Easy Plus Drink Package vs Premium Extra

[Susan in Maine]

Does anyone know how much more the Premium Extra package costs if you buy it before you sail?

 

Thank you!

 

Susan

[DaKahuna]

8 hours ago, Susan in Maine said:

Does anyone know how much more the Premium Extra package costs if you buy it before you sail?

 

 

This is the prices shown for our September 21st 7-day cruise on Seascape. 

 

[mvh]

On 6/7/2024 at 10:03 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

 

This is the prices shown for our September 21st 7-day cruise on Seascape. 

 

So EACH person in a room has to drink at least 8-9 cocktails or about 11-12 beers every day to break even with the Premium package? That's just crazy.  I love to drink on a cruise and I may hit 12 beers on one sea day, but every day is insane. That's not to mention getting a drink on shore. Definitely not worth it for most people. Here's to ya (and your liver), if you and your room mate actually save money buying a package. I can't wait for the response from the people saying " We do it every cruise and save money since we each drink 15-20 per day". I call BS, but you should be proud.

[mica178]

I'd imagine that if you were planning on mostly drinking "fancy" drinks that would ordinarily cost $14-15, then you'd only have to drink 6 drinks to cover your costs. Also, I think if you pre-purchase your package, there's a 15% discount, so then you're down to only needing to drink 5 fancy drinks per day. Which is still a lot according to the American Medical Association, but on vacation...

 

There's a reason most people who buy drink packages choose the Easy Plus. If you are mostly a beer and soda drinker, or if you're okay with well liquor, the math doesn't support purchasing the Premium Extra package.

 

Because I've already previously admitted that I'm a brat, I'll say that it's nice to not think about whether my drink is covered by my package and it's nice to try drinks without worrying if I'll like them or not. Certain conveniences are worth extra $$$ to me, even if they make less sense on a calculator.

Edited June 11 by mica178

[DaKahuna]

 

 I sail in the YC and it's included in the price I pay for my cabin, same with WiFi.  

 I enjoy my cocktails and wine with dinner and it's easy to have two glasses of wine with lunch, a couple of post lunch cocktails / soda's, two glasses of wine and maybe a glass of champagne with dinner, and a couple of post dinner cocktails.  

[Saint Paul]

5 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I sail in the YC and it's included in the price I pay for my cabin, same with WiFi.  

 I enjoy my cocktails and wine with dinner and it's easy to have two glasses of wine with lunch, a couple of post lunch cocktails / soda's, two glasses of wine and maybe a glass of champagne with dinner, and a couple of post dinner cocktails.  

You seem to have missed breakfast out.

[dbrown84]

3 hours ago, mvh said:

So EACH person in a room has to drink at least 8-9 cocktails or about 11-12 beers every day to break even with the Premium package? That's just crazy.  I love to drink on a cruise and I may hit 12 beers on one sea day, but every day is insane. That's not to mention getting a drink on shore. Definitely not worth it for most people. Here's to ya (and your liver), if you and your room mate actually save money buying a package. I can't wait for the response from the people saying " We do it every cruise and save money since we each drink 15-20 per day". I call BS, but you should be proud.

it would be very easy to cover the daily cost of the package with nowhere near that many drinks.  Johnny Walker Blue is $27 and Remy XO is $24.  a couple of doubles to go with my cigar and I've covered the daily price right there.  Then, I'm off to the casino until some ungodly hour.  so for those that get the premium package, they probably aren't planning on filling up on beers.

[mvh]

1 hour ago, dbrown84 said:

it would be very easy to cover the daily cost of the package with nowhere near that many drinks.  Johnny Walker Blue is $27 and Remy XO is $24.  a couple of doubles to go with my cigar and I've covered the daily price right there.  Then, I'm off to the casino until some ungodly hour.  so for those that get the premium package, they probably aren't planning on filling up on beers.

Problem is, it only goes up to $16. Now what? Still a bargain?

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Saint Paul said:

You seem to have missed breakfast out.

We love a mimosa and cappuccino with our breakfast (which we get with our beverage package)

[dbrown84]

9 minutes ago, mvh said:

Problem is, it only goes up to $16. Now what? Still a bargain?

Oh damn.  There I go for shooting my mouth off.....  I'm going on my first MSC cruise and didn't realize the upgraded package had a dollar limit.  I've only sailed NCL before, and their upgraded package includes everything with very few exceptions.  My bad 

[Laurab23]

47 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We love a mimosa and cappuccino with our breakfast (which we get with our beverage package)

Same here. One cappuccino and 2 mimosa. They even put my mimosa in a to go cup with a dome lid so I didn't spill it on my way to my room.

[DaKahuna]

6 hours ago, Saint Paul said:

You seem to have missed breakfast out.

 

 Bailey's and coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice... pretty basic stuff. 

 

[MyriamS]

On 6/7/2024 at 4:03 PM, DaKahuna said:

 

 

This is the prices shown for our September 21st 7-day cruise on Seascape. 

 

These are the prices I have for my early December cruise on World Europa (7 days Mediterranean):

Before you ask, I have no idea why each package appear twice with radically different pricing. There doesn't seem to be any difference when I click on Details.

 

287€ is about 309$ and 392€ is about 422$. I don't know if the price difference is due to the different market (I presume the Seascape cruise is in the Caribbean?) or due to booking through the US versus Germany website, but in any case, seems very steep. I wouldn't pay the American price on those drinks packages.

[nadge]

Apart from the convenience of having a drinks package, I think it depends on what you like to drink.

 

I was recently on the Euribia with an Easy-Plus package which was on promotion with the fare.

My main tipple is single malt whisky, and occsionally whiskey too. The easy-plus package has no single malts, and only the simplest Jim Beam included. As it happens I enjoy a cocktail or two so I managed, but if you want whisky then the Premium package is a necessity.
 

[CruisingFox27]

If I was choosing and paying, I would definitely opt for the Easy Plus. Our last 3 have included Premium with the booking or been YC. I still feel that we've had good value, it's not just the wine and cocktails, yes, we'd have 5 or 6 or more of those, especially on a sea day including wine with lunch but we'd order several coffees, soda and water during the day. Those all add up. Plus, the convenience of a package. 

[publicpersona]

Now that you can pay just the difference for drinks above the Easy Plus package level, I'd do that rather than a premium package. This is especially true for Ocean Cay time where no premium drinks are available on the island.

[alserrod]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:09 PM, mvh said:

So EACH person in a room has to drink at least 8-9 cocktails or about 11-12 beers every day to break even with the Premium package? That's just crazy.  I love to drink on a cruise and I may hit 12 beers on one sea day, but every day is insane. That's not to mention getting a drink on shore. Definitely not worth it for most people. Here's to ya (and your liver), if you and your room mate actually save money buying a package. I can't wait for the response from the people saying " We do it every cruise and save money since we each drink 15-20 per day". I call BS, but you should be proud.

 

 

No, he hasn't

 

He has to drink a several number of Premium drinks.

If just single cocktails or single beers it is enough with Easy Pack.

 

You can always consider Easy Pack and paying differences on Premium drinks