drinks package yes / no first time cruiser

[jveevers]

If it is AUD$56 per day per person, thats a good deal.

We are on a cruise out of Singapore and it is AUD$76 per day per person.

That includes grats.

Maybe the AUD$56 doesnt include grats, dunno, would not imagine that the drinks would be any cheaper being an Australian departing cruise.

[GUT2407]

Does Princess have a non-alcoholic bev package?

 

Includes soft drink (soda) virgin cocks and shakes on some ships.

[tartan cruiser]

I think most ships have the "happy hour" where you buy one drink and get the second for $1.00 We usually buy a few beers (unopened) and take them back to our cabin and put them in the refrigerator. Easy to grab one when sitting on the balcony. Between the Soda and more package, Coffee card, happy hour, bringing on our 2 bottles of wine and a few cocktails here and there we find we don't need the AIBP but we are not big drinkers either.

[getting older slowly]

Hi everybody,

 

I have just been to my travel agent, and by luck they will be on the golden princess for three night from tomorrow. ( for work ) They are happy to check drink prices for me and confirm if the price of drinks package is $59aus per person per day. and if you go over the $14 limit is you pay the full amount or just the difference.

 

thanks again everybody for your replies.

 

I will post the info as soon as I have it

 

Cheers

[welder70]

I am taking the drink package. it's easier and I know what I have spent, if you say now that it is $59 and not $73 I have already saved money. I did a cruise a couple of years ago on RCCL and had a drink package which worked well and the amount of people who regretted getting it as they boarded was huge.

see you in Melbourne at the sail away, roll on the 4th December.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

If it is AUD$56 per day per person, thats a good deal.

We are on a cruise out of Singapore and it is AUD$76 per day per person.

That includes grats.

Maybe the AUD$56 doesnt include grats, dunno, would not imagine that the drinks would be any cheaper being an Australian departing cruise.

 

If it's a cruise that starts and ends in Australia, where the onboard costs are in AUD, then it will be AU $59 onboard and there are no extra grats. The Personalizer often shows a different price due to a software bug. Cocktails are $11-14, wine by the glass $8-9, beers $6-8, espresso $1.75, lattes or cappuchinos $3.50 to $4.50, bottled water $2.50 and $5, mocktails $5 (I think). Not sure what freshly squeezed OJ costs, I only drink it when I have the package.

 

If the onboard costs are in USD then the package is US $56.35 (including grats) onboard. Your Personalizer will show an AUD price depending on the exchange rate Princess set at the time you booked your cruise. This may not be to your advantage at the moment. Check the current exchange rate regularly and decide whether it's better to buy it onboard or ahead of time. The prices in the spreadsheet provided above will give you the USD pricing on drinks.

[mattie00]

I think most ships have the "happy hour" where you buy one drink and get the second for $1.00 We usually buy a few beers (unopened) and take them back to our cabin and put them in the refrigerator. Easy to grab one when sitting on the balcony. Between the Soda and more package, Coffee card, happy hour, bringing on our 2 bottles of wine and a few cocktails here and there we find we don't need the AIBP but we are not big drinkers either.

 

This sounds perfect for us. Coffee card and happy hours would work well. We are not big cocktail drinkers..mostly beer and wine with the odd cocktail thrown in if a sea day.:D Our days of being to imbibe profusely are behind us.:(

[jagoffee]

We purchased the drink package on Princess when it was first introduced. I would not purchase it again because the overall drink prices on Princess are very reasonable IMO.

[getting older slowly]

Hi Everybody

 

The true cost of drink package for cruises starting and ending in Australia is $59 per person per day PLUS gratuities so it is about the $76 per day as others have stated. So for a 13 night cruise that is about $1900+ for two.

 

So we have decided to pay as we go, particularly since room service is not included. and $150 per day is quite a bit for in port days.

 

Thanks everybody for your input, and now with only 17 sleeps till we go, all we have to do is pack.

 

Cheers

[Pippa and Toby]

We cruised from Auckland to Sydney in March this year on the Diamond Princess. My husband purchased the AIBP on board for $59.00 per day and was billed accordingly. He was never charged for anything extra on his account relating to drinks. Gratuities are included in the price of Australian cruises. So the true cost is $59 per day, $7 per day for the Soda and More Package and $36 for the Coffee Card. We will be sailing again on the Golden Princess with you on 4 December and will offer to buy you a drink if things have changed. The cost for 13 days will be $767 for the AIBP and $91 for the Soda and More Package. Cheers🍸🍷🍺🍾🍶

[umbluemusic]

My DH and I just got off of a cruise where we had it - we got it by booking during a promotion.

 

In my opinion, I wouldn't ever pay for it - but I would get it again as part of the promotion if it comes up when we want to cruise! It was so convenient; we didn't have to sign for anything, and there was one drink I ordered that I HATED - if I hadn't gotten the package I probably would have suffered through drinking it because I hate to waste money, but I just ordered a new drink.

 

We only had three sea days where we could really fully make use of it. On port days, we only had a few drinks and were nowhere near the full value - which obviously is the point, because Princess offers it to make money. But it just depends on how you feel about it!