Would You Purchase the Premium Drinks Package if Wine Choices were Better?

[JillLovesTravel]

Most people reporting back after their cruise about the Premium Drinks Package are indicating that other than the poor quality of wine offered the package does include most beers and drinks and was a nice convenience.

 

For those of you who would even consider purchasing the Premium Drinks Package, would a better quality of wine make it more likely that you would purchase the package? I am just wondering, because for me, if the wine choices were better I just might purchase it. But with the poor quality of the wine offered now, no way.

 

And for clarification, I am eligible to use the Diamond and Concierge lounges for Complimentary evening cocktails, but to tell you the truth, with all the great bars offered on the ships now that gets a little old for me.

 

Also, if you are Diamond or Diamond Plus would you be more likely to purchase a Drinks or Beer Package if Royal Caribbean offered a substantial discount to D

and D+? I think it would be a great benefit and would no doubt free up a lot of space in the lounges as more people move up the C & A ladder.

 

Maybe if Royal Caribbean realizes they could sell a lot more Premium Drinks Packages if they upgraded the wine available, they just might do it. And if a lot of D and D+ would purchase the package if offered a discount they just might do that too. I mean that Drinks package must be a real money maker.

[Frankmac]

I definitely think it would be worth it for us if the wines were of a better quality. My wife only drinks wine. Three glasses per day, maybe four at a push. But she isnt going to drink the stuff that is reported as being on the package at the moment.

 

I know I could easily take up the slack in her package easily

[peteukmcr]

Although Diamond here too, we'd definitely consider the package if it included better wine. It would mean that we wouldn't have to purchase the wine & dine package (which has changed to just one containing one selection of wines now) and the soda package.

[39august]

Definitely!

[Daghis]

Although Diamond here too, we'd definitely consider the package if it included better wine. It would mean that we wouldn't have to purchase the wine & dine package (which has changed to just one containing one selection of wines now) and the soda package.

I'll change the "Diamond" to "Emerald", but otherwise agree with this.

 

If the alcohol package were to include all of the wines listed in the Wine & Dine package, I think A) it would make more sense since they already offer those wines in a package, and B) I'd be more inclined to consider it.

[jbrezen]

We were considering buying the beverage package but the reason we didn't is the wine. So instead we are doing the soda package along with wine and dine package.

[TSC]

It would definitely make a difference. My husband had the premium package on our last Celebrity and it was wonderful. I wish Royal would adopt the same plan!!!

[cdncruiser907]

We're heading out this Sunday on the Allure. My husband and I are wine drinkers. I enjoy an umbrella drink by the pool, but primarily wine. We debated and read all the posts and decided to go with the wine and dine package as we always have. If the wine was better, we would have definitely gone with the premium package. Hoping to go on Celebrity next, there we will definitely get the package. Not sure why RCI doesn't use the same type of plan. From the sounds of it, they'ed certainly sell more!

[audome78]

Most definitely. I would even pay more for the package, if it included the current wine package....just for the convenience.

[lov2sun]

Agreed. If the wine options were opened up to include wines in the same price range as some of those specialty or premium drink costs.

[tneah]

Yes.

 

However, I feel the low quality wines in the package is on purpose.

 

RC still wants you to purchase the wine package. If they offered the same wines inthe premium drink package, than sales for the wine packages would go down.

[MomtoCCC]

I'm a wine drinker also and would definitely consider it if better wines were offerred. Like the idea of the Diamond discount (even though I'm not diamond yet :) )

[Mollys people]

We usually cruise on X but the itinerary for our week (school vacation) looked better on Allure. Passed on the wine package due to the offerings. Wife likes Champagne pre-dinner and didn't see a decent offering and I'm a red wine guy who wasn't enticed by the package.

 

We would both have taken it with a better selection.

 

Maybe that's why Celebrity is what Celebrity is and Royal is what Royal is?

[Northernmags]

I hear you on the wine issue. The lack of decent wine and selection is a deal breaker for me. We usually sail on Celebrity too and love the drink package which we always buy. This will be our first time on RCCL due to the inability to get the itinerary we wanted on X. Please upgrade the wine choices...better and more RCCL.

[Russ Lomas]

Most people reporting back after their cruise about the Premium Drinks Package are indicating that other than the poor quality of wine offered the package does include most beers and drinks.

I am still unsure if I will purchase this package for my upcoming cruise in less than 4 weeks. If RCCL offered similar to Celebrity and included a selection of wines by the glass up to a maximum cost per glass, I would almost certainly take the package.

[gfd_2]

Yes. We buy the Diamond wine pkg every cruise. We'd definitely buy the drink pkg if it included better wine selection.

 

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[jewels89]

For me, it is not about the wine, however if it included the specialty coffees...I would be more apt to purchase it. Now that I have said that, we received it for free when we upgraded to a balcony cabin on our upcoming cruise!

 

I am excited for the convenience of the package :)

[vavasmom]

We were considering buying the beverage package but the reason we didn't is the wine. So instead we are doing the soda package along with wine and dine package.

 

I agree with you. This is our current plan

[austin mark]

We are on the Liberty in June and although we will get drinks in the Concierge Club in the evening, we considered the drink package as well until we heard how bad the wine is. We cruised a few years back on Regent and while we enjoyed not having to think about drink costs, it doesn't make sense to purchase a package that only has bad wine. I guess it's back to Regent and the like when the kids aren't coming.

[critterchick]

I would purchase it if they improved the wine and added all of the beverages that Celebrity includes (specialty coffees and bottled waters, to name two). Just the wine wouldn't do it.

[Clarea]

I would purchase it if they improved the wine and added all of the beverages that Celebrity includes (specialty coffees and bottled waters, to name two). Just the wine wouldn't do it.

I agree, but for me they would also have to put a specific dollar value on the glass of wine, like $12, and it would have to work like Celebrity where you can get a more expensive wine and they credit you the $12 per glass.

[travelplus]

Better yet. I would be happy to pay a small surcharge to be able to bring as much of our own wine or liquor as possible especially when visiting ports in Europe.

 

Why should I pay the inflated prices just to get wine from Washington State or California when I live in California? Heck Berringer at home goes for $5 and RCCL charges more.

 

Cognac in France is soo good and I would love to bring on some local Cognac from France.

 

Even when I fly on Lufthansa in Coach I can get better wine and liquor which is included in my ticket.

 

Why can't RCCL just let us bring on 2 bottles of wine at each port? I mean if they made a 2 bottle limit per port that we can consume in our stateroom that would be bliss.

 

I would much rather buy my wine in Toloun France or Livorno Italy and some Port in Ponto Degaldo Azores than in New Orleans LA.

[critterchick]

I agree, but for me they would also have to put a specific dollar value on the glass of wine, like $12, and it would have to work like Celebrity where you can get a more expensive wine and they credit you the $12 per glass.

 

That, too.:)

[Sumisid]

As my husband and I are both wine drinkers (no beer, no fancy cocktails) the package definitely has to offer better housewines. I don't understand why they not offer for example Castle Rock as a housewine. Both, white and red were really ok when we had it on Oasis with the wine-and-dine-package. It was not outstanding, but very drinkable!

[familycruisetime]

I agree, but for me they would also have to put a specific dollar value on the glass of wine, like $12, and it would have to work like Celebrity where you can get a more expensive wine and they credit you the $12 per glass.

I have been on three Europen sailings and had the package before it was "tweaked". I believe that this was the case with wine, you could order any wine up to value $10 per glass.