All Inclusive Beverage Package Questions

[gailjen]

I think with the coffees and sodas included this would be worth it for me. My biggest concern really is whether the bartenders/baristas are really getting the gratuity that's included in the price which I believe is 15 percent. I don't always trust that the employees are given the auto tips. I have NEVER taken any gratuities off, and usually tip on top of the auto gratuities. I always tip $1 extra over the added auto gratuities at the bars as well. Will I still be given this option to add a tip when I'm not paying for the drink? Are we given a slip with every drink ordered?

We were given a slip like when You purchase a drink, didn't ever look at the tip side as we had paid the $15 in advance

[huskerc]

I think with the coffees and sodas included this would be worth it for me. My biggest concern really is whether the bartenders/baristas are really getting the gratuity that's included in the price which I believe is 15 percent. I don't always trust that the employees are given the auto tips. I have NEVER taken any gratuities off, and usually tip on top of the auto gratuities. I always tip $1 extra over the added auto gratuities at the bars as well. Will I still be given this option to add a tip when I'm not paying for the drink? Are we given a slip with every drink ordered?

 

Yes, unlike some other lines (Celebrity in particular) you do have to sign a slip. It will show $0 charge and $0 gratuity, with a line for additional gratuity that you can fill in.

[caribill]

I always tip $1 extra over the added auto gratuities at the bars as well. Will I still be given this option to add a tip when I'm not paying for the drink? Are we given a slip with every drink ordered?

 

If you sign for the tip, it will go into the same tipping pool that the 15% did when you purchased the package.

 

If you give cash to the server, he/she will get it all unless they have their own agreement to share it with others on that shift for that bar.

[amandaw559]

Thanks Caribill, I will make sure to have singles with me. I like to make sure that people are rewarded for their hard work.

[St Paul Girl]

Yes, unlike some other lines (Celebrity in particular) you do have to sign a slip. It will show $0 charge and $0 gratuity, with a line for additional gratuity that you can fill in.

 

Interesting point. Our last cruise was with Celebrity and my husband had the premium beverage package and I had the non-alcohol package and we did NOT have to sign for anything and did NOT get any "paper" receipts. We liked this! The bartenders just swiped our cards and that was it. Princess would be wise to go "paperless" as well. Not sure what the previous poster was concerned about tipping. Princess adds on 15% to all drink packages, so the bartenders receive at least 15% for every drink purchased through the plan.

The beauty of Celebrity was that there was no pressure to add more tips for every drink. Our upcoming Tahiti cruise in October will be our first Princess cruise in about 5 years. Looking forward to it.

Also, Princess should copy the Celebrity Non-alcohol beverage plan.

Have a great cruise everyone:

[fathercop]

A month or two ago (I can't remember when) I was contacted by my travel agent regarding a price reduction. After looking into it he said there was a promo to add the Beverage package ( a $1300 value) we also got a small reduction in fare but two weeks later got an upsell to the new Penthouse suite on the Island so it looks like the makings of a great second honeymoon :D

 

We've been looking at some NCL cruises - I know, I know, but I will repent from my heresy - and NCL was offering the beverage package for free as part of their promotion to book a wide variety of their cruises.

 

As for the beverage package, we have found it a good value in the end. I can remember having beverage bills for well over what the package would've cost me (had it been available at the time). Now we use it for sodas, water, etc. I now basically figure it into my cruise fare.

 

Good luck to you and enjoy your cruise.

[amandaw559]

Interesting point. Our last cruise was with Celebrity and my husband had the premium beverage package and I had the non-alcohol package and we did NOT have to sign for anything and did NOT get any "paper" receipts. We liked this! The bartenders just swiped our cards and that was it. Princess would be wise to go "paperless" as well. Not sure what the previous poster was concerned about tipping. Princess adds on 15% to all drink packages, so the bartenders receive at least 15% for every drink purchased through the plan.

The beauty of Celebrity was that there was no pressure to add more tips for every drink. Our upcoming Tahiti cruise in October will be our first Princess cruise in about 5 years. Looking forward to it.

Also, Princess should copy the Celebrity Non-alcohol beverage plan.

Have a great cruise everyone:

 

I don't think your point about bartenders getting 15% on each drink is true. The package includes gratuity, but that doesn't mean that each drink ordered gets gratuity added to it. Princess isn't going to pay bartenders 15% per drink ordered. I think a portion of the $56/day is the gratuity that is pooled among bartenders. They aren't getting paid per drink. This is why I will be tipping on top of the 15%. There is no way bartenders/baristas are getting as much when people buy the package as when people pay by the drink. I could be wrong and invite people to set me straight, but I have done some research. It's important to me that I take care of all tipped employees as I was a server/bartender for over 10 years and that was how I put myself through college.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks Caribill, I will make sure to have singles with me. I like to make sure that people are rewarded for their hard work.

 

Yes you can leave an additional tip.

[St Paul Girl]

I don't think your point about bartenders getting 15% on each drink is true. The package includes gratuity, but that doesn't mean that each drink ordered gets gratuity added to it. Princess isn't going to pay bartenders 15% per drink ordered. I think a portion of the $56/day is the gratuity that is pooled among bartenders. They aren't getting paid per drink. This is why I will be tipping on top of the 15%. There is no way bartenders/baristas are getting as much when people buy the package as when people pay by the drink. I could be wrong and invite people to set me straight, but I have done some research. It's important to me that I take care of all tipped employees as I was a server/bartender for over 10 years and that was how I put myself through college.

 

Hi from a Canadian, where serving persons are paid a "fare wage":

I have no issue with persons adding more than the 15% added automatically. If I buy a single drink for $8, 15% is added to the tip "pool", whether I am buying a single drink or on the beverage plan. It's a cultural issue as to how "gratuities" are handled. The US of "A" has a unique system of paying serving persons and the rest of the "industrialized" world has a different approach.

What ever approach you are comfortable with, should be followed. We have always valued "service" when dinning out and will continue to "reward" exemplary" service with more than the expected tip.

Have a great cruise everyone.

[jxw4330]

Interesting point. Our last cruise was with Celebrity and my husband had the premium beverage package and I had the non-alcohol package and we did NOT have to sign for anything and did NOT get any "paper" receipts. We liked this! The bartenders just swiped our cards and that was it. Princess would be wise to go "paperless" as well. :

 

Per the staff on our cruise (May 30 - June 6) we were the last voyage on the Crown to get paper receipts for each drink using our drinks package. They said that they were going paperless for the June 6 voyage, FYI.

Edited June 11, 2015 by jxw4330

[caribill]

There is no way bartenders/baristas are getting as much when people buy the package as when people pay by the drink.

 

When selling the beverage package, Princess is betting you will drink less than the package costs . If Princess is correct, then the 15% added to the daily cost is more than the 15% added to individual purchases would be.

 

Thus, for those who do not drink $49/day of beverages, the amount going into the tipping pool will be more than if the drinks had been purchased individually.

 

For those who consume more than $49/day worth of drinks, the tipping pool would have been better off with individual purchases.

[johnnycruise]

Of course this would only be possible on the Royal and Regal.

 

Why would it not be possible for gelato in the International Cafe on Emerald Princess?

[NC&KY]

Per the staff on our cruise (May 30 - June 6) we were the last voyage on the Crown to get paper receipts for each drink using our drinks package. They said that they were going paperless for the June 6 voyage, FYI.

Thanks, that is very good news. Part of our reason for buying the drink package is to avoid the feeling, even if it's not fiscally true, of being nickeled and dimed.

[Colo Cruiser]

Why would it not be possible for gelato in the International Cafe on Emerald Princess?

 

Gelato-yes

Crepes-no

[huskerc]

Per the staff on our cruise (May 30 - June 6) we were the last voyage on the Crown to get paper receipts for each drink using our drinks package. They said that they were going paperless for the June 6 voyage, FYI.

 

I really hope this goes fleetwide soon! Compared to Celebrity it was one of the really irritating things about the drink package.

[caribill]

Why would it not be possible for gelato in the International Cafe on Emerald Princess?

 

So far nobody has reported that gelato may be had on the Crown/Emerald/Ruby with a punch on a coffee card.

[AlaskaGolden]

We own a timeshare that offers All Inclusive food/drinks (all kinds including alcohol) for $100 per day. The most-often cited complaint about the package is not the quality of the food or the type of drinks offered, but the fact that for everything you order you have to sign a "0" receipt! Suppose it's a way to offer an additional tip, but we'd rather give cash for that.

 

Hope Princess discontinues the signing of the receipts on all ships/cruises in the near future!

[caribill]

We own a timeshare that offers All Inclusive food/drinks (all kinds including alcohol) for $100 per day. The most-often cited complaint about the package is not the quality of the food or the type of drinks offered, but the fact that for everything you order you have to sign a "0" receipt! Suppose it's a way to offer an additional tip, but we'd rather give cash for that.

 

Hope Princess discontinues the signing of the receipts on all ships/cruises in the near future!

 

I suspect the reason for the receipt is to prevent theft, not to get more tips.

[firsttimeCruiser08854]

so is there any free drink on Princess cruise ? water, coke, coffee ?

[Colo Cruiser]

so is there any free drink on Princess cruise ? water, coke, coffee ?

 

 

Tap water/ice tea/coffee.

[mrsstefedwards]

Hey, rookie Princess here. On the Crown Jul. 18 for Tracy Arm and was planning on the soda drink package for me. The one that includes shakes and juices etc. I'd planned on sharing with my two year old who gets juice as a treat once in a while. And I figured a milkshake on vacation would be extra special. Is this not okay? I don't want to get in trouble.

[amandaw559]

Ooh I just got done reading a thread on the RC forum about sharing drinks From a package and it turned into an all-out war. The general consensus was it's stealing to share any drinks. I personally don't see sharing with a 2 year old to be a horrible crime and I think you'll be just fine.

[caribill]

Tap water/ice tea/coffee.

 

Milk (also chocolate milk for kids), juice at breakfast (and in the dining room at all meals for kids), lemonade in the buffet after breakfast.

[mrsstefedwards]

Ooh I just got done reading a thread on the RC forum about sharing drinks From a package and it turned into an all-out war. The general consensus was it's stealing to share any drinks. I personally don't see sharing with a 2 year old to be a horrible crime and I think you'll be just fine.

 

 

Wow. I just read through the same thread. People are cray.