Diamond Plus - pre-buy drink package or wait for 30% on board discount??

[LuVermont]

Coming up will be our first time cruising as Diamond Plus. We always pre-buy the Deluxe Drink Package, when a good deal pops up, but now we are Diamond Plus and can  get 30% off the package when purchased on board. We are debating whether to pre-buy at $44/day or wait and purchase at 30%discount at the on board price (which is  a risk since we do not know what the on board price will be.) Does anyone have experience with this? Can we cancel a pre-buy once on board if we find we can get a better deal with the 30% Diamond Plus discount?

[Clarea]

You can cancel your drink package on board within some certain time period, such as 24 or 48 hours.

[audome78]

5 consecutive cruises and the onboard price minus the discount has been the way to go. 

 

Of course, for the next two cruises, I scored the $18.00 pp deal... I'm pretty sure it won't be less expensive than that onboard. 

I'm not sure about booking online and then canceling... But someone here will, I'm sure. 

 

Bob? 

[Lusyd]

On 7/31/2019 at 8:23 PM, audome78 said:

5 consecutive cruises and the onboard price minus the discount has been the way to go. 

 

Of course, for the next two cruises, I scored the $18.00 pp deal... I'm pretty sure it won't be less expensive than that onboard. 

I'm not sure about booking online and then canceling... But someone here will, I'm sure. 

 

Bob? 

Haven't cruised RCCL in years. How do I keep an eye out for deals regarding the drink package? DO they send emails? Do I check the website daily? Thanks!

[Biker19]

12 minutes ago, Lusyd said:

 Do I check the website daily? 

Yes.

 

Welcome to CC.

 

[Lusyd]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Yes.

 

Welcome to CC.

 

Thank you so much! 

[Clarea]

15 minutes ago, Lusyd said:

Haven't cruised RCCL in years. How do I keep an eye out for deals regarding the drink package? DO they send emails? Do I check the website daily? Thanks!

 

Check often, even more than daily.

[Ron Don]

On 7/31/2019 at 7:19 PM, LuVermont said:

Coming up will be our first time cruising as Diamond Plus. We always pre-buy the Deluxe Drink Package, when a good deal pops up, but now we are Diamond Plus and can  get 30% off the package when purchased on board. We are debating whether to pre-buy at $44/day or wait and purchase at 30%discount at the on board price (which is  a risk since we do not know what the on board price will be.) Does anyone have experience with this? Can we cancel a pre-buy once on board if we find we can get a better deal with the 30% Diamond Plus discount?

 

Where did you see a 30% off for Diamond + if you buy the beverage package onboard?  I have looked all over the website, maybe I am just dense, can't find that wording anywhere.  We have bought a pretty good price @ $46 but standard pricing of $52 less 30% puts the drink package at $36.40 add in the 18% for gratuities and it's $43.  That is one hell of a price.  

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, Ron Don said:

 

Where did you see a 30% off for Diamond + if you buy the beverage package onboard?  ...

 

It will be in the list of coupons you get in your stateroom.

[beardedladies]

Related to this, can the D+ discount be used if you purchase the drinks package on day 2 or 3?

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, beardedladies said:

Related to this, can the D+ discount be used if you purchase the drinks package on day 2 or 3?

 

Yes.

[biomedbob]

I applied my D+ discount and got the $18 deal!

 

[wolfcathorse]

if you pre-buy your drink package, all over 21 in the cabin have to buy. If you wait til you board, you can buy individually (meaning just the drinker in the cabin, not the non-drinkers). However, onboard pricing is usually around $63 pp per day. So take your 30% off that and add the 18% service fee.

[mariefisher]

Do you pay sales tax if you buy this pkg. at embarkation? I know individual drinks you do until the boat is at sea?

[Clarea]

9 minutes ago, mariefisher said:

Do you pay sales tax if you buy this pkg. at embarkation? I know individual drinks you do until the boat is at sea?

 

Royal has not charged sales tax on packages purchased while in US ports.

 

There have been a couple of reports of US sales tax being charged on packages (by "mistake"), but these charges were removed after visiting Guest Services.

[later]

On 8/3/2019 at 11:40 AM, Ron Don said:

 

Where did you see a 30% off for Diamond + if you buy the beverage package onboard?  I have looked all over the website, maybe I am just dense, can't find that wording anywhere.  We have bought a pretty good price @ $46 but standard pricing of $52 less 30% puts the drink package at $36.40 add in the 18% for gratuities and it's $43.  That is one hell of a price.  

What was your sale discount? 50% off second person would make your $46 onboard price $61.  $52 has never been any onboard price .   

 

 

[Ron Don]

17 minutes ago, later said:

What was your sale discount? 50% off second person would make your $46 onboard price $61.  $52 has never been any onboard price .   

 

 

 

Sorry later, I was not speaking of an "onboard" price of $52....speaking of a "online" price of $52.  The $52 price has been bouncing back & forth on the Symphony for the last couple of weeks.....  Probably  should have stated it better.

 

[rajacks]

So a slight twist to this question - I am Diamond Plus, sailing with a friend who is Emerald.  We have both pre-purchased the deluxe package.  If I find that it would be a better deal for me to buy onboard with the 30% discount, can I cancel only mine and repurchase without affecting my friend's?  Has anyone had experience with this?

 

Thanks!
Ruth

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, rajacks said:

So a slight twist to this question - I am Diamond Plus, sailing with a friend who is Emerald.  We have both pre-purchased the deluxe package.  If I find that it would be a better deal for me to buy onboard with the 30% discount, can I cancel only mine and repurchase without affecting my friend's?  Has anyone had experience with this?

 

Thanks!
Ruth

 

Perhaps they will be able to do that for you onboard, without your friend having to cancel and re-purchase at undiscounted onboard pricing.  I would ask them for clarification before you complete the transaction onboard.

[mariefisher]

Thank you for your replies 

[skibum46]

Why can't we buy the drink package before we go on the cruise. Why do we have to buy it on board.

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, skibum46 said:

Why can't we buy the drink package before we go on the cruise. Why do we have to buy it on board.

 

You can ourchase pre-cruise.  However, the OP wants to use their C&A discount coupon which can only be used on board.

[later]

23 hours ago, Ron Don said:

 

Sorry later, I was not speaking of an "onboard" price of $52....speaking of a "online" price of $52.  The $52 price has been bouncing back & forth on the Symphony for the last couple of weeks.....  Probably  should have stated it better.

 

No problem but with all the confusion on this subject I just wanted to clarify.

[frank808]

23 hours ago, Ron Don said:

 

Sorry later, I was not speaking of an "onboard" price of $52....speaking of a "online" price of $52.  The $52 price has been bouncing back & forth on the Symphony for the last couple of weeks.....  Probably  should have stated it better.

 

The d, d+ and p c&a drink package discount is always %off the onboard price.   Cant stack discounts with the pre cruise price.  I have seen deluxe drink packages from $63 to $65 onboard recently.  

[Ready2SailAway]

23 hours ago, frank808 said:

The d, d+ and p c&a drink package discount is always %off the onboard price.   Cant stack discounts with the pre cruise price.  I have seen deluxe drink packages from $63 to $65 onboard recently.  

 

Any idea what the C&A deluxe beverage pkg coupon discount would be for Diamond (not Diamond+)?

 

For our upcoming cruise next month, the online price is USD $44 per person x 7nts x 2ppl x 18% service charge = USD $727 -and this is purportedly 30% off the onboard price.

 

So just trying to determine if the better deal for us at the Diamond level will be to buy now or purchase onboard...

 

Feedback & suggestions will be greatly appreciated