socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 #1 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Hey there! I’m a seasoned cruiser with carnival and decided to jump ship ( pun Intended) when carnival service has gone to poo! We are booked on liberty of the seas. We want to do the drink package but my travel agent said that the packages sometimes go on sale, anyone experience this? With carnival they have gift cards I can purchase at Lowe’s and then I would use them to buy the packages, are there gift cards for Royal I can purchase anywhere? Also I will have two teenagers with us, any and all suggestions are welcome! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo1098 Posted July 19, 2018 #2 Share Posted July 19, 2018 If you are comfortable with the price of the drink package now go ahead and purchase it. Keep an eye on the prices. If it goes down you can cancel and repurchase the package at the lower price. Royal does not limit the number of drinks like Carnival does. It does have a much lower limit on the price per drink though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 19, 2018 #3 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Keep checking the price of the package in the planner for any "sale". You can buy it and then if the price goes lower you can cancel and re-buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEXASMUNK Posted July 19, 2018 #4 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Drink Packages: Frequently go on sale beginning on the weekends. Note, on Liberty, your drink package begins the minute you step onboard, not like Carnival. Not sure about gift cards. For your teens, there is a club, but their is also the flowrider, rock climbing, the ice show, some very good main stage shows (professional). Welcome, you have come from the dark side...:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #5 Share Posted July 19, 2018 If you are comfortable with the price of the drink package now go ahead and purchase it. Keep an eye on the prices. If it goes down you can cancel and repurchase the package at the lower price. Royal does not limit the number of drinks like Carnival does. It does have a much lower limit on the price per drink though. Thank you I can do that. With not having a limit I’m ok with $10 fruity drinks and my husband can have his beer all day. We never did beer because it didn’t even out to just drink beer on the card with carnival. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #6 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Keep checking the price of the package in the planner for any "sale". You can buy it and then if the price goes lower you can cancel and re-buy. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #7 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Drink Packages: Frequently go on sale beginning on the weekends. Note, on Liberty, your drink package begins the minute you step onboard, not like Carnival.Not sure about gift cards. For your teens, there is a club, but their is also the flowrider, rock climbing, the ice show, some very good main stage shows (professional). Welcome, you have come from the dark side...:-) See carnival said it was a Texas law! They would not even allow us to use the soda card part of until the next day! I’ve been on 22 carnival and this last one we went on did me in with the service! It just keeps getting worse and worse! I’m looking forward to this cruise!!! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 19, 2018 #8 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I’ve been on 22 carnival and this last one we went on did me in with the service! It just keeps getting worse and worse! I’m looking forward to this cruise!!! Keep your expectations in check - some long time RCI cruisers may say the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hucifer Posted July 19, 2018 #9 Share Posted July 19, 2018 See carnival said it was a Texas law! They would not even allow us to use the soda card part of until the next day! I’ve been on 22 carnival and this last one we went on did me in with the service! It just keeps getting worse and worse! I’m looking forward to this cruise!!! You should post a review when you get back and share your experiences with us. I hope you enjoy RCI, I've been a loyal customer since 1999. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigairboarder44 Posted July 19, 2018 #10 Share Posted July 19, 2018 See carnival said it was a Texas law! They would not even allow us to use the soda card part of until the next day! I’ve been on 22 carnival and this last one we went on did me in with the service! It just keeps getting worse and worse! I’m looking forward to this cruise!!! I believe the gist of the law is that anything served while "in Texas" (read: in Galveston port) must be purchased from Texas. That stops once you get into international waters which is around 20 miles off the coast give or take a few. To minimize revenue loss, ships don't purchase much alcohol from the state. I have yet to experience it (we will March 19!!!), but I've heard Royal serves an abbreviated list of alcohol until a few hours after departure from Galveston. I'm not quite sure what that list is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTO-Girl Posted July 19, 2018 #11 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Hey there! I’m a seasoned cruiser with carnival and decided to jump ship ( pun Intended) when carnival service has gone to poo! We are booked on liberty of the seas. We want to do the drink package but my travel agent said that the packages sometimes go on sale, anyone experience this? With carnival they have gift cards I can purchase at Lowe’s and then I would use them to buy the packages, are there gift cards for Royal I can purchase anywhere? Also I will have two teenagers with us, any and all suggestions are welcome! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Before you buy a bunch of gift cards check with Royal. I read on another thread a lady found out the hard way they could only be applied at time of booking. Not sure how all of that works, but just be sure to check ahead of time!! Have a wonderful cruise!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllaDuChien Posted July 19, 2018 #12 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Before you buy a bunch of gift cards check with Royal. I read on another thread a lady found out the hard way they could only be applied at time of booking. Not sure how all of that works, but just be sure to check ahead of time!! Have a wonderful cruise!! Royal gift cards do not work like Carnival's do. You cannot use them to purchase anything except a new cruise. You cannot have them applied as OBC or use them to purchase beverage packages. They are really restrictive and, IMHO not worth the effort. I sail both lines frequently and use Carnival GC's all the time. I wish Royal would change the way they do this, but hey...I still sail both of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #13 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Keep your expectations in check - some long time RCI cruisers may say the same thing. I get that! We just need change of scenery. We aren’t hard to please we can have just about anywhere. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #14 Share Posted July 19, 2018 You should post a review when you get back and share your experiences with us. I hope you enjoy RCI, I've been a loyal customer since 1999. I will do. I’m not a huge reviewer but will try lol Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #15 Share Posted July 19, 2018 I believe the gist of the law is that anything served while "in Texas" (read: in Galveston port) must be purchased from Texas. That stops once you get into international waters which is around 20 miles off the coast give or take a few. To minimize revenue loss, ships don't purchase much alcohol from the state. I have yet to experience it (we will March 19!!!), but I've heard Royal serves an abbreviated list of alcohol until a few hours after departure from Galveston. I'm not quite sure what that list is though. Thanks for the info! Makes sense! We go March 17! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 19, 2018 Author #16 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Royal gift cards do not work like Carnival's do. You cannot use them to purchase anything except a new cruise. You cannot have them applied as OBC or use them to purchase beverage packages. They are really restrictive and, IMHO not worth the effort. I sail both lines frequently and use Carnival GC's all the time. I wish Royal would change the way they do this, but hey...I still sail both of them! Darn it! I like buying some here and there and making the stink less painful when I purchase the drink cards lol. Thank for the info! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigairboarder44 Posted July 20, 2018 #17 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Thanks for the info! Makes sense! We go March 17! You can keep the riff raff off the ship for us then because we sail out March 31. Super excited! Enjoy your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BillOh Posted July 20, 2018 #18 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Hey there! I’m a seasoned cruiser with carnival and decided to jump ship ( pun Intended) when carnival service has gone to poo! We are booked on liberty of the seas. Sent from my iPhone using Forums I love the Freedom class, please come back and let us know how you do on the cruise., I also find the comparisons fun reading. So far all I've cruised is Royal. We were supposed to do a Family Carnival cruise, but the organizer died suddenly in the early planning stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 20, 2018 Author #19 Share Posted July 20, 2018 You can keep the riff raff off the ship for us then because we sail out March 31. Super excited! Enjoy your cruise! Haha sure thing! Lol. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 20, 2018 Author #20 Share Posted July 20, 2018 I love the Freedom class, please come back and let us know how you do on the cruise., I also find the comparisons fun reading. So far all I've cruised is Royal. We were supposed to do a Family Carnival cruise, but the organizer died suddenly in the early planning stations. Oh no!!! So sorry to hear that! I truly had many cruises with carnival! I k ow everything changes in time. But I think just a change of scenery will do some good! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 20, 2018 Author #21 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Does anyone know if I can give myself shipboard credit online? I went tot he cruise planner and can’t seem to find it! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 20, 2018 #22 Share Posted July 20, 2018 I would not take a chance on the new web site even if you find it - call to do that and get an invoice showing the OBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted July 20, 2018 #23 Share Posted July 20, 2018 Does anyone know if I can give myself shipboard credit online? I went tot he cruise planner and can’t seem to find it! Call 800-722-5443. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 25, 2018 Author #24 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I would not take a chance on the new web site even if you find it - call to do that and get an invoice showing the OBC. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socbay3 Posted July 25, 2018 Author #25 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Call 800-722-5443. Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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