Drinks Package?

[AlyssaJames]

Switching the conversation of "stuff that's making us hesitant" over to the News thread:

 

(Saw a comment in Forbes that's concerning but it has nothing to do with drinks packages.)

[allyfrizzle]

5 hours ago, LincolnLog said:

I’m a little disappointed by this too. I was okay with the “$5-6“ beer price we originally saw. But I’m not okay with paying up to $11 for a Lagunitas. 

The fact they aren't doing a drink package is B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I'm not paying bar prices on a cruise I'm already paying more for. Include package options (doesn't even have to be unlimited, but a la carte is crazy)

[JamieLogical]

7 minutes ago, allyfrizzle said:

The fact they aren't doing a drink package is B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I'm not paying bar prices on a cruise I'm already paying more for. Include package options (doesn't even have to be unlimited, but a la carte is crazy)

 

Didn't I sail on the Escape with you last April? I think my sister and I sat next to you at Teppanyaki...

[allyfrizzle]

Just now, JamieLogical said:

 

Didn't I sail on the Escape with you last April? I think my sister and I sat next to you at Teppanyaki...

Hahha, I was definitely on that cruise (and knew you were going) but I don't remember the specific people at Teopenyaki. That's so funny. 

[resstation]

Plain and simple. If you don't or won't cruise without a drink package, they are not your cruise line and THEY are not looking for YOU either. It is not a bad thing. They are a small, 1 ship (so far) line. They will fill their ship. As far as being "disappointed" with this or that - my goodness. If it's not one thing its another. Totally surprised some of you are cruising AT ALL. 🤦‍♀️🤣

[allyfrizzle]

11 minutes ago, resstation said:

Plain and simple. If you don't or won't cruise without a drink package, they are not your cruise line and THEY are not looking for YOU either. It is not a bad thing. They are a small, 1 ship (so far) line. They will fill their ship. As far as being "disappointed" with this or that - my goodness. If it's not one thing its another. Totally surprised some of you are cruising AT ALL. 🤦‍♀️🤣

I assure you that their marketing is aimed 100% at people like me. DINKs who love to dance, drink, eat, get tattoos, see live shows, etc. 

[JamieLogical]

5 minutes ago, allyfrizzle said:

I assure you that their marketing is aimed 100% at people like me. DINKs who love to dance, drink, eat, get tattoos, see live shows, etc. 

 

That's what I thought too, which is why I originally posted this thread. But I have been assured dozens of times since then that I was wrong and I am not their target demo at all....

[AlyssaJames]

I mean, if 'drink package or open bar' is make-or-break for a person on a cruise, and a cruise line doesn't offer it, doesn't that sort of de-facto indicate the targeting isn't aimed that direction?

 

If the idea is that Virgin failed at their market research, the bookings will prove or disprove it. 

[CruisingWalter]

51 minutes ago, allyfrizzle said:

The fact they aren't doing a drink package is B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I'm not paying bar prices on a cruise I'm already paying more for. Include package options (doesn't even have to be unlimited, but a la carte is crazy)

 

Not paying ala carte for WiFi - fine.

Not paying ala carte for speciality meals- fine.

Not paying ala carte for soft drinks - fine.

Not paying additional gratuities - fine

Paying ala carte for drinks - bananas.

 

I seriously don't follow the logic here when I paid almost $200 just for WiFi on my last Celebrity cruise and I've never paid less than $125 for WiFi on any cruise.

 

Clearly if that's bananas, there's no reason for you to cruise on Virgin.

[AlyssaJames]

7 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

I seriously don't follow the logic here when I paid almost $200 just for WiFi on my last Celebrity cruise and I've never paid less than $125 for WiFi on any cruise.

 

Now you've done it. You've summoned the "I cruise to unplug, I think it's so sad when people just stare at their devices" crowd. 🙂 

[JamieLogical]

7 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

Not paying ala carte for WiFi - fine.

Not paying ala carte for speciality meals- fine.

Not paying ala carte for soft drinks - fine.

Not paying additional gratuities - fine

Paying ala carte for drinks - bananas.

 

I seriously don't follow the logic here when I paid almost $200 just for WiFi on my last Celebrity cruise and I've never paid less than $125 for WiFi on any cruise.

 

Clearly if that's bananas, there's no reason for you to cruise on Virgin.

 

I never pay a la carte for anything you mention. I buy packages or receive packages as booking perks. The gratuities on those are included in the packages or the the up front cost of my cruise.

 

The difference here and the thing that is chafing me and probably some other people is the lack of the ability to buy a package.

[CruisingWalter]

3 minutes ago, AlyssaJames said:

 

Now you've done it. You've summoned the "I cruise to unplug, I think it's so sad when people just stare at their devices" crowd. 🙂 

 

Wha?!?! But I HAVE to Instagram from every cool corner of the ship. It is commanded!  🙂

[CruisingWalter]

2 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I never pay a la carte for anything you mention. I buy packages or receive packages as booking perks. The gratuities on those are included in the packages or the the up front cost of my cruise.

 

The difference here and the thing that is chafing me and probably some other people is the lack of the ability to buy a package.

 

And now you can. $300 pre-cruise Bar Tab where they will add $50 if you do it in advance, or $100 more for a limited time.

[allyfrizzle]

4 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

And now you can. $300 pre-cruise Bar Tab where they will add $50 if you do it in advance, or $100 more for a limited time.

 

We all know that's not a drink package. It's a pool of money where your $9+ drinks will come from. It's not the same. Even MSC offered a 12-drink package for those who wanted to save a little on a la carte bevs but don't need unlimited.

Edited February 20, 2020 by allyfrizzle

[JamieLogical]

3 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

And now you can. $300 pre-cruise Bar Tab where they will add $50 if you do it in advance, or $100 more for a limited time.

 

And I said earlier, that is definitely a step in the right direction, but still not quite the same as buying a drink package, as I will still have to budget throughout the cruise so as not to exceed my credit.

[CruisingWalter]

6 minutes ago, allyfrizzle said:

 

We all know that's not a drink package. It's a pool of money where your $9+ drinks will come from. It's not the same. Even MSC offered a 12-drink package for those who wanted to save a little on a la carte bevs but don't need unlimited.

 

You have a $350 pool of money to spend on drinks. Most cruise lines run $65 - $85/day for the drink package. $300 for a 4 or 5 night cruise is pretty much on par with that.

[AlyssaJames]

14 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

I never pay a la carte for anything you mention. I buy packages or receive packages as booking perks. The gratuities on those are included in the packages or the the up front cost of my cruise.

 

Wait, how are you getting free grats AND booze AND wifi AND the dining package? Are you only booking Haven or something? 

Even if you get the WiFi "free" perk on NCL, it's for X number of minutes (250?) ... which you can convert to unlimited for a hefty additional fee. And 250 minutes doesn't go very far on NCL's crappy connections. 

[CruisingWalter]

8 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

And I said earlier, that is definitely a step in the right direction, but still not quite the same as buying a drink package, as I will still have to budget throughout the cruise so as not to exceed my credit.

 

I honestly hope they never offer a drink package. I'm fine paying by the drink because I won't go over $100 in a single day, not even close. I'd much rather have all the restaurants completely free vs. $80 - $150 for one meal.

[JamieLogical]

7 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

You have a $350 pool of money to spend on drinks. Most cruise lines run $65 - $85/day for the drink package. $300 for a 4 or 5 night cruise is pretty much on par with that.

 

Right, but most cruise lines give me at least 12 drinks a day for that price. If the average cost of a drink on VV is $10, then I will be limited to 8 drinks a day to stay within that budget.

Edited February 20, 2020 by JamieLogical

[JamieLogical]

2 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

I honestly hope they never offer a drink package. I'm fine paying by the drink because I won't go over $100 in a single day, not even close. I'd much rather have all the restaurants completely free vs. $80 - $150 for one meal.

 

Why would offering a drink package inhibit their ability to off free restaurants?

[AlyssaJames]

1 minute ago, creativegenius said:

I honestly hope they never offer a drink package. I'm fine paying by the drink because I won't go over $100 in a single day, not even close. I'd much rather have all the restaurants completely free vs. $80 - $150 for one meal.

 

I'm not a drinker, which is why I previously have stayed out of this debate (because saying "I don't drink so I don't care" isn't helpful), but I do wonder if they're trying to avoid the heavy drinker crowds, or getting a Carnival-esque reputation. 

But of course, no way of knowing. Like I said, if they got it wrong, they won't get the bookings they are hoping for. 

[JamieLogical]

3 minutes ago, AlyssaJames said:

 

Wait, how are you getting free grats AND booze AND wifi AND the dining package? Are you only booking Haven or something? 

Even if you get the WiFi "free" perk on NCL, it's for X number of minutes (250?) ... which you can convert to unlimited for a hefty additional fee. And 250 minutes doesn't go very far on NCL's crappy connections. 

 

Who said I am getting those things for free? Did you actually read what I wrote? I said I don't buy those things a la carte, I buy packages. The person I was quoted listed a bunch of things as a la carte expenses... I don't buy those things a la carte (ie: pay per minute for wifi or pay out of pocket at specialty dining), I buy packages that cover those things or I get them as booking perks.

[resstation]

18 minutes ago, creativegenius said:

 

Wha?!?! But I HAVE to Instagram from every cool corner of the ship. It is commanded!  🙂

They WANT you to post on social media, OFTEN. They have said it time and time again, at every meeting I have attended. 

[AlyssaJames]

Just now, JamieLogical said:

 

Who said I am getting those things for free? Did you actually read what I wrote? I said I don't buy those things a la carte, I buy packages. The person I was quoted listed a bunch of things as a la carte expenses... I don't buy those things a la carte (ie: pay per minute for wifi or pay out of pocket at specialty dining), I buy packages that cover those things or I get them as booking perks.

 

When you said 'packages' I thought you meant the "Free at Sea" perks.

 

I guess I don't understand the difference between paying for something "as a package" and just ... paying for it. Especially with some of the examples you mentioned, which sounded more like 'perks' (wifi, grats). 

[JamieLogical]

Just now, AlyssaJames said:

 

When you said 'packages' I thought you meant the "Free at Sea" perks.

 

I guess I don't understand the difference between paying for something "as a package" and just ... paying for it. Especially with some of the examples you mentioned, which sounded more like 'perks' (wifi, grats). 

 

Buy drink package: pay one flat fee up front before I cruise

Buy a la carte drinks: I pay for each individual drink

 

That's the difference between a package (for anything) and a la carte. I can buy a package up front, before I ever set sail, and not worry about individual costs of things while sailing. That is one of the main attractions of cruising for me. That is why I wish VV had a true drink package. So I could pay one cost up front and then just enjoy my vacation instead of stressing about budgets and the costs of individual things while cruising.