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Drink Packages - Are they worth it?

CruiseNerd1000

By CruiseNerd1000,
in Princess Cruises

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WISH84

WISH84

Posted
Posted (edited)
How is the pricing determined - is it the number of nights of the cruise? You don't pay for the departure day, do you?

 

Maddle

 

Yes, you do.

 

If you wait until the following day, you still have to pay the full package. So purchase it in advance or once you get on the ship and start enjoying your benefits as soon as possible. I plan to have a refreshing cocktail in my hand ten minutes after we board. ;)

Edited by WISH84
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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

Posted
Posted
How is the pricing determined - is it the number of nights of the cruise? You don't pay for the departure day, do you?

 

Maddle

 

You pay for the number of nights on the cruise even though the literature says "days." I guess if you want to count, you don't pay for the disembarkation day, but then you are off the ship by 9 am. How much drinking can you do between wake up and 9:00? Wait, cancel that question.

 

On a 7 night cruise, you pay for 7 "days" of the package even though you are technically not on board for 7 24 hour periods.

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Hlitner Excellent Advice! Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted

Regarding the original question, are drink packages worth it, the answer is very simple and also obvious. It depends how much you drink! One can toss out all kinds of other issues, but in the final result it just comes down to your personal drinking habits.

 

Hank

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Nezmo

Nezmo

Posted
Posted
Yes, you do.

 

If you wait until the following day, you still have to pay the full package. So purchase it in advance or once you get on the ship and start enjoying your benefits as soon as possible. I plan to have a refreshing cocktail in my hand ten minutes after we board. ;)

Why the delay :D.
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mmckm

mmckm

Posted
Posted

The exchange rate has nothing to do with whether to buy the package or not. Drink prices have increased the same amount if the dollar is low or are cheaper if you dollar is high. Everything on the ship costs more if you dollar is low.

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reedprincess

reedprincess

Posted
Posted
How is the pricing determined - is it the number of nights of the cruise? You don't pay for the departure day, do you?

 

Maddle

 

It is priced by nights inboard. A 7 night cruise technically has you inboard for, at least dome part, of 8 days. You oay for 7 nights. And it "works" from the moment you purchase till disembarkation (limited venues in disembarkation morning though).

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jennybenny

jennybenny

Posted
Posted
It is priced by nights inboard. A 7 night cruise technically has you inboard for, at least dome part, of 8 days. You oay for 7 nights. And it "works" from the moment you purchase till disembarkation (limited venues in disembarkation morning though).

 

I didn't think you could get a drink on disembarkation morning. Just coffee.

Well, I guess I never tried...

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jennybenny

jennybenny

Posted
Posted (edited)

My only disappointment with the AIBP was that you could not get a rose sparkling wine with it. I think it was $12-14. Vines had the better option of bubbly that you could have with the package, and the MDR and other bars had Korbel or something cheap like that.

 

All in all, I love not having to think about what I'm drinking. I like pre paying and treating it as an all inclusive cruise.

Edited by jennybenny
typo
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  • 1 month later...
Mal2105

Mal2105

Posted
Posted

We are on Diamond Melbourne to Singapore inMarch. The cruise is USD based as not returning to Australia but the on board pre purchases are in AUD - now this is where it gets interesting as the AIBV is quoted at A$64.90 pd which at today's exchange rate is around uS$46 - $10 less than it would cost us on board - plus we would save on credit card conversion of about 3% so to me it seems a bargain as we would surely spend more than $46 on board - only about 5 drinks per day !?!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cabogirl13

Cabogirl13

Posted
Posted
I created a similar post about the All-Inclusive Package. Bruin Steve makes an excellent point (as usual) about considering the pay as you go option. However, though I was originally on the fence, I've decided to get the AIBP.

 

Here's why:

 

I typically drink 4 drinks per day at $8 per drink, that makes it $32 for the day. I also typically buy the UKP or "sodas and more" package which costs $7 per day. I am already at $39 bucks.

 

So for me it will be worth the extra $10 per day to:

 

1. Add a glass or 2 of champagne or bloody mary to my breakfast (I'm a big Sunday Brunch fan).

2. "Upgrade" my regular drinks to a fresh squeezed OJ, bottled water, or specialty coffee and automatically get the tapas and sushi at vines (if they still require a drink purchase to get them).

3. Have a drink whenever I go from one venue to another and not add up costs in my head. Often times, I will be at a show, or the trivia room, or the poolside, and want a drink but want to be cost conscious so I don't order one.

4. Be able to sample almost any drink I might like. Typically, I stick to drinks I know I will like so as not to waste money. Now I can try a single malt scotch, or certain types of martinis that I would normally never buy.

5. I can now order my margaritas with chasers that they will serve me 5 minutes later. So whether I want to chase it with grand marnier, cointreau, an extra shot of tequila, beer, etc., I don't have to think about it.

6. Frankly, I think there is a huge emotional component that is attached to the package. It truly lends the emotional experience of feeling like you are on an all-inclusive vacation. Even if I don't quite get my "money's worth", I will enjoy that feeling of, as someone else put it, 'drinking without thinking'. We are 'diamond members' on RCI and thus had access to their concierge lounge. The only way to get into that lounge was to sail on 10+ cruises with them or get a suite. Usually, we did both. And I know that I mentally attached a very high value to their concierge lounge, which at the time, was limited to about 6 different alcohols (that we poured ourselves) and the access time was limited to ~ 4 hours per day during dinner hours (so you really only had 2 hours to imbibe). Suites are expensive, 10 cruises are expensive, so now with the AIBP on Princess you have many more choices for the entire day! I have scoured the net for drink menus on Princess and have already identified 60 drinks that I could taste. Knowing myself, I probably won't get anywhere near that total but it's fun to have that as my option.

 

Thank you Calvin for the way you responded. It was thorough and thought out and quite frankly falls in line with how we plan to cruise on the Emerald in March. The idea of not having to worry about anything and "knowing" what our expenditure will be up front makes for more fun. We enjoy a morning adult beverage on vacation and at the pool and through the evening, so we believe it will be a good fit for us.

 

I understand that it is also valid at Princess Cay, can anyone validate that?

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Cabogirl13

Cabogirl13

Posted
Posted

And I know this is going to sound "terrible", but we are talking vacation time folks, so please don't judge :)...

How early and where could one procure a screwdriver/Bloody Mary/Mimosa type beverage in the mornings?

If some place is open can we get one and return to enjoy in our stateroom or does it have to be consumed in the venue?

If something can be taken back, can one of us go and retrieve or do we both need to go?

Traveling on Emerald in March

 

Thanks

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luvseaside "Live from...." Rare

luvseaside

Posted
Posted (edited)
And I know this is going to sound "terrible", but we are talking vacation time folks, so please don't judge :)...

How early and where could one procure a screwdriver/Bloody Mary/Mimosa type beverage in the mornings?

If some place is open can we get one and return to enjoy in our stateroom or does it have to be consumed in the venue?

If something can be taken back, can one of us go and retrieve or do we both need to go?

Traveling on Emerald in March

 

Thanks

 

No judgment here! When I purchased the package last year, I would get a small bottle of Korbel at night before I retired to take back to the room and fix myself morning mimosas with room service the next morning. Relaxing start to the day!

 

Haven't traveled on Emerald but there is usually one bar up on the Lido deck by the pool that opens very early (@ 8 a.m.) I believe on most ships. Your Princess Patters will have the bar hours listed on the back page. Drinks do not have to be consumed at the bar; you can take them with you. And if only one person goes, just take both person's cards (if you both have the drink package) and you can get 2 drinks.

 

And, don't hold me to this, I think the bar next to the coffee bar at the International Café might be open to get a drink. You may can order something from your server at Horizon Court too, but I've never done that so not completely sure.

Edited by luvseaside
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Cabogirl13

Cabogirl13

Posted
Posted
My husband is a light drinker. Can he purchase the soda and more package and I get the alcohol package or do we both have to get the all inclusive alcohol beverage package?

 

I thought I read that all adult members in the cabin must get the same package.

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luvseaside "Live from...." Rare

luvseaside

Posted
Posted (edited)
My husband is a light drinker. Can he purchase the soda and more package and I get the alcohol package or do we both have to get the all inclusive alcohol beverage package?

 

You both do not have to buy the alcohol package, but buying drinks for him (for the times he wants to partake) is technically not permitted. I'm sure you could, of course, with little trouble if you purchased them at separate times, but that is the rule. You can buy a bottle of wine for your table at dinner, however, and share that with no problem

Edited by luvseaside
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