Drink packages on cruises

[electricblue]

Just wondering if buying a drink package is cheaper than just purchasing drinks onboard? Is it worth the money?

[biker1]

It depends on how many drinks per day you want to consume.

Just wondering if buying a drink package is cheaper than just purchasing drinks onboard? Is it worth the money?

[npwalters]

yep, If you drink 5 or 6 per day (including wine at dinner) it is worth it. Drinks bought individually are usually 6 or 7 bucks. Beer is 5 or 6.

[Hancle704]

Read the fine print on deal. How many are allowed per day, what brands are provided, timing between drinks etc. Don't think cruise lines offer these packages to lose money.

[daverobertson2000]

Used the drink package from NCL last year and it was great. No restrictions at all. You don't realize how the drinks really rack up by the end of the week. It's nice to get off the shop and not worry about how much you owe

[gomoho]

I kept checking the Princess Cruise website before our trip to Alaska and scored a free drink package and dinner in one the pay restaurants. It is definitely a deal - limited restrictions - and if you enjoy cocktails it is well worth the money. Also included bottled water and coffee.

[looneycat]

yes

[Bonny]

Hubby & I always get the drink package. So worth it for us!!
Bloddy Mary in the morning, a couple of drinks during the day, a few wines before & during dinner, a couple of martinis after dinner, maybe a nice 12 year scotch before bed, bottled water throughout the day.
Hmmmmm..... just made myself thirsty. ;)

[NYGUY]

I recently found a spreadsheet designed by someone that allows you to input what drinks/sodas/coffees/etc you think you might drink per day on a Princess cruise (using Princess drink prices) and compares that to the Princess package price of $56.35 per day for however long your cruise is. It came out to break even for me.

[keithwand]

I'd be asleep too early Bonny!

[Trayderjoe]

We don't get the drink package and it really comes down to how much, when, and what you drink. My wife doesn't drink and I like to have a glass of wine with dinner, so it doesn't pay for us. If you are basing your decision on drinking both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, you really need to understand what is offered for free to drink (non-alcoholic) and when. For example, some cruise lines give you soda for free at dinner, others charge you. Our experience is that usually water, iced tea, and or lemonade is available for free (unless you ask for it from a server outside of the dining room or if you ask for it at the bar). The cruise lines offer different drink packages (possibly top shelf versus non-top shelf).

Another thought, check with your cruise line to see if you can bring wine on board at your departure port, and note that many let you bring your own bottled water now. You can't bring other types of alcohol on board, so if you are more interested in liquor and/or beer versus wine, this may not be of interest to you.

[Hancle704]

Congratulations, everyone stayed on topic.

[pklein9747]

Keep in mind that the All Inclusive Beverage Package, particularly on Princess, not only includes alcoholic drinks, but sodas, bottles of water, specialty coffees such as cappuccinos, macchiatos, etc and, on several ships, - gelato! We always try to book when the AIBP is offered as a perk for booking.

Also, keep in mind, how many ports you will be stopping in. If your cruise is port intensive and you'll likely be spending lots of time off the ship, it may not pay to purchase the beverage package.

[Sandtrap328]

We cruise almost exclusively on Celebrity. We get the Premium Beverage package included as a perk from our travel agent for being loyal customers. She also tosses in the gratuties as well. The ship will give us unlimited internet and onboard credits.

Celebrity lets you bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarcation. You can also bring soda or bottled water aboard.

We sailed recently on Holland America and did not have a drink package. They had a one hour happy hour at 2 for 1 prices. It was decent but not as much fun as the unlimited package. I like the wine at dinner and a drink at the show as well as one or two during the day.

[chuckinca]

Me 2

I'll bring in the 2 bottles of wine for free and get a couple beers during the day.

Tried bringing in vodka in mouth wash bottles but had to toss it cause it tasted like mouth wash- a waste of good vodka.

.

[rubicon]

We don't get the drink package and it really comes down to how much, when, and what you drink. My wife doesn't drink and I like to have a glass of wine with dinner, so it doesn't pay for us. If you are basing your decision on drinking both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, you really need to understand what is offered for free to drink (non-alcoholic) and when. For example, some cruise lines give you soda for free at dinner, others charge you. Our experience is that usually water, iced tea, and or lemonade is available for free (unless you ask for it from a server outside of the dining room or if you ask for it at the bar). The cruise lines offer different drink packages (possibly top shelf versus non-top shelf).

Another thought, check with your cruise line to see if you can bring wine on board at your departure port, and note that many let you bring your own bottled water now. You can't bring other types of alcohol on board, so if you are more interested in liquor and/or beer versus wine, this may not be of interest to you.

Prefer to save our caloric intake for cuisine and prefer to be clear headed at all times for the view. Water with a lemon please

[DonH57]

For some the beverage package is worth it and for others not so much.

[784caroline]

We cruise almost exclusively on Celebrity. We get the Premium Beverage package included as a perk from our travel agent for being loyal customers. She also tosses in the gratuties as well. The ship will give us unlimited internet and onboard credits.

Celebrity lets you bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarcation. You can also bring soda or bottled water aboard.

We sailed recently on Holland America and did not have a drink package. They had a one hour happy hour at 2 for 1 prices. It was decent but not as much fun as the unlimited package. I like the wine at dinner and a drink at the show as well as one or two during the day.

On Celebrity, The 2 bottles of wine you bring on-board, if "enjoyed" in any location on ship other than your stateroom will incur a $25 corkage fee per bottle

[Bonny]

I'd be asleep too early Bonny!
I pace it and eat throughout the day.

[Bonny]

On Celebrity, The 2 bottles of wine you bring on-board, if "enjoyed" in any location on ship other than your stateroom will incur a $25 corkage fee per bottle
Cabin Steward will open it and bring glasses to your room. Fill glasses then go out.

[DonH57]

Me 2

I'll bring in the 2 bottles of wine for free and get a couple beers during the day.

Tried bringing in vodka in mouth wash bottles but had to toss it cause it tasted like mouth wash- a waste of good vodka.

.

So you must not have cleaned it out very well!:D

[OpusX1]

On Holland the break even point is 8 drinks per day. We consume on average 3 drinks plus a glass of wine at dinner, so for us it's not worth it. We have had it given to us by our agent and drank about the same amount as our average. We can always get water, coffee and tea included, specialtie coffees are extra but we don't have them much. Also Holland has a buy one get one for a dollar more happy hour and a before dinner hour with $3 martinis.
Basically if you drink around 10 drinks a day buy the package. Also on our last cruise they sold drink cards that reduced the price of a premium drink by 2 or 3 dollars. Only sold the last week of that cruise. Seems like it was 5 or 6 drinks for 30 or 35 dollars.
Have a great cruise!

[dewilson58]

We cruise almost exclusively on Celebrity. We get the Premium Beverage package included as a perk from our travel agent for being loyal customers. She also tosses in the gratuties as well. The ship will give us unlimited internet and onboard credits.

Celebrity lets you bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarcation. You can also bring soda or bottled water aboard.

We sailed recently on Holland America and did not have a drink package. They had a one hour happy hour at 2 for 1 prices. It was decent but not as much fun as the unlimited package. I like the wine at dinner and a drink at the show as well as one or two during the day.


I was wondering about BOYB, good to know. Can you bring a couple additional bottles from a port stop???

[Bonny]

I was wondering about BOYB, good to know. Can you bring a couple additional bottles from a port stop???
No they take them from you & give them to you the last night of the cruise.

[dewilson58]

No they take them from you & give them to you the last night of the cruise.

:cryin2:

[Sandtrap328]

Tried bringing in vodka in mouth wash bottles but had to toss it cause it tasted like mouth wash- a waste of good vodka.

.


We all might have tried that old trick back in college on a Spring Break cruise on Carnival- but certainly not since college!

[Bonny]

We all might have tried that old trick back in college on a Spring Break cruise on Carnival- but certainly not since college!
Most ships, if they find bottles of alcohol in your suitcase, they will give it back to you at the end of the cruise. If it is in another container, they will dump it.

[Fraugoofy]

Just wondering if buying a drink package is cheaper than just purchasing drinks onboard? Is it worth the money?
I was worried about getting sea sick so I didn't purchase the drink package. So glad I didn't! I was sea sick enough that I didn't even have a drink! Peace out...

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[simpkinp]

The only time I get it is when it is included automatically. Then I am tempted to upgrade it to premium. I never could resist temptation. So I do. My BF says I have the willpower of a chicken, just like he does, so he does it too! Then, of course, I find myself drinking more than I usually do, and sometimes too much. Since we are both "Elite" and reciprocal "Diamond" status on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruise lines, we have access to the Elite or Diamond lounges where are drinks are unlimited during specified hours. Even if we don't go there, we get three free drinks a day, which is plenty. I don't mind paying for my other occasional drinks, special coffees and water. I Recommend you check your frequent cruising clubs and see what benefits they have. There are also specials every day, and Captains Welcome parties. Usually you have a choice of perks, and I go for the On Board credit or prepaid gratuity package

[Allegiance]

We all might have tried that old trick back in college on a Spring Break cruise on Carnival- but certainly not since college!
Hey buddy, want to buy me a drink and bury the Hatchet?

[big guy]

We cruise Royal Caribbean. I drink Coke and ice tea and 1 mixed drink before dinner. Cokes are $6 each. Tea is free with meals. Three cokes would come to $18 and the soft drink package is $19 per day so I get that but I don't get the one for liquor. I have one gin and tonic before dinner and it's $8. The cheapest drink package with alcohol is $44 per day, I believe. That's a lot of drinking in one day. I want to remember my trip so I just order my one mixed drink per day.