Pre-cruise wine by the bottle offers

[Pet]

We normally order (and drink) a bottle of wine with each dinner but was wondering if it is worth buying a package of bottles for our next 18 day cruise? According to the RCCL website they offer up to 25% discount on a package of 12 bottles from a named selection which works out just over £20 ($32) per bottle. Sounds a reasonable enough deal, but was wondering if the price includes the normal 15% service charge or whether this is added once served? Also, was considering "gifting" the remaining 6 bottles needed to fulfil our normal wine needs for this cruise though the on-line site but wondered if this was a more expensive way of doing it rather than just getting another on board package of 6?

 

Grateful for comments!!

[Daghis]

In the US, the 15% gratuity is added to the purchase price on the web site. Some non-US sailings, however, have higher base prices than the US, but then don't add the 15% gratuity.

 

If I were you, and I expected to have a bottle each night, I'd buy two packages, a 12 and a 5 or 7. This is assuming that you're happy with the list of wines available as part of the package. If you buy just the 12-bottle package, then you would have the opportunity to purchase some bottles not from the package while onboard, and that may be worth it for you.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Daghis

[north29]

Which is usually cline zen or in the same price range, on our last cruise I quickly did the math, I,m no wiz on math but the price of my appeared to be the same or less than a wine package. However in most packages there are wines that are more expensive than Cline, so you might take a look when first on board and do some math.

[Daghis]

Regarding the gratuity, I just checked my reservation to see what a 12-bottle package would cost. This is what I saw on the ordering page:

 

 

Note that it does say that the gratuity will be added to the listed package price.

 

And if I do go ahead and add the package to the shopping cart, I see the gratuity explicitly added:

 

[Clarea]

Which is usually cline zen or in the same price range, on our last cruise I quickly did the math, I,m no wiz on math but the price of my appeared to be the same or less than a wine package. However in most packages there are wines that are more expensive than Cline, so you might take a look when first on board and do some math.

This is a good point. Years ago, the wine package saved money on all bottles you could select. Now you have to be careful because you may be paying more for certain wines than if you purchase them outside the package.

[north29]

Good post, A bottle of Cline is $30+- so 12 bottles would be $360 plus tip of $54

means $414+- without the package VS $385 which would save me $29 give or take a couple of $ based on what I think my wine costs.

I guess I need to take a math class LOL. however you are locked into wines on that particular package, not a big deal for me but others might think about it.

[Daghis]

This is a good point. Years ago, the wine package saved money on all bottles you could select. Now you have to be careful because you may be paying more for certain wines than if you purchase them outside the package.

Bob, would you happen to have a link to photos of the current wine menus with pricing? I'd like to do up a new spreadsheet that compares the package cost per bottle to a la carte purchases, like the one that had been available for the older Wine & Dine packages, but I'm missing much of the current pricing information.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Daghis

[Clarea]

Bob, would you happen to have a link to photos of the current wine menus with pricing? I'd like to do up a new spreadsheet that compares the package cost per bottle to a la carte purchases, like the one that had been available for the older Wine & Dine packages, but I'm missing much of the current pricing information.

No, sorry, I don't believe I have the current prices. Critterchick is cruising now and was going to bring back photos of the current menu.

 

I think it would be fantastic if you were able to bring that spreadsheet up to date. It was very useful for years.

[Daghis]

Thanks for mentioning critterchick. I saw that in her signature, she had a link to a wine list from earlier this year. Based off those numbers, I came up with this spreadsheet comparison of the wine packages.

 

When she comes back, if she has updated prices, I can easily update the spreadsheet and produce a new image for reference.

 

[Clarea]

Thanks for mentioning critterchick. I saw that in her signature, she had a link to a wine list from earlier this year. Based off those numbers, I came up with this spreadsheet comparison of the wine packages.

 

When she comes back, if she has updated prices, I can easily update the spreadsheet and produce a new image for reference.

 

Thanks Marc. On our recent Legend TA, the Mondavi Cab was $67, plus 15%. Not sure if that indicates a price rise, or maybe Legend had not switched to US prices. Hopefully Jean will shed some light on my confusion.

[excitedtocruise]

Thank you soooo much for the cost comparison, I have been trying to decide which we should do, pay as we go or get the wine package, and you have made a very readable chart to help me decide. Decision: To buy the wine package. One question does the price of the wine package include the 15% or not?

[Pet]

Thanks for mentioning critterchick. I saw that in her signature, she had a link to a wine list from earlier this year. Based off those numbers, I came up with this spreadsheet comparison of the wine packages.

 

When she comes back, if she has updated prices, I can easily update the spreadsheet and produce a new image for reference.

 

 

Thanks very much for the advice. Look forward to seeing the updated speadsheet. I assume that the same applies to "gifting" wine to yourself i.e. the 15% is added at check out and one needs to be careful which wines to select to get a reasonable deal?

[north29]

I hope this is a complete wine list, my Cline in not on there. The prices seem to

have also increased.

[Daghis]

Thank you soooo much for the cost comparison, I have been trying to decide which we should do, pay as we go or get the wine package, and you have made a very readable chart to help me decide. Decision: To buy the wine package. One question does the price of the wine package include the 15% or not?

 

None of the prices listed include the 15% gratuity, so that should be added to the expected total cost. I'll make a note of that and update the graphic. Thanks for catching that!

 

Thanks very much for the advice. Look forward to seeing the updated speadsheet. I assume that the same applies to "gifting" wine to yourself i.e. the 15% is added at check out and one needs to be careful which wines to select to get a reasonable deal?

 

If you purchase wine from the Gifts & Gear department, the prices there are listed with the 15% gratuity already added in; the gratuity isn't charged separately as it is for the wine package.

 

I hope this is a complete wine list, my Cline in not on there. The prices seem to

have also increased.

 

I made this spreadsheet based on the wines listed in the Wine & Dine menu. There's no Cline listed as part of the package there.

 

Note, I'm only including the wines that are part of the package. All other wines are simply available a la carte.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Daghis