New to Celebrity - Beverage package questions

[Sutho]

I am off on my first Celebrity cruise in March next year. Really looking forward to it. I have been on Princess, P&O UK and Royal Caribbean so trying Celebrity Solstice has got me all excited about my next cruise.

 

I am just wondering if any other previous Celebrity cruisers could reccommend the beverage packages they have on sale?

 

Example they have the Premium & Classic Beverage Packages. Under that they have the Classic Package for $501 AUS and I will quote their description here:

 

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, frozen drinks, and wines by the glass up to $8 per serving. "

 

My question is for this price does it mean I can go up to any bar at any time and ask for wine, soft drinks beers, have access to their entire menu and drink by the glass as I please??

 

If it does not include the entire bar menu will the drinks on offer be sufficient to satisfy my needs.

 

Example I like to have a glass of coke with my lunch and may have a beer or two in the afternoons and evenings I like wines or like the spirits mixed with coke.

 

I have no problem paying that amount of money up front for a drink package but only if it is good value for money and will save me from paying more when I am on the cruise.

[B1G]

I will be on my first cruise in march, and the premium package is my choice :)

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_beverage_packages#onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic_tab/onboard/asrPanel.do%3Fpagename=onboard_beverage_packages_premium_classic

 

Everything up to $12/glass

[cruisestitch]

With the classic package you can order any drink up to $8 (US) in price -- as many as you want, all day long, soft drinks, bottled waters, coffee drinks, beer (up to $5 as noted), wine, mixed drinks, anything at that price point.

 

With the premium package you can order any drink up to $12 (US) in price.

 

With the premium package, if you want something over $12 you pay the difference on your SeaPass card.

 

The package price is per person. Packages are not to be shared.

 

You'll find all kinds of opinions from past cruisers. Some thought that they never got their money's worth. Others thought that they definitely got their money's worth. Even those who thought that they might not have ordered enough drinks to "break even" said that the convenience factor was significant to them.

 

YMMV

[artmc]

Do the Math!

 

If the package is $53/day and the average drink is $10, are you likely to drink 5.3 drinks per day? I'm a light drinker, and wouldn't drink that much every day on a cruise, though others might. (And I assure you there's no judgment intended.) Figure out how much you want to drink take it from there.

 

Bon Voyage!

[alliebrandy]

You also need to remember that you are only able to order 1 drink at a time. They may allow for a bottle of water and a soda at the same time, but mostly its 1 at a time per package.

 

It is also very true what artmc stated about doing the math. If you are not a big drinker, then it may not be as beneficial for you.

 

My DH and I are not big alcohol drinkers, so what we do is buy 2 premium Non-alcoholic packages (all the soda, water, juices, coffees (incl specialty ones) and smoothies/frozen drinks we want. Then when either of us wants to indulge in anything more we just buy it and pay the price.

 

Usually, if DH wants a Rum and Coke, he orders a long pour shot of the rum and only pays for the rum, and has the waiter bring a separate coke. Then he combines the 2. When it comes to wine with dinner, we will buy a bottle and if any is left, either save it for the next night in the dinning room or take the bottle with us back to our room if we think we would like more later on.

 

Just offering a suggestion for another way to go.

 

Enjoy whatever your decision is and Happy Sailing

[cruisestitch]

But don't just consider your alcohol consumption. Do you like to drink a lot of bottled waters? Do you drink special coffees or teas? Account for them as well

[B1G]

Very nice post by boyerd

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30425459&postcount=1

[Lsimon]

...My question is for this price does it mean I can go up to any bar at any time and ask for wine, soft drinks beers, have access to their entire menu and drink by the glass as I please??

 

If it does not include the entire bar menu will the drinks on offer be sufficient to satisfy my needs.

 

Example I like to have a glass of coke with my lunch and may have a beer or two in the afternoons and evenings I like wines or like the spirits mixed with coke. ...

 

The classic package is probably great for buying lots of soda and beer and you'll get wine and liquor too but not the better quality wine and liquor. Also, the larger Martini's they serve at the martini bar and special drinks at a couple of other bars will be over the classic packages $8 limit.

 

There is a great thread that gives tons of detail on the packages and the individual cost of drinks on the ship: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=32406318

You can probably find a lot of answers in that thread.

[Sutho]

Thanks for all the replies. It has all been very helpfull. The Classic non alcoholic package of $159.60 would definitely work for me. I would benefit from that one. I am still not 100% sure about the alcoholic package. I do like the occasional wine and beer so I would have to think about how much I am going to drink. The Classic package costs about $501.60. for a 12 night cruise is $41.80 per day. I know I am a light drinker. I dont usually drink alcohol between holidays unless its a special occasion.

[mikeyg0]

To those who have experience with these packages, say I wanted to shout some mates a round of drinks!? I know the package isn't to be shared, and I'm not wanting to get free drinks for everyone but is it actually possible to buy people drinks if you have the package for yourself?? I'd hate to not be able to shout a few rounds just because I have the package. :/

[Lsimon]

To those who have experience with these packages, say I wanted to shout some mates a round of drinks!? I know the package isn't to be shared, and I'm not wanting to get free drinks for everyone but is it actually possible to buy people drinks if you have the package for yourself?? I'd hate to not be able to shout a few rounds just because I have the package. :/

 

While you can not share drinks obtained with the package you can still purchase drinks for your "mates". The package does not change this at all. Your seapass card will identify you as being a package holder but it still can be used to charge purchases, including drinks for your friends, to your on board account.

 

...I am still not 100% sure about the alcoholic package...

......I know I am a light drinker...

The packages are priced high and are good for those that will drink above averages of the included beverages and those that are willing to pay extra for an all inclusive experience. If you are a light drinker then the package probably isn't right for you.

 

If you are not sure that the package is right and are having a hard time making a decision then I'd recommend waiting until you are on board to decide. Then you can take a day or so to check out the prices on board and your own consumption and if you think the package would be right you can purchase it for the remainder of the cruise at a pro-rated price. You can do this until a couple nights before the end of the cruise.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Lsimon

[cruisestitch]

"To those who have experience with these packages, say I wanted to shout some mates a round of drinks!? I know the package isn't to be shared, and I'm not wanting to get free drinks for everyone but is it actually possible to buy people drinks if you have the package for yourself?? I'd hate to not be able to shout a few rounds just because I have the package. :/"

 

Sure -- just hand your card to your server and say "I'd like to buy my friends a round of drinks" and he/she will charge it to your SeaPass card.

 

But keep in mind that no one will need to buy YOU a drink if you have a package -- be sure to let your friends know that -- and while it isn't the usual procedure, since no one will be standing you for drinks, you might not feel the need to buy drinks for your friends in this case. But if you are feeling in a generous mood and you want to pay for their drinks, I'm sure they'll smile and say "thanks, mate!"

[stellarose]

Looking at beer choices. Not much at the 5 dollar option for classic package. This worries me for frozen drinks too.

[Stagus]

My wife and I are just back from Reflection and both had premium packages. They were well worth it for us. We spent a lot of time on board as Paris, Bruge, etc is only a short hop on a plane away so I suppose that has made a difference.

 

Our normal day would start with a speciality coffee or two with freshly squeezed orange juice at brunch. A beer or a premium water with lunch and perhaps another lazy coffee in the afternoon. A couple of glasses of wine with our evening meal followed by the Martini bar or Sky Lounge to finish (perhaps we drink too much) but as my wife had 3 or 4 Martini's one night and I may have had a couple of burbans :) the package was excellent for us.

 

The drinks are not cheap ($10 per Martini for example) so the allowance is used up quickly.

 

Enjoy your cruise, we loved ours.

[xjeddax]

If you are not sure that the package is right and are having a hard time making a decision then I'd recommend waiting until you are on board to decide. Then you can take a day or so to check out the prices on board and your own consumption and if you think the package would be right you can purchase it for the remainder of the cruise at a pro-rated price. You can do this until a couple nights before the end of the cruise.

I like this advice. Thank you!

[JacintaH]

We purchased the Classic Alcohol drinks package last year on Century and found it to be quite suitable.

 

We used the package for specialty coffees, bottled water, juices, an afternoon beer and evening glass of wine (or seven). We did not feel that we needed the extra flexibility provided by the Premium package as I was happy to pay the $2.00 difference for the odd martini that I enjoyed. We also discovered that there were few drinks on the premium list that we would have chosen anyway.

 

I enjoyed being able to order a drink and not having to go through the rigmarole of signing for it except when we ventured into the Martini Bar.

 

I know we didn't break even on the deal because both of came down with the worst flu we have had in years towards the end of the trip and there was no Bundaberg Rum on board to help us recuperate (medicinal quantities only) but to be honest we didn't care, we were on holidays, we were having fun and enjoying some drinks was all part of that fun.

 

We will probably get the same package for this years cruise and hopefully not the flu. :D

[jveevers]

As a fellow Aussie I reckon the Premium Alcoholic Package is great value and have booked for 2 upcoming cruises.

What it means is that you can have whatever you want to drink/ whenever you want it ; inc. coffees, soft drinks, waters, wines, spirits, cocktails, beers. Limit is $12- per drink but you would have very few drinks above that limit. Maybe some top wines would be over it. If on the off-chance that you want a drink above the $12- limit, you just pay the difference. I paid around AUD$54- per day.

I anticipate on an average day :-

 

Coffee (maybe with Baileys)

3 Cocktails throughout the afternoon, maybe beer.

Champagne with entree at Dinner.

Glass White at dinner.

Aperatif at Dinner.

 

Say 3 or 4 drinks, cocktails, Martini, maybe spirits, in the evening.

 

Thats 8 drinks at say an average price of say $10- equals $80-

Paid $54- , so way in front.

"Break even" is about 5/6 drinks. If you think you will drink less than that, the package is probably not good value for you, just PAYG.

[jveevers]

My wife and I are just back from Reflection and both had premium packages. They were well worth it for us. We spent a lot of time on board as Paris, Bruge, etc is only a short hop on a plane away so I suppose that has made a difference.

 

Our normal day would start with a speciality coffee or two with freshly squeezed orange juice at brunch. A beer or a premium water with lunch and perhaps another lazy coffee in the afternoon. A couple of glasses of wine with our evening meal followed by the Martini bar or Sky Lounge to finish (perhaps we drink too much) but as my wife had 3 or 4 Martini's one night and I may have had a couple of burbans :) the package was excellent for us.

 

The drinks are not cheap ($10 per Martini for example) so the allowance is used up quickly.

 

Enjoy your cruise, we loved ours.

 

 

Just to clarify , as the word "Allowance" is mentioned above.

You dont get an allowance as such, you dont stop when you reach a certain amount or certain number of drinks.

[cruisestitch]

Yes, I was confused by that word as well.

 

There is no limit on the number of drinks you can buy per day, so in that sense there is no "allowance"

 

There is a limit on the price of the drinks -- depending on the package. So maybe they meant that you could easily find drinks that are higher than the allowed price (expensive wines by the glass, special cocktails) and thus would be above the "allowance" in price.

[u2cruiser]

We purchased the Classic Alcohol drinks package last year on Century and found it to be quite suitable.

 

We used the package for specialty coffees, bottled water, juices, an afternoon beer and evening glass of wine (or seven). We did not feel that we needed the extra flexibility provided by the Premium package as I was happy to pay the $2.00 difference for the odd martini that I enjoyed. We also discovered that there were few drinks on the premium list that we would have chosen anyway.

 

I enjoyed being able to order a drink and not having to go through the rigmarole of signing for it except when we ventured into the Martini Bar.

 

I know we didn't break even on the deal because both of came down with the worst flu we have had in years towards the end of the trip and there was no Bundaberg Rum on board to help us recuperate (medicinal quantities only) but to be honest we didn't care, we were on holidays, we were having fun and enjoying some drinks was all part of that fun.

 

We will probably get the same package for this years cruise and hopefully not the flu. :D

 

Hi JacintaH, sorry to hear about the flu on your trip.

 

Am I reading correctly - you were on the classic package and able to pay the $2 extra for $10 Martinis? I thought you could only do this on the Premium package? :confused:

[jveevers]

Am I reading correctly - you were on the classic package and able to pay the $2 extra for $10 Martinis? I thought you could only do this on the Premium package? :confused:

 

I was under the same impression, that with the "classic", you could not just pay the difference.

[Wine-O]

Am I reading correctly - you were on the classic package and able to pay the $2 extra for $10 Martinis? I thought you could only do this on the Premium package? :confused:

 

I was under the same impression, that with the "classic", you could not just pay the difference.

 

That's my understand also. Only the premium package you can pay the difference. If you order a drink over the allowance with the classic packaage, you pay for the whole thing, not the difference.

[gkny]

I'll probably just get the soda package during my ta.

[Stagus]

Sorry about using the word "allowance". When I read it back I can see where it has caused confusion. I should have said that we more than used the equivalent dollar value per day so the package was good value.

 

Is that clearer? I am edging towards confusing myself! :D

[BosoxI]

DW and I cruise a lot on Celebrity, but neither of us has ever bought any drink package. We'd be floating away just to get our money's worth, and the thought of having 5 or 6 hits a day is enough to dissuade us. We like a nip or two and wine with dinner, but we've always found the packages excessive to our needs, pricewise and "liverwise". But to each his own.