RCI Alcoholic Drink Prices

[marci22]

One thing to keep in mind about the bar menu prices is that those prices are based on house brand liquor. If someone orders a Ketel One martini or a Patron margarita they may pay $10 and not $7.50. This has happened to me so many times in restaurants that I now always specify the liquor brand; the waiters tend to bring you the more expensive drink if you do not specify and it can be a difference of several dollars per drink.

[joyfulone]

One thing to keep in mind about the bar menu prices is that those prices are based on house brand liquor. If someone orders a Ketel One martini or a Patron margarita they may pay $10 and not $7.50. This has happened to me so many times in restaurants that I now always specify the liquor brand; the waiters tend to bring you the more expensive drink if you do not specify and it can be a difference of several dollars per drink.

 

Good tip, thanks for that

 

:)

[marci22]

Good tip, thanks for that

 

:)

 

I meant waiters in general, in restaurants, not on Royal Caribbean in particular; just clarifying.

[Cruising89143]

grey goose on the rocks $7.00

French martini $8.00

Mojito $6.00

Malibu Baybreeze $6.00

Mango Mai Tai $6.00

Bahama Mama $8.25

Mango Mojito $5.75

Mimosa $7.75

Malibu $5.50

Pina Colada $6.25

Peach Daquiri 6.75

Frozen Mojito $7.00

 

Mocha Berry Coffee $6.00

Bottle Pelligrino $6.75

 

 

Just went through my receipts for you. Just back from Explorer yesterday.

Do most folks think these are expensive drink prices?

 

It's no different that what I pay for drinks here in Atlanta. As a matter of fact on our last cruise in May in Ft. Lauderdale, I made a comment after dinner about the prices of drinks being less expensive on the ship than what we just paid. One cannot compare the cost to what one pays for wine or beer at their local supermarket.

[Love and Joy]

I dont understand why drink prices are as high as they are when they sell liquor on board at such a reduced rate (duty Free) cant they buy their own liquor duty free and sell drinks alittle cheaper???????????

[marci22]

I dont understand why drink prices are as high as they are when they sell liquor on board at such a reduced rate (duty Free) cant they buy their own liquor duty free and sell drinks alittle cheaper???????????

 

But the mixed drinks don't seem that expensive in the first place :confused:

[Sugar*Magnolia]

It's no different that what I pay for drinks here in Atlanta. As a matter of fact on our last cruise in May in Ft. Lauderdale, I made a comment after dinner about the prices of drinks being less expensive on the ship than what we just paid. One cannot compare the cost to what one pays for wine or beer at their local supermarket.

Thanks cruisingator! I was waiting for an opinion that matched ours..We really dont find the prices to be exhorbetant at all and wonder why some think they should be lower? If you go anywhere "out" you know the prices on board are at least, in line...

[Lottycruiser]

Thanks to all you folks from the US for your comments and views.:):)

Going back to my previous query does anyone know if prices are common across the fleet ? :confused:

It would be nice to get some more responses from this side of the pond (UK) and eleswhere.

 

Hi Drummond , i'm from good old blighty and sailed the Navigator last month , we were horrified at the price of alcohol .DH's beer cost him $7-48 which with the exchange rate was over £5 :eek: , i only had one bottle of wine the whole week it cost almost $20 that was for one of their cheapest available , i must admit though that i also had a diassaronno ( sp ? ) which cost the same as a beer and that wasnt too bad as it wasnt measured ,it was just poured into the glass so it was a hefty measure , now this was sailing the Med and i have heard that they lower the prices for other sailings ,we go on the Freedom in september round the Caribbean so i will find out how true that is then ,we spent over $300 on alcohol and that was taking it easy ,where as i felt that while being on holiday i shouldnt worry about the cost as we knew it would be pricey before we went , i just hated feeling ripped off .I put this down on the guest survey form too and heard that many others did the same .We had already booked our Freedom cruise before doing the Navigator , we had a brilliant time but like i said in the guest survey the high drinks charges could well be a deciding factor for future RCI cruises .

[pharaoh]

I was actually worried about budgeting for my September cruise on the Liberty specifically cos of the drink prices, but now after taking a look at that menu, I feel much more at ease.

 

Those prices for the mixed drinks are actually lower than what you'd see at any of the bars I frequent here in Miami. The only thing that is more expensive than my favorite bar is the beer, but I don't really mind that.

 

Thanks to the poster who provided the drink menu! :)

[setsail]

grey goose on the rocks $7.00

French martini $8.00

Mojito $6.00

Malibu Baybreeze $6.00

Mango Mai Tai $6.00

Bahama Mama $8.25

Mango Mojito $5.75

Mimosa $7.75

Malibu $5.50

Pina Colada $6.25

Peach Daquiri 6.75

Frozen Mojito $7.00

 

Mocha Berry Coffee $6.00

Bottle Pelligrino $6.75

 

 

Just went through my receipts for you. Just back from Explorer yesterday.

Do most folks think these are expensive drink prices?

 

Not me. These prices could be anywhere USA--bar/restaurant

[runner5]

So I want to check my understanding, it is cheeper to buy drinks from the bar then at the table during dinner? Can you bring drinks in from the bar to the table during meals?

[Lottycruiser]

Thanks cruisingator! I was waiting for an opinion that matched ours..We really dont find the prices to be exhorbetant at all and wonder why some think they should be lower? If you go anywhere "out" you know the prices on board are at least, in line...

 

I read this with interest because we found we were paying over double what we normaly would for drinks back in the UK ,but of course a lot of that has to do with the exchange rate too , however we holidayed in Florida last year and the drinks prices werent as high as those on the Navigator , which may in fact confirm that prices around the Med are in fact higher than around the Caribbean ,we cruise on the Freedom in september so time will tell :)

[twinsmom310]

Wonder if anyone has an updated drink list? This one looks a bit old.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

So I want to check my understanding, it is cheeper to buy drinks from the bar then at the table during dinner? Can you bring drinks in from the bar to the table during meals?

 

Yes.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Wonder if anyone has an updated drink list? This one looks a bit old.

Hi twinsmom, if you're talking about the prices I posted, they are just the prices of the cocktails we just had on board Explorer on our June 24th sail. Not old. I wouldnt call it their drink list, just our drink list, lol.

[orville99]

Thanks cruisingator! I was waiting for an opinion that matched ours..We really dont find the prices to be exhorbetant at all and wonder why some think they should be lower? If you go anywhere "out" you know the prices on board are at least, in line...

 

 

There probably should be a complete new category added to CC for C.A.B Cruisers - Cheap A** Bast**** who will only be happy if the cruise industry pays them to cruise on their ships. Of course, as my Grandma used to say, "you get what you pay for":rolleyes:

 

BTW, I'll be on a different cruiseline the day that happens:p

[pharaoh]

Are gratuities automatically added to the bar bill? If so, how much?

[John Henry on CC]

Are gratuities automatically added to the bar bill? If so, how much?

Yes. 15%.

[John Henry on CC]

I dont understand why drink prices are as high as they are when they sell liquor on board at such a reduced rate (duty Free) cant they buy their own liquor duty free and sell drinks alittle cheaper???????????

Restaurants and bars buy their liquor at bulk, wholesale prices.

 

Why don't THEY sell THEIR drinks cheaper?

 

BECAUSE IT IS A MONEY-MAKING BUSINESS, NOT A CHARITY.

[pharaoh]

Yes. 15%.

 

Nice! Thank you.

[denniti]

The Mediterranean wine package and by the bottle prices are definitely higher. If you go to the RCI site and put in your cruise info, then in the search icon put in wine cellar, it will take you to a sample menu of wines and I have compared them with critterchick's menu and they are quite a bit higher - so it stands to reason that all of the drinks will be higher. We're going to do the wine package thing - at least we know what we're getting ahead of time.

[marci22]

The Mediterranean wine package and by the bottle prices are definitely higher. If you go to the RCI site and put in your cruise info, then in the search icon put in wine cellar, it will take you to a sample menu of wines and I have compared them with critterchick's menu and they are quite a bit higher - so it stands to reason that all of the drinks will be higher. We're going to do the wine package thing - at least we know what we're getting ahead of time.

 

I think she posted that in January 2010 and although it's a good reference point I wouldn't assume it applies to all ships or even exists in the same form today (prices may have changed since then).

 

Their pricing must be variable for different components of the cruise in different areas, so it's hard to compare one thing in a vacuum.

 

And it's pretty simple: if you think it's too much money, don't buy it. Maybe if enough people do that they will have to revise their pricing strategy. If people keep buying, why should they lower the prices?

[drummond]

Hi Drummond , i'm from good old blighty and sailed the Navigator last month , we were horrified at the price of alcohol .DH's beer cost him $7-48 which with the exchange rate was over £5 :eek: , i only had one bottle of wine the whole week it cost almost $20 that was for one of their cheapest available , i must admit though that i also had a diassaronno ( sp ? ) which cost the same as a beer and that wasnt too bad as it wasnt measured ,it was just poured into the glass so it was a hefty measure , now this was sailing the Med and i have heard that they lower the prices for other sailings ,we go on the Freedom in september round the Caribbean so i will find out how true that is then ,we spent over $300 on alcohol and that was taking it easy ,where as i felt that while being on holiday i shouldnt worry about the cost as we knew it would be pricey before we went , i just hated feeling ripped off .I put this down on the guest survey form too and heard that many others did the same .We had already booked our Freedom cruise before doing the Navigator , we had a brilliant time but like i said in the guest survey the high drinks charges could well be a deciding factor for future RCI cruises .

 

Thank you Lottycruiser for a view from a UK prospective. We are just off Adventure after celebrating our 50th anniversary with our family and we to thought the prices were high even compared to hotels in Barcelona. However I guess if you dont like the prices dont buy, but this was a special occasion and with 9 in our party it hit the pocket hard.

[marci22]

Thank you Lottycruiser for a view from a UK prospective. We are just off Adventure after celebrating our 50th anniversary with our family and we to thought the prices were high even compared to hotels in Barcelona. However I guess if you dont like the prices dont buy, but this was a special occasion and with 9 in our party it hit the pocket hard.

 

They said their bottle of wine was "almost $20" but to me that sounds really inexpensive.

 

(and I am not saying they do not overcharge on some of the cheaper bottles but again, it's restaurant pricing)

[subtchr]

Wonder if anyone has an updated drink list? This one looks a bit old.

 

The linked scanned bar menu (in my signature) is from the June 19-24, 2010 Explorer cruise.

 

Sue