Evaluating a beverage package? Here is a beverage list with prices, as of mid-2010.

[Gudenau1]

i still figured it out though. it was a good spreadsheet

[jimzgoldfinch]

This isn't accurate - I'm sailing out of Barcelona in May and I've pre-purchased 2 premium packages.

 

Hi,

My original post should have said "If you are sailing out of Spain and remaining in EU waters....."

 

I believe your cruise will either visit Croatia or Turkey who are not members of EU.

 

Jim

[dblane]

We canceled our Beverage Package before sailing and never regretted the decision. We decided to just order whatever we wanted and see if we spent more or less than the package. We spent LOTS less.

What we observed.

You could get a good Merlot or Pino Noir in the dining room for 8.50 a glass.

We got a glass of wine at the Cova Cafe before dinner and took it with us into the dining room to finish with dinner. Then maybe ordered another glass in the dining room. We did buy 3 Captain Choice Wine Bottles for 130.00 or so. They would save the remaining wine if you didn't finish the bottle to be used at a later date. Didn't see much advantage to buying bottles. Not being a wine expert, we were satisfied with the wines offered.

 

The fresh orange juice was easily obtained the first several days in the Buffet area when you walked in.....then that display disappeared after several days and I don't knw how folks got their fresh juice..maybe it was available where the coffee etc. was but I didn't see it. Maybe you had to go down to the Aqua area and get it???????

 

Not many bars opened during the day. Cova Cafe, the Pool Bar. We didn't drink during the port intensified cruise days during the daytime. I saw the menu of drinks somewhere here on Cruise Critic and several of my chosen drinks were not available. The 11.50 Pino Noir wasn't available on the main dining room menu.

 

I'm sure the younger crowd stayed up much later than we did and had more drinking opportunities and then the card might be a good deal. I would have been very disappointed if we had the card and think we made a very profitable decision not to have it and just drink what we wanted....not that we had to drink to "get our money's worth".

 

On the Solstice Class ships there is bar in the buffet area where we could get the fresh squeezed OJ. There is a charge for it. We also enjoyed the specialty coffees each morning and on sea days in the after noon in the cafe while reading. I am not a great water drinker but found the Pelligrino fuzzy water to my liking and had a lg bottle each day. A cold coke zero often hit the spot. It isn't just alcohol that is included in the classic or premium packages, when you add all the other things to a couple of martinis a day, a glass of wine with dinner, a martini or foofoo drink at the show, and a beer or two or foofoo drink outside on the pooldeck, it starts to add up. It was so relaxing to not worry about how high the account would be, because it was already paid for. Sure Celebrity made some money on us, but we loved the freedom.

Edited March 20, 2011 by dblane

[Feelin' Nauti']

Can you switch packages after you purchase them?

DH thinks he will be fine with the Classic but not sure after he sees me drinking martinis. :D He might change his mind.

(I'm ordering the premium for myself :p)

[dmk]

Can you switch packages after you purchase them?

 

DH thinks he will be fine with the Classic but not sure after he sees me drinking martinis. :D He might change his mind.

(I'm ordering the premium for myself :p)

 

Yes' date=' you can:)[/color']

[Feelin' Nauti']

Yes, you can

Thanks!

 

Wasn't to sure.

 

I just purchased the packages. :D

Can't wait.

:p

 

The fine print states --

Ordered packages may be modified up to four days prior to sailing by canceling and reordering the package.

Cancellations or refunds will not be issued onboard the vessel after embarkation day.

[Sammy]

Sure!

 

Drink spreadsheet

 

Thank you, Jobeth! Whew, some things appear to have changed. I hope I have time to scour this board and get up-to-speed. No fresh orange juice? Geez. Would it be available in the dining room for breakfast? In the MDR on formal nights, do you still see as many tuxes on the men? We're more "traditional" cruisers, I suppose you'd say.

 

I see you're leaving soon! Will look forward to your report

[suz56]

Thank you, Jobeth! Whew, some things appear to have changed. I hope I have time to scour this board and get up-to-speed. No fresh orange juice? Geez. Would it be available in the dining room for breakfast? In the MDR on formal nights, do you still see as many tuxes on the men? We're more "traditional" cruisers, I suppose you'd say.

 

I see you're leaving soon! Will look forward to your report

 

 

We had fresh squeezed oj or grapefruit in concierge class on the room service breakfast menu. I saw many tuxes in the Olympic restaurant—even when it wasn't formal night.

[dmk]

The fine print states --

Ordered packages may be modified up to four days prior to sailing by canceling and reordering the package.

Cancellations or refunds will not be issued onboard the vessel after embarkation day.

 

Even though the print says that they allowed purchasers to cancel up to 2 days after purchase. Then' date=' they just prorated what you had drunk in those 2 days.[/color']

[BRUCENLYNN]

Can someone tell me where to find the smoothies on the Constellation?

 

Thank you~

[Sammy]

Thank you! There has been such a trend away from traditional dining and dress in many lines so that is good to hear.

[slipslopslap]

Yes, the purchase goes to your On Board account and the OBC is applied.:)

 

I have just purchased a classic package ready for our cruise next week and we had to pay upfront by credit card so the package is paid for before you board and not added to your account

[slipslopslap]

Yes, you can:)

 

I think you should be careful to answer questions people ask only when you are sure you know the answer and not just answer anything for the sake of it, as it seems to me, looking at your reply's you know nothing as you are telling people the wrong thing :mad:

[2blueyam]

I have just purchased a classic package ready for our cruise next week and we had to pay upfront by credit card so the package is paid for before you board and not added to your account

 

DMK's response dated March 19th, 2011 10:31 PM was to a question about purchasing the package once on board. In that case the charge will go onto your on board account and you can use OBC to pay for it. As you discovered, you can not pre-purchase the drink packages and use OBC to pay for them.

[BRUCENLYNN]

Just cancel the drink package and purchase it again when you get on board, at which time, it will come from your OBC.

[slipslopslap]

Just cancel the drink package and purchase it again when you get on board, at which time, it will come from your OBC.

 

At the beginning of this thread people were saying they purchased on day 1 on board but in addition to the 15% service charge they were also charged Tax. They were departing from An American port.

[BRUCENLYNN]

At the beginning of this thread people were saying they purchased on day 1 on board but in addition to the 15% service charge they were also charged Tax. They were departing from An American port.

 

Yes, that happened to us in NJ. However, if you wait until the ship sails from the port it won't be a problem, or, you can purchase the package while in port but ask the bartender to enter the purchase after the ship sails. They will do this for you to avoid the sales tax.

[dmk]

I think you should be careful to answer questions people ask only when you are sure you know the answer and not just answer anything for the sake of it, as it seems to me, looking at your reply's you know nothing as you are telling people the wrong thing :mad:

 

Excuse me???

I had an OBC of $550 on my ONBOARD account from which I paid for a drink package "WHILE" on the cruise.

I would read a bit more carefully before passing judgement in such a strong manner.

It was not called for!!!

Edited March 23, 2011 by dmk

[durberville]

I'm sorry but I'm still confused about the beverage packages. If I wanted to order a pot of coffee to have on my balcony in the morning - no food.....would I be charged for that coffee since it seems that room service beverages aren't included?

 

Also....are the espresso based coffees available in the MDR during mealtimes?

[Sammy]

Whoaa...that wasn't very nice, especially since DMK's reply was correct. A good cruise will fix us all up though :D

[C&F]

I may have missed this, but are smoothies and coffees such as espresso and cappucino on the Classic Card?

Also, does anyone know if Celebrity ships (Summit) carry Blue Moon Ale?

[clickmichelle]

If I wanted to order a pot of coffee to have on my balcony in the morning - no food.....would I be charged for that coffee since it seems that room service beverages aren't included?

 

Also....are the espresso based coffees available in the MDR during mealtimes?

 

Regular coffee you can get anywhere (MDR, buffet, room service) with no additional charge, no matter if you have a drink package of any sort.

 

You can order espresso-based coffee drinks in the MDR. They will be additional cost (or the appropriate package will cover them) but it's very possible you might wait a while for them to arrive.

[durberville]

Regular coffee you can get anywhere (MDR, buffet, room service) with no additional charge, no matter if you have a drink package of any sort.

 

You can order espresso-based coffee drinks in the MDR. They will be additional cost (or the appropriate package will cover them) but it's very possible you might wait a while for them to arrive.

 

Ah...thanks. We intend to purchase the Premium Non-Alcoholic package. I guess we can stop off at the coffee bar (Cova??) before going into breakfast and after dinner, don't want to make anybody run to get them. (love my espresso and cappucinnos :))

[luv2camp04]

Excuse me???

 

I had an OBC of $550 on my ONBOARD account from which I paid for a drink package "WHILE" on the cruise.

 

I would read a bit more carefully before passing judgement in such a strong manner.

 

 

 

It was not called for!!!

 

Wow, didn't mean to cause a stink with my question, but thanks DMK for your response again. You did answer my question exactly the way I asked it. I appreciate your help to this cruise newbie!!!

 

Kelly

[dblane]

What I liked about the drink packages was that I could get what I wanted, when I wanted it, and as many times as I wanted it. Before I was always adding the dollar signs up in my head. Now I just hand my card to the bar attendant, no receipts to sign or keep track of, and he brings my drink and my card back to me. I love it!:D