How often are drink packages on sale?

[sweetp09]

We sail in December 2014. We plan on getting a premium non alcoholic drink package for DH and I. Do they offer sales throughout the year or should we order them now?

[jelayne]

We sail in December 2014. We plan on getting a premium non alcoholic drink package for DH and I. Do they offer sales throughout the year or should we order them now?

 

I haven't seen a sale on the packages in a very long time. There have been lower prices for advance purchases. These are ending on 2/18. The non alcoholic packages will be $16 & $18 per day versus the current $14 & $16 price.

So you may want to buy before the 18th to get the lower price.

[wallie5446]

Unless I just have not paid attention, we have never seen the packages offered at any discount from the listed price. In fact on a Feb 18 they are increasing the pre-sail price to the same as the on ship price.

[riclop]

Whenever they want to increase sales.

[sweetp09]

Thanks I think we will order. Might be a stupid question but do we have to pay right now or a certain amount of days before the cruise?

[wallie5446]

Thanks I think we will order. Might be a stupid question but do we have to pay right now or a certain amount of days before the cruise?

Only draw back is Yes, you have to pre-pay.

[stevea36]

Thanks I think we will order. Might be a stupid question but do we have to pay right now or a certain amount of days before the cruise?

 

Anything that you order on-line or before the sailing (including excursions, spa treatments, specialty dinners) needs to be paid for at the time of purchase. You cannot use OBC for items purchased this way. If you wait until you are on board you can use your OBC as the purchase goes against your on board account.

 

Other than the obvious price increase for the drink package there is usually no problem waiting until you are on board to purchase items as they regularly hold back approximately 1/3 of the available slots for on board purchase by those who may not have internet access (both of those people) and others who can't make up their mind before cruising. Of course, if you wait till you are on board you should make a bee-line to the particular point of purchase for what you want so that the available slots do not sell out before you get there !!

 

Steve

[wallie5446]

The drink packages have no limit on the number sold:)

[Pilot70D]

Before the advent of the 1-2-3 Go promos and the the 'free' standard drink package =X= used to put the drink packages on sale around twice a year and at a fairly substantial discount. However, since the 1-2-3 Go promo I have not seen the drink packages on sale.

 

I put the single quote mark around free above because =X= raised the pricing for most cruises by more than the cost of the drink package would have been if you had purchased it.

 

One thing to consider is that the 1-2-3 Go promo is supposedly not combinable with other discounts. I made the reservation for our next cruise during the Give Thanks sale last year. At that time no 1-2-3 Go was available however the discount we got during this sale was much greater than the cost of two premium alcoholic beverage packages. I have checked with =X= twice this year now that 1-2-3 Go is available and got the same answer both times. To get the 1-2-3 Go I would have to rebook and that would cost about $600 more than our current price. So the moral of the story is "There aint no lunch in this man's world".

 

So enjoy that next cruise to the fullest and may all of your bahama mommas be viewed from the Sunset Bar on the aft part of the ship.

:):):)

[Turtles06]

Unless I just have not paid attention, we have never seen the packages offered at any discount from the listed price. In fact on a Feb 18 they are increasing the pre-sail price to the same as the on ship price.

 

The beverage packages were on sale for 10% off back in early 2012 (well before the first 123GO promos). I recall this specifically because I took advantage of the sale to buy the premium package for my spouse as a surprise for our spring 2012 TA on the Eclipse (and I got myself the premium non-alcohol package while I was at it).

 

I so wanted to keep this a secret until we checked in at the pier and my spouse saw her sea pass card that I insisted we schlep around Ft. Lauderdale before embarkation to buy a couple of bottles of wine and some soda to take on board. My spouse later said she would have been just as happy learning of the surprise before that schlepping and shopping! :)

 

I'm pretty sure there have been no sales on the beverage packages since; instead, they've been included as part of the 123GO promo (but, alas, no longer for TAs).

 

I had not noticed the Feb. 18 price increase, so thanks to those who have pointed it out!

[sweetp09]

Thanks for the advice and input. We ordered a premium non alcoholic package for both DH and I!:D

[ariawoman]

Ditto to Pilot's post. I've not seen them go on sale since PYP/123Go. Glad you ordered them! Enjoy your cruise!!!!!!

[sweetp09]

Thanks! This will be our X cruise and dh's first. We can't wait!