Has anyone regretted NOT buying the drink package?

[TheTruthCanHurt]

Same here. I may be alone in this train of thought, but sneaking booze onto the ship, then trying to find things to mix it with just seems to be a lot of work for a vacation buzz. :)

 

Personally, I like the idea that I can be sitting at the pool, walking thru Central Park, or watching a show and be able to get a drink anywhere, anytime, no sneaking or pre-planning needed! I do enough planning and researching for my job. I don't want to have to research booze smuggling just to take a vaca. To me, food, tips, cab fares, alcohol, souvenirs are all part of the vacation, and if I can't afford all the things that make the vacation special to me, I wait a year, save more $$, then take the vacation. I'm sure people may disagree with that thought process, but it's just my humble opinion.

 

 

yes, I definitely dont want to mess with sneaking on liquer. For me, it's just the cost of the sailing ( although admittedly that cost is getting higher)

 

I have a buddy who on our last two sailings packed a giant vodka bottle in his bag. the first time He got it on. the second time They took it from him.

 

Just dont want to mess with that..

[Bahamma Mamma2]

Same here. I may be alone in this train of thought, but sneaking booze onto the ship, then trying to find things to mix it with just seems to be a lot of work for a vacation buzz. :)

 

We have snuck on some before and that is why we stopped, it was a pain trying to get mixers then having to keep running to the room....We would rather pay or package than do that again. Even wine, keeping it cold in the room is next to impossible. I would rather have it brought to me:) I need the easy route on my vacation!

[yj2cute]

Personally, I don't like to waste my money, so regardless of the "freedom" it would give me, I wouldn't purchase a package. With my vouchers and lounge access, as well as being able to bring on my own water and 2 bottles of wine, I wouldn't deprive myself of anything I wanted to drink. I'd just pay for it. If I want fresh squeezed juice or coffee, I'll simply buy it. I'll STILL come out way ahead than if I had purchased even 1 package.

[Inukshuk Gal]

Same here. I may be alone in this train of thought, but sneaking booze onto the ship, then trying to find things to mix it with just seems to be a lot of work for a vacation buzz. :)

 

Personally, I like the idea that I can be sitting at the pool, walking thru Central Park, or watching a show and be able to get a drink anywhere, anytime, no sneaking or pre-planning needed!

 

Me too. Years ago we went on a 5-star all-inclusive resort in Mexico with 'free' drinks. While the wine was only average and many of the drinks watered down, the 'free' aspect made it all wonderful! We also experimented with many drinks we would otherwise never try, so we had no regrets.

 

The more I think about it and read the comments, the more I am convinced that the drink package is the right way to go if only to make sure you stay focused on having a good time and not stressing over a few dollars. Considering the cost of the trip, and the fact we WILL have a big bar tab in the end regardless, not breaking *exactly* even is just not worth worrying about.

[TheInnocentAge]

Same here. I may be alone in this train of thought, but sneaking booze onto the ship, then trying to find things to mix it with just seems to be a lot of work for a vacation buzz. :)

 

Personally, I like the idea that I can be sitting at the pool, walking thru Central Park, or watching a show and be able to get a drink anywhere, anytime, no sneaking or pre-planning needed! I do enough planning and researching for my job. I don't want to have to research booze smuggling just to take a vaca. To me, food, tips, cab fares, alcohol, souvenirs are all part of the vacation, and if I can't afford all the things that make the vacation special to me, I wait a year, save more $$, then take the vacation. I'm sure people may disagree with that thought process, but it's just my humble opinion.

 

I definitely agree with that thought process. A lot has been written in these threads about the "break even" number of drinks you need for the package to pay for itself, but some of the other benefits increase its value as well...

 

Not worrying about a budget. Getting to try new drinks you wouldn't normally chance $12 dollars on. Not forcing yourself to drink the warm end of a beer or pina colada that's been sitting too long in the sun. Ordering that extra rum floater. All of the above, plus that break-even number has come down with the recent increases in single drink prices.

 

To the OP, and your original question (sorry, I got off-track there)... I can't speak first-hand about not ordering the package, but my co-worker just got back from a cruise last week and was telling me he would have saved about $200 had he bought one, so he was kicking himself a bit. By the time he figured out what he was spending, it was too late.

[Bahamma Mamma2]

To the OP, and your original question (sorry, I got off-track there)... I can't speak first-hand about not ordering the package, but my co-worker just got back from a cruise last week and was telling me he would have saved about $200 had he bought one, so he was kicking himself a bit. By the time he figured out what he was spending, it was too late.

 

 

Thanks! No worries, I am enjoying the conversation:) That is exactly what I was wondering, if people actually regretted not buying it, like when the bill came. We did buy it so we will have to see, but I do like that I can try all the things I never tried before....should be fun!

[TheTruthCanHurt]

Personally, I don't like to waste my money, so regardless of the "freedom" it would give me, I wouldn't purchase a package. With my vouchers and lounge access, as well as being able to bring on my own water and 2 bottles of wine, I wouldn't deprive myself of anything I wanted to drink. I'd just pay for it. If I want fresh squeezed juice or coffee, I'll simply buy it. I'll STILL come out way ahead than if I had purchased even 1 package.

 

because of our status, we are in a bit of a different situation than many cruisers. (fyi apparently they are cracking down on bringing water on board)

we have a bit of a leg up because we get free drinks in the lounge and 3 per day on our sea pass (for the evening) so we could literally be saving $40.00 per day because of our free drinks. If we were actually paying for those.. then the package would actually make sense..(of course we could all argue that if they were not free we would not drink them... and thats a whole different story)

Edited August 12, 2015 by TheTruthCanHurt

[jahannah]

Personally, I don't like to waste my money, so regardless of the "freedom" it would give me, I wouldn't purchase a package. With my vouchers and lounge access, as well as being able to bring on my own water and 2 bottles of wine, I wouldn't deprive myself of anything I wanted to drink. I'd just pay for it. If I want fresh squeezed juice or coffee, I'll simply buy it. I'll STILL come out way ahead than if I had purchased even 1 package.

 

Personally, I don't like to waste my money either. I would and do purchase a package. With no vouchers, no lounge access, and the uncertainty of bringing on cases of bottled water, I don't deprive myself of anything as I have already paid for it. You will come out ahead because your circumstances are different than others. Not sure your reasoning that disdains vacation "freedom" really applies to most everyone else. JMO

[caseymorgan]

I haven't been on a cruise with the drink packages yet, but we were more than happy to buy them in advance for Oasis in January 2016. I hate the hassle of sneaking booze on board. And even with the old more reasonable pricing it was not too hard to spend $100 per person per day. That's $1,400 on a 7 day cruise for the two of us (and LOTS more if we bring our college age daughter.)

 

It's easy to spend $100 per day without being a drunk if you have a special coffee and/or OJ in the morning, a couple drinks by the pool in the afternoon, a wine or two with dinner, and a drink or two drink at the show/casino/nightclub. It's a vacation! :D

[yj2cute]

Personally, I don't like to waste my money either. I would and do purchase a package. With no vouchers, no lounge access, and the uncertainty of bringing on cases of bottled water, I don't deprive myself of anything as I have already paid for it. You will come out ahead because your circumstances are different than others. Not sure your reasoning that disdains vacation "freedom" really applies to most everyone else. JMO

 

Not sure why you felt my post disdained freedom as it was not meant to. I was just stating that for me, in my circumstance, that feeling of freedom is not worth the cost. Everyone's situation is different and I was answering for ME.

[Sascol]

Does anyone have a link to the list of the drinks that are free in the evening hours for being a Diamond member? I have seen it before but I cannot remember where that was. tTank you in advance.

[ryano]

 

Not worrying about a budget. Getting to try new drinks you wouldn't normally chance $12 dollars on. Not forcing yourself to drink the warm end of a beer or pina colada that's been sitting too long in the sun. Ordering that extra rum floater. All of the above, plus that break-even number has come down with the recent increases in single drink prices.

.

 

For me, thats exactly what it all boils down to. :)

[widallas]

Same here. I may be alone in this train of thought, but sneaking booze onto the ship, then trying to find things to mix it with just seems to be a lot of work for a vacation buzz. :)

 

 

 

I don't want to have to research booze smuggling just to take a vaca. ....I'm sure people may disagree with that thought process, but it's just my humble opinion.

 

 

Thanks to the OP for starting a great thread. We are going on our second cruise next June… The last time I had not even considered a drinks package. Traveling with kids (and in-laws who don't drink) and trying to adjust to all things the cruise life has to offer, it wasn't something we were interested in... This time out it's something I'm excited about, and for the same reasons others have listed. I am a social drinker, and have no intention of trying to "make sure I've used every penny"...I want to be able to get out of bed the next day! But this is a "treat" (for my husband AND me) to try lots of things we never would, enjoy some good wine with dinner, splurge...and not worry about it because it's a done deal. It's not so much about the drinking as it is about the "vacation"....

 

That and the fact that I'd rather spend the money on good drinks than try to salvage my evening cocktails from a plastic bladder that had to be smuggled onboard. (Drink bladder just sounds all kinds of wrong for me...) [emoji23][emoji23][emoji2][emoji23]

[TheTruthCanHurt]

I haven't been on a cruise with the drink packages yet, but we were more than happy to buy them in advance for Oasis in January 2016. I hate the hassle of sneaking booze on board. And even with the old more reasonable pricing it was not too hard to spend $100 per person per day. That's $1,400 on a 7 day cruise for the two of us (and LOTS more if we bring our college age daughter.)

 

It's easy to spend $100 per day without being a drunk if you have a special coffee and/or OJ in the morning, a couple drinks by the pool in the afternoon, a wine or two with dinner, and a drink or two drink at the show/casino/nightclub. It's a vacation! :D

 

One thing to keep in mind on the oasis. The beverage package does not include the "starbucks" It does include specialty coffees everywhere else including café promenade. Just know if your preference is the actual starbucks it wont work there. ( you can use your starbucks card though)

[Jay Sam]

Yes, as I have found it is a very good deal. I usually spend the same with or without the drink program, and having it makes it easier not to have to think about how much I am spending for just a few drinks per day without it. Although it encourages me to drink more than I probably would. But it's a cruise, so I let myself splurge.

[dplusd]

Quick question...I just want to know if anyone who has NOT purchased the beverage package (alcohol ones) ever regretted not doing it?

 

Not exactly your question, but we DID buy the package once and regretted it. I should have known better because our typical bar bill is no where near the cost of the package. Sure enough, we did not even come close to breaking even! For us, we now just pay as we go.

[depplep]

I plan on keeping close track of this and reporting back after the cruise. We drink more than most people's mortgage payments, so I'm interested to see how much more we are ahead of the alotted charges.

[GUT2407]

I don't drink alcohol anymore.

 

But as break even is about 6-8 drinks a day, when I did I would sure regret not getting one if I didn't.

[GUT2407]

I now always get the soda package and many say how can it be worth it.

 

Well I am usually at break even about a third if the way into the cruise, often sooner, so I know you were asking about alcohol but now I'd certainly regret not getting the package I do.

[mek]

Don't drink enough to worry about it to be honest. So I guess we have never regretted not getting it.

 

Same here - maybe a glass of wine at dinner each night and three or four cocktails during the week on the ship. I want to remember my vacation. :D

Edited August 12, 2015 by mek

[TheGaDawgFan]

Since the premium package includes bottled water AND soda, if you drink both, it doesn't really take THAT many adult beverages to break even.

 

We always bring bottled water back to the room for nights, mornings, and excursions. I also drink 2-3 Diet Cokes a day. A couple drinks at the pool, a drink at dinner, and a couple afterwards, and I'm way ahead.

[uncle John]

Did not get the pkg on a trip and regretted it since I was watching everything I bought and did without because I did not want that HUGE bill on the last day. I no longer drink alcohol but I still get the Royal Replenish and it pays for itself over and over again. Just between specialty coffee, bottled water, Fresh OJ and a Bloody Shame every morning it is a no brain er. Especially if you go to Labadee or CocoCay for the day in the sun and need to hydrate often.

[jayblue]

Quick question...I just want to know if anyone who has NOT purchased the beverage package (alcohol ones) ever regretted not doing it?

 

I am seeing TONS of drink package posts and I have been reading them. I know there are a million people who are glad they didn't buy it. I want to hear the ones that regret it NOT buying it when they got that final bill.

 

I have never done the package before but I bit the bullet for this cruise for many reason (one being a 21 celebration and 4 ship days for us counting Labadee and the fact we don't like Grand Cayman). I have been back and forth on this since we booked a year ago and with the recent drink price increase I figured I should just go for it. We always blow up the bar tab the first 2-3 days anyway so adding it later in the cruise would make it worse.

 

TIA! We cruise in 4 days, looking forward to it!

 

I think I'm going to get it. I don't do a lot of alcohol, but will drink at least two to three cups of coffee and a couple of bottles of water daily. Then, juice at dinner. I may do a couple of cocktails a day, but not enough to do the two liquor packages.

 

I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

[Baylor99]

If you buy a drink package do you get a wristband, or is it listed on your sign and sail card?

[TheTruthCanHurt]

If you buy a drink package do you get a wristband, or is it listed on your sign and sail card?

 

it's a sticker on the card