Beverage Package for Kids (10 & 12 years)??

[milokama]

Hi There,

I'm getting giddy with excitement... and I still have MONTHS to go!

So I spend my days scouring the boards and planning, planning, planning.

 

Today I'm looking into beverage packages and I was wondering if any of you have cruised with children that are the same age as mine. If so, did you buy them a beverage package? Which one?

 

I'm vacillating between the soda package and one of the non-alcoholic packages.

 

worth it?

 

My kids aren't generally allowed soda except on special occasions... but hey, this is vacation!! I'm sure the kids will want to have hot chocolate every day too. Would one of the non-alcoholic packages be overkill?

 

My husband and I are getting the Premium Alcohol package... I'm generally very thrifty and I don't want to think about how much I'm spending... I'm sure we will use it well.

 

Any thoughts on the kids would be much appreciated.

Mahalo!!

[SusieV]

I wouldn't think they need it. You can get free hot chocolate in the buffet if you don't mind making it yourself from the little packets. There is free juice in the mornings as well as milk. You can always pay a la carte for them to have a soda or a smoothie.

[debandbruce]

my niece and nephew were 5 and 8 on their last cruise. They loved going up to get their "cocktails" at the bar. The bartenders got to know them and would make them special mixes. They are also limited to pop at home but it was a vacation. They felt so grown up and had drinks at lunch and supper and around the pool just like their parents.

[fishywood]

If they are not big soda drinkers at home they may or may not drink their "money's worth" but you can always apply for a pro-rated refund if you see they are not using the priviledge. When I was that age if you told me sodas were unlimited I would have drank myself into a sugar stupor! Assuming your kids aren't so inclined, one other consideration is that without a package you will either have to be at their beck and call when they want a drink or activate their signing priviledges at potential peril to your funds--hopefully they wouldn't buy a round of $13 mocktails for all their new friends.

[phoenix_dream]

My opinion is to skip it (and we have traveled with our son on cruises since he was 3 and he is now 25). If you want to treat them to soda, you are free to carry onboard all you want (same with bottled water). You can replenish your supply at the various ports. You can get lemonade, juice, iced tea, fruit punch, and hot chocolate at the beverage dispensers for free. At meals you can also get milk. If you want to treat them now and then to a virgin pina colada or the like, it is still way cheaper than buying the package.

 

If convenience or the 'spoiling them' factor is more valuable than saving the money, then go for it - it's a personal choice. But sheer dollar-wise, it is probably not worth it if you are willing to put in a little extra effort.

[milokama]

Thank you for some great advice.

I think I'll skip it.

The kids can get their hot chocolate at the buffet and I'll "splurge" on soda at dinner for them.

 

Mahalo!

[firemanbobswife]

We always get our boys (now 15 and 13) the soda package. That way they can get a drink whenever they want. This last time, my son discovered Shirley Temples and the bartender at the Sunset Bar would always start making him one when he saw him coming. He also nicknamed him Shirley! It's vacation. You're not going to spoil a kid by letting him have soda for a week!

[debandbruce]

We always get our boys (now 15 and 13) the soda package. That way they can get a drink whenever they want. This last time, my son discovered Shirley Temples and the bartender at the Sunset Bar would always start making him one when he saw him coming. He also nicknamed him Shirley! It's vacation. You're not going to spoil a kid by letting him have soda for a week!

 

Exactly!