Sapphire Princess - Drinks Packages

[Annette24]

Sailing on Sapphire Princess soon. Most answers to drinks package questions are well documented elsewhere and I am sure the answers to these will be straightforward.

 

We don't drink enough to warrant an alcoholic drinks package, so are considering a coffee card and soft drinks package. If I want a G&T, can I just buy the gin and get a tonic on the soft drinks package (same for other mixes, rum & coke/malibu and pineapple)?

 

I appreciate the 1 bottle of wine per person and that's ok. There is a make of wine we often purchase in a box (3ltr) to take home, when getting off in a French port, and usually have no problems when returning to ship and store it in the cabin. My question on this is if they take it away until the last day, is it safe in their hands?

[Thrak]

Sailing on Sapphire Princess soon. Most answers to drinks package questions are well documented elsewhere and I am sure the answers to these will be straightforward.

 

We don't drink enough to warrant an alcoholic drinks package, so are considering a coffee card and soft drinks package. If I want a G&T, can I just buy the gin and get a tonic on the soft drinks package (same for other mixes, rum & coke/malibu and pineapple)?

 

I appreciate the 1 bottle of wine per person and that's ok. There is a make of wine we often purchase in a box (3ltr) to take home, when getting off in a French port, and usually have no problems when returning to ship and store it in the cabin. My question on this is if they take it away until the last day, is it safe in their hands?

 

I doubt very much that the gin would be less without the tonic so you might as well just go ahead and order the gin and tonic and have it made right. If you like, you could order a bottle of gin, rum, etc. (375 ml) from room service and mix the drink yourself in the cabin but it seems like a pain in the butt to me to have to take your drink back to the cabin to mix. I believe the shot of liquor will be the same price whether you get it straight or mixed.

 

Many people have their liquor held by Princess when they purchase it in ports and I have never heard of a report where they didn't get it back. It's like purchasing rum in Barbados or somewhere. They want you to give it to them when you return to the ship. If they didn't give it back I'm sure there would have been a huge number of people complaining so you should be fine if they confiscate your wine at a port. They will surely return it to you at the end of the cruise.

[Annette24]

Thanks for the info, did not see separate prices on menus that have been uploaded so think it included in the price but worth asking. P&O and Cunard charge separately hence the question.

[paul929207]

In the US, I have never seen a separate charge for the mixer. So if you get a gin & tonic, it would normally be served mixed. Charge would be the same for a G&T as for a gin on the rocks. Assume same kind of gin.

[Annette24]

On P&O OH was charged for gin separately from tonic, as there was enough tonic for two gins, he only purchased a second gin, at that time saving £1. I know its not the money if you can afford to cruise etc etc, but its also about waste. Why buy something you don't need. Admittedly he didn't drink much on Cunard as they have hiked their prices over the last year.