non alcoholic beer

[mysie1]

Can anyone tell me if non alcoholic beer is included in any of Royal Caribbean drinks packages? Was thinking of the Refreshment package? Also, a bit confused about when getting drinks, we have paid our gratuities up front, but do we still have gratuities added each time? This is for a Baltic cruise.

Thanks for any advice.

[spookwife]

The Refreshment pkg includes virgin drinks although I am not sure it would include ODouls since it is the same price as any other domestic beer.  
 

gratuities are included in the package cost

[Host Kat]

4 hours ago, mysie1 said:

Can anyone tell me if non alcoholic beer is included in any of Royal Caribbean drinks packages? Was thinking of the Refreshment package? Also, a bit confused about when getting drinks, we have paid our gratuities up front, but do we still have gratuities added each time? This is for a Baltic cruise.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Howdy mysie1 and welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Thank you for your new thread on the First Time Cruisers forum. It is the forum for first-time cruisers and their general questions about cruising. However since your inquiry concerns a specific cruise line, I have moved your thread to the Royal Caribbean International forum where it will be on-topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have or are going to sail RCI frequent that forum.

 

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[snaefell]

Before we left on our cruise on Quantum in October I did email RCI abouit this subject & was assured that alcohol free/low alcohol beer was included in the Ultimate Drink Package,we decided not too bother with the package in the end but just to buy on board,Odouls was available up on deck while Heineken Zero was available in the pub

[mysie1]

Thank you, yes, this is our first cruise, sooo much to figure out. If I have queries about excursions, should I post on this site or first time cruiser site?

Thanks

 

[snaefell]

When it comes to buying drinks,even though you may have paid the tips up front,you will still pay an added 18% on top of any drinks price,& don't forget when you are looking at the price of drink packages remember the price you see has also to have 18% added to it & depite being shown per day cannot be purchased for anything less than the full term of the cruise,& if there are 2 of you in the cabin,if one has a drink package,the other must have one too.

Before our first cruise some years ago,being a regular on Trip Advisor I tried asking questions on these forums & got little help,posters were way too busy banging on about their personal cruise loyalty programme status to help people & could be exceedingly rude at your attemps to interrupt that,as a result of which I left these forums & went back to Trip Advisor where I found the info I wanted!

I have been back on these forums for a year or more now,things have improved quite a bit,not quite so many rude & unhelpful replies BUT many do tend to forget that newcomers may not speak their language,by that I mean shortened names & abbreviations,there are loads of them(OBC,FCC,MDR,etc),you will soon get to know what they mean!

One more thought on the drinks package,whether or not the package is worth buying can also be affected by your itenerary,if you have loads of time ashore you won't be on board drinking!

[Mark_UK]

Odouls and Heineken 0.0 (much better imo) are both def included on the ultimate package, I doubt they're on the Refreshment given that they're still similar pricing to the alcoholic beers (6-8$)

[Clarea]

11 hours ago, mysie1 said:

Can anyone tell me if non alcoholic beer is included in any of Royal Caribbean drinks packages? Was thinking of the Refreshment package? Also, a bit confused about when getting drinks, we have paid our gratuities up front, but do we still have gratuities added each time? This is for a Baltic cruise.

Thanks for any advice.

 

NA beer is not included in the refreshment package.  Even though it is labelled non-alcoholic, it still contains a small amount of alcohol and the cruise line limits it's inclusion to the alcoholic package.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

NA beer is not included in the refreshment package.  Even though it is labelled non-alcoholic, it still contains a small amount of alcohol and the cruise line limits it's inclusion to the alcoholic package.

 

Actually Heineken 0.0 is a true non-alcoholic drink.  However, I would not expect it to be included in the refreshment package. 

[mysie1]

snaefell, thank you for advice. Have already paid early £300 for gratuities, though that would be it. Can I cancel this and just pay as we go, we're not drinkers but tea, coffee and water are important. Do we still pay 18% on tea, coffee and water? Starting to wonder what we have got into. All just seems money grabbing.

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, mysie1 said:

snaefell, thank you for advice. Have already paid early £300 for gratuities, though that would be it. Can I cancel this and just pay as we go, we're not drinkers but tea, coffee and water are important. Do we still pay 18% on tea, coffee and water? Starting to wonder what we have got into. All just seems money grabbing.

 

You can cancel.

 

There are no gratuities added to beverages included in the basic cruise fare: tap water, coffee,  hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, milk, and juices at breakfast.

[snaefell]

1 hour ago, mysie1 said:

snaefell, thank you for advice. Have already paid early £300 for gratuities, though that would be it. Can I cancel this and just pay as we go, we're not drinkers but tea, coffee and water are important. Do we still pay 18% on tea, coffee and water? Starting to wonder what we have got into. All just seems money grabbing.

My Wife loves her coffee so she makes sure she always takes a jar of her favourite with her so she can make one using the kettle in the cabin whenever,tea bags of varying flavours you can take from the Windjammer buffet,you can also help yourself to coffee,tea & various soft drinks there.

Money grabbing,I've gotten used now to the number of wallet opening opportunities there are both before you sail & on board,it can be quite mind blowing & some people certainly seem happy to spend,spend,spend,the open sales in the Royal Esplanade can be quite funny with people literally fighting over things!

The tip subject is a bit of a hot potato,depending on the length of your cruise it certainly can add up to what seems a significant sum on top of what you are already paying,suggesting removing them can lay you open to some pretty strong responses on here so be careful what you say but do what you are comfy with yourself!

I still remember paying the balance on our first cruise & my Wife saying 'well that's evrything paid for',we've learned a lot since then!

[crewsweeper]

7 hours ago, Mark_UK said:

Odouls and Heineken 0.0 (much better imo) are both def included on the ultimate package, I doubt they're on the Refreshment given that they're still similar pricing to the alcoholic beers (6-8$)

While I wouldn't pay $6-$8 for an NA, I found a single bottle of Heineken Zero in Publix today. Worth the buck and a half to try. 

[snaefell]

On 1/4/2020 at 5:59 PM, crewsweeper said:

While I wouldn't pay $6-$8 for an NA, I found a single bottle of Heineken Zero in Publix today. Worth the buck and a half to try. 

As one warned off alcohol on docs orders but still craving the taste of beer when I go out/away it has been heartwarming to see the variety of different beers that have appeared(although few seem to be advertised with the exception on Heineken & they tend to concentrate on the calorie count!),lagers,stouts,wheat beers,citrus beers,etc,not to mention various ciders(including flavoured varieties),what has been less heartwarming has been the prices charged at some establishments,sometimes twice the price of a premium lager,not a lot of encouragement for drivers to choose the NA option!

[crewsweeper]

On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2020 at 12:59 PM, crewsweeper said:

While I wouldn't pay $6-$8 for an NA, I found a single bottle of Heineken Zero in Publix today. Worth the buck and a half to try. 

Taste Report:   Skunky as all heck.  Threw half of it out.

 

Yes one would think that at least the Big Beer folks could make a flavorful NA.  Maybe the hops and malts don't quite gel together without fermentation.   But if they can make a veggie burger look and taste like a beef burger, surely they can engineer a decent NA beer.

[spookwife]

On 1/4/2020 at 9:22 AM, mysie1 said:

snaefell, thank you for advice. Have already paid early £300 for gratuities, though that would be it. Can I cancel this and just pay as we go, we're not drinkers but tea, coffee and water are important. Do we still pay 18% on tea, coffee and water? Starting to wonder what we have got into. All just seems money grabbing.

depends on where you get your tea, coffee and water.

 

 the dispensers in the Buffet and Promenade/Cafes are free as is plain brewed  from the MDR at mealtimes.  .   but  anything from the coffee  bar and all bottled waters( there are several types)  will incur a cost unless you have the refreshment package.  this includes flavored coffees and  fancy tea drinks..  I will say this , if you like GOOD, quality coffee and tea.. you will be sorely disappointed in the  included offerings.  also included is at least one flavored water after breakfast, Iced tea, lemonade( squash or cordial to you folks)  and juice from concentrate at breakfast ,, typically orange, cranberry and maybe a fancy one like mango . also hot water to make cocoa from the packet( and hot tea although many like to bring their own tea bags.   what's on board is okay.  not great.. lots of herbals)  

 

the base price of the cruise is EXTREMELY reasonable when you factor in your room, board and  transportation to  all the ports.   they let you decide how much extra to spend on things once on board.  you will also, m hopefully,m see fit yourself how hard the crew works and earn every  penny of the gratuities

[spookwife]

2 hours ago, snaefell said:

As one warned off alcohol on docs orders but still craving the taste of beer when I go out/away it has been heartwarming to see the variety of different beers that have appeared(although few seem to be advertised with the exception on Heineken & they tend to concentrate on the calorie count!),lagers,stouts,wheat beers,citrus beers,etc,not to mention various ciders(including flavoured varieties),what has been less heartwarming has been the prices charged at some establishments,sometimes twice the price of a premium lager,not a lot of encouragement for drivers to choose the NA option!

My liver also hates me, but  wine is my tipple.   I have found a couple of dealcoholized wines  that are better than  grape juice, but barely.  

[snaefell]

18 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Taste Report:   Skunky as all heck.  Threw half of it out.

 

Yes one would think that at least the Big Beer folks could make a flavorful NA.  Maybe the hops and malts don't quite gel together without fermentation.   But if they can make a veggie burger look and taste like a beef burger, surely they can engineer a decent NA beer.

What is or isn't a good beer is of course a matter of opinion & of late I have tasted a number of NA beers which IMO taste great,like I say there are pale ales,stouts & ciders which taste every bit as good as their alcoholic counterparts IMO,not really a lager drinker in the old days,more real ale but I really don't mind Heineken Zero,Beck's is the most commonly found NA found in the UK at present,was never keen on origional Becks but I put up with it!

Trouble is once they know it isn't going to get them drunk most people right it off IME! 

Edited January 7, 2020 by snaefell

[snaefell]

1 hour ago, spookwife said:

My liver also hates me, but  wine is my tipple.   I have found a couple of dealcoholized wines  that are better than  grape juice, but barely.  

I've bought alcohol free wine for cooking but never tasted it so can't really comment on that but when leaving a car show last summer we were given bottles of Alcohol Free Gin & Pink Grapefruit,don't know where the Gin was,you certainly couldn't smell it & the only thing I could taste was the Grapefruit,glad it was free unlike some I've seen over Christmas which were marked as Alcohol Free Spirit reduced to £25 a bottle,at that sort of price(more than a decent bottle of whiskey) there is no chance of me trying them!