share your post cruise UBP observations

[trish1c]

Although we enjoy a cocktail or 3 on vacation we didn't buy the package because in the past our bar bill was less than the price of the package & most of what we liked to drink wasn't included.

 

Based on some changes to the package including a $10 maximum now, most things were included so we might have been able to make it work. On board one server told us that if you want something more expensive only the difference is charged to your card. Is this true?

 

Our spending still came in close to the price of the package. I think we may have spent about $50 more than the package but we did drink a lot of bottled wine that wasn't included. People do need to carefully consider what will work for them.

 

I had been concerned that the package, especially with the promotion where it's free was going to cause a lot of people to drink too much to get their money's worth. Except for one particularly notable fellow passenger who caused a ruckus and passed out every night in Bliss, we didn't see any problems. I may have seen a few more people indulging in mimosas & bloody mary's then I has seen on other cruises but nobody was reliving their drunken college days. :)

 

What does everybody else think?

Edited January 26, 2015 by trish1c

[mncruiser84]

I'm interest to hear ever ones comments on this as well. We received the ubp for free when we booked on jewel. It really seems like a great deal when they throw it in for free. What drinks are there that cost over the $10 limit?

[njhorseman]

I can't speak to the drink over $10 issue from personal experience, but based on others posts I've read here, the server who told you only the balance over $10 is billed to you was wrong. And from the terms and conditions it makes sense that he's wrong, because it specifically says the UBP only covers drinks costing up to $10. It says nothing about getting credit up to $10 for more expensive drinks.

[trish1c]

I can't speak to the drink over $10 issue from personal experience, but based on others posts I've read here, the server who told you only the balance over $10 is billed to you was wrong. And from the terms and conditions it makes sense that he's wrong, because it specifically says the UBP only covers drinks costing up to $10. It says nothing about getting credit up to $10 for more expensive drinks.

 

That's what I thought. His way . . . the balance gets charged, doesn't make sense.

 

As for what is more than $10 per drink there were 1-2 glasses of wine on the wine by the glass list & some higher end cognacs at places like Maltings. Also bottles of wine / champagne were also excluded. True buckets of beer are also excluded but you can have unlimited single beers. . just the delivery system changes.

[LrgPizza]

We have bought UBP on both of our previous cruises, and we will buy it again on our next. (It isn't available for free on our TransAtlantic). We have always come out ahead.

[Silverhairedbee]

I have used the UBP several times now. I don't consider myself a heavy drinker but even if you have one drink an hour from midday to 11.00pm at an average of $7 that is $77. My wife and I generally get double the

value in monetary terms and we love the choice that is available. I don't think we actually got drunk once.

[Got Tequila?]

Beverage package works well...

 

Start the day off with a tequila sunrise or a mimosa and enjoy new drinks through out the day. Love the package for trying new drinks that you would normally not try since you would feel guilty not finishing them....you may find some drinks that you really enjoy this way with the package.

 

It is hard if you are on a port intensive cruise to do all the drinking to make the package worth it if you are off the ship much of the day.

[cliffd64]

Although we enjoy a cocktail or 3 on vacation we didn't buy the package because in the past our bar bill was less than the price of the package & most of what we liked to drink wasn't included.

 

Based on some changes to the package including a $10 maximum now, most things were included so we might have been able to make it work. On board one server told us that if you want something more expensive only the difference is charged to your card. Is this true?

 

Our spending still came in close to the price of the package. I think we may have spent about $50 more than the package but we did drink a lot of bottled wine that wasn't included. People do need to carefully consider what will work for them.

 

I had been concerned that the package, especially with the promotion where it's free was going to cause a lot of people to drink too much to get their money's worth. Except for one particularly notable fellow passenger who caused a ruckus and passed out every night in Bliss, we didn't see any problems. I may have seen a few more people indulging in mimosas & bloody mary's then I has seen on other cruises but nobody was reliving their drunken college days. :)

 

What does everybody else think?

 

The thing about getting it for free is that you don't HAVE to drink your money's worth, because you didnt spend anything to get it. You have the freedom to not have to worry about trying to reach your personal quota before the end of the trip.... Personally I haven't seen an increase of drunks because of the UBP... there are always a few people who over do it on every cruise regardless of UBP.

[beerman2]

Came our about $265.00 ahead on our recent Epic cruise.

 

As a previous poster said a drink an hour over the course of a 10-11 hr. day is pretty easy to accomplish.

 

Even port days you are back on board around 3 or so. That leaves you about 7-8 hrs.

 

 

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[3poundpuppies]

Hello!! On our first cruise, we decided to purchase the UBP. Trying to "drink your money's worth" is certainly hard to do!! I kept every single receipt for everything we got. (After I got home and totaled all the receipts, we actually came up about $50 or so short of what we spent on the package.) We really had to push ourselves some days, thinking that we wasted our money on that if we didn't drink! Second cruise we didn't buy it, but instead opted to just pay as we went. We just booked the third one during this promo, so I've decided to opt for the UBP, and pay for the UDP, since the UBP is worth more.

[nyc2theworld]

Mimosa at Breakfast

Mimosa (or 2) while I take my morning walk around the ship to figure out what to do that morning

Drink as I do a morning activity

Drink at Lunch

Go to the pool and lay down and have 2 drinks.

Go to the spa and relax

Glass of wine during the solo meetup

Hard drink or 2 during the LGBT meetup

Cocktail or 2 with dinner

Cocktails at night.

 

That's a sea day - Easily 8 drinks/day:

 

Mimosa or 2 at breakfast (before I leave for shore excursion)

Shore till about 2PM

Back on ship and to pool and relax with 2 drinks

Go to spa for relaxation

Glass of wine during the solo meetup

Hard drink or 2 during the LGBT meetup

Cocktail or 2 with dinner

Cocktails at night.

 

That's 6 drinks for a shore day.

 

UBP definitely works for me.