Drink Package on Viking

[Arubamoose]

Booked on a Viking cruise down the Danube in May going with a group of friends.

I know that house wine and beer are available during lunch and dinner and that you can bring on any spirits that you purchase on land for consumption on board unlike main line ocean cruise lines.

Looking at the Silver Spirits Beverage Package for $150 per person.  They provide a sample bar menu.  Looks pretty darn good especially for our single-malt scotch loving guys that will be with us. 

For those of you who have purchased this package - was it worth it?  Really unlimited?  It states during operating hours.....what were they?  Or did the bar have limited hours?

 

Thanks in advance for your comments!! 

 

[old biddy]

We always get Silver Drinks Package. I like Rose wine, which isn't available on included wines. We aren't big drinkers, but a G&T before dinner goes down nicely. You only need to have another drink after dinner and it starts to make sense. I think Viking probably make a profit from us, but it is nice to know there wont be a bill to be paid after the cruise.

The bars are open pretty  much until the last person leaves! On our last cruise (Ukraine) most evenings, our group, (never met before the cruise) were the last ones out of the lounge, probably about 11.30pm, and the bar was open until we left. I can't say how much longer they stayed open - just in case somebody else pitched up.

Hope that helps

[sharkster77]

Not speaking from experience, but I believe others have mentioned that both occupants of a room have to opt for the Silver Spirits package.  Keep that in mind, especially if one's traveling companion is not much of a drinker.

[old biddy]

Yes both occupants do have to take the package. I drink less than OH, but still think it's worth it.

[philw1776]

a la carte drinks including scotch are inexpensive

[Arubamoose]

Thanks for your answers so far. Glad to hear they stay open late.
 

When do they start serving??  Can I get a mimosa with breakfast??  

 

Does it include the high end single malts on their drinks menu?  The boys in the group NEED to know. Haha!

[old biddy]

All drinks up to 15$ each are covered by the drinks package. I think you will be OK with your malts, but hasten to add I'm not a whisky drinker. The bars aren't open at breakfast  but I do remember bottles of 'champagne' being available to make your own mimosa. 

Just as an aside real champagne does not fall within the drinks package, it is 16$. Prosecco is available however.

I've just realised my knowledge of the drinks package makes it look as if I spend my life in the bar, I don't - honest!

Edited January 27, 2020 by old biddy

[kentchris]

Are you sure you're talking about the River SSBP? Prices on the River ships are in Euros, and as far as I am aware there isn't a per-drink limit as there is on Ocean where drinks are priced in US Dollars.

[old biddy]

You are right, on the rivers it is €, on the oceans $, but in fact it is '15' of either, if you see what I mean. On the rivers there is still the limit, or was in September and has been on our 3 previous trips.

[deec]

If you have decided  to buy the SS package on a River Cruise depending on the current rate of USD to Euro you should pay for the package before leaving and will be charged in USD if you wait to board the ship it will be Euros! 

[skiladyldp]

Yes it is a good deal.  My husband loves single malts so he is in heaven on the boat.

[3rdCoastFan]

We did the Rhine Getaway in April 2019 and really enjoyed the flexibility of the drinks package. I didn't care for the included beer (Bitburger) and the red and white selections each night were a little dull. I made my way through the high-end single malt collection over the 7 nights - always ordered a double (those pours are smaller by default) and never got charged. Certain bottles in the wine list were not included but everything else was covered by the package. 

[deec]

We were on France's Finest this fall and the available wines with the SSPackage were much better than the included wines.  I enjoyed Great French 75 c and Cosmo cocktails...my husband made his way through the great scotch choices and an occassional Grey Goose Martini....bartenders on each ship were GREAT!!!

[VistaRio]

Here is part of my last post on this subject.  IME, if you are planning a couple cocktails per day, SS is a no brainer.  

 

 

I will say, our group all ordered Silver Spirits packages for the Rhine. At meals, we typically chose selections other than the defaults, and they ranged from quite good to acceptable. Note, there was maybe 2 bottles on the list that were NOT included with the premium package.

 

Another benefit of having the package was some conversation with the maitre d'hotel one night led to access to some wine not on the list for that cruise. Won't go in to detail, but that is probably not a perk one should expect on each sailing, and was somewhat unique to ours.

 

But really, here is my larger point: For US, I can not imagine a Viking Cruise without the Silver Spirits package, but not really because of the enhanced wine selection at meal time. Rather, it is "mandatory" for us for ease of access to the exact cocktails we wanted, when we wanted them. It was quite nice. If you think you would like a few cocktails, AND you would like to venture forth with different wine selections, it makes that choice a little clearer.

[What was that?]

The remarks about breakfast Mimosas reminds me that I thought I saw someone mention that you can get a Bloody Mary at breakfast. Is that still true? I promise, this time I will write it down so I don't have to ask again.

[deec]

YES Bloody Mary with the SS package....as I remember Mimosas were available to all!

[What was that?]

41 minutes ago, deec said:

YES Bloody Mary with the SS package....as I remember Mimosas were available to all!

With the SSBP? Makes sense, but I didn’t know that. Thanks. 

[deec]

make it yourself...bottle of champagne was on the buffet!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Champagne and ketchup?  Not a Bloody Mary in my cocktail book!

[What was that?]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Champagne and ketchup?  Not a Bloody Mary in my cocktail book!

LOL!

[pontac]

14 hours ago, deec said:

bottle of champagne was on the buffet!

 

No way! No Champagne!

 

The house sparkling wine is a sweetish German Sekt.

[sfocruiser]

On 1/27/2020 at 5:07 AM, old biddy said:

You are right, on the rivers it is €, on the oceans $, but in fact it is '15' of either, if you see what I mean. On the rivers there is still the limit, or was in September and has been on our 3 previous trips.

 

If you choose something over the 15€ limit can you pay the difference.   And apologizes if this has been asked and answered am new to this forum

[old biddy]

Whilst we have never had anything over 15€, we do know somebody who had the SS package and was most upset to find she had to pay the full 16€ for champagne, not the 1€ difference.

Hope that helps -or not!

[What was that?]

5 minutes ago, old biddy said:

Whilst we have never had anything over 15€, we do know somebody who had the SS package and was most upset to find she had to pay the full 16€ for champagne, not the 1€ difference.

Oh, dear me! That seems awfully picky on Viking's part.

[deec]

yes you must pay for the entire drink if it over $15