Is it ever possible to sit in MDR with someone who has beverage package if I do not?

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/19/2023 at 10:12 AM, 4sallypat said:

Drink packages are beginning to annoy me as it seems as if MSC wants everyone to drink heavily.

Did the math on CruiseMummy and found that I would have to drink both mine and my wife's allotment of over 8-10 drinks a day to break even. I'd be dead of alcohol poisoning!

Sort of silly IMO since I only drink 3-4 per day and that's on a sea day (2 days) whilst at port I'd drink a lot less on board....

 

This is true of every cruise line. The drinks package rarely works out well for anyone unless they drink quite a few cocktails, wine and coffees per day. I always tell folks to 'do the math' because we saved over $500 on the Carnival Mardi Gras going without a drinks package and in the neighborhood of $400+ on MSC Seaside by going without a drinks package. Most folks are just giving away money to the cruise lines with drinks packages. Cool calculator, I'll have to look for that. 🙂

 

[4sallypat]

2 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

This is true of every cruise line. The drinks package rarely works out well for anyone unless they drink quite a few cocktails, wine and coffees per day. I always tell folks to 'do the math' because we saved over $500 on the Carnival Mardi Gras going without a drinks package and in the neighborhood of $400+ on MSC Seaside by going without a drinks package. Most folks are just giving away money to the cruise lines with drinks packages. Cool calculator, I'll have to look for that. 🙂

 

Just returned from my week long Mediterranean cruise - official review: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=700930

 

Glad we did not buy the drink packages - would have paid over $1400USD for the 4 of us being able to dine at the same MDR table.

 

Paid $190USD onboard plus approx $100USD whilst on port days in various cities.

 

Here's the CruiseMummy drink calculator I used before the trip and glad to not have paid for the drinks package:

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by 4sallypat

[insidecabin]

On 5/19/2023 at 3:12 PM, 4sallypat said:

I linked my booking with my sons' separate stateroom booking online but none of us have a drink package.

 

I am the only drinker out of our group of 4 so I will be buying ala carte.

 

Drink packages are beginning to annoy me as it seems as if MSC wants everyone to drink heavily.

Did the math on CruiseMummy and found that I would have to drink both mine and my wife's allotment of over 8-10 drinks a day to break even. I'd be dead of alcohol poisoning!

Sort of silly IMO since I only drink 3-4 per day and that's on a sea day (2 days) whilst at port I'd drink a lot less on board....

The issue with cruisemummy calculator is most people don't pay the package price they get the discounted deal at booking time.

 

UK we get premium extra, often under £25pppd.

 

 

[Nunagoras]

In hard print theory it isn't possible, but in practice it will be. Happens all day them sitting you with strangers that have the package while you not. It depends really on the demographics of a sailing.

 

For the ones doing account of how many drinks one needs to break even, bear in mind you can drink anything else alcoholic and non alcoholic. Non alcoholic stuff is cheaper, but you add those little nothings to the cart. A bottle of water here, a little coffee there and that hot chocolate elsewhere... They add to you count!...

[CruisingWalter]

2 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

For the ones doing account of how many drinks one needs to break even, bear in mind you can drink anything else alcoholic and non alcoholic. Non alcoholic stuff is cheaper, but you add those little nothings to the cart. A bottle of water here, a little coffee there and that hot chocolate elsewhere... They add to you count!...

 

Absolutely they do and you need to add those in. But even with with add-ons, it's rare the drinks package still works in the guest's favor and that's what the cruise lines are banking on. Why do you think they are so popular? The cruise lines know that on average, far more people are giving away money than the cruise line giving away extra drinks. I've heard so many people say "I don't want to have to think about it on a cruise so I'd rather pay for the drinks in advance."

 

To which my reply is "what is there to think about? You order a drink, you take the drink and enjoy." It's not like you have to do the math, add the taxes and make the drinks. The only difference between pre-paid and paid is that you're paying for the drinks as you go.

 

Unscientifically from those whom we've met or sailed with on cruises, there are less than 10% that I've met where the drinks work in their favor unless they're on NCL. At $153/week pp with the "Free at Sea" program, most everyone is going to come out ahead on that deal. 

[4sallypat]

10 hours ago, insidecabin said:

The issue with cruisemummy calculator is most people don't pay the package price they get the discounted deal at booking time.

 

UK we get premium extra, often under £25pppd.

 

 

For a US booking, we were offered pre-boarding price of $50 USD per day ($350 easy plus package for the week).

 

I could not drink that much plus my wife's allocation (she does not drink alcohol) per day.

 

I'd end up being in the infirmary for acute alcohol intoxication....

 

[insidecabin]

8 minutes ago, 4sallypat said:

For a US booking, we were offered pre-boarding price of $50 USD per day ($350 easy plus package for the week).

 

I could not drink that much plus my wife's allocation (she does not drink alcohol) per day.

 

I'd end up being in the infirmary for acute alcohol intoxication....

 

UK seen premium under £15pppd on some trips, with all the water coffee and other non alcohol included it a no brainer.

Our switch from package to PAYG is around £25pppd upto £30 if we fancy a booze cruise.

 

With MSC every cruise is different prices

 

[insidecabin]

2 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Absolutely they do and you need to add those in. But even with with add-ons, it's rare the drinks package still works in the guest's favor and that's what the cruise lines are banking on. Why do you think they are so popular? The cruise lines know that on average, far more people are giving away money than the cruise line giving away extra drinks. I've heard so many people say "I don't want to have to think about it on a cruise so I'd rather pay for the drinks in advance."

 

To which my reply is "what is there to think about? You order a drink, you take the drink and enjoy." It's not like you have to do the math, add the taxes and make the drinks. The only difference between pre-paid and paid is that you're paying for the drinks as you go.

 

Unscientifically from those whom we've met or sailed with on cruises, there are less than 10% that I've met where the drinks work in their favor unless they're on NCL. At $153/week pp with the "Free at Sea" program, most everyone is going to come out ahead on that deal. 

UK MSC cruises it's has been the other way round hard not to break even.

 

NCL price FAS different in the UK.

[Nunagoras]

3 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Absolutely they do and you need to add those in. But even with with add-ons, it's rare the drinks package still works in the guest's favor and that's what the cruise lines are banking on. Why do you think they are so popular? The cruise lines know that on average, far more people are giving away money than the cruise line giving away extra drinks. I've heard so many people say "I don't want to have to think about it on a cruise so I'd rather pay for the drinks in advance."

 

To which my reply is "what is there to think about? You order a drink, you take the drink and enjoy." It's not like you have to do the math, add the taxes and make the drinks. The only difference between pre-paid and paid is that you're paying for the drinks as you go.

 

Unscientifically from those whom we've met or sailed with on cruises, there are less than 10% that I've met where the drinks work in their favor unless they're on NCL. At $153/week pp with the "Free at Sea" program, most everyone is going to come out ahead on that deal. 

It really depends on both each cruisers and the market from where they're coming from. Back in the day when MSC's drinks package scheme was really all inclusive and there were even gelato inclusions, their drinks package was a no brainer really even from just a non alcoholic perspective. Now it is different. In some countries you really can only purchase an MSC cruise within the promotional, whatever package they'll offer you inside it. That was the case here in Portugal till very recently. Now we have the 2 options. And on the other hand drinks packages are far from all inclusive these days, even the Premium one. Not valid on the coffee shops, no gelato, not valid in certain specialty bars and restaurants, the newer the ship the lower the inclusions.

 

JIMHO: For the most part and for an average drinker, having the package is like purchasing insurance. You go on your holiday without thinking on what you'll spend day after day, no matter the number of drinks you purchase. Need a bottle of water for shore excursion? Just pick it from the nearest bar. The thing I most dislike on a cruise is to go midweek to guest services just to verify my account status which will consist almost entirely on drinks. But; considering I'm a non alcoholic drinker myself, and my usual companions only drink the odd beer or cup of wine with the meal, I trend to go a la carte. Of course; I'd to endure the midweek guest services call, but to compensate it, I'll have already some spare money saved to go on the nice coffee shop and enjoy the wonderful coffee concoctions!

[insidecabin]

Coffee shop and gelato I can live without

 

Our experience on Virtuosa is bean to cup every bar and drinks valid in every restaurant we have used including speciality.

 

MSC now have the account on the app instant account check as the load the purchase.

 

 

[PTC DAWG]

Drink package always works for me. 

[CruisingFox27]

Out of interest I retained all of our drinks receipts for a couple of our cruises and actually did the maths. Totalled the spend for every day. We definitely get value from a drinks package. We had days where we'd used the package cost before we even went out in the evening. And the majority of those daytime drinks weren't alcohol.