WOW - bar drinks prices increased by up to 40%

[Desert Cruizers]

If I was reading correctly Bob the Wine, Beer package read $49 yesterday. You are showing a price of $41.30, could I have been looking at the wrong package or could the $49 include the 18 %. My husband drinks only Beer and during our cruises last March from Sydney, he paid $40

 

Gay

[Clarea]

Are these the same price as regular cocktails? I've looked everywhere for a price sheet and I can't find it. Thank you! :)

Non-alcoholic cocktails have been priced less than regular cocktails.

[Restless24]

Are these the same price as regular cocktails? I've looked everywhere for a price sheet and I can't find it. Thank you! :)

 

The menu pic posted here and other places shows $4 for non-alcoholic cocktails. I'm not sure if this price is across the board or if it varies for different ingredients.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2182750&page=3

[Bert64]

If I was reading correctly Bob the Wine, Beer package read $49 yesterday. You are showing a price of $41.30, could I have been looking at the wrong package or could the $49 include the 18 %. My husband drinks only Beer and during our cruises last March from Sydney, he paid $40

 

Gay

 

I have $41.30 as the price with gratuity for the "Select" package.

 

If they're pouring the drinks weak, I think that's really pushed me into the Select package. I was going to go with the Premium (even though I'm primarily a beer drinker) because I do like a frozen cocktail or two by the pool. But I'll just have to get my fix the non-alcoholic route. Nothing's worse than a drink where all you can taste is the mixer. And, I don't have to depend on a pour for a bottle of beer!

 

You break even at 6 beers. Assuming they aren't going to raise the package prices anytime soon...

[Desert Cruizers]

I rechecked the packages, and was looking at a differant package, the Beer & Soda is $35 + 18 % ir $41.30. If DH is correct and he paid $40 with gratuity then the beer package for him hasn't increased that much and still far better for him. An example, during our 13 NZ cruise he didn't take the package although I recommended it to him, in 5 days he had a $303 bar bill just in beer and we still had 8 more days of cruising.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Desert Cruizers

[Whitnee1]

By all accounts those robots spill quite a bit.

Maybe the price rise is to cover the wastage :D

 

Wastage???:D:D

[orville99]

What does the robot do with the 18% gratuity?

 

 

Since tips are often described as a way to lube the bartender, I imagine they use the 18% to get a lube job:D

Edited March 17, 2015 by orville99

[grand isle joe]

What does the robot do with the 18% gratuity?

 

...supports his / her family......kids: gigga, byte, kilo and watt of course......;):D

[seabeew]

I hear the robot is no longer working for tips as it has been promoted to VP of IT.

[Ocean Boy]

Since tips are often described as a way to lube the bartender, I imagine they use the 18% to get a lube job:D

 

I have mental picture of the robot ending up like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.

[mattwright]

I hear the robot is no longer working for tips as it has been promoted to VP of IT.

 

This has to be the post of the day, right here. Somebody reward seebeew with a drink.

 

Maybe if we take a collection and everybody pitches in, we might be able to afford one.

Edited March 17, 2015 by mattwright

[Mary loves to travel]

the point I was making in my post was relatively simple in that I think these price increases would motivate more people to attempt to smuggle alcohol as the value is just not there to purchase drinks on board. maybe i should have made that point more explicit.. whatever. yes, I called it extortion, maybe I should have said highway robbery instead.

 

Of course people have a choice not to buy the liquor on board seems or sail with royal Caribbean to be a bit of a strawman argument to me. I live in what I generally consider economic reality. the reality is this.. you put 2000 to 3000 people on board a vessel and tell them something that some people consider a part of having a good time on vacation is going up 40% in price some people will scoff at the notion others will continue to pay the exorbitant price. obviously Royal has taken a calculated risk. and maybe they will come out on top in terms of the numbers. but it doesn't change the fact that they raised the prices 40% with no real increase in the cost basis of the product. at the very least I would call that unconscionable. while i will agree with your notion that my use of the word extortion was loose I would still consider these price increases to be gouging the customer out of their hard earned money.

 

I agree with you - but I think RCCL has calculated this out pretty well: what they are really doing is transitioning to a fully all-inclusive model:

 

• Step 1, offer "free" drink packages during some sales.
  
• Step 2, jack up drink prices on the ship, to make the packages more attractive. (During this phase there will certainly be more alcohol smuggling, as you point out).
  
• Step 3, raise the cruise base price, but during a "sale" include the drink package
  
• Step 4, always include the drink package at the new higher base price, and you are now offering a fully all-inclusive experience.
  

 

 

Mary

[seabeew]

Thanks, Mattwright.

 

A free beer is all I probably can afford.

Edited March 17, 2015 by seabeew
Because I'm hopeless

[Tunkhannock]

By all accounts those robots spill quite a bit.

Maybe the price rise is to cover the wastage :D

 

Okay, I have to admit that at first glance I thought you said "wattage".

 

 

"You like some more?"

[ragen]

I agree with you - but I think RCCL has calculated this out pretty well: what they are really doing is transitioning to a fully all-inclusive model:

 

• Step 1, offer "free" drink packages during some sales.
  
• Step 2, jack up drink prices on the ship, to make the packages more attractive. (During this phase there will certainly be more alcohol smuggling, as you point out).
  
• Step 3, raise the cruise base price, but during a "sale" include the drink package
  
• Step 4, always include the drink package at the new higher base price, and you are now offering a fully all-inclusive experience.
  

 

 

Mary

 

 

Step 5, after a year or two, when people are used to the Higher All Inclusive "deals",... lower Indavidual Drink Prices, Slightly Lower Drink Package Prices, stop offering the BOGO deals and drinks included deals......But keep the Higher Cruise fairs in place (because by now people are used to them.) effectavly rasing the Basic cruise fares in a back-handed way so not allinating the public with a drastic overnite "Basic fare hike."

[icsys]

I agree with you - but I think RCCL has calculated this out pretty well: what they are really doing is transitioning to a fully all-inclusive model:

 

• Step 1, offer "free" drink packages during some sales.
  
• Step 2, jack up drink prices on the ship, to make the packages more attractive. (During this phase there will certainly be more alcohol smuggling, as you point out).
  
• Step 3, raise the cruise base price, but during a "sale" include the drink package
  
• Step 4, always include the drink package at the new higher base price, and you are now offering a fully all-inclusive experience.
  

 

Mary

Step 5, after a year or two, when people are used to the Higher All Inclusive "deals",... lower Indavidual Drink Prices, Slightly Lower Drink Package Prices, stop offering the BOGO deals and drinks included deals......But keep the Higher Cruise fairs in place (because by now people are used to them.) effectavly rasing the Basic cruise fares in a back-handed way so not allinating the public with a drastic overnite "Basic fare hike."

 

In the UK, we are already getting 'all inclusive' offers being pushed for 2016.

 

Some could argue that the basic cruise fare has already been 'hiked'.

Just look at some of the recent threads suggesting high prices. (There are still some good deals to be found though). This could be more pricing gimmicks rather than actual price rises.

 

Time will tell if the recent bar price increase results in less onboard revenue, though if you look at the section in the annual report on accounts relating to onboard revenue, they are not doing too bad:

 

• a $45.5 million increase in onboard revenue attributable to higher spending on a per passenger basis primarily due to our ship upgrade programs and other revenue enhancing initiatives, including various beverage initiatives, the addition and promotion of specialty restaurants, the increased revenue associated with internet and other telecommunication services and other onboard activities

Source:http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=45969010&postcount=16[/I]

[American Bear]

Wow, was on Princess last week and their drink prices are very reasonable.

Keeps me sailing with them;)

 

You are correct, Princess and parent Carnival are abt. 10% less!

MSC has the lowest prices abt. 25% less, and their voucher books are 48% less!!!:eek:

The RCL brand is getting expensive!:eek:

[sugcarol]

30 years ago we took our first cruise, it was Hawaii 7 night. The drink of the day cost 50 cents, HOWEVER, our inside cabin was 1695.00 per person!!

[poncho1973]

You are correct, Princess and parent Carnival are abt. 10% less!

MSC has the lowest prices abt. 25% less, and their voucher books are 48% less!!!:eek:

The RCL brand is getting expensive!:eek:

 

Vote with your wallet! That will show them how is boss. Seriously.

[Pesseh0729]

30 years ago we took our first cruise, it was Hawaii 7 night. The drink of the day cost 50 cents, HOWEVER, our inside cabin was 1695.00 per person!!

 

 

Wow that's insane!

[robandana]

I once asked the F&B Manager on a Royal ship why they charged so much for drinks, my argument was that if prices were cheaper people would spend more in the bars....his reply was we keep the prices high so we don't get too many drunks....its for the passengers protection. :eek:

 

Wonder how many drunks they get now with the All Inclusive Packages....:rolleyes:

[robandana]

30 years ago we took our first cruise, it was Hawaii 7 night. The drink of the day cost 50 cents, HOWEVER, our inside cabin was 1695.00 per person!!

 

Our first cruise was on the Legend of the Seas back in 1999 and it cost us $1500 each for a port hole cabin and at that time specialty drinks were $3.95 including the take home glass...

[snclopez]

Just got off the brilliance and was shocked at drink prices. Ordered a bloody Mary at breakfast and it was $14. Margaritas were $16, ridiculous!! We do not drink enough for the drink package to be affordable but yet I do not want to pay $15 a drink. We always tip the bartenders extra on top of the 18%, but with prices like this I don't think I will, but this only hurts the bartenders. :(

 

I'm very disappointed with the rise in drink prices, and even though we are one cruise away from becoming diamond, I will have to shop other options when booking future cruises.

[saraet4464]

I am leaving on the Vision OTS in a little over a week. I noticed that the drink packages are more per day (about $9 more per day) for each package than they were a few months ago. The Premium package is now $58 per person. It was around $49 per day just a little bit ago.

 

I still haven't bought one because I know I won't even come close to breaking even, but I was surprised to see the price hike.

[Retired LEO]

I am leaving on the Vision OTS in a little over a week. I noticed that the drink packages are more per day (about $9 more per day) for each package than they were a few months ago. The Premium package is now $58 per person. It was around $49 per day just a little bit ago.

 

I still haven't bought one because I know I won't even come close to breaking even, but I was surprised to see the price hike.

 

It's now $57.82+18%=$68.22 per day.