First Time Cruiser, any advice appreciated...

[morrow56]

Hi everyone

 

Travelling Independence of the Seas - 28th October 2018 for 14 days for my 60th birthday celebration

 

Looking for advice on Drinks Package

 

If I buy it on Cruise Planner - current quote is £39.82 per person, per day - is that the bottom line re no further charges for drinks throughout the trip (14 days) - does that include beach drinks at our 4 Caribbean stop - offs??

 

Do you think this price is worth grabbing or shall I wait, given it is more than 6 months until I travel

 

What are the other gratuities I will need to pay, and where can I pay them? - not seeing this on Cruise Planner screens

 

Thanks for any replies I receive

[Ourusualbeach]

It will only include drinks at Labadee and CocoCay, you are on your own for drinks at any other stops. It includes all drinks on board up to $12.

 

That price may not include the automatic 18% gratuity. Proceed all the way to checkout to get your final price.

[Clarea]

... Do you think this price is worth grabbing or shall I wait, given it is more than 6 months until I travel

 

What are the other gratuities I will need to pay, and where can I pay them? - not seeing this on Cruise Planner screens

 

Thanks for any replies I receive

Prices are unpredicable. However, if you purchase and later see a lower price, you can cancel and reorder.

 

Suggested gratuities are $14.50 per person per day. If you want to prepay, contact whoever booked your cruise. If you don't prepay, these will be charged to your onboard account on a daily basis.

[yuvraj]

Given the price you have quoted, you will need to have at least four drinks per person everyday to break even. If you don't drink that much then I would wait for a better offer or pay for your drinks individually.

 

I don't usually get a drinks package because I don't drink that much.

[papaflamingo]

If you buy the drink package it is all inclusive up to $12 drinks. In the U.S. an 18% gratuity is added to the package. I assume the same holds in the UK. If the price you quoted includes gratuity, then it's a pretty good price. But, either way, if you purchase the package, then you will not need to pay for any drink that is $12 or less on the ship. So to answer your question, YES there will be no further charges.

As mentioned the drink package works at Coco Cay and Labadee, and anytime on the ship.

[TravisP]

One thing to remember, when you get the package you pay 18% on that for gratuity. When you buy drinks individually you pay the 18% on the cost of each drink. Depending on the drink costs, the individual drinks can end up more than package quickly.

 

Also if you do not get the booze package, are you going to get one of the other packages. That can change if it is worth it or not

 

When I sailed on Carnival last year, I found a spreadsheet on here for carnival drinks you could put in what you expect to drink in a typical day and it would do all the math and tell you what way is cheaper.

 

Drink packages are well worth it for my wife and I. Not just for the booze but also for the other drinks included.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[morrow56]

Now seeing my daily drinks package at £37.17 per person per day

 

Can I ask if there is a trend, either that it could get less or more expensive as I get closer to my cruise date?

 

Thanks for all replies

[Clarea]

Now seeing my daily drinks package at £37.17 per person per day

 

Can I ask if there is a trend, either that it could get less or more expensive as I get closer to my cruise date?

 

Thanks for all replies

No discernable trends.

[Rogueperson]

Now seeing my daily drinks package at £37.17 per person per day

 

Can I ask if there is a trend, either that it could get less or more expensive as I get closer to my cruise date?

 

Thanks for all replies

 

I'm not sure how much that translates to in USD, but in my head, there's a low point. I've seen the drink package as low as $39.99/day. Not sure what that translates to, but I keep that in mind, so when i see the trend, I can determine if its a good deal or not. I believe onboard, its like $52.99, or 56.99/day. Someone can correct me there, but also, if you see something that is low enough for you to justify, but maybe not as low as it might go, I would buy it on the chance that it won't. If it does, you can always refund and repurchase at the lower level.

[TravisP]

Here is a spreadsheet to help you figure out if it is worth it. It is in US dollars so you would have to convert £ to $. Also I have the default onboard price for the booze package but you can change it to whatever price you are able to get.

Beverage Program Calculation.xls

[SausPud]

The price will change with exchange rate changes.So if you see in the news that the Pound is doing great against the dollar, go see the price drop.

Depending on when you cruise, there are sales of upto 30% off the price. The best date I found, and this is a strange date for a drinks package deal on a cruise, was Fathers Day 17th June.

Check every week and pay what you are comfortable with, and DON'T look again, just in case it goes down, but if it goes up, yippee.

[LeeW]

The price will change with exchange rate changes.So if you see in the news that the Pound is doing great against the dollar, go see the price drop.

Depending on when you cruise, there are sales of upto 30% off the price. The best date I found, and this is a strange date for a drinks package deal on a cruise, was Fathers Day 17th June.

Check every week and pay what you are comfortable with, and DON'T look again, just in case it goes down, but if it goes up, yippee.

 

I don't understand the "don't look again". Pre-cruise purchases can be cancelled and rebooked as often as you like. If the price goes down, cancel and rebook.

 

The OP 37 pounds is about $54 dollars at today's rate, which isn't very good unless that is the final price in the shopping cart with gratuity. Most cruises I have booked I am seeing $45-47. before gratuity, which is $53-55 total price. So if the shopping cart price for the OP is 37 pounds this is a good price (but it could go lower).

[morrow56]

Thanks everyone, appreciate ur responses

[Chester & Brewster]

I'm sure I've seen something about the $ to £ exchange rate will fluctuate until you make a purchase, then you are effectively "locked in" at that rate for any other purchases you make on your cruise planner at a later date. Don't think I imagined it.....

[little britain]

I'm sure I've seen something about the $ to £ exchange rate will fluctuate until you make a purchase, then you are effectively "locked in" at that rate for any other purchases you make on your cruise planner at a later date. Don't think I imagined it.....

 

No not true! I have even taken advantage of $£ fluctuations to cancel and rebook thus saving a few quid! Every penny helps.;)

[morrow56]

Am I right in saying the £ is forecast to improve against the $ and that could bring my drinks package down to a lower price??

[Luminated67]

It's our first cruise too and like you myself and the wife have purchased the drinks package, not sure we will drink enough to warrant it but between sodas, coffee, cocktails etc throughout the entire day I reckon we will be pretty close.

 

I think whilst on the ship it won't be a problem drinking enough but on the days when we will be ashore and returning to the ship I doubt we will manage it.(that sound so bad);p

 

If we were to book a new cruise for 2019 where there's a $500 to be spent on board then I definitely would do without the drinks package because that would cover the most of it for sure.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Luminated67

[SausPud]

If you get obc (on board credit) of $500, then buy the drinks package on board. Win win.

Depends what you drink but packages normally take around 4-7 drinks to make them worthwhile.

I like one, so I can try new drinks and if it's not nice, just order something different. And you have the freedom to just drink what you want without counting the pennies/cents.