New "fee" of $14/day on Perks Drink Package to be added?

[villauk]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

We decided today that for our next  new booking, we will go without the Classic Alc perk...and will manage with E+ breakfast and evening perks, parties on board and  2 btls wine, water and soda  that we  can carry on, esp  since we heard we can  order water at the Elite social hour..   

 

We think we'll do fine with grats ( usually AQ class) and OBC  and a  just few  upcharge drinks + grats. Pain in the neck to sign for any extras but we will try our best not to have many.

 

Wonder if  travel agents will pick up the added charge as a perk from them?

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, hcat said:

Thanks...that's good news!

One  alc drink or usually  just a club soda  with lime , plus  a  water for me will be great   Dh can enjoy  1 or 2 scotches and a water. 

 

We  have a  classic perk package  for our upcoming  EDGE cruise... ( and 3 other cruises past that)  One of these  is in a suite, so we probably  could have skipped that perk but it is set for now.   

 

We have dinner at 6 , so if we did not  have the Classic perk, it looks like we would be  set for pre dinner libations...either at the Club or any bar. 

 

Maybe LLP is doing us a back handed favor???

 

 

Yes, I think a few may feel the same way. It may now give some value to the Elite and above perks such as the CC HH.

[chamima]

28 minutes ago, prish said:

 

Of course Fogfog, you’re right, they don’t mention the 20% gratuity, but that’s Celebrity for you. 

 

Was planning on upgrading our package this weekend using our OBC, though someone said you can only upgrade 60 days out, while our cruise isn’t till May 2020. Will now wait till we’re onboard, we always like to upgrade with our sommelier.

 

I just upgraded four 2021 cruises this morning.

Had to call to do it. I happened to get a really, really nice operator - thanks Tammy!

We also usually upgrade with the sommelier or a favorite bartender but didn't want to take a chance that the upgrade might be called a "change" and incur an extra $14 fee.

Turns out we had enough OBC to cover the upgrades so  I didn't even have to spend any extra  for right now.

[Fogfog]

Certainly makes Elite and above of more value. Both for breakfast and cocktails

 

Our next sailing is a B2B on a "new to us" line..as we wanted to try something else

Our most recent B2B on Celebrity was excellent--and we were well cared for and appreciated -- but the previous sailing (TA) was just "ok" - so we started shopping elsewhere. 

Also looking at a lux line for 2 exotics/types of sailings...

 

 

 

[MightyMike]

On 9/29/2019 at 5:23 PM, Fouremco said:

On the question of purchasing a beverage package as opposed to selecting it as a perk, you say that there will be no increase if it is purchased onboard. What about pre-purchasing online, also no increase? 

 

I think the online price of the Classic Beverage Package recently increased already. I remember it being $55 on our last cruise. Not sure when it changed. Now it is $59 plus 20% gratuity--nearly $1,000 total for a seven-night cruise for two.

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

6. Q: If I’m under the legal drinking age, do I still pay the same price for the beverage package perk?

 

A: Yes, if the guest is under the legal drinking age, and is the 1^st or 2^nd guest in the stateroom, they will still see the increased cost. The package will be non-alcoholic

There are so many things wrong with the way Celebrity is implementing this cash grab, but slapping the same surcharge on kids' non-alcoholic packages is absolutely ridiculous.

[DebInAntigua]

17 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

There are so many things wrong with the way Celebrity is implementing this cash grab, but slapping the same surcharge on kids' non-alcoholic packages is absolutely ridiculous.

I agree 100% there... but don't you know, Kids Sail Free!!

[Nymich]

On 9/29/2019 at 9:33 AM, Bo1953 said:

Guess it is time to start a writing and calling campaign, if 'free' movies were brought back, BP pricing can be lowered, effectively.

 

Cheers and bon voyage

Yes you were a big help with the movies Bo.

 

bon voyage

[warmwinds]

2 hours ago, villauk said:

 

 

 

Yes, I think a few may feel the same way. It may now give some value to the Elite and above perks such as the CC HH.

We have always been happy (as Elite) with the CC HH and also once in a while a mimosa in the morning at the CC breakfast.

 

We had a bev pkg for the very first time last cruise in a suite for the very first (and probably last) time.  We found ourselves ordering drinks throughout the day "just because" we could.  Silly.  What we drank before was plenty.  When you have a bev pkg you do things you ordinarily would not.  Silly.  And NEVER would have been "worth it" if it had not been free (all 4 perks).

[hcat]

Let's leave the movies alone for now!

 

We are now  fairly educated about the new Classic perk drink pricing with the upcharge.

 

  When we cruise in Nov we will keep track as best we can of what our costs would have been without the package...but we  have pretty much decided that  the upcharge perk is a No Go for us

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, Nymich said:

Yes you were a big help with the movies Bo.

 

bon voyage

@Nymich - not really, you were the leader on this along with a few others who instigated, rallied, supported and achieved the change.

 

bon voyage

Edited October 3, 2019 by Bo1953

[robertacrusies]

sometimes simpler is better

[prish]

12 hours ago, chamima said:

 

I just upgraded four 2021 cruises this morning.

Had to call to do it. I happened to get a really, really nice operator - thanks Tammy!

We also usually upgrade with the sommelier or a favorite bartender but didn't want to take a chance that the upgrade might be called a "change" and incur an extra $14 fee.

Turns out we had enough OBC to cover the upgrades so  I didn't even have to spend any extra  for right now.

 

Chamima, weren’t you able to upgrade online? If you remember earlier in this thread some people said this can only be done 60 days out. 

 

We cruise only once a year, usually in Europe, and use our Celebrity OBC to upgrade, almost always with our sommelier. We’re not really big drinkers but I like try out different martinis, plus the premium package definitely has better wines. 

[chamima]

13 hours ago, chamima said:

 

I just upgraded four 2021 cruises this morning.

Had to call to do it. I happened to get a really, really nice operator - thanks Tammy!

We also usually upgrade with the sommelier or a favorite bartender but didn't want to take a chance that the upgrade might be called a "change" and incur an extra $14 fee.

Turns out we had enough OBC to cover the upgrades so  I didn't even have to spend any extra  for right now.

 

24 minutes ago, prish said:

 

Chamima, weren’t you able to upgrade online? If you remember earlier in this thread some people said this can only be done 60 days out. 

 

We cruise only once a year, usually in Europe, and use our Celebrity OBC to upgrade, almost always with our sommelier. We’re not really big drinkers but I like try out different martinis, plus the premium package definitely has better wines. 

 

 

I tried to upgrade online but couldn't figure out how.

The "system" didn't seem to know we already had the Classic as a perk so would only charge me full price for the Premium package (it was over $1000 for some of the longer cruises!!!! 😱 )

So I called and, as I said, Tammy did it quickly and pleasantly.

We are also not big drinkers but we do drink a lot of sparkling water during the day and it's nice not having to sign or think about it. And, as you said, the wine choices are better with the Premium.

[MEcruzr]

You can upgrade your BP online when the check-in is available. Before that you have to call X or your TA to get it done.

[oneputt18]

From the flyer posted on Celebrity Commitment :

**The cost to upgrade to our Premium Beverage Package remains the same at $10 pp, per day. 

[chamima]

6 minutes ago, oneputt18 said:

From the flyer posted on Celebrity Commitment :

**The cost to upgrade to our Premium Beverage Package remains the same at $10 pp, per day. 

 

 

Yes, but some of us are concerned that upgrading will constitute a "change" in your reservation and they have said any change will incur the $14/pp/day fee.

If we were planning on upgrading anyways then it's just like buying insurance to make sure no fees are assessed to do it now.

[hiccups]

7 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

 

Yes, but some of us are concerned that upgrading will constitute a "change" in your reservation and they have said any change will incur the $14/pp/day fee.

If we were planning on upgrading anyways then it's just like buying insurance to make sure no fees are assessed to do it now.

I think it's pretty clear from the documentation that upgrading a beverage package is not a change to a reservation.  But if you were able to do it with OBC already, it's one thing you can cross off the list.

 

We have a November sailing on Summit and I think we may give it a day or two with the classic package before deciding to upgrade.  Without the Slush bar I can probably make do with classic, but my DH will want the premium because he's a Scotch drinker.  I wasn't sure about waiting to upgrade because of the potential for the increase, but based on what's been provided here, I'm good with waiting.

[Iamcruzin]

On 10/1/2019 at 8:41 AM, Doubt It said:

 

Another trend is the use of industrialized food preparation, watch for the Sysco trucks at shore side. A higher than ever % of food stuffs are made a shore, the notion of everything made on board is not valid. This reduces the quality of the product, and the food experience, but saves money for the travel industry.

 

 

I have made comments on other boards as well as this one when the subject of desserts comes up, that they are all tasteless and must come from the same vendor. I should have put two and two together to come up with Sysco.

[Cirdan]

11 minutes ago, hiccups said:

I think it's pretty clear from the documentation that upgrading a beverage package is not a change to a reservation.  But if you were able to do it with OBC already, it's one thing you can cross off the list.

 

 

But this depends on which countries. In Europe when you pay, you have an agreeded contract, and only if both parts agree to make changes, such changes are valid. No contractual rule could inhibit this (and it is not valid).

 

And it is also the reason of some more transparency (but more expensive) fares in Europe and the final payment is just one month before cruise (e.g.compared 3 months): cruise lines have some extra risk, which cannot offload.

[hiccups]

9 minutes ago, Cirdan said:

 

But this depends on which countries. In Europe when you pay, you have an agreeded contract, and only if both parts agree to make changes, such changes are valid. No contractual rule could inhibit this (and it is not valid).

 

And it is also the reason of some more transparency (but more expensive) fares in Europe and the final payment is just one month before cruise (e.g.compared 3 months): cruise lines have some extra risk, which cannot offload.

It also says bookings made prior to 10/10/19 that have selected a beverage package are not affected.  I'm taking a copy of the PDF along with my cruise ticket just in case.

[TeeRick]

15 hours ago, villauk said:

 

 

 

Yes, I think a few may feel the same way. It may now give some value to the Elite and above perks such as the CC HH.

When we sail on RCCL we just use our D+ benefits and pay for drinks outside of happy hour.  We are not big drinkers so this works for us.  Celebrity has had a different model and we just accepted their bundle prices.  Time to go back to basic fares and not pay for bundles as hcat has suggested.  We will use our E+ benefits and go basic.  Unless of course we decide on a suite!

[Iamcruzin]

3 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

When we sail on RCCL we just use our D+ benefits and pay for drinks outside of happy hour.  We are not big drinkers so this works for us.  Celebrity has had a different model and we just accepted their bundle prices.  Time to go back to basic fares and not pay for bundles as hcat has suggested.  We will use our E+ benefits and go basic.  Unless of course we decide on a suite!

I don't have high status with any line. We do drink cocktails and wine but it may be more beneficial for us to buy the non alcohol package and take gratuity and $300 OBC and use the OBC to purchase the cocktails and wine.   

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, Iamcruzin said:

I don't have high status with any line. We do drink cocktails and wine but it may be more beneficial for us to buy the non alcohol package and take gratuity and $300 OBC and use the OBC to purchase the cocktails and wine.   

Mike that sounds like a solid plan!

[bikerunner]

Personally I will still take the drink package, still coming out ahead with how much water and coffee/tea from the café I drink.  Also like trying many different wines and like the option if I don't like it get something else.  I tend to take 10-12 day cruises, only been on one 7 and cost wise it makes sense for me still to take the beverage package.  Plus I rather have all my costs as much as possible paid up front. 

 

For many I can see it would be better to take the OBC instead, but if I figure out the math for a 10 day cruise, saving 14 per night on not getting the drink package and taking the OBC instead of  at 150pp the break even point is 29 per day  I would easily go over that total

[cgolf2]

Question on the change language. We have a room with 3 in it, and my wife and I will get the beverage package. Down the road when we add the soda package to our daughter will my wife and I be hit with the extra charge because it is a change to an account even though not the to people getting the perk.