Am I crazy to even be considering drink package?

[not-enough-cruising]

2 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Lol thanks for your not even remotely useful input. Ever think maybe we make enough money to be well off and if gambling is something we enjoy, it doesn't matter? Guess what, even if we drop that amount of money, the bills are still paid. 

 

As an added tidbit to your message, when we go to Vegas for 3 or 4 nights, we've easily lost $20k before. 

 

Let's not tell me I need help without knowing our finances, thanks. 

Yet spending $30 on 2 drinks "your mind just won't allow you" 

 

Come on man, which is it?  Losing $20K is no problem, or $15 drinks are a problem?

[colesc15]

20 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Yet spending $30 on 2 drinks "your mind just won't allow you" 

 

Come on man, which is it?  Losing $20K is no problem, or $15 drinks are a problem?

Both. Thanks for stopping by. 

[marci22]

I would just get the drink package for yourself.

[Iamcruzin]

13 hours ago, colesc15 said:

One way I'm looking at it.. It'll keep me out of the casino as often.. So spending the $800 could save me likely $5k or more that I'd lose in the 4 nights in the casino lol. 

If you can afford to lose $5k in 4 days God Bless you. With that gambling budget the only way you will stay out of the casino is if you black out from all of the booze.  What I find amazing is that you have no problem losing thousands but spending $30 on two drinks blows your mind.

[colesc15]

Mods - can you lock this thread when you get a moment. It's turned down a different path than intended. Thanks

[tashaaa]

If it sounds more convenient for you, go and get the drink package. 
we always buy it, because it better to pay earlier, and we dont have to worry about the bill at the end. 
and its perfect for a short cruise to try it out, so you know for next time. 
 

its your vacation, enjoy it as much as you can and have a great time. 

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, jerseyjjs said:

 

 

Then add in their Diamond-plus 5/day valued at $70/day.   They'd have to swig down $171/day EACH just to break even.  Good luck with that.   (Not to mention the complimentary casino drinks they'd get)

After reading about the casino budget I feel stupid giving my suggestion. If you can lose that much money who cares about breaking even on a drink package.

[TeeRick]

32 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

Mods - can you lock this thread when you get a moment. It's turned down a different path than intended. Thanks

Well you asked the question ..........

[not-enough-cruising]

43 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

If you can afford to lose $5k in 4 days God Bless you. With that gambling budget the only way you will stay out of the casino is if you black out from all of the booze.  What I find amazing is that you have no problem losing thousands but spending $30 on two drinks blows your mind.

THANK YOU 

[villageidit]

Buy the package and gamble as you usually do on a cruise. Spend your money how you want and enjoy a great cruise(s). Everything thing I've read says it's a fabulous ship.

[PhillyFan33579]

5 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Lol thanks for your not even remotely useful input. Ever think maybe we make enough money to be well off and if gambling is something we enjoy, it doesn't matter? Guess what, even if we drop that amount of money, the bills are still paid. 

 

As an added tidbit to your message, when we go to Vegas for 3 or 4 nights, we've easily lost $20k before. 

 

Let's not tell me I need help without knowing our finances, thanks. 

I couldn’t agree more with your post. 
 

I am in the exact same situation as you. Going on Utopia next week and currently D+ and Prime. For me it was a no brainer to buy the deluxe drink package because I plan to spend a lot of time in the various bars around the ship. That was my same thought process when I cruised on Icon earlier this year, which is the last time I purchased the deluxe drink package. Buying the deluxe drink package when I was on Icon was definitely the right move and I am pretty sure it will turn out to be the right move on Utopia next week. 

[George C]

18 hours ago, colesc15 said:

So here's my dilemma. My wife and I board Utopia on a b2b next week. We've both diamond +, so we each get the 5 free a day. We're both also prime in the casino, so we can drink in the casino anytime we want. 

 

We haven't purchased the drink package in years, because it just simply isn't worth it. We spend a lot of time in the casino, and have left the casino bar tipsy many times. 

 

With utopia next week, I want to spend more time at the Mason jar bar/pesky parrot/Schooner and less time at the casino bar at least on the 1st leg of the b2b which is the 4 nighter. I'm highly considering getting the drink package, just so we can spend more time outside of the casino on the first portion. Am I crazy? On previous cruises, the only time I mention that I wish we had the drink package is because I would enjoy beers at the pool, and I refuse to"waste " a diamond drink on a beer. We also won't be getting off in Nassau. 

 

I also can't bring myself to just purchase a few extra drinks throughout the day because when I see the tab of like $30 for 2 drinks, my mind won't let me. 

 

Right now for the 4 night cruise, I can get the drink package for the 2 of us for $811 all in.. I feel weird considering it since I'd be giving up our diamond drinks and free casino drinks, but the thought of drinking beers by the pool/mixed drinks and being able to go through the pesky parrot and Mason jar menu without worrying sounds nice too. The 3 dayer as the 2nd leg we'd go back to just our diamond drinks and casino which would work because I'm usually alcoholed out by the 5th day. For what it's worth, both legs are comped through the casino and I don't plan on gambling much this trip. 

 

What to do... 

 

 

We are similar diamond plus and in suite so free 3 hour happy hour , we always bought package until we started getting 5 free drinks . 

[Sonic2012]

I think that you should just do what makes you happy.

[Billy Baltic]

19 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Hard to say. We generally only drink on cruises. I can easily drink probably 10 beers by the pool each day without an issue. 

I enjoy having a beer onboard but I know I wouldn’t be able (or want) to do it every day. If it’s not every day it would, IMO, maybe the DP a waste of money. 

[Another_Critic]

6 hours ago, dwp10mm said:

What about calling to get your wife the Refreshment package instead?  That way you can drink as much as you want, and she can take your D+ drinks. 

Be careful with this.  It has been reported that if you decline the 2nd DBP, but use vouchers for alcoholic drinks, you could raise a red flag.  YMMV.

[dwp10mm]

7 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Be careful with this.  It has been reported that if you decline the 2nd DBP, but use vouchers for alcoholic drinks, you could raise a red flag.  YMMV.

I have only done this twice, both times without issue.  As the Diamond drinks are yours to do what you want with, I can't imagine how or why this would be a problem.  I can only see this being an issue with an overzealous bartender for some dumb reason.

 

Based on current pricing, I won't be testing this any further to prove or disprove the report.  Although like the OP here, I may consider getting the DBP for my first Utopia cruise just so I can freely try the new venues and their specialty drinks.  In that case, I would call to order as I always have and never say "my wife doesn't drink because of X, Y or Z".  Just that she doesn't need the package with our Diamond drinks.  If they say no, then Royal just lost about $60 a day in a package upsell I would no longer buy.

[CruisingHogFan]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

Be careful with this.  It has been reported that if you decline the 2nd DBP, but use vouchers for alcoholic drinks, you could raise a red flag.  YMMV.

There are no issues or red flags in doing this. When I call I tell them exactly why I only need one deluxe package due to the vouchers

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, dwp10mm said:

I have only done this twice, both times without issue.  As the Diamond drinks are yours to do what you want with, I can't imagine how or why this would be a problem.  I can only see this being an issue with an overzealous bartender for some dumb reason.

 

10 minutes ago, CruisingHogFan said:

There are no issues or red flags in doing this. When I call I tell them exactly why I only need one deluxe package due to the vouchers

 

Apparently I recalled what was reported incorrectly.  I apologize for the confusion.

[colesc15]

1 minute ago, Another_Critic said:

 

 

Apparently I recalled what was reported incorrectly.  I apologize for the confusion.

I actually had no idea this was even a thing. I'm surprised they allow it to be honest. I was always under the impression they forced everyone in the cabin to get the package or that one loophole of one getting the alcohol package and the other getting the refreshment package. 

[Tree_skier]

26 minutes ago, CruisingHogFan said:

There are no issues or red flags in doing this. When I call I tell them exactly why I only need one deluxe package due to the vouchers

And they don't require you to buy the RP?

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, Sonic2012 said:

I think that you should just do what makes you happy.

I think taking me on a cruise would make them happy 🙂 

[DandDM]

I understand your question. Also diamond plus, not Prime, but usually have access to the suite lounge. Still always price out the drink package, knowing that it doesn’t make financial sense, but like to have it.

 

Regular scenario is that find a bar I like to hang out at (vintages usually) and just want to enjoy myself and not count drinks. The drink package provides that freedom. That said, I haven’t purchased for a while because I refuse to pay the insane prices seen lately. 
 

Maybe there is a study out there to explain: I’d rather decide to spend $600 once, then decide to spend $15 thirty times ($450), even though the individual drinks are cheaper. 
 

Cheers,

Edited August 21 by DandDM

[island lady]

3 hours ago, DandDM said:

I understand your question. Also diamond plus, not Prime, but usually have access to the suite lounge. Still always price out the drink package, knowing that it doesn’t make financial sense, but like to have it.

 

Regular scenario is that find a bar I like to hang out at (vintages usually) and just want to enjoy myself and not count drinks. The drink package provides that freedom. That said, I haven’t purchased for a while because I refuse to pay the insane prices seen lately. 
 

Maybe there is a study out there to explain: I’d rather decide to spend $600 once, then decide to spend $15 thirty times ($450), even though the individual drinks are cheaper. 
 

Cheers,

 

You must be in a suite?  Got confused at first when you mentioned D+ and the suite's lounge access.  

 

We are happy with our six vouchers and bar hopping around the ship also.  🙂 

[ReneeFLL]

@colesc15 Only you can decide if it’s worth it or not for you. If you can easily drop 20K in Vegas, I don’t see what the big deal is with buying the package.

 

Edited August 21 by ReneeFLL

[Ocean Boy]

On 8/17/2024 at 7:13 PM, colesc15 said:

Hard to say. We generally only drink on cruises. I can easily drink probably 10 beers by the pool each day without an issue. 

Let me do some math for you... 10 beers x $8 × 4 days X 2 people = $640. I realize that I'm not using "new math" so the answer could be different these days.

 

That said, I have slowly come around to thinking if you feel something is going to increase the enjoyment of your cruise, and you can afford it, then spend your money as you see fit. When I think about what I spend for internet at home vs what I pay on the ship it drives me crazy. However, having internet adds to my cruise enjoyment and I don't have to take out a loan to purchase it.