Drink Package Increases

[Kendall James-Vargas]

Here we go again! CCL will be increasing its beverage package prices for 3, 4, and 5-night cruise itineraries. These prices will increase by $10 per day, per person. If anything, this just incentivizes me to book a longer cruise! How do you feel about these changes? 

[FJB]

Trying to stop the booze cruises?

[euroguy]

Well I don't need to worry about it as I get FREE DRINKS (cocktails, beer, wine, sodas and other nonalcoholic drinks) EVERYWHERE on the ship. 🤣 

With that said, I have never even thought about doing the drinks pkg as it's crazy expensive and would need to drink like a fish non stop to make it worth it. I have in the past purchased the bubbles pkg but stopped doing that as in reality unless you drink a ton of soda it's a lot cheaper to buy it individually.

[Balmy Jones]

Or it could simply be "Bidenomics"? 8% inflation cuts across everything.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB I don't know if they can be stopped, but I do think upping the cost could weed out some of that. 

@euroguy You are one lucky guy! I, too, am unable to drink enough to make the beverage package worth it. It's convenient to have, but unless you drink about 8 drinks a day, you aren't going to get your money's worth. 

@Balmy Jones That's a thought! Since most of the "extra" service prices are on the rise, it very well could be attributed to the local economy in this day and age. 

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean yeah CCL has been really stepping up their game for me. If I'm being honest, I was shocked when they notified me about free drinks everywhere on ship, had to re read it 3 times to make sure i wasnt missing something 🤣 my next thought was wow okay thats cool and thought how i would use it 🍷🍸🍹🥂🥤

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy The cruise line knows you are worth it! I doubt you will utilize the unlimited beverages to their fullest potential anyway. What are your typical vacation drinks? I'm definitely a cappuccino in the morning, bottled water several times a day, and wine in the evening hours type of person. Those habits don't necessarily add up to getting my money's worth though. 

I don't really enjoy "day drinking." I'm not quite sure how anyone over 30 is able to sit at the poolside bar for hours on end. I think I would end up passed out on a pool lounger, but maybe that is the point. 

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean I'm invisioning you slumped over on your poolside lounger 🤣 

morning a good mocha is a nice start but I will settle for a good cup of Joe with creamer.

As for coctails/ . I don't typically drink during the day like you a bottled water or perhaps a soda. Now once the sun has set little different. During shows, casino or listening to live music I will indulge in a yummy screw driver and dinner a glass of wine maybe 2 if it's good. I have been known to drink white Russians, shots of tequila aka to kill ya, or sky cosmo martini. Why not I'm on vacation and rarely drink when home.

What's your go to drink(s)

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy Your drinkinging habits actually sound pretty similar to mine! If you have unlimited drinks, I hope you are going for the morning mocha. Does CCL offer your soda of choice? The line seems to have everything under the sun. Also shots of tequila sound so scary! There is no way you will see me drinking one of those. I will certainly be out on the pool lounger after that. 

I'm typically found only drinking Processo or red wine. I really love exploring new red wines but prefer Grenache or Tempranillo from Spain! Anything with added sugar will trigger a migraine for me so not worth the drink.

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean yes of course CCL  has just about any kind of soda you would want plus all the various alcoholalcohol Rands flranging from well drinks to top shelf...guess which I select... yes top shelf. 

You sound very versed in wine which I admire as I do enjoy a glass or two of good wine but have a hard time knowing what's good v eeeks. Seems like everyone is making wine these days and difficult to weed out the yuk. I do prefer reds that are not super dry, a little wetter is good for me. Know that I have free drinks on the entire ship I will get to explore some during dinner and hopefully pick a good one.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy You are totally a top-shelf kind of guy! You have shared about your spiffy dressing habits so your drinking habits must match. I wish I could say hard liquor satisfied my soul, but it always burns going down.

I love wine with anything! It's just a simple drink that has such a great amount of varietals so the options end up being endless. You have to continue exploring the world of red wine! You sound like a Merlot guy. Do you enjoy a full-bodied Merlot?

You must explore some good reds during your next cruise! One of my favorites is usually offered onboard. It's called Caymus! Have you tried Caymus before?  

 

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean typically i like medium to light body red wines as the have less tannins. I have found full body red wines have a higher alcohol content and more tannins creating a prety strong effect of dry mouth, which i dont care for.  Usually i try to stick to Merlots or Syrahs. But even those are no guarantee. I really think be it a Cab, Merlot, Syrah, Pino etc it really all depends on the wine maker and how they produce the product and the end goal they have in mind.

No I have not had Caymus, will have try a glass and see.

On my recent cruise to Alaska the casino comped me a bottle of wine up to $50 and looked at the long list of choices and didn't see anything I recognized. I told the head waiter that I didn't like a very dry wine and asked what he recommended .... what a mistake that was. First it had a screw/no cork top which I was oh dear this was going to interesting. As for taste I've had 2 buck chuck that was far better. It was so horrible that I couldn't finish the bottle over several days, it became more of a table decoration.

A well mixed cocktail should not burn going down. There are so many option that can be made that you don't even taste the alcohol. Like a strawberry daiquiri, Pina Colata, long Island Ice Tea and the list goes on.  Additionally like wine all liquires are not created equally, thus I select Top Shelf as they are more refined and made better ingredients thus creating a smoother and better taste. 

maybe next time youre on CCL you should try out the Alchemy Bar which they specialize in mixology. Who knows maybe you will find a new drink that tickles your taste buds.

Now that you know my wine likes and dislikes perhaps you can be my Sommelier and provide a wine list so I have a cheat sheet for my future cruises 🥰

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy That's very true. High tannins will definitely trigger a headache and a big hangover if you have more than a glass or two. No two wines are alike, which is something I love about the world of wines. You know a good amount about wine. 

I have also concluded that if it's a twist-off, I won't drink it.  It's not worth the evening heartburn. Many of those cheaper bottles of wine have odd additives that taste fine but have a nasty aftermath. I used to love two-buck-check but the problem is, it isn't two bucks anymore! I would rather do the Kirkland wine. Costco has been good to me.

I don't know if I have had a worthwhile cocktail, and it's probably because I haven't ordered a really good quality one before. It may be time for me to give higher-shelf liquor a try.

I would be happy to give you some wine recommendations! Hess Select could be a good one for you to try! It's a great dinner wine. Layer Cake is a nice middle-priced option too!

Edited October 19, 2023 by Cruising Caribbean

[FJB]

Black Box or Bota Box everyday! 

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean I will see if I am able to locate the current wine list that's being used and have you pick from that so Im not going blind and scratching my head lol

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB I haven't heard of Black Box or Bota Box! Tell me more.

@euroguy That would be so fun! Please share the list with me. I would consider it an honor. Based on your statement above, you are more of a red person or do you occasionally enjoy white wine as well? If you tell me which ones are included in your package I will share some recommendations and maybe even some pairings! The reason why I ask about white wine is because I generally prefer to have some seafood dishes with white wine. 

 

[FJB]

4 hours ago, Cruising Caribbean said:

@FJB I haven't heard of Black Box or Bota Box! Tell me more.

 

OMG I guess you are not a box wine kinda person - These are high quality box wines for only $22!  My kind of wine. 
 

 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB That's pretty cool! Those sorts of boxes serve the masses. Do they by chance keep for longer than traditional glass bottled wine? At first glance, I questioned if these would be for me, but for that price, they are definitely worth a try! I love that these boxes are practical for large crowds. Do restaurants and cruises offer boxed wine? I guess if just haven't seen these served anywhere!

[FJB]

11 minutes ago, Cruising Caribbean said:

@FJB That's pretty cool! Those sorts of boxes serve the masses. Do they by chance keep for longer than traditional glass bottled wine? At first glance, I questioned if these would be for me, but for that price, they are definitely worth a try! I love that these boxes are practical for large crowds. Do restaurants and cruises offer boxed wine? I guess if just haven't seen these served anywhere!

The claim is boxed wines will last up to 30 days after opening. I’ve yet to have one last past about 8 or 9 days - guess I need to drink slower….

I don’t think any restaurants or cruise ships serve box wines.  

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB Maybe the 30-day-fresh timeline is what is attractive to most box wine lovers. Considering the box holds four bottles of wine, I think the pace you are working with is fast enough. I often go through a bottle a week. Boxed wine has to be the best way to serve dinner wine for a large family. Although, if I whipped this out at my next dinner party, I think I would be judged. Isn't boxed wine notorious for being of lesser quality? This is honestly the first I've heard of luxurious boxed wine. I don't know why restaurants don't capitalize on selling boxed wine. The take-home margin would be great!

[Night Owl]

I did the drink package for my last 2 cruises and have realized that I am not that much of a drinker.  But, I like knowing up front how much I'm spending for that part of my vacation.

I guess it's that "what if"" factor.  Like, what if I get a wild hair and decide to have my 15 drinks every day and don't buy the drink package?? 

[3Sisters]

@Night Owl Drink packages don't always save guests money! They can end up costing guests more, although guests feel like it's the better choice. It's quite impossible to drink 15 alcoholic beverages in one day. You have to enjoy specialty coffees and other beverages like soda quite often to get your money's worth. It's really hard for me to get my money's worth honestly. 

I do enjoy a morning cappuccino and say three bottles of water a day. On a wild night, I will drink about 3 glasses of wine throughout the afternoon and evening. That's only seven drinks! 

Unless you are a heavy drinker, the drink packages don't usually add up. 

[Tootie]

We typically do buy the package but the new increase won't be an issue for us at this time as we're always on longer cruises. Having said that, these increases likely presage that happening fleet-wide in the not too distant future.

We've never approached the 15 drink limit - I've done, perhaps as many as 8. But one of my favorite pours is the Cadillac Margarita - simply a pour of Grand Marnier over a spoon into an otherwise normal margarita. It counts as 2 drinks, something I'm not too crazy about as I have to wait 15 minutes to get the Grand Marnier after ordering the margarita. In essence,my 8 drinks would count as 16 - not good. Still, if you have 5 or 6 drinks a day, you'll save some $$$ with the package!

BTW - coffee, sodas, and, I would guess water, do not count against the 15 drink limit. Unless something has changed, the limit only applies to alcoholic beverages.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Tootie I'm glad the new increase isn't going to make a heavy impact on your cruise experience. As someone who doesn't care for many alcoholic drinks, the price increase is going to big deterrent for me. I won't get my money's worth. I also prefer high-quality beverages. The Cadillac Margarita you described sounds lovely. I haven't ordered that before, and I don't enjoy the traditional frozen margaritas. Where do you typically order this drink that takes 15 minutes? The longest bar waits for me are always poolside. I'm assuming that's where you typically prefer to drink that delicious marg! Thanks for sharing the info on the 15-drink limit. I don't hit the limit but it's nice to read that nonalcoholic beverages aren't included.