New Premium package price limit?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

In my Cruise Planner the price is correct.

 

bon voyage

 

My cruise planner for my December 8th Summit cruise shows $69/day for the premium package, which matches the onboard packages section of the website. In the cruise planner there is a link in the package description that pulls up a PDF with comparisons between Standard, Classic and Premium. This is where the pricing is incorrectly displayed as still being $65/day which obviously means it has not been updated (which is not a huge surprise that their crack IT department let this slip by).

 

Where the real discrepancy exists is in the published per drink limit. The section of the website for onboard packages lists it at $15, while the description in the cruise planner still lists it as $13. Herein is the issue as the two are at odds and evidently the onboard staff are still going by the $13 limit as well.

[chamima]

There are quite a few wines including some nice ports above the $13 price point as well a good portion of the WCB menu and some liquors that DH enjoys. Raising the limit to $15 without increasing the current prices on cocktails, wines, etc would cut our upcharges.

 

The wines that are , say, $16 a glass were a $3 upcharge before. Now they will be a $1 upcharge but you have paid $4 a DAY more to save that dollar.

And as far as the world Class Bar - that's our go-to place so I know that only 2 drinks (one of which is never available) are $15 and the Lagavulin Scotch is $18. The rest of the drinks are $13.

 

So I used to pay a $5 upcharge for the Scotch and now I've paid the $4 a day plus the $1 upcharge.

 

My husband had that 3 times on a 14 day cruise.

 

We'll pay that $4 upcharge because in general we like the Premium package , for the sparkling water - that we drink a lot of - and the better wines. But I won't fool myself that I've gained anything by the expanding of the limit from $13 to $15.

[fizzy1]

If you have a drinks package as part of your perks, with us its the Classic package, and the package price has risen since booking and that also includes the maximum price per drink, i assume you don’t have to pay anything extra on top of your perk even though you had it included at the lower price at booking . I know you can pay the difference if you want a more expensive drink but i don’t mean this

 

 

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[RICCruisers]

What you say is true, but I upgraded for $10.00 prior to the increase for our B2B in August. For us, this does make a difference. Whether or not we upgrade after those cruises is yet to be determined.

 

 

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[jelayne]

The Classic package price hasn’t increased. However, if increased and you had it as a booking perk or even purchased it befire the price increase you don’t have to pay any extra because of the increase.

[fizzy1]

The Classic package price hasn’t increased. However, if increased and you had it as a booking perk or even purchased it befire the price increase you don’t have to pay any extra because of the increase.

 

 

 

Thanks, yes it was one of the perks of our cruise we booked last year for this Sep

 

 

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[mick70]

Curious what price you paid to upgrade or did you have the “go best”. I dont think they had started charging the $14 on 5/18 sail date even though the price increase had taken effect.

I had the "GO BEST" and this took place on the night of 28 May.

[mdlarsen]

Just sailed on Equinox last week. Premium now covers drinks up to $15 - I actually spoke with someone in Guest Relations to confirm. Initially the woman told me the limit was $13, but when I asked her to verify since the price for the Premium package had recently increased, she checked and told me I was right, that the per drink limit was also raised to $15.

[EMBFlyer]

Just sailed on Equinox last week. Premium now covers drinks up to $15 - I actually spoke with someone in Guest Relations to confirm. Initially the woman told me the limit was $13, but when I asked her to verify since the price for the Premium package had recently increased, she checked and told me I was right, that the per drink limit was also raised to $15.

 

Were the drink prices themselves also raised?

[mdlarsen]

Were the drink prices themselves also raised?

 

That is a good question, and I'm sorry I don't know the answer. This was my first Celebrity cruise, so everything was new to me, including the drink prices!

[misterkevin]

No, not for US based cruises. It's still $13 maximum. Drinks are more expensive in Australia and the limit seems to be higher.

[mdlarsen]

No, not for US based cruises. It's still $13 maximum. Drinks are more expensive in Australia and the limit seems to be higher.

 

Mine was US-based cruise, and it had definitely been increased to $15. I took advantage of the new limit all week long!

[Purplsmurf]

I also had confirmation from someone on Equinox last week that the limit increased to $15 on premium. I didn’t ask if the drink prices increased. Fortunately we caught wind of the upgrade charge being increased so we upgraded our future cruises before the price increase took place. Not sure what we will do on any future cruises after those already booked.

[dutchclogs]

@mdl Thank you for posting.

[jelayne]

We are boarding the Eclipse on Thursday, I be looking to see if drink prices have increased- particularly at the Martini bar. I will post what I find.

[cococruiser]

We are boarding the Eclipse on Thursday, I be looking to see if drink prices have increased- particularly at the Martini bar. I will post what I find.

 

 

 

I saw a copy on a Facebook group of the Martini Bar menu. The price of martinis had risen to $15 on that sailing.

[JRWLOBO]

Celebrity website says drinks up to $15 for the Premium Drink Package.

[jagoffee]

I saw a copy on a Facebook group of the Martini Bar menu. The price of martinis had risen to $15 on that sailing.

 

? Since you are saying that the price has risen does that mean it was not a cruise in a region where the price includes the gratuity? If yes, it would be the same price as last year. Which ship and where was it cruising? First report that I have read stating the Martini bar has increased the prices.

[chamima]

I saw a copy on a Facebook group of the Martini Bar menu. The price of martinis had risen to $15 on that sailing.

 

 

I don't know which ship's Martini Bar menu you saw but if it is sailing out of England or Australia the gratuities are included in the base price of the drinks, instead of being added afterwards as we do here.

So it's possible that $15 just included the gratuity.

[cococruiser]

I don't know which ship's Martini Bar menu you saw but if it is sailing out of England or Australia the gratuities are included in the base price of the drinks, instead of being added afterwards as we do here.

 

So it's possible that $15 just included the gratuity.

 

 

 

Thank you. That may have been the case then. I’ve been keeping an eye out for menus as I’ll be on Equinox in August. We have the premium package but I like to see the wine prices.

 

 

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[caladezi]

Have things changed as far as gratuities are concerned? When I order a drink that costs $15.00 on the drink menu, while on a US cruise, and I have the premium drink package from the Go Best perk, am I going to have to pay an additional 18% gratuity on that $15.00 or will the total cost be covered by the package as it has been in the past?

[chamima]

Have things changed as far as gratuities are concerned? When I order a drink that costs $15.00 on the drink menu, while on a US cruise, and I have the premium drink package from the Go Best perk, am I going to have to pay an additional 18% gratuity on that $15.00 or will the total cost be covered by the package as it has been in the past?

 

Nothing has changed. When you buy the package the 18% gratuity is added to the price you pay per day (the $69/day they quote is actually $81.42/day so you've already paid the gratuity).

If you were to buy a drink individually that was $13 it would be approximately $15 with gratuity. In the US the price on the menu is pre-gratuity. In England and Australia the price on the menu includes the gratuity.

But if you have a package the limit already includes the gratuity because you actually paid it when you bought the package.

[janewe]

I see they have downgraded the classic beverage package. For example you used to get chivas regal scotch. It’s now on the premium. All that is left on the classic is “bar scotch”. I suppose this is to entice people to buy the premium. Booked a 12 night cruise for 6 adults, a lot of money and very disappointed they are playing these games.

[Wine-O]

The cost for the beverage packages is really getting out of control. I would never purchase one at that price. Anyone who does has got to be nuts. $81.00???? Just another way to fleece -- no longer nickel & dime us but up the ante to quarter & half.

 

We have the beverage package thrown in for our next Celebrity cruise and will really have to think hard about upgrading, considering that increase also. May be just pay the extra $$ for the difference.

[Schrinky]

I upgraded to the premium before the price increase, and in my cruise planner under order history it says:

For the ultimate in value and convenience, our premium package provides all the benefits of our Premium Non-Alcoholic Package. In addition, you can enjoy our entire selection of Beers as well as Spirits, Cocktails and Wines by the Glass up to $15 per serving. Plus, with purchase of this Premium Package, you can enjoy a 20% discount on all wines by the bottle purchased on board, even our prized Reserve Wine list and Rare Wine list.