Recent Experience with Select Drinks Package?

We booked our upcoming cruise last May and got the Select Drinks Package included. I know that this is no longer available and I assume as such the limits per drink were never changed. When we booked this, we were advised that wines up to $8 per glass were included. I have just seen a recent drinks menu and the cheapest glasses of wine are now $9. Does this mean that I am limited to beer (which I don't drink) and soda? I know that I can upgrade the package to the deluxe package for $10 + gratuities per day on board, but I am hoping to avoid this. Our cruise is 24 nights and I am not a big drinker, but I do like a glass of wine with dinner.

Corinna

We booked our upcoming cruise last May and got the Select Drinks Package included. I know that this is no longer available and I assume as such the limits per drink were never changed. When we booked this, we were advised that wines up to $8 per glass were included. I have just seen a recent drinks menu and the cheapest glasses of wine are now $9. Does this mean that I am limited to beer (which I don't drink) and soda? I know that I can upgrade the package to the deluxe package for $10 + gratuities per day on board, but I am hoping to avoid this. Our cruise is 24 nights and I am not a big drinker, but I do like a glass of wine with dinner.

 

Corinna

In your shoes, I would cancel the package, get my money back, take my two bottles of wine per stateroom on board with me, and buy a glass or bottle of wine on board when I felt like it.

ETA: and it is spectacularly easy for the two of you to EACH carry on two bottles. Just get in separate security lines.

In your shoes, I would cancel the package, get my money back, take my two bottles of wine per stateroom on board with me, and buy a glass or bottle of wine on board when I felt like it.

 

ETA: and it is spectacularly easy for the two of you to EACH carry on two bottles. Just get in separate security lines.

I know, we ended up doing this last May. However, in this case cancelling won't do any good as we booked this under UK rules and a "free" select package was included. So we would not get anything back.

Corinna

If the bartender doesn't give it you free, that $9 glass of wine will cost you $1.18.

24 nights :O

Can I fit in the suitcase ?

If the bartender doesn't give it you free, that $9 glass of wine will cost you $1.18.

That is not too bad then. I was kind of under the assumption that if it goes over, then you have to pay the full amount. I can stretch to a Dollar or two and change a day. Thank you.

24 nights :O

 

Can I fit in the suitcase ?

I think I need a really big suitcase. I am getting this request quite a lot recently. ;)

Corinna

Are we sure that they don't honor the Select Package with the new limit on the price for a glass of wine?

My husband has the Select Package, too. We sail in 7 days, so we will find out what happens. :confused:

Are we sure that they don't honor the Select Package with the new limit on the price for a glass of wine?

 

My husband has the Select Package, too. We sail in 7 days, so we will find out what happens. :confused:

I fired off an email to them to find out what is what for sure. I will update here when I got the answer. I would be grateful if you could share your experience on your return. I still have 8 weeks to go.

Corinna

You only pay the difference between what your package allows and the actual cost of the drink you have. As someone said earlier a $9 glass of wine will cost you $1.18 including the tip.

I always buy the delux package and use it to try some higher end wines, for me getting $13 a glass off the normal price makes a huge difference :-)

You only pay the difference between what your package allows and the actual cost of the drink you have. As someone said earlier a $9 glass of wine will cost you $1.18 including the tip.

 

I always buy the delux package and use it to try some higher end wines, for me getting $13 a glass off the normal price makes a huge difference :-)

Thanks.

Corinna

That is not too bad then. I was kind of under the assumption that if it goes over, then you have to pay the full amount. I can stretch to a Dollar or two and change a day.

Don't be surprised if this (being charged or not) varies between bars and bartenders.Check your bill occasionally.

Don't be surprised if this (being charged or not) varies between bars and bartenders.Check your bill occasionally.

I have learned very quickly that consistency is not one of their strength. I do check the charges routinely anyway and this time any charge will be very easy to see as we have pre-paid the gratuities so there should be no regular charges.

Corinna

I emailed RCL about this just the other day, as we have the included select drinks package (sailing in April) and I had read that all glasses of wine were now over $8. I only drink wine and so I don't want to upgrade.

RCL emailed to say that RCL will honour the package and that there were glasses of wine (including white wine, which I mentioned I drink) that would be available within the limits. They sent me a drinks menu that included a sparkling wine, a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc that should be included. We will wait and see, but I will be annoyed if "glasses of wine" are not included when I get onboard (even if the additional cost is minimal) as the cruise was advertised as including beer AND wine.

I emailed RCL about this just the other day, as we have the included select drinks package (sailing in April) and I had read that all glasses of wine were now over $8. I only drink wine and so I don't want to upgrade.

RCL emailed to say that RCL will honour the package and that there were glasses of wine (including white wine, which I mentioned I drink) that would be available within the limits. They sent me a drinks menu that included a sparkling wine, a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc that should be included. We will wait and see, but I will be annoyed if "glasses of wine" are not included when I get onboard (even if the additional cost is minimal) as the cruise was advertised as including beer AND wine.

Thanks for this. This sounds good. Do you happen to remember if the White Zinfandel was on the included list? Traditionally, this was the cheapest wine.

Corinna

Thanks for this. This sounds good. Do you happen to remember if the White Zinfandel was on the included list? Traditionally, this was the cheapest wine.

 

Corinna

Yes it was quoted as $8 too - Beringer white zinfandel California.

The email said "please keep in mind this is a promotional package and we will honour what it includes". Which is encouraging. Slightly worryingly it also says the price list is a 2016 price list and is subject to change. As I said, I will wait and see and just hope there are at least a couple of wines included that I like. I am not a connoisseur so just easy drinking dryish white wine would be fine.

I have learned very quickly that consistency is not one of their strength. I do check the charges routinely anyway and this time any charge will be very easy to see as we have pre-paid the gratuities so there should be no regular charges.

 

Corinna

Pre-paid Gratuities does not cover any Drinks gratuities.

Yes it was quoted as $8 too - Beringer white zinfandel California.

The email said "please keep in mind this is a promotional package and we will honour what it includes". Which is encouraging. Slightly worryingly it also says the price list is a 2016 price list and is subject to change. As I said, I will wait and see and just hope there are at least a couple of wines included that I like. I am not a connoisseur so just easy drinking dryish white wine would be fine.

Thanks. I suppose time will tell. I am with you there. As long as there is two or three white or rose wines to choose from, I am happy.

Pre-paid Gratuities does not cover any Drinks gratuities.

I know. What I meant is that our onboard account normally consists of pages of gratuities (we like our long cruises) so other charges are sometimes hard to see. This time, as we have pre-paid our gratuities, it will be much easier to keep tap on charges.

Corinna

I did promise I would come back with an update once I had heard back from Royal Caribbean. This took a long time. Initially I submitted the contact form via the website and got no answer at all. So I then sent an email from my work email address. I work for a specialist cruise agency so I figured that may encourage an answer. I got an acknowledgement two days later and yesterday, I got a call. Initially he told me that I can upgrade for $10 per day onboard to the Deluxe package. I told him that I am aware of this, but that we are not big drinkers and that I mainly drink wine. He then reassured me that there would be a selection of included wines for me to choose from. He did not go into any more detail than that. However, this still sounds encouraging. He also confirmed that non-alcoholic cocktails are still included. I did not remember that from the original offer, but have seen some flyers from May last year that listed them. I am actually pretty happy with this. We do not have expensive tastes. So if I have a couple of white wines and maybe a rose wine to choose from, I will be happy. My husband would appreciate a couple of red wines. If there is a prosecco included, then even better. I love the idea of being able to have a glass of something sparkly before dinner. My husband likes Virgin Pina Coladas and he was delighted when I told him he can have as many of those as he wants. So this sounds promising.

Corinna

Thanks for posting. Sounds reassuring, I really don't want to upgrade as I only want to drink wine.

We are going on a cruise in Oct/Nov as well with the Select Drinks package, and so they have to honour it for quite some time yet. Goodness knows what it will include by then if they don't increase the limit.