Beverage pkgs - one of us drinks, the other doesn't

[Sophie75]

We're in the midst of booking a cruise on the Harmony of the Seas.  We're two families and with both of us, our husbands like their alcohol, but neither myself, nor my friend drink any alcohol at all.  I've read that if you buy an alcohol beverage pkg, you have to buy one for everyone over 21yrs in the cabin.  Although my husband likes his beer, he doesn't drink enough to cover the cost of both pkgs.  Do they ever take this into consideration and let the 2nd person buy just the pop pkg?  I would definitely use that!

 

I'm trying to figure out my options before we actually book.  Another idea I thought of was to put the guys on one reservation and then my friend and I on the other and that way, they could both get the beverage packages and use them and we wouldn't have to.  But that may cause confusion when it comes to charging things to our rooms (or booking excursions) and such, as we may not want to do everything together.  Any suggestions on ways to manage this??  I know just paying for drinks as we go is an option, but it would be nice if my hubby had the freedom to just enjoy his drinks without me checking the balance on our account to see where we're at all the time!  LOL

[Wahed]

With a phone call you can get the soda package for the other adult in the cabin.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Sophie75 said:

  Another idea I thought of was to put the guys on one reservation and then my friend and I on the other and that way, they could both get the beverage packages and use them and we wouldn't have to.  

That would work.

[ElmwoodPark]

33 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That would work.

When you call Royal Caribbean they will allow one in the cabin to get the alcohol package, but the other must get the refreshment package, not the soda package. The refreshment package includes more beverages (most everything except alcoholic drinks). The soda package is less expensive.

[gerif]

Or you could book both husbands together and wives together. Let the husbands get the drink package. Get extra keys at check in. No one cares who sleeps where. 

[TravisP]

6 minutes ago, ElmwoodPark said:

When you call Royal Caribbean they will allow one in the cabin to get the alcohol package, but the other must get the refreshment package, not the soda package. The refreshment package includes more beverages (most everything except alcoholic drinks). The soda package is less expensive.

Only ones that have to get the Deluxe package are the ones in the same room on the reservations. The other people in the other room do not have to get the deluxe package unless one of them get it. The lesser packages are not forced on everyone reserved in a cabin if one person gets it. 

 

When you get on the ship, you can have the sea pass cards fixed so they match what room the person is actually going to sleep in and not what room they are reserved for. I attached a spreadsheet you can use to see if the cost of deluxe package is worth the cost. 

 

 Beverage Program Calculation.xls

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, ElmwoodPark said:

When you call Royal Caribbean they will allow one in the cabin to get the alcohol package, but the other must get the refreshment package, not the soda package. The refreshment package includes more beverages (most everything except alcoholic drinks). The soda package is less expensive.

My comment was about switching of names on the reservation - no need to buy anything else in that scenario.

[Sophie75]

Thanks!  A lot of good info here and the spreadsheet is awesome.  The fact that we can have our sea pass cards fixed once we board to avoid the confusion of room keys, room charges, etc. pretty much makes it a no brainer.  The guys can bunk together (on paper at least at time of booking) and they can get their "all you can drink alcohol" and we will all be happy.

[gatour]

1 hour ago, Sophie75 said:

Thanks!  A lot of good info here and the spreadsheet is awesome.  The fact that we can have our sea pass cards fixed once we board to avoid the confusion of room keys, room charges, etc. pretty much makes it a no brainer.  The guys can bunk together (on paper at least at time of booking) and they can get their "all you can drink alcohol" and we will all be happy.

BINGO!!!

[brillohead]

Also, you can each set up your own account for charging things on board -- two people in the same room have different accounts and can be paid for with different credit cards.

 

[dpostman]

18 hours ago, Sophie75 said:

Thanks!  A lot of good info here and the spreadsheet is awesome.  The fact that we can have our sea pass cards fixed once we board to avoid the confusion of room keys, room charges, etc. pretty much makes it a no brainer.  The guys can bunk together (on paper at least at time of booking) and they can get their "all you can drink alcohol" and we will all be happy.

 

And... If the guys do get a little "Too Happy" with their bev packages... you can literally make them bunk together, then others can get a good nights sleep 🍻.  I'm not in any way criticizing here as I always get "The" package myself 😁

 

dp

Edited April 3, 2019 by dpostman

[vickiw0318]

You know, back in the day when alcoholic beverages decided that they didn't like me any more, I thought that was a pretty rotten deal.  Now, with all the beverage package "do I buy, do I not buy" goings on, I find myself grateful to have one less cruising issue.  Who knew? 🙂

[Sophie75]

6 hours ago, dpostman said:

 

And... If the guys do get a little "Too Happy" with their bev packages... you can literally make them bunk together, then others can get a good nights sleep 🍻.  I'm not in any way criticizing here as I always get "The" package myself 😁

 

dp

This is a very plausible option!!  LOL

[coaster]

They used to offer a lower priced package that only offered beer and the other non-alcoholic drinks. Mystery to me why it was eliminated. Seems like a lost revenue opportunity to me. 

[TravisP]

9 minutes ago, coaster said:

They used to offer a lower priced package that only offered beer and the other non-alcoholic drinks. Mystery to me why it was eliminated. Seems like a lost revenue opportunity to me. 

Actually, I think it is more revenue. I believe enough people that used to get the lower priced package are still going to get the higher priced package to increase the profits. 

[Clarea]

12 minutes ago, coaster said:

They used to offer a lower priced package that only offered beer and the other non-alcoholic drinks. Mystery to me why it was eliminated. Seems like a lost revenue opportunity to me. 

 

I think they make more money off the Deluxe package.  I'd be curious to know what percentage of people that used to buy the beer/wine package just buy the Deluxe package now.

 

Plus, I'll bet the bottles of beer cost them more than cocktails.

[TravisP]

5 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

I think they make more money off the Deluxe package.  I'd be curious to know what percentage of people that used to buy the beer/wine package just buy the Deluxe package now.

 

Plus, I'll bet the bottles of beer cost them more than cocktails.

I would bet that way more get the deluxe now that used to get the beer/wine than done get it. 

[dpostman]

I think the Select package had beer and wine but no liquor.  But I seem to remember for a short time there was a Grain package (Just beer) and a Grape Package (Just Wine).  Not sure... kinda foggy

 

dp

Edited April 4, 2019 by dpostman

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, dpostman said:

 ... .  But I seem to remember for a short time, a Grain package (Just beer) and a Grape Package (Just Wine).  Not sure... kinda foggy

 

dp

 

I think those come from a different cruise line.  Never heard of any one of those on Royal, unless it was over 10 years ago.

[dpostman]

Just now, Host Clarea said:

 

I think those come from a different cruise line.  Never heard of any one of those on Royal, unless it was over 10 years ago.

 

You are probably right.  I've only done Disney and Royal.  Might have seen that a while back when just peeking over the fence 😉

 

dp

[dpostman]

Royals Bev package documentation from 2014

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/2/2019 at 1:57 PM, gerif said:

Or you could book both husbands together and wives together. Let the husbands get the drink package. Get extra keys at check in. No one cares who sleeps where. 

 

That's what I was thinking in case someone doesn't want the soda package. That's the best way to get around it.

Edited April 4, 2019 by ReneeFLL