Drink package worth it?

[lasnev]

Just been debating whether to purchase or not easy drink package.

Hubby drinks occasional glass of wine at dinner, I don't.

We are booked on all day excursions.

We would be using it for mostly water and espressos.

Would anyone have a price list for bottled water and coffees?

Both of us would have to purchase.

I don't want to use it just to get "my money's worth".

Thank You!

[Joken35]

Based on the drinking habits you described, it is probably better to pay as you go. the drinks are reasonably price $9 unless you wan top shelf liquors, which are not included in your package anyway.We generally get the Easy Plus package .,we  both order drinks throughout the day and specialty coffees at dinner so I think it works for 

 

[ferretktf]

Bottled water £3

coffees £3 …espressos probably cheaper though

Cokes etc, £3

lager £6 for 400ml 

bottled beer £6.50-£8 for pint

wine £6.50 for large glass

 

BUT all individual drinks have 15% convenience charge added

 

if you can get the drinks package on an offer then anything under £30 is good …you can often get it for £28pppd

 

If not then buying the packages in advance is still significantly cheaper than buying them onboard (and you avoid the 15% service charge)

 

on my recent 7 day cruise my package included the premium extra but , apart from when I deliberately chose drinks from the premium extra package, 95% of what I really wanted was in the Easy package, so if you can’t get a great deal on Premium Extra then i would plump for Easy.

 

we were not heavy drinkers but individually… on an average day…

 

coffee at breakfast … £3.50 (incl service)

Proper juice at breakfast …£3.50

bottle of water to take off boat … £3

 

beer with lunch after returning from excursion… £8

mid afternoon cocktail / non alcoholic cocktail … £8

 

hot chocolate or coke to take back to cabin before getting ready …£3.50

 

pre dinner vodka/coke or Prosecco …£8

wine with dinner …£7.50

 

post dinner baileys … £4.50

 

 

that comes to £50 per day …for non heavy drinkers!!!

[lasnev]

4 hours ago, ferretktf said:

Bottled water £3

coffees £3 …espressos probably cheaper though

Cokes etc, £3

lager £6 for 400ml 

bottled beer £6.50-£8 for pint

wine £6.50 for large glass

 

BUT all individual drinks have 15% convenience charge added

 

if you can get the drinks package on an offer then anything under £30 is good …you can often get it for £28pppd

 

If not then buying the packages in advance is still significantly cheaper than buying them onboard (and you avoid the 15% service charge)

 

on my recent 7 day cruise my package included the premium extra but , apart from when I deliberately chose drinks from the premium extra package, 95% of what I really wanted was in the Easy package, so if you can’t get a great deal on Premium Extra then i would plump for Easy.

 

we were not heavy drinkers but individually… on an average day…

 

coffee at breakfast … £3.50 (incl service)

Proper juice at breakfast …£3.50

bottle of water to take off boat … £3

 

beer with lunch after returning from excursion… £8

mid afternoon cocktail / non alcoholic cocktail … £8

 

hot chocolate or coke to take back to cabin before getting ready …£3.50

 

pre dinner vodka/coke or Prosecco …£8

wine with dinner …£7.50

 

post dinner baileys … £4.50

 

 

that comes to £50 per day …for non heavy drinkers!!!

Thank you for the detailed answer.

Are there ever offers/deals on drink packages?

[perakcruiser]

4 hours ago, lasnev said:

Thank you for the detailed answer.

Are there ever offers/deals on drink packages?

Best offer usually comes at the time of booking. Sometimes 20€ per person per day. UK booking includes water and coffee, so definitely useless to buy the package for "occasional glass of wine at dinner" only.

 

[lasnev]

Does anyone know which red wines come with the easy plus package?

 

[JAGR]

18 minutes ago, lasnev said:

Does anyone know which red wines come with the easy plus package?

 

I'm sure it will vary based on supply and where the cruise is, but if the Easy Plus is supposed to cover drinks up to $9, you can look at the wines on this list from Divina (sailing in the Caribbean) that are under $9/glass.

[AACJ]

So is it my understanding that if one purchases the Easy Plus Package, which covers up to $9.00 drinks, and you purchase a $13.00 glass of wine, will you either 1)  pay the $4.00 difference for the higher priced wine or 2) pay for the whole $13.00 out of pocket?

 

Other lines I have been on would just charge you the difference.  

[Nunagoras]

On 5/31/2022 at 5:35 PM, lasnev said:

Just been debating whether to purchase or not easy drink package.

Hubby drinks occasional glass of wine at dinner, I don't.

We are booked on all day excursions.

We would be using it for mostly water and espressos.

Would anyone have a price list for bottled water and coffees?

Both of us would have to purchase.

I don't want to use it just to get "my money's worth".

Thank You!

As per your described habits, IMHO, the answer would to be a no. Before the pandemic they used to have a quite inexpensive house wine bottle of both red and white wines, again the same used for Easy packages you could purchase and tell them to save the leftovers for next day. In my case with my parents where only my phather drinks, a bottle may last for 2 or 3 days, that said 3 bottles and eventually a beer for the last night might suffix. MSC has now a non alcoholic drinks package for adults, but, just for coffees and water, you'd need some 10 itens each of you to justify the cost. Only you can decide. I'd to pay as I go, if I only wanted those items. In my case I enjoy a non alcoholic drinks package, but I also enjoy a proper coffee delight for breakfast, a non alcoholic cocktail by sail away, some sodas or juices here and there and a hot chocolate by night. Then yes, it compensate in some ways... But even then: It isn't what it used to be "back in the day"...

[JAGR]

6 minutes ago, AACJ said:

So is it my understanding that if one purchases the Easy Plus Package, which covers up to $9.00 drinks, and you purchase a $13.00 glass of wine, will you either 1)  pay the $4.00 difference for the higher priced wine or 2) pay for the whole $13.00 out of pocket?

 

Other lines I have been on would just charge you the difference.  

It is option 2.  You pay the whole amount, plus the 15% service charge.

[Nunagoras]

7 minutes ago, AACJ said:

So is it my understanding that if one purchases the Easy Plus Package, which covers up to $9.00 drinks, and you purchase a $13.00 glass of wine, will you either 1)  pay the $4.00 difference for the higher priced wine or 2) pay for the whole $13.00 out of pocket?

 

Other lines I have been on would just charge you the difference.  

On MSC you pay the full price.

[slaine29]

Does anyone know what the cost of upgrading from easy package to easy plus is? Easy only has heiniken beer so i would like a bigger selection. Thanks in advance

[Morgsmom]

5 hours ago, slaine29 said:

Does anyone know what the cost of upgrading from easy package to easy plus is? Easy only has heiniken beer so i would like a bigger selection. Thanks in advance

It depends on your ship & sailing.  If you log into your booking you can see.

[lasnev]

On the easy package I understand only Heineken beer is included, does anyone know which red wines are? Based on the above menu it does not list any wines $6.00 or below...

 

[CruisingFox27]

There are 2 red wines included in Easy.

[MANDMTRAVEL]

Is gelato included on the Easy Plus package or the minors package? Seashore sailing from Miami this summer?

[CruisingFox27]

19 hours ago, MANDMTRAVEL said:

Is gelato included on the Easy Plus package or the minors package? Seashore sailing from Miami this summer?

Gelato not included in the Easy Plus or Premium Extra according to the booking information. it specifically excludes ice cream menu, crepes and gelato.

[MANDMTRAVEL]

3 hours ago, CruisingFox27 said:

Gelato not included in the Easy Plus or Premium Extra according to the booking information. it specifically excludes ice cream menu, crepes and gelato.

Thanks, I read it too, that is why I was wondering if someone who had sailed recently. 4 yrs ago on the Seaside it was included.  

[Morgsmom]

6 hours ago, MANDMTRAVEL said:

Thanks, I read it too, that is why I was wondering if someone who had sailed recently. 4 yrs ago on the Seaside it was included.  

Sadly, lots of things that used to be included in the Premium Plus package no longer are 😞  

[ferretktf]

Ice cream ONLY Included in the Child’s package

[Nunagoras]

22 hours ago, ferretktf said:

Ice cream ONLY Included in the Child’s package

Not from the 3rd party vendors onboard (Venchi or Jean Maury) nor from the ice cream bars. Only soft serve ice cream from elsewhere else I never understood very well where exactly. Someone with that experience may to chime in, please?

 

And yeah... As @Morgsmom has said; lots of things that used to be available from the packages have already been removed. Back in the lovely days of the "Allegrissimo" drinks package, I used to be able to make my moneys worth only from the non alcoholic part of an already alcoholic drinks package, and that included pretty much everything from a freshly squeezed juice from the Spa bar to a superb ice cream Sunday from the ice cream bar, to not talk about a large menu of some 12-15 non alcoholic cocktails available pretty much everywhere on the ship (now they have some 5-8 if that much, some of them really very basic or uninteresting), and those little nothings that are bottles of water, sodas with meals, etc. I surely understand the need to reduce costs and to avoid the abusers... But... We, the regular happy honest cruisers are paying both the losses from bad accounting to the losses coming from the abusers... I don't feel the drinks packages as being as worth it as they were in the past... So, I'll only to purchase one if a good promotion is on order, or there is a reasonable number of sea days on my sailing... Otherwise I will go with flow, paying item per item, then, I can splurge on the "premium" 3rd party vendors products, while making my costs controlled...

[ferretktf]

The ice cream included in the child’s package is from the ice cream parlour at the Atmosphere Pool.

 

ice cream from third party vendors was never included in the package on virtuosa

[CTGirl74]

Hi, is anyone able to tell me what beers are included with the Easy Plus package? I'm trying to find a list, but having no luck. Thanks!

[CTGirl74]

Nevermind...I just found it. 😀

[murph1031]

20 hours ago, CTGirl74 said:

Nevermind...I just found it. 😀

Where you find it. I'm also trying to find out what's included in the easy plus. Cocktails such as Miami vice and mudslides? Are they included?