sweetpee_1993

If there was shade I might consider it. But, I get that they can't plop big clamshells or umbrellas in this spot because it'd block the sight lines. Just not the thing for a glowing redhead. ;)

No such luck......

Heehee. Eventually. Perhaps. Maybe. It could happen. I have a lot of cooking to do this evening sooooooo......

Great. Now you can stop tirelessly complaining. Enjoy your cruise!

:*

I *DO* still empathize with others who have existing bookings on these "test" sailings prior to the policy change implementation that are negatively impacted. I know those who had previously bought the packages were grandfathered. But what about those who hadn't? Like me. I had budgeted to buy my package next payday. Had a budget and a plan. I get that businesses can make whatever policies they wish to benefit themselves. That's business. It becomes a bit of a shady business practice when the implementation of a new policy that potentially has a direct negative impact is applied to EXISTING bookings. Changing the policy isn't the issue. Applying the policy change to existing bookings made prior to the implementation is :confused:(n). People making new bookings have the option of entering into an agreement with full knowledge of what they are signing up for.

Even if I wasn't on one of these "test" sailings I *would* still be interested to know what was happening to other cruisers. If it happens to someone else it could also happen to me. And, yes, I'd empathize with those people. I'd never shame them for being angry about it. If they wanted to vent I would either empathize or scroll past. Never know, it could be me on the receiving end of the crap deal someday. (As it has been this time.) :D

When they required both passengers to buy the package in the past, they did make exceptions for pregnancy and religion.

Just got off the phone. Yep. I mentioned that tetotaller friend doesn't drink for religious reasons. No problems. No worries.

Also, looks like the price dropped. Last week the deluxe + VOOM was showing up at $488pp. I just paid $433.68pp x2.

Plot twist! What if the adult in your stateroom who doesn't want the alcohol package doesn't drink for religious reasons????? Interesting!

I don't understand why people get their knickers in a twist about this. Drink packages are a relatively new thing (last couple years), before their introduction, you would buy drinks a la carte. So if you don't want to buy packages for everyone in the room, then buy drinks individually. If you like to pre-pay and are concerned about the final bill, then buy some OBC for yourself.

My first experience with a prepaid inclusive beverage package was on Allure Thanksgiving week 2013. The packages were not new then. So they've been around at least 5 years that I know of off the top of my head.

I don't really know how bar drinks were priced before packages came along. I can tell you individual drink prices on Royal ships are high. It's the same on NCL so I'm thinking the business model is to price the individual drink prices high to make the packages seem more like a great value. I can also tell you from experience that Disney does NOT offer the same kind of prepaid all-inclusive adult beverage packages and their individual bar drinks are considerably less expensive. This correlates with the concept that jacking up drink prices sells inclusive packages.

So if you're now subject to the individual prices you are more likely to spend more than what the package would cost contingent on each person buying the package actually using it. So for me, I would love to NOT need to carry on a case of bottled water. I would love to grab bottles onboard. Figure a 16.9 oz bottle is $4, maybe? (I don't know.) I drink no less than 100fl oz of water daily, more if I'm consuming alcohol. That's a minimum of 6 bottles a day. Maybe I get half that from fountains. Still, 3 bottles at $4 each is $12/day. That leaves me with maybe 3 cocktails per day and I'm slightly over what the package costs daily. 3. I don't drink in my daily life but an at-sea day + a night out at shows, etc. and I can easily consume 6 drinks without ever being really buzzed. (The water is key!) If I consume juice, soda, or a specialty coffee those would put me even further beyond the package cost. There WAS a solid value + convenience to the deluxe package. You paid it for the people it made sense to and enjoyed. You didn't have to make predictions/calculations to come up with an amount to put on your account. You didn't have to track your bar tab expenditures every day. You didn't have to cringe when the final bill came to your door. It was just nice to have. But, forcing other people in the stateroom to purchase a pricier package that they won't use (as with me, my friend does not drink alcohol at all as a personal choice) changes everything. I'd have to pay for hers since she doesn't use it essentially causing me to spend double. Not cool.

I booked my Harmony cruise when I was onboard Anthem in March. It was just me & my teetotaler friend on that cruise. I didn't buy the package, brought a case of water, and bought some bar drinks a la carte. I didn't drink near what I normally do just because I was trying to not spend too much. I *still* spent a bit over $400. Ugh. So for the Harmony cruise we have a 3rd friend joining who loves to bar hop with me. We'll drink. I was for SURE going to buy the package. Not have to worry with a case of water. Relaxation & fun. No worries about the account every day. When we carefully chose this cruise we didn't book a "test". We booked the ship with a budget & a plan. If I'd known we would be required to pay for an extra beverage package I wouldn't have chose this cruise. Ya know? So friend who drinks & I might have to split an additional expense to make this happen. Of course it's not a proposition we are delighted with. Who would be happy to pay more for something unexpected? Answer: nobody.

My friend who doesn't drink is also my TA. ;) Her son is getting married today so I've not discussed any of this with her. I'm sure she has no idea. Next week after she gets home I'll talk it over with her. I'm hopeful her agent rep can ensure we won't have to pay for her to have the $$$$ package that she won't use. If nobody will budge and they still require it I'm not sure if I'll still go. Just the principle. It feels like this screws us for money unfairly which is never a good feeling. Definitely dampens the overall experience. :(

I take 24 for the win!;p:D

You are my new best friend! :*

I was going to guess 12

I'll guess 10! :D

Ooh! I'll play! I'll take 11 then! Go me!

;p

Thank you. FYI, I avoid Walmart like the plague. You know what they say happens when you ASSUME things, tho. ;) You might also note that the majority of my cruises are on a cruise line that's typically far more expensive than Royal. But keep making assumptions. That's working for you. :)

Why the negativity, though? If it's going to cost me double what makes it wrong for me to have it cost Royal double as well? Fair is fair. I mean, would I be more "respectable" in your eyes if I happily let someone dupe me out of $488?

Just goes to show money can't buy maturity or intelligence.

Obviously. :*

So quick question. Does this "test" affect you financially? Are you now required to spend more for something in all this?

You know what they say about a woman scorned....:*

 

Hubby says just pay for the tetotaller friend's package and be done with it. Okay. But if it's going to cost ME more I can, at the very least, ensure it costs Royal more, too. Fair is fair. Right?

 

So for every cocktail I order to drink I can be sure to order a second to leave behind/dump. And if I stop at a bar for a bottle of water I can be sure to obtain a 2nd bottle to throw away. Specialty coffee? Juice? Oh yes. The drains & garbage cans are getting mighty thirsty. This could be an entertaining game for me!

 

Royal won't have a successful test by me, I promise. You're all welcome for my efforts to bring a test failure. Teamwork. I got you!

 

 

A perfect example of how cruising clientele is slowly slipping into the Wal-Mart zone.

 

 

Thank you. FYI, I avoid Walmart like the plague. You know what they say happens when you ASSUME things, tho. ;) You might also note that the majority of my cruises are on a cruise line that's typically far more expensive than Royal. But keep making assumptions. That's working for you. :)

 

Why the negativity, though? If it's going to cost me double what makes it wrong for me to have it cost Royal double as well? Fair is fair. I mean, would I be more "respectable" in your eyes if I happily let someone dupe me out of $488?

How old are you? 8?

:')

Yes. That's why I can cruise without my daddy and drink in bars.

Oh. And to those saying this "test" was brought on by the cheaters.....I don't buy that for a second. Why? Because if they were having such loss to people cheating the system they'd simply raise the price of the package or make the change fleet-wide. No, they're "testing" to see what the impact is on their bottom line/revenue. They chose to "test" on a ship people already committed to spending a little extra to sail on for the ship. People are already willing to spend a little more. Ask yourself why this "test" isn't being conducted on a ship that's less expensive to sail? All signs point to this being strictly a test to see how much more money is out there to be raked in. Plain & simple.

You know what they say about a woman scorned....:*

Hubby says just pay for the tetotaller friend's package and be done with it. Okay. But if it's going to cost ME more I can, at the very least, ensure it costs Royal more, too. Fair is fair. Right?

So for every cocktail I order to drink I can be sure to order a second to leave behind/dump. And if I stop at a bar for a bottle of water I can be sure to obtain a 2nd bottle to throw away. Specialty coffee? Juice? Oh yes. The drains & garbage cans are getting mighty thirsty. This could be an entertaining game for me!

Royal won't have a successful test by me, I promise. You're all welcome for my efforts to bring a test failure. Teamwork. I got you! ;p

No, they do not do that.

Can't say I'm surprised.

So I wonder if they were giving us 2 soda packages and we wanted to do the deluxe + voom for all 3 of us will they credit us the amount for the soda packages towards the upgrade(s)?

At $12 for a glass of wine and $10 for a cocktail you don't need to be a hardened drinker for the package to save you money. I am annoyed more because it affects existing bookings if the rules are to be changed then it should be for new bookings only.vThese are the things that influence your choice when you are choosing your cruise. I don't like a company assuming I am dishonest and sharing a package. I have already purchased a refreshment package I will stick to that. It will probably do me good !

On Anthem in March it was $12-$15 a cocktail. Plus tip.

Well this really screws ME. I'm sailing (maybe NOT) Harmony on 10/14 with 2 friends, 1 does not drink alcohol at all. I can't ask her to buy a package that costs hundreds so I can have it. Conversely, I don't drink soda at all. Will this apply to soda packages as well? I'm not spending $70 on something I won't use.

2 of us were going to buy the inclusive package. Now we can't. Royal screwed themselves out of nearly a thousand dollars.

I was on Anthem in March. The per drink prices on Royal are high. Very high. I didn't have a package for that cruise and was not pleased with how much that bar tab ran me. I really wanted to buy the package. I also drink mostly bottled water. It would've been so worth it for me. Ugh. How fun is it to go on a cruise counting pennies and not getting what you want? It's NOT.

Here's another question. We had some sort of promo where 2 of the 3 of us were getting free soda packages. How does THAT work now if we all have to have the same package? Are they giving us the 3rd soda package for free?

Huuuuge damper on my excitement for my upcoming Harmony cruise. At this point only 1 of the 3 of us has booked air. Heck, I'd come out waaaaaay to the good ditching the cruise & paying her for her airfare. Seriously considering this option.

Back before they loosened the policy and everyone had to have the same package wasn't there a way people circumvented by waiting to buy the package onboard? Am I remembering that wrong?

I think people are missing something here. Disney started out with the armband RFID chip several years back. This year they have debuted the next generation. The armbands can hold the RFID puck but that puck can also now be removed. They offer a caribener holder you could clip to a belt loop as well as a clip holder that can attach to a lanyard or purse strap. Or, you can place the puck in your pocket.

So read again..."quarter-sized Ocean Medallion". This is going to be a more convertible option utilizing the same technology. I'll bet you can use the medallion in an armband or in some clip-on type fashion. Or, you'll be able to simply place the medallion in your pocket. It's making the technology more customizable to how guests may prefer to utilize it. Not a bad thing!

Thank you! Just saved my friend & me over $25 on internet!

What time do you arrive March 4? How much luggage will you have and can you manage it if you encounter a stairway?

 

I think you should keep it simple - NJ Transit train from the Newark airport station to New York Penn Station - $13/pp. Exit the station onto 8th Avenue and take a cab to the Renaissance - about $12 total.

 

How are you getting to Cape Liberty on Sunday morning? For public transit you would take a cab to 32nd & 6th for PATH - about $12. Accessible entrance (elevator) is just to the left of JC Penneys on the west side of 6th Ave between 32nd & 33rd. Path to Hoboken - $2.75/ pp. Hudson Bergen light rail from Hoboken to Bayonne 34th St - $2.25/pp. Taxi or Uber into the port - $10-12

Bayonne City Yellow Cab

201-339-5000

 

Archie’s Cab & Van Service

201-858-8800

 

Campbell Taxi

201-339-8300

 

I have done this particular trip with rolling luggage and it is very easy. Hoboken Train Station is historic with great views of Manhattan, which you won't get from Anthem. This trip should take about 1.25-1.5 hours and the trains will be empty on a Sunday morning.

 

I have also done the subway thing in Manhattan with luggage. I found the accessible routes hard to find. I did some stairs with my luggage. And

I walked long distances on platforms and in poorly marked underground concourses with my luggage. By contrast PATH has a wide accessible turnstile which is good with luggage. The light rail runs on the street - stations have no turnstiles - they are about 18 inches high with easy ramp access.

Arriving at about 3:00 in the afternoon. We'll each have a large rolling suitcase + a carry on type, I'm sure. Mine connect together for convenience. We're both able to lift & manage a stairway. No problem. Where you had taxis listed we were thinking Lyft. Definitely trains where we can. The PATH does sound like the way to go. I'm going to save your post for reference. Cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

Now to just survive if it's cold. This Southern girl is quite worried about the weather and how to dress for it. Pleeeeaaase no snow. LOL!

138east, friend & I are flying into EWR the day before our Anthem cruise out of Port Liberty. I was thinking we could Lyft or train from EWR to NJ Penn Station. Trying to get to Times Square, Renaissance at 714 Seventh at 48th. Now I *think* I have this straight to catch a train from NJ Penn Station to NY Penn Station then switch to another train and go a stop or 2 from there. I've got the low-down on cost to get to NJ Penn from EWR. What is a realistic amount to pay to train on in? Does it take a long time? I'm utterly clueless. Never been to NYC or anywhere like it. Used Metro in DC once but that was 20 years ago & I had my hubby to drag me along.

I've been reading this thread a bit. Can I just say what a lifesaver you are?!?!

I only see surf + stream to pre-purchase. If I wait until we're onboard, will the just surf be cheaper? We were going to split a 2-device package but if I can get it cheaper onboard (not sure we need stream) I'll do that.

I have been checking the price every day since we booked with the hope of a bigger discount! We sail in 9 days so I'm thinking it is unlikely at this point.

I'd be interested to know of any likelihood of the discount closer to sailing. We just booked on Anthem for 3/5. I had no plans to buy the package but if it was 30% off I probably would. Anyone ever see it go on sale within about 6 weeks of sailing?

Thanks. ;)

I did a search last night & watched some YouTube videos trying to figure it out. Is there storage space under the beds on Anthem? Perhaps big enough to slide a suitcase under? Not dire info to have but I'm curious.