Silver Spirits Drinks Package

[luv2cruzuk]

Just my thoughts on the drinks package from my Viking Venus cruise last week.

 

I’m missing it already!

[JeriGail]

2 hours ago, luv2cruzuk said:

Just my thoughts on the drinks package from my Viking Venus cruise last week.

Thanks for another great video and a straightforward way to determine if it's the right choice for you.

[Azulann]

I have the silver  package for my upcoming cruise.. it is indeed a great bargain and no worries when you are on board.

[CCWineLover]

44 minutes ago, Azulann said:

I have the silver  package for my upcoming cruise.. it is indeed a great bargain and no worries when you are on board.

You hit it on the head - no worries.  We like it because we don't have to stop and think everytime we want to order something.  And you aren't bound by time of day either!!  It really is a deal - of course, if you imbibe a little. 🙂

 

[royallondon]

Thanks for another informative video.  
At $19.99 per day, there’s no feeling of being ripped off.  Knowing you won’t have a post cruise bar bill always feels good!

 

However, on our Viking river cruise, the big win was being able to choose any wine from the wine list at lunch & dinner as opposed to the included daily “house wine”.  Normally, a bottle would be provided.  The breadth of choice and quality in itself, to us, was worth the premium.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by royallondon

[duquephart]

It all comes down to whether the two of you are going to average more than $40 a day over and above what's included. Worrying or stopping and thinking has little to do with it.

[Selion]

Talking about have no worries, just book your Viking cruises when Viking is giving complimentary SBP as part of the promotion.

[Heidi13]

14 hours ago, Azulann said:

I have the silver  package for my upcoming cruise.. it is indeed a great bargain and no worries when you are on board.

 

Totally agree. On our last cruise it was included, so when booking a River/Ocean combo onboard, the first add was SSBP. After 4 months with the SSBP we couldn't imagine sailing without it.

 

For us, one of the Viking's key benefits is the convenience of virtually no nickle and diming. Ordering SSBP provides way more options and convenience. Even if we didn't average $40 per day in bar bill, for us it would be worth it. 

[BlairsvilleCruiseGirl]

17 hours ago, luv2cruzuk said:

Just my thoughts on the drinks package from my Viking Venus cruise last week.

 

I’m missing it already!

I just saw one of your YouTube videos this weekend!  Enjoyed it, and this one, thanks!

BTW, any idea why Champagne isn't included in the Silver Spirits Package?

[deec]

Drinks Package for us!!!  Sparking Wines (not champagne) were part of our package last time we sailed....seems like a life time ago!!!

[Azulann]

29 minutes ago, deec said:

Drinks Package for us!!!  Sparking Wines (not champagne) were part of our package last time we sailed....seems like a life time ago!!!

 

Yes they have their own sparkling wine and of course persecco Italian sparkling wine. Wish they had Cava wine on their list. . I bought a bottle when we had our first Spanish port of call.  Gave the bottle to MDR and it was nicely chilled for our table for dinner. One can bring wine on board , no problem.

 

 

 

 

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Totally agree. On our last cruise it was included, so when booking a River/Ocean combo onboard, the first add was SSBP. After 4 months with the SSBP we couldn't imagine sailing without it.

 

For us, one of the Viking's key benefits is the convenience of virtually no nickle and diming. Ordering SSBP provides way more options and convenience. Even if we didn't average $40 per day in bar bill, for us it would be worth it. 

 

So ----- losing $$$ is OK with you? I don't get convenience. Either way you order and get something and it's accounted for. How is one way more convenient than the other?

[Mich3554]

We have been on 3 Viking ocean cruises and have found that a la carte works for us.  We never denied ourselves anything either.  Our last cruise we did supplement our bar tab with wines we picked up in Chile, and our bar tab at the end of the cruise was about half of what the SS package cost.  

[LisaDee]

We booked 2 cabins for us and our adult sons on a December cruise.  A month later we invited my parents to join us.  My parents booked at the exact same price as ours but they received a free Silver Spirits package as a booking bonus from the cruise line which wasn't being offered when I booked the first 2 cabins.  My TA asked Viking if they could extend the amenity to us but they said no.  No biggie, we'll pay the $20/day but I was surprised because in my experience with mainstream lines they will match what is in effect a price reduction.

 

Looking forward to our first Viking cruise!  Cheers! 🥂

[Heidi13]

44 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

So ----- losing $$$ is OK with you? I don't get convenience. Either way you order and get something and it's accounted for. How is one way more convenient than the other?

 

The convenience with SSBP,  is that most times you don't have to order - drinks keep arriving, at least in our experience. In the MDR, once we arrived at the table, our preferred wine and beers were already at the table, or enroute. When enjoying a glass of port after dinner, when the glass is 1/2 full, they automatically top it up. No delay in asking if you wish another drink and entering it into their phones.

 

When we dined with couples that were on segments, the waiters had already delivered our drinks, but they had to confirm if the other couple (s) had SSBP, or not. Then they have to ask the question if they want the included wine, or an upgrade. If upgrading, every time the glass is empty, the waiters must ask if they want a refill.

 

If we had to pay for SSBP, in the unlikely event that we didn't average $40 per day, we would consider the shortfall as an equivalent of not booking an included shore-ex. By paying the cruise fare, we have paid for the included shore-ex, if we don't book some, no big deal.

 

On the last cruise, between SSBP and Included Shore-ex we probably broke even, as we only booked 15 included shore-ex, but averaged well over $40/day on drinks. However, if we were concerned about those issues we would have to go back and suffer Princess or another mega ship mainstream line.

 

For what we received on our last cruise, we received exceptional overall value from Viking.

[TinaLee]

We had the package on our Christmas markets river cruise and discovered we really didn't need it. At the most we probably had one or two drinks on any given day and I upgraded the wine at dinner, but my husband doesn't drink wine. Sometimes we found we were ordering drinks we really didn't even want, "because it's included." Might find it's different on the ocean and regret not spending the $$, but if I want to stay awake in the evenings I need to stay sober - lol. We're lightweights in the drinking department, and we do have alcohol in our mini bar in our PV cabin we can mix up and take with us, but I'd just as soon have a nice coffee or a ginger ale. To each his own! 

Edited June 23, 2021 by TinaLee

[Frenchberet]

19 minutes ago, TinaLee said:

We had the package on our Christmas markets river cruise and discovered we really didn't need it. At the most we probably had one or two drinks on any given day and I upgraded the wine at dinner, but my husband doesn't drink wine. Sometimes we found we were ordering drinks we really didn't even want, "because it's included." Might find it's different on the ocean and regret not spending the $$, but if I want to stay awake in the evenings I need to stay sober - lol. We're lightweights in the drinking department, and we do have alcohol in our mini bar in our PV cabin we can mix up and take with us, but I'd just as soon have a nice coffee or a ginger ale. To each his own! 

The SS package was included on one of our ocean cruises.  I enjoyed ordering wines at dinner and an occasional after dinner drink in the Explorer’s Lounge.  Neither of us are big drinkers, usually just a glass of wine with dinner on vacation, so it wouldn’t be cost effective for us to purchase the package.  Based on research with other cruise lines, Viking’s plan is a very good deal, if you’re even a moderate drinker.

[LoveRoughSeas]

Question???  We are booked on a Viking Bermuda cruise in a PS1 junior penthouse suite.  I was told that our mini bar is stocked everyday with the alcohol of our choice.  Do I still need to buy the SS package - very confusing???  Thanks for any reply!!!

[deec]

Mini bar will not stock special cocktails or or up graded wines but if all you want is a simple mixed drink you should be fine and you can carry it with you anywhere on the ship.  I like trying the different cocktails and having an after dinner drink while watching the evening show!

[zalusky]

3 hours ago, LisaDee said:

We booked 2 cabins for us and our adult sons on a December cruise.  A month later we invited my parents to join us.  My parents booked at the exact same price as ours but they received a free Silver Spirits package as a booking bonus from the cruise line which wasn't being offered when I booked the first 2 cabins.  My TA asked Viking if they could extend the amenity to us but they said no.  No biggie, we'll pay the $20/day but I was surprised because in my experience with mainstream lines they will match what is in effect a price reduction.

 

Looking forward to our first Viking cruise!  Cheers! 🥂

We experienced this as well.  Earlier last year in late March we booked a Midnight Sun for next year.

Come April they had  a $1000 shipboard credit and a SSBP.   We could not add it.  We were able to somehow finagle the $1000 credit but we had to change our booking to July from June.  We could not get the SSBP however.  The complicating issue was our prepaid Tripmate insurance they let us move to July but to get the current promo we would have had to cancel and rebook which would have nuked our insurance.  Had we had private insurance we probably could have cancelled and rebooked.

[DaveSJ711]

We’ve enjoyed four Viking cruises without the Silver Spirits package. As moderate drinkers, we don’t need refill after refill to keep us happy. Nor do we care that much about this vintage or that vintage.

 

This September, however, we’ll cruise from Malta with the package, because Viking included it with the price. Now that we can go “whole hog” and drink ourselves into oblivion, will we actually take advantage of the package? Talk to us in a few months as we stumble off the ship. 😁

[Twitchly]

I’m such a cheap drunk that the package would be overkill for us. Two glasses of wine and I’m belting out Abba hits and doing Queen Victoria impersonations. It’s not pretty. 
 

 

[ericosmith]

A question from one who has never sailed on Viking.  I'm a fan of IPA's.  Are the available beers different whether you have the package or not?  I'd certainly prefer something better than a Bud Light with my dinner.

[royallondon]

8 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

We’ve enjoyed four Viking cruises without the Silver Spirits package. As moderate drinkers, we don’t need refill after refill to keep us happy. Nor do we care that much about this vintage or that vintage.

 

This September, however, we’ll cruise from Malta with the package, because Viking included it with the price. Now that we can go “whole hog” and drink ourselves into oblivion, will we actually take advantage of the package? Talk to us in a few months as we stumble off the ship. 😁

Please bear in mind it’s as much to do with “choice” as it is “quantity” and drinking into oblivion.  Only Beer and wine is the standard offering.  
We too are moderate drinkers but on Holiday my wife likes a pre dinner cocktail and myself a post dinner glass of port with the cheese board.  We both enjoy an Irish coffee to conclude an evening of good food and company.   
I appreciate and respect that for some, the package is of no benefit.

 

Regards

 

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, royallondon said:

Please bear in mind it’s as much to do with “choice” as it is “quantity” and drinking into oblivion.  Only Beer and wine is the standard offering.  
We too are moderate drinkers but on Holiday my wife likes a pre dinner cocktail and myself a post dinner glass of port with the cheese board.  We both enjoy an Irish coffee to conclude an evening of good food and company.   
I appreciate and respect that for some, the package is of no benefit.

 

Regards

 

We have a different definition of moderate drinking. An occasional nip outside of meals can still be done a la carte and be well below the cost of the SS package.