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The discount starts at 10% for the newest members, then goes to 15% for Select members and 20% for Elite and up. That pretty much nullifies the benefit included in the packages for everyone with status. The first is to remember that Celebrity does offer free beverage options.
Princess Plus & Premier Offers: Package Details and if it’s Worth it
Notably, Harvest Caye -- operated by Norwegian -- doesn't offer the use of drink packages (though NCL's Great Stirrup Cay does allow the use of drink packages). Carnival's Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays also don't offer the use of the onboard drink package. That's because most ports of call aren't affiliated with the cruise line. So when you port in Cozumel, you are headed into Mexico -- not an extension of the cruise ship. So when you purchase the package, you'll see an additional gratuity charge tacked on to the total (typically around 18%, depending on the cruise line).
A line-by-line guide to cruise drink packages
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Here's what you need to know to decide if a beverage plan is right for you. A stunning array of premium spirits, cocktails, and wines US $15 or under, including all the benefits of Signature & Quench. Costa does not allow any drinks to be brought onboard from ashore.
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Does The Drink Package Work on Private Islands or Ports?
The packages are also valid for use on private islands like Labadee and Perfect Day at CocoCay. These are just a few of the questions new Celebrity cruisers (and even some veterans of the line) often ask when it comes time to consider buying a drink package for their cruise. It's tempting with unlimited drinks to do what we've all thought -- one person buys the package and just gives a drink to the person they are traveling with. Norwegian Cruise Lines requires each adult in the stateroom (and additional staterooms if you are traveling under the same payment method) to purchase the same drink package. Royal Caribbean requires adult passengers in a cabin to all purchase the package if one person does. Also, keep in mind that the drink package is sold on the first day or two of the cruise.
Plus, since most lines make you purchase the deal for all adults in a cabin, there isn’t usually a benefit to sharing since everyone will have a package anyway. While drink packages sound simple, there are actually a lot of rules. These include rules on the number of drinks allowed, which drinks you can buy, and much more. Read our complete drink package guide here to learn everything you need to know before you buy. If you’ve never been on a cruise, then don’t be surprised by the price of alcohol on the ship.
Cocktails are made from premium spirits such as Crown Royal, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Patron Silver. Examples of drinks that are part of the Classic drink package are beers like Sam Adams, Corona, Coors and Alaska Brewing beers on Alaska cruises. Whether or not a drink package is worth it depends on how much -- and how often -- you drink. We would guess that for many people, however, the costs don't justify purchasing an all you can drink package. If you want to purchase one of the drink packages for your cruise, the best way is to either call your cruise line or go online to book through your reservation.
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You also get a hefty 40% discount on bottles of wine up to $100 and a 20% discount on bottles over $100. It's handy for sharing a bottle with your travel partner at dinner. As with the Soda Package, you can order your non-alcoholic beverages, from sparkling water to fancy mocktails, from your pool lounger or blackjack table. Royal Caribbean's Soda Package is for the serious soda drinker. On select ships, the package comes with a souvenir Coca-Cola cup with a chip on the bottom to allow the holder to use the Freestyle soda dispensing machines throughout the ship. The "magic" cup gets you all the refills you want 24 hours a day, with your pick of sodas with add-in flavorings.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Drinks Packages
You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any alcoholic package and to consume alcohol. The package does not apply to drinks in souvenir glasses or via room service. Celebrity's Premium drink package moves the price limit per drink to $17, which covers almost anything you'd drink on board other than higher-priced wines or a few of the pricier spirits. Premium brand waters and Red Bull are available in this package.
Water Package
Had I been paying $16 a pop for these, I would have probably stopped two drinks prior. Still, I found myself saying yes to a last-call special – simply because I could. No doubt Norwegian's Free At Sea promotion is an attractive offering as it includes the Unlimited Open Bar Package. Coffee lovers can still add on the Unlimited Starbucks Package to have the best of both offerings. You should also look at your loyalty status in Celebrity's Captain's Club.
Keep in mind that beverage packages also include non-alcoholic drinks. So, in addition to alcohol, if you enjoy lattes in the morning, a few sodas with your lunch, and take bottled water on your excursions, you will quickly add up to -- or even surpass -- the cost of the drink package. Most drink packages also include a number of non-alcoholic drinks including soda, bottled water, and juices. There are usually no price limits and few restrictions on non-alcoholic drinks included with your package. If you're someone who is picky about wines, meanwhile, you may find that the wines included in drink packages don't quite meet your expectations. Generally, cruise drink packages only can be used for the wines by the glass that are available at bars and restaurants on ships, not the wider array of bottled wine in cruise ship cellars.
It may be a highly personalized answer varying from ship to ship, and from one itinerary to the next. A Royal Caribbean drink package may be worth it to some on a Bahamas cruise, while those on an Alaskan cruise with Holland America may realize they drink fewer frozen cocktails while exploring Glacier Bay. If you go on a bender one night, it's easy to cut back your drink purchases the next night. Not having a package is a good choice for those who are either budgeting their money or dialing back their alcohol or calorie consumption. If you're happy with these free options, supplemented by a couple of extra-fee drinks per day, you might save more by purchasing drinks a la carte versus splurging on a drink package.
Diamond Plus members get five drinks, and Pinnacle members get six. Those can be water, specialty coffee or tea other than at Starbucks, sodas from bar servers, beer, wine or cocktails up to $14 (except at Bionic Bar). If you prefer nonalcoholic beverages, you can expect to pay around $7 for mocktails and protein shakes, $5 for lattes at non-Starbucks locations and close to $9 for smoothies. Instead of having to worry about paying for each drink — and keeping track of the bar tab — you can simply head up to the bar whenever you want something and order. So whether you have five cocktails or six beers, or a mix of coffee in the morning, wine in the afternoon, and margaritas at dinner, you’ll pay one flat fee. Less inclusive is the Classic Soda Package which is restricted to an unlimited offering of Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and fountain sodas.
If you plan on drinking more than three or four cocktails and a few premium coffees, the package pricing is likely your best deal. Both packages include a 25 percent discount on bottles of wine, one-liter bottles of water, and can sodas. When it comes to cruise line drink packages, not all are created equal. And, unless you are sailing with a luxury all-inclusive cruise line, only coffee, tea, water, and juices are included with the cruise fare -- all other drinks incur an extra charge.
Advance prices are at least 5% lower online or in the cruise line app before embarkation day. With a few exceptions, each package builds on the previous (lower-priced) package. Here is what's included in each Celebrity cruise drink package. A good way to calculate the value is to divide the per-day cost by the cost of a drink ($10-14 for wine or cocktails, for example). Depending on the package, you may need to have at least 6 to 7 drinks per day, every day, to make it worthwhile. That said, drink packages work in some private islands that are run by the cruise line.
Drink package if booked in advance ($64.95 if booked on board). Royal Caribbean drink packages sometimes cost as much as $89 per day. These packages only make sense if you routinely spend more than those amounts on drinks on a per-day basis. Anyone can purchase a drink package, though alcohol packages are restricted to passengers who meet drinking age restrictions (typically 18 or 21, depending on the cruise line).
The other side of the equation is to factor the price of the drink package into the total vacation cost to make the cruise more of an all-inclusive vacation experience. Think about it like you would an all-inclusive land-based resort. When you vacation at one of those, you not only wouldn't know the price of the drinks you consume, but you also would not care.
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