Classic Beverage Package

[jerseygirl3]

Is the wine that is included in the Classic beverage package better than the quality of the wine served during the Elite Happy Hour?  Also, are martinis and frozen drinks included?

[39august]

Yes, the wine quality is better than the CC HH . All the martinis at the Martini bar are over your limit. No problem with the usual frozen drinks. 

[m8zenblue]

The wine that is included in your Classic is just average wine, not really great.

If you are Elite you may have a different option for wine.

I would definitely confer with your sommelier if you have a preferred wine.

I had the Classic last year and asked for recommendations and our sommelier presented us with some pretty good wines, like I said they were average but not really bad.

I hope this will help !

[Luvcrusn]

You can get smaller martinis, but the ones at the martini bar are an extra cost if you have the CBP.

[Klapka]

And I assume that I can get better quality wine in the Retreat Lounge than both the Classic package and the Elite happy hour??

[Muffinz]

We found the range of beer / wine / spirits / cocktails available on the CBP was more than adequate

as others have said if you want a Martini at the Martini bar it will be extra...

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, Klapka said:

And I assume that I can get better quality wine in the Retreat Lounge than both the Classic package and the Elite happy hour??

The wines are better than the Classic and depending of the ship we have had wines   above the Premium package.

[zitsky]

I believe Martini Bar is full price.  No discount with CBP?

[NantahalaCruiser]

20 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I believe Martini Bar is full price.  No discount with CBP?

Discount is not the correct term.

 

If you purchase a drink in excess of the CBP $9 ceiling, then you pay an up-charge equal to difference plus a 20% gratuity on the amount of the difference.

 

$14 drink example:  you pay an up-charge of ($14 - $9) x 1.2 = $5 x 1.2 = $6

[jelayne]

44 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I believe Martini Bar is full price.  No discount with CBP?

Most martinis at the Martini Bar are $13.  So with the CBP you would pay $4 difference plus .80 gratuity so $4.80 total.

[Northern Aurora]

5 hours ago, Klapka said:

And I assume that I can get better quality wine in the Retreat Lounge than both the Classic package and the Elite happy hour??

 

We have yet to cruise on the Edge, nor any of the ships which have been "Edigified."  But in the Micheal's Clubs we have been served both wines and other alcohol products which are priced beyond the the premium package price point.  The beverage directors give the MC/RL bartenders a budget, but that budget is most definitely includes higher quality drinks than you would see on the Classic package or the Elite happy hour.  So you assumed correctly.

[zitsky]

11 hours ago, zitsky said:

I believe Martini Bar is full price.  No discount with CBP?

 

I was thinking of this thread.  Still some debate if you can get martinis at Martini Bar with Classic package.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2696527-martini-bar-on-the-classic-package/

[terrydtx]

11 hours ago, NantahalaCruiser said:

Discount is not the correct term.

 

If you purchase a drink in excess of the CBP $9 ceiling, then you pay an up-charge equal to difference plus a 20% gratuity on the amount of the difference.

 

$14 drink example:  you pay an up-charge of ($14 - $9) x 1.2 = $5 x 1.2 = $6

That is great news. We just booked our 2021 cruise on the Infinity and it has been 10 years since our last X cruise. Part of our booking included the CBP as a perk. We have been a HAL customer several times since our last X cruise but HAL will not let you pay the difference for drinks over the $9 limit, you have to pay the full price. I hope this goes for a glass of wine over the $9 limit too.  I am already starting to like Celebrity more than HAL.

 

Can we upgrade to the Elite package once we board? HAL at least will allow that for the difference in cost between the two.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

5 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

That is great news. We just booked our 2021 cruise on the Infinity and it has been 10 years since our last X cruise. Part of our booking included the CBP as a perk. We have been a HAL customer several times since our last X cruise but HAL will not let you pay the difference for drinks over the $9 limit, you have to pay the full price. I hope this goes for a glass of wine over the $9 limit too.  I am already starting to like Celebrity more than HAL.

 

Can we upgrade to the Elite package once we board? HAL at least will allow that for the difference in cost between the two.

The Premium Package? (To my knowledge Celebrity does not have an “Elite Package” - Elite is a Captain’s Club Tier.) Yes. As long as there is a certain number of days left in the cruise (I think it varies). Many on here will say do it at your favorite bar/with your favorite bartender or server as they get the gratuity for the upgrade. To me as a first time X cruiser that is too much pressure to decide which and who is my favorite off the bat, so I opted to do it ahead of time using some OBC. I had to call, but it was quick and painless.

[terrydtx]

24 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

The Premium Package? (To my knowledge Celebrity does not have an “Elite Package” - Elite is a Captain’s Club Tier.) Yes. As long as there is a certain number of days left in the cruise (I think it varies). Many on here will say do it at your favorite bar/with your favorite bartender or server as they get the gratuity for the upgrade. To me as a first time X cruiser that is too much pressure to decide which and who is my favorite off the bat, so I opted to do it ahead of time using some OBC. I had to call, but it was quick and painless.

Thank you for the response, yes I meant the Premium package, I have to get used to the new X lingo.

[DENIE]

We enjoyed the wines that were in the Classic package, however our last 2 cruises we went ahead and upgraded to the Premium package once on board.  Then, we could have any wine suggested by the sommelier in the MDR.  Most of the cruise we were ordering in the $11-$12 per glass range.  Of course, my wife loves San Peligrino sparkling water, so did not have to pay any upcharges as that was included in the Premium.  It works for us.

[jerseygirl3]

We received the Classic Beverage Pkg as a perk with our booking.  Considering upgrading to the Premium.  I understand it is $14/day plus 20% grat.  Does the upgrade from classic to premium ever go on sale? Hubby is happy with the Classic, so it might just be me upgrading.  

[zitsky]

I thought it was $12 a day to upgrade... $10 plus $2 gratuity.  It's in the planner.

Edited November 28, 2019 by zitsky

[jerseygirl3]

6 hours ago, zitsky said:

I thought it was $12 a day to upgrade... $10 plus $2 gratuity.  It's in the planner.

When I called Celebrity last night, they said it's $14 plus 20% grat.  

[zitsky]

46 minutes ago, jerseygirl3 said:

When I called Celebrity last night, they said it's $14 plus 20% grat.  

 

Have you checked the price in the Cruise Planner?

[jerseygirl3]

7 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Have you checked the price in the Cruise Planner?

It's not in our Cruise Planner yet.  Also, I was just informed that by selecting the Classic Beverage Package as a perk, we will now be charged $14/day/pp plus 20% gratuity to our seapass card while on the cruise.  This is a 15 night cruise, so this amounts to $502!  I would never had selected the higher priced fare that included two perks.  

[zitsky]

Sorry you're right about the $14/day.  That's a new thing.  I was thinking of the price if you buy the package directly and/or upgrade to Premium.

[Luvcrusn]

1 hour ago, jerseygirl3 said:

It's not in our Cruise Planner yet.  Also, I was just informed that by selecting the Classic Beverage Package as a perk, we will now be charged $14/day/pp plus 20% gratuity to our seapass card while on the cruise.  This is a 15 night cruise, so this amounts to $502!  I would never had selected the higher priced fare that included two perks.  

You are mixing up two separate things. Starting on October 10, 2019 all new bookings where the Classic Beverage Package is selected as a perk will incur a $14 per person per day charge added to the cost of the cruise. It is not charged to your seapass card on board. The charge to upgrade from the Classic Beverage Package to the Premium package is $10 per person per day + a 20% gratuity that makes it $12. Occasionally that goes on sale. The upgrade can be made pre-cruise or on board. I've recently seen several threads reporting that some ships have offered 50% off on the upgrades, but that seems to be be the rarity rather than something you can count on. Also, some TA's are offering to absorb the $14pppd costs in some of the sales I've seen lately. Shopping around can pay off in this instance.

[nini]

The CBP came with our 2018 cruise. It was disappointing as only two white wines qualified

and the were very mediocre. We used some of our OBC to enjoy the wine cellar wines, however, 

they are more expensive per ounce than wine by the glass.

[rucrazy]

If you receive the CBP as a perk how do you upgrade the package to PBP?

 

Thanks in Advance

 

Joseph