Royal testing to bring back same drink package for all

[Biker19]

Sometimes having a bit of a sense of humor can go a long way when reading posts.

+1.

 

Biker, who understands that there's a sizable crowd that is ready to be offended by any remark.

[setsail]

Are you suggesting work arounds to avoid the package for other cruisers in a cabin? Isn't this the same moral turpitude of those sharing packages and those smuggling alcohol, sharing room service from full suites to other cabins? Anything to save a dollar or beat the system?

 

 

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Have you used a flow chart;p

[Ocean Boy]

Have you used a flow chart;p

Like I said...:D:D:D:D:D

[Cruise>Work]

One way to look at it would depend on what Royal's operating margin is. No one can blame a business for trying to make a profit, the question is whether or not it seems like they are price gouging the customer. If they already have a healthy margin without this change then it seems like gouging and hopefully will cost them some business. If the margin is relatively small and this is one way to improve that without raising cruise fares as much then this makes more sense.

 

Seems the choices come down to the following

1) vote with your $ and take your business to another line

2) vote with your $ and skip the package and drink a little less on the cruise and go ala carte

3) decide that you would rather cruise less often with more drinks and use your cruise budget that way

4) decide that you want to increase your cruise budget and cruise with the same frequency but pay more for alcohol

5) I don't like the rules so I will find a way to go around them

 

In the end Royal will look at the percentage of individuals who make each of these choices and then decide how to proceed from there.

 

The one choice I wish people would not make is #5, it is that attitude that seems so pervasive nowadays that I think ends up making us a lot less civilized towards each other. Not saying I'm a saint :halo: but I try to avoid #5 as best I can and try to teach my kids the same.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Have you used a flow chart;p

 

 

 

In work.... lol

 

 

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[Ocean Dancer]

No one here is posting about breaking any rules, we are talking about those who don't or can't drink. Lighten up people!:*

[Ocean Dancer]

Anything you can do for me as an Italian catholic male?

 

Sometimes having a bit of a sense of humor can go a long way when reading posts.

 

As an Italian Catholic woman, this was funny!

 

[volk904]

I think we can all assume that RCCL will probably go fleet wide with this in 2018.

 

Just my opinion but I feel most people who might share some on the Drink package are not heavy drinkers and will most likely not purchase the drink deal for 2 people. You have to drink 7-8 drinks a day just to break even on the purchase.

 

On the other hand I have purchased the drink deal on some cruises and that costs is more than my bar bill for 2 on cruises where I did not purchase it. I just drink a little more when I have it.

 

For the cruise line that has makes 600% on drinks I guess some bean counter needs to see which way generates more $.

 

 

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[Goodtime Cruizin]

Since men, and women past menopause can't get pregnant, here is a religious list to choose from.

 

All sects of Islam and most Protestant Christians (including Mormons, Pentecostals, Methodists, Rastafari and some Baptists) prohibit alcohol consumption. Buddhism also discourages alcohol consumption but for different reasons.

:eek::eek::eek:

 

Still trying to suggest the cheating of RCL I see.

[Ocean Dancer]

Still trying to suggest the cheating of RCL I see.

 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Well that's cute... but you are what you are.... and you are indeed suggesting ways to avoid the purchase of a Deluxe Alcohol Beverage Package. This news will not concern us as we always buy the package. So none of this will be a bother to us...and I suspect it won't bother the majority either.

[Ocean Dancer]

Well that's cute... but you are what you are.... and you are indeed suggesting ways to avoid the purchase of a Deluxe Alcohol Beverage Package. This news will not concern us as we always buy the package. So none of this will be a bother to us...and I suspect it won't bother the majority either.

Thank you for liking my emoji........BTW we both also buy the Deluxe package:*

If it's not a bother, why are you posting?

Edited July 12, 2017 by Ocean Dancer

[Biker19]

I think we can all assume that RCCL will probably go fleet wide with this in 2018.

 

I guess some bean counter needs to see which way generates more $.

No and yes.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Thank you for liking my emoji........BTW we both also buy the Deluxe package:*

If it's not a bother, why are you posting?

 

So you're not a pregnant nunn or a former mormon recently converted to islam? Well...you got me. Sometimes I post out of boredom. BTW, did you know that bartender Issac (Love Boat) hates drink packages and makes everyone sign slips?

[Ocean Dancer]

So you're not a pregnant nunn or a former mormon recently converted to islam? Well...you got me. Sometimes I post out of boredom. BTW, did you know that bartender Issac (Love Boat) hates drink packages and makes everyone sign slips?

Friends??:hearteyes:

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Yes of course. And to show my sincereness let me buy you a drink. I have a deluxe package. :)

[Ocean Dancer]

Yes of course. And to show my sincereness let me buy you a drink. I have a deluxe package. :)

I accept, and will admit to cheating only once...........I "bought" a Pinnacle member a drink once in the theater as it was his birthday! He then blew me away by pulling out a tiny plastic bottle to pour into the drink to make it stronger!! True story on Serenade last Thanksgiving!!:halo:

[time4u2go]

One way to look at it would depend on what Royal's operating margin is. No one can blame a business for trying to make a profit' date=' the question is whether or not it seems like they are price gouging the customer. [b']If they already have a healthy margin without this change then it seems like gouging [/b]and hopefully will cost them some business. If the margin is relatively small and this is one way to improve that without raising cruise fares as much then this makes more sense.

 

Seems the choices come down to the following

1) vote with your $ and take your business to another line

2) vote with your $ and skip the package and drink a little less on the cruise and go ala carte

3) decide that you would rather cruise less often with more drinks and use your cruise budget that way

4) decide that you want to increase your cruise budget and cruise with the same frequency but pay more for alcohol

5) I don't like the rules so I will find a way to go around them

 

In the end Royal will look at the percentage of individuals who make each of these choices and then decide how to proceed from there.

 

The one choice I wish people would not make is #5, it is that attitude that seems so pervasive nowadays that I think ends up making us a lot less civilized towards each other. Not saying I'm a saint :halo: but I try to avoid #5 as best I can and try to teach my kids the same.

I disagree with your statement that if they have a healthy profit margin that this is "gouging". Shouldn't a company always seek to increase their profit margin, no matter how "healthy" it is?

[Cruise>Work]

I agree with the idea of increasing profit margin, I think that there is some level beyond which price increases do become gouging, not saying they don't have a right to do it but at some level I think it makes the customer feel unappreciated or abused by the business. Of course the customer can just choose to go elsewhere but I think that at some price point for every item or service you can exceed the point where a customer feels good about what they are getting and it diminishes the experience or purchase. Of course everyone has to decide for themselves when Royal (or any other business) has crossed that line for their patronage.

 

Maybe we should start a non-profit cruising co-op ;)

[Ocean Dancer]

I agree with the idea of increasing profit margin' date=' I think that there is some level beyond which price increases do become gouging, not saying they don't have a right to do it but at some level I think it makes the customer feel unappreciated or abused by the business. Of course the customer can just choose to go elsewhere but I think that at some price point for every item or service you can exceed the point where a customer feels good about what they are getting and it diminishes the experience or purchase. Of course everyone has to decide for themselves when Royal (or any other business) has crossed that line for their patronage.

 

Maybe we should start a non-profit cruising co-op ;)[/quote']

Welcome to Cruise Critic!!

 

[The_Big_M]

I disagree with your statement that if they have a healthy profit margin that this is "gouging". Shouldn't a company always seek to increase their profit margin, no matter how "healthy" it is?

 

Wouldn't that also be defined as gouging at some point?

 

Or do you believe gouging is not possible?

[Johnamac123]

I disagree with your statement that if they have a healthy profit margin that this is "gouging". Shouldn't a company always seek to increase their profit margin, no matter how "healthy" it is?

 

Consider the Pharmaceutical company that increased price of a critical drug by 1000+%. That created outrage.....

[lbjen]

Price gouging is a pejorative term referring to when a seller spikes the prices of goods, services or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair, and is considered exploitative, potentially to an unethical extent.

This is the actual definition of price gouging. Now you could say that RC is exploiting the fact that customers don't have any other (legal) way to get hold of drinks on board, other than to buy them from RC. Are they raising their prices to a level that is considered much higher than is reasonable or fair? Not yet. And the fact remains that you can choose to not drink at all on your cruise and still have a great time. Most people that need epi pens aren't in the same position.

[icsys]

The fact does remain that you can choose not to drink, but for those that like to have a few alcoholic drinks whilst on vacation, but cannot justify the hefty price tag of an alcoholic beverage package it certainly feels like gouging.

 

The removal of the beer and wine package, so now you must purchase the top package,(a minimum of $55 per day - soon to be $110 per day if the 'trial' to bring back 'all in cabin must purchase' goes fleet wide), could that not be classed as gouging to some extent?

 

Are they raising their prices to a level that is considered much higher than is reasonable or fair?

That is subjective to the individual. To me it has reached that point. To some, maybe not, to others, clearly not.

[hftmrock]

The fact does remain that you can choose not to drink, but for those that like to have a few alcoholic drinks whilst on vacation, but cannot justify the hefty price tag of an alcoholic beverage package it certainly feels like gouging.

 

The removal of the beer and wine package, so now you must purchase the top package,(a minimum of $55 per day - soon to be $110 per day if the 'trial' to bring back 'all in cabin must purchase' goes fleet wide), could that not be classed as gouging to some extent?

 

Are they raising their prices to a level that is considered much higher than is reasonable or fair?

That is subjective to the individual. To me it has reached that point. To some, maybe not, to others, clearly not.

 

I don't see it as price gouging at all and here is my reasoning

 

• you can get drinks a la cart and pay for what you can afford
  
• The package is 100% optional
  
• if everyone in the cabin gets the package and drinks about 8 or more a day they break even or even LOWER their price per drink over a la carte
  
• changing an optional package from 1 person to everyone in the room does NOT change the price per person at all. it only changes the rules per cabin
  
• if all people in the cabin were already buying the package, this does not affect them at all
  
• There 'could' be exceptions to the rule 'IF' people don't try to cheat that. if people take advantage of this, there will be no exception and it hurts the people who follow the rules again
  

They technically didn't raise the price at all so it cant be price gouging. they only changed the rules due to what I see as people cheating the system too much.

 

while it does suck that people who followed the rules will suddenly get hurt by this, things like this will continue until people stop trying to cheat the rules. Even in this thread people are trying to figure out how to get around the rules to take advantage of the cruise line. Reading this thread kinda proves that Royal needed to do something to stop people from taking advantage. If people continue to take advantage even after this, Royal will just raise the price. that still is not price gouging. its trying to combat the people that make it bad for everyone.

 

Just my opinion in regards to price gouging.