Prices of bottles of wine

[cruisinitaly]

We have studied the wine packages for Royal Caribbean, but are trying to figure out if we just want to pay as we go. I found a posting with pictures of all of the wine prices from the dining room (very helpful), but it is a year or two old and I have no idea what the current pricing looks like. I took the menu and the wine package list and wrote down all of the prices for those we would have the option of selecting. With the pricing I was given, most of the bottles in the packages were between $27 and $29 with some scattered in the upper 30s and a few into the 40s for the diamond package. With those lower end rates, the packages really don't make financial sense, so I'm hoping to see an updated listing of prices if anyone has it.

 

Also..this may sound crazy, but are the glasses "generous" or are they like many nice restaurants these days and so scimpy that you need to buy two glasses to be a real glass of wine.

 

Not trying to be to frugal, but would rather get my money's worth and save it for those great european excursions we are going on.

[Merion_Mom]

Here you go: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1129043

[cruisinitaly]

Thanks Merion Mom. That is actually the posting with pictures that I saw. So for 5 bottles at the low end plan of $155, it is $31 (before tip) per bottle. Only 2 bottles in the Gold package are above $31, so if you don't order those two, you will lose money.

For the platinum, it is $33 per bottle for the plan and 7 of them are above that, but not by much. I was thinking that perhaps the price per bottle increased on the cruise since 2010 so that it still made sense, but I'm having a hard time seeing the value. Hmmm....guess they are banking on us not doing our research.

[diva girl]

We buy by the bottle there is no savings for us with the package since what we love it the same per bottle versus the package. Someone mentioned you can also buy those little single servings of wine at the Park Cafe and the Windjammer.

[ahamill]

We debated the wine package before we went on Oasis and decided not to get it. When we got on board, we checked out Vintages and ended up buying two bottles from there, they would give us an ice bucket and two glasses and we took it back to our stateroom. We also ordered a bottle from gifts and gear which was waiting for us when we got to our room.

Other than that, we ordered by the glass.

I will say that I was disheartened to find the Dazante Pinto Grigio at Total Wine for $7.99 after paying close to $10 a glass for it all week!

 

Oh well.....

[Sequim88]

If you really know what you like and know wines that are on the packages you can maybe save money. One problem is that the prices they show are sometimes pretty inflated compared to the normal retail prices and I have often suspected they inflate the ones they got the best deal on the most. Then when people figure the average bottle price on a plan and see a wide margin they "snap up the deal" that might not be such a deal after all - except for RCI that is. :rolleyes:

 

I brought the package list home from our February crusie and we intend to try finding as many as possble locally and rating them before next cruise - as well as noting the real world price. Then we can decide if a package is worth it or not. Of course they could change the selections at any time but since the lists are printed in advance (and in large quantities) I suspect they have warehouses of the selections and don't change too often.

[mpbmark]

... I will say that I was disheartened to find the Dazante Pinto Grigio at Total Wine for $7.99 after paying close to $10 a glass for it all week!

 

Oh well.....

 

... One problem is that the prices they show are sometimes pretty inflated compared to the normal retail prices and I have often suspected they inflate the ones they got the best deal on the most. Then when people figure the average bottle price on a plan and see a wide margin they "snap up the deal" that might not be such a deal after all - except for RCI that is. :rolleyes:

 

I brought the package list home from our February crusie and we intend to try finding as many as possble locally and rating them before next cruise - as well as noting the real world price.... quote]

 

JMO, but remember when comparing prices, look at what your local restaurants charge for a bottle and not what you would pay at a "wine superstore" or "Costco". That's like the old "apples and oranges" comparision. Not accurate at all.

 

RCCL charges between 2.5 - 3.5% markup which is pretty close to the average for most restaurants.