Drink Packages

[PAcruiser19372]

Hello.  Have cruised many times over the years, except for the pause during the Covid years, however have never been on Celebrity so hoping someone can help me understand how their drink packages work.  I'll preface by saying that neither my wife or I drink, however we're still alot of fun!  That being said I'm used to buying a soda card to get my sodas during the cruise and my wife gets her coffee card and is happy.  I think i understand that you must purchase a drink package on Celebrity and with even the non alcohol packages being $26.99 @, so basically $54.00.   That is a lot of money for a couple of sodas and one or two coffees.  So after all that my question is; must you purchase a drink package be it alcohol or non alcohol.  Do they have a simple soda or coffee card for purchase and if not can you just pay for your individual sodas or coffees?  Thanks!

[DaKahuna]

 Unlike Royal Caribbean, Celebrity does not have Coffee or Soda cards.  You have a choice of buying the Zero Proof package or purchasing coffee / soda's as you consume them. 

 

[cruisestitch]

No coffee card or soda card so just pay-as-you-go

[peterde]

Drink packages are not required. You can pay as you go, and it could be very cost effective. 

 

[kywildcatfanone]

If you can and wanted to, you could carry on any soda/water you want at embarkation or ports and save buying them on the ship, but that is a personal decision if you wanted to do that.

[PAcruiser19372]

Thank you everyone.  That's what cruise critic does best!

[HSBC]

I have All Included, this includes classic drink package.  Can I get soda (e.g Coke)?

Thanks!

[LB_NJ]

At current prices none of the current packages work for us, we just don't drink enough of anything to have them make sense. They used to have a classic non-alcoholic package that worked for us but that was eliminated.

 

We'll just pay as you go except I may bring some ground coffee with me as I personally hate the brewed coffee they have on board.  For us it is the worst coffee we have ever had on a cruise.

That of course a personal taste thing. You may find the brewed coffee OK.

 

This comment does not apply to the espresso based drinks. They have always been great and we are OK paying for those as we go.

[DingoMom]

39 minutes ago, HSBC said:

I have All Included, this includes classic drink package.  Can I get soda (e.g Coke)?

Thanks!

Absolutely!

[leaveitallbehind]

52 minutes ago, HSBC said:

I have All Included, this includes classic drink package.  Can I get soda (e.g Coke)?

Thanks!

Note also that new bookings on Celebrity via the Always program no longer will include gratuities - just the classic beverage package and basic WIFI.  The elimination of gratuities is a very recent change.

[peterde]

29 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

At current prices none of the current packages work for us, we just don't drink enough of anything to have them make sense. They used to have a classic non-alcoholic package that worked for us but that was eliminated.

 

We'll just pay as you go except I may bring some ground coffee with me as I personally hate the brewed coffee they have on board.  For us it is the worst coffee we have ever had on a cruise.

That of course a personal taste thing. You may find the brewed coffee OK.

 

This comment does not apply to the espresso based drinks. They have always been great and we are OK paying for those as we go.

This intrigues me, so if I may ask, how would you prepare coffee from grounds on the ship?

[LB_NJ]

31 minutes ago, peterde said:

This intrigues me, so if I may ask, how would you prepare coffee from grounds on the ship?

There are lots of ways .

 

I will use Steep Sacks by the Republic of Tea to hold the grounds. Put into the cup and add hot water.

 

They are made for tea but they work just as well for coffee.

[kywildcatfanone]

1 hour ago, LB_NJ said:

They used to have a classic non-alcoholic package that worked for us but that was eliminated.

We don't buy a package and instead bring on the soda and water we want at ports and embarkation.  It's a slight hassle if you try to carry too much at once, but it's what I prefer over  buying onboard.

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

 

We'll just pay as you go except I may bring some ground coffee with me as I personally hate the brewed coffee they have on board.  For us it is the worst coffee we have ever had on a cruise.

That of course a personal taste thing. You may find the brewed coffee OK.

 

 

 We have found that the brewed coffee in the MDR, OVC, and Room Service is definitely not to our taste.  We do like the coffee we've been served in Blu and Luminae but for a quick cup of coffee in the room, I bring a ziplock bag with some freeze dried instant coffee.  When we want a cup of coffee instead of a cup of tea, I simply make a cup using that. 

 

https://japanesetaste.com/products/agf-maxim-freeze-dried-instant-coffee-170g

 

[peterde]

2 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

There are lots of ways .

 

I will use Steep Sacks by the Republic of Tea to hold the grounds. Put into the cup and add hot water.

 

They are made for tea but they work just as well for coffee.

Thank you. I always thought that water wasn’t hot enough to brew coffee. Glad I was wrong.