Premium Plus Beverage Upgrade Is A Joke

[stefmaia]

5 minutes ago, PNWMomma said:

It was listed as a benefit on the beverage package page(attached screenshot), and on the flyer in small print when we did our booking. The flyer pdf was dated November 15 at the time we booked.

 

The 6 1 Liter of flow is no longer listed on the beverage package page or the new beverage packages flyer(not the Dec9 or Dec23 version).

 

 

I think we have to wait until after the first sailing of 2023 to see if the water promise holds true.

[PNWMomma]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I haven't read that it was taken away, without being started. But, I'm not seeing it on any public literature now. I did find this information (I can't link to it, so you'll have to believe me - or not):

 

• Effective for reservations booked prior to 12/15/2022 for sailings on or after 1/1/2023  - Includes 6 one-liter Flow Water cartons per stateroom delivered on embarkation day.

 

I guess this must have been a special promotion or the bean counters convinced the marketers it was a bad idea to offer water to anyone with the Unlimited Open Bar package.

Here’s hoping that somehow this is true and we do get those waters. Not sure how straightforward it would be for the ship to know what room to deliver to vs not. You must really have had to dig to find that small bit of information.

[gmbhardy]

5 hours ago, disfan13 said:

We had the Plus package last month on the Joy, it was a packed cruise. We had plenty of options for wine (I see one missing from the list that someone posted above). As long as they have The Macallan Quest I'm good. Loved the Starbucks and water and sparkling water. The Atrium bar ran out of quest the last night, they were swamped, I didn't question anything. The package was well worth it for us. We have it for a 12 night next month. Will be interesting to see if there is a difference for us!

Please report back with your experience.

[brngckn]

19 hours ago, kdawg954 said:

 

The only negative for FAS+ is I haven't been able to verify it I can book onboard or not. 

We upgraded the first day on board Epic last December. The only hassle was having to wait in line to get our cards reprinted to show the upgrade.

[SkyDiveCpl]

Thank you everyone! This was an awesome read. I think my member says I joined today only because I couldn't remember my old name/PW or even email from 10 years ago. We are traveling next week on the Bliss 15 day Panama. We did choose to upgrade for the internet and well.... for the bottled water, champagne, starbucks.... I seriously am considering getting receipts to "track" what i did spend.  I am a big water (sparkling and not) drinker as well as Champagne and having it not avail on the reg it helped with the decision.

Anywho, will tag this and update when we start cruising on the 7th! 

Cheers, blue skies and seas!

 

[PaNJCA]

22 hours ago, JesseB said:

I’m usually not one to complain about anything but I’m going to save a copy of the latest to have with me in a couple weeks when I cruise….

I printed the list as well as we sail January 8. I can’t imagine them doing that many changes in less than two weeks.

[reeinaz]

4 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I haven't read that it was taken away, without being started. But, I'm not seeing it on any public literature now. I did find this information (I can't link to it, so you'll have to believe me - or not):

 

• Effective for reservations booked prior to 12/15/2022 for sailings on or after 1/1/2023  - Includes 6 one-liter Flow Water cartons per stateroom delivered on embarkation day.

 

I guess this must have been a special promotion or the bean counters convinced the marketers it was a bad idea to offer water to anyone with the Unlimited Open Bar package.

This is showing on all of my current bookings. Unfortunately, I can't find what the exclusions are

 

 

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, PNWMomma said:

It was listed as a benefit on the beverage package page(attached screenshot), and on the flyer in small print when we did our booking. The flyer pdf was dated November 15 at the time we booked.

 

The 6 1 Liter of flow is no longer listed on the beverage package page or the new beverage packages flyer(not the Dec9 or Dec23 version).

 

 

Thank you for posting this picture of the previous outline which shows the water.    While we do have four cruises book which would be entitled to the water, I am sure I will be repricing three of them for cheaper rates which would then not include the water.   

[cruiseny4life]

26 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

This is showing on all of my current bookings. Unfortunately, I can't find what the exclusions are

 

 

Interesting! Thanks for sharing this screenshot. I went to my bookings and that is also showing on my 12/31/22 and 3/18/23 cruise. I'm curious what the exclusions are. I'm going to do some digging!

[Seas2mountains]

@Sthrngary created a great thread on this topic.  

 

We have done the Plus upgrade on the last two cruises in June 2022 and September 2022. We found value in trying wines we might not have tried without the package and definitely took advantage of ordering San Pelegríno and cartons of water throughout the day and evening.  My husband enjoyed trying premium spirits. We have done the FAS + upgrade for our next cruise. 

[cruiseny4life]

Here are the exclusions I could find on the purchase of the package, but I don't know if they apply to the water. The parenthesis in your screenshot make me think there are specific water exclusions, outside of the prior to 12/15/22 booking window and 1/1/23 sail date, but I sure can't find an exclusion, except on bottled water which I assume is cardboard water, which would be the 1 liters delivered to the room? 

 

Exclusions on the package that I can find:

Not available on POA, 1-2 night sailings, Harvest Caye, ice bar

Does not include specialty coffee

Can't use it on debarkation day 

Here's where the exclusions get tricky as it does not include room service, package sales, ship promotions, buckets of beer, super premium, bottled wine, mini bar purchases, BOTTLED WATER, fresh juice, Lavazza, dispensers of wine, energy drinks, vending machines

 

I don't know anything anymore!

[stefmaia]

6 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Here are the exclusions I could find on the purchase of the package, but I don't know if they apply to the water. The parenthesis in your screenshot make me think there are specific water exclusions, outside of the prior to 12/15/22 booking window and 1/1/23 sail date, but I sure can't find an exclusion, except on bottled water which I assume is cardboard water, which would be the 1 liters delivered to the room? 

 

Exclusions on the package that I can find:

Not available on POA, 1-2 night sailings, Harvest Caye, ice bar

Does not include specialty coffee

Can't use it on debarkation day 

Here's where the exclusions get tricky as it does not include room service, package sales, ship promotions, buckets of beer, super premium, bottled wine, mini bar purchases, BOTTLED WATER, fresh juice, Lavazza, dispensers of wine, energy drinks, vending machines

 

I don't know anything anymore!

That looks like exclusions for the regular beverage package, I say this because of the fresh juice and energy drink mention.

[reeinaz]

15 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Here are the exclusions I could find on the purchase of the package, but I don't know if they apply to the water. The parenthesis in your screenshot make me think there are specific water exclusions, outside of the prior to 12/15/22 booking window and 1/1/23 sail date, but I sure can't find an exclusion, except on bottled water which I assume is cardboard water, which would be the 1 liters delivered to the room? 

 

Exclusions on the package that I can find:

Not available on POA, 1-2 night sailings, Harvest Caye, ice bar

Does not include specialty coffee

Can't use it on debarkation day 

Here's where the exclusions get tricky as it does not include room service, package sales, ship promotions, buckets of beer, super premium, bottled wine, mini bar purchases, BOTTLED WATER, fresh juice, Lavazza, dispensers of wine, energy drinks, vending machines

 

I don't know anything anymore!

I'm pretty sure bottled water is different from the carton water. The bottled water is fancy Italian water I think...still and sparking. That Flow water in the carton is alkaline spring water. I don't really like it, but I'll drink it for free. LOL. I'd drink tap water before I'd buy it though.

[JesseB]

The cartons were advertised as part of my deal for upcoming Jan 8th cruise, will see if they actually appear. We’re taking water bottles with filters so if not I’ll just fill them up with tap water. In the past I’ve just drank the tap water, in reality it’s likely better quality than anything out of a tap on land.  

[cruiseny4life]

16 minutes ago, stefmaia said:

That looks like exclusions for the regular beverage package, I say this because of the fresh juice and energy drink mention.

Agreed. It's the only list of exclusions I could find. You're correct it's definitely for the Unlimited Open Bar package. I just can't find any water-specific exclusions, except for what @reeinaz said which makes sense.

 

5 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

I'm pretty sure bottled water is different from the carton water. The bottled water is fancy Italian water I think...still and sparking. That Flow water in the carton is alkaline spring water. I don't really like it, but I'll drink it for free. LOL. I'd drink tap water before I'd buy it though.

Oh yea, I definitely go for tap water too! I'm not one to purchase water. 

[gmbhardy]

1 hour ago, stefmaia said:

That looks like exclusions for the regular beverage package, I say this because of the fresh juice and energy drink mention.

I think you’re right.

[reeinaz]

14 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

I think you’re right.

ah ok. I was so focused on the will they or won't they water part of this discussion, I took the exclusion part to be specifically about the water and not the general package exclusions.

[chefchick]

On 12/27/2022 at 12:14 PM, RocketMan275 said:

That can be done.  Last March, I ordered a specific bourbon and was told it wasn't available on the FAS package.  I showed them where that bourbon was listed.  The bartender discussed this with the bar manager and I got that bourbon at no upcharge for the rest of the cruise.

Could you let us in on the bourbon in question?  My last two NCL cruises (in Aug 22 & Oct 22) bourbon of any kind seemed to be mysteriously unavailable or at least in short supply.  And frankly I was shocked to find that even Bullet (which would never be my first choice) was now over the $15 limit.  I have come to realize that I sail NCL for the entertainment, not the cocktails. 

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Could you let us in on the bourbon in question?  My last two NCL cruises (in Aug 22 & Oct 22) bourbon of any kind seemed to be mysteriously unavailable or at least in short supply.  And frankly I was shocked to find that even Bullet (which would never be my first choice) was now over the $15 limit.  I have come to realize that I sail NCL for the entertainment, not the cocktails. 

Actually, it was Bulleit.

[zqvol]

32 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Actually, it was Bulleit.

Bullet is still on the list, it’s probably the best bourbon on the list. 

[kdawg954]

8 hours ago, brngckn said:

We upgraded the first day on board Epic last December. The only hassle was having to wait in line to get our cards reprinted to show the upgrade.

 

Was speaking more about the FAS+.  Is that what you upgraded?  Or was it just the Premium Plus beverage Package?

 

I also did the Premium Plus upgrade onboard the Epic last December (excellent decision by us).

Edited December 29, 2022 by kdawg954

[luv2kroooz]

On 12/27/2022 at 3:07 PM, European_CruiseGirl said:

But constant changes occurring several times in just a couple of months and always removing something and making the package less appealing. That’s just simply crazy and a bad way of running a business.

Yes, Mr Del Rio appears to be a consummate micro-manager, fine tuning every detail over and again in order to maximize revenue.

 

All cruise lines are experiencing changes and revisions to the product, but we don't see the ongoing, recurring changes and revisions on other cruise lines.

[brngckn]

13 hours ago, kdawg954 said:

 

Was speaking more about the FAS+.  Is that what you upgraded?  Or was it just the Premium Plus beverage Package?

 

I also did the Premium Plus upgrade onboard the Epic last December (excellent decision by us).

FAS+ wasn't in play yet at that time. We upgraded the regular beverage package to Premium Plus.

[cruiseinfoseeker]

On 12/27/2022 at 1:50 PM, stefmaia said:

I just read the small print again,

Does anyone have any idea what the "Connoisseur Collection " actually is??

Exactly!!!   What is a "Connoisseur Collection" beverage? 

I don't recall seeing it in the older exclusion literature and now it is there in addition to "flights" and "experiences". So just what is this newest vague thing and moreover are the bartenders going to confuse what falls into this category as they likely won't have any formal list of what that is as we don't either.

 

 

[gmbhardy]

Someone just posted the following on another thread: 

 

“Just as a heads up ... my husband, who is also a beer snob, was sorely disappointed with the District's supply during our last sailing on the Bliss in Nov.  They were nearly out of all their taps as soon as we got on the ship :(.  By the end of the sailing, not only were all their taps blown, but they also had run out of nearly all their bottles as well.  Our cruise wasn't even sailing full.”