Royal testing to bring back same drink package for all

[CelticMCO]

Quick thoughts; I am not buying into "sharing"drinks is some kind of out of control issue. Never once considered doing it when I was only one in cabin with a package. I would suggest bringing back the "Select Package" (beer and wine only). This will no doubt cause fewer people to buy a drink package if the only option is two high-end drink packages for two adults in a cabin. Also, on a seven night cruise by day 4 or 5 I have seen many people cut way back on the booze and a rehab excursion would be nice; as Hank William sings "Hangovers Hurt More Than they Used to."

[sweetpee_1993]

I don't understand why people get their knickers in a twist about this. Drink packages are a relatively new thing (last couple years), before their introduction, you would buy drinks a la carte. So if you don't want to buy packages for everyone in the room, then buy drinks individually. If you like to pre-pay and are concerned about the final bill, then buy some OBC for yourself.

 

My first experience with a prepaid inclusive beverage package was on Allure Thanksgiving week 2013. The packages were not new then. So they've been around at least 5 years that I know of off the top of my head.

 

I don't really know how bar drinks were priced before packages came along. I can tell you individual drink prices on Royal ships are high. It's the same on NCL so I'm thinking the business model is to price the individual drink prices high to make the packages seem more like a great value. I can also tell you from experience that Disney does NOT offer the same kind of prepaid all-inclusive adult beverage packages and their individual bar drinks are considerably less expensive. This correlates with the concept that jacking up drink prices sells inclusive packages.

 

So if you're now subject to the individual prices you are more likely to spend more than what the package would cost contingent on each person buying the package actually using it. So for me, I would love to NOT need to carry on a case of bottled water. I would love to grab bottles onboard. Figure a 16.9 oz bottle is $4, maybe? (I don't know.) I drink no less than 100fl oz of water daily, more if I'm consuming alcohol. That's a minimum of 6 bottles a day. Maybe I get half that from fountains. Still, 3 bottles at $4 each is $12/day. That leaves me with maybe 3 cocktails per day and I'm slightly over what the package costs daily. 3. I don't drink in my daily life but an at-sea day + a night out at shows, etc. and I can easily consume 6 drinks without ever being really buzzed. (The water is key!) If I consume juice, soda, or a specialty coffee those would put me even further beyond the package cost. There WAS a solid value + convenience to the deluxe package. You paid it for the people it made sense to and enjoyed. You didn't have to make predictions/calculations to come up with an amount to put on your account. You didn't have to track your bar tab expenditures every day. You didn't have to cringe when the final bill came to your door. It was just nice to have. But, forcing other people in the stateroom to purchase a pricier package that they won't use (as with me, my friend does not drink alcohol at all as a personal choice) changes everything. I'd have to pay for hers since she doesn't use it essentially causing me to spend double. Not cool.

 

I booked my Harmony cruise when I was onboard Anthem in March. It was just me & my teetotaler friend on that cruise. I didn't buy the package, brought a case of water, and bought some bar drinks a la carte. I didn't drink near what I normally do just because I was trying to not spend too much. I *still* spent a bit over $400. Ugh. So for the Harmony cruise we have a 3rd friend joining who loves to bar hop with me. We'll drink. I was for SURE going to buy the package. Not have to worry with a case of water. Relaxation & fun. No worries about the account every day. When we carefully chose this cruise we didn't book a "test". We booked the ship with a budget & a plan. If I'd known we would be required to pay for an extra beverage package I wouldn't have chose this cruise. Ya know? So friend who drinks & I might have to split an additional expense to make this happen. Of course it's not a proposition we are delighted with. Who would be happy to pay more for something unexpected? Answer: nobody.

 

My friend who doesn't drink is also my TA. ;) Her son is getting married today so I've not discussed any of this with her. I'm sure she has no idea. Next week after she gets home I'll talk it over with her. I'm hopeful her agent rep can ensure we won't have to pay for her to have the $$$$ package that she won't use. If nobody will budge and they still require it I'm not sure if I'll still go. Just the principle. It feels like this screws us for money unfairly which is never a good feeling. Definitely dampens the overall experience. :(

[setsail]

[omarchs]

I do agree that many of the cruise lines have raised drink prices substantially when low drink prices were a huge plus to cruising. Business for all lines has been great lately and cruise lines are still looking to increase profits even more and this looks like one more idea in addition to the non-refundable deposits like Carnival.

 

I have felt Royal has become more expensive than some of the other lines lately and this would just add to the equation. We solely go for the best overall value for any trip now since we don't feel any particular mainstream line is that much better to justify paying extra.

[BND]

There was certainly nothing that required me to purchase 2 drink packages instead of 1 for our upcoming Harmony cruise on Oct 7th. I was going to check out with 1 and then my wife decided she wanted it, so I went back and added a 2nd. I got both, but I'm almost certain it would have let me check out with 1.

 

This is clearly trolling. Could you imagine them screwing just a few passengers on Harmony alone?

 

That's how tests work. Trying it out for select cruises on a ship or two.

 

Even though the drink prices are pretty high (not much more than I pay where I live btw), we still never spend as much as the package costs. Even when we were on Celebrity last July, where we had the "free" drink package, we still didn't consume enough to come close to the cost of a package. Some of those that are in denial about why they are bringing it back are possibly those that thought sharing wasn't a big deal. I also hate to say it, but tests almost always end up being the new normal so don't be surprised if this is instituted fleet wide in the next year.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Fair point re the Viking Lounge - as far as the paying 0000's is concerned I simply meant people paying lots of money for the holiday overall and trying to save a few £££/$$$ by getting drinks free that they KNOW should be paid for seems strange to me.

I am not trying to be "holier than thou" but it does seem odd to me. As I said earlier, perhaps I am being naive.

 

Yes, unfortunately you are being very naive. It's not only the alcoholic drinks. It has been frequently discussed how passengers with a package get soda for their kids, or fill up the freestyle cup for "the kids" to share. People who share/cheat the system include their kids - great lesson to teach them. Sharing is pretty blatant and obvious much of the time.

[Biker19]

Says it on the very first post in this thread that the pilot testing begins on the September 30th sailing.

and the following 7 sailings.

[aliceiscleverblog]

It might help others to mention what you confirmed.;)

 

 

 

The increase in price of the drink package.

 

 

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[Biker19]

The increase in price of the drink package.

What does an increase in the price of the package have to do with the discussion in this thread which is about RCI's testing of a policy which would require both occupants to buy the package if one buys it?

[mommao729]

haven't had time to rc yet. Do we know if on the September 30th cruise if I already purchased the drink package for one. Will I have to purchase one for myself on the ship. Or is it for people who are buying the drink package onboard that both people in the room have to get it.

[setsail]

haven't had time to rc yet. Do we know if on the September 30th cruise if I already purchased the drink package for one. Will I have to purchase one for myself on the ship. Or is it for people who are buying the drink package onboard that both people in the room have to get it.

 

Post 1. It says after July 7

[ColoradoGurl]

These are all relevant points. I think many people will be faced with the same decisions. In your case, and in the case of others who are traveling with friends (rather than spouses who share bank accounts), it will become a bone of contention when one friend wants the package and the other refuses to buy one, leaving the person who wants one to have to buy a package for the friend.

 

If the friend was planning to drink, but not enough for the package, what happens when they go order drinks at the bar with their free package? Do they pay you back the total dollar amount they WOULD have spent on drinks if they had to purchase them a la carte? Nothing is stopping them from taking advantage of having the package, since it would seem to be a waste not to use it, but they may not be able to pay back the full amount of the package to the person who purchased it because it wasn't in their budget.

 

That would be a tough one, and bring out the integrity of friends who would need to refrain from drinking their free drinks in order to not take advantage of the friend who had to buy it for them, and at the same time accepting that a drink package went to waste.

 

Another problem could be that a former alcoholic who didn't plan to buy a drink package, is now walking around with one because a spouse or roommate was forced to buy one for them. What if it's just enough of a temptation to throw them off the wagon. Do they sue the company and claim they forced a temptation on them that they didn't want? I think it would be far fetched to win an argument like that, but I don't doubt someone will try.

 

My first experience with a prepaid inclusive beverage package was on Allure Thanksgiving week 2013. The packages were not new then. So they've been around at least 5 years that I know of off the top of my head.

 

 

 

I don't really know how bar drinks were priced before packages came along. I can tell you individual drink prices on Royal ships are high. It's the same on NCL so I'm thinking the business model is to price the individual drink prices high to make the packages seem more like a great value. I can also tell you from experience that Disney does NOT offer the same kind of prepaid all-inclusive adult beverage packages and their individual bar drinks are considerably less expensive. This correlates with the concept that jacking up drink prices sells inclusive packages.

 

 

 

So if you're now subject to the individual prices you are more likely to spend more than what the package would cost contingent on each person buying the package actually using it. So for me, I would love to NOT need to carry on a case of bottled water. I would love to grab bottles onboard. Figure a 16.9 oz bottle is $4, maybe? (I don't know.) I drink no less than 100fl oz of water daily, more if I'm consuming alcohol. That's a minimum of 6 bottles a day. Maybe I get half that from fountains. Still, 3 bottles at $4 each is $12/day. That leaves me with maybe 3 cocktails per day and I'm slightly over what the package costs daily. 3. I don't drink in my daily life but an at-sea day + a night out at shows, etc. and I can easily consume 6 drinks without ever being really buzzed. (The water is key!) If I consume juice, soda, or a specialty coffee those would put me even further beyond the package cost. There WAS a solid value + convenience to the deluxe package. You paid it for the people it made sense to and enjoyed. You didn't have to make predictions/calculations to come up with an amount to put on your account. You didn't have to track your bar tab expenditures every day. You didn't have to cringe when the final bill came to your door. It was just nice to have. But, forcing other people in the stateroom to purchase a pricier package that they won't use (as with me, my friend does not drink alcohol at all as a personal choice) changes everything. I'd have to pay for hers since she doesn't use it essentially causing me to spend double. Not cool.

 

 

 

I booked my Harmony cruise when I was onboard Anthem in March. It was just me & my teetotaler friend on that cruise. I didn't buy the package, brought a case of water, and bought some bar drinks a la carte. I didn't drink near what I normally do just because I was trying to not spend too much. I *still* spent a bit over $400. Ugh. So for the Harmony cruise we have a 3rd friend joining who loves to bar hop with me. We'll drink. I was for SURE going to buy the package. Not have to worry with a case of water. Relaxation & fun. No worries about the account every day. When we carefully chose this cruise we didn't book a "test". We booked the ship with a budget & a plan. If I'd known we would be required to pay for an extra beverage package I wouldn't have chose this cruise. Ya know? So friend who drinks & I might have to split an additional expense to make this happen. Of course it's not a proposition we are delighted with. Who would be happy to pay more for something unexpected? Answer: nobody.

 

 

 

My friend who doesn't drink is also my TA. ;) Her son is getting married today so I've not discussed any of this with her. I'm sure she has no idea. Next week after she gets home I'll talk it over with her. I'm hopeful her agent rep can ensure we won't have to pay for her to have the $$$$ package that she won't use. If nobody will budge and they still require it I'm not sure if I'll still go. Just the principle. It feels like this screws us for money unfairly which is never a good feeling. Definitely dampens the overall experience. :(

 

 

 

 

 

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[mcatmcat]

Maybe this is his first post on CC, but sooner or later the more people share their drinks the faster Royal will change their policies.

 

 

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[bouhunter]

 

 

Another problem could be that a former alcoholic who didn't plan to buy a drink package, is now walking around with one because a spouse or roommate was forced to buy one for them. What if it's just enough of a temptation to throw them off the wagon. Do they sue the company and claim they forced a temptation on them that they didn't want? I think it would be far fetched to win an argument like that, but I don't doubt someone will try.

 

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1. There is no such thing as a "former alcoholic"

 

2. No one is "forcing" anyone to buy anything.

 

3. I doubt someone will try that. But anything is possible in todays litigious world:rolleyes:

[kknorr0320]

There was a review on a Carnival cruise where the person tried to blame Carnival's policy for her alcoholic roommate falling off the wagon. No one but the poster blamed Carnival.

 

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[slyster]

This can't be a surprise to anyone. How many times have we seen just here on these boards about how it's not a big deal to share? How many times have we told people if folks continue to share, they are going to change the policy back so that people stop doing this. I'm not surprised in the least.

 

I would love to see the numbers on:

 

1. How much money do they lose when an individual buys a package and sometimes shares?

 

2. How much money do they lose when folks stop buying the package because it forces two people in a cabin over the age of 21 to buy the package?

 

I drink a lot less when I buy individual drinks. I drink more when I buy a package.

[pharaoh]

This can't be a surprise to anyone. How many times have we seen just here on these boards about how it's not a big deal to share? How many times have we told people if folks continue to share, they are going to change the policy back so that people stop doing this. I'm not surprised in the least.

 

 

My thoughts exactly. Lots of people in this thread saying that the "sharing drinks" excuse is not real, but I know I've seen plentyyyy of posts all over the board about sharing drinks and those who think it's not a big deal.

 

And that's just here on CC. I'm sure there are a lot more sharers that never post here.

 

 

 

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[kwazi07]

Quick question. I'm sailing on Freedom next March. We don't usually get drink packages but one of our extended family members is thinking of getting one. They have two cabins with two kids so I'm not sure if there is one adult and one kid in each cabin (ideal) or two adults in one cabin and the kids in the other.

 

If the policy does happen to change before our cruise, do you think it would be beneficial to buy the drink package sooner rather than later?

 

 

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[Clarea]

... If the policy does happen to change before our cruise, do you think it would be beneficial to buy the drink package sooner rather than later?

Yes, I'd purchase the drink package under the current rules. If something changes, you can always cancel for a full refund.

[Biker19]

Quick question. I'm sailing on Freedom next March. We don't usually get drink packages but one of our extended family members is thinking of getting one. They have two cabins with two kids so I'm not sure if there is one adult and one kid in each cabin (ideal) or two adults in one cabin and the kids in the other.

 

If the policy does happen to change before our cruise, do you think it would be beneficial to buy the drink package sooner rather than later?

Re-arrange the names on the booking to have the package buyer listed with one of the kids. This way they can buy the package and not be forced to buy another.

[printingchick]

Put me in the "whatever" camp here. We've never purchased the drink package because we prefer port-intensive cruises. When off the ship most of the day, every day, it's difficult to break even with the package. As someone else said, I don't want to feel like I need to drink more than I might otherwise consume in order to "get my money's worth." I seem to recall they had some special deals on our last cruise - select drinks of the day at special prices - which we took advantage of. Part of the fun of a cruise is the tropical cocktails, but if I consumed the quantity required to be SAVING money using the package, I'd be hung over instead of enjoying my vacation!

[Biker19]

As someone else said, I don't want to feel like I need to drink more than I might otherwise consume in order to "get my money's worth."

I wonder if anyone thinks of it that way for food.

[kknorr0320]

I wonder if anyone thinks of it that way for food.

When we take the teenager we get 1/2 our cruisefare back in food lol.

 

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[nealstuber]

Oh great. When this rolls out fleet wide, that's gonna make things interesting for people like me who have a current booking with the second person in the cabin being "Mr John Smith". Had to put a second name in the booking, don't know if I'm going to end up having a cabin buddy or not, and will sail solo if that's the case.

 

So now I'm gonna have to fork out for John Smith in advance to pre-purchase the package as well. I'll literally be paying double for my drinks and will have to try and get the money refunded when he is a no-show.

 

 

 

It's funny how people can get so up in arms about others gaming the drink packages when its perfectly acceptable to cheat the single supplement charge.

 

 

 

 

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[Goodtime Cruizin]

I wonder if anyone thinks of it that way for food.

 

I would think they do. Many cruise because the cost os a cruise vacation is food inclusive. A huge portion of any vacation is eating three meals a day, plus snacks. We personally take this into consideration when making action plans & I don't think we're alone.

 

I still do not think this is a bout sharing (costs) as much as it is about increasing revenue (income). With RCCL, it's always about revenue. Every decision they make is revenue driven. The decision to allow just one person in the cabin to buy an alcohol package was revenue driven. They wanted to sell more packages. Now... their thoughts are to again, sell more packages. So what do they do? They 'test' the waters to see if they can make everyone BUY an alcohol package if just one person in the cabin buys the package. If the Deluxe Package sales drop, they'll drop this test. We then will hear how great RCL is for re-instating the one package per cabin rule.