Premier Drinks Package Question

[strachan01]

Hoping someone can answer my question. I have had a search through the forum but couldn't seem to find a definitive answer. We are contemplating getting the Premier Drinks Package for our upcoming cruise however it doesn't seem like you get any canned soda, only 25% off? A few years ago we had the AIBP and pretty much everything was included. 

 

'The package provides a 25% discount on the following excluded items: all bottles of wine, one liter bottles of water, canned soda and bottled juices.'

 

We are regular cruisers with Celebrity and are used to getting cans of Sprite Zero, Coke Zero & Gingers beers, does this mean we will not be able to get any of these? And that the only diet drink offered on the package would be fountain diet coke? It seems a ridiculous price for the package to have so many exclusions, at least the RCCL package is a fair bit cheaper and so can understand the limitations of the canned soda. I certainly won't be purchasing the drins package to then have to shell out even more for a canned soda. 

 

Cheers

 

Fraser

[famski740]

The only sodas available on the Premier Drinks Package are drinks from the guns (fountain) at the bars.  If you are not at a bar and order a soda they will go to the bar to get it for you.

[voljeep]

This is the package Princess offers at the Princess price and Terms and Conditions ... it is not Celebrity and it is not RCCL - or even Carnival

 

noone is forced to buy a package and each person must determine their individual conditions and potential usage

 

curious ... on Celebrity and RCCL are both adults in the same cabin required to buy the package if only one wants it ?

[strachan01]

8 minutes ago, voljeep said:

This is the package Princess offers at the Princess price and Terms and Conditions ... it is not Celebrity and it is not RCCL - or even Carnival

 

noone is forced to buy a package and each person must determine their individual conditions and potential usage

 

curious ... on Celebrity and RCCL are both adults in the same cabin required to buy the package if only one wants it ?

Thanks for replies,

 

I know -  however when you compare prices to RCCL and Celebrity they both offer much more it seems (I know its still fountain drinks but RCCL also offer the coca cola freestyle machines to add variety). So does it mean that i cant order a light beer with a sprite zero to create a shandy? Or how does a dark and stormy work? Even if they had cans behind the bar that they used for drinks that would work for us. 

 

With regards to RCCL and Celebrity, it used to only be compulsory for one person in the cabin to have the package, not sure if this is still correct mind you as all cruise lines seem to be constantly changing terms and conditions. 

Edited June 10, 2019 by strachan01

[famski740]

Have sailed on RCCL and I have purchased their Ultimate Beverage Package for myself because my wife does not drink.  There was never a problem unless there has been a change in the last couple of years.

Edited June 10, 2019 by famski740

[Thrak]

5 hours ago, strachan01 said:

Thanks for replies,

 

I know -  however when you compare prices to RCCL and Celebrity they both offer much more it seems (I know its still fountain drinks but RCCL also offer the coca cola freestyle machines to add variety). So does it mean that i cant order a light beer with a sprite zero to create a shandy? Or how does a dark and stormy work? Even if they had cans behind the bar that they used for drinks that would work for us. 

 

With regards to RCCL and Celebrity, it used to only be compulsory for one person in the cabin to have the package, not sure if this is still correct mind you as all cruise lines seem to be constantly changing terms and conditions. 

 

If they need to use a can for your mixed drink they will do so. I have had a Dark and Stormy - tried it on our last cruise just to see what it is like and was not impressed - and there was not an issue with ordering it or receiving it. Of course you can order a light beer and a soda (not sure if they have Sprite Zero) at the same time. That shouldn't be an issue at all. I've had "the package" a couple of times and it worked seamlessly. Order the drink you want and there is a 99.99% chance it will be covered under the package. There are very few "regular" drinks not included. If you are on a ship such as the Emerald or any ship that has the Whiskey Adventure in one of the bars there will be many items that aren't included with the package but that is a special case.

[Colo Cruiser]

6 hours ago, strachan01 said:

Hoping someone can answer my question. I have had a search through the forum but couldn't seem to find a definitive answer. We are contemplating getting the Premier Drinks Package for our upcoming cruise however it doesn't seem like you get any canned soda, only 25% off? A few years ago we had the AIBP and pretty much everything was included. 

 

'The package provides a 25% discount on the following excluded items: all bottles of wine, one liter bottles of water, canned soda and bottled juices.'

 

We are regular cruisers with Celebrity and are used to getting cans of Sprite Zero, Coke Zero & Gingers beers, does this mean we will not be able to get any of these? And that the only diet drink offered on the package would be fountain diet coke? It seems a ridiculous price for the package to have so many exclusions, at least the RCCL package is a fair bit cheaper and so can understand the limitations of the canned soda. I certainly won't be purchasing the drins package to then have to shell out even more for a canned soda. 

 

Cheers

 

Fraser

Did you read the T&C's of the Premium Beverage Package?

It is clearly spelled out there about the cans of soda not being covered.

This change was made a year or so ago along with several other things regarding the PBP that were changed as well.

[skynight]

"With regards to RCCL and Celebrity, it used to only be compulsory for one person in the cabin to have the package, not sure if this is still correct mind you as all cruise lines seem to be constantly changing terms and conditions."

The Princess PBP is per person. All in the cabin are NOT required to purchase. The Princess package can not be shared, except for items like discounted bottles of wine. If a mixed drink requires soda from a can then the bar tender will use soda from a can to mix it. You just can't get soda in a can without paying the discounted price.  You are permitted to carry on as much soda and other non-alcoholic beverages as you may want at embarkation or at ports of call.

[lukeca]

We just got off the emerald and had the PBP, I thought it was awesome and definitely worth the price. It basically covered everything we wanted to order, even Frappes at coffee and cones. As others have said, if the soda is needed for the drink you are ordering they will open a can. You just can’t order a can of soda on its own and take it with you. That wasn’t a problem for us though, plenty of included options!

[strachan01]

8 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Did you read the T&C's of the Premium Beverage Package?

It is clearly spelled out there about the cans of soda not being covered.

This change was made a year or so ago along with several other things regarding the PBP that were changed as well.

Yes i did, did you not read my original post? 

 

Just think it's a bit ridiculous consider the price they charge for it. They can give you a $12 alcoholic drink but can't include a $2 can? Strange. Each to their own opinion I guess. 

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, strachan01 said:

Yes i did, did you not read my original post? 

Huh?......why yes I did. Did you?  Your first and last paragraph sums it up. 

Not sure what Celebrity or RCCL have to do with the Princess package.3 totally different companies offering their own version of a drink package. Where does it say they have to mirror each other?

No cans of soda = first world problems I guess. Hope the lack of cans of soda don’t make you miss your Princess Cruise. 

[Scottygirl1]

9 hours ago, lukeca said:

We just got off the emerald and had the PBP, I thought it was awesome and definitely worth the price. It basically covered everything we wanted to order, even Frappes at coffee and cones. As others have said, if the soda is needed for the drink you are ordering they will open a can. You just can’t order a can of soda on its own and take it with you. That wasn’t a problem for us though, plenty of included options!

 

We also just got off the Emerald (well a week ago) and my husband wanted a Malibu with diet Sprite.  No, the barman (at Crooners) said.  We only have that in a can and it's not included on the drink package.  I wish we had argued the point now after reading this.

[strachan01]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Huh?......why yes I did. Did you?  Your first and last paragraph sums it up. 

Not sure what Celebrity or RCCL have to do with the Princess package.3 totally different companies offering their own version of a drink package. Where does it say they have to mirror each other?

No cans of soda = first world problems I guess. Hope the lack of cans of soda don’t make you miss your Princess Cruise. 

Well if you read it then why did you then ask if i had read the T&C's? I even quoted them. 

 

They don't have to mirror each other, RCCL don't offer cans but at least they price accordingly and give the option of the freestyle machine to get diet drinks.  Also, considering you used to get cans before it just shows another big cut back from Princess. 

 

 

[strachan01]

54 minutes ago, Scottygirl1 said:

 

We also just got off the Emerald (well a week ago) and my husband wanted a Malibu with diet Sprite.  No, the barman (at Crooners) said.  We only have that in a can and it's not included on the drink package.  I wish we had argued the point now after reading this.

Just what I feared. Did they only offer full sugar sprite as a mixer?

Edited June 11, 2019 by strachan01

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, strachan01 said:

considering you used to get cans before it just shows another big cut back from Princess. 

Less recycling 

[strachan01]

7 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Less recycling 

Yes which means higher profits... 

[Scottygirl1]

1 hour ago, strachan01 said:

Just what I feared. Did they only offer full sugar sprite as a mixer?

 

Yes they offered full sugar.  The only diet drink on tap is the Diet Coke.

[Ombud]

7 minutes ago, strachan01 said:

Yes which means higher profits... 

I'm a shareholder so that sounds good 👍

[strachan01]

18 minutes ago, Scottygirl1 said:

 

Yes they offered full sugar.  The only diet drink on tap is the Diet Coke.

Thats extremely poor. How did you find the package? 

 

17 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I'm a shareholder so that sounds good 👍

Fair enough. Im more interested in what im getting for my money, which seems to be less and less evey time I return to Princess. 

[Ombud]

7 minutes ago, strachan01 said:

Fair enough. Im more interested in what im getting for my money, which seems to be less and less evey time I return to Princess. 

I'm also interested in reducing trash and travel cost per day. So far cruising still beats land travel in cost but loses in reducing waste

[strachan01]

7 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I'm also interested in reducing trash and travel cost per day. So far cruising still beats land travel in cost but loses in reducing waste

Without a doubt I agree with you in cost per day compared to land. However, cans are aluminium and are easy recycled thus not causing waste. I know there are lots of waste generated onboard but not sure what you're getting at with cans, its one of the items that can be dealt with. 

[Scottygirl1]

27 minutes ago, strachan01 said:

Thats extremely poor. How did you find the package? 

 

 

We were only on a seven night cruise but if on a longer cruise I don't think we'd buy it.  Some days we drank more and others less but it was great to have to simply not have to worry about the cost of a drink.  We found we ordered the more expensive wines and cocktails etc plus could get Perrier water plus standard water whenever we wanted.  We did get a few coffees which were very good.  

Edited June 11, 2019 by Scottygirl1

[Ombud]

I may be wrong, have been wrong before. But I always thought it took more energy & produced more waste to produce / use single item containers than larger volume ones. I'm not thinking of this in a vacuum (on ship) but life as a whole

[voljeep]

regarding the PBP - on my little 3 day cruise out of PE/FLL in December, the PBP is no longer available ...

 

Is this the case on the west coast 3 day cruises ?

 

or just a normal 'Princess glitch/gremlin'?

 

the t&c still state not available on "2" days or less ( except Australia, of course )

[jagoffee]

I am certainly not pleased that Princess has decided not to include can soda in the PDP.  But I found that Princess has a very limited choice of can soda option.  No Caffeine Free Diet Coke/Pepsi.  I found when swapping the soda in the mini bar set up that there  were very limited options.

i suspect that Princess removed the cans from the package to reduce the probability of sharing.  Unintended consequences.