New Drink Packages for MSC....Again?

[cruiseguyinorl]

Just looked at some client's bookings for October in Canada/New England. Now there are only two drink packages to choose. EASY PLUS (drinks up to $9) or PREMIUM EXTRA (drinks up to $13) plus the kids package. I will say they are significantly less expensive. Anyone else run into these yet? My MSC rep knows nothing of them so I am digging deeper.

Bret

[Até]

My Caribbean sailings for Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 all show Easy, Premium and Premium Plus at the current price levels.  I cancelled my European bookings so can no longer see drinks packages for them.  That Easy Plus and Premium Extra sound more like the old Classic and Deluxe which I liked much better.  What are the prices per day you see?

[cruiseguyinorl]

43 minutes ago, Até said:

What are the prices per day you see?

 

The Easy Plus was $220 and the Premium Extra $310. So $22 per day for the EPP and $31 per day for the PEP since it is a 10 night cruise. Details are below. This is for the Meraviglia on Oct 2nd by the way.

 

Bret

Edited March 12, 2020 by cruiseguyinorl
Added ship and date.

[neptuno]

The way things are going, there will be free drinks for anyone brave enough to get on a cruise ship.

[Até]

I wonder if that's an indication the All In promotion is going away.  Those prices are much more reasonable and will entice people to book outright if they want a drinks package.  Either because I'm unwilling to pay the price difference for the All In promotion or because nothing is yet offered I currently have four sailings booked with no drink package, so this would be a welcome change to me.

 

ETA: Nice to see the Easy Plus is good in specialty restaurants, but I wonder what you will be able to get there for $9.  Bottled water.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Até

[ebonybee]

I guess folks were doing the non alcoholic workaround plus a shot on the side. I think they listened to the frustrated  bartenders.

[CruisingFox27]

I do hope this is true. Although I could understand reducing the basic package, which was always  the AIB&R for us, the reduction to what's in Easy was to restricting.

[sidari]

Could be to do with the new guy they brought in not so long ago! he did mention changes to Drinks!

 

[cellfree]

Just checked our March Caribbean and October Barcelona cruises and both still have current (old?) packages - Easy at $245 per person. 

[FLHugh]

Wonder what they did with the single drink prices?

[Two Wheels Only]

On 3/11/2020 at 11:03 PM, neptuno said:

The way things are going, there will be free drinks for anyone brave enough to get on a cruise ship.

 

Alcohol kills viruses. Drink up. 😁

[cruiseguyinorl]

I was able to confirm that the drink packages I posted are in fact the new drink packages that will be implemented in the future. Due to the current situation, no starting date has been announced. Apparently the sailing I just happened to find them on was a test sailing for IT purposes. Also, no firm price has been decided.

Bret

[Até]

Thanks Bret.

 

I have several cruises further out booked at Escape to Sea rate hoping these packages are offered by then.  Those prices you mentioned are much more in line with the old package prices, before the November 2018 and current packages with significantly higher prices.  MSC will be unpopular with people who have booked Easy under the All In rate if they keep those lower prices, would an upgrade from Easy to Easy Pus be a $13pp/day credit and Easy to Premium Extra get you a $4pp/day credit?  Not likely.   I have two sailings where it would be a real hassle to try changing from All-In to Escape to Sea just to get the Premium X drinks package at a decent price.