Do you buy a drink package, and why?

[mulan1123]

Replenish for me! I don't drink alcoholic drinks. But this package is great as it included the soda, bottles water, the specialty coffees/teas/hot chocolate, freshly squeezed juice and virgin drinks!

 

I definitely made it work while for me to get it....since I was on Freedom the Café Promenade served Starbucks brand drinks, I had like two a day with a couple of bottles of water thrown in. Juice in the morning, and soda and virgin drinks throughout the day....AND that you can use the package on CocoCay and Labadee is great!

[clarktk]

We have been sticking with the the Premium the last few cruises. You can do the math all day long, and come up with rationale for and against. For us, since we do drink while on a cruise, it is worth it simply for the freedom of movement. We enjoy being able to try new drinks, and grab one when we want. My wife and I are both diamond, but really never visit the lounge when we have a package.

All in all, it's worth it just to take the worry out of the cruise. We are, after all, spending quite a bit of money on the fare trying to leave our worries behind for a week!

[m32446]

With the BOGO deal they offered, we're trying the Premium package for the first time in November on the Navigator. I'm going to try and upgrade to the Ultimate on board though, since they wouldn't let me upgrade without paying full price when I made our reservation.

We got the Replenish on last year's trip, and it was easily, easily worth it. Just pop up in the morning for a latte, grab a frappucino in the afternoon, maybe another latte in the evening. I don't know if we saved any money (we probably broke even) but the convenience of not having to look at the receipt and go 'goodbye another $10' was utterly worth it. And we'll only need 3-4 drinks a day to break even, which will be no problem, particularly averaged out between sea days and port days.

The only 'downside' is we'll skip our usual all inclusive beach hangout in Cozumel (because why bother when we've got drinks on the ship?), so we'll have to come up with some other way to spend the day. XD

[karen&roy]

Just bought it for our cruise on FOS in Sept. Im looking forward to using it to try all the different drinks that I would not normally buy, like a chocolate martini or some fancy foofoo drink. Its worth it to me not to have to constantly keep track of our seapass account :eek:

[jtdl]

Ultimate for us. We are basically beer drinkers at home but I love frozen drinks so a package will allow me to try them all lol! Soda package for our son even though he doesn't drink that much soda at home, but he is on vacation. My daughter and her fiancé are also getting packages, she Replenish as she loves frozen drinks but doesn't drink much alcohol so she will be able to drink the non alcohol frozen drinks to her hearts content. He will also get the Ultimate for sake of not having to worry about what he is spending on a daily basis.

[TheBuick]

Replenish! Fresh squeezed OJ, specialty coffees, and cold bottled water -- every once in a while we go with virgin cocktails. Overall, we make the most of the replenish package and many times more than what is charged per day.

[Sitzmark]

Nope, it's too expensive. One more reason to love cruising. :rolleyes:

[DANtheFIREMAN]

I did by packages for my last two cruises and i will not on my next cruise.

 

I feel with packages we are force to drink more than we drink normally and i did calculated and was arriving under...specially at the end of a cruise you are tire of drinking to much haHaHa.......my opinion.... :)

 

AND LETS SAY YOU CATCH A COLD OR FLU AT THE MIDLLE OF THE CRUISE...WELL YOU NEVER KNOW...WELLL YOU JUST WASTED GOOD MONEY ON A PACKAGE...Unless you still drinl while being sick....

Edited June 24, 2015 by DANtheFIREMAN

[dplusd]

We tried a drink package once and didn't even come close to breaking even...and we really tried! I should have known better since our bar bill has never been close to what the package costs. I would encourage anyone to consider their normal bar bill when making the decision to buy or not to buy a package.

 

We will just buy a la carte, but we have not cruised since the drink prices and gratuity have increased so dramatically. I am sure that will reduce the drinks we purchase on board. We have never carried on wine, but with the new drink prices we now plan to bring on the allowed two bottles.

Edited June 24, 2015 by dplusd
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[CaptData]

I got the Replenish for myself and GD (19). GD is under 21 and she does not care if she drinks or not (She is legal age here). This will allow her to try non-alcolic versions of drinks and if she finds one or two she likes when she comes home she can try them with alcohol. She likes pina Coladas.

Edited June 24, 2015 by CaptData

[jm485]

After the debacle with the beverage package promo for our upcoming Liberty trip, decided to just go with Replenish for both of us. I can definitely see starting off the day with fresh-squeezed OJ, we'll both drink bottled water, I like specialty coffees and DH will drink soda. I can also see ordering some virgin frozen drinks (perhaps with a shot or two on the side). So I'm pretty sure we'll get our money out of that package.

 

We have 1 or 2 bottles of wine with our package and some OBC, which should take care of any alcohol we drink. Since this is our first cruise together, we figure we'll be able to tell from our burn through the OBC whether a package that includes alcohol would make sense in the future. We don't drink much at all at home, and even on vacation, it's usually just 2 drinks a day each (maybe three at most). But then, one of us is usually driving -- maybe it will be different when our room is just an elevator ride away.

Edited June 24, 2015 by jm485

[ldeflavia]

Just off the Oasis, DH and I each purchased the Premium Package onboard (used OBC). The couple we were with also each purchased the Premium Package. It was worth it for us and we definitely came out ahead. No need for Ultimate for us as we don't drink coffee or need fresh OJ.

 

All the bartenders were awesome and didn't seem to mind that we had the package (never had slow service). Was very easy to get drinks for all of us.

 

Between us we had 5 kids (didn't buy them any drink packages as the complimentary drinks are enough for them). We had all intentions of paying for any sodas, smoothies, Shirley temples, etc. the kids ordered at dinner but the bartender never charged us for one at all. I guess he figured since we had 4 packages he'd put them under that and they kept coming with second/third rounds for the kids. The bartender at the Boardwalk Bar was making them smoothies everyday and not charging us anything. Our dinner bartender was bringing us after dinner cordials each night without our asking. We did tip extra on most of our drinks just because the service was awesome.

 

It was so nice not to have to worry about a bar tab at the end of 7 days. We also used lots of water bottles over 7 days. So for us the premium package was definitely worth it.

[buckeye rob]

I saw somewhere, I believe Bob supplied it, a chart that compared the various drink packages versus purchasing separately. That was a few years old. Hearing the individual drink prices have risen somewhat, has anyone compiled a new drink package with a cost per day of buying separately ? Seems on non-at sea days packages value would diminish. Gerry

Edited June 24, 2015 by buckeye rob

[Chirpbird]

I'm a horrible saver. I simply cannot do it. So, I like to "pre-pay" for my drinks so I know I can enjoy myself with no worries. I also like that I get Cokes, waters and coffee. For me, it's peace of mind, and I always get my money's worth.

[jules815]

Last year we purchased the Ultimate package for our b2b on FOS. I don't regret the purchase, but admit that there were a few days we didn't really feel like drinking. We did, however, use the package a lot for bottled waters and specialty coffees and tea. I also enjoy a Pellegrino with dinner, and that was included as well. This year we'll have cl access, and the second week we should have DL access + vouchers, so we're going with the Royal Replenish, and will just pay for whatever drinks we get outside of the CL. If the prices seem that crazy, we can always add the package on board, but I think we'll be fine.

[lalenalei]

Ultimate. I drink every day (except once a week when I have to take my immuno suppressant). I also drink 3-4 liters of water per day and get a cappuccino in the morning, so I easily get my money's worth.

[NewSalt]

On our first cruise (7 days) our bill at the end if the week was about $300. That included gratuities, a couple of bottles of wine with dinner, drinks at the shows, and a couple of souvenirs. We were docked in Bermuda for almost three full days and off the ship from morning until dinner.

 

We've done several nine- or ten-day cruises since then, and our tab at the end is generally in the $600-$800 range, a very large portion of which is duty-free alcohol to take home. I have lists of prices with me, so I know which ones are good buys.

 

We don't drink bottled water because of environmental concerns, all those bottles in the landfills. I'm always surprised at the number of people with the soda package since no one I know drinks soda any more and most of our friends' young children and grandchildren have never even tasted it.

 

We do buy the coffee card on Princess and have a cappuccino most mornings on Royal, and we bring our four bottles of wine (two couples) to dinner. On our last cruise, a few months ago, we drank at bars in port and used their wifi before returning to the ship. If we were able to take advantage of a BOGO sale, we might consider it, but I doubt that we could ever make a package worth buying.

[George C]

We did Premium on last 2 cruises and I thought it was great, almost all the top shelf liquor was included and we will get it again on next cruise, doubt we will get it when we do Europe since we will be on shore most of the day with almost no sea days

[gizzimo156]

We sail on our 1st cruise next week and we purchased the ultimate for my husband because he likes a lot of mixed drinks and all kinds of coffee. I don't drink that much due to medical issues so I got the above the pop only so I can have virgin frozen drinks and if I want a drink it might be 1 or 2 then entire trip and our OBC will cover that. I purchased them so that we don't have to keep track of all of that..I think it is great we can prepay almost everything. We are taking extra for additional tips and money for shopping. July 5th isn't getting here fast enough.:D

[dacsmom]

Ultimate for me, I get my moneys worth on the frou-frou coffees alone.

[cateera]

Can you tell me what the specialty coffees consist of? Can you get an irish coffee, or nutty buddy coffee at the bar with the Premium Package?

[Clarea]

Can you tell me what the specialty coffees consist of? Can you get an irish coffee, or nutty buddy coffee at the bar with the Premium Package?

Specialty coffees are things like espresso, cappucino, latte, frappucino, etc.

[gerif]

Don't get one - although I don't see the difference between that and a la carte. Don't drink coffee or soda. Ship water is fine as is one glass of "juice" in the morning. Don't often drink during the day. Late seating so grab a drink using D coupons on the way to the cabin to change. Couple of drinks in the DL and later some of the wine we bring on the balcony. Just wouldn't be worth getting a package.

[mysticbluebmw]

Definitely premium pkg. I run every morning and the bottled water will be nice. Also it's so easy for me to rack up drinks during the day lounging about, and at dinner, shows and/or even nitecaps afterwards. I'll also be able to try some new and different drinks I otherwise wouldn't at these higher prices. I probably wont drink for a month after the cruise, but such is life, haha.

[Doug S]

Not sure anymore.

 

We always bought Premium for me and Ultimate for wife, and we loved the convenience. But our cruise next week is to Alaska (Port intensive / less pool time), and we are newly Diamond, so not at all sure how the vouchers and lounge will impact us. Changes the 'break-even point'. We are gonna wait a day or 2 onboard and see how it goes before deciding. At the very least I will get the soda package. If D-Lounge coffee is good, wife may drop back to Premium even if we do opt to buy packages.

 

By the way, the poll left out the ever popular 'Rum-Runner' option.