Drink package worth it?

[dude_hdt]

Concerning the new RC policy of charging your cabin mate automatically (I understand that you can call to have cabin mate removed). If I buy it onboard, will they still charge the other person?

[LadyBeBop]

Haven’t decided on the drink package for our Alaskan cruise next year. We’ve gotten it the past few times. But that was the Caribbean.

 

Alaska isn’t really that port intensive.

 

My question. Hot chocolate. Can you even get it on the ship? How good is it? Free or not? BTW, we are in the Ovation of the Seas.

 

Never had hot chocolate on a cruise ship before. But there’s a huge difference between temps in the ‘40s and ‘90s.

[katjoeus]

I believe you can get hot chocolate at the specialty coffee places - not 100% sure though

[katjoeus]

Those drinks menus seem to be super elusive - I've been trying for days to find comprehensive beer, wine by the glass and desert wine lists. We, too have been thinking a lot about whether to get the drinks package but then decided to go for it - I know I will stress over the prices again if we don't - and as others have said, it's our vacation. And this way, we probably wont be getting bottles of wine like we normally do with dinner (the past two RC ships we've been on had a pretty decent wine by the glass selection, and if I can get those for free (or rather included in the package), that'll be good enough for us, I think! Actually has the added bonus that if we don't care for it much, we don't have to finish it and can just get something else. No big bill waiting for us at the end of the trip, either :-)

[momofmab]

We never get the alcohol drink package. We're always cruising with our kids and I would be passed out trying to pound 7-8 drinks a day (#lightweight). Also I try to keep calorie consumption in check, which is hard enough with food alone. I may indulge and have one or two frozen drinks by the pool during the week or a beer with dinner one night, but in general I'm not a huge drinker (college years excepted).

 

DH does get the soda package. My kids don't drink soda, so they don't. It's not a big deal to purchase a couple of virgin frozen drinks for them during the week. I brought a bunch of Starbucks cards that we had accumulated and used those to purchase coffee. We also brought a few large bottles of water onboard and mini cans of soda for DH to have in the room.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

We never get the alcohol drink package. We're always cruising with our kids and I would be passed out trying to pound 7-8 drinks a day (#lightweight). Also I try to keep calorie consumption in check, which is hard enough with food alone. I may indulge and have one or two frozen drinks by the pool during the week or a beer with dinner one night, but in general I'm not a huge drinker (college years excepted).

 

DH does get the soda package. My kids don't drink soda, so they don't. It's not a big deal to purchase a couple of virgin frozen drinks for them during the week. I brought a bunch of Starbucks cards that we had accumulated and used those to purchase coffee. We also brought a few large bottles of water onboard and mini cans of soda for DH to have in the room.

 

I'm not sure where one would get this number. Prices vary from ship to ship but not too drastic. Here are the approx $$ one will pay for alcohol & 18% gratuity on RCL.

Beer $7-$9

Liquor $10-$14

If you plan to drink approximately four drinks or more, per day you will indeed hit the $$ figure of the Deluxe Package. That's all one really needs to know. If you plan to drink less then you might start trying to figure it out. But if your plan is to drink four or more drinks EVERY day of your cruise, you're an idea candidate for the package.

Happy Cruising!

[LSUfan4444]

Aside form the actual $ savings, I don't think it should go without being said the value there is on convenience.

 

First, you get the connivence of pre-paying for something, so you can break the cost out a bit. If you want to cancel, you can always do so before your cruise with no penalty. If breaking up the cost of the cruise doesnt matter to you and you'd rather just put the money under your mattress rather than giving it to RCI there is certainly value (and $ savings as well) in convenience.

 

RCI allows two bottles of wine to be brought in your stateroom but if you get the package, you won't need to do that you you'll save money NOT buying those two bottles to bring on board and you'll save the hassle, time, effort of traveling with them and bringing them on-board in your carry on.

 

Also, if you want to try the drink of the day...do it. Don't like it, throw it away. Want a a pina colada but get sick of it halfway through, throw it away and get something else. See someone with a drink you want to try, try it, etc.

 

While I certainly think it's easy for me to break even on a 7 night cruise with 35 total drinks over that time I certainly think the connivence factor carries an intristic value as well that shouldn't be ignored.

 

If you hear "5 drinks a day", thats easy...get it.

 

If you hear "5 drinks a day...no way", don't get it.

 

If you hear "5 drinks a day...and I can get specialty coffees each day with and without booze and bottled water and I don't have to bring anything on.... I'm not sure"....you'd probably be better off with it.

 

The hardest and worst part of the package for me is always limiting myself. Just like it takes self control at a buffet, it takes self control when the drinks are unlimited.

[grest]

not worth it to us...my husband is a transplant recipient who is not allowed to drink alcohol, but we need to buy for two...

[mcatmcat]

I believe you can get hot chocolate at the specialty coffee places - not 100% sure though

 

 

 

Cafe promenade

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dude_hdt]

not worth it to us...my husband is a transplant recipient who is not allowed to drink alcohol, but we need to buy for two...

Words has it that RC is very relaxed on this rule. You just have to call them and go be reason your husband don’t want package...medical, religious, etc

[Cruise a holic]

Words has it that RC is very relaxed on this rule. You just have to call them and go be reason your husband don’t want package...medical, religious, etc

 

Yes they are. You will have no problem!

[Melady]

Not for us. We are not drinkers, and rarely drink soda. Bottled water was NOT included in the package, so every time we wanted a fresh bottle we had to pay separately for it.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Haven’t decided on the drink package for our Alaskan cruise next year. We’ve gotten it the past few times. But that was the Caribbean.

 

Alaska isn’t really that port intensive.

 

My question. Hot chocolate. Can you even get it on the ship? How good is it? Free or not? BTW, we are in the Ovation of the Seas.

 

Never had hot chocolate on a cruise ship before. But there’s a huge difference between temps in the ‘40s and ‘90s.

 

Hot chocolate is included with your cruise fare. It's usually the packaged, powder type mixed with hot water. Available in MDR, cafe promenade, etc.

[jennyp0208]

Not for us. We are not drinkers, and rarely drink soda. Bottled water was NOT included in the package, so every time we wanted a fresh bottle we had to pay separately for it.

 

I thought bottled water is on the list? Its one of the primary reasons we decided to buy the package, but we don't sail til September so I don't have personal experience.

[Daghis]

Bottled water is indeed included in the Deluxe and Refreshment packages on Royal Caribbean.

 

It's not included in other cruise lines' plans such as NCL's Ultimate Beverage Package, so perhaps there's some misremembering here.

[RG306]

We normally have the refreshment package and watch what we consume alcohol wise. Our last cruise, celebrity included our drink package. Not sure if we got our monies worth but it was very nice not to worry about anything. This upcoming cruise is a larger group with a few more drinkers in the mix so we went for the deluxe at $42/day. I'm also pretty sure prices have increased per drink since we last sailed Royal.

[Ourusualbeach]

Words has it that RC is very relaxed on this rule. You just have to call them and go be reason your husband don’t want package...medical, religious, etc

 

Yes they are. You will have no problem!

 

While they do allow exceptions fairly easily the second person has to purchase the refreshment package. (A few reports of being able to purchase the soda package but not many)

[BekkaW]

I thought bottled water is on the list? Its one of the primary reasons we decided to buy the package, but we don't sail til September so I don't have personal experience.

YES definitely included - I have plenty of personal experience with deluxe package lol ;p

[4774Papa]

You also get mixed drinks in the lounge for 3.5 hours every evening.

We love Royal C's happy hour and on our 23 day Explorer of the Seas TransPacific cruise April/May we did not spend a nickel on alcohol. A drink package for us would be a huge waste.

 

On other cruises, prior to our becoming Elite on Celebrity and Diamond on Royal, I would keep track of what we spent onboard for alcohol. The most we ever spent for a 14 day cruise for both of us was about $500 or $250 each. Even then a drink package would be a total waste.

 

Also, we don't buy bottled water onboard or soda.

 

What I dislike about cruise pricing these day is NCL and Celebrity bundle promos like the drink package making it more expensive. At least Royal hasn't started doing that, so we are likely to be taking more cruises on Royal in the future.

[MrsB05]

I just went to check the price of the drink package for our January cruise and it is at $60 per day. I was floored. Last October it was $55 (and some people got it on sale for $45). Are drink prices going up across the board on Royal?

I wish I understood the rhyme and reason as to how they price these things; different prices per ship, per sailing; sometimes Diamond discount, not always. I am starting to wonder if they figure out your consumption based on past cruises and then elevate your price, as in "Ha! They sure use it, so, we'll up the price; no BOGOHO for them!" LOL

[geomancer]

Just remember, Royal Caribbean is always looking to maximize profits. Always.

 

 

They also push the drink packages REALLY HARD.

 

 

So, it's worth taking a step back and asking yourself "For a company that seeks profits above all else, why would they push the drink packages so hard?" Clearly, they believe the packages will get them more money than without. And if it gives them more money ... that means consumers spending more.

[MrsB05]

So our four night Jan cruise is $60 and our four night May cruise is $50.

 

People on 14 night TAs are reporting $39, which makes zero sense to me as you'd think they would charge more when people are "stuck on the ship" vs. have options to go into port and eat/drink elsewhere.

 

I do know they're in for a profit; again, just wish they'd be consistent.:confused::confused:

 

Oh well, I'll be on a cruise, anyway, regardless of what the price is and whether or not I spring for it!

[4774Papa]

Who on this thread is Diamond and has use of the happy hour and still pays for the expensive drink packages?

 

On our last Royal 23 day cruise we paid ZERO for alcohol due to the wonderful happy hour.

[Cruise a holic]

We do- we want to drink what and when we want to- do not want limited drink menu. Love the special waters, wine with dinner or lunch- that I decide to have not from a limited menu, coffees etc. Prefer top shelf alcohol.Why not enjoy a drink by the pool? In the theatre, etc.

 

The regular coffee tastes like sludge. I prefer bottled water. Take to our cabin/suite and off the ship if I want to. Why must I drink what and when it is free?? I enjoy choice- worth the money IMO. After all it is vacation! I would rather take a lesser cabin/suite and take the drink package.

[Smithster]

:cool:It is totally worth it if you believe you will drink 5-6 drinks a day. Also less of a hassle. Also if you like to try and experience with different cocktails it is totally worth it as if you do not like a drink you ordered, just get something else. No problem. As for price of drink package, there is a discount offered for Diamond Plus and Platinum. Not sure but may be discount for Diamond. Also aware there is discount if you purchase first night. Although on one cruise I did not buy my package till second night and they took off my drinks the day prior and applied to package. Personally I like to get the package just to stop the hassle.