Drinks Package Questions

[napria]

So I had read quite a few posts, and also read Cunard’s terms and conditions.  I was definitely thinking we should skip the drinks package, but maybe not…

 

My husband loves a fine single malt.  He was shocked that it’s served in one ounce increments.  With the 10 minute wait between drinks, does that mean he would need to sip his one ounce for 10 minutes before ordering a second ounce?

 

I’m confused about gratuities with the drinks package.  Are they included?  If they are and we don’t get the package, we’d add what percentage?

 

For items that are above the $11 limit, did I read that we need to pay the full amount of the drink, not the difference between the price of the drink and the $11?

 

Specialty coffee is included in the package, correct?

 

Thank you.  I know all this is covered here from time to time, but for some reason I can’t find it

[Host Hattie]

There's no need to wait, just order a double. 

[Pushpit]

It's Service Compris on the packages, so no need to add a gratuity unless you want to do so. Coffee is included. And if you go over the price limit you pay the whole price minus a 20% discount. I am not sure I recognise the $11 fix but I am probably missing something here. You both need to be fairly big drinkers to make it cost effective.

Edited August 12 by Pushpit

[D&N]

21 minutes ago, napria said:

So I had read quite a few posts, and also read Cunard’s terms and conditions.  I was definitely thinking we should skip the drinks package, but maybe not…

 

My husband loves a fine single malt.  He was shocked that it’s served in one ounce increments.  With the 10 minute wait between drinks, does that mean he would need to sip his one ounce for 10 minutes before ordering a second ounce?

 

I’m confused about gratuities with the drinks package.  Are they included?  If they are and we don’t get the package, we’d add what percentage?

 

For items that are above the $11 limit, did I read that we need to pay the full amount of the drink, not the difference between the price of the drink and the $11?

 

Specialty coffee is included in the package, correct?

 

Thank you.  I know all this is covered here from time to time, but for some reason I can’t find it

First the bad news.

According to all the recent menus, measures of spirits have been reduced from 29.57ml (1oz) to 25ml, with doubles at 50ml.

 

But I think you've said your booking is Britannia, which means that you must be talking about the package you pay for rather than the US Grills promotion package. The latter has a $12 per drink limit but the paid for version limit is $13.50.

Gratuities are included in the price of the package.

 

According to the terms and conditions, double measures can be requested for spirits and there appear to be single malts that fall within the limit. I've no idea how fine they are.

 

We make a saving of at least 20% by taking the package, but you are best to do some calculations to ensure that you do at least break even against paying as you consume.

 

For items over $13.50 you pay full price, plus gratuities, less 20%

 

Edit: That last bit only applies to bottles of wine up to $150. So your 20% is limited.

Edited August 12 by D&N

[napria]

My mistake.  I was looking at terms and conditions that (I think) were outdated. $13.50 seems to be the correct limit.  
 

Thanks for the answers. Even with double Macallans (him) and specialty coffees (me) it won’t be worth it.

 

Are we allowed more than one glass of wine at dinner (without the drinks package?)

[D&N]

2 minutes ago, napria said:

Are we allowed more than one glass of wine at dinner (without the drinks package?)

Why would you not be? You would be paying for it.

The only issue I can see is that there have been some reports in parts of Britannia Restaurant of shortages of sommeliers. Best to make sure that they will re-visit you to take further orders.

Depending on how much wine you want, and your tastes, there are some quite reasonably priced wines by the bottle on the list, particularly the Cunard own labels and some Eastern European wines. You can order a bottle and have part of it held over to the next night.

That way the worst thing that can happen is that you have to pour it yourself if the sommelier doesn't show up.

[Pushpit]

If you are on fixed dining your usual waiter will quickly cotton on to your preferences and help get the sommelier over. There aren't so many in Britannia but this may be an argument for putting down a dollar or two tip over the included service charge so that the sommelier knows that you value the service.

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, D&N said:

Why would you not be? You would be paying for it.

The only issue I can see is that there have been some reports in parts of Britannia Restaurant of shortages of sommeliers. Best to make sure that they will re-visit you to take further orders.

Depending on how much wine you want, and your tastes, there are some quite reasonably priced wines by the bottle on the list, particularly the Cunard own labels and some Eastern European wines. You can order a bottle and have part of it held over to the next night.

That way the worst thing that can happen is that you have to pour it yourself if the sommelier doesn't show up.

Always better value to buy by the bottle. We sometimes have three on the go, and they look after it for you. If you are on fixed dining, it will be waiting for you. It might take a bit longer on open.

[IB2]

These packages rarely work out to be worth it, unless you drink way more than you should.  And all the fiddly rules and restrictions and potential extra charges make the whole thing very unattractive anyway.

[D&N]

8 minutes ago, IB2 said:

These packages rarely work out to be worth it, unless you drink way more than you should.  And all the fiddly rules and restrictions and potential extra charges make the whole thing very unattractive anyway.

As I wrote at #4 for two of us in 14 days we will save over 20%. Our spend will be capped at about $2,500 rather than $3,200.

That's based on average six drinks between lunchtime and bedtime per day. Perhaps that is way more than we should, but it doesn't feel excessive.

It does include bottled water, mixers and teas/coffees/hot chocolate as well.

[NE John]

3 hours ago, napria said:

So I had read quite a few posts, and also read Cunard’s terms and conditions.  I was definitely thinking we should skip the drinks package, but maybe not…

 

My husband loves a fine single malt.  He was shocked that it’s served in one ounce increments.  With the 10 minute wait between drinks, does that mean he would need to sip his one ounce for 10 minutes before ordering a second ounce?

 

I’m confused about gratuities with the drinks package.  Are they included?  If they are and we don’t get the package, we’d add what percentage?

 

For items that are above the $11 limit, did I read that we need to pay the full amount of the drink, not the difference between the price of the drink and the $11?

 

Specialty coffee is included in the package, correct?

 

Thank you.  I know all this is covered here from time to time, but for some reason I can’t find it

Are you traveling in Grills and going a Crossing on QM2?

Edited August 12 by NE John

[napria]

1 hour ago, NE John said:

Are you traveling in Grills and going a Crossing on QM2?

Brittania Class, Quebec to New York

[napria]

4 hours ago, D&N said:

Why would you not be? You would be paying for it.

 

Wait, I thought wine was included with dinner.  Is it an extra charge?

[Pushpit]

6 minutes ago, napria said:

Wait, I thought wine was included with dinner.  Is it an extra charge?

Yes, it is extra, with the possible exception that one of the gala nights many have a "free" glass of wine. For Cunard, alcohol sales is what is essential to their profitability. They will give away staterooms at very low rates if they have to, rather than have too many empty cabins, but this is on the basis that once on board you will be running up bills for drinks, spa, casino, photos, excursions and so on. 

[NE John]

Gotcha   I like the Drinks Package for TA’s with 100% of time on the ship. With days at port, the package may not make sense. There are plenty of wines that fit the $13.50/ glass limit of the package though. There are also excellent values of wines by the bottle so check to see any discounts the package gives on bottles. 

[Jack E Dawson]

16 minutes ago, napria said:

Wait, I thought wine was included with dinner.  Is it an extra charge?

Napria,

While wine is not included at meals, Cunard does allow you to bring basically unlimited wine and spirits onboard for consumption in your cabin. You can also bring your own bottle of wine to the Main Dining Room (MDR) but there is a $25 corkage fee. However, as D&N pointed out, the Cunard Private Label wines are reasonably priced (low $30's) and very drinkable.

Jack

[WantedOnVoyage]

Gosh, the last lines to offer free wine at meals were French Line and the Italian lines (Italia, Costa, Lauro etc) half a century a ago when it was actually a government requirement that Third (Tourist) had red wine at dinner and lunch provided free of charge. Paquet Line (the much missed MERMOZ) may have had complimentary table wine into the early 1980s but that was it. I loved that even at age 16, the French and Italians served you wine at the table!! And the French gave you a little packet of cigarettes at gala night, too! 

 

The value of these drinks packages is easy to figure out if you've cruised with Cunard before and even allowing for the steady uptick in prices.  A lot of folks forget that the 15 per cent gratuity is included in these packages.  And they included all speciality coffee, teas, soft drinks too.  

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, NE John said:

There are plenty of wines that fit the $13.50/ glass limit of the package though.

I struggled to find anything more than a basic small glass of white wine under $13.50 in the Britannia restaurant on Queen Anne in May and also in Carinthia and Commodore Club.  Whilst making very good use of my package everywhere else and breaking more or less even across the 14 nights I found this lack of choice in these venues rather restricting.

[stan01]

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Gosh, the last lines to offer free wine at meals were French Line and the Italian lines (Italia, Costa, Lauro etc) half a century a ago when it was actually a government requirement that Third (Tourist) had red wine at dinner and lunch provided free of charge. Paquet Line (the much missed MERMOZ) may have had complimentary table wine into the early 1980s but that was it. I loved that even at age 16, the French and Italians served you wine at the table!! And the French gave you a little packet of cigarettes at gala night, too! 

 

The value of these drinks packages is easy to figure out if you've cruised with Cunard before and even allowing for the steady uptick in prices.  A lot of folks forget that the 15 per cent gratuity is included in these packages.  And they included all speciality coffee, teas, soft drinks too.  

 

Cunard Brittania is probably the top tier of the so-called premium cruise lines that does not offer at least complimentary wine/beer at meals.  Cunard Grills (at least for Americans), Seabourn, Regent, Oceania, Silversea, Viking Ocean, new Crystal, Explora and some of the suite enclaves on mass market lines all do through various policies or promotions.

[WantedOnVoyage]

But the OP is travelling Britannia which is hardly "premium" in price or purpose.... and no line that I know of at this price point includes wine at meals.  The ones you cite are premium priced and "various policies or promotions" indeed is the case.  UK market Grill passengers do not get "free" drinks, etc. Oceania offers it as a option in a choice of "freebies".  

 

The irony is that it used to be those travelling Tourist Class got free wine with meals, now it's considered a "premium perk".  I do think even the meanest Cunard house red is slightly better than Italian Line "vino da tavola" however.  

 

 

[exlondoner]

9 hours ago, D&N said:

As I wrote at #4 for two of us in 14 days we will save over 20%. Our spend will be capped at about $2,500 rather than $3,200.

That's based on average six drinks between lunchtime and bedtime per day. Perhaps that is way more than we should, but it doesn't feel excessive.

It does include bottled water, mixers and teas/coffees/hot chocolate as well.

You are on holiday. And for a fortnight, not six weeks. So there is no ‘way more than you should concept’.

[Bell Boy]

7 hours ago, NE John said:

Gotcha   I like the Drinks Package for TA’s with 100% of time on the ship. With days at port, the package may not make sense. There are plenty of wines that fit the $13.50/ glass limit of the package though. There are also excellent values of wines by the bottle so check to see any discounts the package gives on bottles. 

Another Thumbs up 👍 for the Wine Packages especially if one prefers wine over spirits or fancy cocktails. 

Ordering wine by the glass in the restaurant on a drinks package is often quite a hassle, not only is there a shortage of sommeliers these days, however, when you eventually flag one down they have to go off to the galley dispensary and usually wait ages in line behind their colleagues to collect the order.

 

Much easier to purchase wine by the bottle, often ready waiting for your arrival ( fixed dining) chilled in the ice bucket or on the table  and can be held over for the next evening.  

[carlmm]

7 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Gosh, the last lines to offer free wine at meals were French Line and the Italian lines (Italia, Costa, Lauro etc) half a century a ago when it was actually a government requirement that Third (Tourist) had red wine at dinner and lunch provided free of charge. Paquet Line (the much missed MERMOZ) may have had complimentary table wine into the early 1980s but that was it. 

 

Actually the German Aida and Mein Schiff ships do include free wine at meal times resp. almost all drinks.

 

(Not that I would recommend this lines to Cunard guests.)

[napria]

9 hours ago, stan01 said:

 

Cunard Brittania is probably the top tier of the so-called premium cruise lines that does not offer at least complimentary wine/beer at meals.  Cunard Grills (at least for Americans), Seabourn, Regent, Oceania, Silversea, Viking Ocean, new Crystal, Explora and some of the suite enclaves on mass market lines all do through various policies or promotions.

And unfortunately this is what we’re used to, but we wanted to get a lot more trips in (we were only taking a short cruise every two years), and we wanted to go to Europe, which substantially adds to the cost, so we thought Cunard Britannia Class might be a good choice.  I have looked at so many cruise lines and lately have been looking at Azamara, so I’m getting my “what’s included, what’s not” mixed up.

[ExArkie]

9 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Oceania offers it as a option in a choice of "freebies".  

Might want to check Oceania's current policies. "Simply More" includes wine at dinner for all guests. The old "O Life" program was when there was a choice of options, one of which was drinks.