Beverage Packages

[Aussielover]

New to cruising. My first cruise is an inside passage cruise to AK 8/11 - 8/18 aboard Princess. I am wondering if the beverage package is worth the price or wait and pay for the beverages on the ship. The beverage package options I am considering are Premier Beverage Package $68.99 per person per day or New Grounds Coffee Card $35.65 per person per punch card *(15 beverages) or bottled Water Package $6.90 for 12 bottles of water. Is it worth paying for any of the packages? Any and all advice is welcome please. :):hearteyes::hearteyes::hearteyes:

[dog]

New to cruising. My first cruise is an inside passage cruise to AK 8/11 - 8/18 aboard Princess. I am wondering if the beverage package is worth the price or wait and pay for the beverages on the ship. The beverage package options I am considering are Premier Beverage Package $68.99 per person per day or New Grounds Coffee Card $35.65 per person per punch card *(15 beverages) or bottled Water Package $6.90 for 12 bottles of water. Is it worth paying for any of the packages? Any and all advice is welcome please. :):hearteyes::hearteyes::hearteyes:

 

Yes, I found this worth it: 12 bottles of water. Is it worth paying for any of the packages? Any and all advice is welcome please

[moki'smommy]

It depends on how much you will drink. The coffee card gives you the benefit of unlimited brewed coffee, premium tea, and hot chocolate as well as the 15 punches for "starbucks" type drinks.

 

The Premium Beverage Package....most alcoholic beverages on Princess are under $10. The package will also include things like sodas, milkshakes, mocktails, bottled waters, etc. Worth it? I'd never drink enough to beat individual purchases, but others will.

 

Bottled water package...if you like bottled water, it is a decent price.

 

On the other hand, you can carry on water or soda if you wish.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Lately we've found the Premium Beverage Package isn't worth buying. The wines by the glass aren't the greatest, and sometimes it can be difficult getting a second glass of wine in the MDR when you want it if the waiters are busy. We don't stint on what we drink on cruises but our average daily expenditure has been significantly less than the package price.

 

The coffee cards are good value if you like speciality coffees. Two people can use the same card for speciality coffees.

 

If you like to have bottled water on hand then the water package is very good value. Small bottles of water are $2.50 or more onboard, from memory.

Edited June 3, 2018 by OzKiwiJJ

[GUT2407]

It really depends what you drink and how many of them.

 

I gave up booze years ago so for me it’s not, when I did drink I’d have been in front by miles.

[Aussielover]

It depends on how much you will drink. The coffee card gives you the benefit of unlimited brewed coffee' date=' premium tea, and hot chocolate as well as the 15 punches for "starbucks" type drinks.

 

The Premium Beverage Package....most alcoholic beverages on Princess are under $10. The package will also include things like sodas, milkshakes, mocktails, bottled waters, etc. Worth it? I'd never drink enough to beat individual purchases, but others will.

 

Bottled water package...if you like bottled water, it is a decent price.

 

On the other hand, you can carry on water or soda if you wish.[/quote']

 

How much bottled water can you carry on with you? I drink at least 64 oz of water a day. My husband does as well

[Aussielover]

Lately we've found the Premium Beverage Package isn't worth buying. The wines by the glass aren't the greatest, and sometimes it can be difficult getting a second glass of wine in the MDR when you want it if the waiters are busy. We don't stint on what we drink on cruises but our average daily expenditure has been significantly less than the package price.

 

The coffee cards are good value if you like speciality coffees. Two people can use the same card for speciality coffees.

 

If you like to have bottled water on hand then the water package is very good value. Small bottles of water are $2.50 or more onboard, from memory.

 

 

What is the price of brewed coffee? Is it free?

[moki'smommy]

You are permitted to carry on as much bottled water as you wish, but the ship's water is also perfectly safe to drink.

The coffee made from syrup is free in the dining rooms, beverage stations by the buffet, room service, etc. The brewed coffee is (I think) $1.50 per cup if you do not have a coffee card. The coffee card includes all the brewed coffee, decaf, premium tea bags, and hot chocolate you care to drink for the duration of the cruise AND 15 specialty coffees or teas....the starbucks type stuff.

[Host CJSKIDS]

You are permitted to carry on as much bottled water as you wish' date=' but the ship's water is also perfectly safe to drink.

The coffee made from syrup is free in the dining rooms, beverage stations by the buffet, room service, etc. The brewed coffee is (I think) $1.50 per cup if you do not have a coffee card. The coffee card includes all the brewed coffee, decaf, premium tea bags, and hot chocolate you care to drink for the duration of the cruise AND 15 specialty coffees or teas....the starbucks type stuff.[/quote']

 

 

Thankfully they don’t use that syrup for the coffee on the Regal! I believe it’s the same for the Royal though I have not been on the ship, only read it on here.

[skynight]

New to cruising. My first cruise is an inside passage cruise to AK 8/11 - 8/18 aboard Princess. I am wondering if the beverage package is worth the price or wait and pay for the beverages on the ship. The beverage package options I am considering are Premier Beverage Package $68.99 per person per day or New Grounds Coffee Card $35.65 per person per punch card *(15 beverages) or bottled Water Package $6.90 for 12 bottles of water. Is it worth paying for any of the packages? Any and all advice is welcome please. :):hearteyes::hearteyes::hearteyes:

Water - If you want bottled water then the price is good and you don't have to carry it on board. This package is not sold on board and bottled water purchased on board I believe is $2.30 each.

The PBP is individual, can not be shared. It includes about 95% of all alcoholic beverages sold on board and most non-alcoholic. Excludes canned soda. It takes 6 to 8 cocktails per day every day to break even. In Alaska are you on board enough to drink this much? Cocktails are around $10.50 each, straight spirits maybe around $7 a shot, beer $5 to $7. The espresso drinks on the coffee card are included in this package.

The coffee card has punches for 15 espresso drinks. These punches can be shared. It also has the advantage of unlimited brewed arabica coffee, & special teas throughout the cruise. Fee coffee is available at the buffet and in DR's. The coffee is prepared from a concentrate. Try it out to see if it to your liking.

 

Note: The Coffee Card can be purchased on board. The PBP is also available on board but only on boarding day. No need to pre-purchase.

[Scorpio41]

We always buy bottled water when we cruise. On reading the posts above we cannot buy the water package on board it has to be done before we sail?

[moki'smommy]

We always buy bottled water when we cruise. On reading the posts above we cannot buy the water package on board it has to be done before we sail?

Correct.

[Scorpio41]

Correct.

 

What size are the bottles and can you buy more than one package? Its a two week cruise.

[FLCruise7]

What size are the bottles and can you buy more than one package? Its a two week cruise.

 

You get 12 500 ml bottles and I don't think there's a limit for the pre-purchase. My sister bought something like 5 for our Panama Canal cruise.

 

 

You can't buy this same 12-bottle package onboard - just available for pre-purchase. For us (even driving to a port), it's worth the convenience.

[moki'smommy]

I wouldn't bring water on board as I think the package cost is basically reasonable.

I did bring soda on our last cruise. I had two people who would drink it. Princess has discontinued the "soda only" option and "Soda and more" would have cost $160+ for the 10 night cruise. The preferred brand at Publix was about $25, and we even had some left which we gave to the crew.