Premium Drink Package Price Increase

[Retired LEO]

They're in the process of doing something. All that's available now is the water, juice, soda, and replenish package.

[uksimonusa]

Carnival have just lowered some of their packages, so that may be the reason things are changing

[Clarea]

Carnival have just lowered some of their packages, so that may be the reason things are changing

So maybe Royal is trying to lower their price, but the 15% is being added by mistake.

[pspercy]

Strange, no alcoholic packages, except the wine and dine package, shown when I go to buy on my Vision reservation :confused:

 

You must be too young:D:eek:

[CP3o]

Carnival have just lowered some of their packages, so that may be the reason things are changing

 

It's good, will answer the question 'how much do servers get'? I thought they'd go a step further and lower prices but add an auto-gratuity in the amount of what it would have occurred had purchased....... most would still find it good deal, depending on how they priced it.

 

But those ordering 20 drinks in a day would tip more than those ordering 10, even if the "drinks" were both, say, $40 per day for package before gratuity. The pax requiring extra drinks and service pays more but only to server who is more anxious to provide great service to pax with program b/c there is money to be had in each swipe.

 

Just pretending liquor package was $40 before tips and 15% charged on ten $10 cocktails, just for example. The pax pays 40+15 in tips = 55 and both pax and server are happy, paid by swipe, the server who gets to you gets the money (or so we'd think ideally). Pax got each drink for 5.5 when it normally sells for 11.50 (10+15% tip) and sodas from fountain a bonus (assume they'd work like soda card).

 

Another pax orders 20 drinks, same $10 cocktails in example, pays 40 + 30 tips. used it more, paid more, but only to server, not RCCL for drinks, average drink cost 70/20= 4.66. He's happy with those costs per drink b/c they would have been 11.50 each.

 

Those numbers may be extreme but looking at "just making it a good deal" and "drinking more than most" as examples just to see if each seem reasonable. Starting price could be different but same principle could apply. I don't think many users would mind and I think it might increase incentive for good quick service. It might discourage waste some, too, not totally "free" for each additional drink, going to cost a dollar or so.

 

The only disadvantage I can think of (besides being more expensive for pax that are big drinkers but low tippers) is that it takes away the completely prepaid. But, many who decide to tip more than the $6 already included for tipping (implied below in before tip $49 reference below), they are already having an extra cost to bill at end of cruise from extra tipping. It would be a 'mostly' prepaid program.

[fsjosh]

For my cruise in November, the prices are now Replenish for 19, Select for 35, Premium for 49 and ultimate for 55, all per person per day. They then add a 15% gratuity at checkout. This means that the replenish is now 12.95 more for a 7 day, Select is 1.75 more for a 7 day, Premium is 9.45 more for a 7 day, but the Ultimate is 12.25 cheaper for a 7 day. It's made the difference between premium and Ultimate less than $50, so they are clearly trying to entice people to go ultimate.

 

 

Btw - They have also added the gratuity to the refreshment package but the base price 6.50/4.50 is still the same, so they have just increased the price on those outright.

[Clarea]

...Btw - They have also added the gratuity to the refreshment package but the base price 6.50/4.50 is still the same, so they have just increased the price on those outright.

The soda (Refreshment) package has always had the gratuity added, so no change there.

[brd1121]

Premium is back to showing $55 per day BUT is still adding additional gratuity once I put it in my cart, fine print says gratuity is already included... Sheesh.. Someone over at RCCL IT needs to get it together!

[uksimonusa]

You must be too young:D:eek:

 

I must have had a birthday overnight, as the packages are back, Ultimate shows $55 per day, so a 4 day cruise should be $220, if a 15% gratuity is added it should be $33, bringing the total to $253, price at check out is $260 :confused::confused:

Edited August 20, 2014 by uksimonusa

[Clarea]

I must have had a birthday overnight, as the packages are back, Ultimate shows $55 per day, so a 4 day cruise should be $220, if a 15% gratuity is added it should be $33, bringing the total to $253, price at check out is $260 :confused::confused:

Unbelievable.

[dcgrumpy]

I must have had a birthday overnight, as the packages are back, Ultimate shows $55 per day, so a 4 day cruise should be $220, if a 15% gratuity is added it should be $33, bringing the total to $253, price at check out is $260 :confused::confused:

 

$260 would be the old price. All the packages for me are showing the new price, until I put it in my cart then it's still the old price.

[jticarruthers]

Unbelievable.

 

Not really, its RCI and IT ... nothing would be unbelievable except something working as expected the first time ...

[dancinman66]

Not really, its RCI and IT ... nothing would be unbelievable except something working as expected the first time ...

 

 

Touché

 

 

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[slyster]

I just looked and the premium package says $49 a day but when you divide the total it shows for each person: $385, it is $55 a day. Odd..

[Beachammo]

RCI may have had to break out the gratuity on a seperate line for tax reasons. We had to do something similar after a visit from the government boys.

[gigi65]

I called RCI and after speaking to 3 reps at different times because I was "disconnected " when placed on hold to check on the discrepancy. I was transferred to one of the supervisors and she acknowledged an issue and states the IT Web was attempting to correct - I was offered to order the Ultimate drink package at what ever the rate charged at check out (455.00) even tho it should be 385.00 (55.00 x 7 days) and they would give me an OBC of $70.00 which is the difference. I ordered the package last night and called customer service and they updated the invoice and it showed the credit. I told the rep that it was advertised at this amount and they needed to honor the prices. I would have preferred to just pay the correct amount to begin with - I know I will spend the OBC anyway.

[brd1121]

Response from RCI:

The prices of the beverage packages with the exception of the Wine & Dine Packages have the gratuity included in the price. In reviewing your inquiry, we can confirm that the prices listed in Cruise Planner for the beverages packages are incorrect. We kindly advise you to please check back next week as the prices are being reviewed and corrected. Please be advised that prices are subject to change at any time.

[KuffMUp]

It is good to hear it is an IT glitch. Certainly not the first I have seen. I will wait before booking mine because it is showing for the premium package at $58.65 per day when I put it in my cart.

[CP3o]

I was offered to order the Ultimate drink package at what ever the rate charged at check out (455.00) even tho it should be 385.00 (55.00 x 7 days) and they would give me an OBC of $70.00 which is the difference.

 

The ultimate drink package is 65/day when pricing already includes tip.

 

Doesn't seem like a timing issue on changing pricing down to 55 and then 15% added should mean ultimate sold w/o tip b/c the words weren't updated quick enough. Who wants to screw staff out of the gratuity over a systems change? whatever. Glad you got the right price for premium package. I disagree the Ultimate package should be 55/day total, including tips.

[joeybee]

Little off subject here but is there a cocktail spend limit with the 55 package?

 

 

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[Clarea]

Little off subject here but is there a cocktail spend limit with the 55 package?

Cocktails $10 and under are included. Anything more expensive, you pay the difference.

[helen haywood]

So one could just call Royal and order the package over the phone? If the website is messed up...

[Clarea]

So one could just call Royal and order the package over the phone? If the website is messed up...

Yes.

[Imlilbitz]

Here's what happened when I called. I called the first night I saw what I thought was a price drop. I spoke with a Rep who couldn't figure out what I was explaining to her. I explained to her that the premium package price dropped from $55 to $49 a day. She told me that on her screen it still showed $55. So then I suggested that she open my reservation & add the drink package to see the price. After going through my reservation she was finally able to see what I was talking about. After being put on hold so that she could talk to the Resolution Department, I was transferred to that department & spoke with another woman who then told me that the $49 was before taxes & gratuity. So the premium package should be a total of $394.34 for a 7 day cruise instead of the $385 I originally paid. So needless to say I was trying to convince her that according to the fine print on their website the gratuity was included in the drink package. She then went on to tell me that I should take a screen shot of their website showing the $49 price for the premium package & show it to Guest Services on the ship when we board in 3 weeks and that they would either upgrade us to the Ultimate package which shows $55 now or refund the difference of $6 per day. She then told me that she would make sure that we had a cheese & fruit platter & a nice bottle of wine waiting in our cabin upon arrival for our Anniversary for the problems they are having with their website. I guess I'll find out when we get on the ship.

[MLB1828]

So one could just call Royal and order the package over the phone? If the website is messed up...

 

No. I tried that today and the internal system is screwed up as well. The rep I spoke with called resolutions and advised that they are hoping to have it fixed at some unidentifiable point in the future, but that they also cannot override the error.

 

My cruise leaves a week from Sunday, so she advised that I could keep checking until the 27th and if they still didn't have it fixed I could purchase it onboard for the correct price.