Drink Package - Memorial Sale

[nonnie&dgd]

19 minutes ago, mkrr1123 said:

 

I did call and they would not allow me to change the package.  I will try again but they asked for a doctors note or a religious reason since the rest of my party is on the deluxe drinking package.  I am not one to argue so I will drink lots of bottled water and have a couple of drinks even through it is not in my usual routine.  Maybe a couple of frozen things by the pool.  I will not break even but the rest of my party will so it all evens out.  I do enjoy the coke zero and like I said even though bottled water is not necessary since it is included I will drink it.  

Call back and get someone else. I just added 1 deluxe drink package for the 2 of us. You need to order at least the refreshment package for yourself. They just need a supervisors OK to override it.

[Biker19]

43 minutes ago, mkrr1123 said:

I am not one to argue

With the clueless RCI agents, you need to or call back to get one that knows the rules.

[topnole]

4 hours ago, Mark_UK said:

Or those drinkers will chose not to go on cruises... Royal say their strategy is to target those who haven't cruised before, but I'm coming across first time cruisers who face quite a shock at the price of drinks and are planning on not returning. Instead they're going back to resorts in Mexico, Egypt, Spain, etc where it's all included.

 

I wonder if this in part explains why in Europe they are offering it for £40p/day ($55?) for 2022 sailings but weridly on your cruise balance rather than the cruise planner. 

Oh, I agree.  There is always the option not to cruise.  But for now at least, they have all the demand they need.  If folks stopped cruising because of drink prices, a lot more than drink packages would change.  
 

But regardless, Royal raising prices 10-30% can hardly be surprising given the massive inflation levels we face everywhere.  So many things have doubled or tripled in price which makes the inflation on drink packages seem small.  

[rudeney]

53 minutes ago, topnole said:

But regardless, Royal raising prices 10-30% can hardly be surprising given the massive inflation levels we face everywhere.  So many things have doubled or tripled in price which makes the inflation on drink packages seem small.  

 

That brings up a good point.  It is entirely possible that onboard individual drink prices will go up in the coming months.  Today's $11 cocktail may be $14 by the time I sail in October.  Buying the DBP could help insulate against rising prices.  I know that today's DBP has a $13 limit, but I suspect that if they raise individual drink prices significantly, they would raise the limit, too.  And I doubt they will look at what the limit was when the package was purchased; the limit would be whatever it is set at the time of using the package onboard. 

 

[footzz]

With the current pricing of the DBP, it's probably only a matter of time until the 'smuggling alcohol' threads make a reappearance.

[RFerrington]

7 minutes ago, rudeney said:

It is entirely possible that onboard individual drink prices will go up in the coming months. 

I think you can count on it.

[hazeleyes46]

2 hours ago, nonnie&dgd said:

Call back and get someone else. I just added 1 deluxe drink package for the 2 of us. You need to order at least the refreshment package for yourself. They just need a supervisors OK to override it.

I was just told by my TA that I would need a doctors note. She is going to check it out again but I will keep calling until they will give me 1 alcohol and 1 refresh (even though I wanted the soda and they will not do that AT ALL anymore). The nickel and diming now is ridiculous and I have had 2 cancelled cruises. Throw me a bone people lol

[RFerrington]

33 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

I was just told by my TA that I would need a doctors note. She is going to check it out again but I will keep calling until they will give me 1 alcohol and 1 refresh (even though I wanted the soda and they will not do that AT ALL anymore). The nickel and diming now is ridiculous and I have had 2 cancelled cruises. Throw me a bone people lol

You need a new TA then.  No doctor's note needed EVER.

[topnole]

2 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

That brings up a good point.  It is entirely possible that onboard individual drink prices will go up in the coming months.  Today's $11 cocktail may be $14 by the time I sail in October.  Buying the DBP could help insulate against rising prices.  I know that today's DBP has a $13 limit, but I suspect that if they raise individual drink prices significantly, they would raise the limit, too.  And I doubt they will look at what the limit was when the package was purchased; the limit would be whatever it is set at the time of using the package onboard. 

 

I doubt they raise individual drink prices or by much.  They are already very high.  At a certain point, most people just won’t by a drink (without a package) if they go much higher.  I’m certainly not wanting a vacation where it cost 20 per drink with tax and tip.  There are too many other viable options.  

[rudeney]

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

I doubt they raise individual drink prices or by much.  They are already very high.  At a certain point, most people just won’t by a drink (without a package) if they go much higher.  I’m certainly not wanting a vacation where it cost 20 per drink with tax and tip.  There are too many other viable options.  

 

Actually, I find RCI's onboard cocktail prices to be very competitive.  I think current prices are about $11 for a "simple" cocktail like Scotch (JW Black or Chivas) and club soda.  Around here, I can't get Dewars for under $12.  Of course all restaurant and bar drink prices are crazy expensive. 

[hazeleyes46]

17 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

You need a new TA then.  No doctor's note needed EVER.

Thanks 🙂

[topnole]

1 minute ago, rudeney said:

 

Actually, I find RCI's onboard cocktail prices to be very competitive.  I think current prices are about $11 for a "simple" cocktail like Scotch (JW Black or Chivas) and club soda.  Around here, I can't get Dewars for under $12.  Of course all restaurant and bar drink prices are crazy expensive. 

I can’t speak to current bar prices with certainty because I don’t frequent bars very much right now and I’m a beer drinker.  I do know this, it sure isn’t 8-9+ a beer where I go locally.  And the 13 drinks are over 15 with tip added.  IDK.  That doesn’t seem to be what is charged where I live.  But maybe with recent hyper inflation on some products they are charging that at some places and I’m just not noticing.  

[hazeleyes46]

19 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

All good 🙂

 

[hazeleyes46]

1 hour ago, hazeleyes46 said:

All good 🙂

 

[rudeney]

13 minutes ago, topnole said:

I can’t speak to current bar prices with certainty because I don’t frequent bars very much right now and I’m a beer drinker.  I do know this, it sure isn’t 8-9+ a beer where I go locally.  And the 13 drinks are over 15 with tip added.  IDK.  That doesn’t seem to be what is charged where I live.  But maybe with recent hyper inflation on some products they are charging that at some places and I’m just not noticing.  

 

About the only time we go to a bar is when we travel.  We rarely order drinks when we eat out, but it does happen on occasion.  Around here, the typical "simple" cocktail will cost around $15, plus tip PLUS 10% sales tax, so it's about $20 all totalled - for ONE drink!  😮

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

About the only time we go to a bar is when we travel.  We rarely order drinks when we eat out, but it does happen on occasion.  Around here, the typical "simple" cocktail will cost around $15, plus tip PLUS 10% sales tax, so it's about $20 all totalled - for ONE drink!  😮

My lord.  This should definitely help to decrease alcohol intake.  

[rudeney]

4 minutes ago, topnole said:

My lord.  This should definitely help to decrease alcohol intake.  

 

Definitely!  Except when I travel for business and entertain clients on expense account.  I don't even look at prices then.  I have, however, learned to not let the server hand wine menus to everyone at the table - I get the wine list and make the choices.  

[doppelganger2621]

28 minutes ago, topnole said:

I can’t speak to current bar prices with certainty because I don’t frequent bars very much right now and I’m a beer drinker.  I do know this, it sure isn’t 8-9+ a beer where I go locally.  And the 13 drinks are over 15 with tip added.  IDK.  That doesn’t seem to be what is charged where I live.  But maybe with recent hyper inflation on some products they are charging that at some places and I’m just not noticing.  

I have season tickets to an NHL team and so I'm pretty unfazed by $12.50 beers anymore lol

[topnole]

14 minutes ago, doppelganger2621 said:

I have season tickets to an NHL team and so I'm pretty unfazed by $12.50 beers anymore lol

Im unfazed by stadium pricing.  But a game is a few hours long.  A week straight at that price is a different story.  Of course that is where the drink package comes in.  

[topnole]

18 minutes ago, rudeney said:

 

Definitely!  Except when I travel for business and entertain clients on expense account.  I don't even look at prices then.  I have, however, learned to not let the server hand wine menus to everyone at the table - I get the wine list and make the choices.  

Never let others pick the wine when it is your account!!   
 

And your experience/norms are the perfect example of consumer behavior when one pays out of pocket versus when it is included in a bundle/package/all you can eat, etc.  Behavior is totally different depending.  
 

Had a friend in sales always showing off when it was on the company dime.  But when they paid their own way they would always want to split the bill evenly even though their drinks were 3-4 times more expensive.   Or they would pull the old I only have 100s, you get this tab and I’ll get it next time.  Lol.  

[UsedtobeSmith]

I just booked a 3 day cruise and my drink package was 79.99 but yesterday it fell to $66 per person so I bought it. I hope it goes down again but the $66 is below what I calculated our out of pocket cost would be.

 

question though… if I see a specialty cocktail that costs more than the $13 cutoff can you pay the difference or do you have to pay the whole cost. 
 

Thanks!

[doppelganger2621]

17 minutes ago, UsedtobeSmith said:

I just booked a 3 day cruise and my drink package was 79.99 but yesterday it fell to $66 per person so I bought it. I hope it goes down again but the $66 is below what I calculated our out of pocket cost would be.

 

question though… if I see a specialty cocktail that costs more than the $13 cutoff can you pay the difference or do you have to pay the whole cost. 
 

Thanks!

You pay the difference.

[Tree_skier]

12 hours ago, Tazzybear14 said:

I remember precovid getting the drink package for $46 per day:(

I've had 3 cruises post restart and all were less the $50 per day.  Lowest was $44 a day.  It is only in the last couple months the prices have shot through the roof.

[doppelganger2621]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

I've had 3 cruises post restart and all were less the $50 per day.  Lowest was $44 a day.  It is only in the last couple months the prices have shot through the roof.

I’ve looked literally every day since we booked our cruise last October and it’s never gone lower than $60.99 for me. I kept hearing these “$50 a day” cases but it never came to fruition for my sailing

[Tree_skier]

5 hours ago, mkrr1123 said:

 

I did call and they would not allow me to change the package.  I will try again but they asked for a doctors note or a religious reason since the rest of my party is on the deluxe drinking package.  I am not one to argue so I will drink lots of bottled water and have a couple of drinks even through it is not in my usual routine.  Maybe a couple of frozen things by the pool.  I will not break even but the rest of my party will so it all evens out.  I do enjoy the coke zero and like I said even though bottled water is not necessary since it is included I will drink it.  

That's bizarre. In the past I have always ordered the DBP for me and the RP for my wife.  It was never a problem and there was never a question justifying it beyond "She doesn't drink". Call again, I'm sure you will have better luck with a different rep.