Drink Package on 11 night - trying to decide...

[TigerCruzin]

I'm going back and forth with this. My DH wants the select package. If I were to get one it would be the premium. I just don't know that we are going to break even, especially with 6 port days.

 

We are doing a few excursions that will have drinks included (x). Port times are:

10-8; 7-2 (x); 1-8; 7-5 (X); 7-4 (x); 7-4. We will have 4 full sea days in addition to the day we set sail.

 

DH only drinks beer. I drink mainly wine in the evening and frozen drinks around the pool.

 

Total for the two packages including gratuity $1,142.24 :eek: We are still gold, but trying. So no free stuff yet. ;)

 

Help me rationalize this either way...:confused:

[Clarea]

You can save some by getting your husband the Select package, which is soda, wine, and beer only.

[Merion_Mom]

If you find yourself drinking "a lot", then you can buy the package(s) at any time, as long as there are at least four days left in your cruise. Pricing is per day, so it doesn't matter.

 

:)

Edited February 21, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[Cruiser Craig]

We're debating as well, and want the bottled water and wine so it looks like it will be the premium package for us. We love premium coffees, but for $20 more (for both of us) per day, we won't take the ultimate. My issue is, as wine drinkers (and rarely spirits), the $8-$12 threshold doesn't seem to include a lot, especially now that Kim Crawford SB has gone from $12 per glass to $13 per glass. I'm posting January 2016 wine prices on another thread. Good luck with your decision!

Edited February 21, 2016 by Cruiser Craig

[paulh84]

I wouldn't do it on an 11 day trip (coming from people that know how to run up a bar tab :o). Are you really going to drink $1100 worth with your 6 port days thrown in? We usually fizzle out towards the end of a 7 day and only have a handful per day. Say drinks are an average of $12. You would need to buy 92 drinks to break even. We contemplated this same thing for an 8 day itinerary and unless they have a sale that includes the packages again, we will pass. I just can't sustain my drinking that many days to make it worth the cost.

[cincicruisers]

We are wondering about our 10 day next year. I got the premium package for our 6 night coming up and I will see how it goes. It's really a large bar bill, hard to believe we will drink that much.

 

Same as you we are looking at a port intensive cruise and not as many sea days.

[TigerCruzin]

I wouldn't do it on an 11 day trip (coming from people that know how to run up a bar tab :o). Are you really going to drink $1100 worth with your 6 port days thrown in? We usually fizzle out towards the end of a 7 day and only have a handful per day. Say drinks are an average of $12. You would need to buy 92 drinks to break even. We contemplated this same thing for an 8 day itinerary and unless they have a sale that includes the packages again, we will pass. I just can't sustain my drinking that many days to make it worth the cost.

 

That's the way I am leaning as well. I'm sure we could make good use of the package for a few days, but sustaining that for 11 days and 92 drinks just to break even? I really doubt it.

 

I suppose there will be a few days we will be a bit stunned by the size of the bar bill. The days we drink less because we are on excursions or just don't feel like indulging will even that out pretty easily I think.

 

I also don't want to feel like we are just drinking to make sure we break even. I know on our past 7 day trip, neither one of us had more than 2-3 on that last day, if that.

[TigerCruzin]

You can save some by getting your husband the Select package, which is soda, wine, and beer only.

 

That price was with the select for the DH. :eek:

 

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[TigerCruzin]

We're debating as well, and want the bottled water and wine so it looks like it will be the premium package for us. We love premium coffees, but for $20 more (for both of us) per day, we won't take the ultimate. My issue is, as wine drinkers (and rarely spirits), the $8-$12 threshold doesn't seem to include a lot, especially now that Kim Crawford SB has gone from $12 per glass to $13 per glass. I'm posting January 2016 wine prices on another thread. Good luck with your decision!

 

If we decide to skip the package - and I am leaning that way - we will bring along a case of water and a couple bottles of wine. That should help some.

[TigerCruzin]

We are wondering about our 10 day next year. I got the premium package for our 6 night coming up and I will see how it goes. It's really a large bar bill, hard to believe we will drink that much.

 

Same as you we are looking at a port intensive cruise and not as many sea days.

 

I also want to enjoy the port visits! :p

[TigerCruzin]

If you find yourself drinking "a lot", then you can buy the package(s) at any time, as long as there are at least four days left in your cruise. Pricing is per day, so it doesn't matter.

 

:)

 

Definitely something to consider. From past experience I don't usually drink on the last day. Busy packing and just plain tired from all the activity of the trip.

 

The good news is this cruise ends on a Friday. We fly directly home and I have the weekend to relax before work on Monday. :rolleyes:

[Clarea]

We are wondering about our 10 day next year. I got the premium package for our 6 night coming up and I will see how it goes. It's really a large bar bill, hard to believe we will drink that much.

 

Same as you we are looking at a port intensive cruise and not as many sea days.

Remember, you can hold off on purchasing the package up until thre are 4 days left in the cruise.

[KiwiGal117]

I'm having this same debate for our upcoming Harmony cruise. However, I am leaning toward not getting the package. It's a port intensive cruise for one thing. We like wine with dinner. I've read here that it can be hard to get the drinks waiter to come around, and the per glass pricing puts many of the wines I'd enjoy beyond the value of the drinks package. I think we'd be better off buying a bottle with dinner, and taking it with us to the next venue, or to our cabin to finish on our balcony.

Edited February 22, 2016 by KiwiGal117
Run on sentence!

[Clarea]

I'm having this same debate for our upcoming Harmony cruise. However, I am leaning toward not getting the package. It's a port intensive cruise for one thing. We like wine with dinner. I've read here that it can be hard to get the drinks waiter to come around, and the per glass pricing puts many of the wines I'd enjoy beyond the value of the drinks package. I think we'd be better off buying a bottle with dinner, and taking it with us to the next venue, or to our cabin to finish on our balcony.

Remember the two bottles of wine you can bring onboard, no corkage fees.

[gatour]

If you are going to be off ship for most of the docking times for each port, I would be hardpressed to recommend the premium package. Especially since you normally drink wine in the evening.

[moopetguy]

IMO, all things considered, it sounds like the answer should be "no" to the packages, bring two bottles of wine**, and just pay for each drink individually. It sounds like you'd end up spending a lot less money this way unless you're drinking a lot during other times to make up for all the time in port. And even then, do you actually enjoy drinking that much, or would you simply be trying to justify the cost of the package?

 

**possibly four, if you try to go through security clearance separately on boarding day

[Cruiser Craig]

On our upcoming cruise we have five port days at the beginning, then five sea days at the end. I understand we could buy the package only for the last five days? That might make more sense given we'll be on the ship all day during those final five. Also, on RCCL can we bring unlimited bottles of water (I mean two or three big bottles each) at the beginning of the cruise as well as two bottles of wine per stateroom?

[Clarea]

On our upcoming cruise we have five port days at the beginning, then five sea days at the end. I understand we could buy the package only for the last five days? That might make more sense given we'll be on the ship all day during those final five. Also, on RCCL can we bring unlimited bottles of water (I mean two or three big bottles each) at the beginning of the cruise as well as two bottles of wine per stateroom?

Yes, you can buy an alcoholic beverage package for the last 5 days of the cruise.

 

You can bring two 750ml bottles of wine per stateroom. Bringing any other beverage is against the rules, but they usually don't enforce the rule in the case of water and soda.

[Cruiser Craig]

Thank you clarea!

[Virtopia]

I wouldn't do it on an 11 day trip (coming from people that know how to run up a bar tab :o). Are you really going to drink $1100 worth with your 6 port days thrown in? We usually fizzle out towards the end of a 7 day and only have a handful per day. Say drinks are an average of $12. You would need to buy 92 drinks to break even. We contemplated this same thing for an 8 day itinerary and unless they have a sale that includes the packages again, we will pass. I just can't sustain my drinking that many days to make it worth the cost.

 

This was my debate as well. My 10 night sailing, I'm assuming, is going to be around $600 for the package. This will be my first cruise as Diamond, so I'll have the happy hour drinks, I'll have 2 bottles of wine with me and I also have a bit of OBC. I only have 3 sea days and I probably won't have more than 2 drinks during the sea days.

 

Yeah, so that's decided. No drink package for moi :) I will, however, buy the drink card if they are selling them during my sailing. $100 or so for 10 drinks sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Virtopia

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I wouldn't do it on an 11 day trip (coming from people that know how to run up a bar tab :o). Are you really going to drink $1100 worth with your 6 port days thrown in? We usually fizzle out towards the end of a 7 day and only have a handful per day. Say drinks are an average of $12. You would need to buy 92 drinks to break even. We contemplated this same thing for an 8 day itinerary and unless they have a sale that includes the packages again, we will pass. I just can't sustain my drinking that many days to make it worth the cost.

 

Thank you for doing this math! :) I'd been somewhat debating a package for my upcoming Med/Venice cruise - 12 nights but only 3 sea days with LOTS of time in ports. Had pretty much decided against it, but this just firms that up.

 

I'll just go with my initial plan of getting a couple of bottles of wine in Barcelona to take on board and buying some OBC to use along with the little bit that I have already for any other drinks on the sea days OR for that possible beverage card they might or might not sell towards the end of the cruise because I could definitely use that on the last 2 days which are sea days.

[Clarea]

... I'll just go with my initial plan of getting a couple of bottles of wine in Barcelona to take on board ...

The Barcelona cruise terminal has a duty free wine shop inside the terminal, after you check-in, but before you get to the ship.

[bubba83]

We are in the same boat for our upcoming 10 day here in April....I think we have decided on just one package because Hubby can definitely drink 5-7 drinks throughout the day even if we are at port....Me on the other hand I will probably have that many on sea days but not port days....its hard to tell because we hardly ever drink, unless we are on vacation....but paying $1000 for alcohol is crazy...and its not like I NEED to drink to have a good time....

[Desert Cruizers]

We buy the Beer package for my husband because he can easily drink 6 /Day. We did some long cruises in 2014 out of Australia including the TP & Hawaii and we actually saved money. He didn't think he wanted it on our 13 day but we figured it out and showed him how we could have saved, so we bought it for the two other cruises. By paying for it up front, it was paid for and was nice not having that showing on our bill at the end of the cruise.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Desert Cruizers