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Cruise and Booze: All-You-Can-Drink Packages Coming From Royal Caribbean

PittsburghGirlee

By PittsburghGirlee,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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PittsburghGirlee

PittsburghGirlee

Posted
Posted

I sure wish Carnival would give this a whirl.......

I would be first in line

 

 

 

Cruise and Booze: All-You-Can-Drink Packages Coming From Royal Caribbean

 

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(9:35 a.m. EDT) -- Taking a page from sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises, whose all-you-can-drink cocktail and wine packages have clearly been appealing, Royal Caribbean confirmed to Cruise Critic that it too will offer the program onboard some ships.

 

First reported by Cruise Critic's community, this new addition includes three possible packages to purchase once onboard:

 

star2.bmp For $29, the beer and wine package includes all brews, house wine by the glass and a 25 percent discount on other liquors and wines.

 

star2.bmp The "classic," which costs $39, expands on that to include all cocktails and premium and specialty liquor.

 

star2.bmp And for connoisseurs, the $49 Premium Package builds on the classic, but also offers wines by the glass up to $10, and more premium liquors.

 

Note that these prices are per person, per day.

 

Just as notable as the package itself are the three ships chosen to offer the program -- all of which cater predominantly to non-U.S. cruisers. The three-option program was made available from March 13 on Grandeur of the Seas and from March 14 on Independence of the Seas and Legend of the Seas. Independence is based year-round in the United Kingdom and sails out of Southampton. Grandeur divides its time between South America (cruises from Colon, Panama, and Cartagena, Columbia) and the Mediterranean (from Palma De Mallorca, Spain). Legend is Royal Caribbean's year-round Asia-based vessel.

 

The big question: Will Royal Caribbean roll the package out fleetwide? According to spokesman Harry Liu, there are currently no plans for the all-you-can-drink program to be available on any of RCI's other 19 ships. Liu did, however, note that, "Royal Caribbean may consider deploying the program to other ships in the fleet if it is successful." (Interestingly, when we called RCI's U.S.-based customer service department for information, the representative told us she had never heard of the packages.)

 

There are some differences to Royal Caribbean's offerings. For instance, on Celebrity, the premium package includes $12 glasses of wine rather than $10, which can make a difference if you, like me, are picky. But we won't know all the ins and outs until Cruise Critic members try them out.

 

comment.jpg Now it's your turn. Tell us: Will all-you-can-drink packages encourage people to drink to excess, or simply offer a convenient and money-saving option for those with big bar bills? Share your opinion with 600,000 Cruise Critic members.

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jetsfan

jetsfan

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We would do this in a heartbeat. We easily have 5 drinks per day considering we are out in the sun all day, have a drink before and after dinner and perhaps one in the lounge at night. We don't drink to get plastered, but it is vacation and those Miami vice are so good...

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GaryWT "Live from...." Rare

GaryWT

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Since the bars start by 8 AM and are open until at least 3 AM, 5 drinks is not much to many. Royal pushes their drinks a lot more than Carnival so it is probably a good deal. Of course they tell you the per day price but I am sure you need to buy it for the week, just like the soda card.

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Alzaman

Alzaman

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I dont think it matters if they offer this deal or not. Its a personal preference. If it adds value to someones cruise why not. If you pay 39pp/pd for a 7 day cruise it can add up quickly. If you are a returning guest you have a party with free drinks one night and then there is the party at the end of a cruise. I order a bottle to be placed in my cabin before we sail and bring my own soda, water and wine. It works out a lot better for me this way.

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deadmoney

deadmoney

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I would like to see this tried out on Carnival. This might be the best way to disrupt smuggling. $39 x 7 days = $273 x 15% = $40.95 $273 + $40.95 = $313.95 SIGN ME UP!!!!!

 

Yep, I'll be in line to sign up right behind you. That's like five drinks a day, heck, I do that in a few hours in the casino on sea days.:D

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bigdaddyvoges

bigdaddyvoges

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On my last cruise we each took turns buying rounds for most of the adults who were drinking and the drinks were as follows: 1 bucket of beers, 2 DoD, 2 Bailey's Mudslides, 1 Strawberry Daquiri. I believe it cost around $60. Now I am assuming that I couldn't get that many drinks or better yet, its probably 1 drink per package bought so we would all have to walk to the bar with our S&S, but a small price to pay I would say!!!

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jax430

jax430

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It's a good deal for those who are going to drink a lot anyhow, but I'd be concerned that it is going to prompt some people to drink even more than usual because it's "included," and result in more drunkeness on the ship. I think that "all you can drink" can be dangerous in the hands of the wrong people!

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WeBeCruisin'

WeBeCruisin'

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A group of us had the drinks card on the Splendor in October on the 7-day Cabo San Lucas itinerary. It cost us $55 each and we all thought it was well worth it. One of the great things about it was that it gave us the opportunity to try a lot of new cocktails and frou frou drinks which we would have hesitated to pay full price for previously, in case we didn't care for them. Even though I'm primarily a gin martini drinker, I really have to recommend the Tiramisu Martini. :D

 

Each of the members sharing a specific cabin was required to purchase the card, so as to avoid the sponging-off-the-roomie aspect.

 

Tips were included in the price and a minimum of 30 people were needed to qualify for the card. Our group became two groups... one with the card and one without, so it worked out well for the light- and non-drinkers, too. They didn't have to subsidize anyone else. :)

 

We still had to sign for each drink, though, but that made it convenient at the end of the cruise to calculate whether we had gotten our money's worth. We had. :cool:

 

I had cruised with this same group on the same ship the week Swine Flu came out (we had six Sea Days, since Mexico was "closed"), so I knew the personalities involved. I really don't think anyone drank much more than they normally would and I don't recall anyone being really drunk or obnoxious.

 

We're hoping to be able to get the card again on one of our future cruises.

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Mike981

Mike981

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I would do this for sure if it is available this side of the pond, if not we will book Celebrity for our next non-kid cruise. Our bar bill is pretty close each cruise and it would be a no-brainer.

 

By the way for those worried about the drinking getting out of hand, I can only relate it to our five trips to all-inclusives and people are surprisingly well behaved. I have seen a lot more "drunk" people on a cruise than at an AI. I think you have more "rookie" drinkers on a cruise, than those who go to an AI or would buy a package like this.

 

Time will tell, but put me in coach, I'm ready to play...;)

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