Royal testing to bring back same drink package for all

[JAMESCC]

Oh boy here we go again with one of these threads.

 

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[Goodtime Cruizin]

Post 1 has the answer

 

To each their own.

We purchase two adult beverage drink packages on every cruise and really do not allow ourselves to go all Mrs. Cravtiz & get so wrapped up then concerned with what others do or don't do on a cruise. This change, if true, will have no effect on us!

[Goodtime Cruizin]

If you have the deluxe beverage package they don't make you sign for your drinks?

 

I just smile at the bartender & just wave it off. After you do this at each bar etc, they leave you alone. They know what's up, as they are only attempting to gain additional gratuity.

[KuffMUp]

If you have the deluxe beverage package they don't make you sign for your drinks?

 

I guess it depends on the ship. The first time we bought the package when it was new, I never got a slip. There was a bartender that treated us well and I mentioned no slip to give him a tip. I then got a slip from him every time but never from the others. Our last cruise, after the first few days, no slip.

[bouhunter]

Seriously, if people are sharing, it can't be easy. You can't sit at the same place and order two drinks with one card for "free." You can't order one drink and two seconds later order a different drink at the same place. It would require visiting 2 places and hanging out at a third place to drink. What about during dinner or trivia? Impossible! My husband wanted to get a bucket of beer to drink on the balcony. (I don't even drink beer). He was only allowed to purchase one beer with the package. We saw a group of 4 sharing one drink package which meant they purchased one beer at the time and all drank out of it. This seems silly and too aggravating. In my experience, the bartenders get to know you and know what you like to drink. So realistically, how easy is it to share and really enjoy the cruise?

 

 

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You're vastly underestimating what some people will go through to cheat the system.

[marci22]

And I can see a future return of the rum runners threads for a whole lot of people!

 

There were a lot fewer of these with everyone buying the drink packages.

[mommao729]

I will be on the harmony on September 30th cruise. I already purchased for my husband the deluxe drink package with voom for one device. I don't drink enough for a package. If I want a drink I will pay for it. Don't drink soda. I drink the lemonade in the windjammer and bring a cup for water. So now I'm being forced to buy a package that I don't want. I know he doesn't have to get the package but It's so much easier to pay upfront for his drinks then to keep checking how much you spend everyday. I have heard about these drink cards that are offered sometimes. I think $79 for 10 drinks. Some ships offer them on day 4 depending how the bar sales are going. Maybe they can offer those instead of making both people in a room have to get the package or you can't get it. I haven't heard anything yet. You would think they would let us know in advance. I love royal, but enough is enough.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Isn't the VCL the D/D+ event for Majesty? Were you in the D/D+ event section, or simply sitting in the VCL. We generally get our D/D+ drink at a bar and almost always get a zero receipt to sign. In the times we've been in a D/D+ lounge, we've NEVER been given a receipt to sign.

 

 

 

Makes me wonder if at some point there will be limited drinks regardless of where it is obtained.

 

m

 

 

 

VCL besides D/D+ , includes PC and Gold cards (full Suites). Not making it up. Paper Receipts were out in full force this past weekend. The must have finally run out of the old DP stickers as we had DX printed in regular size letters in lower right corner.

 

Maybe it was because I ordered a drink not on the Cocktail Hour list??? Tito's is not on the list. I did drink Bud Light as well and had a paper receipt.

 

 

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[SkiTeton]

It's true! I am booked on the 10/14 Harmony sailing and I can no longer add the beverage package to a single adult. Both adults in my stateroom are automatically selected and cannot be changed.

 

Sadly, this leaves us with a tough decision. One of the reasons we chose RCCL was not having to buy drink packages for all over-21 guests if only one adult wanted it. Do we buy a la carte, double our drink package budget, or switch to another ship?

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I will be on the harmony on September 30th cruise. I already purchased for my husband the deluxe drink package with voom for one device. I don't drink enough for a package. If I want a drink I will pay for it. Don't drink soda. I drink the lemonade in the windjammer and bring a cup for water. So now I'm being forced to buy a package that I don't want. I know he doesn't have to get the package but It's so much easier to pay upfront for his drinks then to keep checking how much you spend everyday. I have heard about these drink cards that are offered sometimes. I think $79 for 10 drinks. Some ships offer them on day 4 depending how the bar sales are going. Maybe they can offer those instead of making both people in a room have to get the package or you can't get it. I haven't heard anything yet. You would think they would let us know in advance. I love royal, but enough is enough.

 

Has this been confirmed? Meaning have you spoken w/ someone at RCL & they are requiring you to either cancel your husband's drink package or requiring you to purchase a package in order for him to keep his package?

[SkiTeton]

Has this been confirmed? Meaning have you spoken w/ someone at RCL & they are requiring you to either cancel your husband's drink package or requiring you to purchase a package in order for him to keep his package?

 

Yes, confirmed. I had a drink+voom package in my cart and it says it is now unavailable (because I only had it selected for me; not my spouse). When I go to add any 21+ drink package, it automatically selects both adults in my cabin.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Yes, confirmed. I had a drink+voom package in my cart and it says it is now unavailable (because I only had it selected for me; not my spouse). When I go to add any 21+ drink package, it automatically selects both adults in my cabin.

 

 

 

Had you previously paid for one package + VOOM?

 

 

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[grouchomarx]

Seriously, if people are sharing, it can't be easy. You can't sit at the same place and order two drinks with one card for "free." You can't order one drink and two seconds later order a different drink at the same place. It would require visiting 2 places and hanging out at a third place to drink. What about during dinner or trivia? Impossible! My husband wanted to get a bucket of beer to drink on the balcony. (I don't even drink beer). He was only allowed to purchase one beer with the package. We saw a group of 4 sharing one drink package which meant they purchased one beer at the time and all drank out of it. This seems silly and too aggravating. In my experience, the bartenders get to know you and know what you like to drink. So realistically, how easy is it to share and really enjoy the cruise?

 

 

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I totally agree with you! I sometimes feel all these stories of sharing are more fantasy than reality fueled by their moral point of view on the topic. First of all, the facts you stated. How much time could/would a person spend during their vacation trying to figure out how to get more drinks without paying? There isn't that much time, if you're actually doing things and enjoying yourself. And you're not exactly poor if you're cruising. Second, who are these people who "observe" other supposedly sharing a drink package? Are you just wandering the ship watching what people are doing? I myself enjoy some people watching anywhere I go, but not to the point that I know what the hell everyone is doing with themselves in detail. I also don't understand all the drink package sharing rage. If it in fact does happen, why do you care that much? The world is full of people doing stuff they shouldn't, whether it's breaking an official rule or just generally disregarding others. It's called "life". The argument that it raises prices or whatever doesn't leave me convinced. It just seems like one of those things that people get worked up about. Like tipping, chair hogging, dress codes, smoking, etc.

 

 

If they change their policy, for whatever reason, I don't care. My BF and I both drink the same and always buy a package.

[Cauzneffct]

The argument that it raises prices or whatever doesn't leave me convinced

.

 

I don't know. If the OP's contentions are true regarding A) the new policy (all 21+ in a cabin must now purchase) and B) the reasons why its being implemented (reports/viewed incidents of sharing), that would be a pretty convincing argument.

[reallyitsmema]

I hope the OP comes back and tells us whether or not his friend still has a job after sharing this information prior to an official announcement. Maybe the meeting was large, making it difficult to identify who leaked the information.

[SkiTeton]

Had you previously paid for one package + VOOM?

 

 

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No, it was in cart since 2 days ago. I had to remove it (text in red stating it was no longer available) If I added the same package to my cart it went to both adults.

[ColoradoGurl]

They've probably had this plan in the works since before they introduced the new packages.

 

The first step was to eliminate the mid-range packages (select and premium), raise prices on alcohol, and then just as everyone had resigned to the fact that buying the package was a better deal than buying a la carte, they'd institute an "everyone has to buy it" rule.

 

Now, more people will pay the a la carte price and drink less free alcohol, or, if they still want the package, will be forced to buy 2 of them even knowing that one of the pair won't break even. Evil genius.

 

Maybe they will also do what NCL is doing, which is start offering the drink package as a "free" perk. They'll probably bundle it with the non-refundable deposit option to entice more people to book that way, and raise the base price of the cruises by $400-$800.

 

 

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[Biker19]

The main/only thing that matters in all of this to RCI: does it raise more revenue? If not, they'll leave things alone.

 

I wonder if RCI accountants get to go on those cruises to observe first hand the revenue stream?

[cruiseguy1016]

I totally agree with you! I sometimes feel all these stories of sharing are more fantasy than reality fueled by their moral point of view on the topic. First of all, the facts you stated. How much time could/would a person spend during their vacation trying to figure out how to get more drinks without paying? There isn't that much time, if you're actually doing things and enjoying yourself. And you're not exactly poor if you're cruising. Second, who are these people who "observe" other supposedly sharing a drink package? Are you just wandering the ship watching what people are doing? I myself enjoy some people watching anywhere I go, but not to the point that I know what the hell everyone is doing with themselves in detail. I also don't understand all the drink package sharing rage. If it in fact does happen, why do you care that much? The world is full of people doing stuff they shouldn't, whether it's breaking an official rule or just generally disregarding others. It's called "life". The argument that it raises prices or whatever doesn't leave me convinced. It just seems like one of those things that people get worked up about. Like tipping, chair hogging, dress codes, smoking, etc.

 

 

If they change their policy, for whatever reason, I don't care. My BF and I both drink the same and always buy a package.

 

It doesn't affect you because you and your BF both drink. It DOES affect many other couples where only one of them drink. THAT'S why we care. We are being forced to pay twice as much because some people abuse the system.

[bouhunter]

VCL besides D/D+ , includes PC and Gold cards (full Suites). Not making it up. Paper Receipts were out in full force this past weekend. The must have finally run out of the old DP stickers as we had DX printed in regular size letters in lower right corner.

 

 

Did you check the VR code on the BW card, that might have been why the CT and WW+ printed that way on the VBR statement.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I totally agree with you! I sometimes feel all these stories of sharing are more fantasy than reality fueled by their moral point of view on the topic. First of all, the facts you stated. How much time could/would a person spend during their vacation trying to figure out how to get more drinks without paying? There isn't that much time, if you're actually doing things and enjoying yourself. And you're not exactly poor if you're cruising. Second, who are these people who "observe" other supposedly sharing a drink package? Are you just wandering the ship watching what people are doing? I myself enjoy some people watching anywhere I go, but not to the point that I know what the hell everyone is doing with themselves in detail. I also don't understand all the drink package sharing rage. If it in fact does happen, why do you care that much? The world is full of people doing stuff they shouldn't, whether it's breaking an official rule or just generally disregarding others. It's called "life". The argument that it raises prices or whatever doesn't leave me convinced. It just seems like one of those things that people get worked up about. Like tipping, chair hogging, dress codes, smoking, etc.

 

 

If they change their policy, for whatever reason, I don't care. My BF and I both drink the same and always buy a package.

 

+1

I'm picking up what you're throwing down.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

It doesn't affect you because you and your BF both drink. It DOES affect many other couples where only one of them drink. THAT'S why we care. We are being forced to pay twice as much because some people abuse the system.

 

No one is forcing you to buy anything. If you don't drink enough, don't buy it. My wife doesn't get the full $$ cost out of her package but we buy it anyway as it offers a value in other areas.

[Cauzneffct]

It doesn't affect you because you and your BF both drink. It DOES affect many other couples where only one of them drink. THAT'S why we care. We are being forced to pay twice as much because some people abuse the system.

 

 

Yeah, the "this doesn't affect ME, so YOU shouldn't care" responses are not exactly persuasive.

[mommao729]

I wonder what happens now since I purchased and paid for one deluxe drink package with voom. I checked my planner. I see the purchase. There is no message for me. Wondering if I will be notified before I get on the ship. Or will they tell me when I board that I have to purchase one since he purchased one. Or will the people who already purchased be exempt?

[setsail]

. We are being forced to pay twice as much because some people abuse the system.

 

LOL:rolleyes: