FYI: Drink packages NOT prorated

[TexAg2010]

Just got off the Navigator from our first cruise. I have been reading Cruise Critic for months researching and gathering as much information as I could. I read in many of the drink package threads that cruisers could purchase the package from sailing day all the way up to four days left in the cruise, and that the price would be prorated accordingly.

 

With this being our first cruise, we figured we would be too busy exploring the ship on day 1 to worry about lounging by the pool and drinking so we decided to wait until day 2 to buy the package. When we went up the the royal promenade kiosk that was selling the packages, the attendant told me that I would be charged the full 7 days even though I would only be using it for 6. I told him that I would be going to guest services to confirm this because I had heard from many other people that this was not the case and that it should be prorated for 6 days. When I asked guest services they told me the same thing the attendant told me.

 

On the Royal Carribean website under their FAQs it shows that I was lied to.

 

 
http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=5804

 

Should I contact RCI and request my $110 back for Day 1? I really wish I would have had internet access on the cruise so I could prove to them that they were wrong.

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

[LovesCruising]

If that is what their web site says - Id call - whats the worse that could happen?

[Clarea]

Yes, I would call Corporate Guest Relations: (800) 256-6649. Please let us know how it works out.

Edited May 19, 2014 by clarea

[MADflyer]

Yes. They have been clear about this.

 

Contact post cruise department within a week of your return to file a complaint. Use the C&A number and ask to be transferred. If not call back and insist. After post cruise refers the issue to another department you can not contact them again, so make sure they get it right the first time.

 

Edited to add. As usual, Clarea has excellent advice.

Edited May 19, 2014 by MADflyer

[Merion_Mom]

Just got off the Navigator from our first cruise. I have been reading Cruise Critic for months researching and gathering as much information as I could. I read in many of the drink package threads that cruisers could purchase the package from sailing day all the way up to four days left in the cruise, and that the price would be prorated accordingly.

 

With this being our first cruise, we figured we would be too busy exploring the ship on day 1 to worry about lounging by the pool and drinking so we decided to wait until day 2 to buy the package. When we went up the the royal promenade kiosk that was selling the packages, the attendant told me that I would be charged the full 7 days even though I would only be using it for 6. I told him that I would be going to guest services to confirm this because I had heard from many other people that this was not the case and that it should be prorated for 6 days. When I asked guest services they told me the same thing the attendant told me.

 

On the Royal Carribean website under their FAQs it shows that I was lied to.

 

 
http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=336&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=5804

 

Should I contact RCI and request my $110 back for Day 1? I really wish I would have had internet access on the cruise so I could prove to them that they were wrong.

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

 

You definitely should call and request your money back. Not only were they incorrect on board the Navigator, but you DID have internet access. You can get to the Royal Caribbean website for free while on board.

[LMaxwell]

You absolutely SHOULD call. I believe you are in the right here and the staff onboard were wrong. You should not be penalized for their mistake.

[Ourusualbeach]

Absolutely call. There have been reports by several people from different ships that have reported this exact same issue. It appears that some of the ships do not know the policies that have been posted on the website.

[TexAg2010]

Thanks for all the insight. I will call them tomorrow and let yall know what comes of it.

[retiredgram]

We'll be waiting for their response. Hope you get it straightened out.

[tonyt]

Did you visit the kiosk on the first day or the second day? If on the first, they will not post date it.

[YadaYadaJodi]

Oh man, this is the kind of thing I'm afraid of. I'm planning to wait til 2nd day to purchase also. I am adding a printout of this FAQ to my cruise folder!

I already had a printout of the FAQ regarding only having to pay the difference on drinks over the limit.

[jticarruthers]

Emailed RCI about 2 weeks ago to ask about prorating on the shorter cruises that now offer the packages, specifically whether you can buy 3 days on a 4 night cruise since they now allow you to buy the package on a 3 night cruise.

 

Just got my response back which as usual makes things even more murky than before, so ... to quote the email.

 

"Beverage packages are now available for our shorter cruises. You will need to purchase them on the first day of your cruise or before boarding".

 

A little further along we get ....

 

"These all-inclusive packages must be purchased for the duration of the cruise, and the price is prorated based on the date of purchase".

 

So ... if I can only buy it on the first day, where would the prorating come in to it ....

[marci22]

Emailed RCI about 2 weeks ago to ask about prorating on the shorter cruises that now offer the packages, specifically whether you can buy 3 days on a 4 night cruise since they now allow you to buy the package on a 3 night cruise.

 

Just got my response back which as usual makes things even more murky than before, so ... to quote the email.

 

"Beverage packages are now available for our shorter cruises. You will need to purchase them on the first day of your cruise or before boarding".

 

A little further along we get ....

 

"These all-inclusive packages must be purchased for the duration of the cruise, and the price is prorated based on the date of purchase".

 

So ... if I can only buy it on the first day, where would the prorating come in to it ....

 

That is a non-answer. So they can argue it however they want to.

[DCPIV]

That is a non-answer. So they can argue it however they want to.

 

More likely, it is just as editing error by someone who added the news about the shorter cruise but did not bother to read or think through the rest of the entire response.

 

 

D

[jticarruthers]

More likely, it is just as editing error by someone who added the news about the shorter cruise but did not bother to read or think through the rest of the entire response.

 

 

D

 

Most likely, no one really knows the answer and they are just guessing based on what they think the answer is ?

[MADflyer]

I have understood that 4 nights is the minimum for pro-rated drink packages.

 

That would mean for shorter sailings of 3 or 4 nights the package would need to be purchased for the entire sailing and is not pro-rated.

 

A 5 day would require a purchase by second day and a 6 day sailing from day 3 and so on.

[TexAg2010]

I called Corporate Guest relations today and they confirmed that the prorated drink package is their policy and believed it may have been a training issue on the Navigator. They are now contacting the ship to confirm that I did buy the package on Day 2 (They could see that I did in their records, but needed secondary confirmation). She said I will be contacted as soon as she gets confirmation and that the $110 will be credited back to the credit card on file that I used for onboard expenses.

 

Thanks for all your help, Cruise critic is awesome!

[Ocean Boy]

Never mind. Already covered.

 

OP, I'm glad it worked out for you the way that it should have. These packages have been in place long enough to where Navigator's crew, and all the other ships' crews, should know how it works.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Ocean Boy

[Clarea]

I called Corporate Guest relations today and they confirmed that the prorated drink package is their policy and believed it may have been a training issue on the Navigator. They are now contacting the ship to confirm that I did buy the package on Day 2 (They could see that I did in their records, but needed secondary confirmation). She said I will be contacted as soon as she gets confirmation and that the $110 will be credited back to the credit card on file that I used for onboard expenses.

 

Thanks for all your help, Cruise critic is awesome!

Thanks for the feedback, nice to know the pro-rating policy has not changed.

[Ourusualbeach]

Never mind. Already covered.

 

OP, I'm glad it worked out for you the way that it should have. These packages have been in place long enough to where Navigator's crew, and all the other ships' crews, should know how it works.

 

It seems strange though that it would be several crew members that don't know of this policy. I could see the odd bartender or 2 not knowing about it but to have the staff at guest services not know I find a little hard to believe.

 

It almost seems like a few ships are doing this on purpose and betting on the fact that most people do not know about the policy or if they do that they won't complain.

 

Sounds like an eager Hotel Director trying to increase revenue.

[Big_G]

The irony here is we were on Navigator for the first beverage package offering back in 2012. We asked upon boarding about prorating because we weren't aware it was available until we got on the ship. They said no prorating back then so we didn't buy it. That was a year and a half ago. I wonder how many other passengers got the same answer between then and now.

 

...or if they got the same answer.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Big_G

[LMaxwell]

The irony here is we were on Navigator for the first beverage package offering back in 2012. We asked upon boarding about prorating because we weren't aware it was available until we got on the ship. They said no prorating back then so we didn't buy it. That was a year and a half ago. I wonder how many other passengers got the same answer between then and now.

 

...or if they got the same answer.

 

I believe the prorating system is fairly new within the last 3 - 5 month time frame or so.

[Ourusualbeach]

The irony here is we were on Navigator for the first beverage package offering back in 2012. We asked upon boarding about prorating because we weren't aware it was available until we got on the ship. They said no prorating back then so we didn't buy it. That was a year and a half ago. I wonder how many other passengers got the same answer between then and now.

 

...or if they got the same answer.

 

The drink packages were launched in Nov. 2013. Even that is quite a while not to be following company policy on prorating the packages.

[katydyd]

Actually, it was 2012. I had a drink package on the Navigator in Dec 2012. It was soon after they started b/c my friend who was working on board hadn't even heard of it yet.

[Ourusualbeach]

Actually, it was 2012. I had a drink package on the Navigator in Dec 2012. It was soon after they started b/c my friend who was working on board hadn't even heard of it yet.

 

Was it just a test run on the Navigator? I did a quick search on Google and there were announcements from Nov. 2013 about it being rolled out.

 

Edit. Just noticed that it was 2013 that it was revamped. That would have been the time that they started allowing you to prorate it. My apologies.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Ourusualbeach