Drink package or no drink package is the question!

[Colo Cruiser]

We have had it with a promo.

Would never actually buy it.

Not justifiable for us.

[Thrak]

Always worth it for us! We both get the package and have calculated it! Hubby & I are sparkling water drinkers and also coffee people, so it all adds up, not just alcoholic drinks (we like Bloody Marys in the am and wine in the evening, as well as trying fun mixed drinks!). It also includes sodas, and fresh squeezed juices too!

Why not spoil yourself on a cruise!!!

 

It kind of depends on the cruise. Our 28 day cruise would have cost close to $3,900 for the package for both of us. No way. The next cruise was 14 days. Over $1,900. Again, no way. Upcoming cruise is 19 days. Over $2,600. Nope, nope, nope. Not going to pay that much for drinks. We loved the convenience of having it as a perk. Lots of foo foo coffee, San Pellegrino, Juice, bottles of water for shore excursions, as well as wine in Vines and drinks in other venues. I'm just not going to budget that kind of money for drinks.

[Iamcruzin]

I'm usually a big supporter of the drink package. However on Princess I find the cocktails and wine prices to be reasonable and the 15% gratuity is 5% less than what I would normally give at a venue at home. On lines like Celebrity and NCL which offer the drink package as one of the choices as part of the fare it's a no brainer. Our next cruise we will be sailing on Royal Caribbean which has an on board deluxe drink package price of $63 plus 18% gratuity. I can pre purchase before the cruise for $52 plus 18%. If the price drops below $50 I will purchase it pre cruise but I never feel the need to purchase more than the soft drink package on Princess.

[riclop]

This is my first cruise on the Ruby Princess and i'm trying to figure out if it is worth me getting the premium drink package or not? We are going on the Mexican Rivera trip for 7 days w/3 days on land.

 

I guess the bigger question would be what the drink prices are and how much gratuity costs? Since I heard that if I don't get the drink package that I would have to pay gratuity per drink.

Only you know how much you drink.

[KansasK]

Can you order using the drink package in the dining room?

[capriccio]

Can you order using the drink package in the dining room?

 

Yes. They have a limited variety of wines by the glass that qualify plus the after dinner drinks. You also receive a 25% discount on bottles of wine (there may be a caveat of "up to $100 bottles" but we've never tested that).

[Thrak]

Can you order using the drink package in the dining room?

 

Most definitely. We not only ordered wine with dinner but also sometimes had an after dinner drink. Not a problem.

[reedprincess]

Yes. They have a limited variety of wines by the glass that qualify plus the after dinner drinks. You also receive a 25% discount on bottles of wine (there may be a caveat of "up to $100 bottles" but we've never tested that).

That caveat applied under the old AIBP, which was 40% discount on bottled under $100.

With the "new" (over a year old now) PBP, the discount is indeed 25%, but it's off ANY bottle of wine. We've not tested it on bottles running more than $100 as yet, but that's their terms and conditions ..

 

Can you order using the drink package in the dining room?

 

Yes, you can. They have a full bar, so any mixed drink, beer cocktail, etc plus the wines by the glass and wine bottles on the dining room menu. This wine menu doesn't include all the wines fron Vines, but it's s fairly decent selection, for both wines by the glass and bottles.

[Coffeeluvr05]

Personally, I’ve never purchased it. I’ve had it as a promo. I’m not sure it would ever be worth it to purchase for me. Hubs doesn’t drink, but I drink coffees, beer, cocktails, and sometimes after dinner drinks. I started to keep track of drinks for a couple of days of our last cruise but then I just started forgetting. This what I had on my tally so far...it seemed like a lot to me! [emoji51]

 

Day 1

2 glass clos du bois Chardonnay

1 glass champagne

2 gin martinis

Cappuccino

1 manhattan

3 bottles water

Almond hot chocolate

 

Day 2

2 americanos

3 bottles of water

3 martinis

Cappuccino

 

Day 3

2 cappuccino

Chai iced tea

Mimosa

3 Bottled water

2 martini

2 Cognac

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[GrayFal]

The price of the drink package is $59.99/day + 15% gratuity = $68.99/day. No further gratuities per drink. The package must be purchased for all days of the cruise. It can be pre-purchased or purchased on board on boarding day only. A 7 day cruise would be $482.93.

The package is limited to 15 alcoholic drinks per day menu priced $12 and under. This price covers about 95% of all drinks offered on board. There is no limit on the number of non-alcoholic beverages. The break even is around 6 to 7 alcoholic spirit or cocktails a day not counting the non-alcoholic beverages, for example espresso drinks. Full details of the plan can be found here: https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/gifts-and-services/culinary-delights-wine/

 

A 15% gratuity is added to all on board beverage purchases, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

If purchased on boarding day, can you use onboard credit OBC to pay for the PBP?

Thx

Edited October 6, 2018 by GrayFal

[reedprincess]

If purchased on boarding day, can you use onboard credit OBC to pay for the PBP?

Thx

Of course. OBC is applied to any purchase onboard, except Future Cruise Deposit. ..

[GrayFal]

Of course. OBC is applied to any purchase onboard, except Future Cruise Deposit. ..

Thx!

If you try to purchase anything such as specialty dinning, water, PBP etc before you cruise, they want payment via credit card.

Glad to hear I can decide to do it day of cruise.

[dfdub]

I'm always in for Sip N Sail cruises!!! Doesn't take long for the main bartenders and waiters to know you are "Sip N Sail" and know what your preferences are.. plus, no signing, no adding tip..... and if you tip them with cash.. you will always get the BEST service!!! Special coffee, water, wine with dinner, cocktails at the pool, drink before dinner, cocktail after dinner.... I think I get a deal. But that's me. I don't like the surprise bar tab at the end of the cruise and then thinking it might have been better to have bought the drink package. My wife is not much an alcohol drinker.. champagne, prosecco at dinner occasionally, the fancy daily drinks once in awhile... but mainly foofoo coffee and water. Sip N Sail all the way!!!

[moki'smommy]

If purchased on boarding day, can you use onboard credit OBC to pay for the PBP?

Thx

Definitely. This is one advantage of not purchasing till after boarding.

[Seadog & Sea Hag]

If purchased on boarding day, can you use onboard credit OBC to pay for the PBP?

Thx

 

 

 

On Australian based Princess ships, the alcohol package cannot be pre-purchased . It must be purchased onboard at $87 per day.

 

 

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[Kauai Kid]

If you want to nickel and dime yourselves on a cruise then we recommend you pay for each individual drink.

 

If you can afford it and don’t give a crap, then pay for the unlimited beverage package (UBP). You can drink your brains out, get unlimited bottled water, tons of specialty coffees and it’s all good.

It’s a cruise. Go for it.

 

I’m sure I’ll get slammed for this.

 

Bon Voyage.

 

 

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I like your thinking

[KansasK]

Thanks to capriccio, Thrak and reedprincess for the information on using the drink package in the dining room! :)

[Daniel A]

I will have the package for the first time on my next cruise because it is Sip & Sail. I'm wondering if PAX with the PBP get itemization of their drinks on the final statement as they do when the PBP is not covering drinks. Anyone know if the PBP drinks get itemized at the end?

[moki'smommy]

I will have the package for the first time on my next cruise because it is Sip & Sail. I'm wondering if PAX with the PBP get itemization of their drinks on the final statement as they do when the PBP is not covering drinks. Anyone know if the PBP drinks get itemized at the end?

No, you don't get an itemization of your use of the package. Any bar tender can tell you how many alcoholic drinks you have remaining for that day. In fact, you might want to check occasionally as there have been reports of people being told they were out or had only one more remaining when they KNEW what they'd had. Ditto with a coffee package--the barista can tell you how many you have used or how many you have remaining for the voyage.

[Daniel A]

No' date=' you don't get an itemization of your use of the package. Any bar tender can tell you how many alcoholic drinks you have remaining for that day. In fact, you might want to check occasionally as there have been reports of people being told they were out or had only one more remaining when they KNEW what they'd had. Ditto with a coffee package--the barista can tell you how many you have used or how many you have remaining for the voyage.[/quote']

 

I thought having an itemized list of what one drank using the package would be a great tool to help somebody figure out if buying the PBP in the future works for them or not. Oh well...

[jennybenny]

I thought having an itemized list of what one drank using the package would be a great tool to help somebody figure out if buying the PBP in the future works for them or not. Oh well...

 

 

 

They could do it, they choose not to. Carnival cruise line gives you an itemized list of what you drink on the Cheers! Package... equivalent to PBP.

 

 

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[GUT2407]

I thought having an itemized list of what one drank using the package would be a great tool to help somebody figure out if buying the PBP in the future works for them or not. Oh well...

I haven’t looked recently, but some lines used to list each drink and mark it $0.00.

 

With the new 15 drinks a day limit I wouldn’t be surprised if they re-introduce it.

[Morisnfan]

Can you order using the drink package in the dining room?

You can also purchase specialty coffees (espresso drinks etc) during or after dinner! Sometimes we'd order one with a shot of baileys or amaretto!

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I really like that Princess does not make everyone in the cabin purchase the drink package. While I like the Sip and Sail, when we cruise without it I only purchase the the package for DH. He likes to try different cocktails. It is something he doesn’t do normally so it’s a treat for him. He doesn’t usually finish them and he is never drunk.

 

I get tired of the good but not great white wines by the glass on the package. So I pay the corkage to bring on my champagne, Albariño, Pinot Gris and lovely dry Roses. I love reds but they just don’t agree with me anymore. In my opinion Princess has a better selection of reds than whites included in the package.

 

I prepay for cases of water and a coffee card for me. We get a mini bar set up in the suite and now that I am elite (yeah!) I get another set up as well. That is more than enough hard alcohol and sodas for me. Most of it will come home.

 

I bring my own Reidel stemware and take my wine (in the glass) with me when we go out. The dining room will hold my bottles that I’ve paid corkage on so I have the wines I prefer with dinner.

[moki'smommy]

I thought having an itemized list of what one drank using the package would be a great tool to help somebody figure out if buying the PBP in the future works for them or not. Oh well...

It might be, but it also might discourage some from purchasing in the future. Celebrity lists each soda one gets on their soda package! It makes the print out look crazy. Of course, each is listed as a 0.00 purchase.