If Elite or higher would you book cruise only?

[gordylad]

Just checking some pricing and when you add the "all inclusive" it really hikes the price. Now having said that we have always gone all inclusive but as Elite wondering is it worth it knowing we can get unlimited drinks I believe between 5-7?

 

cheers

[fenton04]

That’s what we did last September and again this September 2023.  

Edited November 22, 2022 by fenton04
Content

[Alakegirl]

Do you want waters during the day? Beers by the pool? A bloody Mary with breakfast? An after dinner drink? Will the 5 to 7 PM drinks be sufficient for you? That’s the question to ask yourself

[Jeremiah1212]

The answer to that totally depends on how much you plan on drinking, not forgetting waters and coffee, and if you need WiFi. 

 

I would suggest working with a TA that can get you under a group rate which would give you all three inclusions plus a refundable deposit for probably less or equal to the Cruise Only rate. 

[basenji56]

If using the reciprocal Diamond benefit on Royal, probably yes unless you are a heavy drinker.  On Celebrity, probably no unless you are a very light drinker.  Two hours is not much of a benefit for moderate drinkers.

 

I don't drink alcohol but love the 4 drinks during the entire day on Royal since I use the benefit for specialty coffees and club sodas/mocktails.

 

On Celebrity, I may get one or two drinks during the 2 hour period.

 

 

[mahdnc]

As Elite, we prefer booking Cruise Only.  However it is common that as subsequent sales occur, we get our booking re-priced and we end up with AI anyway.

[jelayne]

We are Elite + and always book with AI. DH has 2-3 glasses of juice each morning, a couple of bottles of water during the day, glass of wine with lunch.  This is before the 5-7 free drinks.  We don’t have dinner until late 8:25ish so our pre dinner drink is after the free drinks. So between 7:30 -11 30 we will each have 4-5 adult beverages.  
For some the 5-7 drinks are sufficient but they don’t work for us.

[grandgeezer]

We are Elite Plus and the free drinks and 240 internet minutes, per person, are more than enough. The drinks are more than we normally drink and we have never used all of our internet minutes. Not interested in Always Included at any price.

[dreamer321]

20 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

I would suggest working with a TA that can get you under a group rate which would give you all three inclusions plus a refundable deposit for probably less or equal to the Cruise Only rate. 

I wish I could find one of these mythical travel agents that give you All Included group rate for the price of Cruise Only but I've struck out with the several that I've contacted. Given Cruise Critic's policy regarding mentioning TA's I've given up hope and just book direct with X. I'd rather have my fate in my own hands if I have to change something.

[SbbquilterUT]

Cruise only works well for us - we are lightweight drinkers and do not require much internet time.

[mac_tlc]

We are Elite and prefer AI. Have to tip anyway, we like having internet to chat with the kids and grandkids (and do the occasional "live" thread). Drinks for only 2 hours ---- and much of that time overlaps when we typically eat ---- is almost a non-perk to me. My wife gets her value at Cafe alBacio.🤣  

 

mac_tlc

[thebutlerdidit]

Cruise only would work great for me. However, I’m widowed now and sharing a cabin with others who want to purchase the AI.  If a solo situation arises,  I’m definitely booking cruise only.  

[NutsAboutGolf]

It completely depends on the all-in price difference as you need to ensure you're factoring in tipping.

 

47 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Do you want waters during the day? Beers by the pool? A bloody Mary with breakfast? An after dinner drink? Will the 5 to 7 PM drinks be sufficient for you? That’s the question to ask yourself

 

46 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The answer to that totally depends on how much you plan on drinking, not forgetting waters and coffee, and if you need WiFi. 

 

I would suggest working with a TA that can get you under a group rate which would give you all three inclusions plus a refundable deposit for probably less or equal to the Cruise Only rate. 

 

Water...During the happy hour, you can hit a bunch of a bars grabbing two waters as you go.  Put that celebrity tote to good use.

 

Alcohol...You can buy some drinks on board the ship and still come out ahead.  For the sea day drinkers, remember that unless it's a TA/TP/etc there won't be too many seadays per sailing so a bucket of beer on a sea day won't break the bank.  A lot of folks don't know this, you can buy the internet, drink package or internet/drink upgrade mid-sailing and only pay the prorated per night amount.  On a 7 night sailing each night is 14%.

[blackshirt]

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

A bloody Mary with breakfast?

Don’t forget you can get that no charge at the Elite breakfast. 

[George C]

We booked a suite once without drink package which was fine just drank in suite lounge. I have never used elite perks since we book suites.

[miched]

No.   We do a few cruises a year and I want to every hour of it.   
 

We became Elite when they started the having the 4 perks and always had at least 3 of them on every cruise since.  
 

But If we lived close to port and cruised every month by taking advantage of cheap rates I would consider it.   
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited November 23, 2022 by miched

[TMLAalum]

I think we will be fine on our upcoming "Cruise Only" cruise as elite (and if PUPs come our way beforehand elite+). 2 bottles of wine each brought aboard, bloodies at the elite breakfast, and grabbing a water or two with our happy hour cocktails. The internet we get with elite bennies is better than what's included with AI. Paying for a drink or two during the day is negligible. The big difference will be having gratuities added to our final bill.

[goofysmom99]

I really resented the AI until X finally allowed cruise only rates again for solos.  But even if I traveled with someone, I'd skip AI.  I used to get lots of waters during happy hour.  Always gave a Passport Bar bartender a pretty good tip in advance and he'd have them ready, usually 3 or 4, when he'd see me get off the elevator.  He'd also have my glass of wine right next to them.  The tote was handy for that.  I brought wine aboard, too, and would also buy a couple of bottles in the MDR for dinner.  I don't drink much hard stuff these days, but paying for a decent scotch now and then was definitely more economical for me.  Oh, and I always bought faster wifi with the captain's club discount.

Edited November 23, 2022 by goofysmom99

[kathynorth]

We price out our cruise with AI and with sail only + gratuities. If the difference is more than $250pp we take the sail only, bring our 4 bottles of wine, pick up water during the 5-7 happy hour, etc. If there’s anything else we want we pay for it. 

[DaKahuna]

We are Elite but have not considered a sail only cruise because we prefer to sail in Suites on Celebrity.  The reason we prefer to sail on Suites in the peace and quiet of the Retreat/Michael’s Club and the wonderful food and service in Luminae.

 

[TeaBag]

We usually sail AQ class and I have not seen it offered as cruise only.  Maybe someone knows how to access this?

[Arizona Wildcat]

Quite happy with sail only.  Can have juice at the Elite breakfast.  If I want a beer at lunch simply purchase.  From 5-7 simply pickup a couple glasses of red wine and set them in our cabin.  A couple more glasses before dinner and we are fine.  We used to laugh we doing a B2B before Elite as took a couple of bottles of wine on board and had a duty free liquor delivered on the last night of the first leg. Had plenty to drink for the next leg.  Throw in goodness knows how many bottles purchased in ports and taken to our cabin.  Fond memories of a raspberry chocolate liqueur from France we mixed with soft ice cream for several nights.

[barneyboy]

No we wouldn’t book cruise only as we never use the Elite drinks. They’re far too early for us to have a pre dinner drink. I can’t understand why they don’t have them later for those who prefer to eat later. I can’t imagine having pre dinner drinks from 5pm!

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 hours ago, barneyboy said:

No we wouldn’t book cruise only as we never use the Elite drinks. They’re far too early for us to have a pre dinner drink. I can’t understand why they don’t have them later for those who prefer to eat later. I can’t imagine having pre dinner drinks from 5pm!

too early 🤔
Our group would also use them for pre dinner drink 

5-7 at Sunset Bar 😁, 

we did a 21 days on RCL in September, and having 4 drinks perk to use during the day was nice 

[Cruise a holic]

14 hours ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The answer to that totally depends on how much you plan on drinking, not forgetting waters and coffee, and if you need WiFi. 

 

I would suggest working with a TA that can get you under a group rate which would give you all three inclusions plus a refundable deposit for probably less or equal to the Cruise Only rate. 

who should we use?