Just want to be clear - OBC vs Drink Pkg

[Giskard]

From my reading it appears I can wait and purchase the drink package on board using the OLife onboard credit. Assuming the price on board isn't different than the listed Premium package price on their website ($59.95/day/pp) a seven day package for two is about $420. If we choose the OBC of $300/pp then we are ahead $120 to use on other stuff if we decide to purchase the drink package after all.

 

Do I have this right?

[blambition]

You have to times that amount by two so it's more appropriate to figure it as $840. The drink package they give you is for wine or beer only at lunch and dinner. You would still have to upgrade once onboard to the premium package that you were looking at for the additional $20 per person per day.

 

 

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[Giskard]

thank you! yes I should have checked my math! I knew it didn't seem right, otherwise why would anyone take the drink package instead of the on board credit.

[LHT28]

If you take the OBC yes you can buy the Prestige package when you board

you may want to buy it the 2nd or 3rd day to see if it works for you

for 2 people it would be approx $120 pd

 

You can also take the House select deal which is wine & beer at lunch & dinner & upgrade to the Prestige for $20 pp pd once onboard

 

or just pay as you drink ..just depends on you personal drinking habits

[MOTB]

Still trying to decide about drink policy. As long as the wine waiters are attentive at meal times, that might be enough for us: champagne while we're waiting, white wine, red wine, maybe something sweet. Brandy for my OH with coffee? Presumably as long as we are in a dining venue it counts for the cheaper meals only package (and includes lunch). Is Waves included which serves until 4pm? (Thinking of the port days when we get bacl too late for GDR or Terrace). It would be good for us to have soft drinks the rest of the time!

 

And do I understand there is a Captain's Party with free drinks? And also Happy Hour?

[Hawaiidan]

Still trying to decide about drink policy. As long as the wine waiters are attentive at meal times, that might be enough for us: champagne while we're waiting, white wine, red wine, maybe something sweet. Brandy for my OH with coffee? Presumably as long as we are in a dining venue it counts for the cheaper meals only package (and includes lunch). Is Waves included which serves until 4pm? (Thinking of the port days when we get bacl too late for GDR or Terrace). It would be good for us to have soft drinks the rest of the time!

 

And do I understand there is a Captain's Party with free drinks? And also Happy Hour?

 

 

People who order whole bottles get attentive service and who order multiple wines red and white. You will not be getting much opportunity to change from champagne to red to white and what you start with is what you will be served except on rare occasions... when your sharing a table forget it.

What you start with you pretty much are stuck with... If you have the prem package will get way better service than the std....from experience these past 3 weeks on Insignia.

Now...no sweet wines...no brandy they come from the prem package only

 

Do not expect to be allowed to linger for hours in any place to milk your wine beer package...they will after about an hour cut you off... When meal are served your done from that point on maybe a glass refill but thats it.

 

Waves shuts at 4 others by 2 bar service in waves after say 2 pm is scarce as staff shifts waves bar for the pool... ice tea and water mostly

 

Yes captains party all bars serve 5:45 to 10: There is a regular 5/6 pm daily happy hour and a 1030-11 pm one. Sometimes they have one on sea days 11-12.. depends but service during those times can be slow and drinks less than robust... Daily drinks specials too . But again pretty light

 

These observations are current aboard a Malta to Miami 17 day cruise with 10 sea days....

[sitraveler]

Captain's party cut off was 8:00 in all bars when on board Regatta 2 weeks ago.

[LHT28]

Captain's party cut off was 8:00 in all bars when on board Regatta 2 weeks ago.

Agree

on any ship we have been on it was 6-8pm for the free flowing drinks on Captains night

 

second HH on Regatta in April was 10:30 -11:30 pm

[MOTB]

That's very helpful. Sounds as though we'll be going for the premium package then! But wine still comes by the glass I understand. So when we've finished a glass, do they bring us another or do they just top up our glasses from a bottle. And do they ever just leave the bottle on the table?

 

Or should we consider paying corkage on bottles we take on board - there should be opportunities at all the ports? I believe we can drink what we wish in our cabins.

[LHT28]

That's very helpful. Sounds as though we'll be going for the premium package then! But wine still comes by the glass I understand. So when we've finished a glass, do they bring us another or do they just top up our glasses from a bottle. Probably unless you want a different wine If you tell the Sommelier whenyou order your 1st glass you would like to pair the wine with your meal I have heard they will do this even with the package

And do they ever just leave the bottle on the table? I have never seen them leave a bottle on the table

 

Or should we consider paying corkage on bottles we take on board - there should be opportunities at all the ports? I believe we can drink what we wish in our cabins.

You can bring wine or spirits for your cabin or pay the Corkage to take it to the dining venues they will store the leftovers if you have any ;)

[MOTB]

Thanks. Yes, we do like 'pairing' our wines with food, at least white with fish (usually) and red with red meat. So we hope the sommelier will do this for us even if we just take the drinks with meals package. If we start with this package, would we be able to upgrade to the premium after a day or two if we decide this would suit us better?

When does the Captain's party usually take place?

[JimandStan]

If we start with this package, would we be able to upgrade to the premium after a day or two if we decide this would suit us better?

 

The written policy says no, but in practice they have been allowing this. Be warned that upgrading packages requires the re-issuance of your World Card, so it takes at least a half an hour to accomplish.

 

When does the Captain's party usually take place?

The Cruises are so diverse, some with no sea days at all, that there is no longer a "usually", but in general if you look at the schedule for your trip and ask yourself, "What is the first night when I would schedule a four hour Cocktail party for this group?", that will be the night.

[DrHemlock]

You mean.....there's NOT a good night for a four-hour cocktail party?

 

Dang!

[bitob]

On a cruise with sea days it is usually the evening of the first sea day.

 

 

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[JimandStan]

On a cruise with sea days it is usually the evening of the first sea day.

 

 

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Only if said sea day falls within the first few days of the cruise, otherwise they still do it on the night of a port stop.

[bitob]

True. We haven't taken itinerary like that in a long time.

 

 

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[findacruise]

Thanks. Yes, we do like 'pairing' our wines with food, at least white with fish (usually) and red with red meat. So we hope the sommelier will do this for us even if we just take the drinks with meals package. If we start with this package, would we be able to upgrade to the premium after a day or two if we decide this would suit us better?

When does the Captain's party usually take place?

`

We did wine pairings on our last cruise several times. Told them at the beginning of the meal and usually began with the appetizer. Most enjoyable, especially nice to know that if didn't want to drink the entire glass I wasn't really waiting any money and could just move on to the next one.