premium drinks price increase again!

[dwade1901]

not that it affects my next cruise (as I booked on the 'get more, get all' promotion) but I've just noticed that the premium drinks package is now £336 for a week (on the UK website). I'm sure when all the packages changed a number of months ago, it was £252 - the 'easy' package still seems to be £189...

 

If I book MSC again, not sure which package I would deem as better value for money now - I'll cross that bridge when it comes!!!

[Beamafar]

The prices haven't increased.  The Premium package is £252 for a week when the onboard currency is Euros and £336 when the onboard currency is USD.

[Até]

Similarly for US bookings Premium is $62pp/day for US sailings and $47pp/day for sailings using the Euro.  I could understand the price difference before the drink packages changes, but don't understand now that is seems to basically be the same package.

[sidari]

Until the changes last year, the US drink package prices were less than the European packages.

[Beamafar]

Dave ... the packages for US sailings were always more expensive (but were more comprehensive in their offerings).

[Até]

I think it was the upgrade costs of $18 to Classic and $26 to Deluxe from the promotional Drinks On Us that made them a good deal.

[Epos Man]

I'm just happy I did the drinks package before they went up for ours in a couple of days on the Seaside.

 

We don't usually buy the package at the time of the booking but decided about a month after that we would buy the package 2 weeks later the packages and prices changed

[sidari]

12 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Dave ... the packages for US sailings were always more expensive (but were more comprehensive in their offerings).

Bea ... yes you remember right, it was the actual difference in upgrade price that was lower than the Europe packages when going to Deluxe.

[Beamafar]

8 minutes ago, sidari said:

Bea ... yes you remember right, it was the actual difference in upgrade price that was lower than the Europe packages when going to Deluxe.

 

Yeah ... it's was always a no-brainer to upgrade on US$ sailings - not so much on € ones (though we did most of the time for the better wines).

 

It's much cheaper to upgrade to Prem+ from Prem, now, for European sailings and more expensive for US ones. 🙄 (though we've done it for our 2 upcoming YC cruises, one in the Med and the other in the US.)

 

The Premium+ is so much better value than the old Deluxe, despite only being a little more expensive.  We'll see how long that lasts before MSC begins removing certain items and watering it down like they did with Deluxe!  We very rarely bothered with gelato so don't miss it not being included.  Geez ... it's only €2 or €3 a tub - hardly going to break the bank.  I never did understand the fuss about it being included or not.  I think MSC have done the right thing by making the packages drinks-only ones.

[sidari]

Now that Aurea only gets the Easy package we may have to rethink our cabin choices after our Xmas sailing and decide if the current inclusions are worth the money or whether they would be best booked seperate, I would not upgrade to P+ at the current pricing even though the mini bar is included and would likely even not bother buying a drink package at all if we booked a Bella or Fantastica cabin.

Sadly MSC are becoming the Ryanair of cruising in the way they are going.

[dwade1901]

19 hours ago, Beamafar said:

The prices haven't increased.  The Premium package is £252 for a week when the onboard currency is Euros and £336 when the onboard currency is USD.

 

19 hours ago, Beamafar said:

The prices haven't increased.  The Premium package is £252 for a week when the onboard currency is Euros and £336 when the onboard currency is USD.

Oh didn’t realise that! That’s quite some difference between US/Caribbean sailings and Europe!

[dwade1901]

17 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Dave ... the packages for US sailings were always more expensive (but were more comprehensive in their offerings).

Thanks 😊