All inclusive beverage card- worth it?

[gma rae]

Ha Ha I could not find this post at all after writing it so was so close to committing the dreaded double post! Then after multiple searches Found It!!!

 

Okay sober now!

 

Thanks for the link to drink prices. I am now certain we do not need the card, we do not drink any of those beverages!

 

Thank you all!

[tv24]

Useful information. I am inclined to avoid the all-inclusive package and pay as I go. Thanks for the info.

[wishfulone]

We always buy the wine package if it's offered. If you're wine drinkers it works out to be excellent value.

[NavyVeteran]

Oh My, so many great response!. Thank you all. If I had hibernated after the first Dual post comment I would never have had the wealth of this post. Thank you everyone!!!!

 

I appreciate your input.. still not sure what to do but leaning toward no card purchase. It would work if we could share it but do not want to cheat.

 

So since this is only our 2nd cruise I think we will just buy as we go. Thanks everyone!!

 

Oh, if this shows up twice as a a duplicate post, look the other way!!

 

Before deciding, you may want to look at the option of one of you purchasing it (whichever one of you drinks the most other than wine). Then purchase bottles of wine at 40% off for the non-purchaser. The purchaser does not even need to drink from the bottles - he or she can order by the glass under the AIBP leaving the purchased bottles solely for the non-purchaser.

 

It really depends on your personal habits whether or not it is worth the cost.

[TriumphGuy]

We tend to like longer cruises 10+ days or more. For us, the AIBP would not be worth it, My wife drinks very little and I not much more.

I order a couple bottles of spirits onboard, gin, vodka, and bring a case of mixer with me and enjoy a couple cocktails before dinner. Occasionally we take advantage of the Happy Hour in the Wheelhouse Bar.

For our upcoming 15 night cruise, it would be around $855 just for me, I could never drink that much to justify the expense. It would put me in the hospital!

[beckntom]

Before deciding, you may want to look at the option of one of you purchasing it (whichever one of you drinks the most other than wine). Then purchase bottles of wine at 40% off for the non-purchaser. The purchaser does not even need to drink from the bottles - he or she can order by the glass under the AIBP leaving the purchased bottles solely for the non-purchaser.

 

That's exactly what we did on our January Ruby cruise. I had the package, hubby didn't, so we bought his wine at dinner by the bottle (40% off) and mine was ordered by the glass under the AIBP. Confused the waiters until about four days into our 10-day cruise, but it worked.

[TracyTracy1]

That's a good idea beckntom, my daughter is unsure about getting the drinks package so I will suggest that to her. Great tip. Thank you!

 

 

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[El Crucero]

here's a tool you can use to see if the package is "worth it" to you

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43468321&postcount=205

 

The prices quoted are way old, including the price of the AIBP. Everything is considerably higher now.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

For us, it has been worth every penny. We enjoy our wine with dinner, drinks by the pool during the day, and we love to try different wines (especially at Vines), Bellini's, martinis at Crooners, cocktails and whiskeys/bourbons that we would have never tried without the package. We get our bottled water, especially to take ashore on excursions, as well as coffee and specialty coffees. We get our money's worth for sure. We are cruising in March and have pre-paid our package already, and this will make a huge difference on our bill at the end of the cruise. We have certainly surpassed the price of two packages for us before it was available on our last Princess Sailing, with 2 soda packages, and our bar bill.

Edited February 9, 2017 by NeurosurgeryNP

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Also - out of curiosity - if the beverage you would like is over $10 - can you just pay the difference? Or do you have to pay the full price? We've used the package once, but never did anything over $10.

[Colo Cruiser]

Also - out of curiosity - if the beverage you would like is over $10 - can you just pay the difference? Or do you have to pay the full price? We've used the package once, but never did anything over $10.

 

You have to pay full price.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

Thanks Colo.

[EddieCruzer]

I will have the AIBP for the first time on my upcoming cruise on the Crown. I thought it might be nice to have a Nutty Irishman coffee mid-morning. ;) Can any of the bars make a hot coffee drink or must I go to the IC? Also, where do you pick up bottles of water?

thanks!

[beckntom]

I will have the AIBP for the first time on my upcoming cruise on the Crown. I thought it might be nice to have a Nutty Irishman coffee mid-morning. ;) Can any of the bars make a hot coffee drink or must I go to the IC? Also, where do you pick up bottles of water?

thanks!

 

I can't specifically answer your question about where to get the Nutty Irishman, but I can tell you I ordered one nearly every evening in the Traditional Dining Room as an after-dinner coffee (decaf). One of the perks of having the package, as others have said, is trying new and different things without risk of not liking them. I never would have thought about trying this drink otherwise. Now I'm hooked on them!

 

I THINK you can get bottles of water at most any bar and always as you are disembarking the ship at ports.

[riclop]

We are trying to figure out if this card which covers all beverages is worth it. We enjoy wine with dinner, we like a cocktail or wine before dinner when on vacation, we do not drink soda, we drink a lot of water but have already ordered the water delivery, and we like real perked coffee every morning (I think we can get that at MDR), very rarely drink specialty coffee but we are on cruise so maybe 2-3 total entire cruise.

 

I have no idea what they charge for the occasional mixed drink, glass of wine or bottle at dinner.

 

I know we can bring on 2 bottles of wine per cabin so we will do that.

 

It looks like the card for 1 averages out to 6 $10.00 drinks a day. That is too many drinks for me or my husband per day. However if I shared the card with my husband it would cover coffee, wine, mixed drink, before, during and after dinner depending on what we chose. That would work great!

 

I am guessing this has already been tried and denied.

 

Only you can answer that.

[NavyVeteran]

I THINK you can get bottles of water at most any bar and always as you are disembarking the ship at ports.

 

I never had any problem picking up a bottle of water from a bar. I think all the bars have them.

 

They have bottles of water in two sizes - and their each under $10 and therefore included. I generally get the smaller one because it is easier to carry in my pocket for excursions.

[OCruisers]

For us the "Liquor Sticker" (AIBP) works great for us and saves us money because it includes so much! :D

[gma rae]

Okay, so no posts about my question! I did check the forum but found nothing helpful!

Can you get coffee to go on a Princess Cruise? If I do not buy the coffee card and just want to take a cup of coffee off the ship is there a paper cup i can use to take coffee from HC or MDR?

[wishfulone]

You can't take food or coffee from the ship at any port.

[Colo Cruiser]

Okay, so no posts about my question! I did check the forum but found nothing helpful!

Can you get coffee to go on a Princess Cruise? If I do not buy the coffee card and just want to take a cup of coffee off the ship is there a paper cup i can use to take coffee from HC or MDR?

 

You can't take food or coffee from the ship at any port.

 

 

....

[Papa Yoda]

Ha Ha I could not find this post at all after writing it so was so close to committing the dreaded double post! Then after multiple searches Found It!!!

 

Okay sober now!

 

Thanks for the link to drink prices. I am now certain we do not need the card, we do not drink any of those beverages!

 

Thank you all!

 

I think you missed the point of the sheet, it allows you to pick the drinks you might have to estimate what you might spend.

 

 

The prices quoted are way old, including the price of the AIBP. Everything is considerably higher now.

 

While the AIBP went up 95 cents, or $3 if bought on board "some" ships, and this is easily fixed in one cell of the sheet once downloaded, are you sure of the drink prices going up considerably, since this is not our experience.

[Texas Realtor]

Piece of mind is worth something. Not having to worry about a 1k or 2k bill at the end of a cruise means a lot to me. Also not having to feel guilty while ordering another drink has value as well. Dollars and cents aren't everything. I would rather pay up front than have a large bill hanging over my head at the end of the cruise regardless of whether it is cost efficient for us.

[Papa Yoda]

I will have the AIBP for the first time on my upcoming cruise on the Crown. I thought it might be nice to have a Nutty Irishman coffee mid-morning. ;) Can any of the bars make a hot coffee drink or must I go to the IC? Also, where do you pick up bottles of water?

thanks!

 

 

All bars can make you a hot drink - but I've found the ones by the pools may have to run to another bar to get coffee. Crooners and other inside bars usually have coffee at hand.

 

Note that with AIBP it will be 1/2 a shot of whiskey and 1/2 shot of Frangelico. 1/3 each if you want Kahlua in it too. (I'm absolutely positive they would never ever over pour the 1/2 or 1/3 shots)

 

 

I can't specifically answer your question about where to get the Nutty Irishman, but I can tell you I ordered one nearly every evening in the Traditional Dining Room as an after-dinner coffee (decaf). One of the perks of having the package, as others have said, is trying new and different things without risk of not liking them. I never would have thought about trying this drink otherwise. Now I'm hooked on them!

 

I THINK you can get bottles of water at most any bar and always as you are disembarking the ship at ports.

 

Yes every bar has bottled water.

[dtb55]

Piece of mind is worth something. Not having to worry about a 1k or 2k bill at the end of a cruise means a lot to me. Also not having to feel guilty while ordering another drink has value as well. Dollars and cents aren't everything. I would rather pay up front than have a large bill hanging over my head at the end of the cruise regardless of whether it is cost efficient for us.

 

 

 

I agree, I love that I don't have to worry about my bar bill. I pay as much as I can up front, casino credits, gratuities, etc. It's less of a shock at the end of the cruise.

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

You can't take food or coffee from the ship at any port.

 

This is not true for every port.