As of today......RCI drink price increase!!!!!!!

[walker409]

I'm getting a bit confused. I purchased the Deluxe beverage package and Voom one device on Black Friday for $48/day. I've called RC twice to ask if the 18% gratuities is included in the price. One rep. said no, I will get charged the 18% per beverage and another one told me since I pre-booked online, the 18% is included. Anyone have any insight on how this actually works? We're on the Anthem on Feb 19th sailing.

[Clarea]

I'm getting a bit confused. I purchased the Deluxe beverage package and Voom one device on Black Friday for $48/day. I've called RC twice to ask if the 18% gratuities is included in the price. One rep. said no, I will get charged the 18% per beverage and another one told me since I pre-booked online, the 18% is included. Anyone have any insight on how this actually works? We're on the Anthem on Feb 19th sailing.

If you purchased in advance, you already paid the gratuities. No extra gratuity is added when you order drinks.

[38anchor]

Had a really lovely meal at 150 Central Park last night..... everything wonderful apart from the fact that the one and only signature cocktail is now priced higher so excluded from the package, and there are only 4 wines we could choose from from the extensive wine list.

 

 

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[38anchor]

 

 

 

 

 

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[vichastwins]

Cruise ships must hate passengers like me. I'm not a big drinker, maybe one or two froufrou drinks per cruise; MAYBE one specialty restaurant per cruise... if that. And I generally do my own shore excursions, unless its something where getting back to the ship on time is a concern. I cannot imagine spending all that money on drinks... wow!

[rusty nut]

Marketing 101: Why charge $10 for a drink when people are willing to pay $15?

[Ocean Boy]

Marketing 101: Why charge $10 for a drink when people are willing to pay $15?

 

Ocean Boy 101: I am not paying $15.00 for any drink.;)

[daka]

I guess they know what they are doing, this is "their game" but, it will make me drink less, I'm not their target I think, and we will bring the maximum .allowable bottles of wine, which we have not been doing.

So is this a win for them.....they have the figures so I guess so.:confused:

[SilkySal]

Marketing 101: Why charge $10 for a drink when people are willing to pay $15?

 

Hey rusty nut! I see that you will be on the Navigator with us in 2018!:cool: Hope you decide to join our informal roll call!!;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2343482&page=10

Edited December 30, 2016 by SilkySal
spelling

[davekathy]

Cruise ships must hate passengers like me. I'm not a big drinker, maybe one or two froufrou drinks per cruise; MAYBE one specialty restaurant per cruise... if that. And I generally do my own shore excursions, unless its something where getting back to the ship on time is a concern. I cannot imagine spending all that money on drinks... wow!

 

To each their own.

[Codster]

So I am having a hard time with this. It seems to me until the drink package gets higher than what I usually purchase it's still a good deal.

 

 

 

So the drink you like is $1.00 more than the $13 max of the deluxe package. Is it still worth it to cancel the package and pay ala carte? I am not sure.

 

 

 

My thinking is it's not just the alcohol, but the waters, soda, etc that might still make it a reasonable deal.

 

 

 

In November even at the higher per drink price I doubt it would have cost me more than $5 per day to pay the up charge.

 

 

 

I am feeling until the deluxe package hits $50 per day, factoring in what I might pay in $1 - $2 up charges, it's still not a bad deal.

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited December 30, 2016 by Codster

[Codster]

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RCI out of Australia now charge $69 PP PD for their one and only drink package (with alcohol) even the most seasoned drinker would struggle to make that worth while - unless they didnt leave the ship at all and just stayed on drinking.

[DISFANS3]

Hope the price goes down by Jan 2018, my next Rci cruise???

[The Fun Researcher]

Be aware that NCL does the same thing with their drink package too... They raised the prices several months ago so that many drinks were outside of the price limit. Some drinks could be made with a cheaper liquor, but some could not as they were 'signature drinks' or something like that. We sailed the Epic last month and still had a 'bar bill' even with the package.

 

 

Thanks. That's good to know. I'll try to keep an eye out for pricing. We have friends that just got off the Escape a month ago (same ship we're booked on) and all of the drinks that we like were still covered.

 

I'll keep an eye on it though between now and November

 

Dan

 

 

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[wolfcathorse]

I think RCI is doing this to steer everyone into drinking their lower priced stocks. If you want your cosmo made with Grey Goose then you'll pay for using a premium alcohol. It's all about price point. I wanted a cosmo made with Grey Goose and they charged me..but when I ordered a Coke 'n Vodka, they used Grey Goose and didn't charge me. The bartender said it was the price point. It's misleading advertising when they call the Deluxe package "all inclusive". It's all inclusive of the cheap stuff, you'll still pay for the good stuff.

[aubreyc1988]

I think RCI is doing this to steer everyone into drinking their lower priced stocks. If you want your cosmo made with Grey Goose then you'll pay for using a premium alcohol. It's all about price point. I wanted a cosmo made with Grey Goose and they charged me..but when I ordered a Coke 'n Vodka, they used Grey Goose and didn't charge me. The bartender said it was the price point. It's misleading advertising when they call the Deluxe package "all inclusive". It's all inclusive of the cheap stuff, you'll still pay for the good stuff.

 

 

 

It will be interesting to see menus on my adventure sailing in January in contrast to the ones on my past sailing on Oasis September 2016, which was before they condensed the packages. I found MOST everything was included in my premium package, grey goose in martinis and such, belvedere, patron, etc. I'm not a super snob about booze but I can tell a different between the cheap stuff and expensive stuff.

 

It would be disappointing to me to find that premium brands weren't covered completely, but I would probably just roll with the punches and pay the extra dollar or two to have what I wanted, because it's my vacation and I can treat myself and hopefully not feel bad about it! But my tolerance only will go so far, it really depends on how MANY drinks on the menu required that extra buck or two and are not included in the package price. If it's a substantial amount, then I'd probably be more inclined to NOT pay the extra and drink just was included

 

Just me feelings on the whole matter

 

 

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[amyj702]

I got off Independence yesterday. Please note that I am not a very good photographer and for that reason I debated sharing these but since there has been so much discussion. I uploaded to a flickr album (41 photos). If there is a better way let me know

 

https://flic.kr/s/aHskRk4dLu

 

 

This is the entire new menu book found in most bars and the Vintages wine list

 

Here is one of the pics

IMG_6070 by vavasmom, on Flickr

 

 

Thank you!

 

 

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[1cruise2U]

Purchased drink package online as ultimate which is now deluxe for DH, he drank everything, wine, juices, beer, drinks, water, coffee, Starbucks is still included on Freedom so it was worth it. A few places tried to add $1.24 to drink, I just went to guest services and had this removed, although sea pass had code guest services still had to give me a sticker to go on the card so that we didn't get the extra charges after day one.

[dpostman]

Marketing 101: Why charge $10 for a drink when people are willing to pay $15?

 

Ocean Boy 101: I am not paying $15.00 for any drink.;)

 

This all comes into the grand calculation on making money. They make more money selling $15 drinks to 7 or 8 people than $10 drinks to 10 people. Not only is the revenue from the sale greater, but they can cut back on Stock, ordering, bar staff, glass washing... the savings add up. Not to mention the cleaning crew cleaning up after people overindulging if drinks are too cheap.

 

Please don't interpret this as me agreeing to the drink prices because I'm not happy about it at all.

 

I assume we are going to go through another round of bar staff being disgruntled for the next few months as people re-adjust their expectations, but in the mean time, the bar staff are going to be the ones to deal with unhappy cruisers, get the most complaints and reduced tips.

 

dp

Edited December 31, 2016 by dpostman

[Cel_cruise]

When the Deluxe Package was released, there was a PDF with all of the included alcoholic brands etc. Does anyone have a copy of that?

 

Is there a 'then' and a 'now' version of it?

 

Looking forward to reports from this week and next weeks cruisers!

 

 

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[daka]

Will this cause a rash of people trying to bring their own liquor on board in various, mouthwash etc bottles?

Look for "inspection" of various products in luggage....:D

I guess I'm kidding....(in a way)

[besberry]

When the Deluxe Package was released, there was a PDF with all of the included alcoholic brands etc. Does anyone have a copy of that?

 

Is there a 'then' and a 'now' version of it?

 

Looking forward to reports from this week and next weeks cruisers!

 

 

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This is what I downloaded in September

RCI New Drinks Packages - 6 Sept 16.pdf

[Gradelady]

So this price increase looks permanent...I feel bad promoting our March IOS cruise...so many are first time cruisers and RCI keeps nickel and dining and now raising booze prices!😬 not to mention the lousy new reviews on the food.

[AtlantaAlly]

A friend is on Freedom right now and they posted a menu from the R bar?? Because there was an unfortunately phallic cosmopolitan misspelling.

 

Royal Citrus Ritatini - $14 (Avion Silver)

Chocolate Martini - $12 (Absolut)

Apple Martini - $12 (Absolut)

Chivas Rob Roy - $14 (Chivas 12)

Cosmo - $14 (Grey Goose)

Gentleman Jack - $14

Crowne Old Fashioned - $14

 

Hope this helps answer some questions.

 

I don't have a cruise booked but I would be disappointed to pay more each time I got a Grey Goose cosmo because they were included last time around.

[clarky213]

This is what I downloaded in September

 

I will be taking a copy of the list with me in March and if I'm charged anything extra I will pull out the list .