Classic Vs Premium alcohol package question

[dappledumpling]

I have a friend trying celebrity for the first time. I told him that with the classic package (perk for go better package) that he would just need to pay the extra if he goes over the package price. This has been the case on my last few sailings.

 

He called celebrity and they told him that if the price was above the amount covered he would have to pay full price.. Has anything changed? or just another case of shore side service misinformation.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Muffinz]

no - you are correct

if your friend orders a drink that is above the limit on the Classic package then they just pay the difference

[Paulras]

Did he call them 2 years ago? That's when they changed it to just the difference

 

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[dappledumpling]

no - you are correct

if your friend orders a drink that is above the limit on the Classic package then they just pay the difference

thanks for the confirmation

[awhfy]

He can also upgrade to the premium package either prior to or during the cruise

 

 

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[rid891]

Does anyone know what the cost of a Standard Package Bourbon on the rocks vs a Premium Package Bourbon? Trying to figure if I should upgrade or pay as I go?

[Luvcrusn]

Does anyone know what the cost of a Standard Package Bourbon on the rocks vs a Premium Package Bourbon? Trying to figure if I should upgrade or pay as I go?

You can upgrade the package on board once you see if you're spending the more or less than the difference between the Classic and Premium daily. For our purposes, the occasional upcharge would be far less than the daily difference. Additionally, if you do upgrade the bartender from whom you make the purchase will benefit and likely remember you (which might have additional benefits).

[NantahalaCruiser]

no - you are correct

if your friend orders a drink that is above the limit on the Classic package then they just pay the difference

To be clear, with the exception of those cruises that have the gratuity already included in the price of the drink, it is the difference plus 18% of the difference. For example, $12 martini would have a charge of ($12 - $9) x 1.18 = $3.54

[rid891]

Thanks...looks like I'll play the wait and see game on board......the last example explained it perfectly...

[TFLG]

Does anyone know what the cost of a Standard Package Bourbon on the rocks vs a Premium Package Bourbon? Trying to figure if I should upgrade or pay as I go?

 

You don't get a different drink if you have the premium package unless you ask. If you just ask for a bourbon on the rocks you get Jim Beam. If you do happen to have the premium AND you ask for it you can get a better bourbon. But they don't automatically pour you premium brand. They have several premiums so prices will vary a bit if you are paying the difference.

[maxsales]

no - you are correct

if your friend orders a drink that is above the limit on the Classic package then they just pay the difference

Thats the premium package not the classic. Classic go over the per drink cost and you pay the whole amount.

[jimzgoldfinch]

Thats the premium package not the classic. Classic go over the per drink cost and you pay the whole amount.

 

Wrong. If you have the classic drinks package, You now only pay the difference. Has been this way for a while now.

[maxsales]

Wrong. If you have the classic drinks package, You now only pay the difference. Has been this way for a while now.

 

Well that's nice i stand corrected. However, in the OP it says he called Celebrity and they told him the opposite which is the way it always was, so if there is a change someone better tell Celebrity.

[Luvcrusn]

Thats the premium package not the classic. Classic go over the per drink cost and you pay the whole amount.

That's no longer true. It changed over a year ago. Classic pays the difference + 18%.

[davekathy]

Well that's nice i stand corrected. However, in the OP it says he called Celebrity and they told him the opposite which is the way it always was, so if there is a change someone better tell Celebrity.

No need to tell Celebrity. Just that person that provided the OP with the incorrect info. What a surprise. :rolleyes:

[Luvcrusn]

The shoreside personnel often aren't supplied with, or don't read and digest the latest updates to service changes like what was reflected here. They did the same when luggage valet program was brought back. I remember emailing a photo of the form that was provided aboard ship when a phone agent told me that the program was gone and never coming back. It was only after she saw the email with the date that she believed me. That's also why on Cruise Critic I've often seen people advise posters to call back and ask the question a second time.

[wpgcycler]

The shoreside personnel often aren't supplied with, or don't read and digest the latest updates to service changes like what was reflected here. They did the same when luggage valet program was brought back. I remember emailing a photo of the form that was provided aboard ship when a phone agent told me that the program was gone and never coming back. It was only after she saw the email with the date that she believed me. That's also why on Cruise Critic I've often seen people advise posters to call back and ask the question a second time.

 

This is why Alexa and her "children" will obviate the need for many of these jobs.

[QT911]

FYI - depending on your sail date, keep an eye out for 20% off deals. I have a 5-nights cruise coming up and it was $66.08 to upgrade from Classic to Premium. I did the math, that is about 10 premium highest priced drinks. I am sure I can drink 10 upgraded drinks in 5 days (esp I don't plan on leaving the ship on one of the dock days for long)

[rubydoobydoo]

We only paid the difference on our cruise in 2014 so it can’t be that new

[rebeccac]

We only paid the difference on our cruise in 2014 so it can’t be that new

 

On our Thanksgiving 2016 cruise, we had the classic package and we had to pay the full amount if the drink was over the limit. Our friends had the premium package and they only had to pay the difference.

 

It is nice to hear that the policy has changed. Happiness!!

[Paulras]

We only paid the difference on our cruise in 2014 so it can’t be that new

You must have had the premium package. That's always been "pay the difference". Classic was pay the full price until about a year and a half ago. Now they're both pay the difference.

 

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[Luvcrusn]

On our Thanksgiving 2016 cruise, we had the classic package and we had to pay the full amount if the drink was over the limit. Our friends had the premium package and they only had to pay the difference.

 

It is nice to hear that the policy has changed. Happiness!!

It changed early last year.

 

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[grandgeezer]

We only paid the difference on our cruise in 2014 so it can’t be that new

 

It appears, after much searching, Celebrity didn't introduce drink packages until 2015 and paying the difference wasn't an option. We were on the Silhouette in December 2016 and it still wasn't an option. Maybe it was different for uk residents.

[Iamthesea]

Thats the premium package not the classic. Classic go over the per drink cost and you pay the whole amount.

 

On our Thanksgiving 2016 cruise, we had the classic package and we had to pay the full amount if the drink was over the limit. Our friends had the premium package and they only had to pay the difference.

 

It is nice to hear that the policy has changed. Happiness!!

 

Apparently, it's not just shoreside that doesn't get the updates. We had a bartender on the aft of the Eclipse that insisted we pay the whole amount for a drink of the day that was not included in the Classic package. We passed!

[jagoffee]

It appears, after much searching, Celebrity didn't introduce drink packages until 2015 and paying the difference wasn't an option. We were on the Silhouette in December 2016 and it still wasn't an option. Maybe it was different for uk residents.

 

The Celebrity Drink packages were introduced closer to 2010/2011. The also had the 123 promotions which included the Classic drink package as one of the options.

Unless you are suggesting that Celebrity had the drink packages, but residents of the U.K. or Australia were not allowed to purchase them until 2015. That would be very strange. Time to expand your research options. You can Google “when did Celebrity introduce their Drink Packages?”

 

 

Apparently, it's not just shoreside that doesn't get the updates. We had a bartender on the aft of the Eclipse that insisted we pay the whole amount for a drink of the day that was not included in the Classic package. We passed!

I know in the past the daily drink specials were not included in the Classic Drink Package, perhaps it caused some confusion? Worst case, you should have only needed to pay the difference between the limit and the regular price. (Not the special price)