All Inclusive alcohol package

[alidee12]

Hi there. Sailing on April 5th on the Serenade. It will be my first time on RC. I noticed for the alcohol packages it says that every person in the room who is over 21 MUST purchase the package. I would like to do it, but my husband has never had a sip of alcohol in his life. It is asinine to expect him to pay $500 when he wouldn't even use it. Is there a way around this? Could I site religious reasons and they would HAVE to abide by it?? 

How much are drinks a la carte approximately? Thanks!!!

Edited December 27, 2018 by alidee12

[Thorben-Hendrik]

20 minutes ago, alidee12 said:

Could I site religious reasons and they would HAVE to abide by it??  

Only of they have the same religion! 🤔😁

[Balsam12]

From what I read on various websites, you can contact RC and simply tell them the truth... that your husband does not drink alcohol. They will then allow him to purchase the refreshment package and you the Deluxe Beverage package. It the first operator you speak to to says no, just try again with another one.

 

The other question would be, if your hubby doesn't drink at all, do you drink enough to warrant the package, or would it be cheaper for you to get the refreshment package and just pay as you go for alcohol?

[alidee12]

12 minutes ago, Balsam12 said:

From what I read on various websites, you can contact RC and simply tell them the truth... that your husband does not drink alcohol. They will then allow him to purchase the refreshment package and you the Deluxe Beverage package. It the first operator you speak to to says no, just try again with another one.

 

The other question would be, if your hubby doesn't drink at all, do you drink enough to warrant the package, or would it be cheaper for you to get the refreshment package and just pay as you go for alcohol?

 

That's what I'm wondering. I haven't been on a cruise since 2013, so I am not familiar with what prices are currently for a good glass of wine or mixed drinks. If the package is $50 a day, it may be worth it for me if the prices are over $10 a drink. Are you able to just buy it for part of the trip or are you required to purchase it for the duration of the cruise?

We plan on just doing the carry on waters and seltzer at embarkation as we don't drink soda either (we'd have our Uber driver stop at CVS on the way to port). Then we can drink the lemonade or whatever is free on board.

[Balsam12]

I believe you can purchase the package onboard as long as there are at least three days left on the cruise, however the price per day will probably be higher than purchasing before the cruise.

 

So... if you will take water on board, don't drink soda, hubby doesn't drink alcohol, then really it only leaves barista coffee and fresh juice. If you're happy with the standard coffee and other included drinks, it comes down to how many alcoholic drinks you would have per day.

 

Some maths as an example, using prices from my upcoming cruise:

 

Deluxe package - $69 per day

Refreshment package - $35 per day

Total for you to get the Deluxe would therefore be $104 per day.

The Deluxe package covers drinks up to $12 each

If neither of you drink soda, fresh juice or specialty coffee, and you have your own water, then you would need to have 8 or 9 alcoholic drinks per day to make the Deluxe package worthwhile.

 

If coffee is important, you can usually get a coffee card, which on my sailing gives 15 coffees for $43.

 

Note - my prices are in AUD, but the maths would be the same no matter what the currency.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

[Lifesaver1984]

15 minutes ago, alidee12 said:

 

That's what I'm wondering. I haven't been on a cruise since 2013, so I am not familiar with what prices are currently for a good glass of wine or mixed drinks. If the package is $50 a day, it may be worth it for me if the prices are over $10 a drink. Are you able to just buy it for part of the trip or are you required to purchase it for the duration of the cruise?

We plan on just doing the carry on waters and seltzer at embarkation as we don't drink soda either (we'd have our Uber driver stop at CVS on the way to port). Then we can drink the lemonade or whatever is free on board.

 

Roughly speaking .... From memory, so happy to be corrected here

 

Beers would be around $8-$9

A spirit an mixer around $10ish

Cocktails around $13-$14 

 

All prices would be USD and subject to 18% gratuity on each purchase.

 

I've always taken the drinks package (in Australian dollars it's about $70-$80 a day) so I don't have to worry about the exchange rates or the cost of every drink I have.

[Balsam12]

Yep... we have taken the package for both of us, as we drink coffee, juice and alcohol. Added that we can't be bothered carrying a 24 pack of water, so for the convenience, we were happy to pay AUD 60 + 18% for the package.

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, alidee12 said:

 

That's what I'm wondering. I haven't been on a cruise since 2013, so I am not familiar with what prices are currently for a good glass of wine or mixed drinks. If the package is $50 a day, it may be worth it for me if the prices are over $10 a drink. Are you able to just buy it for part of the trip or are you required to purchase it for the duration of the cruise?

We plan on just doing the carry on waters and seltzer at embarkation as we don't drink soda either (we'd have our Uber driver stop at CVS on the way to port). Then we can drink the lemonade or whatever is free on board.

Over Thanksgiving weekend they were offering a discount on both the deluxe package and the refreshment package. I don't drink enough alcohol to make it worth getting the deluxe  package and since there was  a $32 per day difference in price between the two packages I called and ordered  one of each. You can't purchase one of each in the cruise planner. I only drink soda on occasion but I do drink sparkling water, juice and coffee so the $17 per day price for the refreshment package was well worth it for me. My wife does drink wine at meals and cocktails in the evening so  the deluxe package will work out for her. Watch your cruise planner for sales on both packages. You can cancel and repurchase if you see a lower price. You can only bring on 12 bottles per room of  soft drink beverages on board in your carry on now. No more checking a case of water with your luggage. There is also a limit on the ounces per bottle but I don't remember the exact amount. 

 

I just wanted to note that I am fine with drinking the ships water but I'm not about to walk around with a reusable bottle that has to be washed out. I'm also fine with the ships regular coffee or lemonade but It has been my experience  that those choices are only available in limited venues like the MDR or Buffet. These ships are getting too big to have to walk to Windjammer just to get a drink. I would probably be passing serval bars on my way where I could just pick up a bottle of water or a can of soda.

Edited December 27, 2018 by Iamcruzin

[vacationlover_mn]

Also... think about how many port days you will have.  We drink less from our drink package on port days.  Though, you CAN use the package on Labadee 🙂

[not-enough-cruising]

10 hours ago, alidee12 said:

Could I site religious reasons and they would HAVE to abide by it?? 

 

No, the cruise lines do not have to accommodate anyone’s religious reasons. 

[alidee12]

12 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

I believe you can purchase the package onboard as long as there are at least three days left on the cruise, however the price per day will probably be higher than purchasing before the cruise.

 

So... if you will take water on board, don't drink soda, hubby doesn't drink alcohol, then really it only leaves barista coffee and fresh juice. If you're happy with the standard coffee and other included drinks, it comes down to how many alcoholic drinks you would have per day.

 

Some maths as an example, using prices from my upcoming cruise:

 

Deluxe package - $69 per day

Refreshment package - $35 per day

Total for you to get the Deluxe would therefore be $104 per day.

The Deluxe package covers drinks up to $12 each

If neither of you drink soda, fresh juice or specialty coffee, and you have your own water, then you would need to have 8 or 9 alcoholic drinks per day to make the Deluxe package worthwhile.

 

If coffee is important, you can usually get a coffee card, which on my sailing gives 15 coffees for $43.

 

Note - my prices are in AUD, but the maths would be the same no matter what the currency.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

Thank you!!!! I appreciate your breakdown of everything!!

We saw the specialty coffee card. We are definitely getting it for him. I may still do the deluxe package for myself if it includes all the coffee too. I figure 1-2 lattes a day plus wines with dinner and a couple poolside drinks. It would most likely be worth it for me. 

[pspercy]

We were on Liberty 12/9 - 16 and on the Friday they offered Drink cards at $79 for 10 drinks.

"18% gratuity automatically added".

[alidee12]

On ‎12‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 9:11 AM, vacationlover_mn said:

Also... think about how many port days you will have.  We drink less from our drink package on port days.  Though, you CAN use the package on Labadee 🙂

Good point. That's also something to think about. We have 5 fairly long port days! It's not like I will drink in the am either. Hmmm....

[alidee12]

On ‎12‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 11:52 PM, pspercy said:

We were on Liberty 12/9 - 16 and on the Friday they offered Drink cards at $79 for 10 drinks.

"18% gratuity automatically added".

That would be much more worth it for me than the deluxe package. We plan to bring a bottle of wine in each suitcase (both are for me haha). I wonder how to find out if they will be offering this on our sailing. I suppose I can just wait and see.

[Sobro]

Bring your wine as carry on or your checked bags will end up in the naughty room. And if you haven't, please join our roll call. We won't bite.

 

 

[alidee12]

2 hours ago, Sobro said:

Bring your wine as carry on or your checked bags will end up in the naughty room. And if you haven't, please join our roll call. We won't bite.

 

will do! on both counts!

 

[wolfcathorse]

recently on Grandeur (October 2018) the bartender in the R Bar told me that if you buy your drink package on board, they don't enforce both guests over 21 in the same cabin purchasing it. You will pay more for the package on board but compared to having to buy 2, you still come out ahead just waiting and buying when you board. Caveat, I don't know if he was just telling me this to make the sale (he had brought up the subject after making my Cosmo) or if it's true. He had also told me that 4 days had to be left in the cruise to buy it (as opposed to 3).

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I think the OP needs a new husband! 

[Journey2016]

We were just on the Allure for Christmas. My wife and I did not take the package, and brought two bottles of wine with us. In addition, taking a Central Park balcony gets you another bottle of wine and a free meal in Giovanni's Table. There were 4 port days of a 7 day cruise, so our bar bill was less than $200. If we had taken the package, it would have cost us almost $900. 

 

On the other hand, there were 6 other people in our party (my in laws), and the other three cabins all had the alcohol package. They felt the need to drink as much as possible to "get their money's worth" and spent the entire cruise HIGHLY intoxicated to the point where, by night 5, I was purposely avoiding them. 

[brillohead]

On 12/27/2018 at 5:24 PM, alidee12 said:

Thank you!!!! I appreciate your breakdown of everything!!

We saw the specialty coffee card. We are definitely getting it for him. I may still do the deluxe package for myself if it includes all the coffee too. I figure 1-2 lattes a day plus wines with dinner and a couple poolside drinks. It would most likely be worth it for me. 

Note that if you get the Alcohol Package, you'll probably be required to get the Refreshment Package for your husband.  No need to get the coffee card if he's getting the Refreshment Package....

[alidee12]

1 hour ago, BillieJeanKaraokeKing said:

I think the OP needs a new husband! 

Excuse me? My husband has been straight edge his whole life and is a Captain in the military.

RUDE

[alidee12]

1 hour ago, Journey2016 said:

We were just on the Allure for Christmas. My wife and I did not take the package, and brought two bottles of wine with us. In addition, taking a Central Park balcony gets you another bottle of wine and a free meal in Giovanni's Table. There were 4 port days of a 7 day cruise, so our bar bill was less than $200. If we had taken the package, it would have cost us almost $900. 

 

On the other hand, there were 6 other people in our party (my in laws), and the other three cabins all had the alcohol package. They felt the need to drink as much as possible to "get their money's worth" and spent the entire cruise HIGHLY intoxicated to the point where, by night 5, I was purposely avoiding them. 

I think I'm going to follow your lead. I don't want to get to the point where I have to drink my money's worth if I get the package. My plan isn't to get loaded this whole cruise, as I haven't seen my husband for an entire year due to his deployment. We have more important things to do hahaha :)

[torpeedo]

3 minutes ago, alidee12 said:

I think I'm going to follow your lead. I don't want to get to the point where I have to drink my money's worth if I get the package. My plan isn't to get loaded this whole cruise, as I haven't seen my husband for an entire year due to his deployment. We have more important things to do hahaha :)

 

I think that's the right decision.  You would probably never reach the daily amount anyway.  You can drink when and whatever you want.  Thank your husband for his service.  Very much appreciated. Thank you for your service also! Hope you have a fantastic time!

[retiredgram]

17 minutes ago, alidee12 said:

Excuse me? My husband has been straight edge his whole life and is a Captain in the military.

RUDE

I'm sure they were joking.

Back to the drink package.,  I bought it before both had to buy.  To be honest,  I was drinking more even though I did not want another drink. I was trying to get my monies worth.  From then on, I will just pay per drink..  Too me, it is not worth the cost. 

Just my opinion.  Enjoy your cruise.

[flamingos]

On 12/27/2018 at 4:07 AM, alidee12 said:

Hi there. Sailing on April 5th on the Serenade. It will be my first time on RC. I noticed for the alcohol packages it says that every person in the room who is over 21 MUST purchase the package. I would like to do it, but my husband has never had a sip of alcohol in his life. It is asinine to expect him to pay $500 when he wouldn't even use it. Is there a way around this? Could I site religious reasons and they would HAVE to abide by it?? 

How much are drinks a la carte approximately? Thanks!!!

 

We have done it both ways, on board and in advance.  It's MUCH cheaper to buy the package before boarding, with a sale.  Simply call Royal, explain that one of you is a non-drinker, and that's it.  The second person MUST buy another drink package, either soda or coffee.  It was no problem at all.