Beverage package timed?

[Travelingfreckles]

Hi all. Thinking about buying the premium beverage package for our upcoming cruise. We've never splurged before for one but this time we think we are. What have you seen as pros and cons. More importantly, is there a time you need to wait between getting your next drink? Also, if both my husband and I have it, do each of us have to go up for the drink or can one get for both? 

[Colo Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, Travelingfreckles said:

Hi all. Thinking about buying the premium beverage package for our upcoming cruise. We've never splurged before for one but this time we think we are. What have you seen as pros and cons. More importantly, is there a time you need to wait between getting your next drink? Also, if both my husband and I have it, do each of us have to go up for the drink or can one get for both? 

No time limit between drinks but the package is limited to 15 alcoholic drinks every 24 hours.

They check your account for the package so each would have to go up for drinks.

If the bartender gets to know you both then they may let one get the drinks.

[OCruisers]

Both of us the the PBP.  At bars we normally go my husband has not problem ordering for both of us.  Guess because they already have my number.  

[tonit964]

It depends on how much you drink. You really need to do the math.

 

Cocktails and wine are around $10 each, beer a little less, ( Not sure of the exact price, I don't really drink beer). The package is $68.99 per person, per day.

 If you each will have at least 7 or more drinks every day of the cruise or 15 on one day and none the next, however you work it, then its worth it. If you only drink a couple of drinks a day, then you're better off just paying as you go. Remember, the cruise lines make a killing on these packages or they would have stopped offering them if it wasn't making money for them.

 

I love my cocktails on a cruise but even I would never pay for the package, I try and  book under the Sip & Sail promotion.

[stuckintexas]

What is the sip and sail promotion?

[bemis12]

1 minute ago, stuckintexas said:

What is the sip and sail promotion?

 

A promotion, typically during the summer months, where your cruise fare includes the premium beverage package.

[OCruisers]

Just now, stuckintexas said:

What is the sip and sail promotion?

 

The "sip & sail" promotion is sometimes offered ... mostly for sailings a year or so out.

On this the PBP is free.  

 

 

[Travelingfreckles]

Missed that promo this trip but hope to get It for the next🤞. While running the numbers, it looks like we'd be right at that break even point or better since we'll have 4 days pretty much onboard out of the 7.  Thinking it'd be nice not to have to worry about what I'm spending or drinking😉. Vacation is a time to relax and not worry about things, right?!🌴🌞🍹🛳

[jimlouisesophie]

10 hours ago, tonit964 said:

It depends on how much you drink. You really need to do the math.

 

Cocktails and wine are around $10 each, beer a little less, ( Not sure of the exact price, I don't really drink beer). The package is $68.99 per person, per day.

 If you each will have at least 7 or more drinks every day of the cruise or 15 on one day and none the next, however you work it, then its worth it. If you only drink a couple of drinks a day, then you're better off just paying as you go. Remember, the cruise lines make a killing on these packages or they would have stopped offering them if it wasn't making money for them.

 

I love my cocktails on a cruise but even I would never pay for the package, I try and  book under the Sip & Sail promotion.

tonite, good information for all.  We decided not to do the package after using the calculator  On days on shore, it did not make sense.  We did, however, pre order 4 cases of 12 each water, which is free with the package, but still made sense to pay for drinks separately.  We also pre purchased on board credit on a monthly basis, so do not get hit with a large bill at the end of our cruise, which is November, 2019Try this calculator:  https://www.cruzely.com/cruise-line-drink-package-calculator/

[2theship]

11 hours ago, Travelingfreckles said:

Hi all. Thinking about buying the premium beverage package for our upcoming cruise. We've never splurged before for one but this time we think we are. What have you seen as pros and cons. More importantly, is there a time you need to wait between getting your next drink? Also, if both my husband and I have it, do each of us have to go up for the drink or can one get for both? 

One person can get drinks for both but will need to take both cards to the bar.

[gma rae]

Also it is not only alcoholic drinks! We get multiple bottled waters each, brewed specialty coffee and teas and mocktails  each day along with wine and cocktails, all covered by the PBP!

[Thrak]

14 hours ago, OCruisers said:

 

The "sip & sail" promotion is sometimes offered ... mostly for sailings a year or so out.

On this the PBP is free.  

 

 

 

Except for the fact that the last time they offered the Sip and Sail promo I had multiple cruises already booked and the day the "sale" came out my cabins went up by $1,000 per person. I declined the "deal" of paying over $2,000 more for the privilege of the "free" beverage package.

[OCruisers]

3 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Except for the fact that the last time they offered the Sip and Sail promo I had multiple cruises already booked and the day the "sale" came out my cabins went up by $1,000 per person. I declined the "deal" of paying over $2,000 more for the privilege of the "free" beverage package.

 

This is not always true.

In my case I'd selected and  priced the CC Mini Suite I wanted to book at some point.  When the Sip and Sail promo came out, there had been no price increase so I booked it.  

[Thrak]

3 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

 

This is not always true.

In my case I'd selected and  priced the CC Mini Suite I wanted to book at some point.  When the Sip and Sail promo came out, there had been no price increase so I booked it.  

 

I agree. I simply said that the last time they offered the package the cruises "I had booked" went up by $1k per person. The year before I booked a 28 day and a 14 day under the promo and the pricing didn't go up. Imagine my disappointment this time with the huge price increase. I guess I just booked the wrong cruises as I know may others were able to switch to the promo at no extra cost.

[capriccio]

7 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

 

This is not always true.

In my case I'd selected and  priced the CC Mini Suite I wanted to book at some point.  When the Sip and Sail promo came out, there had been no price increase so I booked it.  

I watched the fares for our summer solstice cruise above the Arctic Circle before last summer's Sip and Sail promo was announced.  The price actually went down $50 per person with the promo.  Since the promo ended the price has gone up.  This may be due to the relatively rare itinerary but we've had similar experiences where the price didn't change with Sip and Sail and went up after it on a LA to Rio cruise in 2016 and a Rome to FLL trans-Atlantic in 2017. 

[CruisinFinsUp]

4 hours ago, 2theship said:

One person can get drinks for both but will need to take both cards to the bar.

 

We write the other person's folio number on the back of our card - they are usually consecutive - after seeing us a couple times the bartenders recognize us and key in the two folio numbers no problem to record against our drink packages.  

 

Haven't tried it with medallion yet ....

[MaineCruiser243]

23 minutes ago, cruisintoddler said:

 

We write the other person's folio number on the back of our card - they are usually consecutive - after seeing us a couple times the bartenders recognize us and key in the two folio numbers no problem to record against our drink packages.  

 

Haven't tried it with medallion yet ....

Seems that even with the medallion they still read the number off the cruise card. At least that is how it worked for us when ordering drinks in the dining rooms.

[Thrak]

For the OP regarding "timed" beverage ppurchases:

 

In general they will sell you one drink at a time. However, I often drink straight Scotch. By the second day they realized I wasn't sharing my drinks and were happy to serve me doubles. I asked about it and was told it was at the bartender's discretion. I doubt they will serve you two regular mixed drinks at once but for straight liquor they will work with you.

[Katwoman007]

50 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Except for the fact that the last time they offered the Sip and Sail promo I had multiple cruises already booked and the day the "sale" came out my cabins went up by $1,000 per person. I declined the "deal" of paying over $2,000 more for the privilege of the "free" beverage package.

I tried looking to change out my "deal" but with all our class rooms gone, I could not figure out if I would even save anything. When we had rebooked to get the sip and sale, the price did not change from our original booking, so for us that at least was better than nothing. 🙂