Am I the only one who could care less about drink packages?

[cayennered]

We just saved $1200 with the 1,2,3 offer. We were booked with RCI, and would have purchased a drink package. Balcony cabin was the same price on X as we had reserved with RCI during their buy one-get one half price sale. We gained the drink package, gratuities and OBC paid with X. For us, that was a great deal.

[itzmered]

We compared prices on different cruise lines comparing same cabin type, similar itinerary and then add the cost of the drink package onto what we would have paid on the other lines. By far we were coming out ahead by booking with Celebrity. Now with the all inclusive and the amount of OBC we ended up with for booking onboard and from our TA the other lines dont even begin to come close.

[miched]

I get stressed when there is no promo for the drink pack when I want to book a cruise. My wife won't let me purchase a drink pack but when it is included she has no problem with it.

 

I am sure that we have taken more cruises than we planned on because of the drink pack promo, and with that became more loyal to Celebrity. It is very difficult for me to book on another line and with the drink pack promos it will never happen.

 

Drink up 🍻🍸🍹🍷

Edited January 25, 2015 by miched

[Tara Jane]

We are cheapskates, cruise inside so not eligible for 123, don't drink so really don't care, as overall our cruises are very cheap that we can go on far more cruises. If we were prepared to pay the extra for oceanview or balcony then it would be different but we are not going to pay often double for the 123 perks.

We have cruised in other cabins but only when it was "balcony for price of inside" or similar.

But each to his own, for those who do drink it sounds a good deal. I often travel with a group of girlfriends who love their wine, probably a bit too much and without doubt if they were on a cruise it would be the drink package that would attract them.

[RikkuCat]

Out of the three options in the 123 promotion, I think that the drink package is the best bang for your buck for a lot of people - so of course people are going to talk about it.

 

Personally, it's really not a selling point either way. We enjoy some drinks on vacation, but that's an expense that we factor into the overall cost of the trip. If we pay a higher ticket price up front and have a drink package included, or if we pay a lower cost up front and pay the bar tab at the end, the money is all coming from the same place. We do not suddenly turn into different people on vacation, so even without a drink package, our bar tab is never a surprise. I don't keep a running tally as we buy drinks, but it's always somewhere in the same range. So the idea of "no surprise bar tab" at the end of the cruise is not a selling point on the drink package for us - instead, we look at the overall cost that we expect to pay for the cruise. If drinks are included, fine - if not, we'll estimate and add that to the overall vacation budget. It's just one line item on the vacation budget more or less. Some people aren't good at budgeting or estimating their expenses and others have tight budgets, so having a drink package and knowing the cost in advance is appealing.

 

 

I get why people talk about it, though. Some people are 100% happy with the drink that they get if they walk up to the bar and order, say, a vodka tonic. Others have a brand that they prefer. If you're not a big drinker or if you're used to ordering rail drinks, you may not be able to tell the difference between two brands of the same type of booze - but that doesn't mean that everyone can't. People want to know whether their favorite brand is covered by the package or not. Same with beers and wines. If you want a particular thing, it's nice to know in advance (for budget reasons and because it will save you time the first day) if you need to upgrade your drink package. Even for those who are more flexible, it's nice to know in advance so you're not put on the spot to select an alternative drink.

[ORV]

This thread has taken an ironic turn. LOL:rolleyes:

[Iamcruzin]

Please explain. I paid $1,600 pp for my last Celebrity 10 day cruise in an 1a. The competition was about $1,000 more pp for the same itinerary with no package. Our average bar bill is usually around $60 - $70 a day without a package. How exactly was I fooled? Next cruise we're paying the same as we did 10 years ago with X in the med. This time we have a drink package and OBC. I'm not the one being fooled.

 

I think when people imply that the the price of the cruise has gone up since they started the promotions hasn't checked out the price of other lines for a similar itinerary. The price may have gone up a few dollars but that probably has more to do with inflation.

[Iamcruzin]

This thread has taken an ironic turn. LOL:rolleyes:

I saw it coming before I even started to read the posts.

[Ma Bell]

Pardon me for posting a differing opinion and offending some of you. It was not directed specifically at anyone and some of you seem to be choosing only parts of what I said.

 

My opinion stands. If you want to think all the packages are free it's no problem. There's a lot more to it than just the increased $$$ that you can see. There are also other changes that have been made to compensate for the "free" packages.

 

I certainly understand why people like them but I also understand that they are paid for one way or another.

[tgmtgm]

It's not up to me to decide value for someone else. If someone doesn't get any elite perks and drinks $100 a day, that's going to be a very different value than someone with free drinks in the lounge every night and only buys a glass of wine with dinner each night.

 

You made a statement that so many people are easily fooled. I think you need to give a little more credit that people have done the math and have chosen what works for them.

 

 

Great point, and I completely agree. Value is in the eye of the purchaser. And for me, certain cruises that include the bev package as a perk and are priced right, go to the top of my list. When the cruise price exceeds my expectation of value, I'll look elsewhere besides Celebrity.

 

Tony

[Jaybee9]

Chris I have a drinks package and have been wondering - can I get my free drinks from any bar or am I restricted to one particular bar?

[Cruise Junky]

Chris I have a drinks package and have been wondering - can I get my free drinks from any bar or am I restricted to one particular bar?

 

All bars. But the molecular bar only serves drinks included in the premium package.

[Ma Bell]

Chris I have a drinks package and have been wondering - can I get my free drinks from any bar or am I restricted to one particular bar?

 

You are not restricted to any one particular bar but sometimes a bar may not have exactly what you are looking for but they will, tell you where to get it.

[Vic The Parrot]

Another vote for a 360 promenade deck.

With room to spread out in a lounge chair, and watch the world go by

 

Also, an aft pool area with ample space.

The Ocean View bar is nice, but the deck looks pretty cramped.

 

Zenith and Horizon had nice and airy aft decks. It's time to bring that back.

[Pushka]

If reading threads about drink packaged exhausts you then why click on them? It's not rocket science. If I see a thread on elite status or suite perks I don't click on them so they don't exhaust me.

[DaKa2002]

For us, the drink packages are totally unimportant! We would not pick a cruise line or ship just because that perk is included; we would not pay extra for it either. If it is there, fine and dandy.

[cruise47]

No bar bill at the end of a cruise = stress free vacation

 

Do you rec'd a gratuity bill at the end of your with the drink package?

[SC_Floaters]

I get so exhausted just reading about Celebrity's drink packages, how to upgrade, what's included, am I getting hoodwinked, am I getting my money's worth...yikes! Is this what life and taking a vacation is all about?

 

I have not read the 60 plus replies to this post.

 

But why start another if you're so exhausted about the subject matter already?

[Turtles06]

 

(And the phrase should be "I couldn't care less", because your way, it makes no sense! If you could care less, it means you care - at least somewhat.)

 

Thank you! One of my pet peeves ...:rolleyes:

[RickT]

I generally agree with the OP. To read many of the threads about the drink package, most folks are ranting and complaining about what is included, what isn't included and how they thought something was included but it wasn't. It hurts my brain and I no longer read those threads.

 

If I'm lucky enough to get a good deal on a cruise and it comes with the package, great. If I'm lucky enough to get a good deal on a cruise and it doesn't come with the package, also great. Just get me on the ship.

 

Too many people sweating the small stuff IMHO.

Edited January 25, 2015 by RickT

[Iamcruzin]

Good for you. Some cruises are a bargain and others are not. The packages work for some cruises and for others have just served to greatly inflate prices. It looks as though you have been on two Celebrity cruises, so maybe you don't have much to compare with.

 

I have only been on one Celebrity cruise. We only have the opportunity to sail 7 day itineraries in the Caribbean. The reason that I have only started to sail on Celebrity is that in the past the cruise prices have been higher on Celebrity than on Princess. Now with the AI package Celebrity is a better value than any of the Princess sailings. If you only drink the included beverages and your TA pays gratuity or you remove the auto gratuity (I have read that some do) then the package has no value and it would be best to book after final payment. Many of us don't have an option to book last minute so booking early with a promo is our best option.

[Gracie115]

I guess the OP was so tired of reading about drink packages she/he never bothered to come back to respond to everyone who posted on their thread!!! :D

 

We like them when included in a cruise fare, would never buy them separately,...our next cruise is a TA and they are not eligible for the 123 promo....but that's okay we figure with the Elite coupons and other perks we'll be fine and wouldn't come close to drinking the value of what a package costs each day.....

[Onnie0047]

I get so exhausted just reading about Celebrity's drink packages, how to upgrade, what's included, am I getting hoodwinked, am I getting my money's worth...yikes! Is this what life and taking a vacation is all about?

 

I'm on vacation, I want a stress-free cruise. If I want a drink, I just go up to any bar and order what I want, when I want it. Charge my sea pass and I can relax and enjoy it.

 

I feel sorry for the bartenders, it must make them crazy as well.

 

Folks, can't we just relax and enjoy our cruise experience without getting nutty about drink packages and what you are going to get or not get.

 

We have been on about 7 cruises and with the exception of the wife paying for unlimited sodas for her we have never paid for any other packages. I don't really drink soda pop except for Faygo brands and you can't get those on board. This time we got the 123 go thrown in with our cruise, so now as long as I know the drink package limits and order within it, I can semi relax know when we get off the ship it's one thing less to worry about overspending on.

 

We are excited to have the drink package thrown in.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Onnie0047

[Hlitner]

Do you rec'd a gratuity bill at the end of your with the drink package?

 

When you have one of the drink packages, it already includes the standard gratuity (15%) applied to drinks. The gratuity (is it really a gratuity when it is mandatory?) is actually added to the price of the drink package or included in the package if you get it as part of a promotion.

 

But the drink gratuity has nothing to do with the normal gratuity (about $12 per day).

 

Hank

[happyscmom]

I know that some people don't have to worry about this, but my husband and I are on a budget and cruises are a big splurge. We are both teachers and we have 4 kids, so every penny counts. While it is vacation, we can't just "relax" and not worry about money. So, for us, this package is a HUGE deal. This means we can just have fun without worrying. We have spent other cruises fretting over money, so this is great!!!! Yes, we know we "pay for it" somewhere in the ticket cost, but we won't be worrying about it on board, so that is awesome!

 

 

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