All inclusive beverage card- worth it?

[gma rae]

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.

[Colo Cruiser]

You posted your question twice.

 

 

There is no all inclusive card. It's a sticker.

 

It's per person. You cannot share!! It is theft.

 

A quick search found a ton of threads on your question.

 

Here is one.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...highlight=aibp

[ar1950]

If you want fresh brewed coffee, get the coffee card. BTW, if you don't plan on buying enough coffees to justify the cost of the card don't buy it (There is not fresh brewed in the MDR. We saw the liquid coffee machines in the galley on the galley tour the last couple of times we did them). If the number of drinks you expect to have don't make sense cost-wise, skip the AIBP and buy the drinks as you want them.

 

Anyway, it is a vacation and if you drink a bit more than you thought you would, relax and enjoy yourselves irrespective of that. A bit more or less shouldn't make a big difference.

Edited February 8, 2017 by ar1950

[tonit964]

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.

 

The AIBP is per person, no sharing. It sounds like you would be better off just paying for the drinks as you go and not purchasing the package, even for one of you. You are allowed to bring on one 750ml bottle of wine/champagne per person as well as water and soda.

[Chunder Worthy]

Unequivocally it isn't worth it, no. It's more cost-efficient (not to mention easier on your body and re coffee, central nervous system) if you simply opted for a pay-as-you-go scheme.

 

If otherwise you have money to burn and are ambivalent about spending same, there IS a modicum of convenience there, so have at it!

[St Paul Girl]

Unequivocally it isn't worth it, no. It's more cost-efficient (not to mention easier on your body and re coffee, central nervous system) if you simply opted for a pay-as-you-go scheme.

 

If otherwise you have money to burn and are ambivalent about spending same, there IS a modicum of convenience there, so have at it!

This has been discussed many times. Do a search on AIBP and see the previous discussions. There is a spreadsheet available also that will calculate all your drink costs as well.

The AIBP is definitely a convenience. My husband will buy, I don't drink alcohol, coffee or soft drinks, so I am NOT buying it!

Have a great cruise

PS Thanks to Princess, I do NOT have to buy the AIBP even though my husband will!

Edited February 8, 2017 by St Paul Girl
additional info

[ggprincess2004]

The AIBP has been included with our booking a few times. We just cannot drink enough to justify it. We drink wine, we don't drink soda, we do enjoy plenty of specialty coffees, in fact, we drink espresso based beverages at home, never

"just coffee", and we don't do mocktails either. Frankly, we cannot drink enough to justify it. If it were a 3 day cruise, maybe we could maintain the pace required to financially justify it, but no longer than that. We would rather just pay as we go, bring on a case of bottled water, and one bottle of wine per person, get a coffee card and relax, not worrying about trying to drink enough to justify the cost of the package.

[easyboy]

I occasionally have alcoholic drinks, have the coffee card from previous cruises, and like virgin cocktails. AIBP is not worth for me and rather pay the drink as I order. Soda & More Package works better for me.

[jeromep]

Far be it from me to judge, but the only situations where the AIBP seems to pencil out would be for folks that have a beverage of any kind in their hand from sun-up till sun-down. And the vast majority of those beverages would have to be alcoholic for this to pencil out.

 

If my math is right, the AIBP is 49.96/day, then add a %15 gratuity on top of that. I'm coming back with $57.45/day. Assuming that a bottle of beer is about $6 including the tip, you would have to consume at least 10 beers a day, every day, for this to break even. If you have other beverages, like pop or brewed/fancy coffee in between the beers, then this might be a great deal. But you really have to be consuming a lot of alcohol or liquor to make this work out. It might also pencil out if you figure in the discount on bottles of wine, but again, you'd have to have a bottle of wine every night at dinner along with some drinks during the day to hit the break even.

 

To be honest, if you are only going to drink a beer or two a day you are probably money ahead to pay the bar price and pass on the AIBP. Better yet, get the soda and more package and a coffee card to cover those NA beverages and pay regular price for any other drinks.

Edited February 8, 2017 by jeromep
Bad math

[Colo Cruiser]

Far be it from me to judge, but the only situations where the AIBP seems to pencil out would be for folks that have a beverage of any kind in their hand from sun-up till sun-down. And the vast majority of those beverages would have to be alcoholic for this to pencil out.

 

If my math is right, the AIBP is 49.96/day, then add a %15 gratuity on top of that. I'm coming back with $57.45/day. Assuming that a bottle of beer is about $6 including the tip, you would have to consume at least 6 beers a day, every day, for this to break even. If you have other beverages, like pop or brewed/fancy coffee in between the beers, then this might be a great deal. But you really have to be consuming a lot of alcohol or liquor to make this work out. It might also pencil out if you figure in the discount on bottles of wine, but again, you'd have to have a bottle of wine every night at dinner along with some drinks during the day to hit the break even.

 

To be honest, if you are only going to drink a beer or two a day you are probably money ahead to pay the bar price and pass on the AIBP. Better yet, get the soda and more package and a coffee card to cover those NA beverages and pay regular price for any other drinks.

 

 

6 beers to break even? Try 10 @$6.

[jeromep]

6 beers to break even? Try 10 @$6.

 

Your right, my math is off.

[exgman]

It's my understanding that Princess allows you to share a bottle of wine that was bought with the AIBP with your significant other, even if they don't have the "card".

[Colo Cruiser]

It's my understanding that Princess allows you to share a bottle of wine that was bought with the AIBP with your significant other, even if they don't have the "card".

 

 

Correct!

[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.

[Thrak]

It's my understanding that Princess allows you to share a bottle of wine that was bought with the AIBP with your significant other, even if they don't have the "card".

 

No only with your significant other. A bottle purchased at a discount under the AIBP can be shared with anybody, given away, or whatever you like.

[hzv5wk]

Unequivocally it isn't worth it, no. It's more cost-efficient (not to mention easier on your body and re coffee, central nervous system) if you simply opted for a pay-as-you-go scheme.

 

If otherwise you have money to burn and are ambivalent about spending same, there IS a modicum of convenience there, so have at it!

 

 

 

I found the often mention spreadsheet somewhere on this board and entered the following figures

1 iced coffee creation, 3 glasses wine, 1 cocktail & 1 big bottle of water per day plus 3 small bottles water on each port day

 

The spreadsheet suggests that on a 7 day cruise with just 1 sea day I would be better off buying the AIBP.

 

Am I misunderstanding how the AIBP works or what is already included in my cruise cost? I wouldn't call that consumption "a lot" nor as "always having a drink in hand" which are what I see being quoted as the only times the package makes sense?

[Colo Cruiser]

I found the often mention spreadsheet somewhere on this board and entered the following figures

1 iced coffee creation, 3 glasses wine, 1 cocktail & 1 big bottle of water per day plus 3 small bottles water on each port day

 

The spreadsheet suggests that on a 7 day cruise with just 1 sea day I would be better off buying the AIBP.

 

Am I misunderstanding how the AIBP works or what is already included in my cruise cost? I wouldn't call that consumption "a lot" nor as "always having a drink in hand" which are what I see being quoted as the only times the package makes sense?

 

 

We found just the opposite.

[hzv5wk]

We found just the opposite.

 

Sorry, I'm confused. Are you saying that if you put those same figures into the spreadsheet (1 iced coffee, 3 wine, 1 cocktail, 1 large water per day, plus 3 small water per port day) it calculates that you would be worse off buying the AIBP?

[Colo Cruiser]

Sorry, I'm confused. Are you saying that if you put those same figures into the spreadsheet (1 iced coffee, 3 wine, 1 cocktail, 1 large water per day, plus 3 small water per port day) it calculates that you would be worse off buying the AIBP?

 

 

No, I meant as far as sea days.

With a port intensive cruise it's not a good value IMO. At least that was our experience when we had the AIBP with a port intensive cruise and few sea days.

[hzv5wk]

No, I meant as far as sea days.

With a port intensive cruise it's not a good value IMO. At least that was our experience when we had the AIBP with a port intensive cruise and few sea days.

 

Thanks. That's why I feel I am missing something because in every similar thread that is generally the advice from experienced cruisers like yourself. In this thread alone we've seen people say

 

Far be it from me to judge, but the only situations where the AIBP seems to pencil out would be for folks that have a beverage of any kind in their hand from sun-up till sun-down.

 

and

 

Unequivocally it isn't worth it, no.

 

and yet what seems (to me) to be a modest consumption of beverages (as per my earlier example) suggests that it is worth it.

 

Help me to understand - what am I missing?

[Texas Realtor]

We get it every time. It's a convenience thing for us. Not sure we come out ahead, but we drink coffee, Diet Coke and will have a few cocktails every night. Prepayment is better than worrying about a bill at the end for us

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dreaminofcruisin]

I tried entering your assumptions into the spreadsheet and for you, it would seem the AIBP would be a good deal, or at least a break even. Sometimes a 7 day is easier to justify than the longer cruises....or maybe you would consistently drink that even over a long cruise. I think with the coffee drinks and wine it gets easier to justify than if one was a beer drinker.

 

If you want to get really analytical about it, you could also calculate if you would be better off buying a coffee card and pre-buy water (on Princess website) and then pay as you go. Or.....if there are 2 of you and since you are a wine drinker, if one of you buys the AIBP, they can purchase wine by the bottle for the other at 40% off. You could also calculate that with a coffee card. Could 'blow your head' after awhile trying to figure it out. :eek:

 

Everyone has different results depending on what they drink. You need to figure out what works best for you. We haven't been able to justify it yet, though getting it free on a future cruise will be nice. However, we have friends who would come out way ahead..... :D

[Jilliebean28]

TexasRealtor...we do the same thing. Like knowing everything is paid ahead of time. With a few specialty coffees in the morning, bottled water and drinks throughout the day and wine at dinner it is well worth it for us.

[hzv5wk]

I tried entering your assumptions into the spreadsheet and for you, it would seem the AIBP would be a good deal, or at least a break even. Sometimes a 7 day is easier to justify than the longer cruises....or maybe you would consistently drink that even over a long cruise. I think with the coffee drinks and wine it gets easier to justify than if one was a beer drinker.

 

Thanks. That's at least confirmed that I was understanding things correctly

[prg2101]

We have always found it worth it. Plus its less signing for a drink every single time you get one...sometimes they just look at your card and thats it. And to be able to get coffee, soda, water, alcohol......thats even better. Its just nice to not have to worry about whats being put on my credit card after 6 days when we prepurchase it all in one shot