Drinks Packages

[Bokkie]

We are two Seniors sailing on Eclipse & would like to know if Drinks Packages are worthwhile.We are not great drinkers and usually have a glass of wine with Dinner & an occasional Cocktail & also the odd spirit,not much else

[CruisingChick]

We are two Seniors sailing on Eclipse & would like to know if Drinks Packages are worthwhile.We are not great drinkers and usually have a glass of wine with Dinner & an occasional Cocktail & also the odd spirit,not much else

 

No, it would not unless you want to include non-alcoholic drinks in the price, like water, freshly squeezed orange juice, cappuccinos, lattes, soda.

 

We have decided that for us it is not worth it and we drink about 4 alcoholic drinks a day per cruise, plus a bottle of wine with dinner.

[Host Anne]

I agree that it would not be worth it for you, Bokkie. I just tried the drink package on a short cruise to determine that same thing. I drink a glass or two of wine per day, a coffee drink or two and maybe a martini before dinner. i kept track of the drinks I had an what they would have cost had I paid for them. There wasn't a day that I came close to drinking enough to cover the per day cost of the package. I'd say my drinking pattern was similar to yours.

 

I was glad I tried it. But because of the amount I drink (or don't drink, actually) I wouldn't do it in the future.

[philsuarez]

We don't drink much in the way of alcohol so have gone with the non alcoholic premium package. From here in the UK it's worked out at £108 for our upcoming 8 night cruise. The break even figure is about £13.75 per day so by the time we enjoy numerous juices, non alcoholic cocktails, smoothies, water etc, it should represent good value

[philsuarez]

I should say that is £108 each

[Esprit]

On your current level of comsumtion I'd say it isn't worth it.

 

I had the premium alcoholic package and easily got my money's work but my wife with the premium non alcoholic package didn't.

 

If however you up your intake of speciality coffees, fresh orange and after dinner liquers you might want to reconsider.

[cherylroslyn]

We are two Seniors sailing on Eclipse & would like to know if Drinks Packages are worthwhile.We are not great drinkers and usually have a glass of wine with Dinner & an occasional Cocktail & also the odd spirit,not much else

If I were you I'd look inot the premium non-alcohol. That way you can have whatever you want without alcohol whenever you want for a very reasonable fee...

 

 

Then you can add the add glass of wine here and there........and pay for it individually.

[NelleS]

We, too, are not big drinkers. We got the 5 bottle premium wine package for our 10-night cruise. It got us a glass of wine with dinner each night.

 

We also had the occasional cocktail, but not so many that a drink package would have been worth it. There's usally a happy hour (2 for 1) every day at one or two bars.

 

HTH,

Ellen

[RhondaC]

We just got back from the Millenium. DH and I both had the Premium N/A package. We really got our money's worth!!! :D

 

We each had 3-4 specialty coffees from the Cova Cafe every day (he drinks espresso machiatos and lattes, and I had lattes, chai teas and hot chocolates). Then, during the day, we drank smoothies, fruit juices (including fresh squeezed orange juice) and virgin pina coladas and daquiris. The package came out to $20 per person, per day. We were WELL over that every day!

 

We brought 2 bottles of wine with us to have in our stateroom (I brought a glass of wine with me to dinner a couple of nights). And, I had a martini one evening.

 

This is definitely the way we will go again, since we are not big alcohol drinkers. It was so nice to drink all we wanted of the N/A stuff, without having to worry about the bill at the end. :)

[Highlander1]

Not even worth considering. We drink but not heavily, on our last 12 day, our bar tab was around $700, a long way from the $1500, we would have ponied up on the drink plan. I will say we didn't order any specilaty coffees, juices or waters so it was all drinks at the pool, and at bars around the ship.

 

Other factors to consider are, how many port days are on your itinerary as foilks tend to drink less on port days and how many days in a row or out of a 2 week period do you want to drink heavily?

 

On our return trip from the Caribbean to Bayonne, NJ which was taking 3 days, I suggested we buy the plan for the 3 sea days and see how we do? Well, my wife and sis and bro-in law talked me down from the ledge and we went without the package. The 1st day we went over the plan by $30, the next day we hardly drank at all and would have lost around $75 and the third day we would have lost around $35. I know for the future to buy as I need and I'll save money and still have enough to drink. Of course, we place little importance on the coffees, juices, and waters that some folks love so it may be different for others.

 

As for the issue of having to give the server your card and signing a voucher, I can't see the value in avoiding this small task. Not only is giving the card and signing not any kind of inconvenience or issue, it gives you some time to chat with your server and to add an additional tip if you wish. The folks that they buy the drink package to avoid the card and signing are exaggerating the effort and justifying their cost, in reality, they have more money than they need or should have.

[gymjudge55]

Also to consider is what you drink as much as how much you drink. I like grey goose martinis and $12 a glass wines. Since I got the package with the 10% discount my total to break even is $55 with tips. 2 martinis at $10 + 15% and 2 glasses of wine at $12 + 15% and an odd coffee, water etc. is the break even point for me. That's not really a lot. I will do that most days and probably more on sea days. If you drink $5 or $6 well drinks it probably is not worth it.

[2morecruises]

I could not agree more with gymjudge55.

 

Having been down this road 3 times it works for me.

It's what & how much you drink. (and don't just figure alcohol all the time).

 

Obviously, the packages are not designed for everyone.

 

But, it is nice to know that you have a "fixed" expense. :cool: