bjt0315 Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Hi everyone! We are leaving on our first cruise on the 19th and I have no idea how the whole drink thing works if we don't purchase a drink package. Are any free beverages included at all with meals? We will be on Brilliance of the Seas. I keep seeing people mention a mini bar. Does that mean for each individual room? We have an interior stateroom. Does that make a difference? I'm so confused! I don't want to be spending a lot of money on drinks, but I don't want to just drink water the entire time either, ya know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestingBird Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 There are always a few juices, and basic coffee, in the Windjammer (buffet), and Park Café, when they're open. That's about it for free drinks as far as I know. bjt0315 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Juices are largely only available in the morning. However, you will be able to get milk, water, lemonade, iced tea, and regular coffee and hot tea at meals. At the Windjammer, you will need to request milk at any time other than breakfast. There's also some kind of flavored drink at the Windjammer (buffet) at most meals. The minibar is just like that in a hotel room. You pay if you consume anything within it at normal bar prices. Remember that you can bring on two bottles of wine without charge and even take them to the restaurants as well. Sodas will run about $2.50-$3 or so per can, or you can opt for the soda package. donolog and bjt0315 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjt0315 Posted November 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Thank you for the responses. If we do purchase drinks separately, does it get charged each time to the card we keep on file when we check in or like a lump sum once the cruise is over with? I guess it doesn't really matter much as long as we can do that, but it'll be nice to know how the charges will show up so we can track them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Each is charged individually and then you pay the sum at the end of the cruise or have it applied to the card you used at check-in. It will be a detailed folio for the account including which bar the charge was made at. The only confusion comes if you buy a drink being carried by one of the servers, as it might hit a central bar as the point of sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHStoneman Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Each is charged individually and then you pay the sum at the end of the cruise or have it applied to the card you used at check-in. It will be a detailed folio for the account including which bar the charge was made at. The only confusion comes if you buy a drink being carried by one of the servers, as it might hit a central bar as the point of sale. I was confused the first time when we ordered drinks in the MDR but were posted as the Piano Bar next door. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Vitale Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 You pay the total at the end of the trip, however each day's total is "swiped" to insure that you don't go over your credit line and then discover it at the end when it's many HUNDREDS over. You can follow along with that process on the tv in your stateroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donolog Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 While considering your cruise itinerary and how many days you'll be ashore on this cruise ask yourself, do you fee confident you'll consume five drinks per day? If your response is "hell yeah" then a drink package probably makes sense from a financial point-of-view. If your response is a definite "no" or "I'm not so sure", then I would go a la carte (which is what I personally do). There are a few other nuances that could make that "five-drink" number go up or down one, and if it does make sense, then there's a few more points to figure out which package makes sense. In addition to points made in prior posts, I would add the following about wine for dinner in the main dining room: as DocLC mentions, you can bring two (750mL) bottles of wine on the ship, and you can bring them to dinner in the main dining room where they will serve it to you free of charge (i.e. no corkage fee); if you order a bottle of wine and don't finish it, they will store it for you and serve it the next night (even if it's one of the bottles you brought on the ship); each day there is a Wine-of-the-Day that is offered at 20% off the wine list price; it's worth asking about this, there's usually a few options (although don't be surprised if the assistant waiter taking your order doesn't know the current special and has to go ask). DocLC and Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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