Oxo Posted September 20, 2023 #26 Share Posted September 20, 2023 My personal opinion when I compare this function to other Cruise Lines. Charging $8 per drink from a selected list? Not a perk or benefit at all. JMHO! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted September 20, 2023 #27 Share Posted September 20, 2023 (edited) 6 hours ago, Oxo said: My personal opinion when I compare this function to other Cruise Lines. Charging $8 per drink from a selected list? Not a perk or benefit at all. JMHO! We always purchase the Plus or Premier package but still really enjoy the PES lounge. The nibbles are so good on most nights. I get that Celebrity and Royal Caribbean offer free drinks but during this event but just cruised on Celebrity and there were no more appetizers being passed around. I can’t speak to RCCL as we haven’t cruised with them in about 10 years. It was really great in the past, though. Edited September 20, 2023 by Cruise Raider 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted September 20, 2023 #28 Share Posted September 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said: We always purchase the Plus or Premier package but still really enjoy the PES lounge. The nibbles are so good on most nights. I get that Celebrity and Royal Caribbean offer free drinks but during this event but just cruised on Celebrity and there were no more appetizers being passed around. I can’t speak to RCCL as we haven’t cruised with them in about 10 years. It was really great in the past, though. RCCL now puts x number of drinks on your cruise card based on your status. Diamond + gets 5. You may use these at any bar anytime during the day. If you don't use them in the 24 hour period, you loose them. Just got off of the Apex in July. We had the beverage package and thus didn't use the Happy Hour. As for the nibbles, too close to dinner to really take any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted September 21, 2023 #29 Share Posted September 21, 2023 14 hours ago, Oxo said: RCCL now puts x number of drinks on your cruise card based on your status. Diamond + gets 5. You may use these at any bar anytime during the day. If you don't use them in the 24 hour period, you loose them. Just got off of the Apex in July. We had the beverage package and thus didn't use the Happy Hour. As for the nibbles, too close to dinner to really take any. Wow, that’s really great! We’ve kind of stopped going to dinner as we just eat the snacks served up in one of the lounges. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted September 21, 2023 #30 Share Posted September 21, 2023 I consider the RCI benefit a big plus for those who don't buy the beverage package and only drink a minimal amount each day. So, each cruise line has their pluses and minuses. RCI tried to charge for the pizza and sent out a survey and the public decided against the pizza charge. Thus, RCI backed off. I provide this as info only to others. Happy cruising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissP22 Posted September 21, 2023 #31 Share Posted September 21, 2023 On 9/20/2023 at 4:39 AM, Reina del Mar said: Or even if you don’t have the drinks’ package?…..sorry to say ther’s not much to get excited about. Mediocre snacks and small saving on selected cocktails. But each to their own! On 9/20/2023 at 7:20 AM, Reina del Mar said: As I said, each to their own, I wouldn’t give thank you for sushi!!! Going there only delays us from going to the DR and makes us late for the first show. Besides that, we can order most of the same items in the DR. 😄 I really believe it's more of a social thing so you can relax & have a drink with friends. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj59 Posted September 21, 2023 #32 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Personally, I've found it's not very compelling. The snacks aren't great, the drink discounts were for small cocktails that I didn't care for, and it felt sort of sad and awkward, a few couples sitting far apart, with some poor ships officers walking around making small talk with them. If you're Elite, you can get better treats with room service afternoon tea, and not so close to dinner, and the international cafe and bars around there also a better experience for watching people or the ocean and listening to live music. Even for the Captain's reception, on a recent cruise I went there and saw hundreds lined up, and decided to pass. More people having Plus or Premier also decreases the appeal of free or reduced drinks at those events. I wish they'd do the Captain's reception as HAL used to, with a dining room set up for a limited-menu seaday lunch, where people sat with others at tables and conversed, got free drinks, and a ship's tile after the Captain's speech. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksm77 Posted July 3 #33 Share Posted July 3 On 9/19/2023 at 1:44 PM, Senga said: We went twice on Enchanted Princess and thought the selection of nibbles was VERY good. First time the hot selection was chicken wings, then spring rolls. We been going to these for years never do I order any of the recommended drinks. I have always ordered whatever I wanted. I was charged the regular price. Now it is covered by the plus package. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaCruzers Posted July 4 #34 Share Posted July 4 For a few years I was going for the mint martini. Finally, I asked how it was made and shared with my favorite bartender at Good Spirits. He happily started pouring whenever he saw me approaching his bar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doghog Posted July 4 #35 Share Posted July 4 On 9/20/2023 at 9:05 AM, Senga said: Take Five Yes. You’ll receive a notice in your cabin with times and location. On our March 2024 Enchanted cruise (10 night Caribbean) the CC HH was held in the Vista Lounge. We went every evening and had the Plus Package. The CC HH event was well attended each evening on our cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink845 Posted July 9 #36 Share Posted July 9 Not worth effort attending any more. Used to go for shrimp and sushi. Loyalty becoming thing imof the past. Today it is all about how much you are willing to pay for any perks. But then once paying for them, they are no longer perks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
555 Posted July 10 #37 Share Posted July 10 14 hours ago, pink845 said: Not worth effort attending any more. Used to go for shrimp and sushi. Loyalty becoming thing imof the past. Today it is all about how much you are willing to pay for any perks. But then once paying for them, they are no longer perks. When the day arrives that they offer a few free drinks at that affair, I'll be back, otherwise it's just not worth my time. (especially if you sail with a package) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruise Raider Posted July 10 #38 Share Posted July 10 Even though we always get either the plus or premier package, we try to attend the PES happy hour at least half of the nights it is available. We go for the snacks, some of which are very good. We use it as an early and light dinner. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotRoot Posted July 10 #39 Share Posted July 10 We always travel with a package but since we have been Platinum the last year, we go to the event. We enjoy the snacks and music. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare karatemom2 Posted July 10 #40 Share Posted July 10 We don’t get the packages, and are very light drinkers so we actually quite appreciate the Elite lounge for light bites and the very few cocktails we drink during our cruise. It’s a nice welcoming space to enjoy some pre dinner relaxation. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voljeep Posted July 10 #41 Share Posted July 10 note to self: never have done this before ... try on SUN P one night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruz4Sun Posted July 10 #42 Share Posted July 10 On 9/19/2023 at 3:42 PM, Cruise Raider said: I believe it’s in Skywalkers one the Emerald. I know we went to it recently and found it to be substantial enough we never went into the MDR for dinner. We were recently on the Ruby and it was so good .. again, we only made it to the MDR the night of the captain’s party as the PES event is closed that evening. They had the best food with great service and some fabulous entertainment. We did the same thing while on the Emerald, which was held in Skywalkers, often with entertainment. Each evening there was a hot choice like fried shrimp or chicken wings. Along with that there were little dishes like greek salad. Always available was veggies, nuts, cheese, crackers and dried fruit. We are not big eaters and found this to be a perfect dinner. We followed it with a dessert from the International Cafe. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arizonaperson Posted July 10 #43 Share Posted July 10 The mint martini sounds interesting to me, that’s a new one . My husband and I quite like the platinum, elite, suite lounge on our cruises, especially if they are port intensive. We like to get back from whatever we’re doing ashore and then attend the lounge, especially when a ship has Skywalkers and just enjoy a drink and some appetizers and then go get ready for dinner. It’s just our little ritual as we tend to dine on the later side like 8 PM. We don’t necessarily order the drinks specials, which looks like they’re eight dollars now ,but sometimes we do. Usually order whatever drink we feel like having and don’t worry about what the price is .We have only had a drink package twice on Princess. Looks like they have hot appetizers now ,last time I went they did not have that. So looking forward to attending the lounge one day again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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