Trying out Viking.. acouple of questions on drink packages

[goaliemn]

We’ve been a big MSC fan and are looking at doing the Viking West Indies cruise this December.  I talked to my travel agent and it sounds quite nice.  I asked her about a drink package and she saw one that was $200 for the 10 day cruise.  This seems amazingly inexpensive.  Does anyone know what this includes?  Are there different tiers or are they just that much less than the other lines?

 

Thanks so much

[Heidi13]

Viking already includes beer and wine at lunch and dinner. All soft drinks, bottled water and teas/coffees are also included. The drinks package includes drinks up to $15.

 

With Viking they have no restrictions on bring any beer/wine/spirits aboard at embarkation, or any other port. They will also open and pour your wine in dinning rooms, with ZERO corkage fees. In the bars, the bar staff will also provide glasses.

 

We like to think that Viking considers passengers as adults, unlike the mega ship mainstream lines that consider passengers as cash cows.

[Ready to Sail!]

32 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Viking already includes beer and wine at lunch and dinner. All soft drinks, bottled water and teas/coffees are also included. The drinks package includes drinks up to $15.

 

With Viking they have no restrictions on bring any beer/wine/spirits aboard at embarkation, or any other port. They will also open and pour your wine in dinning rooms, with ZERO corkage fees. In the bars, the bar staff will also provide glasses.

 

We like to think that Viking considers passengers as adults, unlike the mega ship mainstream lines that consider passengers as cash cows.

Since you mentioned coffees, I have a question I can't find the full answer to.  Are specialty (non alcoholic) coffees such as cappuccinos and lattes also complimentary?  If so, are they at the bar in the LR only, or other bars as well?  How about in the Restaurant for after dinner?  

[Peregrina651]

13 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Viking already includes beer and wine at lunch and dinner. All soft drinks, bottled water and teas/coffees are also included. The drinks package includes drinks up to $15.

 

To clarify, coffees plain and fancy, teas and hot chocolate are free 24/7--except any specialty coffees that include spirits, which are charged like bar drinks. Soft drinks, house wines and  house beers are included/free with lunch and dinner only. Premium wines and beers are available for purchase at meals (or are free if you have the drinks package).

 

Ready to Sail!: Latte, espresso and cappucinos are free. There are DIY machines in the World Cafe and espresso machines in all of the bars --Living Room, Mamsen, Aquavit (not open at breakfast).  I stopped drinking coffee in the Restaurant a few days into our first cruise; I drink decaf and it was awful. My personal preference is the Living Room bar, although I noticed on my last cruise that the decaf espresso wasn't as good as it has been in the past and switched to regular.

 

In other words, unless you are a big drinker or have definite preference in wines, you don't really need a drinks package--unless you like it just for the convenience.

 

Note that bar prices include gratuities and so does the package.

 

 

From the Viking website FAQ:

 

Can I upgrade the complimentary beverages?

 

 

 

 

Yes. We offer complimentary house wines, beers and soft drinks with onboard lunches and dinners, plus specialty coffees and assorted hot teas are available 24 hours a day. For those who would like to upgrade and enjoy unlimited beverages, Viking offers a Silver Spirits beverage package, which covers any drinks (excluding champagne) up to $15.00, including premium wines by the glass, cocktails, all house pouring wines, beers, liquors, well drinks, mixers/long drinks and soft drinks throughout the day for a flat fee per guest. You may purchase the package prior to sailing or once you are on board.

You can also use the Silver Spirits Beverage Package Order Form (PDF) to purchase the package for yourself or as a gift for another Viking guest.

Please note you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. Both guests in a stateroom must purchase the package for the full length of the cruise in order for it to be valid.

 

Can I upgrade the complimentary beverages?

Yes. We offer complimentary house wines, beers and soft drinks with onboard lunches and dinners, plus specialty coffees and assorted hot teas are available 24 hours a day. For those who would like to upgrade and enjoy unlimited beverages, Viking offers a Silver Spirits beverage package, which covers any drinks (excluding champagne) up to $15.00, including premium wines by the glass, cocktails, all house pouring wines, beers, liquors, well drinks, mixers/long drinks and soft drinks throughout the day for a flat fee per guest. You may purchase the package prior to sailing or once you are on board.

You can also use the Silver Spirits Beverage Package Order Form (PDF) to purchase the package for yourself or as a gift for another Viking guest.

Please note you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. Both guests in a stateroom must purchase the package for the full length of the cruise in order for it to be valid.

 

[just_dont]

And if you look at the sample bar menu you'll see that Viking's bar prices are quite reasonable, if you decide not to do the drinks package.

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[imcpa]

The bev package is a great deal and worked easy for us.  Unless you are a high, high end drink “snob”, you will enjoy it IMO.  My wife drank a pino noir, Malbec, sparking wine, Bloody Mary or many different beers available all on the plan.  I mainly drank the sparkling wine.  It’s not champagne and not good enough form some, but it was plenty good enough for me .

Note that if there are 2 of you in a cabin, you both must purchase the package.

[G. GIRL]

We didn’t bother with the drinks package and was more than satisfied with the included wines. We did upgrade our drinks the evening we ate at the chefs table which was nice. We found the bar prices very reasonable, we would have a Prosecco at sail away, a pre dinner drink and probably a couple of spirits and mixer after dinner and we have never had such a small drinks bill on any holiday. It was nice to be able to bring a bottle of our favourite gin on board for the evenings we just wanted to relax on our balcony and the steward always made sure we had ice and room service brought us a dish of sliced lemons, what more could you ask for ! 

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, G. GIRL said:

We didn’t bother with the drinks package and was more than satisfied with the included wines. We did upgrade our drinks the evening we ate at the chefs table which was nice. We found the bar prices very reasonable, we would have a Prosecco at sail away, a pre dinner drink and probably a couple of spirits and mixer after dinner and we have never had such a small drinks bill on any holiday. It was nice to be able to bring a bottle of our favourite gin on board for the evenings we just wanted to relax on our balcony and the steward always made sure we had ice and room service brought us a dish of sliced lemons, what more could you ask for ! 

We are hoping to do the same on our upcoming Transatlantic.  Last year we had abundant OBC so we used it to purchase the Silver Spirits package and enjoyed being able to have a cocktail anytime....but this trip we plan on bringing on some gin and vodka and using the DV stateroom supplied tonic for most cocktails.  

 

To answer the OP - the Silver Spirits package is incredibly low unlike on other cruise lines...so don't think there is something shady going on.  I will say, if you are a wine sno...ahem expert, the already included as well as the Silver Spirits wines are not as high end as I would have expected....and I'm no expert!  But the liquor included in the Silver Spirits was all I could ask for.  

 

Have a great cruise!

[JenRonn1104]

OP - we got the Silver Spirits package on both our Viking Cruises.  We were very happy with our choice to do so.  We are a tad wine snobbish, so the included wines just weren't to our liking but the premium wines included in the package were perfect.  We tried a lot of them as we do like a variety.  We will get it on our upcoming cruise as well.  I feel that for the price it is definitely worth it.  

[deec]

We are usually NOT cocktail drinkers...more scotch and 1 ice cube and wine with dinner....but I loved trying lots of things that I "heard" about and never tried....Old Fashions, Manhattan, Gimlets, Sours,  and two  new favorites Caipirinhas and French 75!!!!

[Geoffa30]

Yes it’s a bargain. We had it on our first Viking cruise and will have it again on our next. So convenient to have paid upfront at a reasonable cost (unlike mainstream lines) and be able to have a drink without thinking about a huge bill. Crew were happy to do doubles and it actually felt like a drink had alcohol in which is not something I can say about other cruise lines.

[twodjs]

We love the drink package, and it is very reasonable. So worth it to go up to any bar at any time any say "have fun, be creative, make something with chocolate with a kick" or "what is your favorite? I"ll try that!" 

[MikeyB]

If you happen to be on a cruise with more than a couple of sea days.....what else is there to do!

The package then pays for itself.

[deec]

At the suggestion of a tour guide in Puerto Rico (where Pina Colada's were born), my husband became a fan of Pina Colada with a shot of Baileys.....try it !!!!

[Jim Avery]

10 hours ago, deec said:

At the suggestion of a tour guide in Puerto Rico (where Pina Colada's were born), my husband became a fan of Pina Colada with a shot of Baileys.....try it !!!!

With the Bailey's it becomes a BBC, or so I am told.🍸

[Clay Clayton]

25 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

With the Bailey's it becomes a BBC, or so I am told.🍸

A friend told me it needs banana liquor and/or a banana to be a BBC...."he" said a pina colada with bailys sounded good though!😍

[Jim Avery]

1 minute ago, Clay Clayton said:

A friend told me it needs banana liquor and/or a banana to be a BBC...."he" said a pina colada with bailys sounded good though!😍

Haha, its all good.  Yes, banana is a key component.  Ivan made the best BBC ever on the Sun last spring.  We didn't even have to ask, they would just show up after lunch on the Pool Deck.  It would have been rude not to drink them......🍸

[Cyber Kat]

On 2/12/2019 at 12:16 PM, deec said:

We are usually NOT cocktail drinkers...more scotch and 1 ice cube and wine with dinner....but I loved trying lots of things that I "heard" about and never tried....Old Fashions, Manhattan, Gimlets, Sours,  and two  new favorites Caipirinhas and French 75!!!!

 

They made a French 75?  That’s awesome so many bartenders don’t know what it is and I never remember exactly what’s in one. I was going to look it up for our last cruise, but I forgot, then I found they had a Singapore Sling on the menu and I got distracted. 

[deec]

Yes!!!  I had the atrium bartender call the explorer bartender to give him his proportions as they were the best!!!!  French 75 was the perfect drink to order to take into dinner with me so I could patiently wait for a glass of wine!!!

 

[Jim Avery]

2 hours ago, deec said:

Yes!!!  I had the atrium bartender call the explorer bartender to give him his proportions as they were the best!!!!  French 75 was the perfect drink to order to take into dinner with me so I could patiently wait for a glass of wine!!!

 

Dee, you have great ideas.  I will have to remember this "pre dinner" routine.🍸

[nuneham]

French 75 - lemon juice, gin, sugar & champagne. I like it without the lemon juice, gin & sugar!

[deec]

Jim,

Practice makes perfect!!!  So I will keep booking new voyages....however this year's trip will be back to the river with France's Finest....I am SURE they will know how to make great cocktails too!

[Cyber Kat]

22 hours ago, deec said:

Yes!!!  I had the atrium bartender call the explorer bartender to give him his proportions as they were the best!!!!  French 75 was the perfect drink to order to take into dinner with me so I could patiently wait for a glass of wine!!!

 

 

Excellent!  That’s one of my favorites!  We will be on the Viking Sea in September. I’ll have to ask!

[Cyber Kat]

19 hours ago, nuneham said:

French 75 - lemon juice, gin, sugar & champagne. I like it without the lemon juice, gin & sugar!

 

Ha ha. I like it BOTH ways! 😍