la carte restaurants.

:cool:

 

When we first cruised, specialty upcharge restaurants were rare.

 

That said, you'll not be short of dining options. We seldom try the specialty restaurants on any cruiseline, simply because we find the included options to be very good. There can be a great deal of negativity here around food (which is subjective), service, etc., but I've always found cruises to compare favourably to land-based all-inclusives.

 

If you follow these boards, you'll get all kinds of great ideas about where/what to eat as well as shore excursions (ship vs private) that fit your budget.

[Its my first]

We are first time cruisers and have bought the drinks package. Has anyone else bought this and could you tell me what exactly is included and are their any hidden extras?:confused:

 

I am cruising to Alaska at the end of May, and it's my first cruise. Over the last several weeks I have been following posts on Cruise Critic and I don't feel so overwhelmed anymore. From my understanding, you will be very happy with the included restaurants and the classic drink package includes quite a bit. However, I updated to the Premium Package because it includes Red Bull, and I drink a couple a day. Also, go to the Roll Call Tool at the top of the page and use it to find your particular cruise, this puts you in touch with others sailing with you and they will be very helpful.

[Bruin Steve]

Debbie,

First let me tell you that whether or not buying the drinks package is worthwhile depends on how much you drink...

Personally, I NEVER buy the drinks packages--except I do have them on a couple of upcoming cruises because they were included as a promotion (It was choosing that versus a $200 onboard credit, so, in essence, the drinks package was only costing me $100 pp)...

If you are paying full price for the drinks package, it's now $55 per person per day plus 18% tax...If you figure the typical allowed drink costs about $8, that means you need to drink at least SEVEN drinks per day each just to break even (Yes, you can also get bottled water or soft drinks, etc., to help add up to that total)...But, the question should be "Will I really drink at least seven drinks per day, every day?"

If not, you are better off just charging by the drink (still easy...you just give them your card either way)...If you are not a big drinker, at the end of the cruise, your bar tab will not have equalled what the package would have cost.

Still, of course, some people just like the idea of having a "fixed" cost for the bar tab.

 

As to the Specialty restaurants, yes, there is a surcharge...and they can be very good and worth the surcharge. We usually do maybe one a cruise on a special occasion...But, realize that the main dining room is actually VERY good on its own...You can go through an entire cruise eating only in the MDR and have a VERY GOOD dining experience...

 

Don't try to compare it to a land-based all-inclusive resort (We've done that and, by far, prefer the cruise experience)...

MOST things are included...just realize that there are a couple that aren't--but all you have to do is pay a little bit extra. Remember, NOTHING is ever free...even in a land-based all-inclusive...the cost is just figured into your price...and you ARE paying for it...There are "all-inclusive" cruise lines...they just coost a lot more. The value you get on Celebrity is unbeatable...

 

Have fun...

[Tiggertastic]

The cruise has so much to offer and the food in the included restaurants and buffet are all great.

 

You will find similarities with all inclusive resorts but also many differences, enjoy your trip

[melsuli]

Hiya

Everyone says I will fall in love with it, but reading on here about all the hidden extras I wonder whether I will. I thought all the restaurants were included and I didn't realise you had to pay for the speciality ones! Hence the reason I sent this question out. We have the Classic Package drinks (Alcoholic) because I had also heard that drinks onboard any cruise liner can add up! We have just come back from The Moon Palace Resort in Cancun and that was 5 star all inclusive and EVERYTHING was included, even the 8 a la carte restaurants.

:cool:

 

Your Classic drinks package can be used everywhere (inc speciality restaurants) but does have a tariff limits ie you are restricted to types of drinks based on their price.

 

Depending on your preferences and intake you may be better off upgrading to the Premium package which has a higher tariff plus the ability to pay the difference if a drink you fancied is more expensive, unlike the Classic package where you would have to pay the full amount for a drink not covered.

 

Iechyd Da!

[DinaS]

Your Classic drinks package can be used everywhere (inc speciality restaurants) but does have a tariff limits ie you are restricted to types of drinks based on their price.

 

Depending on your preferences and intake you may be better off upgrading to the Premium package which has a higher tariff plus the ability to pay the difference if a drink you fancied is more expensive, unlike the Classic package where you would have to pay the full amount for a drink not covered.

 

Iechyd Da!

 

The classic drink package CANNOT be used at all bars.

 

There is nothing available in the Molecular bar under the classic package, and there may only be a couple of drinks available in the Martini bar.

 

Some people have been successful getting smaller versions of cosmos and appletinis in the Martini bar, and some have been told that they cannot get any version of any drink with the classic package in the Martini bar. It seems to depend on who you ask, which ship you are on, and how busy the Martini bar is at the time.

[Debbie1573]

Yes, maybe I should upgrade then !! What to do ??? :cool:

[cb at sea]

Hiya

Everyone says I will fall in love with it, but reading on here about all the hidden extras I wonder whether I will. I thought all the restaurants were included and I didn't realise you had to pay for the speciality ones! Hence the reason I sent this question out. We have the Classic Package drinks (Alcoholic) because I had also heard that drinks onboard any cruise liner can add up! We have just come back from The Moon Palace Resort in Cancun and that was 5 star all inclusive and EVERYTHING was included, even the 8 a la carte restaurants.

:cool:

 

The cabins on a ship are nothing like hotel rooms in most resorts...be prepared for that!

[DinaS]

Yes, maybe I should upgrade then !! What to do ??? :cool:

 

There are MANY threads in this forum regarding drink packages - just do some reading to see what others are doing.

 

You don't have to upgrade now, you can wait until you are on board and see how you like the drink package first. If you are unhappy with the selection, you can upgrade a day or two into your cruise and just pay the upgrade for the days you have left.

[Erinchita]

Yes, maybe I should upgrade then !! What to do ??? :cool:

 

Obviously it depends on each person and their preferences, but I really enjoy: 1) not having the stress of wondering how much my tab would be at the end of a cruise (have had a $600 bill at the end of a 7-day Alaska cruise :D); and 2) never thinking twice about whether what I desire at that very moment falls within the confines of the Classic package.

 

To me, a real vacation means not having to stress about money. For that reason, I will only book a cruise where I can get some kind of beverage package included and I will ALWAYS spend the extra $80 to upgrade to the premium package.

 

All this said, I am from NYC and DC and am accustomed to drinks that cost $8-$12, so there is not much sticker shock for me!

[CatsRKool]

We were on Celebrity Reflection last month (E Caribbean) and took the Premium Drinks Package. Definitely worth it for us, and we were able to use it both at the Molecular Bar and the Martini Bar. With the Premium Package, if you want something that costs $17/glass, you pay the difference between only (extra $3), but Classic is the full $17. Plus we drank our way through - literally - gallons of bottled water, Pellegrino and cappucino, all covered under Premium. For us, definitely worth it. To give you an idea, on a 7-day transAtlantic with no bev package last year, we spent $1200 on booze, so the ~$900 for the Premium Package for us was a good buy. Would do it again in a heart beat. Take the time and do the math on a cocktail napkin before you buy it, just don't forget about the bottled water and such when you add up what you would spend without a package.

[butterflymama]

Don't compare it to an all inclusive. Personally, I prefer an AI resort to cruising.

 

We've been on about 8 AI resort vacations and I'm always wondering why people keep asking "is this included? is that included?" while we are there. I always think to myself "yes, it's an all inclusive!".

 

In Feb 2014 we took a Royal Caribbean cruise. (We hadn't been on a cruise since 2001, too busy with Orlando or an AI :) ) It was like a little light bulb went off..."now I see why people ask if things are included?".

 

Coffee is if in a restaurant or buffet, but not at the coffee shop/Starbuck's type place.

 

Ice cream is included, but only from soft serve machine or in the dining room, not at the ice cream parlor.

 

Room service was free but not after midnight!

 

There of course were the specialty restaurants, can only eat there if you pay more.

 

We had a drink package, but only certain drinks were included.

 

Bingo is super expensive. The prizes are cash. I prefer to play for free at an AI and win a t-shirt.

 

 

Now that you know things are a little different, there won't be any shock. I'm sure you will still have a great time.

 

We'll be going on a cruise shortly, for us, it is a cheaper way to see bermuda!

[Navymom2x]

The cabins on a ship are nothing like hotel rooms in most resorts...be prepared for that!

Yes we are Palace owners and they have a two person jacuzzi and fully stocked bar in every room!

[MR_T]

Yes, maybe I should upgrade then !! What to do ??? :cool:

 

 

Upgrade and stop worrying... You're love it and the freedom that the premium package gives you is great... If you think you're likely to have 1 proper Martini or molecular drink (or whatever the new bar will be called?) it's paid for... Plus the better wines, beers etc!

 

Plus anything over the drink price limit you only pay the difference not the whole charge like with the classic package...

 

Also a previous post stated you need to drink 7 alcohol drink to break even... Rubbish as over a day it quite normal to have a couple of bottles of water a couple of soft drinks and coffees etc so over a day your prob going to be near halfway already... Without mentioning a cheeky cocktail with lunch! [emoji483][emoji41]

 

Enjoy you're cruise & drinks package! [emoji16]

[Bruin Steve]

Also a previous post stated you need to drink 7 alcohol drink to break even... Rubbish as over a day it quite normal to have a couple of bottles of water a couple of soft drinks and coffees etc...

 

Rubbish??? Really?

I DID say substitute some waters or Cokes into your figuring...So, yeah, instead of seven drinks a day, maybe it's only six drinks and three bottled waters...

Regular coffee is FREE...So is iced tea, juice, milk...

Remember, most days you are off the ship so you're not running up drinks at those times...

And that seven drink formula (yeah, it's simple math) only gets you to the break even point...Say one day you just don't feel like drinking? You are now seven drinks behind...

Celebrity didn't come up with the plan and pricing to lose money on this...

But, IF you drink A LOT...or you just like to have a fixed price so running up a bar bill is something you won't worry about--go ahead...

But don't think you are getting a great bargain...

In 40 plus cruises, I've never run up a bar bill of over $900 on a seven night cruise for two...or anywhere close to that...

[MR_T]

Rubbish??? Really?

 

I DID say substitute some waters or Cokes into your figuring...So, yeah, instead of seven drinks a day, maybe it's only six drinks and three bottled waters...

 

Regular coffee is FREE...So is iced tea, juice, milk...

 

Remember, most days you are off the ship so you're not running up drinks at those times...

 

And that seven drink formula (yeah, it's simple math) only gets you to the break even point...Say one day you just don't feel like drinking? You are now seven drinks behind...

 

Celebrity didn't come up with the plan and pricing to lose money on this...

 

But, IF you drink A LOT...or you just like to have a fixed price so running up a bar bill is something you won't worry about--go ahead...

 

But don't think you are getting a great bargain...

 

In 40 plus cruises, I've never run up a bar bill of over $900 on a seven night cruise for two...or anywhere close to that...

 

 

On our first cruise we didn't have a drinks package and got off the ship with a higher bar bill then the drinks package would have cost.... So yes since I've had the drinks package (free or purchased) I have been getting a bargain...

 

Plus the free coffee is poor and the free juices are very sugary...

 

Breakfast - fresh juice, nice coffee, bottled water... $10-$12 to start with...

 

Lunch - water, coke $5

 

Afternoon - water, soft drink $5

 

Evening - large water, $4

 

That's $24-$26 to start and without the odd cocktail by the pool during the day... So that brings the alcohol drinks down to between 3-4... I was just making a point it's not just alcohol you need to consider! [emoji483][emoji16]

[4774Papa]

We were highly irritated on our recent cruise on Century, when the first day onboard we were asked about 15 times if we wanted the drinks packages.

Usually Celebrity doesn't push sales, but they are with the drinks packages.

 

We are elite and have free happy hour from 5-7. Also, we don't drink $5 coffee or buy bottled water (drink the ship's water).

 

We still purchased about five bottles of wine for dinner on the 14 day cruise, as well as a few beers here and there.

 

However, no way would it make sense for us.

 

I suppose if you start drinking at breakfast, then continue during the day and on and on, it might work for some, but not us.

[OzKiwiJJ]

That free happy hour makes a difference, 4774Papa. Paying for a couple of cocktails each night, as well as wine with dinner, soon bumps up the bar bill.

 

We've only just booked our first Celebrity cruise but on our recent RCI cruise it only took about 5 drinks - 2 cocktails, and three glasses of wine, to break even on the drinks package.

[Debbie1573]

This is exactly what I was thinking. I love to have a few glasses of wine with dinner and then a few cocktails so I hope the Classic Package is enough to be honest! LOL. ;)

[melsuli]

As I posted earlier Debs, your package CAN be used anywhere, the only restrictions relate to price. The Molecular Bar (on its way out) probably is a no no because the cheapest drink on their menu is above the Classic threshold?

 

Forget the nonsense about the Martini bar though, whilst there may be only a few martinis available on your package, you can order any drink you like in that bar so enjoy the ambience at your leisure.

 

Its difficult, without knowing ones personal intake which is the best package to suit.

 

If you enjoy a night out in the Capital when the rugby is on upgrade to the Premium package, if however you only have an occasional tipple the Classic will be more than ample.

[Escriteur]

Debbie -- You always have the option to upgrade on the ship if you decide that you'd prefer the flexibility of the Premium package. That's what I did on our first Celebrity cruise last summer...I wanted to be able to order the Molecular Bar drinks, order anything off the Martini Bar menu, and have a wider selection of wines. They only charged the difference in price between the two packages (plus gratuity on the upgrade amount), and you can upgrade at any bar (they add a "Premium" sticker to your card). As Dina pointed out, the Molecular Bar only serves drinks off of their menu, so you either had to have the Premium package or pay by the drink...but they'll be replacing the Molecular Bar with a new concept within the next month or so, so I'm not sure if that will still be the case. If you decide to upgrade a few days into your cruise, the upgrade amount is prorated based on the number of days left in the cruise. (Just be aware there is a cutoff point for upgrades; maybe 3 or so days before the end of the cruise?)

 

Also, unlike most cruise lines, Celebrity does not require both people in a stateroom to have the same drink package. My hubby sticks with the Classic package (he's happy with his Jack & Coke), while I upgrade to Premium. So that's always an option if only one of you wanted to upgrade.

 

Either way, cheers to you...enjoy your cruise! :cool:

 

~ Shay

Edited April 21, 2015 by Escriteur