UK Blog Post: Why is wine on cruise ships so expensive?

[LauraS]

Either I have expensive tastes, or drinks on cruise ships are getting really costly. Although the equivalent of my recent cruise on Brilliance of the Seas is now selling at a bargain £449 for a week – that’s £64.14 a night (excluding the flight) for a fabulous trip around the Arabian Gulf*– what you save [...]

 

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[jocap]

I don't know why, either....except it's easy profit for some lines, with a ready-made audience of wine drinkers...We were conned, too, on one line, when we asked for just a glass, and the waiter insisted we'd asked for a bottle....at $60!!!-plus 15%....That's why OH describes some lines as "Mean"- because you can feel the profit margin being shoved onto your shoulders.

My sail-away glass of wine on Ventura last June, was cheaper than the ones I'd had in the Southampton Ibis the night before. You don't feel so conned at those prices.

Jo.

[secondhandrose]

Either I have expensive tastes, or drinks on cruise ships are getting really costly. Although the equivalent of my recent cruise on Brilliance of the Seas is now selling at a bargain £449 for a week – that’s £64.14 a night (excluding the flight) for a fabulous trip around the Arabian Gulf*– what you save [...]

 

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I just think it a shame that RCI charge so much for their drinks. Spend an afternoon round the pool deck (IOS) and very few people have a glass of anything. Whilst on P&O nearly everyone will have a drink especially at the Sail Away Parties. I may have the wrong idea but it makes sense to me to lower the price of drinks and sell 100's than have higher prices and only a handful drinking. Mind you maths was one of my weaker points so I may not be able to see tha bigger picture.

S.H.R.

[Jolimont]

Either I have expensive tastes, or drinks on cruise ships are getting really costly. Although the equivalent of my recent cruise on Brilliance of the Seas is now selling at a bargain £449 for a week – that’s £64.14 a night (excluding the flight) for a fabulous trip around the Arabian Gulf*– what you save [...]

 

More...

I've only cruised Carnival, Princess and RCI, but I think wine prices have to do with those companies being run mostly for and by Americans. Wine is a luxury product in America. There's $2 chuck, but that's the only one that Americans have heard of. In Europe--especially in France--there's wine at every price point. I would bet that on Costa or MSC they probably have to include inexpensive wine with dinner, don't they? French people are used to table wine that is cheap and plentiful. There are times when they splurge for an expensive bottle, but most days they drink the cheap stuff and they expect it to be included in the price of the cruise, at least that's my guess since I've never cruised Costa or MSC.

[DEEDIA]

I tend to agree with S.H.R. lets hope RCI read these Threads.

 

I just think it a shame that RCI charge so much for their drinks. Spend an afternoon round the pool deck (IOS) and very few people have a glass of anything. Whilst on P&O nearly everyone will have a drink especially at the Sail Away Parties. I may have the wrong idea but it makes sense to me to lower the price of drinks and sell 100's than have higher prices and only a handful drinking. Mind you maths was one of my weaker points so I may not be able to see tha bigger picture.

S.H.R.

[billyelliot]

This is one reason that we are trying P&O! we are not massive drinkers but do like to drink while on hol. We enjoy a bottle of wine with our evening meal, and have Been put off by the pricing on RCI, also looking forward to taking a couple of bottles on to drink in our cabin.

[bazzaw]

Have just spent the last 3 months on Oriana, Arcadia and then a final week on QM2 . I thought that, on all 3 ships, the beer , cocktail and spirits prices were quite reasonable ( compared to similar venues ashore ) - but wine prices were too high for me.

 

Barry