*twinkle* Posted June 27, 2016 #1 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Hi there. Has anyone recently come off Indy? If so, were there any drinks package offers onboard? Our last cruise was October 2015, and there was a Buy One Get One Half Price offer on the day of embarkation. We are sailing on Saturday, and just deciding whether to buy now in GBP, or wait til we are onboard. The poor GBP to USD exchange rate is really throwing a spanner into our planning! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*twinkle* Posted July 17, 2016 Author #2 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) Just a wee update on drinks package pricing ONBOARD Independence of the Seas. We have just come home, and can confirm that there were NO offers onboard. In fact, the pricing was eyewatering. If memory serves, it was $955 for 14 nights of the middle of the range drinks package (think that is premium?). I forgot to take into consideration the 18% service charge onboard when comparing pre-purchase online in GBP. So, the price onboard was $57.82 per day x 14 = $809.48 + 18% $145.71 = $955.19 (this equates to approx £723.48 at an exchange rate of $1.32 to £1) If we had bought at £35.82 per day x 14 = £501.48, so would have been over £200 cheaper. I'm not sure what the current pricing online is for pre-purchasing drinks packages, as we have obviously already sailed, but thought I'd provide details for the current onboard pricing. Happy Sailing! Edited July 17, 2016 by *twinkle* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted July 17, 2016 #3 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Just a wee update on drinks package pricing ONBOARD Independence of the Seas. We have just come home, and can confirm that there were NO offers onboard. In fact, the pricing was eyewatering. If memory serves, it was $955 for 14 nights of the middle of the range drinks package (think that is premium?) ... If the package included cocktails, but excluded specialty coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice, then it was Premium. Thanks for the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*twinkle* Posted July 17, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Yes, it was spirits, beers and wines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
densol Posted July 17, 2016 #5 Share Posted July 17, 2016 When you put the package into your online cart - at check out it adds on 18% Ive read - so more than initially indicated. Thanks for feedback - we sail in 3 weeks time ( Navigator ) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*twinkle* Posted July 17, 2016 Author #6 Share Posted July 17, 2016 When you put the package into your online cart - at check out it adds on 18% Ive read - so more than initially indicated. Thanks for feedback - we sail in 3 weeks time ( Navigator ) :) Hi Densol, I'm not sure if the UK website does that TBH. I suppose you could do a "dummy run" if you were considering buying a drinks package. Unfortunately, I can't test this out, as I have already sailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline135 Posted July 17, 2016 #7 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) I'm on Indy this October, my sailing is offering 20% off, 11 nights premium is in my cart for £439.76 total, £39.98 per day ( they actually charge per night not per day ). This price INCLUDES the 18% already, the final credit card screen doesn't add anything else on. So when you log on the price shown on the first screen is accurate. I wanted to buy it in advance for my 19 year old daughter but unfortunately even tho it's an ex-UK sailing & she is allowed to drink onboard as per European drinking laws, the RCI computer won't let me advance buy as it flags her as under 21! Hopefully if I ring they will honour the current discount. [emoji57] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited July 17, 2016 by caroline135 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*twinkle* Posted July 17, 2016 Author #8 Share Posted July 17, 2016 This price INCLUDES the 18% already, the final credit card screen doesn't add anything else on. Thanks for confirming Caroline135. This agrees with my recollection of the UK website prior to sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroline135 Posted July 17, 2016 #9 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Unfortunately for us Brits the prices are huge at the moment, I still think it's worth ( if that's right word [emoji50]) us buying the package as individual drink prices are huge too! Luckily my husband & I have the select package free & I'll just upgrade mine to premium onboard so I can have the cocktails. I've only sailed with p&o before & their cocktails are only about £6-7 with no add-on, so it's a big leap to pay more like £12, wish the exchange rate would pick up! Same with the tips £5 per day p&o, not £10+. I'm not complaining, I priced up the alternatives this year & am quite happy with the RCI promos we got so it levelled it out, but if anyone goes without doing a bit of research it could be a shock for some new UK sailers! Hope you had a fabulous cruise twinkle, I'm so excited it's pathetic!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*twinkle* Posted July 17, 2016 Author #10 Share Posted July 17, 2016 We couldn't decide prior to sailing about buying drinks packages, but our two grown up sons got a bit of a shock buying individual drinks. It cost $7.67 for a bottle of Budweiser and an eye-watering $12 for a cocktail, which increased to $14 when we were in Spanish waters (they added a extra Spanish tax just for good measure). Drinks prices seem to have increased steadily, so I definitely think Royal are steering everyone over to buying packages these days. I agree the weak £ will certainly have quite a negative effect on British cruisers spending power whilst onboard. Time to tighten our belts I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosytoes Posted July 17, 2016 #11 Share Posted July 17, 2016 The prices seem to have just got crazy, you wonder how they make them up. We've just returned from a short break to Costa del sol and many bars offered a small beer, tea or coffee for €1 and a pint of John smiths from €2.50, so prices abroad certainly don't seem to have gone up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroo Posted July 17, 2016 #12 Share Posted July 17, 2016 We've just come back off independence and we didn't see any offers on drinks packages. The premium price onboard was $59 per day plus 18% gratuity. We bought the package before we went, when they were offering 'the 20% off - we paid just less than £36 a day so saved quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sky0000547 Posted July 17, 2016 #13 Share Posted July 17, 2016 As there is currently a 20% offer on the Premium package for Indy, on my cruise planner it is showing $51.92 per day which I believe already includes gratuity. This makes a 14 night cruise $726.88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdwh1902 Posted July 18, 2016 #14 Share Posted July 18, 2016 We're booked for 15 nights on the Ovation out of Sydney Harbour to New Zealand in December. We have purchased the Premium package (not Ultimate) with the 20% Discount for the two of us and it cost AUD 2296.04 or USD 1742.52 = US$58 per day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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