I have the Drink Package, now what??

[Texed]

Maybe we were just lucky. Or maybe he liked that we spoke French and could pronounce all our wines properly. ;)

 

Well, I guess that leaves me out. :cool:

[Iamcruzin]

That's really taking advantage, and in essence, stealing.

 

Other cruise lines force ALL adults in the cabin to have the SAME beverage package for just that reason.

 

If Celebrity knows this is happening, it will only be a matter of time until they follow suit and force ALL adults in the cabin to have the SAME beverage package.

 

That will only hurt the folks who honestly upgrade so that they (JUST them) can have their preferred drinks.

 

While I'm inclined to agree with you, this approach probably isn't costing Celebrity a loss in the long run. From what I have been reading on these boards a lot of people here purchased the premium package before they were even giving the classic package as a perk. Their reasoning was they didn't want to be bothered worrying about what was covered and not covered under the package.

 

From my experience unless you drink a specific brand the classic package covers just about everything in most bars. There were only a few drinks on the menu that didn't qualify. My guess is that unless these people only drank at the Martini bar most of what they ordered was probably covered under the classic plan. I imagine it's the same for the folks who upgrade for the convenience of not having to worry. We are not fussy about beer or wine but if I can't get a decent Vodka under the classic plan I will upgrade to the premium package. Last time I was fine but things may have changed since I last sailed.

[ladylemondrop]

I would respectfully disagree. The Premium package offers some nice wine, and the bonus is that on the wines priced above $13 you are only charged the balance over $13, whereas on the Classic you would pay the entire price of any wine over $9. The Celebrity house wine is a Kendall Jackson @ $10.50.

 

Am I reading this correctly that House wine is not covered on the classic package? So what wine can you get? :eek:

[Schaefer Light]

Looks like I'll be taking a backpack from bar to bar to stockpile beers when I first get on the ship ;).

[huskerc]

There is absolutely no issue with upgrading on the ship. You can wait to do it if you want to use OBC. Yes, you do have to deal with a sticker instead of having it pre-printed on your card, but if that's really an issue for you, guest relations can print another.

[lais]

Looks like I'll be taking a backpack from bar to bar to stockpile beers when I first get on the ship ;).

 

Lol

[rockdoctor]

I too respectfully disagree, once we chatted with our sommelier (en francais) and he knew what we liked, all sorts of wonderful and delicious wines appeared. We rarely ordered, he always proposed and we tasted.....we discussed......if we weren't 100% satisfied.....he brought something else.

 

Maybe we were just lucky. Or maybe he liked that we spoke French and could pronounce all our wines properly. ;)

 

Very tru but it is the luck of the draw.

[Sloop-JohnB]

I would respectfully disagree. The Premium package offers some nice wine, and the bonus is that on the wines priced above $13 you are only charged the balance over $13, whereas on the Classic you would pay the entire price of any wine over $9. The Celebrity house wine is a Kendall Jackson @ $10.50.

 

Am I reading this correctly that House wine is not covered on the classic package? So what wine can you get? :eek:

 

Yes & No...

 

The issue lies in terminology.

 

House Wine usually refers to an offering of wine that "the House" buys enmasse to serve to their Guests at a lower / reasonable price. Often sold by the glass or poured into large unmarked Caraffes.

 

Celebrity does not truly have a House Wine under that definition... They just sell an assortment of wines from Wineries around the world at various price points.

 

Kendall Jackson & Celebrity have partnered to produce a line of wines that are made strictly for Celebrity... They are what normally is called in the trade "Proprietary Wines"... Or "Custom Labelled"

 

Celebrity Labelled Wines are available in the DR and at various other venues on the ship, they are Winemaker blended / selected... So priced accordingly

 

At one time the Bon Voyage / Welcome Sparkling found in several Gift Pkgs and in Concierge & above Staterooms was also a Celebrity Label (although it was not made by Kendall Jackson). Do not know if the Sparkling that currently is part of that program is Celebrity Labelled or not

 

Lol, will report back after my upcoming cruise

 

Cheers!

Edited December 12, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Yukonbear]

This is our first Celebrity cruise and and I have a couple of questions about bringing on wine. So I can bring on 2 750ml bottles, can it be packed or do I need to carry on. Second, can I bring on more and pay a corkage? Is it worth it. My wife will have the classic beverage package and I am considering upgrading her to the premium. Is she buys a bottle in the DDR am I allowed to have a glass on wine from it?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Oh - is there a link where I can find what is on the classic vs premium list for beer and wine? We are on the Equinox in 20 days

[Sloop-JohnB]

This is our first Celebrity cruise and and I have a couple of questions about bringing on wine. So I can bring on 2 750ml bottles, can it be packed or do I need to carry on. Second, can I bring on more and pay a corkage? Is it worth it. My wife will have the classic beverage package and I am considering upgrading her to the premium. Is she buys a bottle in the DDR am I allowed to have a glass on wine from it?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Oh - is there a link where I can find what is on the classic vs premium list for beer and wine? We are on the Equinox in 20 days

 

Hi YUKONBEAR (cute User Name)

 

THE LIMIT is 2 Bottles (750 ml each) per Stateroom... Period.

 

Corkage applies if you open the Bottle anywhere but in your cabin (to be honest, lots of people enjoy their cabin wine outside their cabin... As in being in transit. Some bring their own Insulated Sippy Cups... Convenient for all sorts of Bevvys be they Hot or Cold). Otherwise your Cabin Steward also has appropriate glassware (wine glasses / champagne flutes)

 

When a whole Bottle is purchased (20% Discount if you have the Premium Pkg) Celebrity does not care who drinks it or where

 

As for lists... Beers are listed on the last version of the Celebrity Official Bevvy Pkg List (as of May 28, 2014) here = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048745

 

Wines don't exist the same way on a list due to availability being a greater issue... With the Ships being all around the world, and unlike Beer... vintages run out / change

 

Availability overall sometimes can be an issue for all Alcohol... A lot depends on Where in the world the ship is... As well as Consumption / Restocking ... And what has proven popular on the cruise. Celebrity guarantees nothing... But most pax can easily find some sort if replacement if a Favourite is out due to popularity.

 

I can however provide you with a copy of the Official Fleetwide Wine List that I did back in 2012... Prices are off by a few bucks (Classic then was $10 and Premium was $12) but it will give you a general idea of what types of wine Celebrity offers... As the greatest wine cellar at sea.

 

Celebrity Fleetwide Wine List / Book 2012 = http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1566983

 

I plan to do an update to the Master Wine List / Book early in 2015

 

Cheers!

Edited December 12, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Yukonbear]

Thank you very much for the reply! So if I understand there is no option to pay corkage at embarkation for any bottles in excess of the 2 limit.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Thank you very much for the reply! So if I understand there is no option to pay corkage at embarkation for any bottles in excess of the 2 limit.

 

Correct.

 

No option to pay corkage at Embarkation (or any other time) because your LIMIT is 2 Bottles (750 ml each) that you bring on at Embarkation... Another words that is it, that is all... 2 Bottles when you board.

 

If you purchase any alcohol (including Wine) in a Port of Call, then you must declare it when you board, Celebrity will then tag it, store it, and give it back to you on when you Disembark (some folks say they have gotten back on their last night, when they are packing)

 

BTW, Celebrity's E-Day Policies regarding Bevvys you can bring aboard (unlimited Bottled Water - Juice - Pop & 2 Bottles of Wine per Stateroom... Are pretty liberal, many Cruise Lines allow none of it)

 

Mr Sloop & I try to make the most of our allowed 2 Bottles opting for something on the more expensive side (so even if we take one to a Ship Venue & Pay Corkage we come out ahead). A frequent choice for us is something Bubbly... We like Sparkling / Champagne cause it is very versatile... Can be drank round the clock. We also pack along a Bubble Stopper, incase we don't drink it all in one go. Leftover Bubbles go great the next Morning in OJ... and the DIY solution is a heck of a lot cheaper than ordering Mimosas from Room Service* to go with our fabulous Balcony Breakfast.

 

* Note - The Bevvy Pkgs don't cover extra charge bevvys ordered from Room Service or taken out of the Mini Bar. (Charged Bevvys include... Bottled Waters - Fresh Squeezed Juices - Premium Coffees & Teas - Pop - and ALL Alcohol)

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers!

Edited December 13, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[ladylemondrop]

Thank you for the detailed info about wines etc, good to see I can find one or two that come in around the 9$ mark so I can drink something with my package! I will take the good advice of seeing how it goes for couple of days, then upgrading if I feel I need to.

[wallie5446]

And if you do take a couple with you, make sure and wrap them to help against possible breakage.

[blindrid]

Thank you for the detailed info about wines etc, good to see I can find one or two that come in around the 9$ mark so I can drink something with my package! I will take the good advice of seeing how it goes for couple of days, then upgrading if I feel I need to.

 

We just got back and the wines offered in the Classic were acceptable to us.

[ghstudio]

Thank you very much for the reply! So if I understand there is no option to pay corkage at embarkation for any bottles in excess of the 2 limit.

 

not really...but I'll give you some observations that have been posted on CC threads.

 

1) you are allowed two 750ml bottles of wine per cabin. When you get on the ship, if you have two bottles of wine in your carry on, they assume that they are the two bottles for the cabin. If your cabin mate comes on at some later time with two bottle in their carry on, they assume that they are the two bottles for the cabin. They do not track bottles to cabins.

 

2) The official policy (if there is really one) is that you may only bring wine on at embarcation...and if you bring wine on at any other port, it will be stored for you until the end of the cruise. In actuality there's about a 50:50 chance that anyone will care if you bring a bottle of wine back when you return from a port. Of course that depends on the cruise, the way you look, and perhaps the setting of the moon...the few times that we have done this (for example, we bought some wine in Bali because who knew they even made wine there), we haven't been stopped and we took the bottle to our room.

 

3) If you are on a B2B cruise, they almost always return any wine that they have kept for you on the first cruise (whether you brought on more than 2 bottles at embarkation (or bought the wine at various ports) on the last night of the first cruise so you can (if you were leaving) pack it. Now it's in your cabin for the second cruise....your choice as to what you do with it.

 

How you use all this info is up to you. We will usually bring one bottle of wine on board. We find that we don't drink in our room...but if we're on the balcony, we enjoy a glass. Perhaps many don't know that they offer bottles of wine at lower prices at the bar in the buffet area at lunch...wines that aren't offered in the MDR. If we're desperate, we'll buy a bottle or two there, bring it back to our room to enjoy...and that's okay with everyone. We also "trade" the free bottle of sparkling wine in our concierge or aqua stateroom for a $28 credit towards a more drinkable wine in the MDR or blu (not always allowed, but discuss with your sommelier on the first night).

 

Now I've given you all the "secrets". It's between you and your conscience.

Edited December 13, 2014 by ghstudio

[cheryl20772]

3) If you are on a B2B cruise, they almost always return any wine that they have kept for you on the first cruise (whether you brought on more than 2 bottles at embarkation (or bought the wine at various ports) on the last night of the first cruise so you can (if you were leaving) pack it. Now it's in your cabin for the second cruise....your choice as to what you do with it.

 

This was our experience as well and it wasn't just wine. We had a nice bottle of rum purchase on shore excursion during our first cruise delivered to our cabin on packing day before the second half of a B2B. It could just as well have been a case of wine. Loophole! :p