Making the Premier package worth it - top shelf cocktails

[insidecabin]

Picking standard there are two no alcohol options

UK prices (plus package is £50, CA £12.70)

 

Zero alcohol £28.67  total(£41.37)

Classic soda £14.33 total(£27.03)

 

Both cheaper than plus.

 

For details of what included in each

Classic soda

https://book.princess.com/html/global/personalizer/ssv/beverages/classic-soda-package-disclaimer/index.html

 

Zero alcohol

https://book.princess.com/html/global/personalizer/ssv/beverages/zero-alcohol-package-disclaimer/index.html

 

 

[cruise4mom]

On 1/24/2024 at 11:12 AM, CrazyTrain2 said:

I'm onboard the Discovery Princess in April.  I signed up for the Premier package and I usually don't drink that much.  What top shelf (at least on board) cocktails/brands should be on the list to sip and toss overboard (I know overboard is a No-No)?

 

If Princess would offer an alcohol free package, I would have chosen it. The basic package makes no sense for anybody unless you are stiffing the crew, it's simply being used as marketing eye candy.

Princess does offer a Zero Alcohol package however it is not an option with the Plus and Premier packages. The Zero alcohol package is $35.39 per day with fees. When adding that prices with the Crew Appreciation of $16-$18 per day totaling $51.39-$53.39 per day per person. When you see those figure just for tips and non alcoholic drinks taking a package can be more cost effective. I think people see sticker shock when they see the additional $60-$80 a day in addition to the cruise fare. It is all a personal decision and there are those who don’t use WiFi, want anything but basic coffee, tea, tap water and whatever flavored drink in the buffet and prefer just to eat the MDR and buffet meals. I am not a big drinker but I like to experiment and not feel bad if I order something and don’t drink it. 

[Thrak]

On 1/24/2024 at 9:29 AM, voljeep said:

more than a few $1.18 charges from Vines on our last cruise

 

On our Australia / New Zealand cruises all of the "different" Jameson Irish Whiskey was priced just a bit over the limit. It was a limit of $22 AUD and they were all priced at $22.50. Lame. Yes, it's not a giant amount but these are all within the Plus range in the US. Just a way to snag a small bit more. This is real nickle and dime stuff.

[Thrak]

On 2/16/2024 at 6:38 PM, CRLess said:

On the Premier package you can ask for a double of any of the non-top shelf liquors and it only counts as one drink.  I'm a Beefeater guy and got doubles on our voyage on the Ruby last month with no upcharge.

 

Wowie Zowie! I had no idea. That's a good perk. Thanks for the info. I'll still stick with Plus but appreciate learning about this.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

23 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Wowie Zowie! I had no idea. That's a good perk. Thanks for the info. I'll still stick with Plus but appreciate learning about this.

Isn't it meant to count as two drinks? I have never asked as I never push the 15 limit so it hasn't mattered to me if it counts as one or two 🙂 

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Isn't it meant to count as two drinks? I have never asked as I never push the 15 limit so it hasn't mattered to me if it counts as one or two 🙂 

Doubles count as 2 drinks regardless of which package you have. I usually get a double Sambucca leaving the casino to have in the cabin. I almost always have room on my plus package at that point

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

Doubles count as 2 drinks regardless of which package you have. I usually get a double Sambucca leaving the casino to have in the cabin. I almost always have room on my plus package at that point

Thought so. Thanks.

[Thrak]

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

Doubles count as 2 drinks regardless of which package you have. I usually get a double Sambucca leaving the casino to have in the cabin. I almost always have room on my plus package at that point

 

Sigh... That's more in keeping with what I had thought. Not an issue for me as I don't book with Premier and, like @memoak I always have extra room on my package. I did hit the limit one day on our recent trip but the bar staff had charged all of my wife's drinks to my account. Most annoying.

[insidecabin]

24 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Sigh... That's more in keeping with what I had thought. Not an issue for me as I don't book with Premier and, like @memoak I always have extra room on my package. I did hit the limit one day on our recent trip but the bar staff had charged all of my wife's drinks to my account. Most annoying.

That has happened to us, now whenever she is around we try to use her card to keep mine clear in case she heads off to bed before me.

Our regular spots usually catch on and spread the charges.

 

Princess should just join the counts and make it 30 per couple.

[BamaVol]

12 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

 

Princess should just join the counts and make it 30 per couple.

Someone is likely to see that as a challenge.

[Thrak]

22 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Princess should just join the counts and make it 30 per couple.

 

9 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

Someone is likely to see that as a challenge.

 

I can see someone trying to "make up" for the fact that their spouse generally only has 4 drinks per day. It could be ugly. Additionally, there might end up with some marital stress if both parties wanted more than 15. That could also be ugly. What would be great is if the bar staff would simply charge appropriately.

Edited February 18 by Thrak

[insidecabin]

10 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

 

I can see someone trying to "make up" for the fact that their spouse generally only has 4 drinks per day. It could be ugly. Additionally, there might end up with some marital stress if both parties wanted more than 15. That could also be ugly. What would be great is if the bar staff would simply charge appropriately.

Those that in the 15+  camp will already be managing their cards appropriately.

On a sea day a beer drinker could easily get through 15 of those tiny American beers.

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Those that in the 15+  camp will already be managing their cards appropriately.

On a sea day a beer drinker could easily get through 15 of those tiny American beers.

Then go for the Fosters

[memoak]

30 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

 

I can see someone trying to "make up" for the fact that their spouse generally only has 4 drinks per day. It could be ugly. Additionally, there might end up with some marital stress if both parties wanted more than 15. That could also be ugly. What would be great is if the bar staff would simply charge appropriately.

Think of the situation when one member of the couple is not feeling well do you really want me to have 30 drinks to pound down ?  We just have to make it clear that each account gets 1 drink if we are together. I actually ran out once because a junior waiter put 4 glasses of wine and 2 after dinner drinks on my tab during dinner

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

I have never worried about which of us has the drinks put onto their account. I have never been stopped from having a drink and I must have got close to 15 on many occasions. I always assumed they know which cabin I am in and if I order 2 drinks that they then apportion the drinks appropriately. Perhaps I am mistaken ☺️

[memoak]

1 minute ago, Snaxmuppet said:

I have never worried about which of us has the drinks put onto their account. I have never been stopped from having a drink and I must have got close to 15 on many occasions. I always assumed they know which cabin I am in and if I order 2 drinks that they then apportion the drinks appropriately. Perhaps I am mistaken ☺️

Don’t make that assumption. We realized it one cruise when we checked our apps and I showed 12 drinks and my wife showed 4. Back in the good old days when the drink package was unlimited it didn’t matter. Yes I know that was a long time ago and didn’t last long

[voljeep]

when we order thru the app, we use her login.

[Nelsj099]

There were a few people on my cruise last January who went over the packaged 15 and they just had to pay for their following drinks.  No one seemed to care, they were drinking beer in the casino they kept getting drinks. 

[Mr. Baloo]

Since everything is so technical these days… does the app keep count of the drinks you ordered each day?

[cnice515]

31 minutes ago, Mr. Baloo said:

Since everything is so technical these days… does the app keep count of the drinks you ordered each day?

Yes, the app keeps your drink count per day

[MissP22]

On 2/26/2024 at 9:21 AM, Mr. Baloo said:

Since everything is so technical these days… does the app keep count of the drinks you ordered each day?

 

On 2/26/2024 at 9:53 AM, cnice515 said:

Yes, the app keeps your drink count per day

So your saying I don't have to keep asking a bartender, correct?

Have you been on a ship using the new app yet? 

[PMGS247]

19 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

 

So your saying I don't have to keep asking a bartender, correct?

Have you been on a ship using the new app yet? 

 

This made me chuckle a little based on your history of posts on this topic...I haven't been on a ship with the new app yet so I don't actually have any thoughts on how good of a job it does or doesn't do at telling you your drink count, but when was the last time you personally asked a bartender how close you were to the 15 drinks on your package?

[Stosh68]

49 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

 

So your saying I don't have to keep asking a bartender, correct?

Have you been on a ship using the new app yet? 

 

Both the old and new app show the drink totals per day, I used both interchangeably earlier this month on Discovery.

 

Additionally, if the bar is not crowded, I find that you can ask the bartender to take the extra second to charge my wife and my drink package's separately.  When crowded, they just aren't going to take the time to and will charge my account for both drinks.

 

Since my wife won't go to the bar, she will usually order drinks for both of us on the app during the day.  Ordering drinks is typically faster in person at the bar at night when crowded which I do, but during the day the app service isn't appreciably slower.

Edited February 27 by Stosh68

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, PMGS247 said:

 

This made me chuckle a little based on your history of posts on this topic...I haven't been on a ship with the new app yet so I don't actually have any thoughts on how good of a job it does or doesn't do at telling you your drink count, but when was the last time you personally asked a bartender how close you were to the 15 drinks on your package?

I’m still chuckling, too.  lol

[memoak]

1 hour ago, Stosh68 said:

 

Both the old and new app show the drink totals per day, I used both interchangeably earlier this month on Discovery.

 

Additionally, if the bar is not crowded, I find that you can ask the bartender to take the extra second to charge my wife and my drink package's separately.  When crowded, they just aren't going to take the time to and will charge my account for both drinks.

 

Since my wife won't go to the bar, she will usually order drinks for both of us on the app during the day.  Ordering drinks is typically faster in person at the bar at night when crowded which I do, but during the day the app service isn't appreciably slower.

If most of the drinks goes on one account then for people like us who enjoy drinks will run out before dinner. Not to be nosey but why won’t she go to the bar ?  We sit at the bar almost exclusively