Heard rumors about drink vouchers

[Tolkmit]

11 hours ago, Tatka said:

We just returned from our #55. I’m well aware of how days count. But last day is still #8 on 7 night cruises. 

And Royal didn’t cut anything from 7 x 5 drinks. Folks were getting more drinks than their were supposed to after midnight on 7th night 
Additional 

 

No, they were not getting more than they were "supposed" to. Royal gave free drink vouchers equal to number of calendar days on board. They are no longer doing so. That is a cut to benefits. The fact you didn't realize that's how it worked is irrelevant; and just because how they are doing it now matches how you wrongly thought it worked already doesn't mean that's how it was "supposed" to work. It was never 7 x 5 drinks for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise. It was 8 x 5 for a 7 night, 8 calendar day cruise. They are cutting it to being 7 x 5 for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise.

[not-enough-cruising]

10 hours ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

 

THINK I'm screwed?  No.  Do I KNOW that the value of the benefit is now less to me and more to RCL?  Yes.  Simple math.

I’d like to see that math

[Magicat]

2 hours ago, Eastern flygirl said:

I can confirm that vouchers are not on your card on debarkation day.  I have always had a specialty coffee to get my day started.  When they slid my card, it did not list any vouchers.  The staff member was as shocked as I was, and was not informed of the new policy.  I never use all five of my vouchers and have not abused the policy, but I was not happy early in the morning.  This was on the Mariner and the DC coffee machine was out all cruise.

Didn't this policy just start on sailings starting yesterday (16th of December)?

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, Magicat said:

Didn't this policy just start on sailings starting yesterday (16th of December)?

Folks not being able to use vouchers on last day has been reported in the past by a very small minority - likely a temporary ship based thing.
 

It will likely take a few days of reporting from several ships before any kind of pattern can be deduced with the new policy. 
 

The number of drinks left printed on the receipt (if you even get one) was promised some time ago - it has yet to happen fleet wide in all venues. 
 

Corporate may announce some policy but implementing it on all ships, especially when RCI IT is involved, will take a while and may not be even. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Biker19

[Magicat]

I guess I missed those discussions.  I will have first hand knowledge next month.  If this is a ship specific policy, then perhaps someone can start a thread to report which ships have coupons and which do not on disembarkation day.  

 

[Ocean Boy]

3 minutes ago, Magicat said:

I guess I missed those discussions.  I will have first hand knowledge next month.  If this is a ship specific policy, then perhaps someone can start a thread to report which ships have coupons and which do not on disembarkation day.  

 

I highly doubt that this will be ship specific. RCI just has a habit of rolling out new policies with poor communication between corporate and the ships.

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, Tolkmit said:

 

No, they were not getting more than they were "supposed" to. Royal gave free drink vouchers equal to number of calendar days on board. They are no longer doing so. That is a cut to benefits. The fact you didn't realize that's how it worked is irrelevant; and just because how they are doing it now matches how you wrongly thought it worked already doesn't mean that's how it was "supposed" to work. It was never 7 x 5 drinks for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise. It was 8 x 5 for a 7 night, 8 calendar day cruise. They are cutting it to being 7 x 5 for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise.

Do you have that in writing or is it all in your mind. 

[Mum2Mercury]

12 hours ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

... Let's say some  cruisers who drink the alcoholic beverages do so on evenings where they can party a little harder and sleep in on a sea day next day.  Under the old plan, when they were already well lubricated they could continue drinking those higher cost alcoholic beverages,  at zero cost to them,  well past midnight with the new vouchers to draw from ... 

On the one hand, I see your point.  It doesn't allow you to "group" today's drinks + tomorrow's drinks into one big evening binge.  

 

On the other hand, this is assuming behavior not applicable to all cruisers.  For example, if I drink an alcoholic beverage, it's almost certainly at the pool in the afternoon OR during the evening show.  I'm always awake late-night, but I'm not drinking alcohol.  

3 hours ago, Eastern flygirl said:

I can confirm that vouchers are not on your card on debarkation day.  I have always had a specialty coffee to get my day started.  When they slid my card, it did not list any vouchers ... 

I'm not a big coffee drinker myself, but I can absolutely see how this would upset someone who wants to have a specialty coffee "on the way out the door".  

 

Additionally, I think it's just plain HARDER to remember how many drinks you've had since 5:00.  Midnight seems to be an easier cut-off.  

 

And I maintain that the best thing for the customer would be to have X number of drinks awarded on Day 1 /to be used any time on the cruise.  I really do think a fair number of cruisers would zip through them and pay for more later. 

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

On the one hand, I see your point.  It doesn't allow you to "group" today's drinks + tomorrow's drinks into one big evening binge.  

 

On the other hand, this is assuming behavior not applicable to all cruisers.  For example, if I drink an alcoholic beverage, it's almost certainly at the pool in the afternoon OR during the evening show.  I'm always awake late-night, but I'm not drinking alcohol.  

I'm not a big coffee drinker myself, but I can absolutely see how this would upset someone who wants to have a specialty coffee "on the way out the door".  

 

Additionally, I think it's just plain HARDER to remember how many drinks you've had since 5:00.  Midnight seems to be an easier cut-off.  

 

And I maintain that the best thing for the customer would be to have X number of drinks awarded on Day 1 /to be used any time on the cruise.  I really do think a fair number of cruisers would zip through them and pay for more later. 

 

If you find it harder to count to 4, 5 or 6 starting at 5am versus starting at midnight, I think you have a much bigger problem.  Did you have problems with the 3 vouchers that used to be only used for happy hour?  They are starting to put the drink count on receipts they are now printing out for the voucher drinks to make it easier for those who can't keep track.

[Tatka]

3 hours ago, Tolkmit said:

 

No, they were not getting more than they were "supposed" to. Royal gave free drink vouchers equal to number of calendar days on board. They are no longer doing so. That is a cut to benefits. The fact you didn't realize that's how it worked is irrelevant; and just because how they are doing it now matches how you wrongly thought it worked already doesn't mean that's how it was "supposed" to work. It was never 7 x 5 drinks for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise. It was 8 x 5 for a 7 night, 8 calendar day cruise. They are cutting it to being 7 x 5 for a 7 night 8 calendar day cruise.

We can both play this game 🙂 .
 

How did you calculate that I was wrong. Where was it declared that they were supposed to provide drinks for calendar days? Please show me this document? 
 

WiFi counts per day(night) .  Drink package counts per day (night). Meals count per day(night) - you get exactly 7 days of breakfast/lunches/dinners on 7 nights/8 days cruise. And so on. 
 

Please show me some evidence that I’m wrong? 
 

By the way, I now remember several occasions when we tried to order drinks as Diamonds after midnight on last cruise night in 2018 and 2019  and were told that we could not.  

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

3 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

On the one hand, I see your point.  It doesn't allow you to "group" today's drinks + tomorrow's drinks into one big evening binge.  

 

On the other hand, this is assuming behavior not applicable to all cruisers.  

 

 

That's why I said some.  I do think it's probably much higher than the 1 to 2% estimated by another posted, though.  At 1 to 2%, there really was no incentive to Royal to make any change at all. 

 

I agree that Midnight was simply an easier cutoff to "remember", if nothing else.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Steeler Nation At Sea

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I’d like to see that math

Seriously?

😂

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

18 hours ago, Biker19 said:

 Not usually, but you might be able to get alcohol added to a specialty coffee. 

Could swear I've seen the Windjammer bar open?  

[Biker19]

Just now, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

Could swear I've seen the Windjammer bar open?  

That might vary by ship and even if open they may limit what they serve in the morning. 

[not-enough-cruising]

19 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

Seriously?

😂

Yes seriously, you get the exact same amount of drink vouchers per 24 hour period as you did before the change.  Simple math

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

11 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Yes seriously, you get the exact same amount of drink vouchers per 24 hour period as you did before the change.  Simple math

 

The variable is the # of 24 hour periods.  Will it be 7 or 8 on a 7 night cruise?  Was 8 previously since you take an 8 day, 7 night cruise. 

 

Remains to be seen if that continues with a fresh set of vouchers at 5 am on debarquement day, let alone the questions of where, how and if, they can ALL be used in the rush off of the ship. If only specialty coffee is open, then that value of $6 is certainly less than a $13 voucher.  Simple math.

 

The 24 hour period they've now chosen is no longer convenient.  There's no benefit in the customer's favor here.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Steeler Nation At Sea

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

The variable is the # of 24 hour periods.  Will it be 7 or 8 on a 7 night cruise?  Was 8 previously since you take an 8 day, 7 night cruise. 

 

Remains to be seen if that continues with a fresh set of vouchers at 5 am on debarquement day, let alone the questions of where, how and if, they can ALL be used in the rush off of the ship. If only specialty coffee is open, then that value of $6 is certainly less than a $13 voucher.  Simple math.

 

The 24 hour period they've now chosen is no longer convenient.  There's no benefit in the customer's favor here.

I guess it depends on what times you drink; the last day availability of vouchers was never consistent from ship to ship

[sjb317]

On 12/15/2022 at 6:34 PM, Ocean Boy said:

In the past when things reset at midnight on the last day of the cruise you could get your drinks and then at midnight you got another set of drinks loaded. Now on the last day you get your drinks and you are done as there is not reset at midnight.

 

I don't see this as a positive change.

Unless Jewel does not have the new times working yet, we were still able to use our vouchers for lattes in Latitudes this morning before we left the ship. 
 

Sherri🙂

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, sjb317 said:

Unless Jewel does not have the new times working yet, we were still able to use our vouchers for lattes in Latitudes this morning before we left the ship. 
 

Sherri🙂

 

The letter says the change starts on all sailings starting on or after December 16th, so those boarding today should have the new times. 🙂 

[Magicat]

1 hour ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

The variable is the # of 24 hour periods.  Will it be 7 or 8 on a 7 night cruise?  Was 8 previously since you take an 8 day, 7 night cruise. 

 

Remains to be seen if that continues with a fresh set of vouchers at 5 am on debarquement day, let alone the questions of where, how and if, they can ALL be used in the rush off of the ship. If only specialty coffee is open, then that value of $6 is certainly less than a $13 voucher.  Simple math.

 

The 24 hour period they've now chosen is no longer convenient.  There's no benefit in the customer's favor here.

Challenge accepted!  LOL

We typically either stay an extra day or have a late flight out after a cruise.  So instead of fighting for breakfast in the Jam, we have a leisurely meal in the MDR.  Our last cruise on the Explore in November, we had multiple mimosas at breakfast.  Now I am sure we did not use all our coupons, but we did have the opportunity to do so.

[Tree_skier]

The change will cost me the price of one Latte.  DW will get a Latte in the morning of debarkation day.  If vouchers are eliminated for debarkation day I'll be paying cash for that.

[Tatka]

5 hours ago, Tatka said:

We can both play this game 🙂 .
 

How did you calculate that I was wrong. Where was it declared that they were supposed to provide drinks for calendar days? Please show me this document? 
 

WiFi counts per day(night) .  Drink package counts per day (night). Meals count per day(night) - you get exactly 7 days of breakfast/lunches/dinners on 7 nights/8 days cruise. And so on. 
 

Please show me some evidence that I’m wrong? 
 

By the way, I now remember several occasions when we tried to order drinks as Diamonds after midnight on last cruise night in 2018 and 2019  and were told that we could not.  

I was wrong. Not 2918, 2019, but in 2021 of course 

[cruisegirl1]

6 hours ago, Magicat said:

I guess I missed those discussions.  I will have first hand knowledge next month.  If this is a ship specific policy, then perhaps someone can start a thread to report which ships have coupons and which do not on disembarkation day.  

 

Any policy will be fleet  wide not ship specific. 
m

[Tatka]

By the way … to people who say they were always drinking on day #8 of 7 days cruises …. 
For how many years? 
 

As prepandemic there was Happy Hour and all drinks + 3 vouchers only were available during those 3.5 hours a day? 

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

1 hour ago, Magicat said:

Challenge accepted!  LOL

We typically either stay an extra day or have a late flight out after a cruise.  So instead of fighting for breakfast in the Jam, we have a leisurely meal in the MDR.  Our last cruise on the Explore in November, we had multiple mimosas at breakfast.  Now I am sure we did not use all our coupons, but we did have the opportunity to do so.

 

You get style points for "multiple"! 🥂