Premium Plus Experience Feedback

[UFMOM]

If you go by the printed info, then it says bottles during dinner, in the small print it says bottles while dining. So I read that to mean anytime you are dining somewhere, technically you can order a bottle. Then I would guess it would come down to whether the venue you are in has the requested bottle. If they do have it I would expect to be able to bring it back to my cabin if not finished. Perhaps they would even let me bring it unopened. I plan to bring a champagne corker, a wine opener and a chiller bag with me. The small print also indicates anything by the glass up to 35.00. If I received a glass of anything that was flat or in any other way unacceptable, I would send it back. I did so in August on the RCL Symphony with the drink package when a glass of Pinot Noir had been open a bit too long. They happily  replaced it with a glass from a fresh bottle. We will be dining in almost all of Encore’s restaurants and I expect to get my Veue in all of them or else I will be bringing bottles with me to the restaurant from Cellar Masters. I expect them to honor what was written on the description of the package.

 

Mary Ann

[dporter]

I am so glad I checked this thread, we will be on a 10 in February and trying to decide to upgrade or not.  I did a little math and here is what I came up with:

 

  $  441.80 gratuity already paid for the 'free at sea'

+$  696.00 upgrade to PPBP ($348 pp)

   $1137.80 total for 2 people

 

divide by $15 (maximum per drink price with regular beverage package)

 

75.86 drinks at $15 per drink

 

divide by 10 (number of days for our cruise)

 

7.586 drinks per day

 

divide by 2 (there are 2 of us)

 

3.793 drinks each per day

 

So the questions that are left are for us:

Will we each consume a minimum of 4 alcoholic drinks valued at $15 per day?

Will we consume any extra drinks (sodas, fancy coffee/tea, bottled water, bottles of wine, etc.)?

Would we prefer peace of mind by not having a bill at the end of the cruise?

 

Yes we would.

 

I guess I will be upgrading our beverage package!!!

[aero777]

21 hours ago, aero777 said:

On the Encore now, they have charged us for every bottle of Veuve Clique even tho we have the PPB. They say it’s no longer by the bottle on the PPB!?!

To be clear, it has been by the bottle we’ve had problems with. The assistant concierge has removed the charges and told us it should be included. So we’re going to try to order a bottle at Onda’s and see what happens. By the glass is not a problem, but we like to take the unfinished bottle back to the cabin for later consumption.

Will report back.

[purpleally]

On 11/5/2019 at 9:13 AM, AlexandNessa said:

The Vueve thing ticked me off as I'll have been off sugar for 6 weeks in prep for this cruise. 😆

 

I asked for corroboration on a different venue. We have conflicting accounts, so I'm going to let the dust settle and consider Encore is perhaps having some growing pains on her inaugural. 

 

Good idea giving up sugar prior to cruise. While I’m at it I need to dial back the drinking leading up to my cruise end of February....that’s tomorrow’s worry. Lol

[aero777]

18 hours ago, aero777 said:

To be clear, it has been by the bottle we’ve had problems with. The assistant concierge has removed the charges and told us it should be included. So we’re going to try to order a bottle at Onda’s and see what happens. By the glass is not a problem, but we like to take the unfinished bottle back to the cabin for later consumption.

Will report back.

Not charged this time, so maybe it was a glitch the other times.

[Pgbear]

Thanks for detail 

[purpleally]

Someone commented on an older post about premium drink package so I’m bumping this thread up

[purpleally]

On 11/6/2019 at 11:56 AM, aero777 said:

Not charged this time, so maybe it was a glitch the other times.

Someone on another thread about premium package reported they are on Encore and it is now Moët not Veuve. Even posted a pic of wine list. Can anyone confirm this, please?

[aero777]

On 11/8/2019 at 8:12 PM, purpleally said:

Someone on another thread about premium package reported they are on Encore and it is now Moët not Veuve. Even posted a pic of wine list. Can anyone confirm this, please?

We talked to the Encore’s assistant beverage manager and she confirmed 5 wines by the bottle didn’t get programmed correctly for the PPB. They plan to rectify shortly. Here is a menu from last night at Ocean Blue showing Veuve Clicquot with an asterisk indicating bottle included in the PPB:

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by aero777

[LOVEMYMO]

Hello,

Is anyone able to post the PPB red wine list please?

Thank you!

[KKB]

OK, do both passengers have to upgrade to get PPB?

I think it might be worth it for me, but not for DH.

[KKB]

Nevermind; when I try to buy it, it puts it for both of us. Oh, well.

[AlexandNessa]

19 hours ago, aero777 said:

We talked to the Encore’s assistant beverage manager and she confirmed 5 wines by the bottle didn’t get programmed correctly for the PPB. They plan to rectify shortly. Here is a menu from last night at Ocean Blue showing Veuve Clicquot with an asterisk indicating bottle included in the PPB:

 

Hmm, on my flyer it said that bottles of the  Nicolas Feuillatte were included at dinner. Sounds like there are still growing pains. Wish they'd just keep it simple like any bottle under 99$ is included or something like that. 

[dgreeney]

Are my wines available with the basic package?

 

 

 

[Shidah]

1 hour ago, dgreeney said:

Are my wines available with the basic package?

 

 

 

By the glass and not by the bottle.  Also under 15 per glass. Still a lot of choices though.

[HowardK]

I heard from someone in the industry- that this whole thing is a ploy to get people to pay 3 times for the same item 

i.e.. a certain amount of the cruise ticket is already allocated for inventory; the gratuity on the basic alcohol promo and then the premium plus promo.

 

- I have thought about adding the promo for $242 for my May cruise, but essentially I would be losing money if I drank things other than what was on the extended list.

 

Lets say I average 5 or 6 drinks a day spread out of course over 12-14 hours. The "normal" 40 would run $120 in gratuities around $3 a drink.

 

If instead of a dark and stormy with breakfast around 8am I get a Starbucks coffee 4 days, I'm down to 36 normal drinks and 4 cofees- not enough to warrant the $242 up charge.

 

Of the 36 normal drinks remaining if I drink half premium for 18- then I am up to a mix of 22 premium drinks/ 18 normal drinks- for $242 more which comes to around $11 more each premium drinks.

 

Of course, I can dilute the $242 with some juices and water, but come on, how much can one really drink on the Encore? Especially with things like the racetrack, virtual reality, laser tag, which interfere with drinking time. (Getting vibe of course makes the UBP more efficient).

 

Has anyone who has gotten this package determined the break even point? It seems you would need to do a majority of your drinks from the extended menu (and/or drink a lot of bottled water and juice) to come out ahead.

[HowardK]

Question I forgot to ask: I like Moscato, but how are the included ones on the basic UBP?

[erdoran]

Remember, it is NOT all or nothing-if you want a $18 drink you pay $3 extra, not $18–so for the $18 drinker, even including the autograt (so let’s be generous and call it $19, $4 extra - that’s 9 drink/day for the slightly more expensive drinks to break even on the upcharge.  

 

The folks that seem to make out are the ones who are expensive champagne drinkers, or like a bottle or two of wine or champagne at each meal, and bring the extra back to the cabin.  Just one bottle/day of $99 champagne pays for the upcharge, and there are some that post they have more than that.

[wallaceralphl]

2 hours ago, erdoran said:

Remember, it is NOT all or nothing-if you want a $18 drink you pay $3 extra, not $18–so for the $18 drinker, even including the autograt (so let’s be generous and call it $19, $4 extra - that’s 9 drink/day for the slightly more expensive drinks to break even on the upcharge.  

 

The folks that seem to make out are the ones who are expensive champagne drinkers, or like a bottle or two of wine or champagne at each meal, and bring the extra back to the cabin.  Just one bottle/day of $99 champagne pays for the upcharge, and there are some that post they have more than that.

And we are going to absolutely hit that very hard!!! We'll have Veuve every day, morning, noon and night. 7 days, and two of us ordering (since we each have the program) so I think that is a reasonable approach for the value....

[purpleally]

8 hours ago, wallaceralphl said:

And we are going to absolutely hit that very hard!!! We'll have Veuve every day, morning, noon and night. 7 days, and two of us ordering (since we each have the program) so I think that is a reasonable approach for the value....

When are you cruising and will you report back on your experience?

[wallaceralphl]

3 hours ago, purpleally said:

When are you cruising and will you report back on your experience?

Encore - January 19th sailing

Yes, although I doubt I'll get so involved as some here on Cruise Critic....

[zymurgy1999]

I had this package when we were in the Baltic in June.  I am leaving on the Encore on Sunday and I purchased it.  You can get two drinks each time you go to the bar (or Starbucks).  I know sharing is not allowed, but on the Getaway this summer I sat at the bar with my wife and ordered the premium beverages and the bartender had no issue sliding one to me and one to my wife.  When we sat at dinner with another couple, our friends, we ordered bottles of the premium wines and champagnes the waiters brought 4 glasses to the table without asking the others for their cards.  When I went to Starbucks and ordered two coffees and went to wait as they prepared them they slid one to me and one to my wife.  I don't know if this is protocol for the ship.  I certainly was not trying to take advantage or "share" an un-paid for package.

 

I am a bourbon drinker and they have Whistle Pig rye on board.  The bourbon on the regular package is not what I enjoy drinking.  Additionally, I enjoyed trying many of the premium liquors, things that I would never pay for shore-side, like Patron Anejo, Macallan Quest, Johnny Walker Platinum, Armagnac VSPO.  I would not have had that opportunity without the package.

 

Each day we had about 4-5 coffees at Starbucks (sometimes with 3-4 shots of espresso to liven the drink up), 3-4 of the "premium" liquors and a bottle or two of the premium wine/champagne at dinner.  We actually drank LESS, but had more high quality drinks.  Whether the math worked or not I cannot tell you, but what I can tell you that the overall experience was worth the upsell.  This is a personal experience and is different for everyone.  Looking forward to the different experience this time on the Caribbean where the trip is more of the ship experience over the port experience.

[dshefter]

5 minutes ago, zymurgy1999 said:

I had this package when we were in the Baltic in June.  I am leaving on the Encore on Sunday and I purchased it.  You can get two drinks each time you go to the bar (or Starbucks).  I know sharing is not allowed, but on the Getaway this summer I sat at the bar with my wife and ordered the premium beverages and the bartender had no issue sliding one to me and one to my wife.  When we sat at dinner with another couple, our friends, we ordered bottles of the premium wines and champagnes the waiters brought 4 glasses to the table without asking the others for their cards.  When I went to Starbucks and ordered two coffees and went to wait as they prepared them they slid one to me and one to my wife.  I don't know if this is protocol for the ship.  I certainly was not trying to take advantage or "share" an un-paid for package.

 

I am a bourbon drinker and they have Whistle Pig rye on board.  The bourbon on the regular package is not what I enjoy drinking.  Additionally, I enjoyed trying many of the premium liquors, things that I would never pay for shore-side, like Patron Anejo, Macallan Quest, Johnny Walker Platinum, Armagnac VSPO.  I would not have had that opportunity without the package.

 

Each day we had about 4-5 coffees at Starbucks (sometimes with 3-4 shots of espresso to liven the drink up), 3-4 of the "premium" liquors and a bottle or two of the premium wine/champagne at dinner.  We actually drank LESS, but had more high quality drinks.  Whether the math worked or not I cannot tell you, but what I can tell you that the overall experience was worth the upsell.  This is a personal experience and is different for everyone.  Looking forward to the different experience this time on the Caribbean where the trip is more of the ship experience over the port experience.

Premium just doesn't seem worth it. We enjoy wine, but just a glass at dinner. I love single-malt scotch and realize the choices aren't great on the UBP. But if I have to pay a few extra bucks for an expensive single-malt, so be it. Just doesn't justify paying that kind of extra money for the Premium package, especially if we purchase Vibe and do other "extra" things such as Laser Tag, Go-Karts and Virtual reality.

[Liljo22]

15 hours ago, HowardK said:

I heard from someone in the industry- that this whole thing is a ploy to get people to pay 3 times for the same item 

i.e.. a certain amount of the cruise ticket is already allocated for inventory; the gratuity on the basic alcohol promo and then the premium plus promo.

 

- I have thought about adding the promo for $242 for my May cruise, but essentially I would be losing money if I drank things other than what was on the extended list.

 

Lets say I average 5 or 6 drinks a day spread out of course over 12-14 hours. The "normal" 40 would run $120 in gratuities around $3 a drink.

 

If instead of a dark and stormy with breakfast around 8am I get a Starbucks coffee 4 days, I'm down to 36 normal drinks and 4 cofees- not enough to warrant the $242 up charge.

 

Of the 36 normal drinks remaining if I drink half premium for 18- then I am up to a mix of 22 premium drinks/ 18 normal drinks- for $242 more which comes to around $11 more each premium drinks.

 

Of course, I can dilute the $242 with some juices and water, but come on, how much can one really drink on the Encore? Especially with things like the racetrack, virtual reality, laser tag, which interfere with drinking time. (Getting vibe of course makes the UBP more efficient).

 

Has anyone who has gotten this package determined the break even point? It seems you would need to do a majority of your drinks from the extended menu (and/or drink a lot of bottled water and juice) to come out ahead.

The advantage of the PPB package upgrade is for the wines and champagne by the bottle.  If you do not plan on popping an $80 bottle with dinner every night, you will not break even.  That's why everyone in this thread is focusing on the bottles of Veuve Clicquot at $99 each.  My wife is a big fan of VC so I am interested in the upgrade.  I just don't know if we would want it every day.   

[Liljo22]

13 minutes ago, zymurgy1999 said:

I know sharing is not allowed, but on the Getaway this summer I sat at the bar with my wife and ordered the premium beverages and the bartender had no issue sliding one to me and one to my wife.  

Since they require the second person in the room to have the UBP, its assumed the second drink is for that person.  

Edited November 22, 2019 by Liljo22