** Official 2015 New Bar Menu thread....Prices, Drinks, and package info

Hello Everyone, this is sort of an experiment. To help reduce confusion and to help create a place where experienced and new cruisers alike can ask questions about the 2015 drink menus, prices, drink packages and talk about the drinks you like or you'd like to see!

I've noticed this is a pretty regularly posted topic, so lets all put it into one thread and get a lot of information in one easy to find place!

I'll start with Minn0315's post from another thread (hope you don't mind- If so PM me or post and I'll remove the links) Another user asked about the 2015 new bar menus and prices

Try these from my pictures, Navigator 1/25-2/1-2015.

 

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdoms/media/767a5f0b-fde3-48b2-90db-94ee62823362_zpsyv7a4igh.jpg.html?o=0

 

 

 

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdoms/media/ab6a9db2-e4d8-44f2-b386-3d5490d6895f_zpsdwiictut.jpg.html?o=1

 

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll12/sdoms/d91211cd-e989-433c-82b8-a0cfc8e2c3b4_zpszhwxu9sc.jpg?1425857506971&1425857507637

So if anyone else has any questions, ideas, etc or are looking for anything other info, ask away and perhaps you more experienced cruisers and those-in-the-know may be able to post and help out!

p.s. This whole idea may crash and burn, but hey, you have to try once in awhile :D Happy Cruising!

Also, I'm thinking perhaps I'll scan through the next few pages of threads for any relevant posts or links and copy them over, and quote to give the posters credit for their info. Many of these threads provide great information but are often short lived, it may be nice to keep that info alive.

Royal Caribbean Drink package flyer:

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage_packages.pdf

looks like Dpostman already beat me to it!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2176366

This is sort of the idea I was thinking...This thread was already on page 6....things die too easy around here :(

looks like Dpostman already beat me to it!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2176366

 

This is sort of the idea I was thinking...This thread was already on page 6....things die too easy around here :(

Great minds think alike ;)

dp

Are soft drinks provided in the MDR? Or are the only "free" options water, iced tea, and lemonade? I like to have a Diet Coke with my meals, so if it's not an option at dinner, can I bring in my refillable mug from the soda package? Or is that considered beyond tacky?

I'm a big diet coke drinker as well, and if you have the soda package you can request a diet coke at dinner as part of that package. I'm sure you could pay for it as a per drink option as well, but I always have at least the soda package since drink so much of it.

I stopped bringing the big refillable cup after my first dinner, they'll just bring you a glass to your table when your order your drink. After the first night or two the staff usually know to just bring it and keep the refills coming for me :p

In other words, soda isn't a "free" option - which are water, iced tea, hot tea, coffee, and at breakfast juice and milk. I'm honestly not sure about lemonade - it is probably available but I don't recall anyone ordering it at my tables.

Hope this helps!

Ethelfleda

Are soft drinks provided in the MDR? Or are the only "free" options water, iced tea, and lemonade? I like to have a Diet Coke with my meals, so if it's not an option at dinner, can I bring in my refillable mug from the soda package? Or is that considered beyond tacky?

Those Boleros menus may be out of date?

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdo...h.jpg.html?o=0

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdo...t.jpg.html?o=1

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...&1425857507637

Just off Explorer, only one menu across entire ship.

ALL cocktail's are now priced at $10 or more +18% gratuity

For instance:

B52, was $6.50, now $10

Black Russian, was $6.50, now $10

Ultimate cosmo, was $7, now $10

Beer prices also increased:

American premium, was $5.25, now $6.50

Other beers, were $4.75, now $5.50

Menu pushes the beer packages.

I've cruised Royal for the past several years and have seen minimal increases in drink prices over that time. I find it hard to believe they would escalate 30-35% in one clip. I do always get the drink package so I guess it doesn't effect me but it hits the casual drinkers pretty hard.

Anyone have a copy of that bar menu...all drinks are now $10 plus??

Thats a huge jump, and the packages only cover up to $10, so now many drinks not covered by the drink packages?!

The Premium & Ultimate pkgs now cover Cocktails up to $12. But that still doesn't mean it makes sense

I suppose, as a business model, it works. It will make many casual drinkers (3 or 4 drinks per day) to now consider purchasing a package. Thus subsidizing the heavier drinkers, yet keeping the price of the packages lower in order to attract more cruisers. Does that make any sense ?

dp

Those Boleros menus may be out of date?

 

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdo...h.jpg.html?o=0

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/sdo...t.jpg.html?o=1

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...&1425857507637

 

Just off Explorer, only one menu across entire ship.

ALL cocktail's are now priced at $10 or more +18% gratuity

 

For instance:

B52, was $6.50, now $10

Black Russian, was $6.50, now $10

Ultimate cosmo, was $7, now $10

 

Beer prices also increased:

American premium, was $5.25, now $6.50

Other beers, were $4.75, now $5.50

 

Menu pushes the beer packages.

Same here. We are also just off the EX and there was only 1 bar menu and it is NOT any of the ones posted above. The same menu was in all the bars. One side listed all the drink packages. Beers started at $5.50, I believe the 16 oz cans are now $6.00

The menu was pretty limited in the drink choices. I don't recall seeing any pina coladas or other frozen drinks

The Premium & Ultimate pkgs now cover Cocktails up to $12. But that still doesn't mean it makes sense

 

I suppose, as a business model, it works. It will make many casual drinkers (3 or 4 drinks per day) to now consider purchasing a package. Thus subsidizing the heavier drinkers, yet keeping the price of the packages lower in order to attract more cruisers. Does that make any sense ?

 

dp

I agree with your logic and I think it does make sense. Remember, the costs to RCL haven't necessarily gone up by the same amount. The goal is to increase the per-customer spend. This approach handles it either way, with a package or not, and makes the casual drinker more likely to opt for the package "just in case".

Think back to the old days of Disney and "E" tickets. While the comparison isn't 100% accurate (cost of running a ride are relatively fixed regardless of use, costs of drinks would be variable). More people on a one-fee basis might even be easier to manage (though with a cashless system, maybe not). The real "tell" would be if people start drink less due to pricing increases. I suspect that's not the case.. or at least not yet.

The Premium & Ultimate pkgs now cover Cocktails up to $12. But that still doesn't mean it makes sense

 

I suppose, as a business model, it works. It will make many casual drinkers (3 or 4 drinks per day) to now consider purchasing a package. Thus subsidizing the heavier drinkers, yet keeping the price of the packages lower in order to attract more cruisers. Does that make any sense ?

 

dp

As far as we are concerned, we would never consider a drink package. This will actually make our bar bill go down.

The cost savings to RCI will also be for other factors. If drink menus are really limited or non-existent, the drink selection will surely go down. That means less cost for stocking the huge amount of variety of different Alcohols and liqueurs and other ingredients required for making all those different cocktails. There still will be some, but just much less, since the passengers will most likely stick with the old classics they know. The Bar staff skill level will go down and probably cheaper, since anyone can make a Rye & Ginger, or a Rum & coke. On top of that, The bar staff will be happy cause every $10 drink is almost $2 in tips + whatever people decide to leave extra. So at just 30 drinks an hour, that is almost $60 in tips alone.

dp

As far as we are concerned, we would never consider a drink package. This will actually make our bar bill go down.

I understand completely, but I'm sure RCI are betting that for every one of you there are 3 others that will now go for a package.

dp

Hard to get on the web site right now. Got on for my July cruise though. Looks like package prices didn't change. They now also include gratuity. What is going on? Am I missing something?

Hard to get on the web site right now. Got on for my July cruise though. Looks like package prices didn't change. They now also include gratuity. What is going on? Am I missing something?

Have you actually selected a package and got to the part where they want your credit card, in order to see the final price? They have been adding 18% gratuity for a while now.

Oh packages defn went up and so did the grat to 18%.

There have to be menus at the different bars and specialty drinks. I mean really?

I just got off Brilliance and the menus were pages and pages big. I didnt notice an increase then, but that was a month ago.

Have you actually selected a package and got to the part where they want your credit card, in order to see the final price? They have been adding 18% gratuity for a while now.

The quoted price now includes gratuity. I double checked. When you go to check out it goes to the lower price and adds the graatuity to bring it up to the quoted price.

Anyone have a copy of that bar menu...all drinks are now $10 plus??

 

Thats a huge jump, and the packages only cover up to $10, so now many drinks not covered by the drink packages?!

Here you go..... one menu for entire ship (with exception of Pub which has own A3 size sheet)

[ATTACH]342719[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]342720[/ATTACH]

The Premium and Ultimate packages now cover cocktails up to $12.

Does this mean no more pina coladas. I see only one frozen drink on this menu

What the heck are they doing

I have never looked at a drink menu. I just order what I want, never had a problem. We are just off Freedom, we had premium pkg for two was like $808 or $809 with the gratuity for 7 days. We had drink of the day every day (without the glass), several different blender drinks, coronas, and soda at dinner.

I have to agree what are they doing?

I am a fan of the frozen drinks (strawberry and lava flow) so it looks like now I may go with the royal replenishment package as I can do without a shot of rum for the difference in price.

They would've got far more money out of me keeping the drink prices the way they were. Any reason why you couldn't do non-alcoholic frozen drinks package for 20usd a day based on these crazy new prices? Any idea what the cost on their own now I think they were around 5 bucks before but who knows now.

Do we think this will stick or will there be an out lash over this?

I think it's actually pretty smart on their behalf (although very annoying for customers). Now I'm looking at prices differently and I am rethinking my ideas:

For a 7 day port intensive cruise, I had planned on royal replenish.

For an 8 day stay on the ship mostly cruise (anthem), I booked chefs table for night 1 and planning on getting premium on day 2.

But now I'm looking at the price difference between royal replenish and think "for $250 more, maybe I upgrade" Especially with the new higher per-drink prices. That's not a lot of drinks with the new prices. Arrgghh!