Princess Cruise Drinks Price Australia

[MicCanberra]

I will stick pay as I go.

[Dorothy Caillier]

Thanks ever so much for all the pictures and info you have taken the time to send 

to us as we wait for our turn to cruise

Cheers Dorothy

[BGozzy]

I’d like to give a HUGE shout out to OzKiwiJJ for being so helpful and despite currently relaxing on a cruise, was kind enough to provide such useful information.

We have cruised before, so know our creature habits when on board.

We are middle-late aged, and don’t consider ourselves as excessive.

That being said, I have done the sums (you’ll have to excuse my analytical mind), and we will be better off with the drinks package on Majestic Princess.

The package would be a total of AUD$1,131 for us (each).

I calculated a conservative estimation of our purchases (as shown in picture).

To summarise, the conservative estimate includes:

1x special coffee per morning

1x bottle of water at night

1x bottle of water to take to shore

2x water + 2x soft drink / juice sea days

pre dinner cocktail each night

2x glasses of wine at dinner

3x cocktails /other after dinner drinks

1x night cap

These estimates are the minimum based on what we purchased on our last cruise.

For us the drinks package will be the way to go.

[MicCanberra]

Good work, I certainly wouldn't want to drink that much every day, my body would need a break.

[Toryhere]

12 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

 

Wow - US$23.99 a day to get 25% off bottled water!

I’m sticking with All Inclusive thanks 🙂 

Yes, all inclusive is so much easier. No limits, no worrying, just the opportunity to relax with your favourite tipple. 

[martin jenkins]

10 hours ago, BGozzy said:

I’d like to give a HUGE shout out to OzKiwiJJ for being so helpful and despite currently relaxing on a cruise, was kind enough to provide such useful information.

We have cruised before, so know our creature habits when on board.

We are middle-late aged, and don’t consider ourselves as excessive.

That being said, I have done the sums (you’ll have to excuse my analytical mind), and we will be better off with the drinks package on Majestic Princess.

The package would be a total of AUD$1,131 for us (each).

I calculated a conservative estimation of our purchases (as shown in picture).

To summarise, the conservative estimate includes:

1x special coffee per morning

1x bottle of water at night

1x bottle of water to take to shore

2x water + 2x soft drink / juice sea days

pre dinner cocktail each night

2x glasses of wine at dinner

3x cocktails /other after dinner drinks

1x night cap

These estimates are the minimum based on what we purchased on our last cruise.

For us the drinks package will be the way to go.

 

 

don't forget freshly squeezed orange in the morning

[OzKiwiJJ]

BGozzy, when doing your calculations look at the alternatives for coffee and wine. Coffees work out at $2.40 each using the coffee card. Wine by the bottle works out much cheaper - the by-the-glass pours are 150ml so five glasses to a bottle. The waiters will store unfinished bottled wine for you for the next day.

 

I'm still working on finding out the gin prices.

[keagle]

From memory, drink prices are as follows.
Beer by the bottle $8.75

Draught beer $10.00 per pint

Bucket of beer 5 for the price of 4 $35

Spirits start at $9.00 per glass

Fountain soda included in the package (souvenir cup)

Canned soda is not included in the package and I don't know the price

Small bottle of water $3.25

Large 1 litre water not included in package, price forgotten

Cheapest bottle of wine I heard quoted as $42, not sure about per glass, maybe $13-$14

Specialty coffees started at $3.50 for small

Cocktails $14-$15.95

 

As I said, from memory so they maybe a little off. It might help some.

[martin jenkins]

12 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

BGozzy, when doing your calculations look at the alternatives for coffee and wine. Coffees work out at $2.40 each using the coffee card. Wine by the bottle works out much cheaper - the by-the-glass pours are 150ml so five glasses to a bottle. The waiters will store unfinished bottled wine for you for the next day.

 

I'm still working on finding out the gin prices.

 

pretty sure on my last cruise gordons/beefeater was $9, tanquary $10, hendricks was $14.

[Emoliash]

On 9/16/2019 at 9:50 PM, Toryhere said:

There’s a chap over on the Luxury Cruising thread who was complaining about all-inclusive fares, because he and his wife were not drinkers and he didn’t see why he should subsidise the drinks of other passengers. 

What do those commenting here think about that? Would you prefer and all inclusive fare where most drinks are included, or do you think that it’s better to have drinks packages or pay as you go?

 

Why doesn’t he go on the more upmarket lines that are not all inclusive like Oceania, Viking and Azamara if he is upset about the all inclusive fare? 

[GUT2407]

On 9/16/2019 at 9:50 PM, Toryhere said:

There’s a chap over on the Luxury Cruising thread who was complaining about all-inclusive fares, because he and his wife were not drinkers and he didn’t see why he should subsidise the drinks of other passengers. 

What do those commenting here think about that? Would you prefer and all inclusive fare where most drinks are included, or do you think that it’s better to have drinks packages or pay as you go?

I agree with him, as non drinkers, who rarely do ships excursions and never fly all inclusive rarely works out for us

[Toryhere]

14 hours ago, Emoliash said:

 

Why doesn’t he go on the more upmarket lines that are not all inclusive like Oceania, Viking and Azamara if he is upset about the all inclusive fare? 

That was his question. My comment was that the value of a holiday is really the whole package to you, not worrying about how individual bits of it’s a priced. Yes, he could try Azamara, Oceania or Viking, but he wouldn’t get the same level of style, service or comfort that he would get on the luxury lines.

However, if the idea that he was subsidising the drinks of others was something he just couldn’t get over, he would have a better time picking a cruise line that wasn’t all inclusive.

[Toryhere]

13 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

I agree with him, as non drinkers, who rarely do ships excursions and never fly all inclusive rarely works out for us

As far as I know of the luxury lines only Regent does the free flight thing, and they discount the fare if you come from Australia and can’t use one of their flights. 

Regent is probably the only one that includes excursions too. 

As far as the drinks are concerned, you have to remember that it’s not just alcohol that is included in the fare, but all drinks. So there’s no need for soda or coffee packages either.

i seem to remember that you don’t fly. That would probably mean that the all inclusive Li es would be a difficult proposition as they don’t do as many round trips to Sydney.

[GUT2407]

11 hours ago, Toryhere said:

As far as I know of the luxury lines only Regent does the free flight thing, and they discount the fare if you come from Australia and can’t use one of their flights. 

Regent is probably the only one that includes excursions too. 

As far as the drinks are concerned, you have to remember that it’s not just alcohol that is included in the fare, but all drinks. So there’s no need for soda or coffee packages either.

i seem to remember that you don’t fly. That would probably mean that the all inclusive Li es would be a difficult proposition as they don’t do as many round trips to Sydney.

True, we looked at a Regent one, the price was to me just crazy, as I wouldn’t have got value out of all the extras, but I can see how others may. At the end of the day you need to do what’s best for you and whilst there were some attractions in the Regent Product it just didn’t add up for us.

[Toryhere]

11 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

True, we looked at a Regent one, the price was to me just crazy, as I wouldn’t have got value out of all the extras, but I can see how others may. At the end of the day you need to do what’s best for you and whilst there were some attractions in the Regent Product it just didn’t add up for us.

Good point. I seem to remember reading somewhere that someone did a comparison between a Regent and a Celebrity cruise in Alaska. Once you added all the extras you have to pay on Celebrity, the prices weren’t that different. However, the Regent product is overall of a higher standard. It’s just a shame that those who don’t use all the inclusions can’t get that standard without paying for everything. 

Maybe the point is that the all inclusive lines don’t have to waste so much time and so many resources in administering beverage packages or charges for specialty restaurants.

[Hammer61]

Just booked a 14 night Cruise in January, logged in to see the price of the drinks package, $92.79 a day!!!! So $1299.06 for the cruise, it may include coffees, juices, water etc but that is some series drinking required just to break even IMO, so wont be buying it.

 

To be honest on the last cruise I did with Princess when I got the package, think I paid $76 per day a couple of years ago on the Diamond Princess, I’m not sure it was any more cost effective plus by the end of the cruise I was really starting to feel the effects of a large (for me) alcohol intake, doubt im the only one who maybe over indulges when you have a package!!!

 

The last cruise was with Cunard and my spend even with there higher drinks prices averaged out at around A$50 a day when converted back from USD, mind you it was Alaska so the colder weather and only 2 sea days maybe saw my consumption fall, plus I had the 2 bottles of wine we could bring on board which if I get the package I don’t worry about as my wife doesn’t drink, also on each port day I would  sample the local brews at considerably lower prices which again I don’t do if getting the package, Alaska BTW has some great beers, and by the end of the 10 day cruise I also didn’t feel the effects of it all as I have when getting the package…….

Edited September 21, 2019 by Hammer61

[BGozzy]

On 9/18/2019 at 5:21 AM, OzKiwiJJ said:

BGozzy, when doing your calculations look at the alternatives for coffee and wine. Coffees work out at $2.40 each using the coffee card. Wine by the bottle works out much cheaper - the by-the-glass pours are 150ml so five glasses to a bottle. The waiters will store unfinished bottled wine for you for the next day.

 

I'm still working on finding out the gin prices.

I did as you said.

Pay as you go was $1,270

Pay as you go with a bottle per hour, divided by 3 people at dinner was $1,357

Pay as you go, with coffee card $1,254

and drinks package $1,131.

So I think for us, package is still way to go.

[Russell21]

Well as posted earlier we are taking our own wine for each night on our upcoming 14 night cruise. I don't mind anyone making a living by upping the price of the drinks, but when one takes into account that they are buying duty free I do resent being ripped. Up until this coming cruise I have paid their price, but seeing the cheapest Shiraz at $51.00 for, to me, an unknown brand, and due to the fact that I buy our wine 3 cases at a time, I can take mine aboard, pay the $15.00 corkage, be assured of the wine quality, and save myself $400.00 in the process.

They crossed the line with their latest increases, and to me a saving of $400.00 is worth the effort to drag a little fold up light weight trolley and a case + 2 bottles aboard.

 

I'll be taking Shiraz, but to give you an example of the savings to be made I offer the following. I noticed on our last Carnival cruise that Annie's Lane Riesling was $42.00, Dan Murphy price is $20.00, I buy by the case at $10.00, how much do you think the cruise line is paying?

If enough of us take our own wine we may eventually get back to the days when onboard grog was at a reasonable price.

Edited September 21, 2019 by Russell21

[BGozzy]

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

Well as posted earlier we are taking our own wine for each night on our upcoming 14 night cruise. I don't mind anyone making a living by upping the price of the drinks, but when one takes into account that they are buying duty free I do resent being ripped. Up until this coming cruise I have paid their price, but seeing the cheapest Shiraz at $51.00 for, to me, an unknown brand, and due to the fact that I buy our wine 3 cases at a time, I can take mine aboard, pay the $15.00 corkage, be assured of the wine quality, and save myself $400.00 in the process.

They crossed the line with their latest increases, and to me a saving of $400.00 is worth the effort to drag a little fold up light weight trolley and a case + 2 bottles aboard.

 

I'll be taking Shiraz, but to give you an example of the savings to be made I offer the following. I noticed on our last Carnival cruise that Annie's Lane Riesling was $42.00, Dan Murphy price is $20.00, I buy by the case at $10.00, how much do you think the cruise line is paying?

If enough of us take our own wine we may eventually get back to the days when onboard grog was at a reasonable price.

I did that calculation as well.

Based on us taking 26 bottles (extremely unlikely, as the max we could probably carry would be 18), at $10  a bottle with the $15 corkage, it would cost the 3 of us each $1,123, opposed to the $1,131.

[Hammer61]

35 minutes ago, BGozzy said:

I did that calculation as well.

Based on us taking 26 bottles (extremely unlikely, as the max we could probably carry would be 18), at $10  a bottle with the $15 corkage, it would cost the 3 of us each $1,123, opposed to the $1,131.

 

Just curious as you have lost me! 26 bottles @ $10 a bottle is $260, corckage on each is $15, so add another $390, total is $650, what are the $1123 and $1131 figures????

[BGozzy]

16 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

 

Just curious as you have lost me! 26 bottles @ $10 a bottle is $260, corckage on each is $15, so add another $390, total is $650, what are the $1123 and $1131 figures????

Sorry to confuse you. That is taking into consideration other beverages, ie coffee, water, soft drink, and other alcoholic drinks after dinner.

[Porky55]

On 9/18/2019 at 7:21 AM, OzKiwiJJ said:

BGozzy, when doing your calculations look at the alternatives for coffee and wine. Coffees work out at $2.40 each using the coffee card. Wine by the bottle works out much cheaper - the by-the-glass pours are 150ml so five glasses to a bottle. The waiters will store unfinished bottled wine for you for the next day.

 

I'm still working on finding out the gin prices.

OzKiwiJJ - apologies for going off subject just a little, have you seen the water packs for sale on Sea Princess? Used to be able to buy pre cruise ........

Thanks, Rose

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, Porky55 said:

OzKiwiJJ - apologies for going off subject just a little, have you seen the water packs for sale on Sea Princess? Used to be able to buy pre cruise ........

Thanks, Rose

They aren't usually for sale on Australian based cruises. We're finding the water filter jug, plus one slab of small bottles, is working really well for us. We use the bottles on shore days.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Here are the gin prices:

Hendricks 13.75

Bombay Sapphire 11.75

St George Terroir 13.75

Tanqueray 11.75

Tanqueray 10 13.75

Bitter Truth Pink 13.75

Beefeater 9.00

Aviation 13.75

 

Anything from the soda gun, ie tonic, is at no extra charge but from a can is extra.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, Hammer61 said:

Just booked a 14 night Cruise in January, logged in to see the price of the drinks package, $92.79 a day!!!! So $1299.06 for the cruise, it may include coffees, juices, water etc but that is some series drinking required just to break even IMO, so wont be buying it.

 

 

Drill down to the drinks packages T&Cs and you'll see the correct price. $86.99, I think.

 

We're averaging well below $60pp per day so far and that includes some expensive wine indulgences.