Confused by the new "Princess Circle" Premier Beverage Package artical

Just returned from 28 days on Emerald Princess. There was indeed a 15 drink (alcoholic drinks) limit before they started charging for drinks. I drink more than most and I found 15 drinks to be a more than adequate amount. I don't think many people (myself included) will have a problem staying within the limit.

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We watched in Wheelhouse and when they enter your card number or slide your card the screen shows your cabin number and also the number of drinks you have purchased on that day. They do keep track.

Indeed, this is another Carnival Brand Infection. A few months ago I was on my first Carnival cruise and befriended a group that hung out at the Alchemy Bar. Everyone seemed to have the beverage package which limits alcohol consumption to 15 drinks. The Point of Sale system is designed to list and count the 15 drinks served. At drink 13, the guest is warned they are at 13, so they know they have two drinks left. At 15 drinks, they are cut off and cannot even purchase more alcohol. The loophole, as I was told by a 30-something that could hold his liquor, was to --at drink 13-- visit a particular bar where you could buy a punch-bowl-sized brew sure to do anyone in.

This was a 14 day cruise, and the majority of the people in our group at the bar were couples in their 40's on up. There were some nights where a few got the warning at 13, but no one I remember was cut off. Point is, Thrak is correct: even heavy drinkers may find it hard to reach that limit.

Now that Princess has the software on their POS systems to handle the drink limit, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a gradual shift towards the Carnival drink policy. So here's a few more observations:

There's a least a minimum five minute time limit between ordering drinks.

Doubles are not permitted, even if the price of a double is below the max drink price.

Guests using the beverage package cannot buy drinks for other guests even if the other guest has the drink package too.

Again, these are practices observed on Carnival and not Princess. However, it's my guess that in a few years, this will be policy on Princess.

 

Guests using the beverage package cannot buy drinks for other guests even if the other guest has the drink package too.

 

Again, these are practices observed on Carnival and not Princess. However, it's my guess that in a few years, this will be policy on Princess.

Just curious about this observation. What exactly do you mean?

On Princess, we have both had the AIPB, and one of us would take both cruisecards up to the bar and order 2 drinks and take them both back to where we were sitting. Sometimes there were not enough roaming waiters so we found it easier to do this.

Is this practise not permitted on Carnival? I'm asking because I agree with you that the policies will likely creep thru the brands and this particular policy change would be a bit annoying for us given the recent reduction in numbers of roaming waiters and the time it takes them to get drinks at the busy bars!

Thanks!

Just curious about this observation. What exactly do you mean?

 

On Princess, we have both had the AIPB, and one of us would take both cruisecards up to the bar and order 2 drinks and take them both back to where we were sitting. Sometimes there were not enough roaming waiters so we found it easier to do this.

 

Is this practise not permitted on Carnival? I'm asking because I agree with you that the policies will likely creep thru the brands and this particular policy change would be a bit annoying for us given the recent reduction in numbers of roaming waiters and the time it takes them to get drinks at the busy bars!

Thanks!

Specifically what I mean is that one evening, when someone in our group sitting at the bar was coming close to the limit, I pulled my card out and said to the bartender: "Put the next one on my card," since I also had the equivalent to the drink package and was nowhere near my limit. The bartender discretely shook his head "no" and said they are not allowed to do that.

What you described, where half of a couple would order drinks for both was fine, provided that both cards were present, since both cards were swiped, one for each drink.

Thanks, Thrak for posting the whole set. Yes, I am "one of those" who can't be bothered to click through.

Only one beverage is allowed per passenger per order (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).

And just saying, but i hate the "no doubles" rule. I suppose i can wait five minutes and solve that problem. And yes, i recognize that this solution would also apply to my first complaint above, but for some reason i am less willing to forgive that one.

It has already been posted that Princess refunded purchases of the "Unlimited" package for cruises where they now offer Premium, then allowed pax to purchase the new "Premium" package.

 

I don't think even Judge Judy would touch this case.

I have never seen this reported anywhere, On the Princess website it stated that those who already had the package by buying or through a "sip and sail" promo would keep the pricing but go under the new restrictions (15 drink a day etc.)

I am sailing in early December and my personalizer still shows the plan.

Thanks, Thrak for posting the whole set. Yes, I am "one of those" who can't be bothered to click through.

 

I will be unhappy if this rule is applied to my Diet Coke with a shot of whiskey. I doubt that it would be, but still...

 

And just saying, but i hate the "no doubles" rule. I suppose i can wait five minutes and solve that problem. And yes, i recognize that this solution would also apply to my first complaint above, but for some reason i am less willing to forgive that one.

Whiskey and Coke is a "mixed drink" and there is no issue getting those.

Yep. My wife spotted Alaskan Amber on display at one of the pool bars. (Emerald had just returned from Alaska.) She asked the bartender and he said he still had some left. We got unopened bottles to take to the cabin. (Of course he was one of the bartenders who was familiar with me... :o)

Same with us, we were on The Island Princess, Panama Canal cruise was their first one after Alaska and we got to know the bartender and he gave us once in awhile a bucket of Alaskan Amber, he said it looked good on his drink report that he was promoting/selling the rest of the Alaskan beer, I ended up drinking about 30 of them in 19 days. We took the ones left back to the cabin.

I personally believe that Princess will NOT be able to legally enforce the change of terms from UNLIMITED to PREMIUM. If you bought and paid for the UNLIMITED package, Princess is legally obligated to honor that. If Princess refuses to honor it, that is a breach of contract.

 

Of course, Princess will go ahead and charge your credit card. You can then sue Princess in Small Claims Court for its breach of contract. You should prevail.

You will not prevail.The Terms and Conditions always said they may be changed without notice.

For extreme clarity and also for those will not go back to Princess and actually click the link suggested, below is a cut and paste from the main "Gifts and Services" menu:

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Premier Beverage Package Our Premier Beverage Package is a great value! Enjoy a wide array of cocktails, wine, beer, bottled water, specialty coffee, smoothies, fountain sodas and more for just $59.99 USD^ per day ($68.99 per day with a 15% service charge included). There are also non-alcoholic and coffee packages available.

View full terms & conditions.

 

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Please note that there is a link at the bottom to "View full terms and conditions". If you click on that link you will find the limitations. Below is a cut and paste of those terms and conditions: (The text that is bold, italicized, and red was altered - in those ways only - by me to provide emphasis and ease of location by the casual reader.

 

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The Premier Beverage Package

Terms & Conditions 2017

The Premier Beverage Package is offered at $59.99 USD per day plus a 15% service charge (totaling $68.99 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. For all Australia-based vessels, the package is available $86.99 AUD per day. Pre-purchased package pricing is converted at the applicable currency conversion rate from the US base price, is subject to fluctuation and may vary from onboard pricing. The full amount due for the complete voyage will be charged at the time of purchase.


Your Premier Beverage Package includes:

All beer, wine by the glass and cocktails $12.00 USD and under as listed on our menu(s) or $16.00 AUD and under for ships based in Australia

 

• Bottled water (500ml only)
  
• Fountain sodas, fresh juices ( if available), specialty coffees and teas, Red Bull energy drinks
  
• Gong Cha items (if available) 

  
• Frappe’s at Coffee & Cones
  
• Smoothies and milk shakes (if available) 

  
• Enjoy the convenience of your beverage package on our Private Islands and all food and beverage venues that offer beverage service
  

The package includes an extra 25% discount on the following items that are otherwise excluded from the package:

 

• All bottles of wine 

  
• One-liter bottles of water (if dining at a specialty venue, a large one-liter bottle of water, still or sparkling, is covered by the package)

  
• Canned soda, and bottled juices 

  

Purchase information and package details and qualifications:

Guests must purchase the Premier Beverage Package for every day of sailing. Partial or prorated packages or segments will not be accepted. 


The package may be pre-purchased up to 4 days prior to boarding the vessel. It is not available for pre-purchase within 3 days of sailing but is offered on board on embarkation day. It is not sold after embarkation day. 


Package sales are final within 3 days of sailing or once purchased on board.

The package is NOT available for voyages of fewer than 7 nights for Australia-based itineraries, or voyages 2 nights or under for all other itineraries. 


Please note that age restrictions will apply for purchases of the Premier Beverage Package. 


Terms and Conditions

Alcoholic drinks are limited to 15 beverages per 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.) Alcoholic drinks requested above the daily limits are at the discretion of the shipboard management and crew and charged at regular menu prices. Non-alcoholic drinks do NOT have this limitation, nor do they count towards this maximum. 


Only one beverage is allowed per passenger per order (alcoholic or non-alcoholic).

Items selected that exceed the $12.00 USD or $16.00 AUD price are charged at full menu price. Alcoholic drinks requested above the daily limits are at the discretion of the shipboard management and crew and charged at regular menu prices 


Packages may not be shared and are non-transferable and non-refundable. 


Guests that pre-purchased the All-Inclusive Beverage Package prior to September 21, 2017 or that took advantage of the 2017 Sip + Sail promotion will have terms and conditions of the Premier Beverage Package apply.

Exclusions and Limitations:

Please note that there are some exclusions from the Premier Beverage Package: Bottled spirits or bottled wine or any items offered in retail venues or shops on board. Beverages offered via self-service or vending machines. Souvenir glassware is excluded but is available for the additional charge of the glass only. 


The Premier Beverage Package cannot be combined with other programs, promotions, onboard specials, or events, such as: group or charter events, room service items, minibar items, special or private events such as cocktail parties, wedding receptions or similar functions, wine tastings, chefs tables, buckets of beer, buy one get one type offers, specialty dining cover charges, food items for sale such as ice-cream etc. 


Pricing is subject to change without notice, and for vessels designated in a foreign currency packages purchased in advance may vary from onboard pricing due to timing and currency fluctuations. Guests will NOT incur additional charges, nor be issued any credits or refunds for such currency variances.

Not all exclusions or limitations can be foreseen or published here and may exist or be implemented without notice.

Shipboard management reserves the right to add additional restrictions, revoke or cancel the Premier Beverage Package at any point during a guest’s voyage for any reason with or without a prorated refund. Additional actions may be taken if guests:

 

• Become intoxicated 

  
• Provide beverages to the other guests or do not comply with the terms, conditions and limitations of the package
  
• Exhibit behavior that is inappropriate, a safety risk to themselves or others, or become offensive or disruptive to the other cruise guests or staff
  
• Exceed or attempt to circumvent the daily limits and service limitations outlined 

  

Princess Cruises may modify, amend or update the terms and conditions of our beverage packages at any time with our without notice to guests. The terms and conditions as published on princess.com on the date of sailing will apply.

That last bit of red is what really burns me.....:mad::mad::mad:

Bob

That last bit of red is what really burns me.....:mad::mad::mad:

 

Bob

It actually pleased me greatly because I was able to get better wine and bubbly in Vines (Silverado Cab and Mirabelle Brut) because the new package increases the drinks included to $12 from $10.

Specifically what I mean is that one evening, when someone in our group sitting at the bar was coming close to the limit, I pulled my card out and said to the bartender: "Put the next one on my card," since I also had the equivalent to the drink package and was nowhere near my limit. The bartender discretely shook his head "no" and said they are not allowed to do that.

 

What you described, where half of a couple would order drinks for both was fine, provided that both cards were present, since both cards were swiped, one for each drink.

Awesome! Thanks for replying!!

It actually pleased me greatly because I was able to get better wine and bubbly in Vines (Silverado Cab and Mirabelle Brut) because the new package increases the drinks included to $12 from $10.

I agree. The new package at the old price seems like a pretty good deal to me. But then I don't buy bottles of wine when the glasses of wine are already included in my package, I don't drink cans of pop (or any pop), I am fine with small bottles of water as long as I can have as many as I want, and I would never reach the 15 a day drink maximum so I guess there is not much about the changes that upsets me. :D

The Premier Beverage Package cannot be combined with other programs, promotions, onboard specials, or events, such as: group or charter events, room service items, minibar items, special or private events such as cocktail parties, wedding receptions or similar functions, wine tastings, chefs tables, buckets of beer, buy one get one type offers, specialty dining cover charges, food items for sale such as ice-cream etc

Does anyone know, now that the premium package has been instituted, if it can be used at the PES event / evening cocktail happy hour? I like the nibbles and atmosphere, I really just don't like the new drink selection, though.

The Premier Beverage Package cannot be combined with other programs, promotions, onboard specials, or events, such as: group or charter events, room service items, minibar items, special or private events such as cocktail parties, wedding receptions or similar functions, wine tastings, chefs tables, buckets of beer, buy one get one type offers, specialty dining cover charges, food items for sale such as ice-cream etc

 

 

 

 

Does anyone know, now that the premium package has been instituted, if it can be used at the PES event / evening cocktail happy hour? I like the nibbles and atmosphere, I really just don't like the new drink selection, though.

During our recent Emerald cruise I frequently used the Premium drink package at the nightly PES event with no issues. The only problem I had was occasionally I would run into a bartender would would insist that he had to open my beer. This was not consistent.

Just off Emerald Princess with the PBP. The only time drinks showed up on our folio was when it was an error. A few times I ordered a drink while in the Princess Theater and the waiter got them from the casino bar. Each time I ended up being charged for the drink and had to go to Passenger Services to have the charge removed. My wife was charged when she ordered a pint of Newcastle at one of the pool bars. I asked about it in Wheelhouse and was told that the package doesn't include pints - only bottles of beer. I asked the beverage manager about it as the package clearly states all beverages up to $12 (with the noted exception of large bottles of water and cans of soda which are clearly spelled out) and he said that he wasn't aware of the issue and that it was an error and he would take care of it. About 30 minutes later I was in Wheelhouse when a memo was handed around to staff regarding the issue. After that there was never an issue with getting a pint of draft beer.

 

Note: I approached the beverage manager in a calm and respectful way and made sure to tell him I had no issue with any of the staff and felt there was merely a miscommunication. I didn't act like the "angry passenger". He agreed with me that was the case and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. Later one of the bar staff in Crooner's (Juliet) made a big point of telling my wife what a great person I was for the way I approached the issue and the way I handled it. (I didn't think I did anything special.) Apparently people tend to take things out on the bar staff and complain about things beyond the control of the staff and she was so very happy that I wasn't angry or nasty about the minor issue. It's sad that people will mistreat the crew members who definitely work so hard to make the passengers feel welcome and treat them so nicely even though you know they must sometimes not be feeling well or have personal problems. Having worked with "the public" and also with IT support with the state I know that sometimes you just want to smack somebody upside the head and yell at them but one must always smile, be polite, and take care of the issue as nicely as possible. It's not easy dealing with people sometimes and when they are abusive or angry it's very difficult. I have never had a single problem with any Princess crew member. They are to be commended for the patience they show with some of the passengers.

We were on that cruise with you (and what an unbelievably fabulous cruise it was!!!). :hearteyes::hearteyes::hearteyes:

The crew was absolutely wonderful but I have to say I found some of the passengers to be really rude and abusive to some of the crew.

That was our only negative on the cruise.

And to put to rest some of the rumors above -

We had the Sip and Sail and received it before the price increase and we did NOT have to pay more to keep it.

Also, many times I took both my card and my husbands and ordered two drinks (I called myself "room service".)

Also, several times I ordered a bottle of water with my drink and never had a problem getting both at the same time.

Thanks Karen...for the comment about bottled water...as on our last few sailings I always grab a bottled water with my alcoholic drink.

Funny thing with this new limit I will probably drink more.......;p

Just returned from a 5day Cabo San Lucas trip was very disappointed in the beverage package. They where including non alcoholic drinks in my daily limit of 15 drinks and bar manager didn’t refund anything. Their bar system didn’t recognize a coke from a corona any time my card was swiped it tallied a drink. I spoke with the bar manager and she looked into it and found me correct but at this point it was the next day and pointless. Has anyone else experienced this issue, should I email the company?

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Just returned from a 5day Cabo San Lucas trip was very disappointed in the beverage package. They where including non alcoholic drinks in my daily limit of 15 drinks and bar manager didn’t refund anything. Their bar system didn’t recognize a coke from a corona any time my card was swiped it tallied a drink. I spoke with the bar manager and she looked into it and found me correct but at this point it was the next day and pointless. Has anyone else experienced this issue, should I email the company?

 

 

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I just took a look at the Premier Beverage Package on the Princess Website. It's dated 2018. Under Terms and Conditions, the following is the first of the Terms and Conditions:

• Alcoholic drinks are limited to 15 beverages per 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Alcoholic drinks requested above the daily limits are at the discretion of the shipboard management and crew and charged at regular menu prices. Non-alcoholic drinks do not have this limitation, nor do they count towards this maximum.