Drink Package Calculator

[ilikeplanes]

Can anyone do a favour and share the spreadsheet as a Google sheets file for easy online access?

[ahughes517]

Thanks for creating!

[TigerCruzin]

I need this to calculate for an 11 day cruise.. :( Its a hard decision to make :cool:

[MicCanberra]

I find that it is really hard to decide because once you have the package you drink so much more than you would normally. Also when you have a lot of Port days you feel like you are playing catch up in the evenings.

[cincicruisers]

I see questions all the time on this board from people trying to figure out - "Should I buy a drink package or should I pay as I go?".

 

I have put together the attached Excel Spreadsheet to help you figure out the answer to that exact question for yourself! Just fill in the numbers in RED in columns C, D & E and away you go!

 

I selfishly geared it toward myself - trying to figure out Premium package vs. pay-as-you-go but I think I have it worked out to compare all packages.

 

At $10 per cocktail I believe it's worth it for me to buy the package. At $12 it's no question.

 

Let me know if you use it and find any flaws or needed refinements.

 

Bon Voyage!

 

That's a bunch of information. I need a drink! :D

[YadaYadaJodi]

Can anyone do a favour and share the spreadsheet as a Google sheets file for easy online access?

 

I'm working on converting it but it will probably be next weekend before I can finish it. I reallllly need to stop cruise stuff and get some work done...:)

[ecormier]

Thanks for sharing your spreadsheet! We are in the process of booking more cruises and appreciate all the effort you took in providing this tool.

 

Cheers, Betty

[DrD]

If it helps to know where I'm coming from - I'm not a big drinker at home. BUT - I go on a cruise less than once a year AND I'm on vacation. The last time I cruised I had the Premium package and I swore I drank more in those 7 days then in the previous 9-12 months. Yet I only got "drunk" (vs. tipsy) once when a bartender had a heavy hand. :eek:

 

Another thing about me is I'm kind of cheap so I don't want to lose money, but if I can get within $30 - 3 drinks - it's worth it to me to have the package and not give it a thought when ordering. I'm also so cheap that if I didn't have the package there would definitely be times when I wouldn't order a drink when I wanted one just to save money. Which wouldn't be a bad thing for my waistline but not how I want to feel while on vacation. :D

 

And keep in mind tolerance builds incredibly quickly. In College my roomie was in a study that showed that one moderate drink a day for three days measurably increased tolerance.

 

Also, one eats a lot which helps mitigate the intoxication.

 

Bottom line is if you judge based on how much you may drink once on the weekend at home (after not drinking all week) you will way underestimate it.

 

Anyway that's what I tell myself when I get my bar tab.

[♦ComeSailAway♦]

sounds like a great idea but I can't get it to open. :(

 

Yeah the .xls wont open in a new window for me either-

 

Can anyone answer this with updated 2016 info. :)

 

ARE TIPS INCLUDED in any of the Royal Carrib $49 or $59 packages?

 

And are you still signing a receipt every time.?

[wolfcathorse]

 

At $10 per cocktail I believe it's worth it for me to buy the package. At $12 it's no question.

Bon Voyage!

 

Since the packages only cover drinks up to $10, the ships have started pricing their drinks at $10.95, so we have to pay the .95. The problem is that even on the ship, it is not consistently enforced. Only the R Bar let me have whatever I wanted. The Pool Bar, VCL Bar, and Schooner Bar charged me the extra .95. It would be nice to know which ships let you have whatever you want, which ships will charge you the .95-2.00 overage, and which bars on those ships charge the overage.

[Clarea]

Since the packages only cover drinks up to $10, the ships have started pricing their drinks at $10.95, so we have to pay the .95. The problem is that even on the ship, it is not consistently enforced. Only the R Bar let me have whatever I wanted. The Pool Bar, VCL Bar, and Schooner Bar charged me the extra .95. It would be nice to know which ships let you have whatever you want, which ships will charge you the .95-2.00 overage, and which bars on those ships charge the overage.

On both Vision and Brilliance, the cocktail limit was $12.

[casinostreer]

If it helps to know where I'm coming from - I'm not a big drinker at home. BUT - I go on a cruise less than once a year AND I'm on vacation. The last time I cruised I had the Premium package and I swore I drank more in those 7 days then in the previous 9-12 months. Yet I only got "drunk" (vs. tipsy) once when a bartender had a heavy hand. :eek:

 

Another thing about me is I'm kind of cheap so I don't want to lose money, but if I can get within $30 - 3 drinks - it's worth it to me to have the package and not give it a thought when ordering. I'm also so cheap that if I didn't have the package there would definitely be times when I wouldn't order a drink when I wanted one just to save money. Which wouldn't be a bad thing for my waistline but not how I want to feel while on vacation. :D

 

I'm with you! :) I RARELY drink at home - ever. (Former bartender.) However - when I cruise - we really enjoy having a couple - or 12 drinks. We cruised ONCE without a package and totally regretted it. Second cruise we got the Premium package and really enjoyed it. The last cruise we had the Ultimate package and we found that Baileys in your premium coffee and Grey Goose in your fresh squeezed orange juice really make it worth the extra $10 per day!

 

Nice to see that there are numbers to back up my habits! :)

Edited February 16, 2016 by casinostreer

[MicCanberra]

I'm with you! :) I RARELY drink at home - ever. (Former bartender.) However - when I cruise - we really enjoy having a couple - or 12 drinks. We cruised ONCE without a package and totally regretted it. Second cruise we got the Premium package and really enjoyed it. The last cruise we had the Ultimate package and we found that Baileys in your premium coffee and Grey Goose in your fresh squeezed orange juice really make it worth the extra $10 per day!

 

Nice to see that there are numbers to back up my habits! :)

 

Just remember - if you drink rum before noon doesn't make you a alcoholic but it does make you a pirate.:p

[jakenashleysmom]

Since the packages only cover drinks up to $10, the ships have started pricing their drinks at $10.95, so we have to pay the .95. The problem is that even on the ship, it is not consistently enforced. Only the R Bar let me have whatever I wanted. The Pool Bar, VCL Bar, and Schooner Bar charged me the extra .95. It would be nice to know which ships let you have whatever you want, which ships will charge you the .95-2.00 overage, and which bars on those ships charge the overage.

 

On Enchantment in 2013 when I believe the drink packages first rolled out, the limit was $12.00. Grandeur 2014 was $12.00 as well.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

[iluvcruzin]

Since the packages only cover drinks up to $10, the ships have started pricing their drinks at $10.95, so we have to pay the .95. The problem is that even on the ship, it is not consistently enforced. Only the R Bar let me have whatever I wanted. The Pool Bar, VCL Bar, and Schooner Bar charged me the extra .95. It would be nice to know which ships let you have whatever you want, which ships will charge you the .95-2.00 overage, and which bars on those ships charge the overage.

 

That is ridiculous. A Margarita or a Bloody Mary is more than $10. Not only do they jack up the price of the drinks individually, they don't cover them in the package?

 

That's nuts.

 

I met some people on St. Thomas last fall who were on a Carnival ship. They were cut off for the number of drinks they could have in a day.

 

I bought the package on Princess and thought it was a great deal for Martini and Bloody Maria drinkers.

Edited February 16, 2016 by iluvcruzin

[Johnamac123]

Yes, it is the $23.62 ($19 + 18%) shown on the Non-Alcoholic Cocktails/Frozen Drinks row for each day. I just picked one of the beverage choices to show the daily cost. As you can see the premium coffee, soft drink, bottled water and fresh squeezed juice all show as blank since they are included. Does that make sense?

 

Yes, I've got it now. Great tool. Thanks for your effort....

[mollyeilis]

I'm pretty sure even Replenish doesn't work for me, but I'll have DH toss this on his PC and we'll work it out. Thanks, OP!

 

 

I find that it is really hard to decide because once you have the package you drink so much more than you would normally. Also when you have a lot of Port days you feel like you are playing catch up in the evenings.

 

I don't, and can't, do that. So for me it's all about finances.

 

 

 

And are you still signing a receipt every time.?

 

Even the first month of the new packages I was only signing receipts half the time. On Vision half a year later I signed for espresso at the espresso/ice cream place, but not anywhere else.

[abo]

I'd say the mystery is the 8% difference you noted above. The prices in the Cruise Planner were pre-gratuity, so we have to start by including the 18% gratuity. Could be a price increase, could be a VAT other than 21%, not enough info yet.

 

OK, I have done some more digging and have worked out what is happening here.

 

Firstly, Spanish IVA of 10% is included in the price shown on screen (other cruise websites such as P&O give a good explanation of rates and when chargeable).

Secondly gratuities of 18% are included in the price shown on the cruise planner screen.

 

Taking the premium package as an example:

Base price $49.

IVA @ 10% $4.90 (this is charged only on the base price, not gratuities).

Gratuities 18% of base price $8.82

Total = $49 + 4.90 + 8.82 = $62.72, which is the price shown on screen.

 

So, no rate increase, but gratuities included.

 

It would be so much easier if Royal Caribbean just provided the breakdown for the price charged rather than passengers having to work it out for themselves.

[Clarea]

OK, I have done some more digging and have worked out what is happening here.

 

Firstly, Spanish IVA of 10% is included in the price shown on screen (other cruise websites such as P&O give a good explanation of rates and when chargeable).

Secondly gratuities of 18% are included in the price shown on the cruise planner screen.

 

Taking the premium package as an example:

Base price $49.

IVA @ 10% $4.90 (this is charged only on the base price, not gratuities).

Gratuities 18% of base price $8.82

Total = $49 + 4.90 + 8.82 = $62.72, which is the price shown on screen.

 

So, no rate increase, but gratuities included.

 

It would be so much easier if Royal Caribbean just provided the breakdown for the price charged rather than passengers having to work it out for themselves.

Thanks for the explanation. So the part that was confusing was that the VAT was 10%, not 21%. And both tips and VAT are charged on base price.

Edited February 16, 2016 by clarea

[pajazz28]

Does the package have to be purchased for everyday or can we choose the days we want it for example Day 1, Day 2, Day 5 and day 6?

[robobrum]

Does the package have to be purchased for everyday or can we choose the days we want it for example Day 1, Day 2, Day 5 and day 6?

 

It must be purchased every day, however you have to buy it by the 2nd(?) day, so you could skip the first day and buy the package at guest services on the 2nd day.

[vnyislesv]

this convo will go on forever but i bring my own. plain and simple. 2 bottles of smirnoff or ketel one = $50-$70.... you wanna buy a package for $500 be my guest. ill save that extra $ and go on an excursion or 3.

[JaniceB]

Thanks for creating and sharing. I have a friend who keeps asking me which is better, I will show it to her. I like the idea of knowing what I am paying ahead of time and hopefully it will be to my benefit to get a package but if it isn't it is alcohol under the bridge so to speak.

[wolfcathorse]

That is ridiculous. A Margarita or a Bloody Mary is more than $10. Not only do they jack up the price of the drinks individually, they don't cover them in the package?

 

That's nuts.

 

I met some people on St. Thomas last fall who were on a Carnival ship. They were cut off for the number of drinks they could have in a day.

 

I bought the package on Princess and thought it was a great deal for Martini and Bloody Maria drinkers.

 

I'm just saying that on Enchantment, for my December 2015 cruise, I was charged for anything over $10 EXCEPT at the R Bar. The drink menus in the Schooner Bar and R Bar priced everything at $10.95. A plain Rum 'n Coke came to a little over $8 total so it was covered completely.

[wolfcathorse]

this convo will go on forever but i bring my own. plain and simple. 2 bottles of smirnoff or ketel one = $50-$70.... you wanna buy a package for $500 be my guest. ill save that extra $ and go on an excursion or 3.

 

try it....we're all sitting here laughing at the thought. You can't do that, if they find it, they will confiscate it and return it to you on the last night of your cruise.