Would you purchase a drink package?

[cheeky_minx]

Hiya

I voted yes.

 

While I cannot say whether it will in fact work out to be value for money for us, it will at the very least be convenient - I will know exactly what my on board account will be and no worries during the cruise whether I have over indulged or not - I'm on holidays and can just relax !

 

If I feel like a glass of wine with lunch or a pre dinner drink or a cocktail at the show, I can !

 

Sailing on the Indy in November - will let you know how I get on ...

 

Jane

[Philly Steve]

Beer drinkers should take advantage of the first day package that includes the carrying case bag. They go fast! ;)

[atlgants]

This is the first I have heard of a beer/wine package! Do they offer that on the NOS European itinerary?

[lnuzzo]

Our bar tab for 4 nights on the Majesty last month was almost $550 for 2 of us, so I would say that we would definately be interested if RCCL made it an option. We did get the water package, but only drank about 1/2 of our package :-(

[Moeve]

This is the first I have heard of a beer/wine package! Do they offer that on the NOS European itinerary?

 

No they are currently still testing it on 2 or 3 ships. It has not yet been introduced fleet or world wide.

[subtchr]

Beer drinkers should take advantage of the first day package that includes the carrying case bag. They go fast! ;)

 

My understanding is that this is no longer offered on any of RC's ships.

 

I cannot find pricing for the wine packages? My cruise is too far out so it does not allow you to even get pricing? So how much is it for a 7 day cruise for the gold package? Do you get all the wines listed or do you choose one per day?

 

The wine package that I believe you are referring to is priced for a given number of bottles of wine, not per glass or per day. They are priced at a discount from buying the bottles individually, depending on which wine you choose from the various lists (Gold, platinum, etc.). Obviously, the more expensive wine you choose, the bigger your discount.

 

The type of package this thread is discussing is a set price per day for unlimited drinks of varying types, including house wines by the glass, and it is only available on a test basis on three ships at the present time.

 

We had the drinks package on Celebrity Equinox last year and it worked out really well for us. We are a group of 4, the 2 men had the beer package and my friend had the frozen drinks one, I did not have a package - reason being I like an odd beer occasionally and then a gin & tonic before dinner and a glass of wine with food so no package would work for me. There was no requirement for me to take a package because my husband had one. I can see that this could be abused though with drinks sharing but it worked well for us and we would definitely do the same again.

 

I am confused about your description of the Celebrity packages. From my understanding, X does not have "beer" packages, or "frozen drinks" packages, they have classic or premium alcoholic or non-alcoholic packages that build on each other as they increase in price, like this:

 

Classic Non-Alcoholic - In addition to enjoying your favorite Coca Cola can and fountain sodas selections such as Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange and Coke Zero, you may also enjoy fresh squeezed and bottled juices, Premium Coffees and Teas and Non-Premium Bottled Water. $14/day

 

Premium Non-Alc - Enjoy nearly our entire selection of sodas selections on board including all canned and fountain soft drinks from Coca Cola, Premium Bottled Water from Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino, Specialty Coffees and Teas, Non-Alcoholic Frozen Drinks and Smoothies, Red Bull Energy Drink and Specialty Waters from Vitamin Water. $18/day

 

Classic Package - Upgrade your cruise experience and pay one price to enjoy all of the benefits of our Classic Non-Alcoholic package as well as all Beers up to $5 per serving and spirits, cocktails and wines by the glass up to $8 per serving. $44/day

 

Premium Package - For the ultimate in value and convenience, our premium package provides all the benefits of our Premium Non-Alcoholic Package. In addition, you can enjoy our entire selection of Beers as well as Spirits, Cocktails and Wines by the Glass up to $12 per serving. $54/day

 

So you could have found a package that suited your needs, but that is not to say it would necessarily be financially advantageous.

 

X did just raise the prices of their packages a couple weeks ago, when they added canned soda and some other soda choices to the packages. We decided to go ahead and get the Premium Package for our cruise on the Solstice in December. We probably would not normally drink enough to "break even", but we are looking forward to trying new things and enjoying specialty coffees, smoothies, several glasses of wine with dinner, drinks at the Molecular Bar, etc., without having to even THINK about the cost. Besides, if I pay it this far in advance, it's as if when the cruise comes around, it's FREE!! ;):D

[Snorkel Dawg]

yes

[jbitzer]

If it was available for my August Freedom sailing, I would definetely do it... any package. We like beer, wine and/or other liquor.

 

Please RCI, think about it!

[genegri]

I don't drink so definitely no. My family stopped crusing with Crystal after it decided to go all-inclusive. Just as long as I am not required to buy the package, I don't mind.

 

However, seeing how most people are saying definitely yes or definitely no, I think it might not be a very profitable proposition for RCI. Ideally RCI would like to hit a sweet price point where many people think they will drink enough to cover the cost, but in reality, they can't. Right now it seems like too clear a decision for most.

 

We will see. :cool:

[NeuroQueen]

Just off of the oasis and it surrrrrre would have helped my bar bill. They would have definitely lost money on me. I would do the upgraded package in a heartbeat. Do I sound like a lush? Only on vacation, thank god!!!

[madthumper]

Yes, would probably break even on the cost if they made the DW buy a package. She drinks 1 or 2 mixed drinks a day but I could make up that difference:p

[KG1924]

If it was available for my August Freedom sailing, I would definetely do it... any package. We like beer, wine and/or other liquor.

 

Please RCI, think about it!

 

I'll second this...we're on in September!!! We like both cruising and all-inclusives, cruising being our "splurge" vacations. If we could combine the two, it would be heaven at sea for us :)

I'm not sure if it would be a "deal" for us, but just the idea of not even thinking about our account while onboard is such a care free way to vacation!!

[atlgants]

we have just returned from the Navigator and I have to say the juice and water packages are just unpractical - especially water. We have moved to bottled mineral water because I get heartburn from the chlorine in the "tap" water and since we drink 2 bottles at each meal we tried a 12 bottle one on a 7 day trip..... well to start out it only arrived late on the second night (after calling twice) and then basically you had to shlepp 2 bottles to the dinning room every evening.

 

After this experience I prefer the Celebrity package which allows me to order where ever I am. Much better.

 

Moeve-how did you like the Navigator? We are on the 7 nt Eastern Med in August. How were the shows? Do they have one every night? I've heard the ship is looking tired and the food so-so. Should I be concerned? thanks!

[atlgants]

Hi, just returned from Navigator's tour of the Western Med; brilliant trip except for the approach taken to the wine by RCL. Wine menu has Pinot at 33 or 37 USD as cheapest bottles. The same bottles are on sale at Fiumicino airport for 8 Euros - its just bargain booze plonk dressed up as a connoisseurs pick. What worse, have a meal in Portofinos (the on board specialist restaurant) and another 5 USD is added to the bottle price (plus 15% service charge). Takes the edge off a great trip.

 

8Larch-how did you like the Navigator? We are on the 7 nt Eastern Med in August. How were the shows? Do they have one every night? I've heard the ship is looking tired and the food so-so. Should I be concerned? thanks!

[chuchelo]

Based on what I can see on the RCI site, they have soda, water, juice, and wine packages on my 11 Aug 11 sailing. Of these, only the wine one interests us. In the course of 9 nights, I can see us drinking 7 bottles. Am I right in understanding that this package covers only our wine with dinner/lunch in the main dining room? What about in Chops Grille? Many thanks!

[Rancher Dave]

Legend has the package. We debated the package for a couple hours since as Suites and Diamond we had happy hour each evening anyhow if we wanted to stick to wine/bubbly...

 

Ended up taking top package and trying all kinds of new drinks. If you match drink expense to package price you may tend to drink more than normal...shots of bailies and kaluha at breakfast, frozen ritas with lunch...mix master of drinks at dinner....and we even had two free bottles of bubbly given to us on the ship as well as drinks at various parties (welcome back, top tier, suites). Not sure in the end we came out ahead...but it did allow us what we wanted when we wanted it...sad we stacked it with soda cards which were essentially not used on this cruise.

 

Allure with DD it will be soda cards and DL happy hour only...

 

The $10 wine worked well since DW likes the California Condunrum which is $10 per glass...and 3 glasses with a meal was not impossible...

 

Agree with folks in general it depends in part if it is aport intensive cruise or not.

 

I liked lots of time on the ship this past cruise...and the Singapore Slings...the bar tender was good at making those for me!