Beverage package Viking Ocean Cruises

[duquephart]

Another factor would be the included wine. If it is just fine why pay extra?

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

Another factor would be the included wine. If it is just fine why pay extra?

Is the included wine "just fine"?  For us, no.  As wine enthusiasts we have grapes and regions that we prefer and the included wines offered daily will never meet our taste.  One day we may feel like drinking Pinot Noir vs. the next a Rioja.  The SS package gives us this flexibility.  To us - no offence to anyone else - the expanded selection is key for us and we probably don't even drink enough to pay for the package!  We buy it solely for the selection.

[Mich3554]

33 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Is the included wine "just fine"?  For us, no.  As wine enthusiasts we have grapes and regions that we prefer and the included wines offered daily will never meet our taste.  One day we may feel like drinking Pinot Noir vs. the next a Rioja.  The SS package gives us this flexibility.  To us - no offence to anyone else - the expanded selection is key for us and we probably don't even drink enough to pay for the package!  We buy it solely for the selection.

You still get the selection of specialty wines, you just pay for an individual glass.  
Last cruise we did (where we only had 10 days where we exceeded the package price), we found an excellent white from the menu we drank with dinner.  We only had a couple glasses/day.

[duquephart]

50 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

You still get the selection of specialty wines, you just pay for an individual glass.  
Last cruise we did (where we only had 10 days where we exceeded the package price), we found an excellent white from the menu we drank with dinner.  We only had a couple glasses/day.

 

Why do so few get this?

[SJD117]

SS threads are always a scream. My takeaway: Never get between a Viking cruiser and his or her cocktail!  🤪

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

Is the included wine "just fine"?  For us, no.  As wine enthusiasts we have grapes and regions that we prefer and the included wines offered daily will never meet our taste.  One day we may feel like drinking Pinot Noir vs. the next a Rioja.  The SS package gives us this flexibility.  To us - no offence to anyone else - the expanded selection is key for us and we probably don't even drink enough to pay for the package!  We buy it solely for the selection.

 

I did say "if" - perhaps you missed that part?

We have never had any problem with the included selections - sorry about our plebian background.

The SS package does give you "this flexibility" - so does being an inhabitant of the planet.

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

Is the included wine "just fine"?  For us, no.  As wine enthusiasts we have grapes and regions that we prefer and the included wines offered daily will never meet our taste.  One day we may feel like drinking Pinot Noir vs. the next a Rioja.  The SS package gives us this flexibility.  To us - no offence to anyone else - the expanded selection is key for us and we probably don't even drink enough to pay for the package!  We buy it solely for the selection.

 

Then you are wasting your money since the selection is available to you either way.

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

I do not want to be drinking because I don’t want to waste the money we have spent on the package

 

You can use it for non-alcoholic drinks outside of meal-times, too. Stock up on name-brand bottled water to carry with you when you leave the ship or have in your cabin (especially if you prefer sparkling to still). "Soft drinks" includes fruit juices and juice spritzers.

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

Then you are wasting your money since the selection is available to you either way.

It is our money and we spend it the way we please.  We personally think that anyone that books a cabin above a V1 or V2 is wasting their money - DON'T Hate on me for this statement - because we spend as precious little time in our cabin as possible.  We don't do room service breakfast, we don't sit on the balcony, we are there to sleep only.  We don't care about the coffee maker, we don't care about advance bookings for excursions or restaurants.  We don't care about the extra space in some cabins.  We buy the SS package and we admit that sometimes we may not get our money out of it, but that is what we do.

[LindaS272]

3 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

The SS package gives us this flexibility.  To us - no offence to anyone else - the expanded selection is key for us and we probably don't even drink enough to pay for the package!  We buy it solely for the selection.

Hey, no offense taken on what you prefer to do, but it’s misinformation that only buying the SS pkg. gives you this flexibility.

[CDNPolar]

11 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Hey, no offense taken on what you prefer to do, but it’s misinformation that only buying the SS pkg. gives you this flexibility.

I have never given mis-information.  I know that anyone on the ship has access to every wine, spirit and beer.  This is not in question and never has been.  This is a personal preference of ours to buy SS.  We are known to the crew as having SS and there is no issue with ordering anything that we want.  There are no "bills" to settle at the end of the cruise.  I am not oblivious to the fact that I can get what I want without the SS package.  My goodness, people just want to fight any small point here.  We all have our own ways and opinions.  We prefer to buy the SS because we feel comfortable doing so.  Enough said.

 

 

[molymoo]

Keep in mind that the package includes non-alcoholic beverages as well.  I almost never drink soda at home but love an occasional cold Diet Coke from the fountain some afternoons!  You will have to pay for any cold/iced beverage served to you outside of the lunch and dinner hours

Just one more … wine or other spirits tastings (a great sea day activity) are often included if you have the package.  The occasional “premium” tastings might incur a charge but the ssbp will get you a discount.

[broker1217]

We all know we can pay by the beverage and that the choices are the same. 
Many of us prefer to pay $20 per day for an all-inclusive beverage plan instead of paying per drink.

Well worth it for us as we prefer the nicer wines, some cocktails, sparkling bottled water, and we can get them at any time of day. In addition, we get a discount on wine by the bottle and premium wines at Chef’s Table.  Any night we dine at Chef’s Table we are already ahead of the game as the premium wines would cost $25 PP (and no, not interested in arguing if the premium wines are worth $25).

 

And let’s focus on giving folks like the OP factual answers to his question instead of devolving into petty (and rude) bickering over semantics. It gives absolutely the wrong impression of Viking cruisers to a first timer.
 

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by broker1217

[bottomfeeder]

Can you buy the SS package after you are onboard?  I have $290 of non-refundable onboard credit left for my upcoming cruise (after pre-paying gratuities) and I'd like to have a look in the shops onboard to see if there is anything that I want to buy there.  If I don't find anything appealing I'd like to buy the beverage package.

[Capt_BJ]

IME yes, you can buy after boarding and use OBC .... actually that's my plan for our next trip.

 

For us SS is a no brainer . A drink b4 dinner, a glass of wine (our choice ... not just the daily pour), maybe 2 with dinner, soft drinks during the day .... maybe a foofoo drink for the Mrs in the afternoon. $22 a day ...... and no worries about the bill at the end of the trip!

 

Heck on my last Royal cruise the drink package was $70/day PLUS 18% tip and that was MARKED DOWN from full price.

[zalusky]

My problem is the wife is diabetic and on transplant drugs so she at mosts takes a sip of what I am drinking.  As a result the SSBP would be twice as much if I wanted to partake.  On top of that we are in a  PV cabin and have booze in the room.  I also just prefer a cocktail or two at most.  I am not really a wine drinker so unless you guys can persuade me otherwise I don't think the SSBP is worth it.

[MamaFej]

Different strokes for different folks. 

It's good to have options.

[MikeyB]

3 hours ago, bottomfeeder said:

Can you buy the SS package after you are onboard?  I have $290 of non-refundable onboard credit left for my upcoming cruise (after pre-paying gratuities) and I'd like to have a look in the shops onboard to see if there is anything that I want to buy there.  If I don't find anything appealing I'd like to buy the beverage package.

You should first confirm what type of OBC you have.  Some must be used before you board.

I think you might find this info on page 3 of your Guest Statement. (Vouchers Applied)

Note the two  asterisk(s) on the page.

[Pushka]

For me I would get it on a sea day heavy cruise. 

[FetaCheese]

17 hours ago, bottomfeeder said:

Can you buy the SS package after you are onboard?  I have $290 of non-refundable onboard credit left for my upcoming cruise (after pre-paying gratuities) and I'd like to have a look in the shops onboard to see if there is anything that I want to buy there.  If I don't find anything appealing I'd like to buy the beverage package.

 

17 hours ago, bottomfeeder said:

 

Note:

 

OBC can be used prior to AND/OR while on voyage.

 

Voucher credit (FCC) MUST be used PRIOR to voyage.

 

Also, pricing in shops is higher than we expected.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited November 19, 2022 by FetaCheese
Addl info

[Posey2453]

On 11/16/2022 at 12:27 PM, Usherfam said:

We are booked on Viking Bergen to New York in August 2023. .. 28 days.Trying to work out whether to purchase beverage package for  cruise. Understand both wife and I required to buy it. Do you get a better selection of wines, rums, gin and beer.

first time with Viking and normally buy on Azamara

thank you

We always buy the package. Better wines offered as well as premium brand spirits. 

[Haqdeluxe]

13 hours ago, Posey2453 said:

We always buy the package. Better wines offered as well as premium brand spirits. 

Again, as this has been already stated ad nauseum... NOTHING is offered on the ship that isn't offered to all passengers, with or without the VSSBP! All that differs is in how you are paying for it. IF you and your companion can consume $40.00 (roughly) worth of beverages a day, every day, then the VSSBP is possibly worth it. I say possibly because you do need to factor in how much of your consumed beverages would have been already provided without the VSSBP.

We have cruised with folks that have gotten their money's worth by happy hour 🍻 and continued imbibing through dinner and on into the night. Cheers to them. 😁

We have also dined with folks that were on the VSSBP because their TA had told them that it was the only way to get the "better" wine at dinner. They didn't drink liquor and were having only a single glass of wine during dinner - a single glass each a day. Doesn't take an accountant. 

Edited November 21, 2022 by Haqdeluxe

[LindaS272]

15 hours ago, Posey2453 said:

Better wines offered as well as premium brand spirits. 

All wines/spirits are available to all pax. SSBP is just one way to pay. We always pay ala carte and have never exceeded $150 total for both of us per two week cruise.

Edited November 21, 2022 by LindaS272

[linda_22003]

We don't usually get a drink package; we will on our upcoming Viking cruise because the price is moderate compared to Windstar ($60/pp/per day? really??) and because we have a lot of sea days from Santiago to Buenos Aires next month and we can sleep in!  For a port-intensive cruise we wouldn't do it.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, LindaS272 said:

All wines/spirits are available to all pax. SSBP is just one way to pay. 

Agree, Linda!  Well put.

 

Me thinks this thread has run its course.