High alcohol prices

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

People hear those prices, cringe, and immediately purchase the ultra expensive drink package to cover themselves without even looking to see if it saves them anything (especially port days).

They wouldn't offer the packages if it didn't make them more money over per-drink charges.

Everyone says that they are high prices, but when compared to land based restaurants and bars, the prices appear to me to be very reasonable.

The only way prices of what we buy can be considered expensive is if I compare to the bar in my home.

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

No.

Prices are at the level they are because people keep buying drinks and drink packages.

I'm in the Jersey/NYC area and the prices on board are typically less than I pay when I go out. Plus when you factor in mimosa with breakfast (our vacay favorite) and a beer around the pool, couple of glasses of wine in the evening, cappuccinos and some bottled water - the alcohol package works for us.

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

Yes and thank you. :evilsmile:

Drink prices are WAY over our local bar prices! They are more along the lines of drinks at sporting venues, rather than bars or most restaurants. Outrageous pricing. It's one thing when you're at a football game for 3 hours but an entirely different thing when you're a "captive audience" on a ship for a week!

Most of our prices run in the $3-4 for beer, and about $4-7 for mixed drinks.

The drink prices are what they are. I'm guessing, depending on where you are, they might even appear to be cheap. I paid 7 bucks for a cup of tea recently. 12 bucks for a mixed drink does not seem that bad.

Drink prices are WAY over our local bar prices! They are more along the lines of drinks at sporting venues, rather than bars or most restaurants. Outrageous pricing. It's one thing when you're at a football game for 3 hours but an entirely different thing when you're a "captive audience" on a ship for a week!

 

Most of our prices run in the $3-4 for beer, and about $4-7 for mixed drinks.

Where are you getting drinks for those prices? You can not compare prices on a ship to a local dive or your local elks lodge. If you think those are prices at sporting venues, you haven't been to a game lately either.

The prices on the ship are comparable to restaurant pricing in any major city.

Opinions on drink prices will vary depending on what's normal where you come from. I live just outside NYC and find the cruise drink prices, for the most part, to be equal to or less than what I would pay at home with a few exceptions notably on NCL, but that's another story. We traveled to Syracuse and I was astonished at how much cheaper drinks were compared to home.

People hear those prices, cringe, and immediately purchase the ultra expensive drink package to cover themselves without even looking to see if it saves them anything (especially port days).

 

They wouldn't offer the packages if it didn't make them more money over per-drink charges.

This! We rarely drink at home, or out, the occasional beer or drink is it. Why would I pay $41 per person, per day, plus an 18% gratuity fee to drink on a ship? I wouldn't.

There are a lot that think they need the package, but we spent less than $100 total for two people for 5 days, including shopping and drinks last time. Each person has to decide.

I live in a touristy area, drink prices are about the same as they are on the ship.

Drink prices are WAY over our local bar prices! They are more along the lines of drinks at sporting venues, rather than bars or most restaurants. Outrageous pricing. It's one thing when you're at a football game for 3 hours but an entirely different thing when you're a "captive audience" on a ship for a week!

 

Most of our prices run in the $3-4 for beer, and about $4-7 for mixed drinks.

That's the same price point in my neck of the woods.:) I just could not justify $700 for the two of us on a 1 week cruise.

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

Yeah, I'm sure that is the reason.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Same for us. Print es are about what we pay locally.

Yeah, I'm sure that is the reason.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

It could be a contributing factor, are you Diamond ?:cocktail:

Current Deluxe drink package costs half of the one Norwegian offers. Seems reasonable to me.

It could be a contributing factor, are you Diamond ?:cocktail:

The reason is simple.... people are paying it and if they stop paying the price will drop. But over and over again on these boards I read posts that go something like.... I'm on vacation and I'm not going to worry about the cost of a drink..... Those are the kind of people that CEOs go to bed and dream about at night.

Drink prices are WAY over our local bar prices! They are more along the lines of drinks at sporting venues, rather than bars or most restaurants. Outrageous pricing. It's one thing when you're at a football game for 3 hours but an entirely different thing when you're a "captive audience" on a ship for a week!

 

Most of our prices run in the $3-4 for beer, and about $4-7 for mixed drinks.

For us, beer on board is a bit more expensive than our local restaurants and bars, but cocktails and shots are about the same. All are quite cheaper than it was when we lived in Chicago.

Looking up a few restaurants in Fredricksburg VA it actually looks about on par with Royal. Royal cocktails average $8-$13, Sedona Taphouse ranges from $6-$12, Firebirds are $11. Most other restaurants don't list drink prices online, but generally speaking Royal's range of $8-$13 for cocktails seems in line with land based restaurants. Sedona and Firebirds may be higher scale restaurants, I don't know much about Fredricksburg.

Aside from Happy Hours I don't think I've ever been somewhere that had cocktails for $4-$7

I will admit I don't drink beer or wine, so I have no idea about those prices.

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

How much do you think we drink?

On a 3 nighter the first night I had a few vodka cranberry, second night a Diet Coke and two glasses of white wine. Third night two Bacardi and Diet Coke and another plain Diet Coke. My wife had one cocktail and 3 sprites over the same 3 days. We didn’t even bring on a single bottle of wine. Not big drinkers. What did our Diamond benefits cost RCI for the drinks they served me $10, $12? What does a can of Diet Coke cost them, 15 cents? How about the 2 glasses of house brand white wine, maybe a dollar a glass. They sell big bottles of Bacardi in the shops for $10. So they probably pay $5 a bottle. I doubt my drinks were even 10% of the bottle. But yeah, if we had paid out of pocket for those drinks I estimate we’d have been in the 80-100 range. Anyways they charge 12 a drink because people will pay it or rationalize a package, not because they spend $10 per weekend on my wife and I

As others have said, it's all relative. During a business trip to any major city, a Sapphire martini at a hotel bar will cost $12-15. A bottle of Sapphire in Louisville goes for $22. Markups are what they are; you choose to drink or not. But if you choose to imbibe, the drink packages can offer convenience and for some may even same some $$$ over purchasing drinks individually. If you choose to forego, fine. Those who purchase the package have decided it is worth the expense. And take a look at the swill that is served to Diamonds in the lounge; RCI isn't losing much in that venue...

Just got off the Independence transatlantic. 1400+ Diamond and above. Diamond lounge and Olive and Twist packed from 4:30 to 8:30. Place fills up with standing room only at 8:00 with people who have used there free vouchers for 3 drinks and come back into the lounge to get a drink to take to dinner. They could easily serve 3000+ drinks a night for 16 nights for a possible total of 50,000 free drinks for the trip. Someone must pay to keep the Diamond lounge flowing. I have never seen the host be so diligent in checking every sea pass card every night as you left the elevators, also the bartender asked to see your seas pass card if you just walked up to the bar in Olive and Twist and ordered a drink. Vouchers were good everywhere except Champagne Bar, server said they had a problem with Diamonds filling the place at 5:00 and staying until 8:30

We've never found the drink prices to be high. No different than what we pay on a regular night out at an establishment a step above a Chili's.

I may be bonkers but do you think the reason for high alcohol prices on RC is because newbies and Gold passengers pay the $10-$12 a drink so that Diamonds can drink 3.5 hours for free. :o

No. Diamonds (and higher) get the "free" drinks from the significant amount of money they paid to RCI over the many years of cruising with them to get to that level! :rolleyes: Small dividend! And we still pay the full price outside of the cocktail hours - just like everyone else.

Drink prices are WAY over our local bar prices! They are more along the lines of drinks at sporting venues, rather than bars or most restaurants. Outrageous pricing. It's one thing when you're at a football game for 3 hours but an entirely different thing when you're a "captive audience" on a ship for a week!

 

Most of our prices run in the $3-4 for beer, and about $4-7 for mixed drinks.

I think the prices you quoted are low compared to most regions. The other cruise lines don't give drinks away either! Think of what you pay in the precruise hotel bar or airport. Can't even get a soft drink or coffee for $4.00