Premier Coffee & Soda Package vs. Classic Soda Package

[serendipitydoda]

Hi there!

Has anyone recently purchased and enjoyed the Princess Premier Coffee & Soda Package?

 

I am contemplating which package to get. The Premier Beverage Package is out of the question. At $100 CA per day - I just can't drink that much. 

 

Premier Coffee & Soda is $30 CA per day and offers premium and specialty coffees and teas along with fountain sodas, fruit juices, hot chocolate and “zero-proof” mocktails.

 

Classic Soda is $15 CA for fountain sodas, fruit juices, mocktails and smoothies.

 

So at double the price, is the Premier Soda package worth it? They look so similar, it's hard to tell the difference. What is the difference between a zero proof mocktail and a regular mocktail? What is specialty tea? 

 

I don't drink coffee. I do like tea and would like to get tea lattes here and there. I love soda water with mint or lemon/lime slices. I'd like to enjoy non-alcoholic margaritas by the pool. 

 

Any recommendations or experiences would be appreciated! 

 

 

[roobug]

I was wondering that same thing.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, serendipitydoda said:

Hi there!

Has anyone recently purchased and enjoyed the Princess Premier Coffee & Soda Package?

 

I am contemplating which package to get. The Premier Beverage Package is out of the question. At $100 CA per day - I just can't drink that much. 

 

Premier Coffee & Soda is $30 CA per day and offers premium and specialty coffees and teas along with fountain sodas, fruit juices, hot chocolate and “zero-proof” mocktails.  Looks like this combines the soda package with the coffee package for those that want both packages.

 

Classic Soda is $15 CA for fountain sodas, fruit juices, mocktails and smoothies.

 

So at double the price, is the Premier Soda package worth it? They look so similar, it's hard to tell the difference. What is the difference between a zero proof mocktail and a regular mocktail? Probably no difference. Just different marketing words.  What is specialty tea? 

 

I don't drink coffee. I do like tea and would like to get tea lattes here and there. I love soda water with mint or lemon/lime slices. I'd like to enjoy non-alcoholic margaritas by the pool. 

 

Any recommendations or experiences would be appreciated! 

 

 

 

[muddles@sea]

Just off Majestic Princess NZ cruise and bought the Classic Soda Package for 199 AUD and the Coffee package for 39 AUD.  There was a push to buy the Soda and More for 299 AUD  because of the unlimited coffee and teas but I don't drink more than 1 per day. 

Certainly got my money's  worth with the mocktails - Strawberries on Fire is recommended if you don't mind a bite of jalapeno in your drink! 

[Senga]

I don’t drink alcohol or tea/coffee.  I had the unlimited soda package in March which included hot chocolate which was awesome.  For our December cruise the unlimited soda DOESN’T include hot chocolate now.  Since I wouldn’t drink more than one hot chocolate a day it’s a better deal to get the unlimited soda and pay for my hot chocolate individually.  A word of warning about the Strawberries on Fire mocktail.  Following advice on CC I asked for it MILD.  Couldn’t handle more than one sip.  🔥 🔥 🔥 Never did find a smoothie!

[serendipitydoda]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies.

 

I call Princess and asked what the difference really was and the extra cost really is to get unlimited "specialty" tea and coffee. So lattes, espresso, loose leaf teas, etc. And hot chocolate of course.

 

As I am more concerned about the cold, fun drinks like mocktails and soda water, I will be getting the classic soda package ($15CAD per day) instead. I'm sure it will be cheaper in the long run to purchase the odd latte here or there if I really want one. I can't see drinking $15 per day of tea. But if you really love your coffee, the premium package is probably the one for you.

[LeeW]

Tea is generally free, although they have some premium types in the package.  You do know that you can get canned soda for about $15 for 6 cans.  You need to drink several mocktails and several sodas a day to break even.  We bought the soda package when it was $6 a day but can't justify the current $11.

[LB_NJ]

I read everything here.  It sounds like if you want soda and mocktails and just a few specialty coffees you are better off buying the Classic Soda Package and a Coffee Card.

 

 

[justafem]

We get the classic soda package AND the coffee card, soda card $12 per day, coffee card $36 for the entire cruise VS $25 per day for the combined package.  There's no reason I can see to have unlimited specialty coffees and unlimited mocktails too.  In fact this next trip, I"m probably only going to get the coffee card, if I want a non-booze type drink, I'll order it.  Even the soda package at $12 per day isn't worth it to me as a non-soda drinker.  

[mbglib]

16 hours ago, justafem said:

We get the classic soda package AND the coffee card, soda card $12 per day, coffee card $36 for the entire cruise VS $25 per day for the combined package.  There's no reason I can see to have unlimited specialty coffees and unlimited mocktails too.  In fact this next trip, I"m probably only going to get the coffee card, if I want a non-booze type drink, I'll order it.  Even the soda package at $12 per day isn't worth it to me as a non-soda drinker.  

How much is a single mocktail or does it vary based on the type?  Thank you.

[LAHAPPY13420]

I was going to get the soda package and add the coffee card because it’s cheaper that way, but I get an iced tea for lunch and dinner and that’s a punch on the coffee card so it’s better for me to get it combined and now everything is unlimited. 

[LB_NJ]

8 hours ago, LAHAPPY13420 said:

I was going to get the soda package and add the coffee card because it’s cheaper that way, but I get an iced tea for lunch and dinner and that’s a punch on the coffee card so it’s better for me to get it combined and now everything is unlimited. 

 

It has been a couple of years since I was on Princess however I thought most cruise lines offer free iced tea at meals.

[hllwdcruiser]

16 hours ago, mbglib said:

How much is a single mocktail or does it vary based on the type?  Thank you.

 

I was looking for the price on our upcoming Sky cruise and found it buried in a post on here regarding drink menus. On the Sky they are $5.50 a day, so having only two mocktails a day almost covers the cost of the Soda package. DH doesn't drink soda at home but loves Diet Coke and on vacation he indulges. I like to have non alcoholic spritzers of cranberry and soda, virgin Bloody Marys or Mohitos.. Even with the price increase, the package works for us.

Edited December 21, 2019 by hllwdcruiser

[mbglib]

18 minutes ago, hllwdcruiser said:

 

I was looking for the price on our upcoming Sky cruise and found it buried in a post on here regarding drink menus. On the Sky they are $5.50 a day, so having only two mocktails a day almost covers the cost of the Soda package. DH doesn't drink soda at home but loves Diet Coke and on vacation he indulges. I like to have non alcoholic spritzers of cranberry and soda, virgin Bloody Marys or Mohitos.. Even with the price increase, the package works for us.

Thank you for finding that for me.

[LAHAPPY13420]

13 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

 

It has been a couple of years since I was on Princess however I thought most cruise lines offer free iced tea at meals.

Yes iced tea is included but I like the specialty iced teas. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

On 11/17/2019 at 6:44 AM, Senga said:

I don’t drink alcohol or tea/coffee.  I had the unlimited soda package in March which included hot chocolate which was awesome.  For our December cruise the unlimited soda DOESN’T include hot chocolate now.  Since I wouldn’t drink more than one hot chocolate a day it’s a better deal to get the unlimited soda and pay for my hot chocolate individually.  A word of warning about the Strawberries on Fire mocktail.  Following advice on CC I asked for it MILD.  Couldn’t handle more than one sip.  🔥 🔥 🔥 Never did find a smoothie!

I’m probably the poster that you are talking about. On the Royal Princess even though I requested mild, I couldn’t get a decent Strawberries on Fire anywhere. They were super spicy and different at each bar that I ordered from.  On the Ruby Princess where I first tried this drink, they were wonderful. 

 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

On 11/15/2019 at 4:22 PM, serendipitydoda said:

Hi there!

Has anyone recently purchased and enjoyed the Princess Premier Coffee & Soda Package?

 

I am contemplating which package to get. The Premier Beverage Package is out of the question. At $100 CA per day - I just can't drink that much. 

 

Premier Coffee & Soda is $30 CA per day and offers premium and specialty coffees and teas along with fountain sodas, fruit juices, hot chocolate and “zero-proof” mocktails.

 

Classic Soda is $15 CA for fountain sodas, fruit juices, mocktails and smoothies.

 

So at double the price, is the Premier Soda package worth it? They look so similar, it's hard to tell the difference. What is the difference between a zero proof mocktail and a regular mocktail? What is specialty tea? 

 

I don't drink coffee. I do like tea and would like to get tea lattes here and there. I love soda water with mint or lemon/lime slices. I'd like to enjoy non-alcoholic margaritas by the pool. 

 

Any recommendations or experiences would be appreciated! 

 

 

 Have you thought about ordering the classic soda package and then just purchasing a tea when you want one?  I love all of the different mocktails.  

[LB_NJ]

10 hours ago, LAHAPPY13420 said:

Yes iced tea is included but I like the specialty iced teas. 

What is a specialty Iced Tea?

 

Don't think I have heard of that.