Classic Package Change

[hcat]

So if I am on the Classic Alc package, & order Club Soda and lime or a rum and coke, will I just get a glass, not the remainder of the can..what will they do with the unused cans? Or does this changed policy just apply to requests for a plain can of soda?

 

Seems wasteful b/c I always refill the glass and finish the can. And if I can' t order 2 at a time in the glass, it will also take more time to get the second.

[UKPete71]

Which is kind of ridiculous - I could get an expensive wine, cocktail etc. but I would have to pay extra for my Diet Coke.

 

If think that's what is confusing people.

 

 

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[Miaminice]

So if I am on the Classic Alc package, & order Club Soda and lime or a rum and coke, will I just get a glass, not the remainder of the can...

 

Well, if they only have it in a can you will not get it at all - or you'll have to pay extra or upgrade.

 

If they had it on a fountain, you'd get the glass and there would be no remainder of the can. When the glass is empty, you order a new one... which would be fine with me. However, that would be supposing they have club soda/coke on a fountain. And that seems to be unclear as of yet...

[villauk]

Well, if they only have it in a can you will not get it at all - or you'll have to pay extra or upgrade.

 

If they had it on a fountain, you'd get the glass and there would be no remainder of the can. When the glass is empty, you order a new one... which would be fine with me. However, that would be supposing they have club soda/coke on a fountain. And that seems to be unclear as of yet...

 

So presumably, they are refitting every ship and every venue where drinks are served with soda fountains? Alternatively, staff have got to find the nearest venue with a fountain for your desired drink :o?

[villauk]

We have always been able to use our beverage package in Qsine without fail. There may have been times when we paid for shipment not on the package, but it was rare.

 

How odd this happened to you.

 

Bon voyage

 

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We have been charged in the past for drinks in Qsine when we were on a package and subsequently had to fight our corner with GS to have the amount removed.

[villauk]

I have never found a fountain soda on any of the Celebrity ships I've been on except in the bars that add it to mixed drinks. Every time I went to a bar and ordered a Diet Coke or Ginger ale, they handed me a can. So why wouldn't those still also be available in the restaurants & bars?

 

Am I missing something?

 

Furthermore, are X going to reduce the choice of sodas if on the Classic package e.g. you are only allowed sodas that are on the fountain line and not those that are only offered in cans? I'd like clarificication from X on that one because presumably some types of sodas are only available in cans? Would one have to order an alcoholic drink which has the requested mixer, in order to obtain a certain soda/soft drink?

[denatravels]

Furthermore, are X going to reduce the choice of sodas if on the Classic package e.g. you are only allowed sodas that are on the fountain line and not those that are only offered in cans? I'd like clarificication from X on that one because presumably some types of sodas are only available in cans? Would one have to order an alcoholic drink which has the requested mixer, in order to obtain a certain soda/soft drink?

 

 

I don't think that needs clarification-- I found that part perfectly clear: if it's only in a can, it's not covered. I don't like it, but it's not unclear.

 

 

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[Cruise Junky]

It looks like I will be one affected by the change regarding canned sodas...

.

 

It would really effect my DH too. He's an up at 5:00 am and sit on the deck with his fix (a Diet Coke) so our nightly ritual is to grab a can before bed. So now he'll have no choice but to buy it. We'd always upgrade if we got the classic as a perk but for our November cruise I was looking at buying the classic for 15 days, now I won't bother, their loss.

[villauk]

I don't think that needs clarification-- I found that part perfectly clear: if it's only in a can, it's not covered. I don't like it, but it's not unclear.

 

 

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So if you want a ginger ale and it's not on the fountain, which is quite possible, you have to pay the full amount for it e.g. $4.50 + 18% grat (this is an example as I don't know the current rate for that particular drink onboard)? However, if you order a rum and ginger ale, you pay nothing if on the Classic package? If this is indeed the case, I'll order the alcohol and just keep leaving it untouched.

[Miaminice]

Villauk, it is actually not unclear!

 

Unless they already have Diet Coke/Ginger Ale/Coke... on a fountain they will make you pay for it. I don't think they would refit the ships.

 

Since most of people have the Classic Package because of promos or onboard bookings Celebrity is trying to push people into upgrading more and more.

 

In our case: I will just downgrade to the Premium Non Alcoholic once on board and DW is fine with the Classic Package. However, even I (as a big Celebrity fan) am starting to get annoyed by the constant teasing and poking.

 

Another alternative is that this can/no can thing will be so difficult to handle on board that they change it again. We'll see...

[Guindalf]

My experience on NCL says that if the bar only has cans and no fountain, they will give you a glass of ice and fill it using a can. Partial cans are kept and used for subsequent guests ordering the same product. In reality, a can will not sit open for more than a few minutes before being used again.

 

The economics of this actually make sense from the cruise line's point of view. A glass of soda from a fountain with ice costs about 3 or 4 cents and even in the quantities purchased by a cruise line, a can must cost at least 15-20. Even allowing for the bars that do not have a fountain, they will still get at least three drinks from two cans. It may not seem much, buy multiply that over several thousand servings per sailing and the savings are massive!

 

So, whether they allow YOU to have a can or not, the line is saving a considerable amount of money.

 

As for the comments about the wording regarding the cost of beverages, I am not a cruise line shill, so I can't comment on whether it's misleading or not. I'd be leaning towards a 'yes it is' and I may be bothered by it IF I was paying for the package. As I'm not, the best I could hope for is a refund of the zero dollars it cost me to have the Classic package! So really, anyone who took the classic as a perk can't complain if X see fit to move drinks out of their package and into the one above, especially as they can now pay the extra dollar (only) and get it anyway!

[villauk]

Villauk, it is actually not unclear!

 

Unless they already have Diet Coke/Ginger Ale/Coke... on a fountain they will make you pay for it. I don't think they would refit the ships.

 

Since most of people have the Classic Package because of promos or onboard bookings Celebrity is trying to push people into upgrading more and more.

 

In our case: I will just downgrade to the Premium Non Alcoholic once on board and DW is fine with the Classic Package. However, even I (as a big Celebrity fan) am starting to get annoyed by the constant teasing and poking.

 

Another alternative is that this can/no can thing will be so difficult to handle on board that they change it again. We'll see...

 

I understand what you are stating, however it is unclear when X post on here and clearly write 'ANY beverage' up to $9 is available on the Classic package, and that's not what is actually the case. It's should be 'any alcoholic beverage' (which at this point may or may not include can drinks as mixers) is available on the Classic package.

 

As I pointed out above, if you request an alcoholic drink and the mixer is only available in a can, will you be allowed the drink? If the answer is yes, then I'll ask for the alcohol to be in one glass and for the bartender to pour the mixer in another glass if I'm not allowed the can. One can then leave the alcohol untouched. Surely this will cost X more than just providing the can in my instance? There again, they are obviously doing this to generate more revenue (there goes that 'modern luxury' out the window again) and some pax will just upgrade for the ease.

[kevinyork]

Is it just me that finds it irritating that Celebrity come into the forum and post details of the changes that are open to interpretation and the disappear? That's poor PR.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

Can I just add that a few years ago when the dropped lots of Classic Package inclusions but reversed the decision within a few days it was pressure on here and Facebook that pushed them into dropping the changes. If anyone on here also posted their unhappiness on Facebook and/or Twitter they might just listen to their guests.

 

Here's the thread from 2014: http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2040818

 

I have no issue with them changing the inclusions, but when I booked I was sold a list of what was going to be included drinks wise on my cruise but when we sail some items won't be. That's just unfair.

 

 

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[whitshel]

We have always been able to use our beverage package in Qsine without fail. There may have been times when we paid for shipment not on the package, but it was rare.

 

How odd this happened to you.

 

Bon voyage

 

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Sorry, let me clarify, the drinks on the Q-Sine menu, their specialty drinks were $14, they would not let us pay the difference ($5) to get one, we would have to pay the full $14. Our classic pkg did work in Q-Sine for any regular drinks tho

[whitshel]

I wonder for people who don't drink alcohol, but take the classic package as a perk because of their spouse, if the ship would allow them to downgrade to the premium non-alcohol package. This would include canned sodas and a few other options not included in the classic alcohol package. It would be worth a try anyway.

 

Neda

 

We were able to do this for my wife on the Summit last week. The 1st time I asked at Guest Relations they said no but he asked me if I originally bought the package or if it was a perk,I told him it was a perk, thats when he said no. I thought about it afterwards and thought maybe he thought I wanted a refund as well, so I went back down and tried again, specifically saying I don't want a refund, just change the package, then he said no problem :)

[Miaminice]

I understand what you are stating, however it is unclear when X post on here and clearly write 'ANY beverage' up to $9 is available on the Classic package, and that's not what is actually the case. It's should be 'any alcoholic beverage' (which at this point may or may not include can drinks as mixers) is available on the Classic package.

 

I can see your point. However, accuracy has never been one of the finer points of Celebrity's website or documents ;)

[Bryce1962]

We were able to do this for my wife on the Summit last week. The 1st time I asked at Guest Relations they said no but he asked me if I originally bought the package or if it was a perk,I told him it was a perk, thats when he said no. I thought about it afterwards and thought maybe he thought I wanted a refund as well, so I went back down and tried again, specifically saying I don't want a refund, just change the package, then he said no problem :)

 

 

Just a thought but if you were really unhappy with the "new" arrangement but had been given it as a perk would Celebrity convert the value to " OBC"? Just asking.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

Just a thought but if you were really unhappy with the "new" arrangement but had been given it as a perk would Celebrity convert the value to " OBC"? Just asking.

 

 

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By my experience of X, absolutely no way.

 

 

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[Flafun888]

We just finished our Silo cruise today - we had classic package - found out about the new "pay the difference" policy while on board. Loved that I could pay $3-4 to try a martini one time without a permanent upgrade - it was my first time trying one from Martini bar. But bummed that Cuervo Gold is now considered premium - so we paid extra $1 each time for that. No biggie.

 

My malibu rum was still covered (whew!) and twice I ordered it with Diet Coke and asked the bartender to leave the can - both times they obliged. So I had no idea that policy changed as well until I jumped back on the CC board today - maybe the new "no cans on classic" rule is still not uniformly implemented yet?

 

By the way AMAZING cruise! We were on Silo last year this time and as good as it was, I'd say this one was much better. Captain and his crew are top-notch - such a well-run ship.

[ChucktownSteve]

The economics of this actually make sense from the cruise line's point of view. A glass of soda from a fountain with ice costs about 3 or 4 cents and even in the quantities purchased by a cruise line, a can must cost at least 15-20. Even allowing for the bars that do not have a fountain, they will still get at least three drinks from two cans. It may not seem much, buy multiply that over several thousand servings per sailing and the savings are massive!!

 

Actually the Celebrity bean counters didn't really think this one through. They counted the short savings but probably haven't cruised and seen the bartenders slammed making drinks. Consider time is money in drinks served. Have you ever timed how long it takes a bartender to fill a fountain drink from a gun vs. grab and go for the can? If everyone on the ship used the same bar to get their fountain drinks, Celebrity might see the light. Otherwise, they're so far removed in Miami, that it won't make a difference.

[DiviAruba]

Let's wait and see what happens. Some will like it, some won't. Main factors are; what liquors are they switching from classic to premium, and number of days on your cruise. We always upgrade one of our packages to premium. If you want it, you get it. No standing there like a cow getting milked, waiting to see if you are allowed to have a certain drink or not. Then the bartender tells you no, and everyone around hears and they all look funny at you. Now you are holding up the line. Fellow passengers hate you. That's not happening. It just happens that during the course of a long grueling cruise, upgrading works for us. Savings on the new proposed plan may not be all that much for us personally. Again others will be different.

 

What do you mean, one of your packages? Can only one person upgrade? I like drinks, my husband beer, so the premium is good for me, the classic for him.

[hubofhockey]

Actually the Celebrity bean counters didn't really think this one through. They counted the short savings but probably haven't cruised and seen the bartenders slammed making drinks. Consider time is money in drinks served. Have you ever timed how long it takes a bartender to fill a fountain drink from a gun vs. grab and go for the can? If everyone on the ship used the same bar to get their fountain drinks, Celebrity might see the light. Otherwise, they're so far removed in Miami, that it won't make a difference.

 

Airline attendants hate pouring Diet Cokes and often just give cans to passengers because Diet Coke takes the longest to pour to settle. Service on airlines is a lot tighter, but your point is important.

[poffles]

What do you mean, one of your packages? Can only one person upgrade? I like drinks, my husband beer, so the premium is good for me, the classic for him.

 

Yes, one can upgrade and the other not. It is not an all or nothing with upgrading all in a stateroom.

[hcat]

Well, if they only have it in a can you will not get it at all - or you'll have to pay extra or upgrade.

 

If they had it on a fountain, you'd get the glass and there would be no remainder of the can. When the glass is empty, you order a new one... which would be fine with me. However, that would be supposing they have club soda/coke on a fountain. And that seems to be unclear as of yet...

 

Rum and diet coke is a fairly basic drink..so I expect they'll have it on the bar...won't be paying almost 5 dollars for a club soda or ginger ale in a can either..I predict slower service ahead and less extra tips for the staff..once they get the required add on, no need to lay down more...wonder how they feel about it...