Beverage Packages - Premium

[FunandSunPeeps]

Going on the Eclipse for a Christmas Cruise. Anyone ever tried the either of the inclusive beverage packages? Good? Bad? Any Opinions?

[jen&mike]

Never tried one yet but friends of our are getting premium packages for our Dec. cruise and we found there was a wealth of information in the sticky thread on top of the Celebrity page regarding beverage packages. Long read :eek::eek: but very helpful for them to make their decision. Sounds awesome:). Have a great cruise!

Jennifer

[judie43]

I had the premium on our last cruise and found it to be totally worth it. Not just for alcohol,but specialty coffees and teas. Not to mention the smoothies and bottled water. I will do it again,as soon as we book our next Celebrity cruise!

[Peaire]

We have just returned from a cruise on Celebrity Mercury. My Husband had the Premium Beverage Package, and we are both sold on it. For him, the cruise was "all inclusive", no bar bill at the end of the cruise. We would recommend it.

[Feelin' Nauti']

We have just returned from a cruise on Celebrity Mercury. My Husband had the Premium Beverage Package, and we are both sold on it. For him, the cruise was "all inclusive", no bar bill at the end of the cruise. We would recommend it.

Did you come out ahead? :D

[rayison]

I highly recommend the premium packages if you like good quality drinks. Here was a typical day for my wife and I.

 

Specialty coffee in the morning

She had 2 Patron margaritas and I had 2 Tanqueray 10 and tonics by the pool

We each had 1 drink before dinner. Usually a Martini at the Martini bar

We each had 2 glasses of wine with dinner

We usually had an after dinner drink.

 

So that is 6 to 7 drinks per day at an average of $10 per drink = $60 easily per day and that is before gratuity we would be added in the past. We more than came out ahead and had some wonderful drinks we would never have purchased without the package.

 

Another great thing is just walking up to any bar with your card, ordering a drink and not having to sign anything. We really liked the "all inclusive" feel of that.

 

Just think of it as an Alcoholic Excursion instead of a shore excursion...

[Lsimon]

Take a look at the "sticky" thread on the beverage packages at the top of the Celebrity forum on Cruise Critic. There is lots of information there.

 

My own opinion is that one has to drink an awful lot of what is offered in order to make the packages worthwhile. Some like the fact that they don't have to worry about a bill at the end of the cruise but I don't think it is worth the money for that. Others talk about convenience but I think their is no difference other than having to sign a check as opposed to being handed a receipt for zero dollars. And I think it is less convenient as room service is not included.

 

In the past even when we've racked up what I considered to be huge bar bills they just approached the price of the packages. And for us the packages wouldn't work in any event as a big portion of our bar tab is for wine by the bottle which is not included in the packages. While they have an OK selection of wine by the glass not all of it meets the $12 and under limit of the premium package. Also the wine by the glass selection pales in comparison to the large list of wine available by the bottle on the ship - and unlike a restaurant you don't have to finish the bottle in one sitting on the ship as they'll store it for you for another night. Lastly, a portion of our bar tab is usually from bottled water and other beverages purchased through room service or our stateroom mini-bar (prices are the same as other areas of the ship) and neither of these are included in the packages. So if you want a drink in your stateroom you'll have to head to a bar to pick up your drinks and then walk back to your room with them.

 

Like most other options on the ship, the beverage packages work for some but not for others. My advice is that if you are unsure wait until you board the ship to decide. You can buy the packages after checking things out and even buy them the second day at a prorated price if you want to take a day to decide.

[Snorkel2Much]

Take a look at the "sticky" thread on the beverage packages at the top of the Celebrity forum on Cruise Critic. There is lots of information there.

 

My own opinion is that one has to drink an awful lot of what is offered in order to make the packages worthwhile. Some like the fact that they don't have to worry about a bill at the end of the cruise but I don't think it is worth the money for that. Others talk about convenience but I think their is no difference other than having to sign a check as opposed to being handed a receipt for zero dollars. And I think it is less convenient as room service is not included.

 

In the past even when we've racked up what I considered to be huge bar bills they just approached the price of the packages. And for us the packages wouldn't work in any event as a big portion of our bar tab is for wine by the bottle which is not included in the packages. While they have an OK selection of wine by the glass not all of it meets the $12 and under limit of the premium package. Also the wine by the glass selection pales in comparison to the large list of wine available by the bottle on the ship - and unlike a restaurant you don't have to finish the bottle in one sitting on the ship as they'll store it for you for another night. Lastly, a portion of our bar tab is usually from bottled water and other beverages purchased through room service or our stateroom mini-bar (prices are the same as other areas of the ship) and neither of these are included in the packages. So if you want a drink in your stateroom you'll have to head to a bar to pick up your drinks and then walk back to your room with them.

 

Like most other options on the ship, the beverage packages work for some but not for others. My advice is that if you are unsure wait until you board the ship to decide. You can buy the packages after checking things out and even buy them the second day at a prorated price if you want to take a day to decide.

You bring an excellent point there. We generally don't spend a lot of time in our room in the evening during our "prime drinking time", so I hadn't factored that aspect in. If your room is a long hike from the nearest bar it could be a drag. Having said all that the Premium package worked well for me earlier this year and I intend to purchase another on our cruise in 8 days. :D

[p2lockhart]

I have been reading the sticky trying to evaluate what is most cost effective for us on our 7 day Solstice cruise. We have one day at sea followed by 3 ports, then 2 days at sea before we disembark. I am trying to figure out if we can just get the premium alcohol package for the the last 2 days at a prorated cost. Anyone know? Thanks!

Patti

[busdriver475]

this is from the FAQS on the celebrity web site

Can I purchase a beverage package for a portion of my cruise?

Subject: Beverage Packages

 

No, it must be purchased for the entire voyage. It can be purchased on board up until there are 2 nights left in the cruise and must be purchased for the remainder of the voyage.

[Feelin' Nauti']

Still can decide. I don’t know if it's worth it.

Not sure how much I'll drink since we have a very intense intinerary.

5 ports / 7 days

It would make it easier if they had a "family" plan.

 

I have read on previous posts when you purchase the package you have to do it for the entire cruise while other posts state you can buy it on board any day.

Which is correct? :confused:

[p2lockhart]

this is from the FAQS on the celebrity web site

Can I purchase a beverage package for a portion of my cruise?

Subject: Beverage Packages

 

No, it must be purchased for the entire voyage. It can be purchased on board up until there are 2 nights left in the cruise and must be purchased for the remainder of the voyage.

 

To me that means that I could not prepurchase before the cruise for only 2 nights but once on board (or perhaps on Friday morning or Thursday night of my 7 day cruise that ends on Sunday morning) I could purchase for the last two nights/remainder of the cruise. Does anyone else see it that way?

[amcco]

From Celebrity site....it can be purchased on board up until there are 2 nights left in the cruise and must be purchased for the remainder of the voyage.

 

So for example - if you just want to buy it for the last 2 nights you wait to buy it when you have 2 days left on the cruise. You cannot buy it for only the last 2 nights at the beginning of the cruise.

 

The clock starts ticking from when you buy the package kind of deal :)

[MattInFLL]

Exactly - you have up until the last two night to buy... and if you buy at the beginning, you can't just buy for a portion of the cruise - you buy for the remainder of the cruise. For me, it was a no-brainer. We are one day at sea and two days at ports I will probably not even get off the ship for, and on vacation I like to be up late and having a good time with my friends, so the premium package makes sense, especially since it includes red bull, specialty coffees, smoothies, bottled water etc. I know what my bar bills typically run, I know I will be OK. But that's me - you need to decide what works for you.

 

My partner has maybe one or two drinks a day, and usually a glass of wine - so it makes no sense for us both to get an alcohol package. But he loves his soda, virgin frozen drinks and premium water so the premium non-alcohol is a good fit for him.

 

I like the idea that there is no surprise at the end of the cruise when that invoice gets slipped under your door on the last day :)

[amcco]

That's if it can get slipped under your door ;) We were on a 4 day carnival cruise and some of the bills were so thick they couldn't fit under the door. I didn't want to see that total - lol.

 

We are doing the premium on Summit in February for the same reason as PP - lots of other types of premium drinks included in package and martini bar, and wine at dinner, and drinks before dinner, after dinner - you get the picture :D

[Feelin' Nauti']

Thanks for clarifying.

Think I'm leaning towards it now.

With all the drinking I'll be doing, I might just float away. :D

[p2lockhart]

Thanks to everyone for all of the assistance. Since I do not drink that much and can visit the Captains Club lounge from 4-6, I will wait until the last 2 days at sea to purchase the premium package.

 

Patti