Drink Package Went Down

[timf2001]

Norwegian never discounts the drink package either, but they grossly inflate the price to $99/day to justify charging $20/day in gratuities to people who get it for "free".  The way Royal is going, the onboard price might get there soon without even the option of receiving it as a perk.

[poompalou]

Interesting, our sailing did not go down. It was $60 with 20% off, then $65 with no discount, it has now been listed at $65 with 20% off for the last couple of weeks. Been looking every day but no price decrease for our sailing today.

[retiredgram]

3 hours ago, leight said:

So just out of curiosity.. is it only RCI or other cruise lines too? We have a carnival cruise booked in Nov (softball booze cruise) and their drink package has remained the same $54 every time I check. I paid for the cruise DH is paying for the drink package so will it vary or should I just have him buy the aarp gift cards for that discount and be done with it?

They are changing the program at AARP.  Any points accumulated  will be gone with the start of new program.  If you want Carnival gift cards, get them now before the program ends.  Don't know what the new program will be like yet.

[retiredgram]

3 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Make sure you look at the terms of the gift cards before you buy them.  The ones we can get can only be applied to the cruise fare, not onboard purchases.  Pretty sure they are more flexible on Carnival but wouldn't want to be stuck with cards that I couldn't apply.

Carnival gift cards are great.  We have taken them onboard and they get applied as OBC.  Yes, read the fine print on Royals gift certificates before you purchase.

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, retiredgram said:

Carnival gift cards are great.  We have taken them onboard and they get applied as OBC.  Yes, read the fine print on Royals gift certificates before you purchase.

 

We were just looking at gift cards and rules this past weekend as my husband gets awards that are in a "bank" that we can use to buy gift cards.  The ones that we can purchase can only be used for cruise fare on a new booking through Royal Caribbean directly, not through a TA.  We could not use them to buy alcohol packages or OBC.  I also read that if you cancel a cruise and file an insurance claim, they are not considered a form of payment that would be refunded, so you are out that money.

[retiredgram]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

We were just looking at gift cards and rules this past weekend as my husband gets awards that are in a "bank" that we can use to buy gift cards.  The ones that we can purchase can only be used for cruise fare on a new booking through Royal Caribbean directly, not through a TA.  We could not use them to buy alcohol packages or OBC.  I also read that if you cancel a cruise and file an insurance claim, they are not considered a form of payment that would be refunded, so you are out that money.

That was why I would not purchase the Royal ones, because I did not know what would happen if after the certificate was finally credited if I could then transfer to my TA. Some cruisers have posted that they have worked out fine if you follow the instructions, but I do not know if they were transferring to a TA.

[Cruisegirl6]

I decided not to get the drink package, there are ways around it and I can bring the wine allowed....the casino gives us a bottle of wine for dinner and another bottle of wine in our room one night and a bottle of champagne.  I usually bring those bottles home with me because I purchase the drink package, but now I will just consume it and not pay RC new drink package prices.  What I have will be enough.   

Thank you all for the help but I decided to take off just $4 a day that really is a slap in the face....sorry, its the way I feel.  We were thinking of booking a November/December cruise and one in March and we will most likely book Celebrity, which includes the drink package at a very nice price too.   It be a nice change and start their casino program.  😁

[CruisingNole]

21 hours ago, awestover89 said:

All cruise lines. Or they do something like advertise free drink packages but increase the cost of the cruise by $1,000. It's definitely not unique to Royal

 

Carnival and NCL do not have "dynamic" pricing for drink packages. It's the same price for every sailing. Crazy concept, eh?

[CruisingNole]

For now, it appears that the days of the deluxe drink package selling for less than $50 are a thing of the past.

 

I will be on Indy this December. At booking back in April or May, it was $56/day. Dropped to $52/day during a "sale" every 2 weeks, the usual cycle.

 

Last week it jumped to $65/day and today it is on "sale" for $57/day.

 

So, the new "sale" price is higher than the "regular" price just a few months ago.

 

Buy your packages now, folks. I wouldn't count on prices to go back to what they used to be.

[jc2'smom]

On 8/20/2019 at 9:42 AM, Ourusualbeach said:

The price you see already has the 50% off built into it.

I have the same questions.  If I do the buy one get one for 50% it went down 5.00 a day, not 50% off .... it should be several hundred $ less, and its not.

[brillohead]

4 minutes ago, jc2'smom said:

I have the same questions.  If I do the buy one get one for 50% it went down 5.00 a day, not 50% off .... it should be several hundred $ less, and its not.

The price you see has the discount built in. 

If the on-board price is $80 (total of $160 for two), then the BOGO for 50% off would be one at $80 and one at $40, total of $120.  Instead of listing the sale price that way, they list it as $60 per person, total of $120.  

Six to one, half dozen to the other -- whether you add 80+40 or 60+60, the total is still 120.

[jc2'smom]

32 minutes ago, brillohead said:

The price you see has the discount built in. 

If the on-board price is $80 (total of $160 for two), then the BOGO for 50% off would be one at $80 and one at $40, total of $120.  Instead of listing the sale price that way, they list it as $60 per person, total of $120.  

Six to one, half dozen to the other -- whether you add 80+40 or 60+60, the total is still 120.

The drink pkg was 86.00 per day and now it is 81.00 ( with the 50% off discount ).

[Cruise a holic]

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 9:19 AM, Cruisegirl6 said:

My cruise in October on the Navigator was $61 yesterday and today it is $57

My cruise in January on the Harmony was $65 yesterday and today it is $61

 

Honestly, that really isn't much of a savings, I am hoping for a better discount for the beverage package, what would you do?  Purchase it now or wait and hope for a better deal?

What I suggest you do is purchase now.  Check the rates regularly and read the CC boards.  If the rate does go down, you can call-cancel and rebook.  This ensures you get the best rate-  What if it goes up? 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[brillohead]

20 minutes ago, jc2'smom said:

The drink pkg was 86.00 per day and now it is 81.00 ( with the 50% off discount ).

But the previous price of $86/day was the SALE PRICE at whatever "sale" Royal had going on at that time, NOT the "full price".  

There really is no such thing as "paying full price" for the Deluxe Drink Package in the Cruise Planner, because there is always SOME sort of "sale" going on at all times.  They just change the name of the sale and the amount of the sale every few weeks.  

It's just a marketing scheme... if you call it a sale, and people will be more inclined to buy it.  Kind of like the "special" at your local restaurant -- it's not necessarily a cheaper price than what's on the menu, it's just being "featured" that day in an attempt to entice you to buy it.  

[Cruisegirl6]

Thanks....I am not going to purchase it unless it goes lower, we don't drink much anymore.  We have a casino offer so we will get free drinks there....we always purchased even with the free drinks in the Casino but its crazy to spend that money when we don't consume much...carrying the bottles of wine on board and the free casino drinks is plenty for us for our October cruise on the Navigator for 4 nights.  Thank you!!  I do hope for everybody the price does go down for you all.

Edited August 21, 2019 by Cruisegirl6

[st1100y2k]

Bought drink package today for Empress sailing 2/08/20.  Price was $48 each.

 

[Merion_Mom]

17 hours ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

I decided not to get the drink package, there are ways around it and I can bring the wine allowed....the casino gives us a bottle of wine for dinner and another bottle of wine in our room one night and a bottle of champagne.  I usually bring those bottles home with me because I purchase the drink package, but now I will just consume it and not pay RC new drink package prices.  What I have will be enough.   

Thank you all for the help but I decided to take off just $4 a day that really is a slap in the face....sorry, its the way I feel.  We were thinking of booking a November/December cruise and one in March and we will most likely book Celebrity, which includes the drink package at a very nice price too.   It be a nice change and start their casino program.  😁

 

Obviously you should and will do what you like, but that is a very odd thing to think.

[ebedore]

For my  trip, the drink package went up $9 per day from $52 to $61 this week.

 

[poompalou]

1 hour ago, st1100y2k said:

Bought drink package today for Empress sailing 2/08/20.  Price was $48 each.

 

 

Still $65 for my April 2020 sailing. Ugh! Still hoping for a Labor Day sale, our price hasn’t budged in a while. The excursions actually just went up by about 10% the other day. 

[suesnake2002]

Out of all the phony sales, the 30% off deal is the best your gonna get. So when you see that, you know you hit rock bottom. Lol

[Cruisegirl6]

Merion_Mom-  Hello....To me it is a slap in the face....lets put it this way.....they taking off $4.00 dollars off a day, do you really feel that is a deal?  To me, what is 4 dollars more?  That is a slap in the face to me, why even bother taking off $4.00??.... just keep it the way it is, why bother having "a sale"...Its like if I went for gasoline for my car, the average price today here in Florida is $2.32...if the gas station lowers the price to $2.10 do you really think your saving a decent amount of money?   Its senseless to me, it doesn't add up to be anything to even blink about.   I see the same thing with RC drink package.  For a week long cruise your only saving $28.00!!!  It means nothing to me.

Their marketing plan is based on them making us feel like we are getting a bargain, but in reality, it is not a bargain or a decent sale price.  Just the way I see things.....It is also making us wanting to go Celebrity next year that includes 4 perks or even Princess or NCL.

 

 

 

[nadinenurse1]

Last drink question I swear.  A person can still purchase on the cruise you just pay full price  for the remainder of the cruise, no discount, am I correct ? So for a 5 day  cruise you buy the refreshments package no alcohol, you pay for  3 ,4 5 if you buy on day 3...  half my family can drink they already purchased the full,package, the others no hard stuff but don’t want it the day we board. They wish to pick  their days. I told them no picking lol all,or nothing from the day they purchase... just want to make sure I did  not mislead them

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, nadinenurse1 said:

Last drink question I swear.  A person can still purchase on the cruise you just pay full price  for the remainder of the cruise, no discount, am I correct ? So for a 5 day  cruise you buy the refreshments package no alcohol, you pay for  3 ,4 5 if you buy on day 3...  half my family can drink they already purchased the full,package, the others no hard stuff but don’t want it the day we board. They wish to pick  their days. I told them no picking lol all,or nothing from the day they purchase... just want to make sure I did  not mislead them

 

Correct.  Royal has said in the past that you must buy with at least 4 days left on the cruise.  Plus, there is no way to predict what the price will be.

[nadinenurse1]

Perfect....my adopted kids are not trying to be difficult nor miserable, they really don’t have big bucks to spend,  I am gifting them the cruise and they are trying to work it out,  they are new house owners  ( well new to them), new parents , that’s their baby in my posts and the cost of daycare so they can work is equivalent almost to one of their salaries,  very sad, , hard to be middle class.. thank you again for your swift reply highly appreciated 

[Cruisegirl6]

I have a good question, the prices for the drink package changes from time to time, and your allowed to cancel and rebook, why does RC even do this?  Why not just make a decent compromise price for the drink package and stick to it, this sure will save the cruise line employees online for cancelling and rebooking, don't you think?