J2 Drink Packages only for large groups?

[Traveling D's]

My husband and I will be traveling on Costa Europa on October and wanted to buy the J2 dring package to my surprise the TA said that this was only for group of 8+ cabins. Anybody that has experience with this package please share. Thanks

[Goldryder]

My husband and I will be traveling on Costa Europa on October and wanted to buy the J2 dring package to my surprise the TA said that this was only for group of 8+ cabins. Anybody that has experience with this package please share. Thanks

 

The J2 is open to any passenger...solo upwards. The only stipulation is as per X1 and that is all people in the cabin must purchase the package, ie not a case of one purchase to be shared tween a couple or family.

 

The J2 was only introduced in July this year which is possibly why your TA is confused by it.

[scooch63]

I was told the same thing when I called costa US. This just does not seem right as any other country can have the J2 as long as everyone in the same cabin orders. I have sent a letter to my TA to have them inquire about this. with Costa, I will let you know what I hear back.

[Clay Clayton]

One thing to keep in mind, is that depending on how your TA booked you, you might be part of a "group" in which case I have been told the entire group has to buy the package.:(

[Traveling D's]

Thanks! Keep me updated. I even called Costa myself and I was told the same thing that my TA had already explained, that it was only available for groups of 8+ cabins.

[PennyT]

We have just today booked 2 J2 packages for my husband and I, direct with Costa UK. Only 2 of us travelling on Costa Serena from Venice next Sunday 6 September. Will post on return to advise if it was worth our while.

[Traveling D's]

PennyT: Thanks for the info. Would you happen to have the contact number for Costa UK? How much did each J2 package cost?

Dorita

[G.M.T.]

PennyT: Thanks for the info. Would you happen to have the contact number for Costa UK? How much did each J2 package cost?

Dorita

The X1 and J2 Drinks Package can only be booked in combination with your original cruise booking (also at a later stage, I believe upo 14 days before you sail), i.e. you cannot book the cruise with Costa - USa and then bool the J2 with Costa - UK.

 

Ron

[Goldryder]

Ron, they have changed the time limit on X1/J2 booking now from the original 14 days prior to sailing to 5 days prior. Makes life a little easier for those who book a last minute cruise :)

[PennyT]

This is the message I got from Costa UK. I booked the cruise through a Tavel Agent, but the extras direct with Costa, all they asked for was their booking reference.

 

I have attched some information for you regarding our drink packages we can offer.

 

J2 Package:

This is our all inclusive package. Includes:

Forfeit wines

Open bar service with all items up to 6.99 Euros (excluding cigarettes, cigars and souvenir glasses)

Mini bar items (excluding snacks and super alcoholics)

Mineral water in the cabin

All passengers on the booking must have this if one does.

 

180.32 per person 7 nights 2009

283.36 per person 11 nights 2009

360.64 per person 14 nights 2009

 

 

They have to be booked at least 5 days prior to you departure and you can do this by calling Costa Cruises on 0845 351 0552.

 

Thank you

 

Kind regards

[G.M.T.]

Thats interesting "All passengers on the booking must have this if one does".

 

So it is not cabin related but booking, i.e. 8 person on the booking then 8 x J2 or Zero x J2.

 

Costa are learning quick these days.

 

Ron

[Traveling D's]

Thanks. I am going to try booking through Costa UK they may be more informed than my TA.

[Traveling D's]

PennyT: How was you Costa Serena cruise. Keep us posted on the J2 package drinks, food, etc. Was the drink package worth it? How much does a cocktail cost? Thanks

[PennyT]

Got home yesterday from Costa Serena cruise. From day one we regretted taking the J2 package. Everything started well got our costa cards and they indicated we had the J2 package, no need for vouchers the information is in the bar code.

 

After leaving Venice we went for a dring in one of the bars, no problem waiter takes our card then we get a bill to sign showing price of drinks with a discount of the same value, no service charge and a balance of nil.

 

Problem started when we went into the restaurant for dinner. Drinks menu showed glass of wine 5€ water 2.5€ ordered both bill came before drinks and we had been charged. When we queried waitress went into a small panic, she had no knowledge of the package, and went away to find out. As a result we had almost finished our meal before she got an answer. Which was we could only have certain wines red, white or rose, by the glass and beer (which were not on the restaurant drinks menu) and water. This worked out OK wine (which we always got a full bottle) and beer were acceptable, however we could have gone to the wine bar before our dinner got 2 glasses of wine and/or beer of our choice and taken them into the restaurant ourselves.

 

Main problem was the mini bar. Monday 2nd day of cruise I asked the cabin steward if with the J2 package we were still required to complete the mini bar form for the beer, water and soft drinks, he got quite upset as he again had no knowledge of the J2 package. He said he would ask his supervisor. We then went to customer services to ask them to pass on the info to the cabin steward director. Again they had no knowledge of the package and went away to check. They came back with a paper copy of the details which we passed on to the steward. Sorted or the we thought.

 

The next morning day (Tuesday) the steward again upset, told us his boss still insisted mini bar was not included. Back to customer services where as usual there was a long queue when I insisted they spoke to the supervisor while I was at the counter. They called but no one was there, I told them that I was getting very annoyed about this, and the cabin steward, one of their colleagues, was getting very upset.

 

On returning from the excursion the steward told us that his boss had said everything in the mini bar was included. I questioned this as the info we had said the strong drinks e.g. Whiskey, Brandy etc were not included. No we were told everything was and this had been confirmed. Sorted? no.

 

Over the next couple of nights we had a night cap from the mini bar of whiskey and brandy, 2 of each to sit and drink on our balcony. We could have brought them up from the main bars, but as we had been told they were included it was easier this way.

 

All was well until Friday when upset cabin steward come to tell us a mistake has been made and everything was not included, so we must fill in mini bar slip for all drinks including water, beer and soft drinks which we did as we felt sorry for him. That night we brought our night caps from the bar, no problem, no charge. We had decided to wait until our final bill arrived to complain, but as it was instead of being charged about 24€ for the spirits we were only charged around 10€ and by this stage we had just had enough of the whole fiasco.

 

Another point is, although we have not yet added up all our recieipts, I do not think we saved much if any money and I confess we sometimes had a drink when we did not really want one. Loved the cocktails most cost around 6.25€ though and apart from 2 of the choices I think, all were under the 6.99€. Coffee and wobbley coffees were also included. During happy hour 4-6 pm you could get 2-1 as long as you have 2 the same. With the cocktail of the day only being 5€ this is a bargain.

 

Sorry such a long post but hope this helps.

[scooch63]

My husband and I will be traveling on Costa Europa on October and wanted to buy the J2 dring package to my surprise the TA said that this was only for group of 8+ cabins. Anybody that has experience with this package please share. Thanks

 

I have been working with our TA for the last 2 weeks about ordering the J2 pkg and word came down direct from Costa USA that it is only being offered for groups in the USA. The only drink package we were offered is the X1. I wish I could order from europe! has anyone had any luck ordering here in the States?

[G.M.T.]

I have been working with our TA for the last 2 weeks about ordering the J2 pkg and word came down direct from Costa USA that it is only being offered for groups in the USA. The only drink package we were offered is the X1. I wish I could order from europe! has anyone had any luck ordering here in the States?

What is Costa - USA definition of a group? Everone on the booking? Minimum number to make up a group e.g 8?

 

The answer seams a bit wishy washy to me, as if Costa - USA don't really know what the J2 is all about, especially as Costa doesn't have any ships servicing the US at present.

 

Ron

[Traveling D's]

PennyT, thanks for sharing your experience. I too have been trying to book the J2 package for over 2 weeks without any results. E-mailed Costa UK and their reply was that since I had booked via US the package had to be booked through US also. After reading all you went through have decided to go for the happy hour and drink of the day specials.

 

Dorita

[Aslak]

Well, this is getting interested.

 

We are going on Costa Serena on 27th of September and we did book this cruise via German TA thru internet.

 

After a lot of work, I was able to get the J2 for us.

 

However, the price (in UK a bit over 180 pounds = less than 200 euros) given to us was 256 euros per person.

 

I wanted to know what was included and what was not, but they did not know. They were telling me that "now is the last day to get the J2 if you want it". I thought that what the heck, let's get it. For sure I drink more that 6 drinks/wine/beer per day.

Then 2 days later I finally got the reply from Costa Germany:

 

Package J2. In this package are following driks insert open wine at the bar, drinks up to 6 and 19,90 ? at the bar, 1 cocktail per Cruise, Snacks and drinks from the minibar the hole cruise, every day 1 bottle of mineralwater at the cabine.

 

Not quite sure what all this means....???

 

Ok, this differ greatly from the previous information that was posted here and given by Costa UK.

Not only for content, but also for the price.

I mailed the Costa Germany back and explained the situation and wondered how it could be that the very same package on a same cruise seems to be so different.

They replied and told me that they will contact the Special Services and get back with me. This was about 10 days ago and so far no reply.

 

Well, I will be there in 5 days and I guess I will eventually find out then..:rolleyes:

 

Hopefully it is a combination, all the bars, all the minibar and at least some decent wine in a main restaurant, that would work out just fine.;)

 

I will let you know once back...

[Aslak]

Now that I tried to get again an answer from Costa, this is what I received:

 

[color="Red"Many thanks for your mail and your interest in our special service. Unfortunately we are not able to offer the J2 package to person on individual bookings. The J2 is a special service only foreseen for group bookings. Please feel free to choose from the attached list in order to do your beverage or special service package booking once on board Costa Serena. Pls also find prices in the attached list.

 

 

 

Many thanks for your understanding, have a nice trip,

][/color]

 

This is all again very interesting considering I already do have the J2 and it is paid and confirmed in my ticket....:eek:

[G.M.T.]

Now that I tried to get again an answer from Costa, this is what I received:

 

[color="Red"Many thanks for your mail and your interest in our special service. Unfortunately we are not able to offer the J2 package to person on individual bookings. The J2 is a special service only foreseen for group bookings. Please feel free to choose from the attached list in order to do your beverage or special service package booking once on board Costa Serena. Pls also find prices in the attached list.

 

 

 

Many thanks for your understanding, have a nice trip,

][/color]

 

This is all again very interesting considering I already do have the J2 and it is paid and confirmed in my ticket....:eek:

From which Costa country did you receive the email from?

 

Ron

[Aslak]

From Costa Germany.

 

I then called them and spoke with the same agent that wrote me, and she was very polite and everything.

 

She said that there is some confusion over this and not everyone know what is going on exactly, etc....

 

I told her again, that I (we 2) already do have the J2 and it is printed on my tickets, so I am not interested to know if I can get it, only what is really included.

 

Based on the late postings here, nobody knows even onboard!!!

 

I don't wanna sound rude or anything, but this whole thing is really starting to get next to ridicilous.

I am very customed traveller in many different senses and ways, but this is my first cruise of this kind and now I am just going... woooh!

 

For sure, the price may differ from country to other, but the basics should remain the same for the same package.

 

Really waiting for their next answer...

 

And trying not to get too upset just before the cruise...

[Werebimbo]

Hi there

 

I'm just back from a cruise on the Costa Serena. I had the J2 package and my husband had the non alcoholic J2 version. The cost was £180 and £80 respetively and we booked this directly with Costa UK about 2 weeks before departure.

 

The J2 was noted on our cards and this was what it seemed to include for the alcoholic version (non alcoholic stuff below was obviously also included for the non boozing J2 card):

 

- All cocktails except champagne cocktails (as they were over the 7 Euro limit) at any time from any where.

- Water, soft drinks, wine and mixed drinks such as Southern Comfort & coke, whisky, vodka etc, again as long as under the 7 Euro limit, from any bar at any time.

- wine at dinner. I asked for a glass of rose the first night and was given a bottle. I was paranoid I'd be charged as it was obviously over 7 Euros for a bottle, but I wasn't. The waiter continued to give me a bottle every night and it was always included as part of the J2.

- water & soft drinks from the mini bar. Not sure about mini bar snacks as we never used any. We used one alcoholic drink from the mini bar and we WERE charged for this, however I think this may have been an error as can't see how non alcoholic would be included and alcoholic not. Should be all or nothing for the mini bar with J2 really. However as it was our last day and only 6 euros we didn't challenge it.

- fresh squeezed OJ from pool bars - highly recommended at breakfast time.

- ice cream sundeas from the pool bar - highly recommended at any time!

- lindt chocolate balls and other chocolate at the chocolate bar.

- liquers served in chocolate shot glasses at the chocolate bar - not to be missed!

 

I don't think the use of the J2 is that wide spread, however we never had any problem whatsoever getting service with the J2 or with people being difficult about using it. The only thing to watch out for was a couple of times (particularly with roaming bar service where they hand write receipts rather than swiping the card) staff accidentally charged us as they hadn't noticed the J2 on the card, but when we pointed it out they apologised and rectified it. Whenever your J2 card is used the bill total should always read zero, so it's easy to check. If you're in any doubt about whether you're being charged you can check your bill total so far through the tv in room.

 

Personally I found the J2 very handy and easy to use. I didn't go crazy with the drink (despite being Scottish!), but it meant I didn't have to worry about it either and I was relaxed about trying out lots of different cocktails and chocolate goodies.

 

Hope this helps. Happy to help with any other queries. Enjoy!

[Aslak]

Werebimbo,

 

thanks a lot for your filling reply.

 

Really happy to hear that it worked out more or less as it should.

 

 

I will update my experience once done with the cruise!

[G.M.T.]

Werebimbo,

 

Thanks for shedding light on the J2 jungle.

 

A couple of questions:

 

a. How long was your cruise?

 

b. On your Costa Cards with the J2 embossed on it, was there anything to show that it was the J2 Alcohol or non-alcohol packages?

 

Thanks

Ron

[Werebimbo]

Hi

 

The cruise was 7 days and yes, the non alcoholic J2 was marked up as J2 child.

 

Cheers

 

Gill