Extra wine at Embarkation

[Sailaway John]

Would like to take 2 extra bottles of wine on board when embarking in Sydney. Quite willing to pay and understand that there is a $15 surcharge. But what is the procedure to get it on board. Declare it or just see what happens?

[OzKiwiJJ]

On Princess you have to declare all your wine as you are boarding. It must be in your carry-ons. Two bottles are free of charge and must be consumed in your stateroom. If you have more you will be charged $15 per bottle and can take those bottles to the dining rooms. They will be marked in some way to show the fee has been paid.

[NoWhiners]

is this the same for RCI and Celebrity? I am trying to understand all the new wine policies and how they differ from US departures.

 

Thx

ML

[cassamanda]

is this the same for RCI and Celebrity? I am trying to understand all the new wine policies and how they differ from US departures.

 

Thx

ML

 

No. This only applies to Princess Australia.

RCI policy is quite clear - 2 bottles per stateroom only.

[NoWhiners]

No. This only applies to Princess Australia.

RCI policy is quite clear - 2 bottles per stateroom only.

 

Oh, I did not know that and have never sailed them before. Maybe we should re-think that beverage package!

 

Thanks

ML

[OzKiwiJJ]

is this the same for RCI and Celebrity? I am trying to understand all the new wine policies and how they differ from US departures.

 

Thx

ML

 

No. This only applies to Princess Australia.

RCI policy is quite clear - 2 bottles per stateroom only.

 

And Celebrity is 2 bottles per stateroom as well.

[MicCanberra]

Bring on your two bottles and unless you drink more than 4 or 5 alcoholic beverages a day, pay as you go.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Bring on your two bottles and unless you drink more than 4 or 5 alcoholic beverages a day, pay as you go.:D

 

Not quite that simple, Mic. Those that enjoy a few cocktails will probably find the package cost-effective, but those who only drink beer or wine probably won't.

[MicCanberra]

Not quite that simple, Mic. Those that enjoy a few cocktails will probably find the package cost-effective, but those who only drink beer or wine probably won't.

 

Agreed, but you still need to be having at least 4 or 5 cocktails to be cost effective. More than that if wine and even more if beer.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Agreed, but you still need to be having at least 4 or 5 cocktails to be cost effective. More than that if wine and even more if beer.

 

Four cocktails plus a coffee or some bottled water will do it.

 

7-8 wines or beers.

[The_Big_M]

Four cocktails plus a coffee or some bottled water will do it.

 

That's breakeven, so that means you need to reach that point every day. And that includes port days when you're off the ship for much of the day.

 

If you're not necessarily going to reach it, pay as you go means that you're not paying for what you don't need.

 

Also at current pricing for Royal it would be almost 6 cocktails/day just to breakeven.

[windsor26]

No. This only applies to Princess Australia.

RCI policy is quite clear - 2 bottles per stateroom only.

 

However the 2 bottle taken on for RCI can be taken to the dinner table or anywhere else and drunk without a corkage charge

[OzKiwiJJ]

That's breakeven, so that means you need to reach that point every day. And that includes port days when you're off the ship for much of the day.

 

If you're not necessarily going to reach it, pay as you go means that you're not paying for what you don't need.

 

Also at current pricing for Royal it would be almost 6 cocktails/day just to breakeven.

 

Yes, you have to do the maths to see whether it is cost effective, based on port days. We rarely do full day excursions and are usually back onboard in time for a late afternoon cocktail so that helps. We always choose the late dinner sitting so have time for another cocktail after changing for dinner. Add in wine with dinner, maybe an after dinner digestive, and then there are coffees and bottled water. The cruise companies bank on people not drinking the value of the package so it is important to know your onboard drinking patterns.

 

Royal's pricing is very expensive. Their premium wine prices by the glass are $9-14 as I recall, almost as expensive as the cocktails. I don't think Princess had any wines over $9 by the glass.

 

It's going to be interesting to see how the pricing works out on our upcoming Golden repositioning cruise, where the onboard costs are in USD. I got a very good AUD rate for the drinks package online but will have to wait until we board to see what the actual prices are like. I think cocktails are US $10 but aren't sure if that includes the 15% gratuity or not, and I'm not sure about wine and beer prices.

 

With the current promos on Celebrity you can often get a classic drinks package included, then all you need to pay is $11.80 to upgrade to premium if required. Again, you have to your sums. However I discovered that the cost of a balcony cabin with drinks package included works out about the same as an inside cabin plus buying the drinks package - which is a very good excuse to book a balcony cabin. And, no, the prices for the balcony cabin weren't significantly higher than other cruise lines doing similar itineraries.

Edited March 13, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[MicCanberra]

Four cocktails plus a coffee or some bottled water will do it.

 

7-8 wines or beers.

 

Yep, a lot of people do not drink anywhere near that much each day so the packages are not worth buying. I can get value but really do want to drink that much every day to buy as we go for RCI or Princess (on X we like the drinks thrown in as a perk but then you don't feel like you have to drink every day.:D

[cassamanda]

We bought a wine package on our very first cruise (they are no longer available) but have never bought (or needed) the current drinks packages.

I just dont see the need to drink like a fish every day.

With loyalty drinks on RCI and Celebrity together with our 2 bottles of wine we are so much better off by buying as we go.

[MicCanberra]

We bought a wine package on our very first cruise (they are no longer available) but have never bought (or needed) the current drinks packages.

I just dont see the need to drink like a fish every day.

With loyalty drinks on RCI and Celebrity together with our 2 bottles of wine we are so much better off by buying as we go.

 

I would think that even with out the loyalty drinks that most people would be better off buying as they go.

[The_Big_M]

I would think that even with out the loyalty drinks that most people would be better off buying as they go.

 

Even when I had a package included, I struggled to just get some use from it. Clearly, I'm not who they're targeted at. :D I drink too much water. :p

 

They price them as a convenience for those who want it, not as a value option, so the pricing is designed to ensure they are as much a revenue source as regular drinks.

Edited March 14, 2016 by The_Big_M

[MicCanberra]

Even when I had a package included, I struggled to just get some use from it. Clearly, I'm not who they're targeted at. :D I drink too much water. :p

 

They price them as a convenience for those who want it, not as a value option, so the pricing is designed to ensure they are as much a revenue source as regular drinks.

 

Agreed, the ship would be losing money on the packages for very few people.

[Sailaway John]

Thanks for all the replies. I only want to bring the extra 2 bottles on board and I can buy good wine at around $15 - $20 per bottle at Dan Murphy's then add the $15 the ship charges and that still only comes to say $30.00 a bottle . . . whereas the ship prices start at around $40.00 and higher.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for all the replies. I only want to bring the extra 2 bottles on board and I can buy good wine at around $15 - $20 per bottle at Dan Murphy's then add the $15 the ship charges and that still only comes to say $30.00 a bottle . . . whereas the ship prices start at around $40.00 and higher.

 

Good plan for you.:D

[Cabansail]

We brought on two good bottles (RCI) and had them with two dinners.

 

There was a enough good wine at Chef's Table.

 

We had a couple of drinks with friend in Darwin.

 

On board we did not buy any other drinks. The packages were not good value and the prices of individual drinks was so high that we did not bother.

 

Still for the 16 days we had more drinks than we would have had at home.

 

Cruise Ships are very environmentally friendly - They run on Alcohol.

[ozscot01]

I'm going to chime in and say I'm a fan of the package on RCI anyway. We get no free drinks and it really was quite easy to get our value from it. A couple of waters or mocktails round the pool in the morning, a wine or beer with lunch then probably a real cocktail or drink during the afternoon. Add a couple of wines with dinner then whatever takes you're liking during shows or at the pub. If you grab some water heading back to your cabin too, it's surprisingly easy to reach a break even point. Especially when a decent wine can be $12 a glass. I'd never drink that much at home but with nowhere to drive and no rush to get there, and no bill shock at the end, yep, consider me a fan[emoji6]

[cassamanda]

For a newby the drink packages may be worthwhile but once you start to get loyalty points, they become less so.

[MicCanberra]

For a newby the drink packages may be worthwhile but once you start to get loyalty points, they become less so.

 

True, the lounge caters for most of the drinks that we have.

[Kruzein]

Thanks for all the replies. I only want to bring the extra 2 bottles on board and I can buy good wine at around $15 - $20 per bottle at Dan Murphy's then add the $15 the ship charges and that still only comes to say $30.00 a bottle . . . whereas the ship prices start at around $40.00 and higher.

Hi John

 

We are on Princess next month and we have 6 bottles to take on with us and are prepared to pay the $15 per bottle for something that we like..

 

Cheers