Drink package ( alcohol )

[SRF]

13 hours ago, Big_G said:

 

It didn't work for one guy on Allure even though he had second card. Of course he poured one into the other right in front of the bartender and left the second glass. Next round up, the bartender said no unless he was accompanied by the second card owner. Some times you need to be a little discreet.

 

So, bring the other card holder, and pour one into the other. 😄

 

[SuiteLady]

On ‎10‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 7:10 AM, vacationlover_mn said:

Fun tip- 100% of the time we have asked, we have been able to get a bottle of water along with the drink.  Also, 100% of the time I’ve stopped by for just a bottle of water, they’ve given me 2 if I request it.

Yes, this has been my experience- non alcoholic drinks, they encouraged me to take 2....also, I have gotten a non alcoholic beverage at the same time as ordering an alcoholic beverage 100% of the time!

[George C]

2 hours ago, Big_G said:

 

Hence the phrase 'tip your bartenders well.'

Yes I tip with every drink , but if bartender told me I couldn’t get double with two cards , there would be no tip.

[mar_y_sol]

I'm considering the drink package - I noticed the details say $12 limit, but I've also seen some cocktail and wine lists that show quite a few over $12 options from other cruisers.  Did you find that to be true, that many drink menu items are over the limit by a few dollars?  I'd expect that if you called as super premium liquor, but not in the listed cocktails.  

[rhuntington3]

26 minutes ago, mar_y_sol said:

I'm considering the drink package - I noticed the details say $12 limit, but I've also seen some cocktail and wine lists that show quite a few over $12 options from other cruisers.  Did you find that to be true, that many drink menu items are over the limit by a few dollars?  I'd expect that if you called as super premium liquor, but not in the listed cocktails.  

You can still order these drinks and just pay the difference from the price and what the package covers.

[Momo6000]

On 10/8/2019 at 9:14 AM, George C said:

Yes I tip with every drink , but if bartender told me I couldn’t get double with two cards , there would be no tip.

 

I will be heading out in a few weeks and I purchased the deluxe drink package. I read that an 18% gratuity is added to the package price. How much do you tip with your drink? I want to insure that all the staff who make my cruise so fun receive proper compensation. 

[SRF]

1)  I have not had any drink, other than wine go over the limit.

 

2)  They are tipped from that 18%.  You may feel free to add an additional dollar or so if they give you great service.  But, at least from what I have seen, they pool tips for at least that bar.  Any cash tips I have given, go in a bucket at the back of the bar.

[George C]

42 minutes ago, Momo6000 said:

 

I will be heading out in a few weeks and I purchased the deluxe drink package. I read that an 18% gratuity is added to the package price. How much do you tip with your drink? I want to insure that all the staff who make my cruise so fun receive proper compensation. 

We tip a dollar or two with each round , many people tip , but most do not.

Agree almost all drinks are covered except high end stuff like Johnny Walker blue, but we normally go over the package by a couple of dollars on wine by the glass.

[BNBR]

39 minutes ago, SRF said:

1)  I have not had any drink, other than wine go over the limit.

 

2)  They are tipped from that 18%.  You may feel free to add an additional dollar or so if they give you great service.  But, at least from what I have seen, they pool tips for at least that bar.  Any cash tips I have given, go in a bucket at the back of the bar.

 

Last time in Allure, I asked the bartender what is NOT included in the package.  He said everything at the bar was included other than one specific wine.  I think there are specialty drinks of the day by the pool that may be a buck or two over.  But generally, everything really is included, including some pretty higher end stuff. Patron Reposado and Anejo, some high end rums, etc.

[Momo6000]

50 minutes ago, George C said:

We tip a dollar or two with each round , many people tip , but most do not.

Agree almost all drinks are covered except high end stuff like Johnny Walker blue, but we normally go over the package by a couple of dollars on wine by the glass.

 

Thanks for the info. I will make sure to pack plenty of 1’s for the cruise. 

[George C]

19 minutes ago, Momo6000 said:

 

Thanks for the info. I will make sure to pack plenty of 1’s for the cruise. 

I normally take about a hundred in singles also lots of fives , good to have small bills on shore excursions also for drinks and tips in Caribbean. 

[Momo6000]

16 minutes ago, George C said:

I normally take about a hundred in singles also lots of fives , good to have small bills on shore excursions also for drinks and tips in Caribbean. 

 

I will go to the bank and pick up the ones, fives and may throw in some tens also. Thanks again for the advice. 

[SRF]

I mostly patronize the pool bar.  Every day or two, I give them a 5.  If they are taking good care of me.

[Jeff13]

I have done the order a drink, take a sip, order a shot, and pour the shot in the drink thing.  Get a funny look sometimes, but no real problems with it.  I soon learned that a rum and diet coke and then a second rum and diet coke is not such a bad deal and didn't need the second shot.  Still the same alcohol, and a bit more caffeine to counter act it.  However, with the blender drinks I prefer to double shot since I really don't need all the extra calories from whatever they call that stuff they pour from a carton is.

 

We tip 1-2 dollars each time we order.  My wife and I often get each others drinks at the same time with our cards.  After a couple of days, the drinks are ready when we get there.  It seems like they have to have a card to "charge" the drink to.  They can't just give you a drink and not record it somehow.  It was interesting to see the charges as they showed up.

 

I never tried to ask for a double since I know it is a higher charge and $13 is the max.  I would be afraid they would just give me the double and then I would see another charge on my sea pass for the cost difference.

 

I did sample every single rum one time to figure out which one I wanted!  From then on the bar tender would ask if I still wanted the Bacardi 8 or not.  :-)

 

If you find a bar tender you are not happy with, go to another bar!  There are a few on the ship.

 

Smiles, tips, and try to follow the rules.  Do these and getting drinks will be really easy. 

 

Our next cruise is 11 days.  I will find out if I can drink that much that many days in a row.  :-D

 

When thinking about is it worth it, I look at it this way.  1. A shot of kahlua with coffee. 2. A breakfast bloody mary.  3. An afternoon blended frozen drink.  4 and 5. 2 glasses of wine with dinner.  6 and 7.  A couple rum and cokes in the pool or in the hot tub.  That is the bare minimum for me on a cruise.  The package is paid for!  Most of the time I have a couple more of something through the day.  Especially on at sea days!  My all time high was 18 drinks in one day.

[snaefell]

We have just returned from the Quantum repo cruise from China to Singapore & went WITHOUT  a drinks package & certainly don't regret it one bit.

As a background I am not allowed alcohol on doctors orders but do like alcohol free/low alcohol beer,RCI told me that this was included in the Deluxe drink package,my Wife does drink so 2xthe Deluxe drink package seemed the order of the day & what we had planned to do.

In the lead up to the cruise I never saw the price below £32pppd,most days it was £38,now that is where it is a bit misleading because for one you cannot buy it by the day & it would never be £38pppd,18% has to be added to that,when I looked at booking it the more than £1100,to us,just seemed way too much for 12 nights & decided against it,especially keeping in mind that every other day was a port day,we would be ashore & drinking time on board would be that much shorter.

When we got on board we asked if just my Wife could have a package but were told no,the on board price for her would be £700 but I could have the Soda package,but I don't drink soda or coffee so not only was my Wife paying IMO way too much but for her to have that I had to pay for a package that I wouldn't use!

In the end we just paid for drinks as & when we wanted one,at the end of the cruise we both had run up bills in the region of $200,quite a saving.

 

[little britain]

On Explorer the deluxe is $82....🤣😳😲

[vacationlover_mn]

On 10/26/2019 at 5:25 AM, little britain said:

On Explorer the deluxe is $82....🤣😳😲

Wow!!!  That is past my breaking point 🙂

[George C]

On 10/26/2019 at 5:25 AM, little britain said:

On Explorer the deluxe is $82....🤣😳😲

Never saw it over 60, glad I am diamond plus , 30 percent off package 

[Billy Baltic]

On 10/8/2019 at 12:00 PM, Big_G said:

 

Hence the phrase 'tip your bartenders well.'

So if bribery is all that’s required then either it’s at the bartenders discretion or else they’ll ignore policy for a couple of dollars. 

[Big_G]

11 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

So if bribery is all that’s required then either it’s at the bartenders discretion or else they’ll ignore policy for a couple of dollars. 

 

Call it bribery if you will but it's a reality of the hospitality industry not exclusive to bartenders.