I’M CONFUSED AGAIN

[barefootincozumel]

8 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

It should be available pretty quick, although looking today, for my Allure Sept cruise, prices are higher than they were a month ago..a 4th of July sail MAY be coming..who knows?  I booked drink package at $58, it was higher yesterday...but I haven't checked today.  Frankly, I don't expect it to go lower than $58.  

It was 58 yesterday for my 8/29 cruise.... also waiting for a possible  4th of July drop

[S.A.M.J.R.]

So you can use OBC?

[AshleyDillo]

2 hours ago, poocher said:

Can I get smoothies at the Vitality Spa with the DPB?

 

Yes!

[Baowen]

Some people wait to buy it onboard to use their OBC. I paid $50 for my August Ovation cruise. I'm Diamond plus and also have all of those free drinks on the card. I buy the package as a way of not worrying about the final tab.  Not only alcoholic drinks but fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast and water bottles help to justify the package price to me.

[dasi11]

At the cost of the drink package, I wonder if Star class and having the drinks included might not be an easier way to handle it.....LOL...

 

[Joseph2017China]

I'm Diamond, just because I want to say it (but I really am Diamond).  I get free drinks.....guess I'm bragging......and I sometimes get the drink package.....why?  because I say why not!..  Now, I have failed to answer the question.....and I got to brag.....oh, and I do drink a lot on a ship!

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, dasi11 said:

At the cost of the drink package, I wonder if Star class and having the drinks included might not be an easier way to handle it.

 

You could  buy all the perks of Star class (except the Genie) with a Sky class cabin and have a lot of leftover money. 

[RFerrington]

11 hours ago, Baowen said:

I buy the package as a way of not worrying about the final tab.  Not only alcoholic drinks but fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast and water bottles help to justify the package price to me.

Yes !!  Plus, you know that you can get anything you want at any time, any place.  Liquor, wine, beer, coffee, soda (canned !!!), water, smoothies, fresh squeezed juice.  It's worth it to me to not have to worry about how many drinks I am getting (and I don't drink much alcohol....I'm mostly a coffee, water and canned Coke gal).

[Blue Eyed Belfast Belle]

I wish RCI would bring back the Select package.  I don't drink coffee or spirits and mainly drink Strongbow Cider, Diet Coke and bottled water so the deluxe package is not good value for me.

 

I enjoyed the Happy Hour in the Diamond Lounge.  A bottle of Strongbow is 330mls compared to a pint is 568ml so my Diamond Credits of 4 drinks will get me less than 2 1/2 pints...sure that is no good to this Irish Lady! 

 

At least with the Select package I could get my Strongbow and Diet Coke and just buy a water package.

[PTC DAWG]

16 hours ago, poocher said:

You say that but it can add up quick.  I don’t really drink at home but on a cruise, I am NOT driving or responsible for small children.  I start the day with a couple of cups of GOOD coffee with Baileys, 2-3 frozen drinks in the afternoon along with club soda, couple of glasses of wine with dinner and at least one more drink during the evening although I tend to switch to club soda pretty quickly.  Then a couple of bottles of water for the room.  The drink package is usually cheaper than paying OOP for that.

Sage advice..I'm in the same boat..pun intended.  

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

Yes !!  Plus, you know that you can get anything you want at any time, any place.  Liquor, wine, beer, coffee, soda (canned !!!), water, smoothies, fresh squeezed juice.  It's worth it to me to not have to worry about how many drinks I am getting (and I don't drink much alcohol....I'm mostly a coffee, water and canned Coke gal).

You know, people keep bringing this up as a way to justify the cost, but, unless you are drinking alcohol (assuming we're talking the Deluxe package), you are WASTING money.   The refreshment package gives you EVERYTHING that's in the Deluxe package with the exception of alcohol.  

 

At least for our upcoming cruise, the Deluxe package is listed at $70/day and the Refreshment at $30.  That's $40/day difference solely in alcohol.  So, about four alcoholic drinks every day to make up that difference. 

 

Is it doable?  Yup.  And relatively easily.  But I wonder how many "light" drinkers buy the deluxe package when it would make more financial sense to get the Refreshment package and pay for the alcoholic drinks a la carte. 

[Tree_skier]

9 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

You know, people keep bringing this up as a way to justify the cost, but, unless you are drinking alcohol (assuming we're talking the Deluxe package), you are WASTING money.   The refreshment package gives you EVERYTHING that's in the Deluxe package with the exception of alcohol.  

 

At least for our upcoming cruise, the Deluxe package is listed at $70/day and the Refreshment at $30.  That's $40/day difference solely in alcohol.  So, about four alcoholic drinks every day to make up that difference. 

 

Is it doable?  Yup.  And relatively easily.  But I wonder how many "light" drinkers buy the deluxe package when it would make more financial sense to get the Refreshment package and pay for the alcoholic drinks a la carte. 

On my next cruise the split between the DBP and the RP is $27. I needed no thought to make the decision.  At $40 it is something to consider.  I still think that it makes sense but I imagine I would do the math. 

[poocher]

At $40, that’s 3 drinks per day. Still a no brainer for us.

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, poocher said:

At $40, that’s 3 drinks per day. Still a no brainer for us.

Yeah, that's spent by noon.  

[Jasukkie]

I made Diamond on my recent cruise. Can we use those drink vouchers for the fresh squeezed OJ? It's delicious. I doubt I would drink 4 alcohol based drinks per day, but I could definitely do an OJ, nice coffee, tropical beverage, and glass of wine with dinner. 

 

 

[poocher]

Wine yes, non alcoholic beverages no

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, Biker19 said:

You could  buy all the perks of Star class (except the Genie) with a Sky class cabin and have a lot of leftover money. 

 

Adding a third passenger to our A1 was actually cheaper than the cost of dining and drink pkg. Around $800 for 12 days.

 

Our base cost was substantially more😉

[topnole]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:24 AM, Biker19 said:

You could  buy all the perks of Star class (except the Genie) with a Sky class cabin and have a lot of leftover money. 

That isn’t really accurate.  There is a lot a genie does that you can’t get other wise.  Escorting on and off the ship at the beginning and end of the cruise is only for star class.  It is amazingly convenient.   Also, walking to reserved front row seats 5 mins before show time for every show or event all cruise is amazing.  It buys you a lot of time to do other things instead of waiting for a show to start and you always have the best seats in the house.    Changing dinner time at the last minute.  No problem with a Genie.  These things aren’t possible without one.  
 

Is it worth the extra money?   That depends on one’s view.  But you can’t just buy these perks a la carte like you can a drinking package or a specialty dinner.  

[Merion_Mom]

6 minutes ago, topnole said:

That isn’t really accurate.  There is a lot a genie does that you can’t get other wise.  Escorting on and off the ship at the beginning and end of the cruise is only for star class.  It is amazingly convenient.   Also, walking to reserved front row seats 5 mins before show time for every show or event all cruise is amazing.  It buys you a lot of time to do other things instead of waiting for a show to start and you always have the best seats in the house.    Changing dinner time at the last minute.  No problem with a Genie.  These things aren’t possible without one.  
 

Is it worth the extra money?   That depends on one’s view.  But you can’t just buy these perks a la carte like you can a drinking package or a specialty dinner.  

 

Um......... he said "except for the Genie".

[RFerrington]

IMO the biggest perk that you get with SC that you cannot get otherwise, is the room service (both food and drinks) from specialty restaurants.  You cannot pay for that service.  It does not exist outside of SC.

[topnole]

3 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Um......... he said "except for the Genie".

I guess you’re right and I did t read it carefully enough.  But there aren’t many star class perks you can buy if you aren’t star class.   

You can buy internet (included in sky class anyhow), drinks, and dinners.  But you can’t buy bar tenders delivering a case of beer to your room every day.  I guess maybe you could (maybe), but it would cost hundreds of dollars.  Same with bottles of wine.  And those aren’t the  genie.  Just star class perks.  Same with flowrider benefits.   No genie there to make it happen.  You just got the perk.  So there are other things that can’t be bought.  
 

But my point is you can’t buy the value star class provides (genie or otherwise).  

[topnole]

8 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

IMO the biggest perk that you get with SC that you cannot get otherwise, is the room service (both food and drinks) from specialty restaurants.  You cannot pay for that service.  It does not exist outside of SC.

This is true and it is huge.  Having a never ending supply of beers on my aqua suite balcony was heaven.  Having a particular type of meal on your balcony is great for a special evening.  Granted, SC is very expensive and I wouldn’t do it every time.  But it sure is great when you go star class.  

[kmorg1234]

Just like I don’t understand how people pay full price for the cruise itself without looking for the discounts!  Even if it isn’t in cash, there are tons of TAs out there that have OBC out there- I’ve gotten thousands (yes, thousands) of $ back over the years by booking my cabin with RCI, then going to the cruise compete website to get TAs to compete for your booking.  

 

[topnole]

34 minutes ago, kmorg1234 said:

Just like I don’t understand how people pay full price for the cruise itself without looking for the discounts!  Even if it isn’t in cash, there are tons of TAs out there that have OBC out there- I’ve gotten thousands (yes, thousands) of $ back over the years by booking my cabin with RCI, then going to the cruise compete website to get TAs to compete for your booking.  

 

Well, you do give up control of your booking and sometimes that is a big disadvantage to using a TA.  That cost me once because I couldn’t get ahold of the travel agent before the cabin I wanted to switch to was gone.  If the perks are 100-200 for an entire cruise it may not be worth giving up the freedom and control to change things anytime you want and not relying on an agent being available immediately.  Now if you’re talking 500-1000 in perks maybe it is worth using a TA and losing that control.