Is non-alcoholic drink package worth the cost?

[Lacoop]

Trying to figure out if it is worth the money for non-alcoholic beverage package. What is the cost for coke or bottle water at the bar?

[Goofyisme]

For us it is great since I enjoy several sodas during the cruise and we both love different types of specialty coffees and teas.  The occasional beer or mixed drink we might have doesn't make any other package worth it.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Lacoop said:

What is the cost for coke or bottle water at the bar?

There are two non-alcoholic packages - breakeven for the soda package is about 3/day, for refreshment it kinda depends on what you drink and price of the package but breakeven is about 4-5/day.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Biker19

[Amberle3]

For me it depends on which ship I'm on.  If I'm on one with a Vitality Cafe then I always do the Refreshment package because I love getting the fresh juices and smoothies from the cafe. You can also get non-alcoholic cocktails from the bars, which are almost as tasty as the real things.

[LilBlackDress]

I normally get the Refreshment Package... It has been going up in price and I am not sure I would pay more than $25 a day, 
Between the bottled water and the specialty coffee, I can breakeven each day. The Mocktails and the fresh OJ is a nice bonus for me  lol 

[island lady]

Getting tired of "Schlepping" 12 bottles of water in my carry on bag...started ordering the case of water from the beverage section of plan my cruise, supposed to be delivered to cabin.   Will see how that works on our next cruise.  🙂 

[billslowsky]

42 minutes ago, island lady said:

Getting tired of "Schlepping" 12 bottles of water in my carry on bag...started ordering the case of water from the beverage section of plan my cruise, supposed to be delivered to cabin.   Will see how that works on our next cruise.  🙂 

I did the opposite...  instead of feeling that I had to "get my money's worth" out of the soda package, I brought the 12 pack on board.  I drank a lot more free water (especially at meals) and didn't even finish the 12. 

 

The packages change your behavior.

 

 

[island lady]

15 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I did the opposite...  instead of feeling that I had to "get my money's worth" out of the soda package, I brought the 12 pack on board.  I drank a lot more free water (especially at meals) and didn't even finish the 12. 

 

The packages change your behavior.

 

 

 

I go through 3-4 bottles of water or more per day, just by myself.   Most of my cruise adventures are B2B at a minimum...thus having a case of water sent to my cabin on the first leg...sounds ideal. Will find out.  Will be especially useful for the "fly to" ports.  

 

Can still bring on a few, and have 4 C&A freebies delivered each week. Plus I also take a refillable water bottle to have on hand in the cabin.  

 

I don't, and never have enjoyed soda...neither does Bucky.  

 

Now...fermented grape juice...that is the other drink of choice.  😄 

 

 

[ymncruise]

I think it’s worth it for the water bottles and coffee. 

[SilkySal]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

Now...fermented grape juice...that is the other drink of choice.  😄 

LOL! We hated to see the beer and wine package go away.😪

[island lady]

1 hour ago, SilkySal said:

LOL! We hated to see the beer and wine package go away.😪

 

It did?   Guess I never paid attention to it.   We get comped 3 bottles of wine delivered to the cabin and two bottles of beer.  Plus we are allowed (as is everyone) to take on two bottles of wine. 

 

Add to that 6 drink vouchers per person per day....burgle....drink all that up....time to dry out again when I get back.  😄  

[SilkySal]

34 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

It did?   Guess I never paid attention to it.   We get comped 3 bottles of wine delivered to the cabin and two bottles of beer.  Plus we are allowed (as is everyone) to take on two bottles of wine. 

 

Add to that 6 drink vouchers per person per day....burgle....drink all that up....time to dry out again when I get back.  😄  

When we go with a group, we buy the Dx package for the convenience and know we'll probably be indulging in the libations a lot more than normal.😉 When it's just the 2 of us, we like the refreshment package for the specialty coffees, frozen mocktails at the pool and bottled water, as the 5 D+ drinks are usually (but not always) fine for us. I only carry on the wine when we don't get the Dx package. We get a comped bottle of champagne for the room and usually take it home to pop open with friends/neighbors for the New Year's celebration!

 

When we were on Mariner in October, we noted that they were serving champagne during the upper tier event but no mimosas, so I stopped at the Cafe for a bottle of OJ, took it with us to the event, and we made our own!! LOL!! The staff thought that was very clever!

 

[Luckynana]

13 hours ago, island lady said:

Getting tired of "Schlepping" 12 bottles of water in my carry on bag...started ordering the case of water from the beverage section of plan my cruise, supposed to be delivered to cabin.   Will see how that works on our next cruise.  🙂 

I did the same for my first B2B..

[ARandomTraveler]

I buy it, but I don't get my money's worth out of it. I like it for the same "convenience" aspect that a lot of people say they get from the deluxe package. Sometime's it's just nice to know you can get a drink whenever you want and not think about it, and a lot of the drinks I get are things I would generally say "eh - I don't really want that" and therefore likely wouldn't buy. But because I already paid for it, I get it anyway (and then almost never finish, but don't feel bad about it). 
 

I drink the free water and flavored waters at the windjammer when we eat there, and I only got soda from the freestyle machine twice on my last cruise (and didn't finish either drink). I drank specialty coffee most days (but also never finished), and drank a frozen mocktail or 2 every day, just for the heck of it. But all that sugar starts to make me feel yuck, plus it's really filling, and I'm not someone who drinks that kind of stuff at home, so it's a fun novelty, but I know I'm not getting my moneys worth. 
 

That said, it's not very expensive, so I'm ok with buying it just to have the "all inclusiveness" of it. Now if it were $700/week like the alcohol package, I wouldn't buy it, but for under $200, I'm in! 

[island lady]

15 hours ago, SilkySal said:

When we go with a group, we buy the Dx package for the convenience and know we'll probably be indulging in the libations a lot more than normal.😉 When it's just the 2 of us, we like the refreshment package for the specialty coffees, frozen mocktails at the pool and bottled water, as the 5 D+ drinks are usually (but not always) fine for us. I only carry on the wine when we don't get the Dx package. We get a comped bottle of champagne for the room and usually take it home to pop open with friends/neighbors for the New Year's celebration!

 

When we were on Mariner in October, we noted that they were serving champagne during the upper tier event but no mimosas, so I stopped at the Cafe for a bottle of OJ, took it with us to the event, and we made our own!! LOL!! The staff thought that was very clever!

 

 

Pre Covid, most Upper Tier always had those nice Bloody Marys....no longer. 😞  So we stop at a bar for one using our vouchers, then proceed into the event.  Have been stopped several times by other pax (some a little too pushy and demanding) "Where did you get those"?  😉 

[crewsweeper]

IMO.. all drink packages,  alcohol or non-alcohol, are dependent primarily on how much you drink daily of the beverages offered.  There are various spreadsheets floating around on the web that can help you calculate a breakeven or worth based on what you typically drink.  So worth it or not worth it is entirely up to you and your habits.

[erby2283]

I usually always get the refreshment package, especially if the ship I an sailing on has a Bionic Bar and I can just go and get my own drinks. 😛  But I do also factor in how many port days there are bc if it's port intensive and I won't be on the ship much, I know it's better to just pay per drink.  I also watch prices like a hawk and if I can get it for a great price, I will get the package anyway - even on a port intensive cruise. 

[slyster]

I have always found it worth it.  I will get 3 or 4 fountain drinks, a coffee or two, at least 2 or 3 water bottles a day to take off ship.  Oh, and fresh squeezed OJ when we are in the main dining room!  I hope that is breaking even, but if not, I like the idea it's covered.

[RandomUser123]

 Worth is a relative term. Do you want to drink several sodas, fresh squeezed OJ in the morning, specialty coffees, mocktails, smoothies each day. If so then get it. If you are fine and will live off of the water and whatever vitality juice they dispense then skip it.