RCI drink packages question

[excitedcruisingnewbie]

Hi all,

 

Hoping somebody can help me.

 

While the old packages were available still yesterday (before US ticked over to 6/9) I quickly called RCI 1800 number and booked 3 x premium packages (were planning to originally buy 2 x premium and 1 x ultimate until I read of the new package upgrades).

Anyway, all 3 packages worked out to be $69 a day AUD which apparently included a 20% off discount??

I have logged in today to see the new packages and the ultimate is the same price ($69 a day including 20% discount)??? How does that work??? I thought the premium was being upgraded to the deluxe "at no extra cost". It seems like no extra cost because they're the same price?

[tazza_0712]

You're now receiving additional inclusions over and above what the Premium package would have given you.

 

Although I also assumed the new Deluxe package would have been priced higher, you still get more bang for your buck with the inclusions. This is true whether you had booked the Deluxe package today or the Premium package yesterday - you're getting more for your money.

 

I believe it was a little misleading to suggest that travellers would receive an upgrade to the new package at "no extra cost" when there was no extra cost, but either way you've won with access to a larger range of drinks.

 

 

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[SpainAlien]

I'm disgusted that the Replenish Package was 29.26 AUD per day and is now over 40 AUD per day with no added benefit. I was struggling to justify it at 29.26 I'm definitely not buying it at 40!

 

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Edited September 7, 2016 by SpainAlien

[datone]

I'm disgusted that the Replenish Package was 29.26 AUD per day and is now over 40 AUD per day with no added benefit. I was struggling to justify it at 29.26 I'm definitely not buying it at 40!

 

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Totally agree. $40.80 AUD per day is expensive. Had been considering it also for my Ovation cruise but not now. I'm going on a 7 night Princess cruise in December and will get the unlimited soda and more package at $8.69 AUD per day which includes orange juice, unlimited soda, hot chocolate and mocktails and will add a coffee card ($45 for 15 specialty coffees) to that so works out at $105 or $15 per day - a much more reasonable option.

[GUT2407]

Totally agree. $40.80 AUD per day is expensive. Had been considering it also for my Ovation cruise but not now. I'm going on a 7 night Princess cruise in December and will get the unlimited soda and more package at $8.69 AUD per day which includes orange juice, unlimited soda, hot chocolate and mocktails and will add a coffee card ($45 for 15 specialty coffees) to that so works out at $105 or $15 per day - a much more reasonable option.

 

Last year they were charging about $1.50 or so less for the soda and more once you boarded.

 

I'm doing a 7 day with them in December too, be interesting to see what they charge, so much OBC I won't but till I board anyway.

[MicCanberra]

The replenish package is $26 USD excluding the 18% gratuity, so that does make it a bit costly if you only have a few drinks a day.

[shrekaus]

The replenish package is $26 USD excluding the 18% gratuity, so that does make it a bit costly if you only have a few drinks a day.

They have stated that beverage package prices are not the same across all cruises as they were.

[MicCanberra]

They have stated that beverage package prices are not the same across all cruises as they were.

 

I wonder why they would do that.:confused:

[The_Big_M]

I wonder why they would do that.:confused:

 

It's been done in the past. Both for discounting and trials.

[MicCanberra]

It's been done in the past. Both for discounting and trials.

 

And it proved to be very disagreeable with many passengers, so why do it again.

[The_Big_M]

And it proved to be very disagreeable with many passengers, so why do it again.

 

If whether passengers liked it was the sole determinant of decisions, there'd be a whole raft of stuff that wouldn't happen. Charters for one. Reschedulings. The list goes on. But it aint.

 

Plus the passengers that get the good prices view it somewhat more favourably.

[MicCanberra]

Exactly. You would think they would learn that you don't want to upset your customers more than once as they will not come back.

[Embl]

Maybe they're offsetting their 'cheaper' cruise prices by bumping up the drinks packages. More likely they just don't care what we want. If we want to sail RCI we'll just suck it up. Maybe we're all so close to being Diamond and above that we're willing to put up with it for Happy Hour benefits.