Free Drinks Anyone???…..

Cruise lines are always very clever when it comes to “Free Drinks”. You will have seen lots of adverts and promotions where you will read about All Inclusive Drinks packages being included and as you can imagine they are always very popular promotions where the bookings come flying in. The question is are these packages “free” or are they built into the cost.

I recently received an email from one of my customers who was upset to say the least that he had booked his cruise the week before the cruise line had included “All Inclusive Drinks” and felt very disappointed that he had missed out on the best offer and booked at the wrong time. Of course, when you see an email advertising the cruise you have booked with free drinks included it does lead you to believe you have in fact missed out. When we looked more closely at the cost he had paid for his cruise and the cost that the cruise was now being sold at with the “Free Drinks” he was surprised to see a huge difference in the price. The cruise in question is now £1250 higher than it was when he booked his cruise and with a quick calculation, the cost difference is really what the drinks package would cost to add on!

So the point is usually when these offers are put out the cruise lines rather than give the packages for Free actually build them into the cost of your cruise. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying this is a bad thing in fact personally I prefer to have our drinks package included in our cruise cost and then I know it’s paid for and I don’t have to think of this on board our cruise. I just think it’s important to realise how these promotions work and you can then make your choice. Usually, alongside these offers there will be an alternative where you can book your cruise for less and exclude the drinks package offer. It’s down to personal preference and I think it’s important to have the choice.

Sometimes you are actually getting the drinks packages included for less than you would pay if adding them on yourself so do watch out for these deals as they can save you money. It’s about understanding what the options are for you, and remember everyone is different. I would also say speak to your cruise specialist, this is what we are here for and I promise we will get you the best deal to suit you and your cruise needs.

I would love to hear your thoughts, do you like to book your cruise with a drinks package included? Or do you prefer to pay for your drinks on the ship and settle at the end of your cruise?

As always thanks for reading until next time Abbi x