Beverage Pkg increase

[dmw1952]

Came across this article stating the alcohol package & n/a refreshment package prices will be increased effective January 1, 2019.   Looks like we'll be purchasing before the 1st of the year for our 2019 cruises. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2018/10/15/royal-caribbean-hikes-beverage-package-prices-2019-norwegian-drinks-cost/1645879002/

Diane

[tugboat]

Looks like Rum Runners sales will be brisk next year.

[kimcruiser]

Oh dear. Well this puts our pre-planning into high gear before the first of the year I guess.

[ONECRUISER]

Knew about the increase on Soda plan for a while now, not sure other increases been out a while or not

[JAMESCC]

The soda package going up is just ridiculous. Soda is cheaper than ever and god only knows how cheap RCI gets soda for.

[CP3o]

I can't really justify buying it b/c last cruise couldn't even use 3 DL drinks offered since brought wine onboard and don't really like beverage package wine. 

It's similar to buffet prices on land, if I find one with good enough quality to compare to a regular restaurant, I'm still better off at the non-buffet place where I can order a meal and bring home 1/2 for leftovers.  The pricing is going toward only really big drinkers can justify getting it, and that's fine too, we all make decisions based on how much can drink, RCCL can do what they want, their ship.  Perhaps their sales will just show up as larger percentages off now........... we've seen that before.

I do sort of think a diamond member may bet the biggest bang from booking BW balcony so get sodas already, and coffee from the DL, and 3 drinks per night outside of the DL.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Really looks expensive!

[Pipo]

I've always seen the beverage package expensive, but within reach. But that $7 PER DAY increase will make it "cost prohibitive". I think RCI is switching hard from a room-based sales model, to an "options and extras" business, just like airlines and their baggage fees.
But I think this will be good news to non-alcohol drinkers, since that increase could mean a decrease on the base cruise fares.
 

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, Pipo said:

I've always seen the beverage package expensive, but within reach. But that $7 PER DAY increase will make it "cost prohibitive". I think RCI is switching hard from a room-based sales model, to an "options and extras" business, just like airlines and their baggage fees.
But I think this will be good news to non-alcohol drinkers, since that increase could mean a decrease on the base cruise fares.
 

Do you really believe that Royal would lower the base cruise fare because of an increase in the drink package?  Base fares will also rise just like everything else.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Ourusualbeach

[70SS350]

Thank you NCL for raising yours. Thank you RCL for following. 

[dmw1952]

22 minutes ago, 70SS350 said:

Thank you NCL for raising yours. Thank you RCL for following. 

As my mom used to say..."monkey see, monkey do"

[HBE4]

Are the prices quoted in the article the price charged once on board?  On my up coming Liberty OTS cruise, I pre-purchased @ $42 PP/PD. It was a sale price but I believe the "regular" price in the Cruise Planner was $45 PP/PD, well below the current $57-63 quoted below

From the article:

"Effective Jan. 1, the cost of the line's main drinks package, the Deluxe Beverage Package, will range from $63 to $70 per person, per day, according to a price grid recently updated on the line's website. That's up more than 10% from the current range of $57 to $63 per person, per day." 

[Tony O]

Old news this has been reported on many other social media sites since for over a week since  this site downgraded theirs

[Pipo]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Do you really believe that Royal would lower the base cruise fare because of an increase in the drink package?  Base fares will also rise just like everything else.

Well, I see that cruise fares are frozen, a 7-night eastern Caribbean on Harmony has a similar or lower fare as it was on Allure 5 years ago, but if we adjust to inflation, it turns to be cheaper.

[Blauelini]

70 dollars a day for the top end price? Fool to pay that. On a typical 7 night EC cruise with 3 port calls in which you'll likely be off ship most of the day and not getting anywhere near that 70 dollar break even point, they are making easy money off you. Done with the beverage package. 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Blauelini

[ollienbertsmum]

1 hour ago, Blauelini said:

70 dollars a day for the top end price? Fool to pay that. On a typical 7 night EC cruise with 3 port calls in which you'll likely be off ship most of the day and not getting anywhere near that 70 dollar break even point, they are making easy money off you. Done with the beverage package. 

 

 

It is the same with the Med cruises that I like to take which have 5 long port days in a 7 day cruise.  If I were to try to fit in that much alcohol during the time that I spend on board I would be basically paying £1500 to have a 7 day hangover.    If the beverage package comes as a perk I will take it.  If not I pay my own bill at the end and I will be pretty sure that I am quids in.  

[Pipo]

22 hours ago, Blauelini said:

70 dollars a day for the top end price? Fool to pay that. On a typical 7 night EC cruise with 3 port calls in which you'll likely be off ship most of the day and not getting anywhere near that 70 dollar break even point, they are making easy money off you. Done with the beverage package. 

Agree. I've never paid for an alcoholic package, I stick to the soda package.

[mattb31]

On 10/16/2018 at 7:04 PM, JAMESCC said:

The soda package going up is just ridiculous. Soda is cheaper than ever and god only knows how cheap RCI gets soda for.

It actually is probably one of the most marked up items on the ship. I worked at a fast food chain in high school and a 5-gallon bag of soda syrup was about $10, that could fill about 150 20oz sodas. Do the math on how much they make 🙄

[HBE4]

On 10/17/2018 at 12:12 AM, Pipo said:

Well, I see that cruise fares are frozen, a 7-night eastern Caribbean on Harmony has a similar or lower fare as it was on Allure 5 years ago, but if we adjust to inflation, it turns to be cheaper.

 

Correct. Cruise lines make very little money  on the cabin itself. It's the drinks, specialty restaurants and excursions where they rake in the money.

 

[HBE4]

55 minutes ago, mattb31 said:

It actually is probably one of the most marked up items on the ship. I worked at a fast food chain in high school and a 5-gallon bag of soda syrup was about $10, that could fill about 150 20oz sodas. Do the math on how much they make 🙄

 

Coffee is another big money maker. Those $6 cups of coffee cost .20 cents to make.

[Callythecat]

Called Royal today and the soda package has already went up a $ 1.00 a day.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

1 hour ago, mattb31 said:

It actually is probably one of the most marked up items on the ship. I worked at a fast food chain in high school and a 5-gallon bag of soda syrup was about $10, that could fill about 150 20oz sodas. Do the math on how much they make 🙄

I don't know how long ago you were in hig school but a 5 gallon bag of coke is $88 at Sams Club.

Granted they are still making a killing even at those prices.

Bill

[mattb31]

6 hours ago, S.S.Oceanlover said:

I don't know how long ago you were in hig school but a 5 gallon bag of coke is $88 at Sams Club.

Granted they are still making a killing even at those prices.

Bill

Def misquoted it, you're right it is around ~$100. I looked though, that bag is advertised to produce 30 gallons which is 3,840 ounces or 480 fillups of that freestyle cup. Figure on a 7 night cruise you pay about $90 total for the package and on the high end someone would probably fill up 30-35 times. That's a crazy profit margin.

[vacationlover_mn]

Glad I prebought mine for February!

[Ocean Boy]

On 10/17/2018 at 12:12 AM, Pipo said:

Well, I see that cruise fares are frozen, a 7-night eastern Caribbean on Harmony has a similar or lower fare as it was on Allure 5 years ago, but if we adjust to inflation, it turns to be cheaper.

They are charging as much as they can that will allow them to still fill the ships. They most certainly have not "frozen" prices, as you put it, because they are increasing profits in other departments.