Royal testing to bring back same drink package for all

[Biker19]

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.

How is listing a TBD person on a booking cheating the single supplement?:confused:

[Cauzneffct]

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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Step 1: Start a thread asking/bragging about whether/how to be a super-cool package-sharing renegade

 

Step 2: Receive backlash from those saying its poor form to brag about sharing packages on CC, as RCI reads the boards and it may impact policy

 

Step 3: Claim it is absurd that RCI reads the boards

 

Step 4: RCI changes policy, says its was due to reports of sharing packages

 

Step 5: Claim that it is absurd that RCI changed its policy due to reports of sharing.

[kknorr0320]

Step 1: Start a thread asking/bragging about whether/how to be a super-cool package-sharing renegade

 

Step 2: Receive backlash from those saying its poor form to brag about sharing packages on CC, as RCI reads the boards and it may impact policy

 

Step 3: Claim it is absurd that RCI reads the boards

 

Step 4: RCI changes policy, says its was due to reports of sharing packages

 

Step 5: Claim that it is absurd that RCI changed its policy due to reports of sharing.

Human nature in a nutshell.

 

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[BNBR]

Step 1: Start a thread asking/bragging about whether/how to be a super-cool package-sharing renegade

 

Step 2: Receive backlash from those saying its poor form to brag about sharing packages on CC, as RCI reads the boards and it may impact policy

 

Step 3: Claim it is absurd that RCI reads the boards

 

Step 4: RCI changes policy, says its was due to reports of sharing packages

 

Step 5: Claim that it is absurd that RCI changed its policy due to reports of sharing.

 

You are giving Cruise Critic members WAY too much credit for having anything to do with the policy change. It doesn't even come up here that often compared to the millions who sail on Royal. And if you think it really has anything to do with sharing, then I have some Bahamas real estate in Michigan that you might be interested in...

 

It's about money and how much they can squeeze from people. Will more people buy extra packages compared to those who won't buy at all because of the requirement? They know they can get away with it because Carnival does the same. The test is all about collecting data compared to previous sailings and seeing if people are willing to buy the extra packages. Saying "too many are sharing" is just a PR cover.

[lampskies]

Just talked to a "higher up" at RCCL. If you booked under a pretense of buy one if you call it will be honored. Technically the web says they reserve the right to change until final payment is made. Harmony is a "smart ship" Captain Johnny is their most respected Captain. As ships go thru dry doc they will be transformed to smart ships. There will be more robotic bars....no way for robot to tell whose scanning card. RCCL has done this before and it didn't work. If I want to complete my reservation and purchase 1package I can do it if I want

[reallyitsmema]

Just talked to a "higher up" at RCCL. If you booked under a pretense of buy one if you call it will be honored. Technically the web says they reserve the right to change until final payment is made. Harmony is a "smart ship" Captain Johnny is their most respected Captain. As ships go thru dry doc they will be transformed to smart ships. There will be more robotic bars....no way for robot to tell whose scanning card. RCCL has done this before and it didn't work. If I want to complete my reservation and purchase 1package I can do it if I want

 

Just because you talked to a "higher up" that says they will honor a single package for you, does not mean that others will get the same offer. When the fleet wide room service charge went into effect, some got letters saying that the charge would be waived and others were told they were out of luck.

 

As far as your "smart ship" comments, the WOW bands do not always work. Many people have given up on them because of all the issues. The bionic bars have limited hours and are down for service frequently. They are also monitored by crew members. Your consumption is also monitored, so if you are sharing, you will be caught eventually.

 

Not sure what Captain Johnny has to do with any of this discussion unless you are claiming that is who you spoke to. If that is the case, he does not have any control over what corporate does.

[Biker19]

^ making a post that makes sense is not a requirement for CC.

[lampskies]

Just because you talked to a "higher up" that says they will honor a single package for you, does not mean that others will get the same offer. When the fleet wide room service charge went into effect, some got letters saying that the charge would be waived and others were told they were out of luck.

 

As far as your "smart ship" comments, the WOW bands do not always work. Many people have given up on them because of all the issues. The bionic bars have limited hours and are down for service frequently. They are also monitored by crew members. Your consumption is also monitored, so if you are sharing, you will be caught eventually.

 

Not sure what Captain Johnny has to do with any of this discussion unless you are claiming that is who you spoke to. If that is the case, he does not have any control over what corporate does.

1) The room service charge was not "waived" a credit was issued

2) Robotic bars are monitored but just a Crew member sitting in chair making sure 13 year olds weren't getting drinks

3) Our WOW bands ALWAYS worked just a bigger pain removing if you weren't by the scanner. Which usually meant just showing and you got waived on

4) I They "monitored" my consumption I'd have been shut off and she didn't use my card once. Lol

5) Captain Johnny is the class of the fleet, he hand picked his crew and staff. He is not my "contact". My contact is way higher.

 

All reading this....if you want something to complain about write down the price of your sailing today and when your 57 days out price your sailing on the web and do it every day until 14 days out I GUARENTEE the price will drop more than 433 or 216.50x2 and you can do NOTHING about that!

[cruiselvr04]

we don't get the packages as it's just not worth it to us. We get our free drinks in the evening and are mostly happy with that. March cruise a drink was 12.88 with tip. Ouch! We don't pay that much in Dallas most of the time or drink at happy hours for half that. So our bar bill is usually $50 -$100 total.

( I am trying the new small bottle in your room that is prepurchased with a mixer in November as I think it will save me a iittle. I don't mind going to my room and mixing my own for the pool. I'll take a few plastic cups with me.)

 

That said I don't think they ought to force everyone in the room to get the package. Many people don't drink for health or medication issues or just personal issues. I can't believe even if some folks are sharing that RCCL is losing money in the bars. And we don't see a lot of drunks on our cruises either. ( There are always a few of course.) I believe they think it's good business. I think it may backfire. TBD.

[reallyitsmema]

1) The room service charge was not "waived" a credit was issued

2) Robotic bars are monitored but just a Crew member sitting in chair making sure 13 year olds weren't getting drinks

3) Our WOW bands ALWAYS worked just a bigger pain removing if you weren't by the scanner. Which usually meant just showing and you got waived on

4) I They "monitored" my consumption I'd have been shut off and she didn't use my card once. Lol

5) Captain Johnny is the class of the fleet, he hand picked his crew and staff. He is not my "contact". My contact is way higher.

 

All reading this....if you want something to complain about write down the price of your sailing today and when your 57 days out price your sailing on the web and do it every day until 14 days out I GUARENTEE the price will drop more than 433 or 216.50x2 and you can do NOTHING about that!

 

Many people have had their room service fees waived because of medical issues, go read those threads, not going to hijack this one.

 

A person who is 13 is not going to be able to charge an alcoholic drink, their sea pass and wow band are programmed so they can not order alcohol.

 

Glad you are a Captain Johnny fan, still do not understand what he has to do with drink packages.

[mcatmcat]

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

 

 

 

Have breakfast lunch dinner and multiples snacks in a local restaurant and you can easily spend more than 150$ daily in land.

 

 

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[Biker19]

Have breakfast lunch dinner and multiples snacks in a local restaurant and you can easily spend more than 150$ daily in land.

Right, but do you eat more than "normal" just to "get your moneys worth"?

[Biker19]

All reading this....if you want something to complain about write down the price of your sailing today and when your 57 days out price your sailing on the web and do it every day until 14 days out I GUARENTEE the price will drop more than 433 or 216.50x2 and you can do NOTHING about that!

Anyone who has read CC threads even casually, knows that you don't get price drops after final payment date.

 

Biker, who can GUARANTEE that many sailings will NOT have the above price drop (especially inside 30 days).

[Biker19]

A person who is 13 is not going to be able to charge an alcoholic drink, their sea pass and wow band are programmed so they can not order alcohol.

I think what the poster mean was that if it were not for someone monitoring the machine, a 13 year old could borrow their parent's WOW band (sharing issue) and order a drink at the Bionic Bar.

[scubaslayer]

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

We had a dining plan for a Disney vacation. You bet, we ordered the most expensive things, and never skipped getting the desserts and drinks. We even had the kids order food off the adult menu to have leftovers in the room.

 

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[Ocean Dancer]

^ making a post that makes sense is not a requirement for CC.

LIKE!!

1) The room service charge was not "waived" a credit was issued

2) Robotic bars are monitored but just a Crew member sitting in chair making sure 13 year olds weren't getting drinks

3) Our WOW bands ALWAYS worked just a bigger pain removing if you weren't by the scanner. Which usually meant just showing and you got waived on

4) I They "monitored" my consumption I'd have been shut off and she didn't use my card once. Lol

5) Captain Johnny is the class of the fleet, he hand picked his crew and staff. He is not my "contact". My contact is way higher.

 

All reading this....if you want something to complain about write down the price of your sailing today and when your 57 days out price your sailing on the web and do it every day until 14 days out I GUARENTEE the price will drop more than 433 or 216.50x2 and you can do NOTHING about that!

Like even better!!

[mcatmcat]

Right, but do you eat more than "normal" just to "get your moneys worth"?

 

 

 

You don't have to because you are easily making your money worth. The contrary is for the drink package, I feel that I have to over drink just to breaks even. Even with 10-20-30 percent off those packages are not a great value to me.

 

 

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[hftmrock]

You are giving Cruise Critic members WAY too much credit for having anything to do with the policy change. It doesn't even come up here that often compared to the millions who sail on Royal. And if you think it really has anything to do with sharing, then I have some Bahamas real estate in Michigan that you might be interested in...

 

It's about money and how much they can squeeze from people. Will more people buy extra packages compared to those who won't buy at all because of the requirement? They know they can get away with it because Carnival does the same. The test is all about collecting data compared to previous sailings and seeing if people are willing to buy the extra packages. Saying "too many are sharing" is just a PR cover.

 

 

you are right....and you are wrong...

 

 

it is all about the money. NO DOUBT... and when corporate is looking to try to squeeze more money out of people they see an opportunity to do so by looking at the sharing of packages...they figured out that people are sharing the packages and in order to make more money they plug the exposure and profit more.

 

 

So it is about the money and because of that, they saw an opportunity to do so by stopping the sharing of packages.

 

if no one shared packages, they would not have seen this as a potential profit maker and they wouldn't have bothered.

 

It is because of the sharing and it is about the money

[Biker19]

So it is about the money and because of that, they saw an opportunity to do so by stopping the sharing of packages.

The sharing can still happen - across cabins instead of within a cabin.

[A&L_Ont]

The sharing can still happen - across cabins instead of within a cabin.

 

Mic drop.

 

Biker19 just won my post of the day, as you just took this topic to another level. :confused:

 

Edit: I am neither condoning or approving sharing, but in this house we will purchase what we want to consume.

Edited July 10, 2017 by A&L_Ont

[hftmrock]

The sharing can still happen - across cabins instead of within a cabin.

 

yup... just a new way to get profits later... still sharing.. prices will rise..

 

its the circle of life. break the rules... everyone pays for it... fine a new way to break the rules.. everyone will eventually pay again. etc etc etc

[Ocean Dancer]

yup... just a new way to get profits later... still sharing.. prices will rise..

 

its the circle of life. break the rules... everyone pays for it... fine a new way to break the rules.. everyone will eventually pay again. etc etc etc

And the rest of us are screwed.

[hftmrock]

And the rest of us are screwed.

 

 

unfortunately correct.

[reallyitsmema]

yup... just a new way to get profits later... still sharing.. prices will rise..

 

its the circle of life. break the rules... everyone pays for it... fine a new way to break the rules.. everyone will eventually pay again. etc etc etc

 

People are always going to find ways to go around the system. People split Crown and Anchor members between multiple cabins to share balcony discounts with those that are not eligible yet, people put one parent in each cabin with a child to get away with booking cabins that don't meet the proximity guidelines and people are going to do the same with the new alcohol package requirements.

[sweetpee_1993]

Plot twist! What if the adult in your stateroom who doesn't want the alcohol package doesn't drink for religious reasons????? Interesting!