So...I"m sitting at the bar...

[LuAnn]

and NOBODY is paying for drinks anymore??? Am I the only one who booked a cruise during a time when 123Go was not offered??? It was really kinda funny...we were there to play Trivia and the seats at the bar were the only ones available...and I swear...NO ONE...NO ONE paid for a drink...just handed in their card!! I booked this cruise 1.6 years out...while on board...and didn't get that offer...and by the time it was offered for the cruise the price had gone way, way up! So I think I did get the best deal...but pretty funny to realize I would be... maybe...the only person on board paying for a drink!! But I did get my 5 to 7 Happy Hour!! :cool::eek: Next cruise on X is a TA...no 123Go etc for that one...but the one in Asia in '17...got all 3!! Can't wait to present that card at the bar then!! :D Love X!! LuAnn

[CABINET]

I think they are "paying" just in a different way to you!

[Grandmaanne7]

We're all paying for our drinks. Just because the beverage package is included, does not mean we are getting them free. The prices have been adjusted accordingly. We are just not having to sign for them or think about the cost of each one. That makes it worth it in my mind. Besides, anyone in an inside cabin would have to pay for a beverage package if they have one. Enjoy your cruise!

[LuAnn]

We're all paying for our drinks. Just because the beverage package is included, does not mean we are getting them free. The prices have been adjusted accordingly. We are just not having to sign for them or think about the cost of each one. That makes it worth it in my mind. Besides, anyone in an inside cabin would have to pay for a beverage package if they have one. Enjoy your cruise!

 

I DO realize that there is a cost increase because of this "perk:!! I was just trying to make a statement re how cruising has changed! And is it "worth it"...of course...I think it may be!! You enjoy your next cruise as well!!! LuAnn

[chemmo]

Oh, I can't wait, another 8 months to go!!!

 

Just sitting at any bar on any Celebrity ship right now would be heaven. Please toast all of us green with envy right now!

 

You are right about how things have changed. We had our first ever drinks package (premium) on our last cruise. We found it different. We also found some of the staff really keen to ensure we had our money's worth. When my husband in restaurants just asked for iced water he was always reminded he could have a premium and when our son asked for a certain brand of beer the waiter took time to explain he could have a much better one! I don't think by any stretch of the imagination even including wine and coffee we had our money's worth but it was free so who cares! We did like the ease of it and another freebie (premium or classic) we would see as a good perk. At the end of the day, though, it is the total package cost that is important.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[CruisingChick]

We still pay for drinks as we always book inside cabins, but I know what you mean on our last cruise on embarkation day I felt the same way. No one else was paying except for us.

[ClaudiaB]

We have felt like that, ever since they introduced the drink packages. We have never had a package and we have often been the only ones at the bar signing a ticket. Just never got that perk. But we are having it on our next cruise. I doubt we'll ever drink enough to make it "worth it" but we have it.

[6502programmer]

NO ONE...NO ONE paid for a drink...just handed in their card!!

 

SEE THE CONSUMERS LOVE OUR ALL INCLUSIVE APPROACH TO AN ESCAPE TO MODERN LUXURY!

 

Seriously though.. While I'm sure most folks got their drink on via 123Go, it's also quite likely that some purchased the package as well. I'm not a spendthrift, but I'm not a miser either. Even if I only consume 80% of the value of a beverage package, it's worth it to me to never ever ever ever ever have to worry or think about the cost of my drinks, even if I do splurge on a $15 glass of wine.

 

Also, consider your audience: You're in a bar, likely for a 5p trivia, sitting at the bar itself. This ain't no bush league drinking here. That's the pro's. The only way to step it up is to move to the all stars--10p at the martini bar! :D

[Iamcruzin]

and NOBODY is paying for drinks anymore??? Am I the only one who booked a cruise during a time when 123Go was not offered??? It was really kinda funny...we were there to play Trivia and the seats at the bar were the only ones available...and I swear...NO ONE...NO ONE paid for a drink...just handed in their card!! I booked this cruise 1.6 years out...while on board...and didn't get that offer...and by the time it was offered for the cruise the price had gone way, way up! So I think I did get the best deal...but pretty funny to realize I would be... maybe...the only person on board paying for a drink!! But I did get my 5 to 7 Happy Hour!! :cool::eek: Next cruise on X is a TA...no 123Go etc for that one...but the one in Asia in '17...got all 3!! Can't wait to present that card at the bar then!! :D Love X!! LuAnn

 

I thought I read on this board that if you booked a cruise on board they threw in the drink package. It would have been around the time that you booked.It was a separate offer than 123 go or pick your perk. Now with the new pricing BBB I don't know what incentive they would be offering.

[Iamcruzin]

Oh, I can't wait, another 8 months to go!!!

 

Just sitting at any bar on any Celebrity ship right now would be heaven. Please toast all of us green with envy right now!

 

You are right about how things have changed. We had our first ever drinks package (premium) on our last cruise. We found it different. We also found some of the staff really keen to ensure we had our money's worth. When my husband in restaurants just asked for iced water he was always reminded he could have a premium and when our son asked for a certain brand of beer the waiter took time to explain he could have a much better one! I don't think by any stretch of the imagination even including wine and coffee we had our money's worth but it was free so who cares! We did like the ease of it and another freebie (premium or classic) we would see as a good perk. At the end of the day, though, it is the total package cost that is important.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

If you felt that you paid a fair price for the cruise before the included package and you only drank one drink then you got your monies worth. If you think you over paid than no you didn't.

[Olive1950]

Even with the water, specialty coffees, and wines by the glass I consumed on my recent Summit cruise, I think I only exceeded the per diem for the premium beverage package on 2 days.

 

I did save 20% on bottles of wine we consumed in Blu, but I'm not gonna worry about the beverage packages. Next time I might just get an in-cabin bottle of booze and go from there....

[BEAV]

Keep in mind some people actually purchase the beverage packages if they weren't included as a promotion when they booked. So whether they bought the package or got it included as a promotion, they're still only going to hand their card to the server/bartender without having to sign a receipt.

[tgeonetta]

Little confused now with this thread. I thought the ship was cashless and everyone presented their room card, and it was either charged to your account or you had a drink package? This is going to be my first time on X, maybe i'm used to other lines that have one card and thats what you charge things on including access to your room?

[Iamcruzin]

Little confused now with this thread. I thought the ship was cashless and everyone presented their room card, and it was either charged to your account or you had a drink package? This is going to be my first time on X, maybe i'm used to other lines that have one card and thats what you charge things on including access to your room?

 

It is cashless. Those who either received the drink package when they booked or paid for the package on board still have to show their ship card. Those who choose to buy the drinks as they go, show their ship card and sign a slip which is billed to their on board account that must be paid in full at the end of the cruise.

[Lois R]

Little confused now with this thread. I thought the ship was cashless and everyone presented their room card, and it was either charged to your account or you had a drink package? This is going to be my first time on X, maybe i'm used to other lines that have one card and thats what you charge things on including access to your room?

 

Hi, the ship does use a cashless system. When you have a drink package

it is either a sticker on your card or it is imprinted on it. Everyone does

show their card. If you don't have a drink package, you show your card

and the bartender will run it and give you a receipt to sign that shows

how much your drink is costing you.

When you have a drink package, you still show your card but you are not

signing for anything. No paperwork is given back to you.

 

The card is your room key too and it is the card for making any purchases

on board as well........one card for everything.

[Muushka]

Hi LuAnn

 

You're playing trivia without us????:mad::) How I miss that.

 

We'll have the drinks package on our next 2 cruises, and I will enjoy that.

 

But if no package, like you, I also appreciate the 5-7 social hours is too!

 

Have a wonderful cruise. Say Hi to your sweet husband for us.

[Baron Barracuda]

The unwelcome impact of everyone (almost) having the drink package is the long line at the bars, especially on the pool deck, most especially on sea days. Spent almost 1/2 hour on line several times just trying to get a beer. With people approaching from all directions it's also difficult to determine who's next in line. Maybe need to hand out numbers. The bartenders do their best but many cocktails take a while to prepare, with a large number of ingredients plus use of a blender, and don't forget the cherry.

[SantaFeFan]

We have felt like that, ever since they introduced the drink packages. We have never had a package and we have often been the only ones at the bar signing a ticket. Just never got that perk. But we are having it on our next cruise. I doubt we'll ever drink enough to make it "worth it" but we have it.

 

When we compared the benefits of the free drink package to the free gratuities or OBC (we were offered only one of them), we found that one or two drinks per day, plus a specialty coffee and a bottle of water made this package a better choice. I could never get the full value of the entire worth of the package, but it does pretty quickly exceed the worth of the other options.

Edited July 20, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[OCruisers]

Hi, the ship does use a cashless system. When you have a drink package

it is either a sticker on your card or it is imprinted on it. Everyone does

show their card. If you don't have a drink package, you show your card

and the bartender will run it and give you a receipt to sign that shows

how much your drink is costing you.

When you have a drink package, you still show your card but you are not

signing for anything. No paperwork is given back to you.

 

The card is your room key too and it is the card for making any purchases

on board as well........one card for everything.

 

Exactly! Per above, it's a "cashless system".

 

LuLu

[LuAnn]

Hi LuAnn

 

You're playing trivia without us????:mad::) How I miss that.

 

We'll have the drinks package on our next 2 cruises, and I will enjoy that.

 

But if no package, like you, I also appreciate the 5-7 social hours is too!

 

Have a wonderful cruise. Say Hi to your sweet husband for us.

 

We missed you too! And we found our cocktail waitress still on board from Xmas...but it was her last cruise before going home for vacation!! We are now friends on FB!!! Are you on FB??? We had such a good time...but the weather..was pretty bad...but what would you expect in the fjords of Norway!!??? DH just had his BD yesterday...I will tell him you said Hi!! And guess what...he WON the "Ancient Oldies Music Trivia"...with all 15 out of 15 answers right>>>> you aren't surprised, right??? Let's get on another ship together, soon??? LuAnn

[rjrpar]

People at bars during trivia games are the big drinkers, of course they have beverage cards. What about the other 3000 people?

[luv2cruisecats]

From a previous post:

"When my husband in restaurants just asked for iced water he was always reminded he could have a premium and when our son asked for a certain brand of beer the waiter took time to explain he could have a much better one!"

We have been on 4 cruises now with drink packages and this is quite logical. Since you do not have to sign anything and have a chance to add an additional tip, the bartenders/waitstaff only get 18% of the total. The more you drink and the higher the unit value the more they make in automatic tips!

[Fogfog]

Will X move closer to Regent in their pricing/inclusive policy?

 

It is MUCH pricier - however having it all paid (drinks/grat etc) was nice

[shipshape sam]

I think they are "paying" just in a different way to you!

 

LOL..... Pre paid!

[Muushka]

We missed you too! And we found our cocktail waitress still on board from Xmas...but it was her last cruise before going home for vacation!! We are now friends on FB!!! Are you on FB??? We had such a good time...but the weather..was pretty bad...but what would you expect in the fjords of Norway!!??? DH just had his BD yesterday...I will tell him you said Hi!! And guess what...he WON the "Ancient Oldies Music Trivia"...with all 15 out of 15 answers right>>>> you aren't surprised, right??? Let's get on another ship together, soon??? LuAnn

 

I remember that waitress. Always nice to see a friendly familiar face!

No, no FB for me. Sorry :o.

 

So sad about the weather. I would love to do that cruise one day.

 

My husband's birthday was yesterday! Too funny.

After our cruise over Christmas, nothing surprises me in a trivia game.

Remember the answer Debra Winger???:D

And no, I'm not at all surprised at his trivia prowess. 100% score, way to go!

Another cruise together would be great. Keep in touch.