Help me decide - Classic or Premium Drink Pkg.

[2Long2NxtCrz]

We leave Saturday for a cruise on the Beyond and I bought the Premium Package because hubby basically drinks nothing but WCB drinks. And I do love my sparkling water.

 

But I also appreciate good wine with dinner, so I hope that the supply issues for the Premium wine aren't as bad as I've heard on here.

[drakes2]

8 hours ago, 2Long2NxtCrz said:

But I also appreciate good wine with dinner, so I hope that the supply issues for the Premium wine aren't as bad as I've heard on here.

It all depends on the ship also they could run out of some wines on Premium.  You would be wise to take on your 2 bottle allotment of wine so you don't get disappointed.  Premium covers all drinks at the WCB as well as all the sparkling you want.  Its well worth the upgrade.  

[drakes2]

17 hours ago, Mark_T said:

Same criteria here, we probably do not break-even on the upgrade, but we do value the lack of a need to keep signing for things...

I always upgrade to Premium when I have purchased the AI. I don't see any monetary value in not having to sign a slip for a drink and they seem to be getting away from that anyway.  

[CaroleSS]

I put this into a spreadsheet.....(not sure if the calculations transferred so I will show them). Feel free to add rows for other venues as needed. It looks like Red Bull and premium bottled water are a la carte if you have the Classic package, but I'm not sure as I don't drink them.

 

I entered the highest value for each drink based upon what I could find that was recent (figured I'd rather be high than low), the difference is what is above the current $9 threshold.

enter the number of drinks you think you might do for each category

enter the cost to upgrade for your specific cruise

 

extra cost is =E2*D2*1.2 for each row (with the row number updated)

Bottom of Extra Cost is =sum(e2:e11)

Compare the total extra cost to the cost to upgrade and it might help you decide.

Category	High price	difference	How many?	Extra cost	cost to upgrade
Bottled Water	5.5	5.5		0
Beers	10	3		0
Wine	15	6		0
Martini bar	13	4		0
red bull	5.5	5.5		0
World Class bar	15	6		0
Sunset bar	12	3		0
slush	11	2		0
Sky Lounge	12	3		0
				0		0

[2Long2NxtCrz]

2 hours ago, CaroleSS said:

I put this into a spreadsheet.....(not sure if the calculations transferred so I will show them). Feel free to add rows for other venues as needed. It looks like Red Bull and premium bottled water are a la carte if you have the Classic package, but I'm not sure as I don't drink them.

 

I entered the highest value for each drink based upon what I could find that was recent (figured I'd rather be high than low), the difference is what is above the current $9 threshold.

enter the number of drinks you think you might do for each category

enter the cost to upgrade for your specific cruise

 

extra cost is =E2*D2*1.2 for each row (with the row number updated)

Bottom of Extra Cost is =sum(e2:e11)

Compare the total extra cost to the cost to upgrade and it might help you decide.

Category	High price	difference	How many?	Extra cost	cost to upgrade
Bottled Water	5.5	5.5		0
Beers	10	3		0
Wine	15	6		0
Martini bar	13	4		0
red bull	5.5	5.5		0
World Class bar	15	6		0
Sunset bar	12	3		0
slush	11	2		0
Sky Lounge	12	3		0
				0		0

Thank you for putting all this work into this! The bottled water really pushes it over the edge for me.

[tartana]

I signed twice on our recent cruise for a chocolate martini at the martini bar (which I didn't specify anything and went expecting to pay the difference..it was around $4 I think in total. My husband also got Bailey's a couple times and it was $1 extra...it was kind of annoying having to sign...but I'm sure if we sat in one area and ordered a few during an evening, they would just combine them on one bill...if it was the bar tenders who knew you... We had no problems with the Classic...I do wish they'd have a better amber rum choice though.  I drank the Kraken although it's not my favourite...They even have Brugal on the Premium package, and it's cheap...Rum is so cheap in the Caribbean...there's no reason they can't have an offering or two that aren't "spiced" on the Classic IMO. I bought Mount Gay for only $10 a quart in one of the ports....and it's probably even cheaper in the regular stores in Barbados. (although not at the port of course LOL) 

[RichYak]

19 minutes ago, 2Long2NxtCrz said:

The bottled water really pushes it over the edge for me.

Just clarifying that it's premium bottled water that isn't covered by the classic package. The aluminum bottled water does not apply.

[2Long2NxtCrz]

3 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Just clarifying that it's premium bottled water that isn't covered by the classic package. The aluminum bottled water does not apply.

Yeah, the aluminum bottles we keep on hand in the room, but I drink the sparkling and the other still water.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Is a Dark and Stormy ( rum and ginger beer ) on the classic package ? 

[RichYak]

1 minute ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Is a Dark and Stormy ( rum and ginger beer ) on the classic package ? 

I would imagine so as long as they make it with one of the cheaper rums.

[tartana]

The aluminum bottled water is included on Classic. (if that's what you meant)

11 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Just clarifying that it's premium bottled water that isn't covered by the classic package. The aluminum bottled water does not apply.

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

4 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I would imagine so as long as they make it with one of the cheaper rums.

Cracken would be fine for me😁

[RichYak]

5 minutes ago, tartana said:

The aluminum bottled water is included on Classic. (if that's what you meant)

Yes that's what I meant. The aluminum bottled water doesn't apply to this exercise because it's included in the Classic package. The column header on the above spreadsheet said "bottled water" without specifying, so I wanted to clarify.

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Cracken would be fine for me😁

Well, you're in luck, then. Per Celebrity's website...

 

Classic package rums: Bacardi and flavors, Captain Morgan’s, Kraken Black Spiced, Malibu, Myer’s

Premium package rums: Bacardi 8 Años, Brugal, Flor de Caña, , Pyrat XO, Zacapa 23

[C4HCG]

We love the drinks package because it helps us relax and budget knowing all our drinks are already paid for. We may not get full value for money, who knows and who cares? Not having to worry about a big bill at the end of the cruise is priceless. 

[20165]

On our Silhouette cruise last month, we had to ask for specific upgraded bottles of water.  We didnt realize that until a couple days into the cruise.  Everytime we would ask for a bottle of water, they would hand us a can of water which we thought was odd, but given it was our first celebrity cruise, we just assumed it was some environment conservation thing.  The we started seeing Evian, Perrier, etc and asked one of the bar tenders what gives.  He said you have to specifically ask for those because they assume you only have the classic package unless you say otherwise.   Guess everyone pretty much has at least the classic package so they just assume that.  Just an FYI if you upgrade.

[drakes2]

22 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

We love the drinks package because it helps us relax and budget knowing all our drinks are already paid for. We may not get full value for money, who knows and who cares? Not having to worry about a big bill at the end of the cruise is priceless. 

That's a good way of looking at it. I always upgrade to premium when I've taken AI as I drink a lot of san pellegrino,  perrier and Evian water.  When I do not have the package I bring a case of sparkling onboard.  

[drakes2]

1 minute ago, 20165 said:

He said you have to specifically ask for those because they assume you only have the classic package unless you say otherwise.   Guess everyone pretty much has at least the classic package so they just assume that.  Just an FYI if you upgrade

I don't believe that to be true.  Why would they assume you only have the CP when many guests upgrade. 

[davekathy]

On our September Summit cruise we had the CBP and were never asked if we would like to upgrade to the PBP. Maybe we look like like tightwads. 🍷😏

Edited December 6, 2022 by davekathy

[RichYak]

27 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I don't believe that to be true.  Why would they assume you only have the CP when many guests upgrade. 

I believe it. It would be worse if the assumption were reversed and bartenders started handing out premium waters by default and charging CBP passengers for them.

[CaroleSS]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

Yes that's what I meant. The aluminum bottled water doesn't apply to this exercise because it's included in the Classic package. The column header on the above spreadsheet said "bottled water" without specifying, so I wanted to clarify.

Oh my....I do apologize for the oversight! I should have said "premium" or "sparkling" water.

 

I did a bit of poking about on the water issue. Since, for alcohol, you are charged the difference between the CBP and the PBP, I thought that maybe this would be the case to water as well, but the X FAQs say that premium water on the CBP is "a la carte", so I put in the full amount in the spreadsheet.

[the penguins]

On 12/5/2022 at 4:37 PM, LadyBerard said:

Hi everyone.  I'm trying to decide whether or not to upgrade our Classic beverage pkg. Does anyone know the actual cost difference from a mixed drink made with Titos or Absolute to one made with Grey Goose or Ciroc vodka?  

The majority of passengers will not breakeven by upgrading if they did X wouldn't sell the upgrades at the price they do. Signing seems to have "gone out of the window" since cruising restarted at least that's been our experience on 4 Silhouette trips. 

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

The majority of passengers will not breakeven by upgrading if they did X wouldn't sell the upgrades at the price they do. Signing seems to have "gone out of the window" since cruising restarted at least that's been our experience on 4 Silhouette trips. 

Whenever I have had the AI package always upgrade to premium. I make sure its to my advantage or wouldn't bother.  Yes signing has gone out the window and I certainly would not pay extra just for that small inconvenience.   I guess some call it peace of mind but personally never been able to figure out the logic behind it. 

[Mark_K]

14 hours ago, drakes2 said:

I don't believe that to be true.  Why would they assume you only have the CP when many guests upgrade. 

Because Celebrity makes more money if you pay for the Premium package but drink the cheaper stuff.

It’s the same ordering mixed drinks around the pool and at most bars.  If you don’t specify “I’d like an xxxx made with yyyy”, you’ll get Classic quality liquor regardless of the package you have

[NJRonbo]

On 12/5/2022 at 1:34 PM, garyl62 said:

We also enjoy not signing tickets.  I doubt we "break even" on the upcharge vs pay as we go, but our typical day of drinks is Cafe al Bacio for coffee, a stop someplace late morning, something with lunch, a couple waters sometime, another late afternoon stop by the Martini Bar, dinner, something in the show, at least 1 evening stop.  If it's a sea day throw at least 2 or 3 more in so we end up with 10 to 13 individual tickets through out the day.  I know it's a first world problem, but not having to sign a ticket that many times is worth a good chunk of the cost to upgrade

 

The coffee from Cafe al Bacio is part of the classic package...correct?