First Time Question: Gratuities for Classic Beverage Package

[QM2 Cruiser]

I'll be cruising on the Summit next month, and I received the Classic Beverage Package as a free "perk" when booking my cruise last year.

 

Will there still be an additional 20% gratuity added for each drink I order? For example, after ordering a $9 drink in a bar, will they give me a receipt that says that my drink cost $0.00, but with a gratuity of $1.80? 

 

I'm trying to figure out if I should look at each drink costing $1.80 instead of "free" when having the Classic Package perk... or if the perk already includes the $1.80 per drink. 

 

Thanks for the info!!

[RICCruisers]

No. As long as you stay at or under $9.00 there is no additional gratuity. If you purchase a drink over 9.00 you pay the difference plus 20% on the overage. For example a $10.00 drink would cost $1.00 plus $ .20 equaling $1.20. 

[cruisestitch]

This is how it works on Celebrity.  Other cruise lines do charge you a gratuity for each drink on their packages.  Celebrity's way is better, AFAIK.

[QM2 Cruiser]

Thank you very much!

[SNJCruisers]

5 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

This is how it works on Celebrity.  Other cruise lines do charge you a gratuity for each drink on their packages.  Celebrity's way is better, AFAIK.

Besides Celebrity, I have had drink packages as a perk on NCL and MSC and paid for on Royal and Carnival.  I have never paid an individual  drink gratuity. It was either already included or a certain percentage  (15, 18 or 20%) paid upfront on the entire package, not a per drink basis.

[radtel]

When I looked at the classic package for my upcoming Celebrity cruise it states "Includes drinks up to $9. A 20% service charge is added to each check".  I have been on Celebrity 8 times and never been charged extra.  Have things changed?

[davekathy]

13 minutes ago, radtel said:

When I looked at the classic package for my upcoming Celebrity cruise it states "Includes drinks up to $9. A 20% service charge is added to each check".  I have been on Celebrity 8 times and never been charged extra.  Have things changed?

The 20% is charged when you purchase the BP not per drink when on the ship.