Deluxe beverage package $59/day

[Sea Dog]

My wife and I will always get the drink package and we think it is a good value and always hit our break even point. The other main point why we buy it is that we would rather prepay for our drinks before the cruise instead of getting one big bill at the end of our cruise. There is peace of mind in knowing that everything is paid for in advance and we can try drinks that maybe we would not try if we were watching our money spent.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Just now, Swank Pad G said:

My wife and I will always get the drink package and we think it is a good value and always hit our break even point. The other main point why we buy it is that we would rather prepay for our drinks before the cruise instead of getting one big bill at the end of our cruise. There is peace of mind in knowing that everything is paid for in advance and we can try drinks that maybe we would not try if we were watching our money spent.

Absolutely and the convenience too. 

[biomedbob]

Not trying to get our money's worth, but trying new things.  Orange Juice @ breakfast is $8.25, crazy!

 

[quicklabs]

Two weeks ago, $47.  Today, $59. Five days on the Majesty in November 2019  Glad we purchased at 47.

[Tree_skier]

It makes sense for me at $60 a day.  At that price I still save at least $35 a day on sea days and about $15 a day on a port day that keeps me off the ship all day.  If I'm not off the ship all day, figure somewhere in the middle.  It really doesn't take a lot of alcoholic drinks to get the daily total pretty high and when you consider the cost of soda's, latte's and water bottles that is included.  I can't imagine most people at least breaking even.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, biomedbob said:

Not trying to get our money's worth, but trying new things.  Orange Juice @ breakfast is $8.25, crazy!

 

I have a Mimosa every morning.  I definitely wouldn't if I didn't have the drink package.

[Balsam12]

3 hours ago, BND said:

4 drinks a day depends on the cost of the package when you buy it.  Some people are drinking only beer which means a lot more than 4. Only mention the "free diamond drinks" like others do because it does play into how much I drink.  We bring one or two bottles of wine onboard and there's one drink per day or so.  The evening happy hour (which I'm sure you will be glad to have when you're diamond so be careful bashing people about it) gives me 2-3 glasses of wine or cocktails, one of which I carry into dinner.  Otherwise, buying one or two drinks (sometimes afternoon, maybe one after dinner) a day plus coffee still isn't anywhere near what the package costs.  A pkg would cost us around $900 or so (depending on price of pkg) for a 7 day cruise.  We normally spend $200 at most on a 7 day cruise.  But, there are posts by people who have said drink fatigue is real and they drink more than they would if they didn't have the package.  I'm betting those that buy the package on a cruise don't drink as much when they're on a vacation that doesn't have that option.   That's why my opinion is that some force enough drinks to "get their money's worth" when they have a package.

 

Once again, this is just my opinion and I'm basing it on reports/reviews that cruisers have done since the packages were introduced.  

 

So you've obviously done the maths, and decided the package doesn't work for you... just like everyone else should do.

 

I base the "four drinks" on the fact that most people are going to have drinks other than alcohol.

 

On an sea day, I will have:

 

Coffee and fresh juice with breakfast

A soft drink during the morning

A soft drink with lunch

A soft drink during the afternoon

At least three bottles of water

 

That on it's own would make the Refreshment package worthwhile for me, so I'm only looking at the difference between Refreshment and Deluxe, which is normally around $30. Four beers at $9 each covers that easily.

 

Yes, I may well appreciate the free Diamond drinks should I ever reach such lofty heights, however I still don't like to be restricted to only drinking during certain times.

 

I get the feeling from these boards that some people are simply going on a cruise to drink, and/or they are planning their vacation around drinking. For us, we are going to drink, no question about it, but we just have a drink when we feel like having one. The idea of "we must be able to get to happy hour for our free drinks" would really annoy me. 

 

Taking a bottle of wine on board is a good idea... if it's practical to do that. Our last cruise was at the end of a three week trip involving three countries, so we weren't going to lug wine from home, and as the cruise departed from Singapore, it would have been cheaper to pay Royal Caribbean prices for wine than buying it before boarding 😛 Our next cruise departs from Australia, so we will definitely take two bottles on board. Those will be used for a drink while we are in the cabin getting ready for dinner, however it's an 11 night cruise, so we certainly won't be stretching two bottles out for 11 nights.

 

Again, the best idea is for people to do the maths.... think back to your last vacation where you paid for your drinks as you went. Not just the alcohol, but the other drinks that Royal will charge you for as well. How many did you average per day? Now work out if you will spend more per day than the cost of the package. Don't forget to add 18% to the pay as you go prices as well. 

 

The other one that is hardly mentioned in this thread is the ability to try different drinks... order a glass of wine with dinner and you don't like it? Just order a different wine. Grab a really cool looking cocktail by the pool, but then it's way too sweet for your taste? Order something else.

[BND]

35 minutes ago, Balsam12 said:

 

So you've obviously done the maths, and decided the package doesn't work for you... just like everyone else should do.

 

I base the "four drinks" on the fact that most people are going to have drinks other than alcohol.

 

On an sea day, I will have:

 

Coffee and fresh juice with breakfast

A soft drink during the morning

A soft drink with lunch

A soft drink during the afternoon

At least three bottles of water

 

That on it's own would make the Refreshment package worthwhile for me, so I'm only looking at the difference between Refreshment and Deluxe, which is normally around $30. Four beers at $9 each covers that easily.

 

Yes, I may well appreciate the free Diamond drinks should I ever reach such lofty heights, however I still don't like to be restricted to only drinking during certain times.

 

I get the feeling from these boards that some people are simply going on a cruise to drink, and/or they are planning their vacation around drinking. For us, we are going to drink, no question about it, but we just have a drink when we feel like having one. The idea of "we must be able to get to happy hour for our free drinks" would really annoy me. 

 

Taking a bottle of wine on board is a good idea... if it's practical to do that. Our last cruise was at the end of a three week trip involving three countries, so we weren't going to lug wine from home, and as the cruise departed from Singapore, it would have been cheaper to pay Royal Caribbean prices for wine than buying it before boarding 😛 Our next cruise departs from Australia, so we will definitely take two bottles on board. Those will be used for a drink while we are in the cabin getting ready for dinner, however it's an 11 night cruise, so we certainly won't be stretching two bottles out for 11 nights.

 

Again, the best idea is for people to do the maths.... think back to your last vacation where you paid for your drinks as you went. Not just the alcohol, but the other drinks that Royal will charge you for as well. How many did you average per day? Now work out if you will spend more per day than the cost of the package. Don't forget to add 18% to the pay as you go prices as well. 

 

The other one that is hardly mentioned in this thread is the ability to try different drinks... order a glass of wine with dinner and you don't like it? Just order a different wine. Grab a really cool looking cocktail by the pool, but then it's way too sweet for your taste? Order something else.

Cruises from Singapore are hardly the norm.  Most are cruising from US based ports. Lots report finding a location to buy wine before boarding.   Diamond is hardly lofty as more and more people are reaching it quickly.  I drink what I want when I want, but never enough to warrant the drink package. I do think, as a lot have found out, that with the package you are more likely to drink at times you normally wouldn't.  I'm stretching 2 bottles of wine out for 9-14 nights (14 which we've done before).  My glass of wine while getting ready for dinner is usually about 2-3 oz so 2 bottles easily stretch out.  Just something to sip on.

 

If I don't like a drink, I will order something different.  We are at a stage in life where we have plenty of "extra" to spend if we feel like it, but buying a drink package is a waste of money.  We'd rather spend our money on our JS and if needed, transportation (business class or Acela train, or sleeper on the Auto Train).  But we also have an Amtrak Points card for that.

 

As for the drinks we paid for, including coffee which we have every day, etc we have NEVER been even close to what the package would cost.  I was not just including alcohol.  I order what I want when I want.  I also try different drinks anytime I want.  I think that most who buy the package are drinking more and what they never would without it.  As I've said before, RCI wouldn't offer the packages if they weren't profitable for them. I know for a fact that we never drink anywhere near as much as a package would cost.  I think some who buy the packages have no idea because they drink more than they normally would because they can.

 

I also very rarely drink soda. I might have 5-6  per year.  I quit drinking soda regularly 15 or so years ago. Guess what?  I lost 7 lbs in one month by doing so.  I love wine and I have a few preferred cocktails, but never feel the pressure to drink a certain amount.  

 

My experience at breakfast is that the juice (when I have it) the concentrate is just as good as the "fresh squeezed".  I usually have water and coffee.  Juice is extra sugar and carbs and not really necessary.

 

But, it is your choice.  I just don't understand those who use the "I don't want the extra bill at the end of the cruise" crowd.  I'd rather spend less, even though I can spend whatever I want.  

Edited August 13, 2019 by BND