Drinks query

[Werangels]

Hi all

 

Sat in the garden on this glorious day with an Aperol Spritz and checking the included drinks list!  Which I note is not included in the basic list.

 

I don’t drink very much and just wanted to check a couple of things with you all please?

 

If I fancied a glass of champagne or prosecco, would I have to have the ultimate package or could I choose to purchase one by cash?  I’m assuming having read the list prosecco isn’t included in the basic package?

 

If you can purchase with cash, does anyone have a price list.   I am struggling to justify $21.95 per day when I would only want say one cocktail and one fizz per day.

 

Hubs doesn’t drink at all.

 

Thoughts please?  Many thanks.

 

 

[uktog]

First of all the ship is a cashless entity so any purchases you make are charged to your shipboard account which you settle either through the credit card you register at the beginning of the cruise or by cash at the end of the cruise.

 

Whilst you cannot get prosecco as such free of charge a pleasant sparking white wine is included as part of the standard (no charge) drinks package - just ask for sparking wine

 

Yes you can buy any drink and charge it to your account.  I often do if I do not have a package.  One benefit of the ultimate package is it automatically gives you access to upgraded wines at dinner and to better quality sparkling and still water.  Depends on how you feel about the included package whether these extras make the price of upgrading more attractive 

 

Here is a menu link from about a year ago, the prices are the same or almost the same now

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2545249-new-drinks-menu/

Edited May 12, 2019 by uktog

[dabear]

The question is not answered. If you have the basic package and you want just a single upgraded drink. Do you pay the full price or just the interim price difference as on X?

[Grandma Cruising]

Not sure what you mean - the cruise fare includes the ‘basic’ drinks as set out in the website here https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/booked-guests/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

On top of that you can purchase one of 2 drinks packages, the premium and the ultimate package - set out here https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/booked-guests/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

 

Any drink you want that is not in your ‘package’  (whichever it is ) would be charged to your account at the full bar price.

[excitedofharpenden]

23 minutes ago, dabear said:

The question is not answered. If you have the basic package and you want just a single upgraded drink. Do you pay the full price or just the interim price difference as on X?

You pay the full price, rather than the difference.

 

Phil

[lovecruzin]

20 minutes ago, dabear said:

The question is not answered. If you have the basic package and you want just a single upgraded drink. Do you pay the full price or just the interim price difference as on X?

 

There is not a “basic package” there are certain spirits, wines etc that are included in your fare. If you choose a higher end spirit or wine you pay the listed price for that drink. 

[dabear]

6 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You pay the full price, rather than the difference.

 

Phil

Interesting. A, which charges a premium fare offers less than X, which charges only the difference between prices. Further, A's included spirits are equivalent to "well" brands. Not giving much premium for an allegedly premium product.

 

We've cruised on other small upscale ships besides A. In comparing them I'm no longer sure that A's offering justifies it's fare (eg size of cabin, cheap liquor, etc)..

Edited May 12, 2019 by dabear

[excitedofharpenden]

1 minute ago, dabear said:

Interesting. A, which charges a premium fare offers less than X, which charges only the difference between prices. Further, A's included spirits are equivalent to "well" brands. Not giving much premium for an allegedly premium product.

Yes, this has come up before and it’s a failing.  As far as drinks packages go Celebrity is way better and more flexible in my view.

 

Phil

[rallydave]

3 minutes ago, dabear said:

Interesting. A, which charges a premium fare offers less than X, which charges only the difference between prices. Further, A's included spirits are equivalent to "well" brands. Not giving much premium for an allegedly premium product.

How can you say Azamara offers less when a basic list of alcohol is included in the base fare for everyone while on O you have to pay extra for just the basic alcohol??  Also, how would you come up with a drink difference between the included drinks and the next package since there is no specific charge for the basic drinks.

 

Believe your confusion is based on the Celebrity drinks are based on the maximum price of all of the drinks while the included drinks on A do not have any price since they are all included so impossible to calculate a difference.

 

[lovecruzin]

8 minutes ago, dabear said:

Interesting. A, which charges a premium fare offers less than X, which charges only the difference between prices. Further, A's included spirits are equivalent to "well" brands. Not giving much premium for an allegedly premium product.

 

We've cruised on other small upscale ships besides A. In comparing them I'm no longer sure that A's offering justifies it's fare (eg size of cabin, cheap liquor, etc)..

 

It looks like you have cruised on X many times, depending on your captains club/LCV status, you are entitled to a discount off the ultimate package which brings it a bit closer in price to upgrading from Classic to Premium on X. 

Or, it is a whole lot less per day to buy the UBP on Azamara than buying the Premium on X.

[dabear]

3 minutes ago, rallydave said:

 

Believe your confusion is based on the Celebrity drinks are based on the maximum price of all of the drinks while the included drinks on A do not have any price since they are all included so impossible to calculate a difference.

 

On X one of the choice perks is the classic drink package (which actually offers better quality than A's included). If you want to order an upgraded single drink from classic to premium, you only pay the difference. A gets around this by including cheap spirits in it's price so the only way to upgrade is to pay the full price or buy the higher package. Interesting marketing difference by RCCL that owns both lines. Agree that O doesn't include spirits, but most of the luxury lines such as Regent include "top notch" brands in its price (albeit higher than A, but also includes other valuable inclusions).

[dabear]

2 minutes ago, lovecruzin said:

 

It looks like you have cruised on X many times, depending on your captains club/LCV status, you are entitled to a discount off the ultimate package which brings it a bit closer in price to upgrading from Classic to Premium on X. 

Or, it is a whole lot less per day to buy the UBP on Azamara than buying the Premium on X.

 

 

Agree with your first statement & yes we are entitled to a 15% discount on A's ultimate package. I disagree with your 2nd statement. It costs $15.95 to upgrade to premium on X and even with our discount, it will cost about $18.70 to upgrade to ultimate package on A.

[lovecruzin]

11 minutes ago, dabear said:

 

 

Agree with your first statement & yes we are entitled to a 15% discount on A's ultimate package. I disagree with your 2nd statement. It costs $15.95 to upgrade to premium on X and even with our discount, it will cost about $18.70 to upgrade to ultimate package on A.

 

I am talking about purchasing the pkg on a daily basis. With no discount $22 on Azamara vs $82~ on X. Since not all fares on X include “free” perks 

 

I am not disagreeing with you though, the included beverages for the price you are paying on Azamara should be higher end..😀  And don't get me started on the lack of wine selection on Azamara!

[Werangels]

3 hours ago, uktog said:

First of all the ship is a cashless entity so any purchases you make are charged to your shipboard account which you settle either through the credit card you register at the beginning of the cruise or by cash at the end of the cruise.

 

Whilst you cannot get prosecco as such free of charge a pleasant sparking white wine is included as part of the standard (no charge) drinks package - just ask for sparking wine

 

Yes you can buy any drink and charge it to your account.  I often do if I do not have a package.  One benefit of the ultimate package is it automatically gives you access to upgraded wines at dinner and to better quality sparkling and still water.  Depends on how you feel about the included package whether these extras make the price of upgrading more attractive 

 

Here is a menu link from about a year ago, the prices are the same or almost the same now

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2545249-new-drinks-menu/

 

 

Thank you, most helpful.  I didn’t mean ‘cash’ per se.  It was more to illustrate the difference and I won’t be walking around with a purse full of coins!!

 

Is the white sparkly on a par to a decent extra dry prosecco?  I have had some very decent French, Australian and South American ones although I really cannot abide Cava.

[excitedofharpenden]

19 minutes ago, lovecruzin said:

 And don't get me started on the lack of wine selection on Azamara!

Yes, that's one of the anomalies with the Azamara package. You either go with the included (which as a red drinker I can mostly get by with, but some aren't great) or you have to buy the ultimate package  to get included wine. Or of course pay by the glass. 

 

Phil 

[Werangels]

1 hour ago, dabear said:

The question is not answered. If you have the basic package and you want just a single upgraded drink. Do you pay the full price or just the interim price difference as on X?

 

Good point.

[lisiamc]

16 hours ago, Werangels said:

 

 

Thank you, most helpful.  I didn’t mean ‘cash’ per se.  It was more to illustrate the difference and I won’t be walking around with a purse full of coins!!

 

Is the white sparkly on a par to a decent extra dry prosecco?  I have had some very decent French, Australian and South American ones although I really cannot abide Cava.

 

I don’t think it’s particularly good.  Tastes are very subjective, but I found it a bit thin and acidic on our last cruise.  Things may have changed for the better in the last year, though.

[Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, lisiamc said:

 

I don’t think it’s particularly good.  Tastes are very subjective, but I found it a bit thin and acidic on our last cruise.  Things may have changed for the better in the last year, though.

 

The included drinks are mostly bottom shelf items but some people find them adequate, we usually buy our better quality ones when we require them rather than in a package.

Edited May 13, 2019 by Bloodaxe

[Ithikan]

I am wondering if any of the Wine Packages qualify for an LCV discount.  Or, must one purchase the Ultimate Package in order to simply upgrade the wines, with the appropriate LCV discount?

Thanks for any insights/experiences!

Teri

[Cool Fool]

Because I signed up for our British Isles cruise very early, I got a bonus that included the Premium beverage package. That sounded good!  Then I discovered that there are no single malt Scotches included. That sounded bad!  OK, I said, I’ll just upgrade to the ultimate package.  That sounded good!  Then I learned on this board that such an upgrade doesn’t exist.  That sounds (and is) bad!

 

Yep, going to Scotland and no single malts included. As a former Regent cruiser, I think things like this are going to drive me crazy. A vacation this expensive shouldn’t involve decisions other than “what do I want.”  Yes, it’s trivial and yes I can afford to buy a drink, but at these prices Azamara should consider just going all inclusive. 

[Tom47]

DW has ordered Bailey's(not included) and only paid $5.95-same as Celebrity's not included price.

[excitedofharpenden]

7 hours ago, Tom47 said:

DW has ordered Bailey's(not included) and only paid $5.95-same as Celebrity's not included price.

Bailey's on the menu is $7.95.  Not sure if that's changed recently.  

 

Phil 

[excitedofharpenden]

On 5/14/2019 at 5:23 AM, Cool Fool said:

Because I signed up for our British Isles cruise very early, I got a bonus that included the Premium beverage package. That sounded good!  Then I discovered that there are no single malt Scotches included. That sounded bad!  OK, I said, I’ll just upgrade to the ultimate package.  That sounded good!  Then I learned on this board that such an upgrade doesn’t exist.  That sounds (and is) bad!

 

Yep, going to Scotland and no single malts included. As a former Regent cruiser, I think things like this are going to drive me crazy. A vacation this expensive shouldn’t involve decisions other than “what do I want.”  Yes, it’s trivial and yes I can afford to buy a drink, but at these prices Azamara should consider just going all inclusive. 

I think it's crazy too. I've made my feelings known before on the ship. 

 

Phil 

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Bailey's on the menu is $7.95.  Not sure if that's changed recently.  

 

Phil 

Last Azamara cruise was February 2018

[hamrag]

If the drinks package is upgraded to Premium or Ultimate, do both cabin occupants have to do so? For me, I would want to have the malt whiskies available only with Ultimate but my DW would be satisfied with the basic package. Thanks in advance.