Does anyone know why the drinks prices vary on different cruises?

[wales4ever]

I assumed that drinks prices were standard wherever you were.

 

 

Someone posted a drinks menu from a Med cruise a week or so ago. (A fairly recent sailing)

 

I noticed that some drinks, such as the luxury martini, which I drink in far greater quantities than is needed :) on cruises, was dearer on the Med sailing than the price on our Mariner cruise 2 weeks ago.

[Tucker in Texas]

The old supply and demand and/or what the market will pay. We took a B2B TA a couple of years ago. When we got to Europe, old drink menus were replaced with new ones----and higher prices (lol).

 

Tucker in Texas

[Clarea]

I've been told by more than one officer that they include the 15% gratuity in the posted drink price on some ships in Europe.

[joandian]

I assumed that drinks prices were standard wherever you were.

 

 

Someone posted a drinks menu from a Med cruise a week or so ago. (A fairly recent sailing)

 

I noticed that some drinks, such as the luxury martini, which I drink in far greater quantities than is needed :) on cruises, was dearer on the Med sailing than the price on our Mariner cruise 2 weeks ago.

 

We noticed this when we were doing BTB on a TA and then a Med cruise. Prices changed on the Med cruise. We were told it was the extra taxes (vat?) that causes the increase in drink prices.

[Clagmeister]

I've been told by more than one officer that they include the 15% gratuity in the posted drink price on some ships in Europe.

 

The higher drink price usually reflects the 15% tip on sailings out of the UK.

[Jeannie333333]

it also varies dependent upon where you sail from..for example sailings out of Spain have an extra government tax applied..

 

:)

[Frankmac]

As far as Im aware the 15% gratuity is added to prices no matter where you sail from. Not just the UK

 

If you sail from a Spanish port and stay in EU waters you pay 10% Spanish tax as well

[JPRLHR]

As far as Im aware the 15% gratuity is added to prices no matter where you sail from. Not just the UK

 

On sailings from the UK, the 15% gratuity is indeed added but more to the point is already built in to the price of the drink.

 

When you get your receipt it shows only one line i.e. the price of the drink whereas on sailings from the US there are two lines, (1)the price of the drink and (2)the gratuity.

 

So drink prices are basically the same wherever you sail from but they are displayed in different ways.

[ticktoneer]

As far as Im aware the 15% gratuity is added to prices no matter where you sail from. Not just the UK

 

If you sail from a Spanish port and stay in EU waters you pay 10% Spanish tax as well

This is important to take notice of as your drink price could have 25% added onto its cost in these circumstances.

[DisneyMad]

There does seem to be a form of 'price banding' Royal Caribbean use for their drinks menus where the prices vary by ship and itinerary. (think there is even a mention of 'band ?' in the small print on back of bar menu)

 

When I was on the Navigator T/A last November the prices of the drinks were slightly higher than when on the Monarch in January. Beers were around 50/75 cents more and some premium mixed drinks $1 more. We did sail from Barcelona on the Navigator however the Spanish Tax (while in Spanish waters) & 15% Gratuity were added on top of these slightly more expensive prices.

 

This leads me to believe it is supply and demand as Tucker in Texas suggested. Think prices in general are higher for European cruises than Bahamas/Caribbean ones. (Could also relate to costs of getting the stock to the ship at different home ports???)

[Froggitt]

It's not a Spanish tax, it's VAT. RCI must charge VAT on drinks on any cruise that starts in the EU and does not visit a non EU country.

[Froggitt]

Beers were around 50/75 cents more and some premium mixed drinks $1 more.

 

Sounds like 20% or so on a $4 or $5 drink

 

Unlike Sales Tax, VAT must be shown in the ticket price, not added on afterwards.

[UNV-IT!!!]

So how would it work for a TA leaving the Netherlands?

[JPRLHR]

So how would it work for a TA leaving the Netherlands?

 

No idea whether or not they'd build in the gratuity from the NL but suspect they wouldn't as the ship finishes in US waters and would have a hefty percentage of US passengers who are used to having a 15% gratuity added whereas Europeans are not and so the thinking is, if they can't see it, they won't try and have it removed.

 

As for VAT, no that would not be added as although the cruise starts in the EU, it doesn't remain in or finish in the EU.

[Frankmac]

Im not sure ( maybe Im reading the posts wrong) where this thing about the 15% gratuity being included and not shown separately on European cruises because Europeans are not used to gratuities.

 

On my recent cruise I had the package for myself, but when buying a drink for my wife the 15% gratuity was clearly shown on the receipt

[Froggitt]

In theory, the VAT should apply on everything sold on board on a solely EU cruise. Also, there should be no duty free pricing (booze, cameras etc) either.

 

The TA......no VAT.

 

Grats included in the drink price.......I'd be surprised if the grats weren't listed as a separate line item, and not included in the drink price.

[Clarea]

So how would it work for a TA leaving the Netherlands?

We were on a TA that left Barcelona and there was no VAT tax at all.

[besberry]

It's not a Spanish tax, it's VAT. RCI must charge VAT on drinks on any cruise that starts in the EU and does not visit a non EU country.

Not true. The VAT is only charged on cruises originating in Spain. On the Independence I didn't get charged the 15% tip as the bar list had increased prices to take account of it. For the life of me I can't remember what happened on the Jewel and I have no idea what I'll be paying on the Adventure!

[UNV-IT!!!]

We were on a TA that left Barcelona and there was no VAT tax at all.

 

Sounds good to me.

[JPRLHR]

Im not sure ( maybe Im reading the posts wrong) where this thing about the 15% gratuity being included and not shown separately on European cruises because Europeans are not used to gratuities.

 

On my recent cruise I had the package for myself, but when buying a drink for my wife the 15% gratuity was clearly shown on the receipt

 

Well on IOS in May they were not shown separately. A $10 drink was shown as $11.50 as a single line entry on the receipt. There was plenty of discussion about that on the cruise itself.

[Frankmac]

Well on IOS in May they were not shown separately. A $10 drink was shown as $11.50 as a single line entry on the receipt. There was plenty of discussion about that on the cruise itself.

 

Perhaps its just on sailings out of the UK.