WOW - bar drinks prices increased by up to 40%

[Miryam1234]

You need to make sure you ask for the well bottle or expect to get charged even more. If you let the bartenders pour their choice, they go top shelf. I paid $12 and $14 for drinks on Jewel a couple weeks ago. There were no prices on the menu.

 

.

 

I've asked this once somewhere else, but please let me repeat the question:

If there are no prices on the menu, how will I know if my Premium package will cover the drink I am ordering?

Seems awkward if I have to inquiry for a price, when I already have a package. And I sure do not want to pay extra on top of the package. That would sort of delete the point of having a package.

[BonnieSte]

Any idea if the wine prices went up?

[grandgeezer]

Hmmm....good thinking Bob. That would be great, if so.

 

We paid $5.50, plus 18% gratuity, for a domestic beer on Celebrity Equinox the beginning of November. ONCE. That's how we found out about the increase, so I wouldn't expect it to drop after spring break.

[mystrymaster]

We'll take a couple free cocktails as Diamond and call it good, don't need to get crocked and drunk and pay RCCL a fortune to do so whether it's up front on a package or by the drink.......

 

Of course the cheer leaders will say that the onboard prices are similar to those on land. I was just at a local bar and had 1.00 bottles. Will NEVER see that on RCCL.....ever........ they want 5-6.00 for a BEER! Oh and don't forget the 18% "service charge"......

 

They are making a fortune on booze. And people will still say the rules about bringing liquor onboard are just about liability, not profit. Too funny.

 

The places that have dollar beers have that price to get you in the door to buy something else that they might make a profit on. If I go anywhere to eat I expect between 4-5 a beer. If I go to an event I expect between 5 and 8 for a beer. so the 5.XX price is average for a beer at an event type of place.

 

Royal will never have that dollar beer night for multiple reasons.

1. they already have you there, there is no need to try and entice you "in".

2. without the fear of having to drive home people would be more likely to over indulge themselves and that would not be good.

 

5.XX for a bud or coors is expensive, but a 5.XX price for a Sierra Nevada is realistically a steal right now.

[Big_G]

Red Bull and vodka is listed as made with Kettel One - $10.

Ultimate Cosmo is listed as made with Grey Goose - $10

 

 

I don't drink Grey Goose or Kettel One so I'm asking, aren't they considered premium?

[LMaxwell]

those of us without packages are paying higher prices to make up for the loss on those packages.

 

They aren't losing one red cent on those packages. If they were they would raise the prices or put different limits on the package. Why would you think they are losing anything on the packages? :confused:

 

The only place they lose out is when people flagrantly violate the guest conduct policy and smuggle on their own water, soda, and alcohol. Those are high margin items that they lose revenue on and hard working servers lose gratuity on. But rest assured they are not advertising and selling packages at a loss.

[Beachcampin]

I'm following this thread because I'm cruising Enchantment in June and I am on the fence about the drink package. I'm not a big drinker but I do enjoy one or two frozen drinks by the pool and another with dinner. Add to that the amount of water I drink, I was leaning toward the package but purchasing it onboard with my OBC. Now I wonder if the price of the packages will increase and if I should buy it now at the current price. This is my 6th cruise but first on RCL. :confused:

 

 

An Enchantment cruise is the perfect cruise to buy a package. It's hard to drink that much for 7 nights (everyone needs to dry out some) but three or four is doable.

[mystrymaster]

I think they are making money hand over fist on the the longer cruises because you do need to "tone" it down a bit and water it up

[mattwright]

We had the same new ridiculous prices on Legend last week. In our case, RC lost revenue from us they would have previously gotten. We usually each get 2 - 3 what we consider "cruise drinks" (Lava Flows, Frozen Mudslides, Blue Hawaiians, etc.) a day and have rarely made use of our free Diamond drink vouchers in the past because the offerings are so limited (or before that, because we didn't want to be tied to the Diamond Lounge). Because of the new drinks menu and pricing, we only bought two drinks all week (actually, 10 nights) onboard. Instead, we used every single one of our Diamond drink vouchers every night in retaliation.

 

We heard complaints from more than one bartender/server about the dull (having pictures of colorful drinks in the menus like they used to have sells more drinks!), limited, overpriced new drinks menus and how it was hurting sales and their tips. They seem to really dislike the drink packages for a variety of reasons too.

 

Dumb move, RC. Par for the course lately. :mad:

Edited March 10, 2015 by mattwright

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

How is it the crews fault that the drink prices increased?

 

They are now getting 18% on every drink I will order. Couple that with a 40-60% increase in said drink and enough is enough. 18% is enough IMHO to make a simple drink. You can continue to throw money at them if you wish. I'm sure it will be appreciated. :)

 

Cue the "you are a cheapskate" insults in 5,4,3........

 

No one said it was the crew's fault. But it's common sense. Keep raising the prices, and the tips will go down. People can't keep giving and giving...at least we can't. We are gracious tippers, but with those drink prices, they'll get the 18% and that's probably it. Not the crew's fault, but the crew will suffer.

 

Isn't that how it always is? The little guy suffers because of big business greed.

[joepeka]

I'm following this thread because I'm cruising Enchantment in June and I am on the fence about the drink package. I'm not a big drinker but I do enjoy one or two frozen drinks by the pool and another with dinner. Add to that the amount of water I drink, I was leaning toward the package but purchasing it onboard with my OBC. Now I wonder if the price of the packages will increase and if I should buy it now at the current price. This is my 6th cruise but first on RCL. :confused:

 

I just checked our Cruise Planner and it appears the package prices have gone up over the prices that are listed in the beverage package flyer that's been posted on this board (http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage_packages.pdf) which is dated 2/17/15. The prices showing for my Radiance cruise (and DD's cruise on Oasis in a couple of months) are:

 

Ultimate: $64.90/pp per day

Premium: $57.82/pp per day

Select: $41.30/pp per day

 

Do the prices I list above represent a recent increase?

Edited March 10, 2015 by joepeka

[Clarea]

I just checked our Cruise Planner and it appears the package prices have gone up over the prices that are listed in the beverage package flyer that's been posted on this board (http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/shared_assets/pdf/menus/beverage_packages.pdf) which is dated 2/17/15. The prices showing for my Radiance cruise (and DD's cruise on Oasis in a couple of months) are:

 

Ultimate: $64.90/pp per day

Premium: $57.82/pp per day

Select: $41.30/pp per day

 

Do the prices I list above represent a recent increase?

Those prices represent the rise in gratuity from 15% to 18% on the package prices of $35, $49, and $55 respectively.

[The Sunset Glow]

No, this falls under " I'll take the free drinks for being a Diamond member, and save the couple hundred dollars I normally spend". We don't need alcohol to make cruising a great time.

 

Right there with ya!

 

Especially since I'm Canadian. $10 drink plus 18% tip is over $15 CDN:eek::eek: No thanks:(

[joepeka]

Those prices represent the rise in gratuity from 15% to 18% on the package prices of $35, $49, and $55 respectively.

 

Gotcha.... the prices on the Cruise Planner have the new gratuity percentage already baked in.

Edited March 10, 2015 by joepeka

[jeslimin]

If my memory serves, didn't RCL state at the last investor meeting that onboard spending had dropped considerably over the last fiscal year? Could be they are just trying to make that up with this increase...Their problem is diminishing returns if folks decide the price is too high..Then where will they go?:confused:

[bouhunter]

The places that have dollar beers have that price to get you in the door to buy something else that they might make a profit on. If I go anywhere to eat I expect between 4-5 a beer. If I go to an event I expect between 5 and 8 for a beer. so the 5.XX price is average for a beer at an event type of place.

 

Royal will never have that dollar beer night for multiple reasons.

1. they already have you there, there is no need to try and entice you "in".

2. without the fear of having to drive home people would be more likely to over indulge themselves and that would not be good.

 

5.XX for a bud or coors is expensive, but a 5.XX price for a Sierra Nevada is realistically a steal right now.

 

I pretty much agree with everything you've said. I didn't mean to imply that I thought RCCL should offer 1.00 beers, was just making the point that they are over-priced to some degree. They don't need to charge 1.00 for for bud or coors, but don't need to charge 5.00 or more +18% either.

[tm81663]

It looks like prices are even higher in Europe for Allure of the Seas.

 

Select = $44.80

Premium = $62.72

Ultimate = $70.40

 

Ouch..

 

I think I may just bring my 2 bottles of wine and that's it.. :(

[coffee59]

We were on the Vision in Feb. We don't drink a lot so the drink package is not for us. But I was SHOCKED to see that at the Schooner Bar the menu had ALL mixed drinks at $12 each and the pool & solarium bars had ALL mixed drinks at $10 each. Add the gratuity and that is almost $24 for two people. Not going to do that more than once a day on our limited budget.

 

Note that a buy one - get one (sometimes free or 50% off) is offered for an hour a day but you need to read the compass for the bar.

 

But beyond that the quality of the drinks and choice has diminished greatly over last years Feb cruise on the Jewel. Drinks were watery and low on taste. There was alcohol but no rich flavors or a fruit spike. Also, there was only a choice of about 7 cocktails (where is the Bahama Mama I fell in love with??). I blame the change from a quality mix brand (saw the individual cartons on my last cruise but I cannot remember the brand name) to a watered down mix in a jug. Supplying drinks to the masses is what it is all about now.

 

Will it change my cruising habits. NO WAY. Will I buy drinks on board. NO WAY. You want to charge me that price then make it a large, tasty drink in a fancy glass with fruit garnish. Make it special and I will feel special drinking it. Otherwise, you can keep it.

[pspercy]

Looks like we just made Diamond in time to start looking elsewhere.

Yes I know about D benefits but Royal's whole act is becoming very irritating, what's next "We tote the note" ?

[tm81663]

Thanks for posting this. Useful info. Wish I could get a higher res version so its more readable, but understand the forum's restrictions.

 

 

 

As mentioned on other drink threads... We were on Explorer last week and notices a huge increase in bar drink prices compared to a cruise just three months ago.

 

There was only one bar menu throughout the ship (with exception of Pub which has its own A3 sheet) which listed limited offerings and pushing the drinks packages...

 

ALL cocktails priced at $10 +18%

American premium beers all $6.00 +18%

Beers of the world $5.50 +18%

 

You could ask for drinks not on the menu, such as a B52 or Black Russian, but they were charged at $10 +18%

Bar waiter said that ALL cocktails now start at $10

 

Compared to our Allure cruise last November, bar prices have increased by as much as 40% !!

 

For instance:

B52, was $6.50, now $10

Black Russian, was $6.50, now $10

Ultimate cosmopolitan, was $7, now $10

 

 

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Sorry about the small pictures. The forum software reduces them to a max size of 620x280

 

One person on another thread said that on their recent Quantum cruise, the cocktail prices were the same... $11.80 ($10 +18%)

 

I'm guessing this bar price increase will go fleet wide.

[mystrymaster]

I pretty much agree with everything you've said. I didn't mean to imply that I thought RCCL should offer 1.00 beers, was just making the point that they are over-priced to some degree. They don't need to charge 1.00 for for bud or coors, but don't need to charge 5.00 or more +18% either.

 

I agree but much like at concerts or events it is a captive (literally in this case) audience so those beers would be what 4.00? at a local bar so when you look at it as the markup for them is a dollar for the beer at an event, not so bad.

[karena1]

I do get the Premium Package, but here is what I have noticed about the packages

 

Yes, Royal wants you to buy them, BUT SERVICE IS HORRIBLE!!! On Enchantment 2 weekends ago, you could not find a pool server to save your soul! We sat up on the upper deck and not ONCE and I mean NOT ONCE was there a bar server up there. As a result the bars at the pool were slamming!!

 

Royal wants to make money, I get that - but I think it is awful that they want you to buy the package and then they don't want any servers out there to serve you.

 

So the bartenders get overworked, people are less opt to tip extra when they have to wait forever to get a drink, the drinks are watered down now b/c free pouring rarely happens

 

So yes, I like the package, but no I don't like the way Royal is handling it

 

On Celebrity, did not have that problem. Just read a review for Silhouette that said there were bar servers all over the place. Happy about that since we are on there in Dec.

.

Have lots of Royal cruises booked so hoping on Adventure the service at the pool is way better than it was on Enchantment.

[SonicShip]

I've asked this once somewhere else, but please let me repeat the question:

If there are no prices on the menu, how will I know if my Premium package will cover the drink I am ordering?

Seems awkward if I have to inquiry for a price, when I already have a package. And I sure do not want to pay extra on top of the package. That would sort of delete the point of having a package.

 

All I do is ask the bartender if this drink is included in the package.

[sailor05]

I think I'll invest in companies that produce rum runner flasks!;)

[north29]

Travel/cruising is at or near an all tie high, RC or any cruise line can virtually do what they want.

 

The prices reflect any tourist spot other than some dump on a ugly beach.

 

They are looking at making, a ship, and all inclusive ship, like Sandals on shore.

 

Many people cruise/vacation only one time a year, and most do not care what they spend as long as they are having a good time.

 

YES, if another cruise line, such as Holland America, they have some great itineraries that I'm interested in. If they offered me deal with drinks thrown in I would jump ship.