Drink Package and off Package Drinks

[Lowyfer]

First time on Azamara and have a question about the upgraded (paid extra for) drink packages. Could not find this in any Azamara fine print material so here I am to the experts!

 

On other lines if you have a drink package and order something not on the drink package you pay for the difference in the package and the drink in question.

 

So drink package is for drinks up to $13 and if you order one of the $18 cocktails you pay $5 plus taxes and grats.

 

Does it work like that on Azamara or is it you can have anything on your approved list (depending on the package) and anything off package is full price?

[1985rz1]

10 minutes ago, Lowyfer said:

First time on Azamara and have a question about the upgraded (paid extra for) drink packages. Could not find this in any Azamara fine print material so here I am to the experts!

 

On other lines if you have a drink package and order something not on the drink package you pay for the difference in the package and the drink in question.

 

So drink package is for drinks up to $13 and if you order one of the $18 cocktails you pay $5 plus taxes and grats.

 

Does it work like that on Azamara or is it you can have anything on your approved list (depending on the package) and anything off package is full price?

Not sure about Azamara, but on competitors Viking Ocean and Oceania, you pay for the full price of any drink (plus gratuity) that exceeds the maximum cost of drinks included in the package.

[excitedofharpenden]

No, you will pay the full price of the drink.

 

Phil 

[mj_holiday]

Yes, you pay the menu price, but I seem to remember that the prices are reasonable and include the tip.

[excitedofharpenden]

6 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

Yes, you pay the menu price, but I seem to remember that the prices are reasonable and include the tip.

They are. I think it is taking into account that Azamara is select drinks included and giving you benefit of that if you go off menu. 

 

Phil 

[Lowyfer]

9 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

No, you will pay the full price of the drink.

 

Phil 

Drat. I was afraid of that.

 

I appreciate the answer Phil (and others) even if it means some of the more exotic whiskeys and wines are now far more extra cost than I was hoping for.

 

 

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

33 minutes ago, Lowyfer said:

Drat. I was afraid of that.

 

I appreciate the answer Phil (and others) even if it means some of the more exotic whiskeys and wines are now far more extra cost than I was hoping for.

 

 

 

 

If you already have an upgraded package, say Premium, I believe that you can upgrade to Ultimate for the difference in price between the two packages. Others will correct me if I’m wrong!

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

If you already have an upgraded package, say Premium, I believe that you can upgrade to Ultimate for the difference in price between the two packages. Others will correct me if I’m wrong!

That’s what I understand too.

Edited June 29, 2021 by Grandma Cruising

[flyingron]

I'm mostly a wine drinker, so I decided to wait on the drink packages.   I ended up not getting any.   The well selections were good enough for me most days.

[Lowyfer]

23 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

If you already have an upgraded package, say Premium, I believe that you can upgrade to Ultimate for the difference in price between the two packages. Others will correct me if I’m wrong!

 

Appreciate that, and I am being even more finicky. I am already going for the ultimate package.

 

When on a cruise I like to look at the menu and say "I want that!" without having to pause and think:

 

Is that in my package? How much is it all in?  How much have I spent up until this point?  How much am I projected to spend at this rate.....?

 

So I usually go for the premium / ultimate etc. drink package because when I see something shiny on the menu I would like to order it guilt free.

 

The down side to this... is when I see something on the menu that is is shiny and NOT part of my drink package.

 

I was never more offended and first world crisis harmed like when they had drinks in a pineapple on a pool deck which were NOT part of the premium drink package. The scandal of it! The outrage! Trip ruined!

 

It sort of breaks my "suspension of disbelief" is the best way to explain it.

 

So on other lines knowing it is just the difference of a few more dollars for that shiny thing, I go for it.

 

I will need to behave myself  more on Azamara.

 

 

[Lowyfer]

19 hours ago, flyingron said:

I'm mostly a wine drinker, so I decided to wait on the drink packages.   I ended up not getting any.   The well selections were good enough for me most days.

 

Wine is the area I am most concerned for my hunneh. She will have the drink package, but what if they do not have a nice red for her?

 

Buying by the bottle with no discount... not a great plan.

 

Wine package on top of premium package? Pretty sure her doctor would slap me.

[swigso]

I have sailed a few times on Azamara, the last time in 2018, 

I found the selected wines to be not that good, they were supermarket 

price range about £6 at the most. Also the spirits in the basic package 

were not the best. If you like a nice malt whiskey then you will need to upgrade to

the ultimate package. 
 

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, Lowyfer said:

 

Appreciate that, and I am being even more finicky. I am already going for the ultimate package.

 

When on a cruise I like to look at the menu and say "I want that!" without having to pause and think:

 

Is that in my package? How much is it all in?  How much have I spent up until this point?  How much am I projected to spend at this rate.....?

 

So I usually go for the premium / ultimate etc. drink package because when I see something shiny on the menu I would like to order it guilt free.

 

The down side to this... is when I see something on the menu that is is shiny and NOT part of my drink package.

 

I was never more offended and first world crisis harmed like when they had drinks in a pineapple on a pool deck which were NOT part of the premium drink package. The scandal of it! The outrage! Trip ruined!

 

It sort of breaks my "suspension of disbelief" is the best way to explain it.

 

So on other lines knowing it is just the difference of a few more dollars for that shiny thing, I go for it.

 

I will need to behave myself  more on Azamara.

 

 

Lol - that happened to me on a White Night. They were handing out shots of premium tequila (yay), but there were not included (boo)!

[roberts2005]

As part of the initial cruises on the Onward, Azamara is giving suites and above the premium drink package.  Does anyone know what water is included with that package?

 

Can only one person in a cabin upgrade to the Ultimate package?

[jelayne]

7 hours ago, Lowyfer said:

 

Wine is the area I am most concerned for my hunneh. She will have the drink package, but what if they do not have a nice red for her?

 

Buying by the bottle with no discount... not a great plan.

 

Wine package on top of premium package? Pretty sure her doctor would slap me.

Unfortunately the Premium. Package doesn’t include wines beyond the standard included wines.  On our previous Azamara cruise we gave up on the wines and had cocktails at dinner.  
Our next cruise we have 2 days of winery tours in South Africa so we will bring on wine and pay the corkage to get good wine.

Following that we have a 23 N cruise and we can’t  carry on enough wine for that one so we upgraded to the Ultimate package, 🤞that the wines are a lot better.

 

[Vineyard View]

We will upgrade to the ultimate as well. Premium is included in the cruise we just booked. We like good wines, and wondering if there is a bottle only we would like to buy, is there a discount?

 

I read the overview of the Ultimate wines and liquors offered. Is the a more detailed listing of wines, knowing that they will likely vary based on cruise region. I am hoping that between the Intensive  Croatia and Greece itineraries we will have some nice selections. 
 

We spent time post safari in So Africa wine country. Excellent wines!  Yum! And I admit that I am picky! 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to skip the packages and just buy wine by the bottle and drinks by the glass?  On land you always pay per drink, so what's the big deal onboard if the final tab will be lower?

 

[Vineyard View]

Premium is included in our package. $6/pp per day to upgrade. Without that we might look at that, but I was just wondering if there is a discount on premium bottles that might not be part of the Ultimate for occasional splurges if they caught our attention. 
I wasn’t very clear on my question. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Vineyard View

[laurieb]

2 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

We will upgrade to the ultimate as well. Premium is included in the cruise we just booked. We like good wines, and wondering if there is a bottle only we would like to buy, is there a discount?

 

I read the overview of the Ultimate wines and liquors offered. Is the a more detailed listing of wines, knowing that they will likely vary based on cruise region. I am hoping that between the Intensive  Croatia and Greece itineraries we will have some nice selections. 
 

We spent time post safari in So Africa wine country. Excellent wines!  Yum! And I admit that I am picky! 

You will find a very good premium wine list onboard.  We have found the bottles well priced. There is a premium list that is available in the specialty restaurants; I imagine you can also request in Discoveries

[Vineyard View]

Thank you for this feedback!  We will be sure to check that out and good to know!

[Bloodaxe]

4 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Premium is included in our package. $6/pp per day to upgrade. Without that we might look at that, but I was just wondering if there is a discount on premium bottles that might not be part of the Ultimate for occasional splurges if they caught our attention. 
I wasn’t very clear on my question. 

They sometimes have quality bin ends on sale, we have benefited from that in the past, worth asking the sommelier that's if that still have them.

[roberts2005]

Following up on my earlier question. Is Evian water in the premium package?

[Riocca]

28 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Following up on my earlier question. Is Evian water in the premium package?

Unfortunately no only in the Ultimate Package 

[roberts2005]

41 minutes ago, Riocca said:

Unfortunately no only in the Ultimate Package 

Thank you.  Can one person upgrade from premium to ultimate or do both in cabin have to.?

 

also can butler provide the Evian or is it only available at the bar.

[jelayne]

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Wouldn't it be cheaper to skip the packages and just buy wine by the bottle and drinks by the glass?  On land you always pay per drink, so what's the big deal onboard if the final tab will be lower?

 

In our case we are booked on a 23N cruise and purchased the Indulgence package.  On a long cruise it is a good deal.  We get the Ultimate package for 2,  wifi for 2, Chef’s Table, 2 bags laundry, $250 spa credit & $700

 shore excursion credit, @ $1399 that is $30 pp per day.