drink packages rip off?

We are planning our cruise on oasis of the sea this coming October. Has anyone heard that if you buy the premium or ultimate package , that we will be still limited on the price? Anything over $12.00 dollars the packages will not cover the drinks.:(:confused:

I don't know of a single cruise line that does not have a cap on the value of included drinks, even with "upgraded" packages.

The best advice is to buy the package only if you want the convenience of pre-paying for all your beverages whether or not you see any savings. Constantly checking your calculations to see if you are ahead of the house is no way to spend a vacation. But it appears you have already decided that the package is a "rip off" so best to beware the self-fulfilling prophecy and just skip it.

The way this works is you just pay the difference. So if the limit is $10 and you order a $12 cocktail, then $10 is included and you just pay $2 more.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=5810

You also have to decide how much you will be drinking each day.

For us, HAL's drink package is not worth as we are not big drinkers. HAL would make out on jus if we bought the package.

I agree with the working out before hand advise. We bought a soda package and on days we were in port we really didn't drink enough to make it worth while.

Wouldn't bother again. We just buy them as we go now.

I agree with the working out before hand advise. We bought a soda package and on days we were in port we really didn't drink enough to make it worth while.

 

Wouldn't bother again. We just buy them as we go now.

I couldn't agree more. Someone on the Carnival board made a chart a while back ago for the carnival drink package. It maps out exactly how many beers/frozen drinks/glasses of whine you must drink to break even each day. There's no way we could do it every single day. One port day? Sure we could! But not every day! There's no way we would buy the package. I feel like I would be forcing myself to drink just to get my money worth out of it.

That's not the way to spend your vacation either to buy a drink package, get your money's worth, and then not remember any of it. :)

We feel that drink packages are a rip off. But, some people do tend to drink a lot and for them it may be a great benefit.

We don't cruise to drink and we don't cruise to eat either. We are still working and our cruise time is very valuable to us so we are cautious not to do anything that would make us sick. We don't want to spend a cruise day nursing a hangover and we certainly don't want to spend a day on the porcelain throne. So far, watching what we eat and drink has worked well for us. Let's hope that it continues. :)

Some cruisers like the drink packages as it helps bring the cruise more toward being all-inclusive. I will always remember the gentleman who joined us in an elevator with his end of cruise account print-out. It was pages and pages long. After turning page after page, he let out a huge sigh and exclaimed, "looks like someone had a great cruise." We all laughed.

We are planning our cruise on oasis of the sea this coming October. Has anyone heard that if you buy the premium or ultimate package , that we will be still limited on the price? Anything over $12.00 dollars the packages will not cover the drinks.:(:confused:

You should be able to find something under 12.00

RCL cruise lines drinks prices per glass

“TROPICAL SUNSET” (Myers’s dark rum, Chambord, orange-pineapple-guava juices in a fresh pineapple) $12,50

“ULTIMATE COSMOLOLITAN” (Zodiac vodka, Countreau, cranberry juice, lime juice) $10,50

“SPARKLING PEACH MARTINI” (Ultimat vodka, sparkling wine, simple syrup, peach puree)

$10,50

“WILD BLOSSOM” (Hendrick’s gin, St Germain Elderflower, DISARONNO amaretto, Patron Citronge orange, sweet & sour)

“PASSION MANGO RITA” (Patron Silver tequila, Island Oasis mango, passion fruit, triple sec

“WILDBERRY MARGARITA” (Patron Silver, Island Oasis wildberry, margarita)

“THE GRAND MARGARITA” (Patron Reposado, Grand Marnier, Island Oasis margarita)

“ULTIMAT MARTINI” (Ultimat vodka, your choice of lemon twist or cocktail olives)

$10,25

“PATRON PERFECT MARGARITA” (Patron Reposado tequila, Patron Citronge liqueur, Island Oasis margarita, orange juice)

“STRAWBERRY MARGARITA” (Patron Resposado, Patron Citronage, Island Oasis strawberry, lime juice)

“Red Bull & Vodka” (your choice Absolut vodka + Red Bull)

$10,00

“COCONUT BLAST” (Malibu Coconut rum, DeKuyper Pucker Sour Apple, pineapple juice, Red Bull)

$9,75

“FROZEN RUM RUNNER” (Pyrat XO Reserve rum, Island Oasis Rum Runner)

“FROZEN MAI TAI” (Pirat XO Rsrv, Island Oasis passion fruit, tropical juices)

“PASSION GUAVA LAVA” (10 Cane rum, Island Oasis passion fruit guava, pina colada)

“PYRAT’S HURRICANE” (Pyrat XO Rsrv rum, Island Oasis hurricane)

“BLUE HAWAIIAN” (10 Cane rum, blue curaqao, Island Oasis pina colada, pineapple juice)

“ULTIMATE STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI” (10 Cane rum, Island Oasis strawberry)

“PASSION COLADA” (10 Cane, Island Oasis passion fruit, pina colada)

“PAPAYA LAVA FLOW” (10 Cane, Island Oasis papaya, pina colada)

“WILDBERRY LAVA FLOW” (10 Cane, Island Oasis wildberry, pina colada)

“FROZEN BAHAMA MAMA” (Pyrat XO Rsrv, Island Oasis Bahama Mama)

“APPLETINI” (Grey Goose vodka, DeKuyper Sour Apple)

“LUXURY MARTINI” (martini, your choice of Hendrick’s gin or Grey Goose vodka, your choice of lemon twist or coctail olives)

$9,50

“KNOB CREEK MANHATTAN” (Knob Creek bourbon, sweet vermout, billets)

“HENDRICK’S GIBSON” (Hendrick’s gin, dry vermouth, pearl cocktail onions)

“CARIBBEAN SIDECAR” (Pyrat XO Rsrv, Cointreau, sweet & sour)

“LUXURY MARTINI” (martini, your choice of Hendrick’s gin or Zodiac vodka, your choice of lemon twist or coctail olives)

“COCO BULL” (Cruzan Coconut, DeKuyper Pucker SourApple, pineapple juice, Red Bull)

“PINEAPPLE ORANGE MARGARITA” (Patron Reposado, Island Oasis margarita, pineapple & orange juices)

“GUAVA ‘RITA” (Patron Silver tequilla, Island Oasis guava & margarita)

$9,25

“OCEAN ‘RITA” ((Patron Silver, Blue Caracao, Island Oasis margarita)

“POMEGRANATE MARGARITA” (Patron Silver tequila, PAMA Pomegranate, Monin Pomegranate, Triple sec, Island Oasis margarita)

“MIDORI LEMONADE” (Absolut vodka, Midori melon, Island Oasis lemonade)

“APPLETINI” (Absolut vodka, DeKuyper Pucket Sour Apple)

“LEMON DROP” (Absolut citron vodka, sweet & sour, club soda, served w/ sugar & lemon)

“POMEGRANATE COSMO” (Absolut citron vodka, PAMA Pomegranate, Cranberry Juice)

“LUXURY MARTINI” (martini, Bombay Sapphire gin or Absolut vodka, with lemon twist or coctail olives)

“BELLINI” (Peach puree, sparkling wine)

“BLUE LAGOON” (vodka, blue curacao, coconut syrup, pineapple juice)

$9,00

“LONG BEACH ICED TEA” (Cruzan Estate Light rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, cranberry juice, Sprite)

“ITALIAN TEA” (Cruzan Estate Light rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, DISARONNO amaretto)

$8,75

“PEACH MARGARITA” (Patron Reposado, DeKuyper Peachtree, Island Oasis margarita)

“ULTIMATE BLOODY MARY” (Zodiac vodka, Bloody Mary mix)

“PYRAT RUM RUNNER” (Pyrat XO, blackberry brandy, DeKuyper creme de banana, orange & pineapple juices, grenadine)

$8,50

“ULTIMATE MAI TAI” (Pirat XO Reserve rum, Disaronno amareto, orange & pineapple juices, grenadine)

“BAHAMA PAPA” (Pyrat XO rum, DeKuyper creme de banana, pineapple & orange juices)

“JAMAICAN BREEZE” (10 Cane rum, Myers’s Original Dark rum, cranberry & orange juices)

“TRINIDAD PUNCH” (10 Cane, lime & pinapple jouces, grenadine)

“GOOMBAY SMASH” (Pyrat XO, Malibu Coconut, lime & pineapple juices)

“LEVEL BLOODY MARY” (Absolut Level vodka, bloody mary mix)

“DOMINIS” MOJITO (10 Cane, lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves, club soda)

“PEAR MELON MARTINI” (Absolut pears vodka, Midori melon liqueur, sweet & sour, Sprite)

“POMEGRANATE COSMO” (Stolichnaya, PAMA & Monin Pomegranate, Cranberry Juice)

“MANGO MARTINI” (Absolut mango vodka, orange juice, simple syrup)

$8,25

“DESSERT PEAR MARTINI (Absolut citron, Monin Desert Pear, cranberry and pineapple juices)

“WASHINGTON APPLE” (Crown Royal Whisky, DeKuyper Pucket Sour Apple, Cranberry Juice)

“ITALIAN TEA” (Mount Gay Eclipse rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, DISARONNO amaretto)

“CHAMPAGNE MARGARITA” (sugar-rimmed champagne glass, Patron Silver tequila, Cointreau, orange juice, topped w/ champagne)

“RUBY RED MARTINI” (Absolut Ruby Red vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice)

“KEY LIME PIE MARTINI” (Absolut vanilia vodka, Monin Key Lime Pie, pineapple juice)

“TROPICAL MARTINI” (Absolut, Malibu Coconut rum, pineapple juice)

“CHOCOLATE MARTINI” (Absolut vanilia vodka, white Creme de Cacao)

GODIVA CHOCOLATE MARTINI (Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, White Creme de Cocoa, chocolate sprinkles)

“BAILEYS SHIVER” (Baileys liqueur & ice)

“COCO-NUTS” (Malibu Coconut rum, DISARONNO amaretto, pineapple juice, orange juice)

“CHIVAS SIDECAR” (Chivas Regal 12 yo, Crand Mariner, sweet & sour)

“FROZEN MUDSLIDE” (Absolut, Baileys, Kahlua, Island Oasis ice cream)

“PAPAYA LAVA FLOW” (Mount Gay Eclipse rum, Island Oasis papaya, pina colada)

“WILDBERRY LAVA FLOW” (Mounth Gay Eclipse rum, Island Oasis wildberry, pina colada)

“FROZEN MOJITO” (Mounth Gay Eclipse rum, fresh mint, lime, sweet sugarcane)

“RUSTY NAIL” (DRAMBUIE, Johnnie Walker Red)

“AMERICAN DREAM” (Kahlua, Disaronno, Frangelico)

“CHOCOLATE MINT” (Absolut vanilla vodka, white Creme de Menthe & Creme de Cacao)

“KEY LIME PIE” (Absolut citron, Monin Key Lime Pie, Island Oasis icecream)

“ULTIMATE STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI” (Bacardi Gold rum, Island Oasis strawberry)

“MAI TIKI” (Pyrat XO rum, DISARONNO amaretto, orange & pineapple juices, grenadine)

“FROZEN LEMONADE” (Absolut vodka, Island Oasis lemonade)

“THE TEN GRAND” (Tanqueray TEN, Grand Mariner, pineapple & lime juices, orange)

“MANGO SUNRISE” (Captain Morgan mango rum, Smirnoff Raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, lemon)

“COCO CABANA” (Captain Morgan coconut rum, pineapple juice, Midori Melon, cream & pineapple)

“CHILL OUT” (Absolut Mandarin, Captain Morgan, coconut, pineapple juice, Baileys, orange juice, pineapple)

“FRENCH VANILLA MARTINI” (Navan, Ciroc vodka, DeKuyper Razzamatazz, pineapple juice)

“THE METROPOLITAN” (Smirnoff Raspberry, cranberry juice, triple sec, fresh lime, orange)

“ROYAL RED APPLETINI” (Crown Royal, DeKuyper Sour Apple Schnapps, cranberry juice, Midori Melon)

$8,00

“BELLINI SUNSET” (Domaine Chandon, DeKuyper Peachtree schnapps, orange juice, grenadine)

“CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL” (champagne, pure cane sugar, Angostura bitters, lemon twist)

“FLIRTINI” (cranberry & pineapple juice, DeKuyper Peachtree schnapps, topped w/ Domaine Chandon, garnished w/ maraschino cherry)

“KIR ROYALE” (Domaine Chandon, Chambord Black Raspberry liqueur, lemon twist)

“ROYAL FIZZ” (Cointreau, Domaine Chandon, sugar, fresh lemon juice)

“SPARKLING MOJITO” (chanpagne, Monin Mojito mix, mint sprig, orange)

“LONG ISLAND ICED TEA” (Mount Gay Eclipse rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, Coke)

“LONG BEACH ICED TEA” (Mount Gay Eclipse,vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, cranberry juice, Sprite)

“RAZZLE DAZZLE” (Cruzan Raspberry rum, DeKuyper Peachtree, pineapple juice, topped w/ Domaine Chardon)

“ULTIMATE PINA COLADA” (Malibu Coconut, Crusan Pineapple, Island Oasis pina colada)

“LAVA FLOW” (Bacardi Gold or Cruzan Estate Light rum, Island Oasts strawberry, pna colada)

“MANGO LAVA FLOW” (Cruzan Mango rum, Island Oasis mango, pina colada)

$7,75

“RHAPSODY RHUM SWIZZLE” (10 Cane rum, pink grapefruit juice, simple syrup, grenadine, mint)

“AROMATIC SANGRIA” (St Germain Elderflower liqueur, Cointreau, Fresh Fruit, Sauvignon Blanc)

“ELDERFLOWER LEMONADE” (St Germain Elderflower, Zodiac vodka, Island Oasis lemonade)

“LOUIS XII de Remy Martin” (cognac)

“CHIVAS REGAL 18″ (whisky)

“LIBERTY THYME” (Hendrick’s gin, fresh lime juice & raspberries, topped w/ soda, garnished w/ thyme)

“JIM BEAM MANHATTAN” (Jim Beam bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters)

“SUNBURST SPLASH” (Zodiac vodka, DeKuyper Peachtree, Island Oasis strawberry, sweet & sour, soda)

“KETEL ONE COOLER” (Ketel One vodka, Disaronno, orange juice, sweet & sour, grenadine)

“PLANTERS PUNCH” (rum with fruit juices)

“MAI TAI” (dark rum, juices, orgeat, sweet & sour)

“STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI” (rume, strawberry puree, sweet & sour)

“BLUE HAWAII” (vodka, pineapple)

“LAVA FLOW” (rum, coconut syrup, pineapple juice)

$7,50

“SEVENTH AVENUE” (DISARONNO amaretto, DRAMBUIE liqueur, half & half)

“ALMOND JOY” (DISARONNO, dark Creme de Cacao, half & half)

“BAILEYS BUTTERBALL” (BAILEYS, DeKuyper Butterabots schnapps, Kahlua)

“TOASTED ALMOND” (Kahlua, DISARONNO, half & half)

“VANILLA WHITE RUSSIAN” (Absolut vanilia vodka, Kahlua)

“B-52″ (Kahlua, BAILEYS, Grand Marnier)

“BAILEYS CHOCOLATE CAFE” (BAILEYS, Coffee, vodka, white Creme de Cacao, Frangelico, half & half)

$7,00 “SUMMER BREEZE” (Cruzan Citrus, DeKuyper Peachtree, blue curaco, pineapple) $6,75 “MANGO MAI TAI” (Cruzan Mango, DISARONNO, pineapple juice, lime, grenadine) $6,50 “CARIBBEAN COOLER” (Cruzan Cocnut, pineapple & cranberry juice) $6,00

“BERRY BANANA COLADA” (Island Oasis banana & pina colada, strawberry, Grenadine)

“OREO COOKIE” (Island Oasis icecream crushed with cookies & chocolate

$4,50 “PINEAPPLE BLAST” (Red Bull + pineapple juice) $4,00

“PASSION PAPAYA CRUSH” (Island Oasis papaya, soda)

“BORA BORA BREW” (Pineapple juice, Grenadine, ginger ale)

$3,50 Royal Caribbean Mini Bar prices

Soda ($2,25)

Sparkling Water ($3,25)

Water 1.5L ($4,55) -

Red Bull ($4,55)

Snacks ($5,70 each)

Notes:

mini bar items are charged to the SeaPass card of the 1st person registered in the cabin.

room-service is free, but there’s a $3,95 charge for light snack orders between 12PM and 5AM.

Royal Caribbean alcohol prices of scotch, whisky, bourbon, vodka, cognac, gin, cordials, ports

SCOTCH & WHISKIES (price per glass)

Chivas Regal 12 year $5,75 Johnnie Walker Black $5,75 The Macallian Select Oak $7,00 Glenfiddich 12 year $7,00 The Glenlivet 12 year $7,00 Crown Royal Reserve $7,75 Johnnie Walker Gold $8,95 Royal Salute 21 Year $16,50 Crown Royal Extra Rare $16,50 Johnnie Walker Blue $21,75 Johnnie Walker Blue (King George Edition) $35,00

COGNACS (price per glass)

Armagnac VSOP Cles Des Ducs $8,00 Remy Martin VSOP $8,00 Courvoisier VSOP $8,50 Courvoisier XO $13,00 Remy Martin XO Excellence $13,00 “Louis XIII De Remy Martin”

(aged up to 100 years in barrels) $77,50

BOURBON prices

Blanton’s Single Barrel $5,75 Maker’s Mark $5,75 Knob Creek $7,00 Baker’s $7,00 Basil Hayden’s $7,75 Booker’s $8,75

VODKAS

Absolut, Absolut Citron, Absolut Mandrin, Absolut Pears, Absolut Vanilia $ Chopin $ Ketel One $ Belvedere $ Finlandia $ Smirnoff $ Ultimat $ Zodiac $

GINS 10.25

Hendrick’s, Beefeater, Tanqueray, Tanqueray 10.75

There are at least two issues

1 Dollar value, you have to work out if you will drink enough to make it work

2 Convenience, is it worth anything to you not to have to worry, but just grab a drink whenever you want.

I don't know that I would classify them as a "rip off". They are an option that you can either decide to choose, or not to choose. It is a personal preference.

That being said, to determine a value to you, a good rule of thumb is that you will need to consume about 6 - 7 drinks every day on average to break even. And as pointed out by another poster, the vast majority of the drinks would fall under the "cap". If you are looking for the "drink of the day", just ask for it without the souvenir glass and it will be less costly.

And if you are undecided, with RCI you can purchase them on board any day of the cruise as long as there are at least four days remaining including the last day. Also, just to be sure, they are sold individually with no requirement to have all over 21 in the stateroom purchase one.

Have they started forcing people to take drink packages now?

I must have missed that.

If not how is it a rip-off?

It is your decision.

I don't know that I would classify them as a "rip off". They are an option that you can either decide to choose, or not to choose. It is a personal preference.

Agree. How can something be a "rip off" if it's optional? If you don't like the cost, don't purchase it. No one is forcing the OP to purchase the package. Some people find value in it, some people don't. Just like everything else in life.

If paying more than you would prefer is considered a "rip off", then to some people the cruise itself would be considered a "rip off" because they would prefer to pay less for it. It is no different than only being willing to pay for a ocean view stateroom, and not getting to use a suite stateroom. ;)

We purchased the drink packages on RCL last September. I would do it on RCL again in a heartbeat (as long as no rules changed) My husband got the package that had beer, sodas & wine. And I got the Ultimate. With the Ultimate, I drank cocktails, mixed drinks, wine, the cheaper bottled water, fountain sodas, & foo foo coffee drinks. The only time I ever had to pay the difference on any drink, was at the Mexican restaurant where I had the expensive Margarita. It was soooo good, and well worth the extra $2 I had to pay.

I too went with the RCL drink package very apprehensive. I didn't want to get "extras" charged to my room, because I went over or picked something that wasn't allowed. But I never felt restricted in what I was able to pick. So in the end, I came out very happy! I didn't have to watch my budget, and I was able to get just about any drink I wanted. Maybe if you drink cognac or high dollar scotch, then you might have to pay closer attention.

I am not a big drinker, but I did have the "I'm on vacation" mentality :) But the 5-6 adult beverages I had over a 10 hr period each day, did not cause me to not remember my vacation.

On the other hand, we are going on CCL in April. I am having a harder time justifying getting theirs. They have a lot more restrictions than RCL.

Regardless of the package, if you appear drunk, they will cut you off.

Regardless of the package, if you appear drunk, they will cut you off.

I meant restrictions on choices, not quantity of drinks. I should of said, they have more exclusions on their package than RCL did. With CCL, they only offer the one alcohol package. My husband doesn't drink anything but beer. So for us CCL doesn't have the same value that RCL did. And for me the foo foo coffees aren't included, and waters are only at a discount off menu prices. So we will just have to weigh whether it will be as good for us on CCL as it was on RCL.

If i gonna pay $400.00 to drink. then i should be able to drink the good stuff for that amount of money,and not the cheap stuff.I feel like that kind of money should cover all the drinks. not just $12.00 and under.

$400 for how long of a cruise?

No drink package I have ever heard of, for any price, will allow you to drink unlimited Dom Perignon or Crystal. It just ain't going to happen.

If i gonna pay $400.00 to drink. then i should be able to drink the good stuff for that amount of money,and not the cheap stuff.I feel like that kind of money should cover all the drinks. not just $12.00 and under.

Sure and we'll all drink Moët & Chandon Bi Centenary Cuvée Dry Imperial 1943at $1,392 a bottle.

If i gonna pay $400.00 to drink. then i should be able to drink the good stuff for that amount of money,and not the cheap stuff.I feel like that kind of money should cover all the drinks. not just $12.00 and under.

Well don't buy it then

I agree with the working out before hand advise. We bought a soda package and on days we were in port we really didn't drink enough to make it worth while.

 

Wouldn't bother again. We just buy them as we go now.

Always do you sums. I break even on a soda package by 1/3 of the way into the cruise, regardless of number of port days. But then I don't drink alcohol, tea or coffee.

I got a premium drinks package on my last cruise and was drinking Johnie Walker black label, Grey goose vodka. it was up to $14 on the royal carabbean. i found iff you have a couple of wines with lunch and dinner then maybe a couple of spirits or cocktails later in the night its worth it. But hey i love drinking and relaxing.

are spirits included in the packages? for example bourbon and cola or scotch on the rocks.

I refer to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Of course you need to do a couple of things: the basic arithmetic to compare what you would pay for the number of individual drinks you would buy against the cost of the package. Then you need to understand your own capacity - if you have a great capacity, you might run into the daily limit on a sea day,meh ile not being able to come near it on a port day when you are ashore. Then, of course you will risk the possibility of being cut off before hitting the daily limit if you appear inebriated.

Of course it is not a rip-off - it is an offer you can take or ignore; but it strikes me as requiring too much effort on figuring your economics and drinking capacity to be worth while.