Unfair Drink Policy

[Wine-O]

I thought I'd read from other posts that if you wait until you are onboard, you might be able to purchase the package individually, without everyone in the cabin being required.

 

Has anyone confirmed this?

 

The problem is when the package goes on sale several months before the cruise. If you wait until you get on board, you have to purchase it at the full price.

[dwayneb236]

My wife and I bought the package on our last cruise. We will not in the future. While it is very convenient and we did like it a lot, it just wasn't for us. With port days and drinking off the ship, just not worth it for us. We did both meet our break even limits but it was a bit of a chore ordering a drink when I didn't really want one.

 

If they want to give us a package or lower the price then yeah, we'll do it again. But not necessary for us.

[ColoradoGurl]

They should find another way to enforce their alcohol consumption policy and not force me to spend hundreds of dollars. Note: this was not in place when I booked the cruise.

 

 

They won’t find another way because they don’t have to. There are lots of people who, like you, seem to think that they “Have to” buy a drink package. No, you don’t.

 

If only 1 out of 3 people drinks, then why would you guys feel forced to shell out $1500 for that one person to drink???? It would be a whole lot cheaper for that 1 drinker to pay out of pocket, since it’s highly unlikely they’ll drink $1500 worth of alcohol.

 

If she doesn’t want to pay out of pocket, well, nobody is forcing her to drink at all.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[tugboat]

I thought I'd read from other posts that if you wait until you are onboard, you might be able to purchase the package individually, without everyone in the cabin being required.

 

 

 

Has anyone confirmed this?

 

 

 

Just boarded the Vision friend of ours told if he could buy just one package he would buy it. But it was 68.00 plus gratuity. We have been on board for 2 1/2 he has already got today’s break even drinks 4 days to go. He says he will get his money’s worth[emoji41]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dswallow]

I'm annoyed not by the drink package so much as annoyed by the drink pricing without a drink package. So I seem to have gotten in the habit of tracking in detail, if not also considering it something of a competition, when I use the package. On a recent 12-day cruise, in addition to the non-alcoholic coffee stuff and soda, I consumed 193 alcoholic beverages, almost all being a Stoli Sea Breeze. That'd be $11 each, plus 18% gratuity, or $2,505.14. Now I purposely made sure (mostly) they served them in the rocks-sized glass, so I wasn't consuming horrendous volumes of juice. And that level, frankly, is probably darned close to the limit. I doubt, on average, I could regularly exceed that. I find it somewhat amazing I even managed that, really. And I think I was happy that when day 13 came around I could stop. :)

 

Anyway, the drinks portion of the package amount to $555.06 for the 12-day cruise, or $46.26/day. That'd be a tad over 3.5 of the drinks I had per day.

 

I know this conversation is about being forced to buy a drink package for all adults in the cabin, and since I travel alone, it doesn't really affect me so much anyway, but I would find the economics of it all to be even more ridiculous if I were in the situation where I wanted it but my cabin-mate didn't. I would angrily and loudly cancel my booking if the cruise line wouldn't budge on it. They'll budge.

[lbjen]

If you’re not traveling with any others, I’m not sure your friend will want to be the only one drinking the entire time anyway.

[tugboat]

If you’re not traveling with any others, I’m not sure your friend will want to be the only one drinking the entire time anyway.

 

 

 

I drinking without the package waiting on the CL to open , so the other three are drinking without the package it’s only a 5 day cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[VaTech8912]

A policy you do not like, does not make it unfair.

[carmenOH]

I cannot recall anyone reporting this recently.

I have done this twice.

[Biker19]

Keep watching you will get it sometime in the future

[Retired LEO]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Interesting screen name.

 

What I find interesting is the OP waited 4 years to make this their 1st post.

[Ocean Boy]

A policy you do not like, does not make it unfair.

And sometimes it is unfair. Not everyone who travels together have the same needs or desires. You shouldn't feel the need to pick your cruising partner based on whether you both drink.

[davekathy]

I have done this twice.

Recently?

[Retired LEO]

I have done this twice.

 

You've done it twice? This month?

[A&L_Ont]

What I find interesting is the OP waited 4 years to make this their 1st post.

 

I guess they might be a lurker.

[cruisinggaga]

We have 3 adults in our room. Because 1 person wants to buy the deluxe beverage package that includes alcohol every one in the room has to either buy that package or a deluxe package without alcohol. The cost is prohibitive. I don't drink alcohol, coffee, tea etc but am forced to buy an expensive package that I will not use. I understand some people, in the past have cheated, and that is why they have the policy. But why should I be punished for the behavior of others. They should find another way to enforce their alcohol consumption policy and not force me to spend hundreds of dollars. Note: this was not in place when I booked the cruise.

 

 

 

Tell that one person absolutely not. It’s not fair to the rest of you. I think this should be against the law to force someone to buy it just because one person wants it. What if 3 people wanted it and one person didn’t because they were an alcoholic or had health issues that wouldn’t permit them to drink. This is an unfair rule to enforce. It would probably be cheaper for you to pitch in a couple $100 to have that other person NOT buy the package.

We shouldn’t be forced to spend money we don’t want to spend.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[StolidCruiser]

Tell that one person absolutely not. It’s not fair to the rest of you. I think this should be against the law to force someone to buy it just because one person wants it. What if 3 people wanted it and one person didn’t because they were an alcoholic or had health issues that wouldn’t permit them to drink. This is an unfair rule to enforce. It would probably be cheaper for you to pitch in a couple $100 to have that other person NOT buy the package.

We shouldn’t be forced to spend money we don’t want to spend.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Under the same philosophy, it should be against the law to charge a solo traveller a single supplement for occupying a standard double-occupancy cabin. They shouldn’t be forced to spend money they don’t want to spend.

 

:confused:

[cruisinggaga]

Under the same philosophy, it should be against the law to charge a solo traveller a single supplement for occupying a standard double-occupancy cabin. They shouldn’t be forced to spend money they don’t want to spend.

 

 

 

:confused:

 

 

 

I agree 100% ! the cruise lines are going to lose more money by putting forced charges on their cruisers because if we band together and NOT purchase those extras then maybe they will think twice. Wishful thinking I know lol.

The cruise lines have many unfair practices that effect the cruisers.

Does NCL still charge double for their solo passengers in their solo staterooms?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[carmenOH]

Recently?

Last May the wife and I were on Enchantment and as always they were selling the drink package when you enter the ship but I walked past them and 20 minutes later we saw a guy in the hallway selling the package and my wife said that she has a glass of wine with dinner and a drink after dinner but my husband should really have the package. He took my card and put the sticker on it. It was pretty simple really.

[mjkacmom]

I agree 100% ! the cruise lines are going to lose more money by putting forced charges on their cruisers because if we band together and NOT purchase those extras then maybe they will think twice. Wishful thinking I know lol.

The cruise lines have many unfair practices that effect the cruisers.

Does NCL still charge double for their solo passengers in their solo staterooms?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

NCL never charged double for solo passengers in solo cabins. They do make everyone purchase the beverage package unless the first two passengers got it as a perk.

[cruiseguy1016]

Last May the wife and I were on Enchantment and as always they were selling the drink package when you enter the ship but I walked past them and 20 minutes later we saw a guy in the hallway selling the package and my wife said that she has a glass of wine with dinner and a drink after dinner but my husband should really have the package. He took my card and put the sticker on it. It was pretty simple really.

 

Last May one passenger could buy the package and the other was not required to. The policy changed a few months ago so that now if one person buys it, the other passenger must buy it also.

[carmenOH]

Recently?

 

Last May one passenger could buy the package and the other was not required to. The policy changed a few months ago so that now if one person buys it, the other passenger must buy it also.

That was the policy when the package first came out too. We were still able to get just one by simply asking when we got on the ship.

[Retired LEO]

That was the policy when the package first came out too. We were still able to get just one by simply asking when we got on the ship.

 

The Majesty is making sure that everyone over 21 in the same cabin purchases a package onboard. Other ships may be doing this as well.

[cruiseguy1016]

The Majesty is making sure that everyone over 21 in the same cabin purchases a package onboard. Other ships may be doing this as well.

 

Just to clarify - they are not making everyone purchase a package unless one of them wants to purchase a package. If no one wants to buy any package they are not forced to. They can both purchase drinks anytime without a package.

[Anniversarygirl25]

My husband doesn't drink, so they let me purchase the deluxe and he purchase the refresh. We had to call though, it couldn't be done online. For the 3/11 sailing out of FLL.