Beverage Packages Price Increased

[riandei]

On 5/13/2022 at 7:10 AM, parrothead33 said:

In order to get your discount on upgrading to the Premium package you have to call Cruise Enhancements after final payment.

Can you direct me to where i might find this number

 

thanks

[parrothead33]

800-722-5941

[tabby50894]

On 5/13/2022 at 9:34 AM, durberville said:

Yes! A 40% increase with no warning sure seems excessive! I realize costs have increased, but I think it should apply to new bookings - or at least give those already booked a heads up to upgrade by a certain date or accept the price increase…I booked last week and was assured several times that I could wait and upgrade on the ship - no rush!  

 

That said, I was ticked off last night when I 
went to my cruise planner and only saw the $16.80 option. Called this morning…had a relatively short hold (wow!) and was given the $12 upgrade price minus my small CC discount - so I’m happy. I’d suggest anyone with the same issue call and speak to a customer rep - squeaky wheel and all that. 😬

I needed to escalate to a supervisor, but got the same deal. I would suggest that as long as the Always Included FAQs on the web site say the price to upgrade is $12, they have to honor it.

[grandgeezer]

If this is true, I’m surprised they waited this long. Dynamic pricing, supply and demand, inflation, all your favorite buzzwords for why cruise pricing rising, applies to anything.

As long as people continue to pay, they’d be fools not milk every penny they possibly can.

[mk960072]

On 5/14/2022 at 5:16 PM, tabby50894 said:

I needed to escalate to a supervisor, but got the same deal. I would suggest that as long as the Always Included FAQs on the web site say the price to upgrade is $12, they have to honor it.

I agree and had to call a supervisor today to purchase the prem bev package. They were helpful and took care of me.  But I agree, they should have given folks a heads up that prices were going up or for those of us already booked, dont charge us the higher rate.  Going from $69 to $84 per person per day is a BIG jump.  

[mk960072]

21 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

If this is true, I’m surprised they waited this long. Dynamic pricing, supply and demand, inflation, all your favorite buzzwords for why cruise pricing rising, applies to anything.

As long as people continue to pay, they’d be fools not milk every penny they possibly can.

Sad but true

 

[Fly and Sail]

PMNA (Premium Non Alcoholic) Package now costs $25/day up from the previous $22. 😞

[as3369]

These drink packages are getting way too expensive.  I just got off 10 day on Millie and the bartenders were not very good either.  I ordered more than one drink that I just left on the table..

[Redtravel]

Today, I got email from X  stating discounts of up to 30% off cruise enhancements. They forgot to mention the price increases in drink packages.  The new higher drink prices were showing.  Don’t they know that an increase isn’t called a discount?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Duplicate post

Edited May 16, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72

[AtlantaCruiser72]

3 hours ago, Redtravel said:

 Don’t they know that an increase isn’t called a discount?

With Royal Caribbean Group bean counter math it is!  You raise the price significantly, then apply a discount so that the sale price is more than the pre-sale price.

Edited May 16, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72

[5waldos]

On 5/14/2022 at 5:46 AM, parrothead33 said:

800-722-5941

 

also- 800-647-2251

[paulh84]

This seems more like the NCL approach where the premium drink package retails for $154 per day. Since Celebrity is trying to push the value of the Always Included and discourage the no perk prices. If you are calculating perceived value per day at the retail price to determine booking no perks versus AI, factoring in drinks at $84 a day looks better on paper than $69, and even more so if the Elevate and Indulge packages do not increase. You can spend $30 per day to get premium drinks and get $150 of that back in OBC, effectively reducing the drink upgrade to $60 on a 7 day cruise. If you book smart you are also probably getting somewhere between 7 and 10% of the cost of the higher Elevate fare back as OBC also. 

[Bo1953]

15 hours ago, mk960072 said:

I agree and had to call a supervisor today to purchase the prem bev package. They were helpful and took care of me.  But I agree, they should have given folks a heads up that prices were going up or for those of us already booked, dont charge us the higher rate.  Going from $69 to $84 per person per day is a BIG jump.  

When did you book the sailing vs decided to upgrade, in the current environment?

 

If there was a lag time between the two, then???

 

I waited also, I Am the blame for dragging my feet after thinking at least ten (10) times I need to just go ahead and upgrade and did not...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[D C]

On 5/14/2022 at 3:50 AM, Mark_T said:

The actual increase is 17% for the classic package and 22% for the Premium, which may more closely represent the reality of what they are dealing with in trying to get their hands on limited stocks of wines and other premium drinks...

 

That results in a 40% increase in the gap between the packages, but not a 40% increase in the packages.

The cost of a premium package upgrade increased by 40% which is what I was addressing.

 

For those who have booked AI and were expecting to upgrade, it's a 40% increase in their expected out of pocket expense. 

 

 

[cdaloia]

Thanks to one of the members here I called 888-751-7804 and was able to upgrade the beverage package at prior rate of 12$ day for our July cruise on summit. Not a long time on hold either . Worth the effort

[D C]

11 minutes ago, cdaloia said:

Thanks to one of the members here I called 888-751-7804 and was able to upgrade the beverage package at prior rate of 12$ day for our July cruise on summit. Not a long time on hold either . Worth the effort

Thanks. I'll be calling shortly. Had an extremely disappointing call with X on Friday.  The agent "couldn't locate my Elite beverage package upgrade discount" for my November sailing. 

[john1970]

If it helps. I am in the UK with a cruise booked from Sydney in February next year. When I look at the website I can upgrade classic alcohol 18+ promo to premium alcohol 18+ for GBP8.64 a day which I am guessing is around USD12. I also have another box which says upgrade to premium beverage package for GBP12.10 a day. Makes no sense to me!

 

[D C]

3 hours ago, cdaloia said:

Thanks to one of the members here I called 888-751-7804 and was able to upgrade the beverage package at prior rate of 12$ day for our July cruise on summit. Not a long time on hold either . Worth the effort

When did you call?
I was told an hour ago (noon Monday the 16th) by a 'supervisor' that "We're under orders that there are no exceptions to the new pricing".

Edited May 16, 2022 by D C

[Mark_T]

4 hours ago, john1970 said:

If it helps. I am in the UK with a cruise booked from Sydney in February next year. When I look at the website I can upgrade classic alcohol 18+ promo to premium alcohol 18+ for GBP8.64 a day which I am guessing is around USD12. I also have another box which says upgrade to premium beverage package for GBP12.10 a day. Makes no sense to me!

 

I see the same thing, also on a UK reservation sailing out of Sydney...

 

FWIW, the description of the 'Always included' classic drink package shows up as ' classic alcohol 18+ promo' when you look at the order history details (as long as your package has been unbundled).

[flifish64]

We were very lucky.  i called and was on hold for over an hour on May 11 to upgrade to Premium Drink pkg.  Glad I did not hang up and try later as the next day the price to upgrade increased.

 

Thanks to those who responded to my request about having to wait who said keep waiting.

 

Carol

[jagoffee]

6 hours ago, D C said:

The cost of a premium package upgrade increased by 40% which is what I was addressing.

 

For those who have booked AI and were expecting to upgrade, it's a 40% increase in their expected out of pocket expense. 

 

 

If Celebrity would have increased the price  of the Classic Drink Package the same percentage as the Premium Package, the upgrade cost would still be the same.  The previous $10 a day plus gratuity has existed for a long time (maybe forever?) and it was a screaming bargain IMO.  
Customer can just chose to pay the difference on any drinks over the limit if they wish.  

[tabby50894]

3 hours ago, D C said:

When did you call?
I was told an hour ago (noon Monday the 16th) by a 'supervisor' that "We're under orders that there are no exceptions to the new pricing".

Called on Saturday but the FAQs still haven't been updated, so I think you should still get it.

 

 

How can a guest upgrade from classic beverage package to premium beverage package when they book the Always Included package?

If a guest books their cruise with Always Included package pricing and would like to upgrade their Classic Beverage Package to the Premium Beverage Package, they may do so via our Cruise Planner platform once their booking is within final payment.  The upgrade charge will be $12 per person per day which includes the beverage gratuity.  Guests may not purchase a beverage upgrade before final payment when they book Always Included. Alternatively, guests may also upgrade their beverage package from Classic to Premium once onboard the ship.

[SSAtlantic]

I called on Friday for my upcoming June cruise and had no issue getting the $12 price. I unfortunately did not try for my January 2023 cruise. I do not think I will be so lucky if I call for that one 🤬

[alyssamma]

13 minutes ago, SSAtlantic said:

I called on Friday for my upcoming June cruise and had no issue getting the $12 price. I unfortunately did not try for my January 2023 cruise. I do not think I will be so lucky if I call for that one 🤬

Can you upgrade that far in advance? I thought it had to be within the final payment phase...