Thanks for all your help, we are booked, now for a couple of particulars.

[DEBBO1012]

We didn’t sign up for the extras such as the beverage package, travel insurance, medical insurance or shore excursions. I’ll start with the Free At Sea beverage package. Our agent told me it is $138 (tips) for each person signing up for it. Then I read that is per day AND if person 1 signs up for it, person 2 does too. Questions, is those caveats true and how much is a glass of wine if you don’t sign up for the package and is 20% assigned per drink or is the tip at one’s discretion?

[New2cruise2022]

$138/person should be for the entire cruise for the drink package. 
 

If one of you has it, both of you have it. 
 

If no package, pay per drink + AUTOMATIC 20% at time of purchase. 
 

There is a daily service charge (DSC) that is per person, per day, but that has nothing to do with whether or not you choose the drink package. 

[tsahall01]

6 minutes ago, DEBBO1012 said:

We didn’t sign up for the extras such as the beverage package, travel insurance, medical insurance or shore excursions. I’ll start with the Free At Sea beverage package. Our agent told me it is $138 (tips) for each person signing up for it. Then I read that is per day AND if person 1 signs up for it, person 2 does too. Questions, is those caveats true and how much is a glass of wine if you don’t sign up for the package and is 20% assigned per drink or is the tip at one’s discretion?

No, it is not per day, that is the total amount of gratuities for the cruise per person.  There is a $15 limit for each drink, but if you order a $16 drink, you will be charged $1.00 plus 20%.  So if you drink 2 $15 drinks a day, you will be saving money!  Don't recall the actual charge per day for the drink package as it has changed, but it is around $21/day.  It is true that both persons in the cabin have to get it.  Even non drinkers can easily go over $25/day by drinking virgin drinks and sodas.

[Two Wheels Only]

The beverage package that is offered on the Free At Sea promo (Premium Beverage Package aka Open Bar Package) is normally $109 per person per day plus a 20% service charge. If you take the promo, you are not charged the $109 pppd but you are charged the 20% service charge that works out to $21.80 per day (7 days would be $152.60) The old price of $99 pppd would give a total of $138.60 so depending on what the price was at the time of booking would explain the difference. 

 

If taking the promo, all guests over 21 in the stateroom would have to take the same  package and each would be charged the 20%. If a minor is guest #2, that minor would get the soda package and would pay 20% ($1.99 pppd) on that package. If a minor is guest #3 or more, the minor gets nothing and is charged nothing. 

 

If you don't take the package, every beverage purchased has a 20% service charge added. 

 

The caveat is that taking the promo usually raises the fare so it isn't actually "free" but that's a topic for another day....😉

[PATRLR]

If your fare code includes the "Free at Sea" options, then you should take the drink package if you and passenger #2 are likely to drink, on average, 4 or more drinks per day.  As stated above, the cost of the "Free at Sea" package is $21.80 per day.  Drinks cost about $10-$12 each, so, drink 4 between the two of you and you likely are ahead of the game.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, DEBBO1012 said:

We didn’t sign up for the extras such as the beverage package, travel insurance, medical insurance or shore excursions. I’ll start with the Free At Sea beverage package. Our agent told me it is $138 (tips) for each person signing up for it. Then I read that is per day AND if person 1 signs up for it, person 2 does too. Questions, is those caveats true and how much is a glass of wine if you don’t sign up for the package and is 20% assigned per drink or is the tip at one’s discretion?

I know you didn't ask for opinions. Feel free to ignore as everything I state below is...well, my opinion and not fact:

 

In April my husband and I both had the Free at Sea beverage plan. He does not drink alcohol, but does drink soda and virgin drinks. I was able to drink whatever I wanted (up to $15 and no specialty coffee, boxed water). On this trip we both received the value of the package, when thinking about how much the "gratuities" we were required to pay. 

 

On our September cruise we opted out of the Free at Sea beverage plan. He purchased a soda package. I had no package. I purchased a few alcoholic drinks. He bought a few virgin drinks. When we were in the Haven, we didn't pay for the virgin drinks. Outside of the Haven he had to. We likely paid about the same as the Free at Sea gratuities would have cost us as he purchased the soda package and I bought a few drinks. I don't think we lost money, but we didn't really gain anything. Plus we both have to be cognizant about what we ordered (especially me). 

 

Our next cruise is in March. We both have the Free at Sea beverage plan again. I'll go back to drinking what I want, when I want. He'll have all the virgin drinks he can handle. I don't know if we'll ever not purchase the Free at Sea beverage plan in the future, but given our situation, it didn't affect us a lot. 

 

Good luck! 

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I don't know if we'll ever not purchase the Free at Sea beverage plan in the future, but given our situation, it didn't affect us a lot. 

I like to call it “mindful drinking.” Beyond the cost of a drink package is the mentality. I’m on vacation and don’t want to be budget bound when I’m deciding if I want to order or not. Likewise, I don’t want to be finishing a warm beer because I just paid for it. When I have 4 oz left I can walk away and get another one later. I’m not advocating being wasteful, but we don’t have to live by my mom’s mantra: “Finish your beer, there are sober children in some third world country.”

[DEBBO1012]

Thank you all so much.

[leithbones]

3 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

but we don’t have to live by my mom’s mantra: “Finish your beer, there are sober children in some third world country.”

Awesome.

[Sailing12Away]

3 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I like to call it “mindful drinking.” Beyond the cost of a drink package is the mentality. I’m on vacation and don’t want to be budget bound when I’m deciding if I want to order or not. Likewise, I don’t want to be finishing a warm beer because I just paid for it. When I have 4 oz left I can walk away and get another one later. I’m not advocating being wasteful, but we don’t have to live by my mom’s mantra: “Finish your beer, there are sober children in some third world country.”

My husbands variant on that is "grandpa would roll over in his grave if we wasted liquor".