Drink Package Worth it?

[Funbobby68]

On our 7 day last week I got the drink package but still had to sign for the drinks and just could not bring myself not to tip while the server was standing over me , with that said I drank a bunch but after 3 days of indulging , I just could not consume enough to make it cost effective so I won't be getting it on my next cruise in May

Cheers

 

 

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[jenninlaca]

I recently sailed on Allure (7 nights) and did the Premium Drink Package. I posted a review of my experience last week that the OP may be interested in

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1882756

 

For a 16 day cruise I would personally not get the package because I don't think I could keep up the level of drinking needed to make the package worth it to me. But in response to all of the posts that talk about 6-8 drinks being way too much and therefore the package being not worth it, you have to consider that you are on the ship all day and you are on vacation. If you are only drinking in the evening then 6-8 drinks is a lot (probably too much for most), but I typically enjoyed a couple of mimosas with breakfast, maybe a drink with lunch, and a drink or two in the afternoon before dinner so that is already 4-5 before dinner. Its pretty easy to have a drink or two with dinner and the same after dinner. Collectively it adds up to 8 or more during the day. I am an average sized person with a decent tolerance and I was never drunk on the package, although by day 5 I felt like I needed a break from drinking, which was why I would not get it for a sailing longer than 7 days.

[Tycho Cat]

Thanks guys, I am going to cancel it, order a wine package, drink what we like when we like, add the wine to our bill & see how much we have spent. Some Port days might just be a couple of glasses of wine during dinner. Days at sea I can see we will consume more, were on the ship, bars everywhere, but port days I do think are very different.

[OccRNcruiser]

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.:)

I actually did the math........

The Premium package is $55.00 which is equivalent to spending

~ $48.00 in drinks + $7.20 (15%) in tips

The Classic package is $45.00 which is equivalent to spending

~$39.25 in drinks + $5.89 (15%) in tips

 

This is a price list of onboard drinks

shipcruise.org How Much are Drinks on Royal Caribbean – Alcohol Policy/Drink Prices 2013

 

Whether or not the package is worth it would be a personal decision but with this information you can make an informed one. (I figured all this out because we're sailing soon and I wanted to know!)

[Tycho Cat]

Thank you for the link, have read your great review, nice to see a link to drink prices too. Still think I will cancel, I am sure on the package we would drink more than normal as its "free". We certainly ate way too much food last time. Can someone please tell me what the %age is for tipping.

 

Thanks

 

I think the previous poster just gave me the tip %age, also is this general across America & Canada?

Great calculations

 

Having just looked at the prices of cocktails we like $8 plus tip is $9.20, a couple of cocktails during the day & 3 glasses of wine during dinner & a champagne at the show, it all adds up quickly...... I think my main concern is what is the wine like?

[louhun88]

Louhun88

 

Do you think you got your moneys worth. We are a bit concerned about the wine. What was the sparkling like?

 

Tycho Cat

 

I think we came out slightly over in cost but there is no sparkling wine or rose included in the package!

 

We also tended to notice that the wine wad different in cretin bars/windjammer/mdr so if you like decent wine I'd definitely NOT take the package. We've decided on our next cruise to just by wine by the bottle so we can have 'whatever we fancycle

[Tycho Cat]

I have emailed RC asking them what the wines will be on Radiance with our sail dates. I thought sparkling wine was included.

[louhun88]

I have emailed RC asking them what the wines will be on Radiance with our sail dates. I thought sparkling wine was included.

 

So did we until we got on the ship and they said no sparkling no rose only white or red. Maybe different on other ships as people say they had mimosas?!

[jennyau]

I have emailed RC asking them what the wines will be on Radiance with our sail dates. I thought sparkling wine was included.

 

I thought sparkling was included too....and it was St Martin's.....my daughter and I did a drink package "trial" at home to see whether we would get the package. We tried said bubbles and it was drinkable.....just.

 

We still haven't quite decided. Our main concern is whether we would drink enough day in and day out or hit a brick wall.

 

But the fact that soda and non alcoholic cocktails are included is tipping us towards doing it.

 

Our decision will probably end up a financial one......IF we have the money when we sail we will probably buy it onboard just for the convenience, the ability to try different drinks and for the non alcoholic component. Plus we are also Aussies who don't quite get the tipping thing....

 

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[Tycho Cat]

Jennyau, where did you buy the bubbles they have? Woud love to try some if included. Its a hard one, dont want to over pay, but we find the tipping very awkward, plus with the price of cocktails it coukd be as little as 5 drinks per day, which woud add up with a full day on board.

[Frankmac]

Tycho Cat

 

If you are buying your drink as you go there is a 15% tip added. As in your earlier example $8 + $1.20 = $9.20.

 

The package at $55.00 per day already includes the tip.

 

Incidentally I don't understand why anyone on the package would feel pressured to give an extra tip just because they are presented with a receipt to sign.

[Tycho Cat]

Thanks Frankmac, no I wont be tipping etc. sticking with package atm, was going to cancel, but 5 drinks isnt much on a full day at sea.

[Tycho Cat]

I also meant to add having soda water throughout the day adds up too. At dinner if there is a few of you with the drinks package, will they just leave you the bottle? Would be a lot less hassle for them.

[Clarea]

I also meant to add having soda water throughout the day adds up too. At dinner if there is a few of you with the drinks package, will they just leave you the bottle? Would be a lot less hassle for them.

Royal's package does not include bottles of anything. The soda water would come out of the fountain machine in the kitchen.

[FSUNole]

For me, it is worth it on a 7 day cruise as I can drink with the best of them for about 5 days. I slow down considerably on the last 2 days. On a 16 day cruise, no way could I keep up. I'd be totally dry on days 9-16.

[mpoole3]

For me, it is worth it on a 7 day cruise as I can drink with the best of them for about 5 days. I slow down considerably on the last 2 days. On a 16 day cruise, no way could I keep up. I'd be totally dry on days 9-16.

 

I experienced the same thing. Day 1-5 defiantly had my $55 worth, day 6 maybe $30, last day was water only.

[storm1of4]

I am not so concerned about getting my monies worth...

I like the freedom of ordering what I want in any bar I want without concern of a bar bill. I'll make sure I pay cash for the package long before the cruise date so I will not feel the necessity to over drink just to make $55 per day.

 

Even though we are D+ and drink for free in the CL. We get so board in there and are looking forward to creating a CL in any bar on the ship at any hour.

[m*u*g*]

Does it come with a new liver?

[yolanda1]

It's definitely not worth it for us, especially on a port intensive cruise. Our bar bill is always significantly less than the total cost of the package.

[Paul65]

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?

 

So are you suggesting that only those who think it is worth it should answer? Seems kind of odd that people are surprised when people give their opinions of whether or not the alcohol package is worth it, on a thread that is specifically asking for those opinions.

[Paul65]

We also tended to notice that the wine wad different in cretin bars....

 

I tend to avoid the cretin bars - too many cretins in there. ;)

[cmaygar]

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:)

 

If you enjoy wine, you may wish to buy the wine package. My husband and I buy the package (if we're on a 7-night cruise, we buy a 7-bottle package) and you can order a few bottles of wine from the ship for your cabin for afternoon drinks. This comes out to about $300 for the package and another $150 or so for the bottles in the room. It's great if you love wine. I think that the mixed drink package is something that wouldn't appeal to us because we don't drink anything but wine as far as alcohol is concerned. We also buy the bottled water package.

 

It's a different strokes for different folks situation. I can see if someone enjoys mixed drinks on a long cruise without many ports where the alcohol package makes sense and I see the other side of the situation too.

[brillohead]

Does it come with a new liver?

 

No, but if you are staying in a suite or are a Pinnacle C&A member, I heard they bump you to the front of the line for a liver transplant! ;)

[ULCajunCruiser]

I tend to avoid the cretin bars - too many cretins in there. ;)

 

LOLOL :D

 

OK my 2 cents.

 

If you are looking for a reason not to buy the premium beverage package, then I think its not for you. Also, if you're heavy into wines, than I think that you're not going to find this package worthwhile.

 

If you are honestly looking at it from a "is it really worth it" viewpoint, then I suggest you do a few minor calculations. Keep in mind that the 15% tips are already built in to the $55 / day cost. Additionally. if you drink soda (whether 1 or 2 a day, or you were thinking about the soda package) fountain soda's are included in the PBP.

 

So lets do some math: $55 - $8.25 (15% tip) = $46.75 which is the true cost of the package.

 

Are you a cocktail drinker?? $46.75 / $6.50 = 7

Frozen drinks??? $46.75 / $10.50 = 5

 

So its a personal decision. For me, an easy choice for my 9 day Serenade OTS cruise in Dec.

Bloody Mary and 2 beers in the morning

2 BCC's around he pool in the afternoon

Glass of wine with dinner

after dinner desert shot

2 Crown and cokes in the evening.

Figure that cones out to more than $60 WITHOUT tips!!!

 

Thats a "light" drinking day for me and I can do that 24 X 7 X 365. (and no I'm not drinking myself into oblivion, I'm just a born and raised Cajun! :D) No brainer, I jumped on the package.

 

Reviews have mostly been positive, no issues with service or availability. Convience and easy to use are huge pluses!!!

 

Good luck with your decision, enjoy your cruise no matter what you decide!!

[jennyau]

Jennyau, where did you buy the bubbles they have? Woud love to try some if included. Its a hard one, dont want to over pay, but we find the tipping very awkward, plus with the price of cocktails it coukd be as little as 5 drinks per day, which woud add up with a full day on board.

 

We found it at Dan Murphy's

 

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