Drink Package Worth it?

[Desert Cruizers]

Since we all drink differant amounts or not at all, whether something is worth it would be an individual decision. For us, it wouldn't be since my DH only drinks beer and I stay with Ice Tea or a coke/pepsi.

[jnojr]

I thought about it. The main reason we decided not to is we like to order "buckets of beer", and you can't do that with the all-you-can-drink package. Plus, I would think that some people, at least, might start to feel pressure to "get their money's worth" and wind up ordering more than they really want. My last cruise, my S&S card wound up being about $100 per day including all the tips and such. The drink program might have saved me a few bucks, but I'd rather just be on my own schedule.

 

I'd also suggest that if you can easily put back more than 8 mixed drinks or 12 beers a day, every day, you might want to at least consider the possibility that you're drinking a little too much ;)

 

So, basically, I don't think it's worth it.

[ombrelle]

Hi All,

 

I'm enjoying all of your replies, and it is starting to be clearer, not that we have decided yet. To help us and the others to make up our minds, if it is worth it for us I have another question.

How much is the cheapest bottle of wine on board! My husband and I love to drink wine with our meals. With the package, do they serve it by the glass? Is it good wine and is the service O.K. or do you have to ask to have your glass refilled ( I hate to have to do that ).:D

 

Thank you

[tasbm1]

For me, it would not be worth it. We spend our port days off of the ship. We did have people on the last cruise who were thrilled with it. They didn't get off the ship for excursions and on top of that, they were trying every drink the bartenders were coming up with. If they didn't like one, they just threw it out and ordered another. The were doing pub crawls on the ship and would just get a fresh drink at the next bar too. For them, it paid off!!!

[critterchick]

I am shocked (not sure why since this is CC), the number of people that come onto the drink package threads and outright state they wouldn't buy it for xxx or yyy reason. If you aren't interested in it, why bother reading the thread?

 

Because the thread is a question of whether it's worth it.

 

Thank you everybody. Still haven't made up our mind. Maybe if I give more information. The voyage, we are looking at is a repositioning. That said, the fare is most attractive. Most of the days will be spent on board. We are not heavy drinkers, but being mostly on board,it would be nice to have a glass of wine with lunch, a glass or 2 for dinner / for each of us. A drink before dinner and a night cap. Maybe a long drink after lunch around the pool, on deck.

Is it still worth it or not?:confused:

With your experience does Royal Caribbean have the most expensive on board drink package? How does it fare with other ship lines?

 

Thank you:)

 

How picky are your about your wine? The only wine that's available is the house wine, which I don't think they even sell by the glass in the bars - the least expensive wine would be around $7/glass on most ships (European and Australian ships have higher bar prices in my experience).

 

We like our wine, and have been known to spend a fair sum on a bottle with dinner (sometimes lunch). But for me the house wine isn't worth the calories and I already know that I couldn't drink enough beer or hard liquor in a day (and I'm not much of a soda drinker) to make the package worthwhile, at least not without needing a trip to Betty Ford at the end of the cruise.:eek:

 

I can only speak to the Celebrity drink package for comparison. They charge $55 plus 15% "tip" for their premium package and include top shelf hard liquor, wines up to $12/glass (and if you order a more expensive wine you only pay the difference), beers, sodas, bottled water, specialty coffees, smoothies, juices (included fresh-squeezed, which RCI don't include) and maybe more that I'm forgetting. Our bar tab, including wine, cocktails and soda (DH likes his Diet Coke), normally runs about $75-100/day for the two of us, so adding on the coffees and other beverages would make it a pretty good deal.

 

I would get a package like that in the blink of an eye - even though I can get my cocktails and cappuccino in the CL or DL, there are plenty of other offerings to make it more worthwhile to me (and cocktails are only from 5-8, no after dinner drinks or Bloody Marys with lunch;)). I'd probably get some things that I don't normally (juice and bottled water), but would still feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

 

RCI's approach seems to be to have a package for everything - soda package, water package, wine & dine package, now the drink package. I wish they would also add an "all of the above" package!

[critterchick]

Hi All,

 

I'm enjoying all of your replies, and it is starting to be clearer, not that we have decided yet. To help us and the others to make up our minds, if it is worth it for us I have another question.

How much is the cheapest bottle of wine on board! My husband and I love to drink wine with our meals. With the package, do they serve it by the glass? Is it good wine and is the service O.K. or do you have to ask to have your glass refilled ( I hate to have to do that ).:D

 

Thank you

 

The cheapest bottle of wine is about $22 plus a 15% tip. The package wine is house wine only, served by the glass. Whether it's any good is a matter of personal taste, but I can tell you that if it's La Terre, the white is sometimes drinkable but the red is better as drain cleaner. On Jewel we were served St. Martin, and I found that the red was decent but the wine would be better used as fuel for a car. Yes, I exaggerate, but you get my drift.

 

And I imagine that you would have to ask to have your glass refilled in the dining room, but not having had the package, I don't know if you can tell them to keep it coming until you cut them off.

 

Personally, I would be bored drinking the same wine every night, but many people prefer to have the same beverage every night - a matter of personal choice.

[KBRADFORD79]

Me and the hubby are contemplating if we should buy "the package" as well. I'm not a huge drinker but I sure like to feel comfortable ordering a pina colada here or there. After purchasing a drink or two and the gratuity, might as well get the unlimited package for peace of mind. Plus last time we had so much fun meeting other people, we kept buying drinks for the whole group and our bill came up to almost $1200 for the seven days. So imagine with the unlimited package, how many friends we will make! :)

[Paul65]

I'm one of those who thinks the house wine (La Terre) is not all that bad. It's not all that good, either. So, if you enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner, I'm not sure the drink package would help much with that. I will say that, toward the end of our cruise, when we had not yet touched the two bottles of wine we brought onboard with us, I brought a bottle to the dining room to have with dinner, and they did not charge nor mention a corkage fee. That doesn't necessarily mean you'd have the same experience, but that was what happened with me.

[louhun88]

Hi All,

 

I'm enjoying all of your replies, and it is starting to be clearer, not that we have decided yet. To help us and the others to make up our minds, if it is worth it for us I have another question.

How much is the cheapest bottle of wine on board! My husband and I love to drink wine with our meals. With the package, do they serve it by the glass? Is it good wine and is the service O.K. or do you have to ask to have your glass refilled ( I hate to have to do that ).:D

 

Thank you

 

Hi

 

When they first started trialling these packages 2 years ago in Europe we took it (was cheaper then though) and definitely saved money! As for getting the wine refilled in the dining room, we weren't even finished our glass when they asked of we wanted more!

 

We're going on a 7 day cruise in 5 weeks and I'll be taking the package again as we like some frozen cocktails or beers during the day some wine with the dinner and then some cosmopolitans or appletinis at night. The martins are $10 without the 15% gratuity added, the house wine (I like the rose which is Beriginer whie Zinfandel!) is about $6 before gratuity a glass and the frozen cocktails are $7+ each!

 

I think we'll at least break even if not save money!

[SimplyAddicted]

I still have quite awhile to decide (and things may/will probably change by then) but I am back and forth on this decision as well - leaning toward not worth it for us. My husband is a beer drinker, but I prefer wine. He can probably drink 6 beers or so a day on vacation. I like a couple (or 3! :rolleyes:) glasses of wine throughout an evening. Neither one of us drinks soda.

 

With those statistics, it doesn't seem like it will make sense. With that being said, it would be awesome to just not have to think about how much you are spending on each drink. There are plenty of times where I want a drink, but feel bad spending the money. I like the idea of getting what I want when I want it. Sometimes I want a frozen drink in the afternoon! So I do think this is worth a small amount of money in itself. I can, however, see my husband working to get his money's worth!

 

If the package included bottled water and coffees, I would do it in a heartbeat. Anyone know what the wine packages cost these days?

[critterchick]

With those statistics, it doesn't seem like it will make sense. With that being said, it would be awesome to just not have to think about how much you are spending on each drink. There are plenty of times where I want a drink, but feel bad spending the money. I like the idea of getting what I want when I want it. Sometimes I want a frozen drink in the afternoon! So I do think this is worth a small amount of money in itself. I can, however, see my husband working to get his money's worth!

 

I would feel worse spending the lump sum up front knowing that I wouldn't even coming close to drinking the value of it (which I imagine is what RCI is counting on for the majority of the people who do purchase it). Just sayin'...

[SimplyAddicted]

I would feel worse spending the lump sum up front knowing that I wouldn't even coming close to drinking the value of it (which I imagine is what RCI is counting on for the majority of the people who do purchase it). Just sayin'...

 

I agree! I don't think that convenience is worth hundreds of dollars! But to me, it is worth a little like $50 maybe. I said I like a few glasses of wine. Without a package, I would probably only get one just because I feel bad! It would just be nice to be able to do what I want already knowing it was included. I hate being surprised with the bill at the end. :)

[jnojr]

How much is the cheapest bottle of wine on board! My husband and I love to drink wine with our meals. With the package, do they serve it by the glass? Is it good wine and is the service O.K. or do you have to ask to have your glass refilled ( I hate to have to do that ).:D

 

With the drink package, the only wine you'll get is a house wine with a pretty bad reputation. If you want a decent or nice bottle, it won't be included. But it also won't be any more than it would be in a restaurant, either.

[necruiser215]

Me and the hubby are contemplating if we should buy "the package" as well. I'm not a huge drinker but I sure like to feel comfortable ordering a pina colada here or there. After purchasing a drink or two and the gratuity, might as well get the unlimited package for peace of mind. Plus last time we had so much fun meeting other people, we kept buying drinks for the whole group and our bill came up to almost $1200 for the seven days. So imagine with the unlimited package, how many friends we will make! :)

 

Not very many as you cannot get drinks for them with the package.

[necruiser215]

I still have quite awhile to decide (and things may/will probably change by then) but I am back and forth on this decision as well - leaning toward not worth it for us. My husband is a beer drinker, but I prefer wine. He can probably drink 6 beers or so a day on vacation. I like a couple (or 3! :rolleyes:) glasses of wine throughout an evening. Neither one of us drinks soda.

 

With those statistics, it doesn't seem like it will make sense. With that being said, it would be awesome to just not have to think about how much you are spending on each drink. There are plenty of times where I want a drink, but feel bad spending the money. I like the idea of getting what I want when I want it. Sometimes I want a frozen drink in the afternoon! So I do think this is worth a small amount of money in itself. I can, however, see my husband working to get his money's worth!

 

If the package included bottled water and coffees, I would do it in a heartbeat. Anyone know what the wine packages cost these days?

 

I would feel worse knowing I "overpaid" each day by buying the package. would rather pay for exactly what I consumed.

[Virtopia]

As many have said, it's all up to personal preference.

 

For myself, I won't be getting it, especially now that I can bring two bottles of wine. For my next cruise, I'm the only one who drinks, so the two bottles should last me the entire sailing, with two frozen drinks a day.

[Tropical-Stud]

Hi All!

 

I am torn between booking or not with Royal Caribbean. A 16 day cruise, their drink package would come out to $ 1760.00./for 2.:( Has anyone used this package? Was it worth it? Does anyone have a price list of their drinks on board? Would much appreciate all of your comments.:)

 

If you're a drinker like me, who can chug down 7-10 drinks a day and carry a high level of tolerance to alcohol, it's definitely worth it. But there's more to the drinks package than just getting drunk. You also need to consider the convenience and peace of mind. And you don't have to worry about the tab upon disembarkation.

 

If most people had the funds, they would opt for the luxury of a drinks package. But we all know that RCCL is a mass cruiseline that caters to a wide demographic, where you'll end up with a bunch of haters, who despise anything they can't afford while on a cruise ship.

[MandyMooToo]

If you're a big drinker like me, who can chug down 7-10 drinks a day and carry a high level of tolerance to alcohol, it's definitely worth it.

 

I'm not a big drinker so to speak but I really think it'll be worth it to me because bellinis at breakfast, mojitos by the pool, wine with dinner...I'll hit 7+ drinks each day and with water and diet soda between I don't see me getting "loaded." It will be nice to not have to tally costs in my head or worry that I spent a ridiculous amount on drinks. Now I'll just drink what I want when I want and enjoy it without stress!

[ombrelle]

Hi everybody,

 

Can someone tell me if the package can be bought on board? Also, will there be a list at the bars of the drinks that are available ? Can we find such a list on line?

 

Thank you, :)

[MrFunInTheSun]

Hi everybody,

 

Can someone tell me if the package can be bought on board? Also, will there be a list at the bars of the drinks that are available ? Can we find such a list on line?

 

Thank you, :)

 

You can purchase once on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

[reedprincess]

Hi everybody,

 

Can someone tell me if the package can be bought on board? Also, will there be a list at the bars of the drinks that are available ? Can we find such a list on line?

 

Thank you, :)

Yes, you can buy the packages onboard. They must be purchased by everyone in the stateroom over 21, unless there is a doctor's note of why one person can't drink. also, must be purchased for the entire cruise. There is another thread on here which contains the complete list of alcohols included. Basically, it is everything except canned drinks, and Patron, and a very, very few others. Mixed drinks (rum/coke, G&t, and so on), frozen drinks, specialty drinks (without the special cup), fountain sodas, all included.

Enjoy - for us, totally worth it. For others, wouldn't be worth it. To each their own.

[squarepants]

I remember paying cash for my drinks. It will be nice to sit back and enjoy. It's easy to enjoy a few beers a day. Easy I say.

[Prewitt]

First of all,

greetings from Cologne to the rest of the world...

 

I've been following this discussions about the drink packages since I booked my first RC cruise which will be with the Splendour of the seas starting from Venedig in June.

 

Seems like you guys just think about the Premium package.

For me -as a beer drinker- the Classic package will do so I made up my mind to purchase it.

 

I just like the idea of not worrying about each order, knowing what costs to expect. I'm looking forward to trying some new beers, I can almost see myself relaxing in the sun with a cold beer in my hands...can't wait.:)

 

I just hope that I will not have to sign any receipt, seems like this is different on each ship.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, this is very helpful.

[Poorplaya]

Hi All!

 

I am torn between booking or not with Royal Caribbean. A 16 day cruise, their drink package would come out to $ 1760.00./for 2.:( Has anyone used this package? Was it worth it? Does anyone have a price list of their drinks on board? Would much appreciate all of your comments.:)

 

In my opinion it really depends on if you drink enough regularly while on a cruise or not. Average decent drink in my opinion will cost about $6 to $7. premium drinks from $8 to $9 dollars. I am a Crown Royal drinker and my wife always has something frozen in her hand, so our drinks cost $7 or $8 a piece, once we drink 6 or 7 drinks a day we've made it worth our while, and we'll do that every day so IMO yes it is worth it, for me, but depending on your drinking habits on board no it might not be worth it for you.

[Frankmac]

Me and the hubby are contemplating if we should buy "the package" as well. I'm not a huge drinker but I sure like to feel comfortable ordering a pina colada here or there. After purchasing a drink or two and the gratuity, might as well get the unlimited package for peace of mind. Plus last time we had so much fun meeting other people, we kept buying drinks for the whole group and our bill came up to almost $1200 for the seven days. So imagine with the unlimited package, how many friends we will make! :)

 

I think that is what gave rise to the policy of everyone over 21 in the stateroom having to purchase the package