Please educate this RV newbie on drink package

[Merion_Mom]

15 minutes ago, Pomc99 said:

Here's the deal, once a drink is in your hands, no bartender cares where it goes next if you do not like it. In Nov, I cruised solo (room by myself) and family and friends were also on the cruise and I did not get the booze drink package. Was no problem for anyone to hand me a drink on occasion. I also went and got my mom drinks so she didn't have to get up and go. No problem using her card to get her drinks either.

 

Enjoy yourself and don't overthink this or let anyone scare or shame you.

 

The upcoming cruise, my wife has the booze package and I just have the deluxe beverage package.

 

Um...............The "booze package" and the "deluxe beverage package" are the same thing.

[Pomc99]

Whatever the beverage package is called without booze, is what I have.

 

Just looked it up and it is the Refreshment Package I have. So she has the Deluxe (booze) and I do not - which was my point.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Pomc99

[billslowsky]

14 hours ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

All adults in the cabin must purchase a drink package of some type. If you book it on-line they must all be "UDP". However, if someone is not  drinker of alcohol you can call customer (no service) and request that you purchase a (1) "UDP" and (1) a refreshment package. It can't seem to be done on-line, only directly with RCCL.

I tried to do this last month, they asked about medical conditions such as diabetes and told me that wasn't allowed otherwise any more.  I'm not a big drinker, maybe two a day.

 

We instead budgeted for six drinks a day between us, plus a soda package for me, and came out WAY ahead.  Plus we brought two bottles of wine in the room.

[wayne_trisha]

14 hours ago, Mr. Green said:

If you are paying $66 per day for the UDP, you are looking at a minimum of 5-$13 drinks a day to break even. Now if you go for beer and wine, you will need to drink more to make up for it. Remember, if you are off ship or board late the first day, etc. you have to make up for it to break even. Just do some math before you purchase it and take a look at some of the drink menus that are posted online.

DBP INCLUDES MUCH MORE THAN ALCOHOL.

• Fountain soda and refills at any venue
• Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages*
• Coca-Cola® souvenir cup
• Non-alcoholic cocktails (mocktails)
• Still and sparkling water
• Premium coffees and teas
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Cocktails • Spirits • Liquor
• Beer • Wine by the Glass

I don’t see it listed so I am not sure about energy drinks. It is very easy to run up a non-alcoholic drink tab if you order the non-alcoholic drinks without a drink package. At $13 a cocktail it is very easy to exceed the daily cost of the DBP.

[Pomc99]

1 hour ago, billslowsky said:

I tried to do this last month, they asked about medical conditions such as diabetes and told me that wasn't allowed otherwise any more.  I'm not a big drinker, maybe two a day.

 

We instead budgeted for six drinks a day between us, plus a soda package for me, and came out WAY ahead.  Plus we brought two bottles of wine in the room.

 

Call again. It was no problem for me a few weeks ago. Originally I bought the Deluxe (booze) packages for us both on the Black Friday sale, knowing I'd call to switch myself to the Refreshment Package.

 

Was no problem, but the way it worked was the rep had to cancel both Deluxe packages from Black Friday and then I re-purchased the Deluxe for my wife and the refreshment for myself. Worked out fine because the sale price of the Deluxe was actually a little less than the black Friday pricing.

 

I di not have to offer an explanation or medical reason.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Pomc99

[Itchy&Scratchy]

how does one use the beverage package during the embarkation lunch, prior to having the cards?

[smplybcause]

5 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

how does one use the beverage package during the embarkation lunch, prior to having the cards?

 

Your set sail pass barcode is used for any purchases on board until you get your cards. Though in my experience post covid they just asked for my room number and didn't want the pass. 

[ditmar2007]

5 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

how does one use the beverage package during the embarkation lunch, prior to having the cards?

Last time I cruised with RCI we were sent a set sail pass (or whatever it was called). I printed it and brought it to check-in. It contains a bar code - this can also be used in the bars.

 

[ditmar2007]

Just now, smplybcause said:

 

Your set sail pass barcode is used for any purchases on board until you get your cards. Though in my experience post covid they just asked for my room number and didn't want the pass. 

JINX! 🙂

 

[SRF]

16 hours ago, Mrcar09 said:

I’ve always wondered if you do this, is the passenger with the refreshment package able to purchase alcoholic drinks and just pay for them individually? Or does this raise red flags as to your reason for not buying the DBP. I can make the drink package worthwhile for myself no problem but my wife drinks 1-2 drinks a day and really only water other than that. We usually just pay as we go for that reason.

 

One would think so, but no one has reported an issue.

 

The whole both must purchase came from one person getting the package and getting lots of drinks for the other person.