A very different drink package question

[Iamcruzin]

I actually have two questions. If I purchase the classic drink package will I be able to order a martini? I drink a classic James Bond shaken not stirred Martini not any of the new trendy versions of a sugary mess in a martini glass. The reason I ask this is because every time someone posts the drink prices they state that martini's are $10. Now I know that Vodka is offered in the classic package not top shelf but Vodka none the less so how do I order an $8 martini?

My next question is with this 123go promotion going on how do you think the service in the bars will be? Do you think the servers will be overwhelmed with orders and it will be impossible to get a drink of any kind? I booked with the gift card promo and that deal works out better for me than the new promotion as the price of my room went up since I booked and I would have to pay the new fare if I changed promotions. I would like to purchase a drink package even if it's non alcoholic but I'm worried about the service and having to wait for my drink.

[Willman]

My guess is that you can order a "regular" martini for <$8. It is just Gin and Vermouth. I think that most people think of a Martini on Celebrity as one of the large $10 ones made at the Martini bar.

 

About service, I have no idea. I expect it to be busier but acceptable. They will still need to make a profit from the pay per drink customers. I will find out in April when I try out the classic package.

[Iamcruzin]

My guess is that you can order a "regular" martini for <$8. It is just Gin and Vermouth. I think that most people think of a Martini on Celebrity as one of the large $10 ones made at the Martini bar.

 

About service, I have no idea. I expect it to be busier but acceptable. They will still need to make a profit from the pay per drink customers. I will find out in April when I try out the classic package.

 

Thanks for the response. I will be sailing at the end of April. I think I will hold off purchasing a drink package. Maybe some CC members will report back on the bar service before I sail or maybe I will just wait to board and see how the service is for myself,

[ghstudio]

I actually have two questions. If I purchase the classic drink package will I be able to order a martini? I drink a classic James Bond shaken not stirred Martini not any of the new trendy versions of a sugary mess in a martini glass. The reason I ask this is because every time someone posts the drink prices they state that martini's are $10. Now I know that Vodka is offered in the classic package not top shelf but Vodka none the less so how do I order an $8 martini?

My next question is with this 123go promotion going on how do you think the service in the bars will be? Do you think the servers will be overwhelmed with orders and it will be impossible to get a drink of any kind? I booked with the gift card promo and that deal works out better for me than the new promotion as the price of my room went up since I booked and I would have to pay the new fare if I changed promotions. I would like to purchase a drink package even if it's non alcoholic but I'm worried about the service and having to wait for my drink.

 

You can order an $8 martini anywhere, including the martini bar and there are many vodkas and gins that are under $8. It's just that in the martini bar they normally use larger glasses and charge more...but they have the regular sized glasses if you ask.

 

As far as being crowded due to the promotion...it remains to be seen. I also wonder how the servers and bartenders will react given they will be getting less tips...or if tipping is required in order to get a waiter's attention. Lots of questions....no answers yet. Presumably those who take the drink cards would have had drinks anyway, so maybe it won't be much of a bigger load on the bar staff, but who knows.

[cardinals218]

We were on a Thanksgiving cruise on the Eclipse through the Carib and had the same worry about service at the bars. We met plenty of people with drink packages and besides one really busy time (night before a sea day after dinner) at the martini bar never had any problems with getting a drink promptly.

 

It was a heavy drinking cruise as bars did run out of certain liquors. Made for a great discussion when the casino bar ran out of Crown (the only thing besides wine my grandmother drinks) but the martini bar on the same deck not too far away still had plenty of bottles.

[h20cruzer]

If I were you I would just let the bartender know you are on the classic package and you would like a martini from the classic package. I have found the bar staff to be very helpful if you let them know what you want. If they cant do what you want at least you will know up front.

[Stephani]

If I may hijack your post with an additional question...

 

So we also have the 123go classic drink package and do not wish to upgrade but say we are in the specialty Martini bar and I would like to try one of their $10 martinis.... Will I get charged for the entire drink or just the difference plus 15%?

 

I have a feeling it will be the full charge since I am electing not to upgrade altogether but I thought I would still check. Thanks:D

[mgatc]

Stephani, from what I have seen on other threads, you pay for the full drink price on the classic pkg. and just the difference on the premium pkg.

[Azulann]

Stepani,

If you order the large $10.00 martini in the Martini Bar you will be charge the whole price plus the 15% gratuity. You can order the smaller size with your Classic package.

It is only with the Preminum beverage package that you pay the difference, for example if you order a glass of $18.00 wine you will pay the $6.00 ( 18-12= 6).

this option is not avaiable for the classic package.

[Gig103]

I also wonder how the servers and bartenders will react given they will be getting less tips...

 

That's a false statement. From the fine print:

Server gratuities are included (amount based on gratuity guidelines)

 

For people like myself and my wife who would normally buy 1 NA package and 1 soda package, and pay per alcoholic drink, the servers actually make MORE money on the package gratuity than they would from our normal way of cruising.

[dgparent]

I wonder how many people that normally book a say Carnival cruise are booking X cruises for the drinks ? I wonder if the ship is going to turn into a big 5-7 day party, since I would imagine at least 75% of the people taking this promo are taking the drink package ?

[Azulann]

dgparent,

having only sailed Celebrity and have only had NA premium beverage but drink wine, martinis, G and T, I think most cruisers who fill the bars on Celebrity will just have a smaller seapass bill at the end of the cruise.

 

It was standing room only in the Martini Bar each night on the Century.:)

[dgparent]

dgparent,

having only sailed Celebrity and have only had NA premium beverage but drink wine, martinis, G and T, I think most cruisers who fill the bars on Celebrity will just have a smaller seapass bill at the end of the cruise.

 

It was standing room only in the Martini Bar each night on the Century.:)

 

Thanks I was not worried about it, just wondering if this promo will fill the ships with 21 year olds on 7 day benders :)

[Oceanview77]

That's a false statement. From the fine print:

Server gratuities are included (amount based on gratuity guidelines)

 

For people like myself and my wife who would normally buy 1 NA package and 1 soda package, and pay per alcoholic drink, the servers actually make MORE money on the package gratuity than they would from our normal way of cruising.

The bar staff definitely makes less with the drink packages. The gratuity is based on 15% of the drink package price. When I sailed on the Eclipse last year I drank a good $350 more than what the price of the drink package covered. Divide that by an average drink price of $10 and I essentially had 35 drinks that I did not pay additional gratuity on. The bartender at the Molecular bar even told me that the package is great for customers but not that great for them. We did ask the bartender at the Molecular bar to print us a slip on the last night so we could leave an additional gratuity for him since he was our main bartender for the trip :) He was very appreciative.

[Partyanimal79]

I got the permium package last time i cruise in Nov of 2012 when it was on sale 370. I got my print out at the and i had 96 drinks on it not including the ones that where manually done due to error with my card it was nice to just order a drink and not have to worry about weather it's covered or not. Like said if you have classic they charge the full price of the drink if not covered in the package amount you can asked them to reduce it by giving you a baby drink(basicaly they give a smaller amount) to fit within your package just means you have to order 3 to equal 1 normal thou you have to drink before order next, with permium you pay the differents. Tips are in the price. I was drinking rye and coke, baylies after dinner and at the martini bar everynight . as well at the martini bar you can ask for a martini flight and its like 6 drinks and a show with the premium package it was 3 bucks instead of 15 bucks. I have another cruise booked for nov of this year and have permium again. I don't want that bill at the end. if i drank just frozen drinks like pina'a at 7.38 i belived that would have been close to 800$ and i paid 370 for the drinks tell me that is not a good deal.

[phoenix_dream]

The bar staff definitely makes less with the drink packages. The gratuity is based on 15% of the drink package price. When I sailed on the Eclipse last year I drank a good $350 more than what the price of the drink package covered. Divide that by an average drink price of $10 and I essentially had 35 drinks that I did not pay additional gratuity on. The bartender at the Molecular bar even told me that the package is great for customers but not that great for them. We did ask the bartender at the Molecular bar to print us a slip on the last night so we could leave an additional gratuity for him since he was our main bartender for the trip :) He was very appreciative.

I would counter that I'll bet in many cases people drink less than what they are paying for the drink package. Why do I say this? If the cruise line did not make a profit by selling drink packages they would not offer them. They only make a profit if overall the income is more than the outlay. They definitely didn't start offering them to save people money! Certainly some of this can be offset as a marketing ploy for special offers like the current one, but I am talking about the norm. I'm sure there are a good number of people who drink more when they have the package, but overall if it did not save money for the cruiseline it would not be offered.

[aquaclass]

All of my observations are for a 7 day Caribbean cruise for Feb 2014 that we are likely to book.

 

One thing I would add to the discussion ...... the classic package is a limited time offer (book by the end of Jan) for a cruises over the next 16 months. Now while I think there will be MANY people taking advantage of the offer (including me) we will be booking a cruise for February 2014. I doubt if the ships will be "flooded" with "free" classic package drinkers or if the bartenders will be overwhelmed. I don't see Celebrity repeating the offer of a free drink package anytime soon. They might review it after April 2014 to see if they came out ahead or behind on the promotion.

 

This is a good deal for customers, it offers a perk or bonus that is quite a bit better than many (even capt club) offers in the past, yet my guess is that most cruisers who usually fit in the in the Celebrity demographic will not treat this as a booze cruise. After a day or two, people will probably drink about the same amount as they usually do.

 

I think this is also a pretty good deal for Celebrity. They pick up a lot of bookings in a short amount of time, some will even pay in full. Many ships will appear to have higher than normal occupancy rates which will keep prices higher until time for final payment. Prices may even go up. People who book with this promotion will likely keep their cruise and not cancel before the final payment. Finally, I would suggest the three offers are actually quite similar in cost to Celebrity. In real $$ the gratuity offer cost Celebrity about $30 per day per cabin ..... cash they actually pay out. It is about the same with the onboard credit paid out to the spa, or excursion companies, etc. The beverage package is the best retail deal, yet is also the highest markup for Celebrity. I bet what is priced at $88 per day retail, likely only costs Celebrity $35 per day in real $$.

[martyap]

I just booked for January, 2014 because of the classic beverage promo. This, in addition to the nice OBC I got from my TA, made this a very sweet deal. I get so many "offers" from so many lines I usually glance quickly and delete. Have not seen any that matched the 123go! Wonder if other lines will follow suit. How many will take advantage of this is anyone's guess but I doubt it will be a majority. Still only one other couple on my roll call.