Another Option instead of Purchasing Beverage Packages

[drowelf]

On 3/30/2019 at 3:59 PM, kantonburg said:

 

Forgive me as we booked our first cruise and I've done nothing be read the "I wish I knew" and this beverage thread the past two days.  I've seen a couple people mention they keep purchased water bottles to refill.  I love iced tea.  Where do you refill you Gatorade bottle?  Also I saw someone post they bring cases of water when stopping at port.  Can you do that?

 

I'm going to keep reading through the "I wish I knew" thread, but I'm on page 8 of 113 and have been making notes of suggestions I feel are good ones!

 

Thanks in advance

 

The Lido will have an Ice Tea Station. Its pretty much available all day long and sometime into the evening. I've found that after about 10pm that once its empty, thats pretty much it, unless there is some late night dining going on. 

 

Yes, you can bring any non-alcohol drinks onboard at any port. 

[killsport]

On 3/30/2019 at 11:57 PM, cruzin4us said:

This one is more expensive but this works so well for drinks.  I like the handle, it makes it easy to carry.   Your's would absolutely work too.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Flask-Double-Insulated-Stainless/dp/B01GW2HGAG/ref=sr_1_7?crid=NJ1GQV15EO5Y&keywords=yeti+water+bottle&qid=1554004496&s=gateway&sprefix=yeti%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-7

We used something similar: https://www.amazon.com/Furry-Friends-Reduce-Hydro-Bottles/dp/B07FXXQ28P/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=reduce%2Bbottle&qid=1554143518&refinements=p_89%3AREDUCE&rnid=2528832011&s=gateway&sr=8-7&th=1

We found them at Costco for $10 for 2 bottles. They were nicely sized (14oz) which worked well for us (not too large, not too small). Definitely kept cool!!! And the wait staff had no issue pouring iced tea, water, or lemonade in them (they made sure not to touch the spout to the bottle).

 

Suggestions:

1. Decide the volume of liquid you want

2. Decide if you want a straw / spout or not (e.g. @cruzin4us had a straw, mine does not)

3. Make sure to get an insulated one! There are cheap ones out there that aren't insulated -- this will not keep things as cool and the bottle will "sweat". Insulated won't sweat.

4. Have a great cruise 😀

[work2travelmore]

Not sure if this the right thread to ask this question, but rather than start a new one here goes. We are on the Eurodam in 12 days and are debating the drink package. DH does not drink alcohol, but I do. Unfortunately both of us have to purchase the same package so I am wondering if there are any better prices upon boarding or is the online pricing the best we will get. Doing the exchange to US, along with the automatic gratuity charge makes for a hefty price for on non alcoholic drinker and one very moderate drinker. I have been looking at the beverage cards but the package is much more convenient.

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, work2travelmore said:

Not sure if this the right thread to ask this question, but rather than start a new one here goes. We are on the Eurodam in 12 days and are debating the drink package. DH does not drink alcohol, but I do. Unfortunately both of us have to purchase the same package so I am wondering if there are any better prices upon boarding or is the online pricing the best we will get. Doing the exchange to US, along with the automatic gratuity charge makes for a hefty price for on non alcoholic drinker and one very moderate drinker. I have been looking at the beverage cards but the package is much more convenient.

Sometimes there are lower prices on board.  But to be honest, I doubt they're low enough to change the basic math.  For a seven day cruise, the signature package will cost you about $360 PP.  

 

Here's a link to a website with the costs per drink.  For two people, you'll have to average 12 drinks (total for two) per day to break even.  You might wish to consider the Quench package for non-alcoholic drinks and then pay as you go for the rest.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus

[work2travelmore]

13 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Sometimes there are lower prices on board.  But to be honest, I doubt they're low enough to change the basic math.  For a seven day cruise, the signature package will cost you about $360 PP.  

 

Here's a link to a website with the costs per drink.  For two people, you'll have to average 12 drinks (total for two) per day to break even.  You might wish to consider the Quench package for non-alcoholic drinks and then pay as you go for the rest.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus

Thanks RocketMan275 for such a quick response. We are on board for 20 days so the package is just over $1000 each. I did call HAL and ask if we could buy the Quench package for DH as he cannot drink alcohol due to medications but they give no exceptions! We have discussed the Quench package and purchase other drinks separately, and it may be the way to go. It’s the exchange for us that is the killer. Thanks for the price lists as well, they help with budgeting. I am a beer drinker with the occasional margarita or fruity martini so my bar bill isn’t huge. We had all included on our Celebrity cruise last fall and it was so nice not to worry about anything at the end. Drinks, gratuities, internet were all included, along with an OBC, and we were able to pay in Canadian funds so it made for a very reasonable cruise. Too bad HAL doesn’t offer the same perks.

[RocketMan275]

12 minutes ago, work2travelmore said:

Drinks, gratuities, internet were all included, along with an OBC, and we were able to pay in Canadian funds so it made for a very reasonable cruise. Too bad HAL doesn’t offer the same perks.

you might want to pre-purchase some additional OBC.  Some Canadians have said they can often get a good exchange rate that way.  Any unused pre-paid OBC will be refunded if unused.  

[work2travelmore]

4 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

you might want to pre-purchase some additional OBC.  Some Canadians have said they can often get a good exchange rate that way.  Any unused pre-paid OBC will be refunded if unused.  

Certainly some options to consider. Thanks for the help.

[cruzin4us]

8 hours ago, work2travelmore said:

We are on board for 20 days so the package is just over $1000 each. I did call HAL and ask if we could buy the Quench package for DH as he cannot drink alcohol due to medications but they give no exceptions! We have discussed the Quench package and purchase other drinks separately, and it may be the way to go. It’s the exchange for us that is the killer. Thanks for the price lists as well, they help with budgeting. I am a beer drinker with the occasional margarita or fruity martini so my bar bill isn’t huge. We had all included on our Celebrity cruise last fall and it was so nice not to worry about anything at the end. Drinks, gratuities, internet were all included, along with an OBC, and we were able to pay in Canadian funds so it made for a very reasonable cruise. Too bad HAL doesn’t offer the same perks.

 

I don't think I would purchase either of the alcohol pkgs if one of you doesn't drink.  If you get the quench pkg you can get "mocktails" for your DH, water, coffees, etc.   I think I would just buy some OBC so you don't end up with a huge bill at the end.  That's the way I finally decided to roll.  I've bought the beverage pkgs before and even tho my DH and I both drink, there was no way we could break even by ordering 6 alcoholic drinks each everyday.  Especially on a 20 day cruise.  We start out at the beginning of the cruise drinking our 6+ drinks/day but that fizzled out rather quickly.     You could also buy a bottle of tequilla and make your own margaritas.   That would save you a bit of $.

[FlorenceItaly]

They typically have happy hour twice a day, 4pm and 9pm.  Buy one get one for $2.  Like you we typically book Celebrity and it includes a drink package.  I feel your pain as we have a 51 day cruise with HAL this Fall.  Our plan is to carry on a case of wine, order some bottles, participate in happy hour, etc.  I still anticipate we will have a huge bar bill.

[work2travelmore]

5 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

 

I don't think I would purchase either of the alcohol pkgs if one of you doesn't drink.  If you get the quench pkg you can get "mocktails" for your DH, water, coffees, etc.   I think I would just buy some OBC so you don't end up with a huge bill at the end.  That's the way I finally decided to roll.  I've bought the beverage pkgs before and even tho my DH and I both drink, there was no way we could break even by ordering 6 alcoholic drinks each everyday.  Especially on a 20 day cruise.  We start out at the beginning of the cruise drinking our 6+ drinks/day but that fizzled out rather quickly.     You could also buy a bottle of tequilla and make your own margaritas.   That would save you a bit of $.

Yes I am really thinking the beverage cards might be the way to go. We’ve never bought a beverage package before because we either booked during the explore 4 promo or booked Celebrity. This cruise was not really planned so we booked it after any promotion was available. I will plan better next time! I wish I liked wine because you can bring that on. Thanks!

[work2travelmore]

5 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

They typically have happy hour twice a day, 4pm and 9pm.  Buy one get one for $2.  Like you we typically book Celebrity and it includes a drink package.  I feel your pain as we have a 51 day cruise with HAL this Fall.  Our plan is to carry on a case of wine, order some bottles, participate in happy hour, etc.  I still anticipate we will have a huge bar bill.

Enjoy your cruise. If it the one going to Fiji and Tahiti/Bora Bora, I envy you🤗  We looked at that one but booked the Hawaii cruise now and are looking at the 28 day Tahiti for later.

[5bestyears]

On 3/27/2019 at 1:13 PM, cruzin4us said:

Sometimes I overthink things and this is one of them.   I have purchased the Signature Beverage Pkg and the Elite Beverage Pkg. on prior cruises.  Neither time did we come close to making them worth the value (and we can drink with the best of them).

 

Reason for purchasing:  Strictly for convenience and I don't want the "shell shock" on my final bill.  I would rather order a cocktail when the mode arises, rather that thinking I bet my bill is going to be huge at the end of the cruise (this takes away the pleasure of cruising especially when you are on a longer cruise). 

 

Problem with the packages:   As many of you know, it takes about 6 drinks a day to break even.  On port days, I probably will have a cocktail before dinner, a couple glasses of wine with dinner and maybe a cocktail after (maybe).  This puts me in the negative by 2 drinks.   On sea days, I may have a cocktail by the pool, one before dinner and 2 glasses of wine during dinner.   This puts me in the negative by 1.   Just maybe I will meet my "quota" on the first day at sea, but rarely after.  And on embarkation day, we don't get rolling until 5:00 p.m. so I'll never meet my quota on this day.    And remember, you have to buy 2 pkgs if you are sharing a room.   SBP = $722.60 and EBP = $884.66 for a 7 day cruise (remember too, it's really a 6.5 day cruise, not 7 days).....That's a lot of drinks!   I doubt few if any people get their monies worth from the packages.    Somethings to consider:  What if you get seasick or get a cold/flu?  You won't get a refund for that day.  Also, if you order a bottle of wine (or bring your own) these won't be covered. What if you are in port until 8:00 pm...you probably won't be drinking 6 drinks that day either.  If I think about what I do at home, I would never drink 6 drinks a day for 7 days.   Granted I'm on the vacay, but after 2-3 days of this you tend to slow down, at least we do!!

 

What's my point?:   For those of you thinking to yourself "this has been hashed over a gazillion times already", I think it would be better to just purchase OBC's in the amount of the beverage package.   At the end of the cruise you can get your money back for any unused portion.   With the beverage pkgs, you either use it or lose it.   This way we can order a drinks when we feel like it and not feel like we have to make our quotas.

Thanks for the advice....what is "OBC"????

[FlorenceItaly]

4 minutes ago, 5bestyears said:

Thanks for the advice....what is "OBC"????

On board credit.  

 

OP, yes, we are on the Tales of the South Pacific 51 day cruise Oct 28-Dec. 18.  I will try to remember to post and let you know what our bar bill was, lol.

[5bestyears]

Thanks....trying to make smart decisions. 

 

 

[cruzin4us]

16 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

On board credit.  

 

OP, yes, we are on the Tales of the South Pacific 51 day cruise Oct 28-Dec. 18.  I will try to remember to post and let you know what our bar bill was, lol.

 

Wow, you will miss Halloween, Thanksgiving and almost Christmas!   That's one looooong cruise and I wish I was going with you!   Don't envy your bar tab 😂

[Hawaiidan]

On 4/2/2019 at 2:04 AM, FlorenceItaly said:

They typically have happy hour twice a day, 4pm and 9pm.  Buy one get one for $2.  Like you we typically book Celebrity and it includes a drink package.  I feel your pain as we have a 51 day cruise with HAL this Fall.  Our plan is to carry on a case of wine, order some bottles, participate in happy hour, etc.  I still anticipate we will have a huge bar bill.

 

Buying a package for a 51 day cruise is pretty much physically too demanding for most normal folks...     By day 20  your consumption will have slowed...way down 3-4.    By day 35 you may  not be drinking more than 2-3 a day.     Your bar bill for 51 days may be large...  but console your self... it will not be anywhere near what a package costs !!!  I take 30 day + cruises and have observed both my and others actions....      

[Hawaiidan]

22 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

On board credit.  

 

OP, yes, we are on the Tales of the South Pacific 51 day cruise Oct 28-Dec. 18.  I will try to remember to post and let you know what our bar bill was, lol.

 Here is a counter point on pre-buying OBC.          Consider that if the source of your funds come from the liquidation of investments  to pay for your perceived  needed OBC that you may give up  months of appreciation, dividend, that you could have gotten, had you  not sold or liquidated the source of those funds weeks or months before the cruise.!      Suppose you had to  sell 80 shares and while your were  gone they went up $8-10 a  share, split or declared a larger dividend. !   ...How would you feel loosing hundreds upon hundreds maybe thousands when you might have received 3 or 4 months of potential appreciation?

It can be substantial depending on the investment... depending on the  quality of investment

 

Too, at the end you could  get another 30 days of appreciation using a credit card, and that using a credit card will get you big FF or Hotel points for future travel.   Sell or liquidate these after Jan 1 ( you get back on December 19 right and have 30 days to pay interest free.) then you dont add to your  2019 tax bill...    You pull the money out and it gets taxed in a NEW year and probably at a lower rate.   Pulling your funds in 2019 might  really impact you with a much higher rate of tax .   

 

  Please don think that I am telling you what to do....I offer it as a consideration only.    Your talking on almost $10,000...   That is a chunk 

Forget travel agent advice...talk to a CPA   Taking a 40+ day cruise is a serious financial consideration that needs to be carefully planned and prepared for     

  I am not rich,  I take 30+ day cruises... I approach each  very seriously like buying a house... when your spending mid range 5 figures   you need  a whole different mind set.    Its a vacation true  but its also an investment  business deal  your making.   

  

Good travels, .......remember  you dont get what you deserve, you get what you calculate and negotiate for..    

 

Edited April 4, 2019 by Hawaiidan

[RocketMan275]

12 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

 Here is a counter point on pre-buying OBC.          Consider that if the source of your funds come from the liquidation of investments  to pay for your perceived  needed OBC that you may give up  months of appreciation, dividend, that you could have gotten, had you  not sold or liquidated the source of those funds weeks or months before the cruise.!      Suppose you had to  sell 80 shares and while your were  gone they went up $8-10 a  share, split or declared a larger dividend. !   ...How would you feel loosing hundreds upon hundreds maybe thousands when you might have received 3 or 4 months of potential appreciation?

If the source of funding for pre-buying OBC is the liquidation of investments, then it follows that the same investments would have to be liquidated to pay post cruise.  The only logical thing to do would be to cancel the entire cruise.  After all, once you sell those investments and spend the money on the cruise, that money is gone forever.  Just think how much appreciation and dividends will be lost.

 

[Hawaiidan]

18 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

If the source of funding for pre-buying OBC is the liquidation of investments, then it follows that the same investments would have to be liquidated to pay post cruise.  The only logical thing to do would be to cancel the entire cruise.  After all, once you sell those investments and spend the money on the cruise, that money is gone forever.  Just think how much appreciation and dividends will be lost.

 

I dont think you fully understand...    The difference  is  say  before the cruise you sell 50 shares at $100 a share  to pre pay

Your cruise is say 30 days long,     During that 30 day  that investment goes up 8 a share and has a dividend record date you miss or $2 per share

So... you lost 50x2= 100 + 50x8= $400  ( 400+100)   is you lost  $410.00.   If however, you charged it and had 30 days to pay, using a credit card ( no interest) then  you would have an additional 30 days of appreciation     lest say its just 2 dollars   that another $100 profit.       so $510.  total loss   

So.... when it time to pay 60-70 days after you would have pre paid $5000.      However those 50 shares are are now worth $510.  You would not have to sell 50 shares as your stock is now worth 112 !      you only have to sell 44.    You has a tangible profit of $510 !1          Your $5000 cruise bill/OBC really cost you only $4.490.  !!!       You see my point?

 

True if you done want to loose any money cancel the cruise and drink beer watching re-runs of I love lucy.

 

If, you are set up financially, and make regular liquidations from investments then it is a simple plan to to sell the least at the most .      Its money.. Money is a tool   not a possession... there will be one day when its gone. The trick is how you spend it and plan to spend it.      With out sounding patronizing  " thats not rocket science"

[Cruise Junky]

OMG these arguments are frankly stupid. Your investment could just as much tank as going through a stock split.  We're not idiots. Please stop the lectures.

[richwmn]

1 minute ago, Cruise Junky said:

OMG these arguments are frankly stupid. Your investment could just as much tank as going through a stock split.  We're not idiots. Please stop the lectures.

I agree, and the chance of a random stock going up $8 over a 45 day period are kinda slim but it could happen I guess. It is more likely that the stock would go up (or down) in the range of 50 - 60 cents at most.

 

[bEwAbG]

Maybe the stock tips come from the world-class TA who cannot book a refundable deposit?

[RocketMan275]

44 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

I dont think you fully understand...   

If, you are set up financially, and make regular liquidations from investments then it is a simple plan to to sell the least at the most .      Its money.. Money is a tool   not a possession... there will be one day when its gone. The trick is how you spend it and plan to spend it.      With out sounding patronizing  " thats not rocket science"

Oh, I fully understand because the "Rocketman" is/was a real-life, honest to God, rocket scientist.

What is "rocket science" is the ability to predict the future, how do you know which investments are going up and which are going down?

You're whole analysis is dependent upon owning a stock that goes up 8% in 30 days (not counting dividends).  That's over a 96% annual rate of appreciation.  Furthermore, out of all your investments, you pick this miracle of a stock to sell.  Now, why would you pick this one to sell?  Why not pick the one that went down by 8%?  

You can't know which will go up/down because that requires knowing the future and that does require a "rocket scientist".

[kazu]

2 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

 Here is a counter point on pre-buying OBC.          Consider that if the source of your funds come from the liquidation of investments  to pay for your perceived  needed OBC that you may give up  months of appreciation, dividend, that you could have gotten, had you  not sold or liquidated the source of those funds weeks or months before the cruise.!      

 

Have you bothered to consider that some of us are not using investments for  our pre-purchases of OBC?  Some of us do it from our regular cash flow.  

 

Don’t “assume”.  You know what happens when you ASSuME

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

OMG these arguments are frankly stupid. Your investment could just as much tank as going through a stock split.  We're not idiots. Please stop the lectures.

 

31 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Oh, I fully understand because the "Rocketman" is/was a real-life, honest to God, rocket scientist.

What is "rocket science" is the ability to predict the future, how do you know which investments are going up and which are going down?

You're whole analysis is dependent upon owning a stock that goes up 8% in 30 days (not counting dividends).  That's over a 96% annual rate of appreciation.  Furthermore, out of all your investments, you pick this miracle of a stock to sell.  Now, why would you pick this one to sell?  Why not pick the one that went down by 8%?  

You can't know which will go up/down because that requires knowing the future and that does require a "rocket scientist".

 

I can understand you reluctance.    Its not that hard to pick investments that perform reliably offer good dividends and  do so reliably year after year after year some times are better than others but is is safe to develop a  base that grows 20-25% a year on average, 

  Like astrophysics and aeronautical engineering   investments can be calculated just as  drag and thrust or Vne can.  Knowing the past can in many instances predict the future.  By doing research you can with reliability predict the future..ask Buffett.... Like  science it takes awareness and focus.        Did you run into Bill Varnendoe  or Jim Cole....by chance.

I have confined my involvement now only 1.... for the past 15 years  it has kept me solvent.  Hey  its natural to distrust the world of investment... remember 1939 still clouds many minds..   

I wish you a good  future...   how ever you and other choose. Just like physics ,the laws of investing  remain pretty solid and reliable since Archimedes and Euclid  .