Uograde to Premium Beverage Package not worth the money

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, Seacrab said:

Well said!

of course there are plenty of reasons why despite the shortages we keep the premium package. 
 

however they need to resolve their substitutions, they’re not on par with the product they’re substituting and that’s the primary problem. 

On my November 2021 cruise on the Silhouette I had the Premium package (first time ever)  and loved it never had issues getting wines that were included. On my February Edge cruise I purchased sail only and took advance of the HH Elite drinks always making sure my wine glass was topped up prior to dinner.  Eden had some nice Cabs from Argentina.  Again never had issues and always decent wines. They just seemed to have a better selection than my 11 night Eclipse cruise.  If I do an 11 night southern cruise on the Edge in November will just purchase the sail only cruise take advantage of HH drinks and bring onboard my 2 bottle allotment to enjoy with dinner. 

[neverlaysup]

On 5/12/2022 at 2:50 PM, prmssk said:

It absolutely depends what you drink.  I upgrade to premium for the martini bar and the Perrier.  Those two alone are worth the $12 per day upgrade to me.  A little nicer wines at dinner are just a side benefit.

 

I can imagine though that someone who updated for nicer wines would be really disappointed at the lack of supply of those nicer wines on board.  That would be like me upgrading and then finding the martini bar is closed the whole cruise.  I would be quite upset.

Let's be absolutely honest here, the wines that are $15 a glass are nowhere near "nicer" wines. They are all mediocre at best and none of them cost more that $20-$30 a bottle. I'm not saying they aren't drinkable but if you like nicer wines, you should bring two nice ones from home to enjoy. I also upgrade for the Martini Bar, World Bar (S class) and my DW's sparkling water needs.

[ccotting]

On 5/13/2022 at 9:45 AM, drakes2 said:

@Pinboywhen the Maitre D arrived all he said was I'm sorry I was busy at another section. Poor excuse IMO.  Fortunately I had ordered a pasta dish that evening which was just lukewarm so they just zapped it and I had to eat quickly in order to make the 9  pm show. Service was better for the remainder of the cruise but still not great.  The MDR hostess was excellent as was my cabin attendant but it appeared they were not new to Celebrity I think most of the MDR wait staff were on their first contract.  No alternative wines were offered basically if they don't have much selection of premium wines you either downgrade or pay extra but God forbid they will do you no favors. Towards the end of the cruise they requested I give them a 10 star rating on the survey because if not they will take it from their paycheck.  No Kidding. I was actually told that. Shocked!!!

OK, bear with me for the HR speak.  They are on variable compensation just like the CEO's of Fortune 500 companies.  Higher ratings, higher percentage they get to keep of the pot of their pay which is defined as 'variable'.  So they stress about it and tell you when they give the survey information.  In their mind they are banking on the maximum possibility.  Course, very human, they forget the time they thought you were a challenging customer for asking for something.  I think our responsibility as customers is to be honest  but give due consideration to staff being new and not knowing, which is always a training issue and, the responsibility of their senior.

[cmoore5524]

On 5/12/2022 at 3:15 PM, drakes2 said:By the fifth night I found the MDR had run out of the Decoy and was trying to substitute the cheaper wines such as Reservado from Chile.  While its not a bad wine I didn't understand why the sommelier would not offer one of their better wines since they had such a limited selection  to choose from. Wait tines in the MDR were long one evening we waited 2 hours and 15 minutes for our entree to appear. When we questioned the waiter he said they were short staffed and kitchen could not keep up.  Maitre D was nowhere to be seen. I gave this cruise a rating of 3 out of 10, the best service I received was from my cabin steward.  This was the first sailing for the Eclipse since March of 2020 and clearly they were nowhere near ready to sail. Food quality was mediocre and was served warm most evenings.  Have done more than  a dozen Celebrity cruises and this was the worst of them all. 

Reservado wine is the pits. I can’t believe they tried to substitute that for Decoy. You certainly deserved a refund in that case if you upgraded to Premium package. I put on every post-survey cruise that they need to get rid of Reservado. I’ve only had it in Oceanview at lunch and couldn’t drink it as it was so bad. Celebrity is better than that wine. 

[dawnvip]

On 5/15/2022 at 2:21 PM, drakes2 said:

On my November 2021 cruise on the Silhouette I had the Premium package (first time ever)  and loved it never had issues getting wines that were included. On my February Edge cruise I purchased sail only and took advance of the HH Elite drinks always making sure my wine glass was topped up prior to dinner.  Eden had some nice Cabs from Argentina.  Again never had issues and always decent wines. They just seemed to have a better selection than my 11 night Eclipse cruise.  If I do an 11 night southern cruise on the Edge in November will just purchase the sail only cruise take advantage of HH drinks and bring onboard my 2 bottle allotment to enjoy with dinner. 

Speaking of bringing wine onboard, DH and I are booked on the Eclipse June 5 Alaska cruise. 

Page 8 of our Guest booklet says in the Alcoholic Beverages paragraph "... Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them on embarkation may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest..." but page 9 of the same booklet in the Security Screening paragraph ".. ** two bottles of wine per stateroom are allowed on embarkation"

 

Which one is it? We'll each bring two of our favorite bottles, along with the highlighted section of the booklet, but found this really strange!

 

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, dawnvip said:

Speaking of bringing wine onboard, DH and I are booked on the Eclipse June 5 Alaska cruise. 

Page 8 of our Guest booklet says in the Alcoholic Beverages paragraph "... Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them on embarkation may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest..." but page 9 of the same booklet in the Security Screening paragraph ".. ** two bottles of wine per stateroom are allowed on embarkation"

 

Which one is it? We'll each bring two of our favorite bottles, along with the highlighted section of the booklet, but found this really strange!

 

 

"“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,..." Emerson

 

It's historically been 2 bottles per stateroom, and presumably still is. As with most things, it's complicated. I've never tried to exceed the 2 bottles. Others have. Some successfully, and I assume others not successfully. Keep in mind that the security guy deciding whether you're breaking the rules is a subcontractor to Celebrity and has likely never read either version you're quoting, only what's on their card as allowed...

[HskrCrsr]

3 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Speaking of bringing wine onboard, DH and I are booked on the Eclipse June 5 Alaska cruise. 

Page 8 of our Guest booklet says in the Alcoholic Beverages paragraph "... Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them on embarkation may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest..." but page 9 of the same booklet in the Security Screening paragraph ".. ** two bottles of wine per stateroom are allowed on embarkation"

 

Which one is it? We'll each bring two of our favorite bottles, along with the highlighted section of the booklet, but found this really strange!

 

 

The FAQ says it's 2 bottles per guest. (https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/all-faqs#before-you-board) And there's no corkage fee if you have the classic or premium beverage package. Both of those are not what I remember. Maybe they've changed recently?

 

What is Celebrity Cruises’ Alcohol Policy?

Celebrity Cruises® guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one's judgment and reduces one's ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship's staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly, including those who have purchased an all-inclusive beverage package. Ship's personnel may request verification of a guest's age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use areas or facilities of the ship.

Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when each guests are permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guests. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. Security may inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such containers. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship's personnel. Alcohol secured by ship's personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

[rachiem]

14 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

 

The FAQ says it's 2 bottles per guest. (https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/all-faqs#before-you-board) And there's no corkage fee if you have the classic or premium beverage package. Both of those are not what I remember. Maybe they've changed recently?

 

What is Celebrity Cruises’ Alcohol Policy?

Celebrity Cruises® guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one's judgment and reduces one's ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship's staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly, including those who have purchased an all-inclusive beverage package. Ship's personnel may request verification of a guest's age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use areas or facilities of the ship.

Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when each guests are permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guests. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. Security may inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such containers. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship's personnel. Alcohol secured by ship's personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

So I assume you can take the wine to a restaurant and have them open it for you too?

[Seacrab]

7 minutes ago, rachiem said:

So I assume you can take the wine to a restaurant and have them open it for you too?

Yes, the corkage fee is $25. 

[rachiem]

2 minutes ago, Seacrab said:

Yes, the corkage fee is $25. 

Thank you. We will have an alcoholic drinks package so will see if this is being waived as yet. We board on Saturday.

[Seacrab]

1 minute ago, rachiem said:

Thank you. We will have an alcoholic drinks package so will see if this is being waived as yet. We board on Saturday.

Wow. I’ve never noticed the corkage waiver for beverage package holders. 
totally been missing out! 😫

[rachiem]

Just now, Seacrab said:

Wow. I’ve never noticed the corkage waiver for beverage package holders. 
totally been missing out! 😫

Someone mentioned that it's new (maybe in line with the package hikes?) Will check it out next week and report back

[D C]

7 hours ago, markeb said:

 

"“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,..." Emerson

 

It's historically been 2 bottles per stateroom, and presumably still is. As with most things, it's complicated. I've never tried to exceed the 2 bottles. Others have. Some successfully, and I assume others not successfully. Keep in mind that the security guy deciding whether you're breaking the rules is a subcontractor to Celebrity and has likely never read either version you're quoting, only what's on their card as allowed...

We have done so on RCL, not X.  Family cruise with 12 of us.  Stopped for wine before boarding and simply started stuffing it in whichever bags had room, both carryon and checked.  One bottle here, 2 bottles there.  Some rooms ended up with none, some with 4-6 bottles, but in all we didn't bring on more than allowed.  No issues.  It's not like the person scanning carry-ons knows what you checked, or vice versa. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by D C

[ScottC4746]

On 5/12/2022 at 1:15 PM, drakes2 said:

Just returned from an 11 night Hawaii cruise on the Ecliise. Included in cruise price was the basic drinks package covering all beverages up to $9 per drink. Since I'm mostly a cabernet wine drinker and enjoy better quality wines I decided to upgrade to the premium package which covers drinks up to $15.  The first few nights I found some decent but not great and certainly not much of a variety of cabernets up to the limit included.  By the fifth night I found the MDR had run out of the Decoy and was trying to substitute the cheaper wines such as Reservado from Chile.  While its not a bad wine I didn't understand why the sommelier would not offer one of their better wines since they had such a limited selection  to choose from. Wait tines in the MDR were long one evening we waited 2 hours and 15 minutes for our entree to appear. When we questioned the waiter he said they were short staffed and kitchen could not keep up.  Maitre D was nowhere to be seen. I gave this cruise a rating of 3 out of 10, the best service I received was from my cabin steward.  This was the first sailing for the Eclipse since March of 2020 and clearly they were nowhere near ready to sail. Food quality was mediocre and was served warm most evenings.  Have done more than  a dozen Celebrity cruises and this was the worst of them all. 

That is the thing about the different drink packages.  I upgraded to the top package because I like to try new whiskys or whiskeys and scotches, so for me it is not worth it.  Unfortunately, everyone in the cabin has to upgrade.  This does not work well for DH who does not drink, but more juices and waters are available.

[HskrCrsr]

3 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

That is the thing about the different drink packages.  I upgraded to the top package because I like to try new whiskys or whiskeys and scotches, so for me it is not worth it.  Unfortunately, everyone in the cabin has to upgrade.  This does not work well for DH who does not drink, but more juices and waters are available.

 

I don't think everyone in the cabin has to upgrade their drink package. Certainly DW upgraded to premium while I stuck with the soda package on a previous cruise. Upgrading from AI to Elevate or Indulge requires everyone in the cabin to upgrade, but simply upgrading the drinks package can be done separately in my experience.

[D C]

3 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

That is the thing about the different drink packages.  I upgraded to the top package because I like to try new whiskys or whiskeys and scotches, so for me it is not worth it.  Unfortunately, everyone in the cabin has to upgrade.  This does not work well for DH who does not drink, but more juices and waters are available.

 

17 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

 

I don't think everyone in the cabin has to upgrade their drink package. Certainly DW upgraded to premium while I stuck with the soda package on a previous cruise. Upgrading from AI to Elevate or Indulge requires everyone in the cabin to upgrade, but simply upgrading the drinks package can be done separately in my experience.

Correct. Not everyone has to upgrade.

[kjwinston2019]

On 5/12/2022 at 3:25 PM, goofysmom99 said:

I had mostly Louis Jadot Steel chardonnay and Cherry Tart pinot noir in both the MDR and Luminae.  They never ran out and a few times a couple of bottles were delivered to my cabin from F&B Manager.  In the past, I've upgraded to premium just for the brands of scotch.  Premium package works better for me.

OH I so Agree.....If you love scothch go Premium....

[kjwinston2019]

On 5/13/2022 at 11:55 AM, Bo1953 said:

For us, it would be the last 2 1/4 hour wait for a meal, in fact at 45 minutes, I would be in the kitchen finding out what was or was not going on!!!

 

Yes, that means I might be banned from the MDR, but well worth the ban, then I would go up the food chain to the D&B Manager!!! LOL

 

Then they will know that the Mad Vegan is aboard, big time.

 

bon voyage

I totally agree with You! Tell someone, if the service is that bad and yiou really waited 2,5 hours, then someone should know. Be polite, patient and Write down what is happening. Give it to the service area and you will always get a reply. The D & B manager should know about this. 

[drakes2]

27 minutes ago, kjwinston2019 said:

I totally agree with You! Tell someone, if the service is that bad and yiou really waited 2,5 hours, then someone should know. Be polite, patient and Write down what is happening. Give it to the service area and you will always get a reply. The D & B manager should know about this. 

I don't think it went any further than the Maître D. All he said was sorry I was busy in another section. IMO that is not a good enough answer. He could have said something to the effect of What can I do to make the rest of your cruise more enjoyable or something to that effect.  We were not looking for free wine either as I already had 2 bottles in my stateroom which were brought home.  I just found a very lackadaisical attitude with some of the MDR staff.  After that we moved to another section.  Service got a bit better but nowhere near what is expected. I remember asking the sommelier if I could exchange the chardonnay wine I received onboard with a SB or a cab of the same value and was told: "No we don't do that, you get what you get".  Could have been put a nicer way.  Again, inadequate training. 

[m8zenblue]

8 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I don't think it went any further than the Maître D. All he said was sorry I was busy in another section. IMO that is not a good enough answer. He could have said something to the effect of What can I do to make the rest of your cruise more enjoyable or something to that effect.  We were not looking for free wine either as I already had 2 bottles in my stateroom which were brought home.  I just found a very lackadaisical attitude with some of the MDR staff.  After that we moved to another section.  Service got a bit better but nowhere near what is expected. I remember asking the sommelier if I could exchange the chardonnay wine I received onboard with a SB or a cab of the same value and was told: "No we don't do that, you get what you get".  Could have been put a nicer way.  Again, inadequate training. 

You should have taken it to someone higher.

We had a similar situation on the Edge.

Like you, we were not seeking any type of compensation, just bringing to the attention of the staff that we were not pleased with the service.

To our surprise the next night at dinner we got a visit from the maitre d, food and beverage manager and what really blew my mind was the captain also.

They all apologized for the lack of good service and we received a very nice bottle of wine and a complimentery dinner at Tuscan.

In short, don't get rude with staff, express your problem and move on without demanding anything. 

[drakes2]

21 minutes ago, m8zenblue said:

You should have taken it to someone higher.

We had a similar situation on the Edge.

Like you, we were not seeking any type of compensation, just bringing to the attention of the staff that we were not pleased with the service.

To our surprise the next night at dinner we got a visit from the maitre d, food and beverage manager and what really blew my mind was the captain also.

They all apologized for the lack of good service and we received a very nice bottle of wine and a complimentery dinner at Tuscan.

In short, don't get rude with staff, express your problem and move on without demanding anything. 

I also sailed on the Edge in January February of this year. Everything was great not one complaint. I think because the Eclipse was the first sailing since March of 2020 they seemed to have issues in many areas the biggest being not enough crew were hired along with inadequate training = poor service. Been on every S class ship apart from Solstice and this was the worst experience in the MDR. 

[PTC DAWG]

To the OP, opinions vary.

 

It is absolutely worth it to my Wife and I.  

[JuliaMS]

On 5/13/2022 at 6:30 AM, D C said:

I went into my Cruise Planner for a sailing late this year and it was shown in the upgrade section. 

Same for my October TA

[kjwinston2019]

1 hour ago, m8zenblue said:

You should have taken it to someone higher.

We had a similar situation on the Edge.

Like you, we were not seeking any type of compensation, just bringing to the attention of the staff that we were not pleased with the service.

To our surprise the next night at dinner we got a visit from the maitre d, food and beverage manager and what really blew my mind was the captain also.

They all apologized for the lack of good service and we received a very nice bottle of wine and a complimentery dinner at Tuscan.

In short, don't get rude with staff, express your problem and move on without demanding anything. 

Excellent. This is the Proper way of doing a concern you have. This is why you have a food and Berevarge manager, Hotel manager and a Captain. If you feel no one is listen to you about a 2.5 hour wait for food, then let the management know. I am sure they would have seeked you out for a 2,5 hour delay. Patience with a new crew is always the best way to serve your needs. 

 

 

[Rustyman]

23 hours ago, kjwinston2019 said:

OH I so Agree.....If you love scothch go Premium....

Out of a brandy glass😉🥃