What's Better - Celebrity AI Then Upgrades or Cruise Only Then Premium Drink and Premium Access?

[JDSwim3]

Celebrity Equinox 7 night next year with several at-sea days, and a so-so port call where we'll likely stay aboard.

 

Going to splurge for the Premium Drink package, and my author wife will want Premium wi-fi (so may as well go Premium Access for the additional room service and reserve seating perks).

 

Will we be better off going AI and then upgrade, or just cruise only and purchase the 2 packages ahead of time?

 

Thanks!

Edited February 12 by JDSwim3

[leaveitallbehind]

Not an easy question to answer with any certainty. Both the AI prices and the al la carte package prices can vary by itinerary.  Without a booking in place, which would give you access to the cruise planner with current offered pricing for the beverage and internet packages, the only way to get a rough comparison would be to go to the Celebrity website to see what their advertised prices are for the packages.  Then determine desired stateroom category and whether you would book a non-refundable or refundable deposit fare, do mock bookings and do the math between AI and Std. fares for your cruise and add back the package prices to the Std. fares to compare. 

 

In or experience, the AI prices are typically better than the add-on to Std., but that my not necessarily always be the case.  They also may offer attractive pricing on board for the add-on packages, but you would obviously have to have already booked the Std. pricing to take advantage of that.  As a side note, the rough breakeven for any of the beverage packages is, depending on beverage choice, about 6 - 7 drinks per day per person.  Obviously that includes port of call days.

 

Another way to try to get a comparison is, if you are going to book through a travel agent, ask them to do it as they will have easy access to the different fares for your given itinerary and will also have the standard published prices for the packages.

 

BTW not a real fan of the premium access as I'm not sure of the true value for the cost. Just my opinion.

Edited February 12 by leaveitallbehind