All-Inclusive Drink Packages and Service ??

[DrD]

[quote name='newlu']HI,
Am thinking of taking the premium package, big question.. does it cover martinis? we love a martini before diner, it says $10 drinks... Really need to know.. Will try to find the bar menu online..

thanks!
newlu[/QUOTE]

[url]http://cruisewithgambee.com/royal-caribbean-drink/[/url]

[ATC cruiser]

I just got off Freedom yesterday, I had the premium package. I got on the ship before 11:30 am and had 3 or 4 drinks before our departure. Not once was I charged tax, I did have to sign a slip with a zero total for each drink. If you add a tip to the charge it goes into a pool and equally divided between all the bar staff. So cash is king when it comes to tipping. I believe the way RCL does the tipping for the drink package is they take 15% of the $55 dollars, so roughly $7.50 per day, and throw it into a pot. Then that is divided between all the bar staff. I signed a slip after I bought each drink, except for dinner, there I signed only 1 slip. It didn't matter if I had 1 drink or 5. I didn't find out about pooling the tips until the 5th day of the cruise, so when I go on my next cruise in march I'll be bringing more small bills for tipping. I thought the overall level of the bar service on the entire ship has declined, but I don't think it has to do with the drink package. I think that royal reduced the number of bar servers and has increased everyone's workload, the reason I say that is it just didn't seem like there were as many servers around the pool as on past cruises. They also no longer have the nightly shooter after dinner and that was were I made out with the drink package. I could still order a shooter if I wanted one, but it's much easier to just grab it off the tray as they walk by. I really don't think your treated any differently if you have the package or not.

[zombiehunter]

On my first cruise we hemmed and hawed about getting the package. Then we got on board, I ordered a Captain and coke, she ordered Ketel One and we got our bill for $20. IMMEDIATELY went to get the packages.

As far as service went I found that if I were drinking heavily I'd have to just send the wandering server off with my card every time he brought me something back (the drinks are a bit light) so the turn around time wasn't too bad. If I went straight to a bartender (the Solarium was our favorite) we were taken care of as we were in line.

The only time I had issues was in the MDR...sometimes seemed impossible to get a drink and when I did the turn around was really slow. We'd usually just stop at the bar in the Centrium beforehand and grab one, chat and make our way to dinner.

[ncsteeler]

[quote name='Laney219']Is there a time-out period between drinks?! Limit on drinks/day? From what I can tell 'no', but didn't know if anyone has had different experience.[/QUOTE]

When the packages first came out it was said 15 minutes between drinks and at 15 drinks a day the bartender could cut you off.

That being said, my son got many a drinks from the roaming poolside bar hops who record on paper tablet so you could beat the fifteen minute rule if ya wanted to.

I don't even know if those rules are written any where, but the 15 minute rule holds true for the free style soda machines.

[Laney219]

[quote name='DrD']That's about 4 seconds too slow.[/QUOTE]

I figured it would take me that long to find the servers :)

[Laney219]

[quote name='ncsteeler']When the packages first came out it was said 15 minutes between drinks and at 15 drinks a day the bartender could cut you off.

That being said, my son got many a drinks from the roaming poolside bar hops who record on paper tablet so you could beat the fifteen minute rule if ya wanted to.

[/QUOTE]


Has anyone had the experience where they had to wait or was cut off?? 15 sounds like a lot, but I have been known to drink!! :D

[Frankmac]

[quote name='Tony O']Bought drink package in Bayonne for New Year's Eve cruise NO tax just price and 15% gratuity

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

Package price should have included gratuity I believe