Beverage Package

[jocienae]

Is the beverage package worth it? Going on our honeymoon Feb. 26th. I am trying to decide if this is a good buy.

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

It would help to know what ship you are on.

Edited January 11, 2017 by clarea

[Nitemare]

It would also help to know how much you drink, what level (top shelf?) of beverage you like to drink, and how much you have budgeted for beverages on your trip.

 

There is definitely no One Answer for this question. It's highly individual.

[jocienae]

We are on Liberty of the Seas, RC

[jocienae]

I like to drink (not to get drunk) What is the average cost of a drink?

[Clarea]

I like to drink (not to get drunk) What is the average cost of a drink?

Frozen well drinks will be $10-$12 range, plus 18%.

Edited January 11, 2017 by clarea

[Hlitner]

The personal value of any beverage package is a relatively simple math calculation based on one's best estimate of their personal drinking habits. Put simply, what is a good value for one...is not necessarily a good value for all. Also keep in mind that the amount you might drink is likely to be influenced by your itinerary. Most folks will drink more on a sea day, then on a day when the ship is docked (or tendering) at a port for a large part of the day.

 

Hank

[DeadPhish]

Only Royal, around 5 drinks in a day is the break even point. Not to mention water bottles.

[Koalacash]

The reason have never done the drink package is because knowing how I am about getting my moneys worth I would probably feel pressured to drink too much...more than I normally would. Instead we bring two bottles of wine on board for our cabin and have cocktails a couple times during the cruise and usually a glass of wine or two with dinner but not always. That only purchases one or two glasses each at the most per day.

[trish1c]

Is the beverage package worth it? Going on our honeymoon Feb. 26th. I am trying to decide if this is a good buy.

 

Your drinking habits determine if it's worth it for you. DH & I are pretty heavy drinkers on vacation. He mostly drinks beer. I prefer high end wine, not the stuff that they pour by the glass, so I had to switch to mixed drinks because bottles of wine are not included.

 

We got the package included on our last cruise & we barely made it break even. 5+ drinks per day is a lot because at least on our cruise those bartenders had heavy hands. Granted we tipped them well in cash the 1st day. But it was really more like consuming 10 drinks. I had to beg them to pour lighter. On one occasion I had the bartender dump half the drink into another glass, add more ice & mixer. I felt compelled to start early with a mimosa at breakfast to pace myself & spread the drinking out to get our money's worth. My liver hurt when I got off that cruise.

 

Without the package on previous cruises our bar bill for 7 days was usually around $700-$800, but we usually brought 3-4 bottles of good champagne with us on board because I don't like the champagne they sell on cruises. Last cruise we got the package included but the cabin cost was more expensive. It worked out to be about the same money.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Your drinking habits determine if it's worth it for you. DH & I are pretty heavy drinkers on vacation. He mostly drinks beer. I prefer high end wine, not the stuff that they pour by the glass, so I had to switch to mixed drinks because bottles of wine are not included.

 

Without the package on previous cruises our bar bill for 7 days was usually around $700-$800, but we usually brought 3-4 bottles of good champagne with us on board because I don't like the champagne they sell on cruises. Last cruise we got the package included but the cabin cost was more expensive. It worked out to be about the same money.

 

OP indicated they are sailing on RC. You can bring two bottles of wine onboard - not 3-4 - and RC does not charge a corkage fee. Plus last time I looked drink packages did include a discount on a bottle of wine.

[Kmangel]

I like two or three drinks max so a beverage package would be wasted money for me.

 

I noticed that I was not very interested in drinking much on my last cruise, so I am very glad I didn't spring for the package. I would have felt compelled to drink in order to get my money's worth, but it would have been a struggle. Perhaps it was because the ship was a bit rolling that put me off drink. I was not sea sick, but I wasn't 100 percent, either. After we reached the first port of call, the weather calmed and so did my stomach.

[msmayor]

My husband and I enjoy a cocktail each night before dinner, wine with dinner and then after dinner drinks...but for us the drink package makes no sense at all.

 

On all our previous cruises the bar tab runs about $400-500...for two. Not even close to breaking even.

[Cras108er]

What no one has mentioned is that usually, both passengers in a cabin have to purchase the beverage package, which doubles the amount you must consume.

 

On the last cruise we were on, some friends purchased it, and gave us "free drinks" each night because eye could not consume their entire quota, and they weren't "tea to taller so."

 

Since you say that you do not drink to get drunk, my suspicion is that you probably don't drink enough to make it worth while. You would literally have to drink throughout the day, and into the evening/night to make it worth your money.

 

The only way we'd do it in the future is if we traveled with another couple and we'd "find a way" to split it.

 

Ever hear of rum runners? lol

 

btw, my experience is that most mixed drinks on the ship are pretty weak.

[jocienae]

I figured with the drink package being 44.00 a day it was worth it for us to get it. I like good coffee every morning. :) I was reading about what a typical drink cost and it will be worth it for us. Yeah I don't drink to get drunk but I am also 6'1 so it takes a lot for me to get drunk... Thanks for all the feed back :)

[Clarea]

What no one has mentioned is that usually, both passengers in a cabin have to purchase the beverage package, which doubles the amount you must consume. ...

OP is on Royal Caribbean, which does not require all occupants in a stateroom to purchase a beverage package.

[Lookingforfacts]

Usually everyone in the cabin has to buy the plan. You're not allowed to share drinks with pax not only the plan, even if you haven't consumed whatever you think your quota is.

 

Reasons to purchase include number of sea days and possible inclusion of non adult beverages. The plan might include soft drinks, bottled water and specialty coffees.

[Grandma Dazzles]

What no one has mentioned is that usually, both passengers in a cabin have to purchase the beverage package, which doubles the amount you must consume.

 

On the last cruise we were on, some friends purchased it, and gave us "free drinks" each night because eye could not consume their entire quota, and they weren't "tea to taller .

 

OP is sailing on RC. RC does not require that everyone in the cabin purchase a package. Also, there is no quota. A bartender could refuse service if a passenger was really drunk, but the package does not have a limit.

 

Also, no sharing of drinks. If you are caught, and they do check, package will be canceled and no refund. There could also be other penalties.

[Cro_and_Swan]

A blog i found funny, but true, mentioned that on average you'd need to drink around 6 mixed drinks or beers or glasses of wine a day to get your money's worth out of buying the unlimited alcohol drink package. (of course this may vary because frozen/specialty drinks may be more, discounts on packages factor in, how many days you are off the ship and in port, etc.)

 

They went on to say if you read that and think "WOW that is a LOT of alcohol" :( then the package may not be worthwhile for you .... but if you read it and think "Really? That's not much at all ... " :D then you probably DO want to get the package! LOL

 

We didn't get the package, and for us it was fine, we took two bottles of wine on board and had them on our balcony the first two nights, drank a little in Cozumel and Grand Cayman on port days ... and we probably spent an average of less than $20 per day on bar drinks each ... but I do imagine that if we'd had a package, I would have drank more during the day ... had more than just a glass or two of wine at dinner, etc. Whether that 'freedom' to drink more would have been a good thing or not, I can't say ... but we'll probably find out 'next time' LOL

[Kroozen]

I had the package on my last NCL cruise because it was free with the suite that I booked. Honestly, it was nice not having to worry about a high tab, but I don't think it would be worth it (for me, anyway) if I had to pay.

[Cro_and_Swan]

I have a question and I'm almost certain the answer is YES ... but does the last day of the cruise, when you disembark (usually between 7-10 a.m.) count as a day you have to pay for the alcohol package?

 

(I guess another way of asking would be do you calculate it by the number of days Monday - Saturday (6) for instance ... or the number of nights Monday - Friday night (5)?)

Edited January 13, 2017 by Cro_and_Swan

[Clarea]

I have a question and I'm almost certain the answer is YES ... but does the last day of the cruise, when you disembark (usually between 7-10 a.m.) count as a day you have to pay for the alcohol package?

 

(I guess another way of asking would be do you calculate it by the number of days Monday - Saturday (6) for instance ... or the number of nights Monday - Friday night (5)?)

Number of nights.

[Cro_and_Swan]

Number of nights.

 

Ah ... thanks ... that helps ... :)