I drink, wife doesn’t, so what should we do?

[LongHill44]

My wife may have a drink near the pool and maybe a glass of wine at dinner and that’s it.

 

Although I am no longer carrying kegs on shoulders and drinking from the nozzle, I think I will do over 10 drinks or more throughout the day.

 

So what do you all suggest we do?

 

[ShakyBeef]

I assume you are asking if you should get the drink package or pay as you go.  I suggest you pay as you go.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, LongHill44 said:

My wife may have a drink near the pool and maybe a glass of wine at dinner and that’s it.

 

Although I am no longer carrying kegs on shoulders and drinking from the nozzle, I think I will do over 10 drinks or more throughout the day.

 

So what do you all suggest we do?

 

If you call Royal they will allow you to purchase the deluxe package and your wife can purchase the refreshment package. 

[h20skibum]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If you call Royal they will allow you to purchase the deluxe package and your wife can purchase the refreshment package. 

But, if she is ordering a drink by the pool, and at dinner, and paying for those, won’t they switch her to the drink package?  I thought I read that was someone’s experience. 
 

if that is the case, it is probably better to get 2 drink packages to start with.  If you are drinking more than 10 a day, that would be cheaper. 

[Clarea]

Just now, h20skibum said:

But, if she is ordering a drink by the pool, and at dinner, and paying for those, won’t they switch her to the drink package? ...

 

Don't know why they would do that.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, h20skibum said:

But, if she is ordering a drink by the pool, and at dinner, and paying for those, won’t they switch her to the drink package?  I thought I read that was someone’s experience. 
 

if that is the case, it is probably better to get 2 drink packages to start with.  If you are drinking more than 10 a day, that would be cheaper. 

I’ve never seen a verified report of that only people hypothesizing.  

 

 I just don’t see Royals IT dept being able to link the 2 and make that determination.  

[molly361]

Pay as you go

[crewsweeper]

There's a break even point around 5-8 drinks a day. Fewer for cocktails,  more for beer.  Less if including specialty coffees, sodas, water, juice.

So your 10 plus her 2-3 plus other things, might make 2 packages ok.

Probably not a lot of savings but convenient knowing no large bar tab coming at the end.

[toxicfairy]

We have the same issue. I might possibly drink 2 drinks the while time . Now that i found out i can...i will be calling and getting dh the big drink package and me the refreshment package. We will both be happy😊

[BunnyHutt]

3 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

There's a break even point around 5-8 drinks a day. Fewer for cocktails,  more for beer.  Less if including specialty coffees, sodas, water, juice.

So your 10 plus her 2-3 plus other things, might make 2 packages ok.

Probably not a lot of savings but convenient knowing no large bar tab coming at the end.

I agree with this logic... the two combined should absolutely move you past the break-even point versus pay as you go. 
 

I don’t drink a lot/often when I’m at home, either, but it’s easy for my 1 drink by the pool to become 2 or 3 over the course of the day and/or my dinner cocktail be refilled. I buy the drink pkg because I just don’t want to have to worry about what’s going to be on my bill at the end of the trip. 

[taglovestocruise]

25 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Don't know why they would do that.

There was a post here or on Ask A Cruise question about two weeks ago where someone had a drink package and a refreshment package.  The wife ordered a drink on her sea pass card and that night the refreshment package was eliminated and a UBP was added to the cabin account. They were told by guest services that they were allowed to get the refreshment package because the wife did not drink.  Hard to believe they could catch someone cheating or lying but things do happen. Seems as if a person has a refreshment package and then buys a drink or two Royal would be ahead. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by taglovestocruise

[AlexisV]

The only time an exception is made for the deluxe beverage package is if the other adult can't drink for medical or religious reasons, or - if they are a recovering alcoholic.  It's not just something you can do.  But if that exception is going to be made, it can only be done over the phone. 

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

There was a post here or on Ask A Cruise question about two weeks ago where someone had a drink package and a refreshment package.  The wife ordered a drink on her sea pass card and that night the refreshment package was eliminated and a UBP was added to the cabin account. They were told by guest services that they were allowed to get the refreshment package because the wife did not drink.  Hard to believe they could catch someone cheating or lying but things do happen. Seems as if a person has a refreshment package and then buys a drink or two Royal would be ahead. 

 

Interesting, I do not recall reading that post.

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, AlexisV said:

The only time an exception is made for the deluxe beverage package is if the other adult can't drink for medical or religious reasons, or - if they are a recovering alcoholic.  It's not just something you can do.  But if that exception is going to be made, it can only be done over the phone. 

You don’t need to give a reason when you call.  It can be as simple as my partner doesn’t drink.  

 

Those exceptions were in place when they didn't force force the second person to buy the refreshment package. 

[HBE4]

6 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Interesting, I do not recall reading that post.

 

I did see a post like that once. I feel like it was more than 2 weeks ago...but I could be wrong.

 

But I'm pretty sure I only say one post like that.

 

Just one. 

[BND]

12 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You don’t need to give a reason when you call.  It can be as simple as my partner doesn’t drink.  

 

Those exceptions were in place when they didn't force force the second person to buy the refreshment package. 

But, in this case, OP's wife doesn't drink a lot, but she does drink.

[Coralc]

It would surprise me that they can catch that. Because for us, we both have the deluxe beverage package and it seems that every cruise there are one or two drink charges added to our onboard account; even though we have the package, and even though we did not order drinks for anyone else or with charges. And we always end up going to guest services to have the charges removed.

 

So how they would notice that someone who had a refreshment package ordered a cocktail and is tied to someone who has a deluxe package is beyond me. 

[Clarea]

Just now, Coralc said:

 ...

 

So how they would notice that someone who had a refreshment package ordered a cocktail and is tied to someone who has a deluxe package is beyond me. 

 

Might not have been something the IT system discovered.  Might just have been something Bar Server or Bar Manager noticed and had an incentive to report.

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, LongHill44 said:

My wife may have a drink near the pool and maybe a glass of wine at dinner and that’s it.

 

Although I am no longer carrying kegs on shoulders and drinking from the nozzle, I think I will do over 10 drinks or more throughout the day.

 

So what do you all suggest we do?

 

 

As others have pointed out, you should buy the deluxe drink package and your wife should get the refreshment package. You need to call as the website will not allow it.

 

There is a miscue chance that your wife's refreshment package will be upgraded to the deluxe beverage package should she order an alcoholic drink, based on one person's experience. One person!   So be prepared but even at 12+ plus drinks a day - not to mention bottled water, specialty coffee, smoothies, etc - you'll still come out ahead. And more importantly, you can still have whatever you want, whenever your want.

 

[neverbeenhere]

The number of ports and the number of drinks you plan to consume in port enters into this calculation. 

[HBE4]

1 minute ago, Host Clarea said:

Might just have been something Bar Server or Bar Manager noticed and had an incentive to report.

 

Most likely this.

 

I would recommend to the OP that his wife and him do not order drinks at the exact same time to minimize the chance.

 

As she may only have 2 drinks max a day (one at the pool, the other at dinner), it should not be an issue.

[Joelster123]

I recall a post where someone spoke to RCL and they said that may happen, but don't remember seeing a post where it  actually did happen.

 

If you really wanted to be safe you could order her alcoholic drinks on your package, tell the bartender you want to pay for a drink for someone else and then that should work.

[not-enough-cruising]

8 minutes ago, Joelster123 said:

I recall a post where someone spoke to RCL and they said that may happen, but don't remember seeing a post where it  actually did happen.

 

If you really wanted to be safe you could order her alcoholic drinks on your package, tell the bartender you want to pay for a drink for someone else and then that should work.

Great idea

[AlexisV]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You don’t need to give a reason when you call.  It can be as simple as my partner doesn’t drink.  

 

Those exceptions were in place when they didn't force force the second person to buy the refreshment package. 

I'm sorry - but this is simply not true.  There are only certain exception made with this policy.  The listed reasons are correct, however, that doesn't mean an agent will not make mistakes and make exceptions that shouldn't be accommodated - but the policy is clear. 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, AlexisV said:

I'm sorry - but this is simply not true.  There are only certain exception made with this policy.  The listed reasons are correct, however, that doesn't mean an agent will not make mistakes and make exceptions that shouldn't be accommodated - but the policy is clear. 

Well there certainly have been a lot of posts on here over the past year where agents havent followed the policy