Is it worth buying a drinks package?

[reallyitsmema]

Exactly! Mine is a 9-day cruise so the difference is $75.60! Do you remember what the average price is nowadays for a virgin drink? Maybe I can skip the first couple of days and then buy the package a few days in and save some $?

 

I only ordered a couple of them and the slip said zero, so I am not 100% sure. I think they were around $4.50-$5. We primarily got it for the soda, water bottles and specialty coffee. We tried for the fresh squeezed juice when we had breakfast in Cafe Two70 but the guy said they didn't have juice. When I asked him about the pretty, shiny juice machine that was behind him, he laughed and said they didn't deliver him oranges, so no juice. I also never saw the little San Pellegrino bottles that we were able to get on Oasis. Not sure if that was just an Anthem thing or what.

[Laney219]

Exactly! Mine is a 9-day cruise so the difference is $75.60! Do you remember what the average price is nowadays for a virgin drink? Maybe I can skip the first couple of days and then buy the package a few days in and save some $?

$4.50+grats last year on liberty

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[amby6063]

Could someone confirm if the daily price ($58CAD) includes gratuity, or if you're still charged an additional 18% on each drink. I'm finding conflicting information online....

Thanks!

[rukkian]

Normally service charge is added to the package at checkout. Once you have a package, you only pay a service charge for any amount over the limit for a drink.

[ColoradoGurl]

Could someone confirm if the daily price ($58CAD) includes gratuity, or if you're still charged an additional 18% on each drink. I'm finding conflicting information online....

 

Thanks!

 

 

I'm not sure how they price Canadian stuff, but European prices generally include the gratuity in the listed price. US prices do not, so if the price is listed at $58 on a US site, you would have to multiply that by 1.18 (giving you the total with the 18% added to it). I believe that is true for Canada too, but I'm not sure. Is tipping generally accepted in Canada? If so then it's probably calculated separately. The reason the European price includes it is because it's not typical to add such high gratuities for things in that culture and therefore they hide it in the price to make it less confusing.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited October 20, 2016 by ColoradoGurl

[amby6063]

I'm looking at a Canadian website (everything already in CAD at least) so maybe it includes gratuities? That would be awesome.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[SA71]

I'm looking at a Canadian website (everything already in CAD at least) so maybe it includes gratuities? That would be awesome.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I am in Canada as well. If your booking is in Canadian dollars when you go into the cruise planner you pay the 58$ cdn per day plus grat. If you do a mock booking and add it to your cart you will see the gratuity added on on top. I got the deluxe on the 30%off sale last week for 41 usd a day which was 54 cdn, and an 18%gratuity was added on top. At 41 usd a day it's at the break even point of 3 to 4 $12 cocktails a day, so I got it for the convenience factor even though it will be close.

I'm looking at a Canadian website (everything already in CAD at least) so maybe it includes gratuities? That would be awesome.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

[SA71]

Could someone confirm if the daily price ($58CAD) includes gratuity, or if you're still charged an additional 18% on each drink. I'm finding conflicting information online....

Thanks!

To clarify...an 18% gratuity is added on the price of the package when you buy it online ahead of your cruise. The gratuity is NOT on every drink when you are actually on the ship. For a 7 nt cruise at $58 cdn per day you would pay $406 plus 18% of 406.

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

[mcatmcat]

http://www.cruisingpoweruk.co.uk/uploads/news-product_19_256722736.pdf

 

Not all cocktails are available on all sailings.

 

 

Amazing list, thank you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[amby6063]

Thanks for the info! I'm really on the fence. We're in the Ben & Jerry's 'sweet' so we'll have concierge drinks from 5-8:30 in the lounge but I am cringing at forking over almost $40 CAD (after gratuity and exchange rate) for my husband and I to have a drink at dinner. I swear the prices used to be way more reasonable! Oh well, vacation life, right?? :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dmc6469]

I ended up just buying the refreshment package yesterday. I drink a lot of water and am a Coke-aholic and need my mochas in the morning so figured that would best for me. My friend doesn’t drink alcohol at all so its really not too fun drinking alone. I figured I would drink 1, mayyyyybe 2 drinks a day (margarita, daiquiri) or a glass of wine at dinner, so 1 or 2 drinks for 5 days probably wouldn’t be worth the deluxe package for me.

[ColoradoGurl]

To clarify...an 18% gratuity is added on the price of the package when you buy it online ahead of your cruise. The gratuity is NOT on every drink when you are actually on the ship. For a 7 nt cruise at $58 cdn per day you would pay $406 plus 18% of 406.

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

 

 

I would add to this that the conflicting information likely comes from reading about people who do not have the package. If you buy drinks and pay for them one by one, you will pay 18% for each purchase. With the package, you pay 18% on the value of the package and you are covered for any amount of drinks you order under the package.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ColoradoGurl]

Thanks for the info! I'm really on the fence. We're in the Ben & Jerry's 'sweet' so we'll have concierge drinks from 5-8:30 in the lounge but I am cringing at forking over almost $40 CAD (after gratuity and exchange rate) for my husband and I to have a drink at dinner. I swear the prices used to be way more reasonable! Oh well, vacation life, right?? :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

You're not required to buy the package in order to have drinks at dinner. You can just buy drinks as you go, which will definitely be cheaper for you if you'll only have 1 or 2 drinks at dinner (a total of 2-4 drinks between the two of you). With the package you are pre-paying for at least 5 drinks per person (10 total for the two of you) per day!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ColoradoGurl]

I ended up just buying the refreshment package yesterday. I drink a lot of water and am a Coke-aholic and need my mochas in the morning so figured that would best for me. My friend doesn’t drink alcohol at all so its really not too fun drinking alone. I figured I would drink 1, mayyyyybe 2 drinks a day (margarita, daiquiri) or a glass of wine at dinner, so 1 or 2 drinks for 5 days probably wouldn’t be worth the deluxe package for me.

 

 

Definitely will not be worth it for you. But consider purchasing the refreshment package which includes the mochas and the soda. That package is half the price of the deluxe package and you can also get bottled water with it and frozen drinks without alcohol in them. If you decide to get an alcoholic drink, you can just pay the difference in price between the non-alcoholic version (which you get for free) and the shot of alcohol you'll add to it (which you'll pay for).

 

EDITED: Sorry, you already said you're buying the refreshment [emoji849] sorry for not reading properly

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited October 20, 2016 by ColoradoGurl

[dmc6469]

If you decide to get an alcoholic drink, you can just pay the difference in price between the non-alcoholic version (which you get for free) and the shot of alcohol you'll add to it (which you'll pay for).

 

EDITED: Sorry, you already said you're buying the refreshment [emoji849] sorry for not reading properly

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Ohhh, I thought I would pay for the entire drink (ie, if a margarita is $12 I pay $12). So you just pay the difference? Oh, that's even better. Yes, that package will definitely work better for me. Thank you. Glad I got that one.

[ColoradoGurl]

Ohhh, I thought I would pay for the entire drink (ie, if a margarita is $12 I pay $12). So you just pay the difference? Oh, that's even better. Yes, that package will definitely work better for me. Thank you. Glad I got that one.

 

 

Yep you just pay the difference. I don't know if you have to specify that you want to buy a shot separately in order to make sure it's charged properly and then ask them to mix it in, or if they just do it automatically. People have made it sound like it happens automatically but I would specify that you want to order the virgin drink, plus buy a shot to add to it, just in case, and see if they explain to you that you don't need to do it that way or not. For example, order the virgin pina colada and then say, "I'd like to buy a shot of rum to add to it, would you mind mixing it in for me?"

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dmc6469]

I will definitely do that. Thank you for the tip!

[amby6063]

You're not required to buy the package in order to have drinks at dinner. You can just buy drinks as you go, which will definitely be cheaper for you if you'll only have 1 or 2 drinks at dinner (a total of 2-4 drinks between the two of you). With the package you are pre-paying for at least 5 drinks per person (10 total for the two of you) per day!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

I did the math and with the 20% off, if we have more than 3.4 drinks each per day it will pay for itself.. I'm thinking if we each have 2 drinks with dinner + a couple drinks at the show it is more than worth it. Ahhhh now I'm not sure if I want to keep the b&j room because we were really only getting it for the concierge access. Decisions decisions haha!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ColoradoGurl]

I did the math and with the 20% off, if we have more than 3.4 drinks each per day it will pay for itself.. I'm thinking if we each have 2 drinks with dinner + a couple drinks at the show it is more than worth it. Ahhhh now I'm not sure if I want to keep the b&j room because we were really only getting it for the concierge access. Decisions decisions haha!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

You also get free ice cream [emoji4] 2 cones a day I believe...then again there is free ice cream offered elsewhere already. But I don't think the B&J room is more money than others in that category so if you move from it, you lose the perks and don't save any money. I'd keep it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Johnny Red Tip]

I have a related question so hopefully someone can help. I have just booked on the Singapore to Sydney cruise on Ovation in November. (My wife and I are Crown & Anchor members) If I pre-purchase the drinks package its AUD66 pp per day (costs more if you purchase on board), BUT it doesn't include drinks over US$12. I am up to the 8th email in an exchange with RC trying to establish how much a Long Island Iced Tea is (my preferred cocktail), as, if it's over $12 it's not worth buying the package. They don't seem able (or willing) to tell me, so if anyone knows how much RC currently charge for a Long Island Iced Tea I would appreciate it :-)

 

cheers

[gerif]

I have a related question so hopefully someone can help. I have just booked on the Singapore to Sydney cruise on Ovation in November. (My wife and I are Crown & Anchor members) If I pre-purchase the drinks package its AUD66 pp per day (costs more if you purchase on board), BUT it doesn't include drinks over US$12. I am up to the 8th email in an exchange with RC trying to establish how much a Long Island Iced Tea is (my preferred cocktail), as, if it's over $12 it's not worth buying the package. They don't seem able (or willing) to tell me, so if anyone knows how much RC currently charge for a Long Island Iced Tea I would appreciate it :-)

 

cheers

Sorry, I don't know the cost on that ship, but let's say it's $13 - you would be paying $1.18 extra but not the entire $13. Not a bad deal.

[Clarea]

I have a related question so hopefully someone can help. I have just booked on the Singapore to Sydney cruise on Ovation in November. (My wife and I are Crown & Anchor members) If I pre-purchase the drinks package its AUD66 pp per day (costs more if you purchase on board), BUT it doesn't include drinks over US$12. I am up to the 8th email in an exchange with RC trying to establish how much a Long Island Iced Tea is (my preferred cocktail), as, if it's over $12 it's not worth buying the package. They don't seem able (or willing) to tell me, so if anyone knows how much RC currently charge for a Long Island Iced Tea I would appreciate it :-)

 

cheers

I've never seen a Long Island exceed the value limit of the Deluxe beverage package.