Anniversary package - worth the $?

[BDL]

My husband and I will be in an AE on Pride of America for our 30th anniversary. The Anniversary package is $79 and we're wondering if it is worth it. The AE gets wine on embarkation already - will we get the AE bottle along with the Anniv package bottle? We could do without the cake party, but the photo and Bistro dinner would be nice. What is the surcharge in the Bistro? Do you know if we can order the Bistro meal in our suite?

Thanks for any info.

Barb

[CC Help Michell]

My husband and I will be in an AE on Pride of America for our 30th anniversary. The Anniversary package is $79 and we're wondering if it is worth it. The AE gets wine on embarkation already - will we get the AE bottle along with the Anniv package bottle? We could do without the cake party, but the photo and Bistro dinner would be nice. What is the surcharge in the Bistro? Do you know if we can order the Bistro meal in our suite?

Thanks for any info.

Barb

 

Hi, Barb!

 

I started to answer this this morning with my usual reply -- which is that this package is SO worth it! Compared to other packages on other lines this is an amazing deal. But I'm not sure how it would work with a suite. I think that since suite pax can have all specialty restaurant meals delivered for en suite dining, you should be okay -- but I wasn't sure (our first suite is still about 14 months away)! Since nobody had replied to you yet, I decided to at least add that much!

 

The surcharge is, I think, $25 - $30 for Le Bistro (believe it was $25 last summer). Take that x 2, add a bottle of champagne (even no-name bubbly), a bottle of wine with the Le Bistro dinner, choco-strawberries, canapes, a photo, and the champagne and cake party, and you can see why this package gets consistently high marks and recommendations on the NCL boards.

 

To pay it forward, if you do book this, let me know how the en suite dining worked for you in an AE! That's what we have booked on the Dawn in April of '09!

[msginny]

Hi. Recently returned from 2/9 cruise and the surcharge was $40.

On embarkation day they were offering half price.

 

Happy anniversary :)

[BDL]

MichellP - Thanks for the info. I will definitely let you know how the en suite dining in the AE works out. I think DH is hoping we can eat in every night! He is afraid after the AE I'll never be happy in a regular balcony cabin again! I told him every 5 years we should splurge. Last time was for our 25th on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas. It sounds like NCL has a lot better perks for the suite though.

 

We had an upsell offer to an AA yesterday. I turned it down. For the money they were asking it will pay for our bar bill, tours, souveneirs, meals pre and post cruise and then some.. I'm happy (actually very very excited) about the AE.

 

msginny - Thanks for the anniversary wishes. Was the $40 per person or total for two? Either way it sounds like the anniversary package is probably well worth it.

[whale-watcher]

We were just on the POAM in AE cabins last month, and the en-suite dining was a really nice perk...especially since there is such a comfortable dining table on the balcony. Not sure about ordering from the speicality restaurants, but our butler did bring us the menu from the main dining room every day. We also enjoyed the full breakfast option in the mornings (really nice when you have a busy port schedule).

 

You will receive one bottle of sparkling wine in your stateroom on embarkation already, but there is nothing wrong with a second bottle to enjoy later in the cruise (for example...during the NaPali coast sailby).

[msginny]

Barb, It was per person. Double the price of most of the other surcharge restaurants. Can't comment on the food as we didn't eat there, but it always looked quite full.

[dougweaver]

Are they still offering the Wine & Dine package on the POAM? They used to have a 5 day plan for about $225 to $250 that we were interested in. Thanks dpw

[BDL]

Barb, It was per person. Double the price of most of the other surcharge restaurants. Can't comment on the food as we didn't eat there, but it always looked quite full.

 

 

Sounds like the $79 Anniversary package really is well worth the money. I think I'll order it.

Thanks!

Barb

[beachchick]

Hi. Recently returned from 2/9 cruise and the surcharge was $40.

On embarkation day they were offering half price.

 

Happy anniversary :)

 

Wow, they've really bumped up the surcharge for Le Bistro. It was $20/person. Doubling it seems rather extreme. We don't care for the menu, so no biggie for us, but I know many people love it. They'll be disappointed to know how much more it is.:( C'est la vie. It does make the $79 Anniversary package an even better bargain now.

 

beachchick