Beverage package, is it worth it?

[EmpressofPurple]

You absolutely CAN buy it onboard as long as you have 4 days remaining on the cruise.:rolleyes:

 

 

Food & Beverage

 

 

Q: Can we purchase the package for selected days?

 

A: Onboard, the all-inclusive packages are available for purchase throughout the voyage with at least 4 days remaining. Must be purchased for the duration of the cruise; prorated price based on date of purchase

[Cruisegirl6]

What happens if you order a drink that is over the $10 maximum do you pay the difference or do they charge you for the entire drink?

[Clarea]

What happens if you order a drink that is over the $10 maximum do you pay the difference or do they charge you for the entire drink?

Difference.

[H_Mc]

Food & Beverage

 

 

Q: Can we purchase the package for selected days?

 

A: Onboard, the all-inclusive packages are available for purchase throughout the voyage with at least 4 days remaining. Must be purchased for the duration of the cruise; prorated price based on date of purchase

 

If this is true you just made my ldecisions SO much easier. I'm going on a 7 day where the last two days are at sea. For the whole 7 days the drink package is basically a wash, for just the last 4 it'll probably make sense. Do you have a source for this?

[Clarea]

If this is true you just made my ldecisions SO much easier. I'm going on a 7 day where the last two days are at sea. For the whole 7 days the drink package is basically a wash, for just the last 4 it'll probably make sense. Do you have a source for this?

If you look at this document:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/royal/en_US/pdf/beverage_packages.pdf

 

You will see a line towards the bottom of the first page about purchasing up to 4 days before the end of the cruise.

Edited March 14, 2014 by clarea

[H_Mc]

If you look at this document:

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/royal/en_US/pdf/beverage_packages.pdf

 

You will see a line towards the bottom of the first page about purchasing up to 4 days before the end of the cruise.

 

Thank you!

[SNJCruisers]

If this is true you just made my ldecisions SO much easier. I'm going on a 7 day where the last two days are at sea. For the whole 7 days the drink package is basically a wash, for just the last 4 it'll probably make sense. Do you have a source for this?

The packages are upgradable as well, so if you're going to say get the Premium alcohol package for days 4-7, you could get the soda package or the royal replenish for the first 3 days if you wanted to and then upgrade for the last 4 days.

[AandBmom]

Do you know if you can actually get a bottle of whatever, doesn't matter what brand, to take with you? Say I want to take a bottle to the gym or off the ship. Is that kind of bottle water offered in the packages?

 

Why not just bring a refillable water bottle and fill it yourself on the ship. Cheaper and better for the environment.

[Sarvowinner]

Just checked the FAQs on the RCI website & it appears that they've raised the value of the inclusions. Premium wine by the glass is now up to $14 & premium cocktails are now up to $12.

 

I just found this on the Canadian RCI site which shows the differential pricing for non-American cruises:

 

Food & Drink

 

 

Q: What wines are included in the all-inclusive beverage packages? A: All wines by the glass up to a US$8 value* are included in the select package. All wines by the glass up to a US$12 value* are included in the Premium and Ultimate packages. Guests also receive 20% off bottles of wine with the Select, Premium and Ultimate package.

 

*$US$9 value for select and US$14 value for Premium/Ultimate in Europe, Sth America and Australian markets.

[fluffysue]

decided to just delete my post:)

Edited March 19, 2014 by fluffysue

[H_Mc]

Yes, but nowhere does it actually say they will pro-rate it (although that *should* be a given, because why would you pay for past days when you have already paid for drinks?). The reason I mention this is that they tried to charge me for the whole week when I purchased a package on Day 2 on Oasis in December (although granted, that WAS shortly after they introduced the new packages, and I think there was still a lot of confusion). They eventually got a supervisor to pro-rate it, although I was led to believe it was being allowed because I had already purchased a soda package and so this was an upgrade. I should mention they were very nice about the whole thing, it was just an extra couple of steps to get someone else to approve the pro-rating.

 

I ended up calling customer service the other day, because frankly it seemed sort of unbelieveable. They confirmed that it will be pro-rated and also that the price on the ship is the same as if you sign up before hand.

[Clarea]

Yes, but nowhere does it actually say they will pro-rate it (although that *should* be a given, because why would you pay for past days when you have already paid for drinks?). The reason I mention this is that they tried to charge me for the whole week when I purchased a package on Day 2 on Oasis in December (although granted, that WAS shortly after they introduced the new packages, and I think there was still a lot of confusion). They eventually got a supervisor to pro-rate it, although I was led to believe it was being allowed because I had already purchased a soda package and so this was an upgrade. I should mention they were very nice about the whole thing, it was just an extra couple of steps to get someone else to approve the pro-rating.

You are correct in that the pro-rata charge is not clearly spelled out. It is typical of Royal Corporate that communications of new policies are not disseminated throughout the corporation in an accurate and timely manner. Eventually, all the people on all the ships will understand how the packages are supposed to work.

 

Here's another document, from Royal's UK site, that mentions the pro-rata policy in the FAQ section:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/_images/Royal%20Alcohol%20Beverage%20FAQ%20All%20Ships%20Web%20Nov%2013_tcm16-27947.pdf

Edited March 19, 2014 by clarea

[fluffysue]

I ended up calling customer service the other day, because frankly it seemed sort of unbelieveable. They confirmed that it will be pro-rated and also that the price on the ship is the same as if you sign up before hand.

 

Oh OK, good to know. I had tried to delete my post since I really only have that one example and like I said, it was from fairly close to the beginning of the "new" packages, but I guess you saw it before I managed to do that. lol. Good to know they will pro-rate it. Although my next cruise will start off with a lot of sea days, so I won't benefit much from that, myself. :)

[fluffysue]

You are correct in that the pro-rata charge is not clearly spelled out. It is typical of Royal Corporate that communications of new policies are not disseminated throughout the corporation in an accurate and timely manner. Eventually, all the people on all the ships will understand how the packages are supposed to work.

 

Here's another document, from Royal's UK site, that mentions the pro-rata policy in the FAQ section:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/_images/Royal%20Alcohol%20Beverage%20FAQ%20All%20Ships%20Web%20Nov%2013_tcm16-27947.pdf

 

Thanks for that link. I think that is what I had seen (posted here somewhere) before my cruise, then when I got to the ship, they of course did not have anything that said that, so it was hard to make my point with them. BTW right after they pro-rated my package, I heard them tell the guy behind me that he had to pay for the whole week, including the previous day, so clearly I did not convince them about what their policy was supposed to be. :rolleyes: