Soft Drinks Package - QE2

[kevankiki]

Could someone tell me if the soft drinks package is still available on the QE2? ISTR reading somewhere that they had stopped doing it, but that may have been a thread about the QM2

 

MTIA

[pnhmrk]

Could someone tell me if the soft drinks package is still available on the QE2? ISTR reading somewhere that they had stopped doing it, but that may have been a thread about the QM2

 

MTIA

 

They were still offering it at the start of this month.

[Mixed Up]

What is it and is it available on the QM2? How much does it cost and what do you get?

 

Thanks.

[kevankiki]

Thanks pnhmrk, sounds promising being as we'll have a teen in tow, I plan to purchase this package for her.

 

I am not sure of the exact cost mixed up, I think it's $2.65 per day, you have to pay the charge for the remainder of the cruise but for that you get unlimited soft drinks from the bar. AFAIAA it's also available on the QM2, hopefully someone will be along in a minute to confirm.

[DaddyWarbucks]

You can get this at any bar. They put a sticker on your ID card. If you drink 2 soft drinks a day, you are ahead of the game. You can only get 1 drink at a time. this means if say your roommate also wants a softdrink, they have also to be on the plan or have the drink on their tab.

[kevankiki]

That's what I understood too, isn't it limited to soft drinks on tap as well? i.e. you can't order, say, bottled juice (J2O, etc)?

 

As I said, I plan to purchase this for our teen daughter so she can have as many soft drinks as she wishes... presumably I need to warn her not to sign for anything (assuming she can) because I've seen comments on here that people have been mistakenly charged for soft drinks despite purchasing the package.

[DaddyWarbucks]

They will still give you a bill to sign, it's required as part of their paperwork. But the total will be $0.00.

 

Then there is the matter of gratuities. Since 15% of $0 is $0. Do you tip the waiter? What I did in the dining room where we had the same wine steward bringing me the same sodas every night was to tip him at the end of our crossing.

[kevankiki]

They will still give you a bill to sign, it's required as part of their paperwork. But the total will be $0.00.

 

Then there is the matter of gratuities. Since 15% of $0 is $0. Do you tip the waiter? What I did in the dining room where we had the same wine steward bringing me the same sodas every night was to tip him at the end of our crossing.

 

I hadn't thought about tipping, surely there is a percentage added to the cost anyway (the amount paid per day for the package)? Surely they wouldn't expect a 14 year old to tip, or would they?

[DaddyWarbucks]

Not from the 14 year old but from the person paying the 14 year old's fare. From the viewpoint of the waiter, it's the same amount of fetching and delivering weather it is cash or beverage plan.

[pnhmrk]

Then there is the matter of gratuities. Since 15% of $0 is $0. Do you tip the waiter? What I did in the dining room where we had the same wine steward bringing me the same sodas every night was to tip him at the end of our crossing.

 

Don't they add the gratuities to the package price? I've never bought the package but I seem to remember reading that gratuities were added to the bill for that.

[kevankiki]

I'm a little confused... How is this going to work if we aren't with her? If she is with friends for example (assuming she makes some!), I assumed she would be able to order herself a soft drink in a situation like that. If we have to be present then there is no point in purchasing a package since water and juice can be picked up from the Lido anyway

[kevankiki]

Don't they add the gratuities to the package price? I've never bought the package but I seem to remember reading that gratuities were added to the bill for that.

That's what I would assume too, hence my confusion!

[pnhmrk]

I'm a little confused... How is this going to work if we aren't with her?

 

She will just "charge" her drinks to her cabin as normal - she won't be able to order as part of a round with someone else picking up the tab though. She might have to show her ID card to the bar staff until they get to know her (The bar staff didn't ask to see your card until we were on our last trip - then we were asked for it all the time. This is a new procedure they've introduced; have they kept it?).

[kevankiki]

She will just "charge" her drinks to her cabin as normal .

okay, that makes sense, and we'll have a load of $00.00 on the bill and a soft drinks package per day presumably?

 

What's confusing me is DaddyWarbucks claim that the waiter will expect a tip from the person paying my daughter's fare! I assume, like you seem to, that this is included in the package price, but if it isn't then how do we know who provided the service each time?

 

Unless he is 'fit' (or whatever the current word is today) then my daughter is not going to remember him :D

[pnhmrk]

The waiter will expect a tip from the person paying my daughter's fare!

 

As I've said I can't comment on people just buying with the soft drinks package, but I've never known bar stewards to solicit for an extra tip.

[Kindlychap]

I noted in the Daily Programme that the scheme is still running. It has to be bought for the whole cruise, and can only be bought on the first two days.

 

There is a service charge of 15% added to the cost of the package, so tipping is not an issue.

[kevankiki]

Thanks Kindlychap, for clearing up any confusion :)