Royal Caribbean -New Alcoholic Beverage Packages

[dixie768]

Sounds like great news - but is this deal only available to the card holder -

or could I buy a drink for a friend or acquaintance using the same card?;)

 

 

Hi, my wife and I went on a AI cruise deal and found you have to present your card & sign for the drink, also could not obtain for any others in your group unless you have all their cards and purchased individually, you cannot get more than one drink per card per time. This obviously cancels out the abuse of the system. We also found one does not only have to buy Alcohol, as it covered non- alcoholic drinks and speciality coffee/tea etc. We certainly don't class ourselves as a heavy drinkers, but found with the deal, we did save overall.

 

Cheers.

Dixie

[maggiesmiles]

My husband and I took advatage of the all you can drink package when we cruised with Celebrity last Nov. He got the classic package and I got the premium. On their web site they give you a run down of which alcohols are included in which package. we found there were very few alcohols we couldn't get with the package mostly high dollar scotch, bourbon, and congacs, we found it to be a good value and nice to not have to worry about a big bar tab at the end of the cruise. Your tip is included in the purchase price of the package but we chose to tip on top of that because our wait staff was outstanding. If you just like a glass of wine with dinner or an after dinner drink then it is probably not a good value for you but for those who like a few drinks through out the day I definately recommend it :D.

[roweboat]

I like the idea and we would certainly purchase one of the packages. However, I would also like them to allow you to purchase bottles in the duty free on the ship and take to your room (for a fee of course). It would be so convenient to have a drink on your balcony while getting ready for dinner or after a shore excursion (and you are too tired to head to a bar for a few drinks to bring back to the cabin).

[maggiesmiles]

No you can't, had an EMAIL from RCI.

 

On Celebrity they DO allow you to purchase a package after sailing...but you have to purchase for the remaining days of saling..example if you are on a 5 day cruise and decide on day two to get the package you would be charged for the remaining three days of the cruise.

 

Cheers!

[GripOfTheGrape]

Cruise line alcohol packages seem to target binge drinkers with the "belly-up-to-the-bar" all you can drink packages.

 

What I'm looking for is:

1. A package that discounts the drink/bottle price.

2. Tickets that let you pre-pay for drinks by category at a slightly reduced rate. if you don't use the tickets, they make even more money.

 

There are many cruisers that would have a fruity drink a day and a glass or 2 with dinner on most days of the cruise but don't want to pay $29/$39/$49 per day.

[queenie19355]

We just returned from a cruise on Celebrity Century and purchased the drink package for my husband and son. This worked out great! I would usually figure $100 per day for drinks but with this package it is a great savings. If you are sitting at the pool and want a beer or a cocktail you can have the person who has the package purchase it for you instead of you paying for it on your sea pass card. When you are with a group, obvously you have to pay for your drinks and the person with the package gets his without having to sign for anything.

[Chaos37]

Great Idea! When will they offer it in the US cruises? This would be the tipping point for me to jump from Norwegian to Royal Caribbean!

[sandian]

Working out prices, it is more economical for us to buy a Platignum wine package for 12 nights and pay for the rest of our drink. This way we can have a variety including things that are not in the package and still be quids in. Admittedly we are not heavy drinkers, but this does allow us wine with dinner a couple, take one to the show, a cocktail in the afternoon, an evening Brandy and if we fancy more we can have it. This way we are having what we want without worrying we are not getting value for money.

[sandian]

Forgot to say that the wine will be our choice and not the House.

[loula59]

I for one think having a liqour package is a GREAT idea. I've always wondered why cruises never had an option, I think it's about time, thanks Royal Caribbean and Celebrity :p

[fastscot]

I think we're all missing the point here. These packages were introduced by the cruise lines to help increase revenue. They are counting on the average drinker to buy these packages rather than pay as you go in the expectation that they will buy more drinks than they normally would to make sure they get the best value from the package. The consumer may save a little but the overall revenue has increased. Beer drinkers who like to have a bottle of beer in their hand most of the day and evening would definitely benefit from the beer and wine package. We're not talking about binge drinking (to get drunk) either - it takes the average body 1 hour to process the alcohol in one beer and stay under the legal limit for driving so you could drink 12 beers over a 12 hour period and stay reasonably sober and get your money's worth!

[jcruise67]

This is a new trend and a sign of the times. We sailed on Celebrity Solstice in 2010 and about to embark on a 11night sailing on the Equinox. The drink packages are an option that has been long overdue. It basically turns a traditional cruise into an all-inclusive cruise now! With so many all-inclusive land based vacations, it was only a matter of time that the cruise lines would begin to follow suit. Like land based all-inclusive, cruise lines have made this an option. You can purchase the all you can drink packages upon boarding or, prior to your sailing. Either way, it is a great option and completely takes away "Sticker Shock" when the bill is slid under your cabin door towards the end of the sailing. The all you can drink packages also has made it easier for cruise lines with less of a conflict of passengers refuting their bills because of drinks they may have been charged for accidentally. The bottom line...its another great option and I'm sure the feedback will be positive.

 

JCRUISE67

[cavmom]

All we need is for over doers to do it even more so. Will the cruise line refse to serve someone who is too drunk or just serve them until they pass out.

[spinnychick]

I have always booked celebrity first due to drink packages but now that RC is offering it, I'm excited. Too bad it's only on 3 ships, that limits choices still.

[sandyannfireman]

My husband and I went on several cruises and the celebrity cruise we took appealed to us because of the drinking package I did the package for my husband and I just purchased a bottle of wine while on board it was fantastic loved it at 40 dollars a day it seems like alot of money but it really isnt you can even get water and the specialty coffee with it I would definatly purchase the drinking package if it was offered on other ships.

I also find it crazy that an employee of a sister company wouldnt know anything about that package I think they should have a few meetings so that they are all on the same page

I love cruising

[poodlewamp]

I think this is a TERRIFIC idea, especially on RCCL, where all luggage is Pre Scanned before going on ship, so NO packed booze will make it through !!

Hubby & I allow $100.00 per day for drinks etc, so the $39.00 package would work great for us, as we drink, wine, beer, & Smirnoff's. We would

definately take advantage of this package, and here is hoping they expand this offer to include more ships in their fleet in the future !!

 

B.J.

[luvbigdogs]

This is a fantastic option for all the reasons other posters have already stated (fixed bill, drinks whenever you want, no slips to sign, etc). And the folks that are complaining about the price.....don't buy it!!! The beer package is just over what a bucket of 5 beers costs. If you don't drink that much, purchase individual drinks. But, for the people that enjoy 10-12 beers a day while on vacation, this is a "no brainer"!! Next to cruising, we enjoy vacationing at all-inclusive resorts for just this reason. Plus, this will cut down on all the passengers (like me) that "smuggle" beer and liquor on every cruise. It's a win/win for everyone. I am getting ready to depart on my 20th cruise, and this has been on my comment card for every cruise line I have vacationed on. I hope ALL the cruise lines catch on to this and implement it worldwide. Maybe to set the minds at ease of the non-drinkers, the cruise lines should refer to this program as "Fixed Priced Refreshments" rather than "All-You-Can-Drink".

[moonmama]

I would definetaly pay for the unlimited drinks! Sure beats sneaking liquor onboard!

[bobincm]

We just returned from a 10 day cruise on Millennium. I took advantage of the drink package. Although I saved money (I spent $650 on drinks), I found that the bartenders and servers don't like it. Their tips have gone down since Celebrity started the program. My daughter also bought the package and she noticed that by the pool, once the servers knew you had the unlimited drink package, they were less interested in serving you. Toward the end of the cruise, I was tipping the bartenders and servers to make up for the fact that they weren't getting tipped. Although this may be a good program for heavy drinkers (I would have drank less without the package), I don't think it is good for the employees. Celebrity and now RCCL implemented the package to make more money. They didn't do it to be nice to the passengers.

[iflyjets]

Three comments.

 

First, I'm with cavmom (posted a few above). If the package is used as a convenience, then it is a great idea for those who would consume these drinks anyway...a "push" on their OB account charges. But, I, too, am concerned that there are those who will perceive they must "get their money's worth" and may tend to overindulge.

 

One of the aspects of Celebrity (with whom I have cruised since it was Chandris;)) and RCCL that I have always enjoyed is the overall atmoshpere on these cruises and the relative absence of those who overindulge. I am slightly concerned that encouraging "getting your money's worth" will lead to a change in the overall ambience...not much, I realize, but a little.

 

Second, I have already seen abuses of the system aboard Celebrity ship's, where the person with the package obtains a drink, passes it to a friend out of sight, then returns an "empty glass" (usually one they carried up with them from an empty table or after pouring the new drink into an empty glass they had available) to the bar tender and asks for another drink (this time, for him/herself). I realize the drinks are so overpriced that this probably doesn't really affect the cruise line, but still, it is a loss of possible revenue, and, on principle, unethical.

 

You can even read through the boards here at CC and read people posting how to and/or hinting at doing this "sharing."

 

Third, I think it is a great idea for those who really do like to relax and have more drinks than normal while they are on vacation. It's not like we're dieting given the amount of food available anyway:D; it's your vacation...enjoy. However, I would carefullly look at my itinerary and how many hours I will have available aboard ship to actually "break even" before I purchased any packages. Those sailings that have lots of interesting and full days in port (such as European itineraries) may not be as good a "value" as a transatlantic sailing (where even those of us who drink very little might be able to break even by that nightcap:)).

 

For us, after a 10-day cruise, we MAY have charges for a bottle of wine and 2-3 drinks, and perhaps 1-2 sodas for the entire sailing, so we are not very good candidates for these beverage packages, not even the soda/water package. Still, I do applaude RCI for offering them for those who do love to indulge. Still, I am sure it is "revenue advantageous" to RCI to sell these packages.

 

And despite the fact that they add the 15% gratuity charge to the drink packages, I had also heard that the bar servers are not thrilled with it (since I think many people actually add an additional little something to the bar tab over and above the 15% when signing per drink). Reading what bobincm has posted immediately above makes me further wonder if the servers ever really see this tip or is it simply additional "revenue" for RCI.

[merrie1108]

Seems a bit steep to me and I am sure there is some fine print(where you can use it, etc):confused:. If you go to an all inclusive resort, you pay more per day than on a cruise, but you are on land and the ones I have gone to have had many bars available and all options were free including top shelf liquors. I definitely wouldn't pay for just the beer and wine option. We like to have a few drinks a day and many times go to a happy hour and order the drink of the day. They usually only run $5.00 or so, so it would bring out the greed in me to get my money's worth. I also assume I am going to have to pay the gratuity on top of that like I have to with the soft drink beverage card. Too many unanswered questions at this time.

[Madcap Minx]

I would definitely pay for a drink package. The main reason would be the convenience. One of my main reasons for not wanting to cruise this year is that I wanted to do an all inclusive so I would know what my vacation would cost. Cruising for those of us who do not do airfare seperate has become a hassle. You now have to book your cruise first and then book the air which has to be paid for immediately on several cruise lines. That means that if something happens and you can't go you are stuck for the airfare. In addition to that you have to add money for drinks (even soda and special coffees) and shore excursions. It is definitely time for cruise lines to come up to speed and include airfare and drinks for those that want that convenience all included in a package deal. That way the only thing extra would be your shore excursions. With money being tight many people need to know the bottom line.

[fowlisbabe]

I like the idea and we would certainly purchase one of the packages. However, I would also like them to allow you to purchase bottles in the duty free on the ship and take to your room (for a fee of course). It would be so convenient to have a drink on your balcony while getting ready for dinner or after a shore excursion (and you are too tired to head to a bar for a few drinks to bring back to the cabin).

 

Celebrity allowed us to pre-purchase a bottle of whisky for I think $58 dollars on Constellation in November from their "Bon Voyage" selection. This was delivered to our Stateroom and included 6 cans of soda and a selection of nuts and nibbles.

 

It would be great if Royal Caribbean included the "Bon Voyage" package as it really worked for us as we like to have a pre-dinner drink in our Stateroom whilst getting ready for the evening.

[JimInBuffalo]

I have to admit that based on the price of drinks, I think that this will be a very popular program for anyone who drinks more than average.

 

Of course, there are some people who like to spend money ostentatiously and wouldn't care about the program. We saw this on some all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic. All of the "well" drinks and beer were free. We saw people paying to get a "top shelf" liquour because they were with a group and wanted them to know that they only drank the premium stuff.

 

I am not a big drinker and would prefer to stay with the soda card. I stay out of trouble better that way.

 

-jim

[CAROLG903]

For sure! Never been on a RC ship, will definitely look into them. Especially since "smuggling" is not as easy as it once was!