any way around the drink package rule?

[proggieus]

11 hours ago, Ashland said:

That isn't the policy at RCI....true, some still think it is. You can purchase the drink package for yourself and you don't have to purchase anything for your son....you're choice.

 

Enjoy your cruise !

edit -

 

You already have been told that this is incorrect

Edited February 25, 2019 by proggieus

[xxHadleyxx]

45 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Wow..please read my post #8 where I clarified my response to this...but not surprised by those that couldn't/wouldn't read that far....some just love to jump on anything they can...sad !! 

Or read my response, post 12, or any of several others posted by others.  Your informatin is inacccurate.

[Balsam12]

4 hours ago, Ashland said:

Wow..please read my post #8 where I clarified my response to this...but not surprised by those that couldn't/wouldn't read that far....some just love to jump on anything they can...sad !! 

Ummm... Maybe look up "clarify" in the dictionary. Then look up "recant". 

[katiel53]

I have been able to get the alcohol package and the other person in the cabin did have to get the refreshment package.  I argued that the other person already had the soda package as we were in a Boardwalk balcony, but that did not make one iota of difference.

Edited February 25, 2019 by katiel53

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

Ummm... Maybe look up "clarify" in the dictionary. Then look up "recant". 

Thanks professor for your clarification...much appreciated.

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, katiel53 said:

I have been able to get the alcohol package and the other person in the cabin did have to get the refreshment package.  I argued that the other person already had the soda package as we were in a Boardwalk balcony, but that did not make one iota of difference.

That was a perk with the BW cabins so technically you weren't purchasing it...but good try.

[Ashland]

9 hours ago, xxHadleyxx said:

Or read my response, post 12, or any of several others posted by others.  Your informatin is inacccurate.

I certainly did read your #12 post you posted several hours after I tried to clarify (it's all in the timing). Perhaps the difference in original and varying policy to date is due to booking under US and you in Germany...just a thought.

Edited February 26, 2019 by Ashland

[klfhngr]

Just call, they'll do it. We did it last week..

[Balsam12]

26 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I certainly did read your #12 post you posted several hours after I tried to clarify (it's all in the timing). Perhaps the difference in original and varying policy to date is due to booking under US and you in Germany...just a thought.

Maybe if you posted:

 

"I'm sorry for giving out information that was completely incorrect in it's entirety. It appears I didn't actually have any idea what I was talking about".

 

Rather, you tried to say you "clarified" you first post, and now you're going around in circles trying to make it appear that you do have some idea, and it's not working.

[Ashland]

17 minutes ago, Balsam12 said:

Maybe if you posted:

 

"I'm sorry for giving out information that was completely incorrect in it's entirety. It appears I didn't actually have any idea what I was talking about".

 

Rather, you tried to say you "clarified" you first post, and now you're going around in circles trying to make it appear that you do have some idea, and it's not working.

Thanks for your input....Peace Out !

[RCCL Fan]

WOW! I never knew this.

 

I've posted a many posts about alcohol pkg, basically where I say "i'm not a big drinker"

 

Basically I'm not a drinker at all

 

My one poison is a frozen mojito I freaking love those things  I will usually have 1-2 with alcohol each day, but a million more alcohol free.

 

But the cost of them --- even virgin always dictated buying the alcohol pkg.

 

My wife loves her wine and booze, and we always have to buy two so I just get both pkgs typically even though 95% of my drinking is alcohol free. 

 

I had no idea the royal refreshment pkg lets me get frozen drinks without the alcohol!  This might be a huge game changer for us.

 

Thanks Cruise Critic. 

 

 

[ONECRUISER]

18 hours ago, xxHadleyxx said:

there was a brief window in which they did allow only one if you called and explained the other person does not drink (and got an agent who was willing to look into it).  That window was brief (less than 2 months if I recall correctly) and long since closeed (unless they have started up again quite recently).

For a while it seemed to be everyone had to have the same package.  More recently, they've sort of found a middle ground and will allow the pruchase of the refreshment package for some in the cabin and the delux for others---this allow them to accomidate that people do not drink alcohol but still stick with the idea that of requiring both parties to have a pacakge and hopefully reduces sharing.  This seems to be holding steady longer than either of the other policie and i feel is likely to stick.

 

But reason had to be legit as Alcoholic or Pregnant second passenger

[ONECRUISER]

6 hours ago, katiel53 said:

I have been able to get the alcohol package and the other person in the cabin did have to get the refreshment package.  I argued that the other person already had the soda package as we were in a Boardwalk balcony, but that did not make one iota of difference.

Lucky for you, not for most I'm sure

[xxHadleyxx]

Admittedly, I did miss seeing your post 8 and had seen 7.  

 

We  happen to be US citizens and buy more of your cruises than not through the American office, whose rules we have all been discussing.  Given that you now admit that a refreshment package must be bought, and that is what I am saying as well, why would you think the Germany part makes a difference?  We're both now saying the same thing.

 

OP----I hope you and your son enjoy your cruise.  

Edited February 26, 2019 by xxHadleyxx

[xxHadleyxx]

2 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

But reason had to be legit as Alcoholic or Pregnant second passenger

I think that is why they quit allowing the exceptions and moved to the second passenger must at least buy the refreshment package---based just on CC posts, it sounds like a whole lot of people were suddenly claiming to be alcoholics who cannot drink, when in fact that is not the case--because that5 is not something the cruiseline can actually verify anyway.

 

FWIW---we called in that time period, were honest about me just not being much of a drinker and the agent on the phone went ahead and processed a package for DH only.  

[katiel53]

7 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Lucky for you, not for most I'm sure

I don't know about the policy in Germany or anywhere other than the USA, but it is not  difficult to have one person who is a non drinker, for whatever reason, not just a recovering alcoholic or being pregnant, to have Royal Caribbean allow the refreshment package as a replacement for the alcohol package if the other passenger in the cabin wishes to purchase the Deluxe package.  A call to Royal Caribbean is all it takes. There are many who make the call and get good results, so it's not just me being lucky.  

 

I just arranged this a couple of weeks ago for my cruise this summer and had done so for my cruise for January 2019.  So, it is a policy that is honored if requested.  I sure don't have any special "pull" at Royal Caribbean.

 

My sister is a non-drinker as she doesn't like the taste of alcohol and has gotten the refreshment package several times when we have cruised together.  The problem, as seen by some, is that the non-drinker in the cabin has to purchase the refreshment package, not the soda package or not a package at all.

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, katiel53 said:

I don't know about the policy in Germany or anywhere other than the USA, but it is not  difficult to have one person who is a non drinker, for whatever reason, not just a recovering alcoholic or being pregnant, to have Royal Caribbean allow the refreshment package as a replacement for the alcohol package if the other passenger in the cabin wishes to purchase the Deluxe package.  A call to Royal Caribbean is all it takes. There are many who make the call and get good results, so it's not just me being lucky.  

 

I just arranged this a couple of weeks ago for my cruise this summer and had done so for my cruise for January 2019.  So, it is a policy that is honored if requested.  I sure don't have any special "pull" at Royal Caribbean.

 

My sister is a non-drinker as she doesn't like the taste of alcohol and has gotten the refreshment package several times when we have cruised together.  The problem, as seen by some, is that the non-drinker in the cabin has to purchase the refreshment package, not the soda package or not a package at all.

We were responding to the period when policy started. Now second passenger almost always have to buy Deluxe package

[BillOh]

This was as clear as mud,  Can you still wait till you board, which is always the highest price and then not buy a 2nd package of any kind?

[Desert Cruizers]

For our 2017 TA, we were able to buy the Deluxe for my husband but I didn't buy any package. He drank only beer and I had an occasional soda.

[Lupush]

I called a few weeks ago and purchased the Ultimate Beverage Package for myself, and informed the agent that my wife has a medical condition and cannot drink.  They allowed me to purchase the Refreshment Package for her with no questions asked.  

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, Desert Cruizers said:

For our 2017 TA, we were able to buy the Deluxe for my husband but I didn't buy any package. He drank only beer and I had an occasional soda.

The problem is the rules keep changing and if we quote something that may be in a "gray" area of change there are those that enjoy creating a feeding frenzy. No wonder I've seen so many new poster's starting off their question with asking "please be nice to me". Very sad indeed. What you experienced on your TA is not unheard of but many disagree and will argue the point, when a call to RCI may let this option be available. Thanks for your experience with this.

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, Ashland said:

The problem is the rules keep changing and if we quote something that may be in a "gray" area of change there are those that enjoy creating a feeding frenzy. No wonder I've seen so many new poster's starting off their question with asking "please be nice to me". Very sad indeed. What you experienced on your TA is not unheard of but many disagree and will argue the point, when a call to RCI may let this option be available. Thanks for your experience with this.

You also need to look at what time period people are listing of their inperiences.  What DesertCruizers posted was from 2017.  Their experience from then is in no way relative to current policies.   No grey area in this at all.  

[BigBuoys]

15 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

"I'm sorry for giving out information that was completely incorrect in it's entirety. It appears I didn't actually have any idea what I was talking about".

 

This is Cruise Critic. 10% of what is posted is correct. 10% is people not current. 50% is opinion. Remaining 30% is opinion of what people think the rule should be, not what it actually is. 

 

You'll have better success asking your question to a physic then this site. 🙂

[BigBuoys]

14 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

But reason had to be legit as Alcoholic or Pregnant second passenger

 

Gray area - how does one prove to be "alcoholic"? 24 hour sobriety coin? I could see thousands of people claiming to have a alcohol problem just so only one adult had to purchase the package.

[Desert Cruizers]

At the I was able to buy the package only for my husband, the rules had changed but we had booked before the change, so we didn't have to buy a package for myself. If we had to buy for the both of us then he would have paid each time. I would have had to drink a lot of sodas to pay for itself.