Drinks Package - How Does it Work?

[CaptainBazz]

On NCL you just hand over your card and you can get two drinks at a time. The other person does not even have to be there. Nothing to sign. On Carnival two years ago you could only get one drink at a time and the other person had to be there with their card. You had to sign for each drink and received a receipt (for $0 balance). 

We are on an RCI cruise later in the year.

So how does it work on RCI?

Edited March 10, 2022 by CaptainBazz

[leaveitallbehind]

You present your card with your drink order to confirm the package and nothing needs to be signed.  They typically will want to confirm each person's drink package with the initial order, but subsequent drinks typically don't require the card with each request - especially if you are just repeating the same order for you and your significant other.  They may request each card to assure that drinks aren't being requested for someone who does not have a drink package.

[topnole]

1 drink at a time.  Often you won’t have to sign (if they know you).  Sometime you will.  No cap on number of drinks per day like Carnival.   
 

If a bartender knows you and your spouse (and they like you) my guess is you can order for them when they aren’t there.  That has been my experience.  

Edited March 10, 2022 by topnole

[muenchner]

How about driks over the price limit? Can you just pay the difference?

[msuspartabigten]

4 minutes ago, muenchner said:

How about driks over the price limit? Can you just pay the difference?

Yes.

 

Also, I've had no issues going to the bar with both of our cards and ordering two drinks without her coming with me. Not sure if that's changed in the last two years. 

[Waycoolrob]

37 minutes ago, msuspartabigten said:

Yes.

 

Also, I've had no issues going to the bar with both of our cards and ordering two drinks without her coming with me. Not sure if that's changed in the last two years. 

Done this as well, usually works as bartenders get to know you, however if new bartender or boss around they may not allow.

 

[Joseph2017China]

so, they are suppose to swipe the card for inventory reasons and tracking.  However, the rule is you must be present (Picture embedded on card) but in reality, they very seldom care, as long as they swipe the card.  Only one drink at a time, since you can only drink one at a time.  But if you get a water or something, they don't count that as a second drink

 

[Husky1987]

1. Order a drink, give keycard

2. Drink drink, get keycard back

3. Repeat with new drinks until unable to locate keycard, even though it's in your pocket

[smplybcause]

Some ships are just asking for room number anymore and not the card, some get the card. One drink per card with drink package, but you can get a non alcoholic with an alcohol one. Like add a bottle of water or soda if you want. I haven't had to sign anything on royal in a while until you purchase something over the $13.

[MiniChunks]

I have cruised with the same group of 4 a few times now, and I've never had a problem getting drinks for everyone after the first time or two. We tip generously and engage with the crew members so it doesn't take long for them to recognize us. One person takes 4 sea pass cards to the bar, comes away with 4 drinks. We often have the same pre-dinner meetup at the schooner bar and by day 3, drinks are usually waiting for us when we get there. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by MiniChunks

[DCPIV]

I've never had any issue presenting multiple cards for multiple drinks, no matter whether the bartender knew me.  It's a very common practice.  Hang around any bar long enough, and you'll see it happen a number of times.

 

And, yes, many will just ask for your room number.  They just enter that and keep track of things that way.  Once someone gets to know you, they may not even ask for that anymore, as they've learned it.  Some may just confirm it from time to time.

[CaptainBazz]

Thanks all...that's very helpful.

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, topnole said:

1 drink at a time.  Often you won’t have to sign (if they know you).  Sometime you will.  No cap on number of drinks per day like Carnival.   
 

If a bartender knows you and your spouse (and they like you) my guess is you can order for them when they aren’t there.  That has been my experience.  

 
When I have the deluxe package, which I get every cruise on RCI, I have never had to sign a receipt with the exception of when a drink costs more than the maximum price allowed on the package. As others have stated, we have been on 5 RCI cruises since last Summer and the majority of bartenders just ask for your cabin number. For what it’s worth, this has been our experience on recent cruises on Celebrity as well. 

[topnole]

49 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 
When I have the deluxe package, which I get every cruise on RCI, I have never had to sign a receipt with the exception of when a drink costs more than the maximum price allowed on the package. As others have stated, we have been on 5 RCI cruises since last Summer and the majority of bartenders just ask for your cabin number. For what it’s worth, this has been our experience on recent cruises on Celebrity as well. 

Definitely meant it in more of the general sense.  Although I seem to recall asking here and there for a slip so I could leave a tip if I didn’t have cash.  I assume that is still possible.  
 

They want to see your card until they remember you, which typically doesn’t take long.  

[PhillyFan33579]

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

Definitely meant it in more of the general sense.  Although I seem to recall asking here and there for a slip so I could leave a tip if I didn’t have cash.  I assume that is still possible.  
 

They want to see your card until they remember you, which typically doesn’t take long.  

You can still ask for a receipt to leave a tip. I do that too when I don’t have cash on me. 
 

When I was on Freedom in January (it was only a 3 day cruise), I was never asked to show my card. Every bartender/server I went to just asked for my cabin number. At the bars where we spent the most time (Schooner and Solarium) they stopped asking for my card number after the first day. It never ceases to amaze me how bartenders can remember your name, your cabin number, your favorite drink, etc.

[topnole]

Just now, PhillyFan33579 said:

You can still ask for a receipt to leave a tip. I do that too when I don’t have cash on me. 
 

When I was on Freedom in January (it was only a 3 day cruise), I was never asked to show my card. Every bartender/server I went to just asked for my cabin number. At the bars where we spent the most time (Schooner and Solarium) they stopped asking for my card number after the first day. It never ceases to amaze me how bartenders can remember your name, your cabin number, your favorite drink, etc.

Yeah.  I’m guessing  this is/was a covid thing.  Bartenders avoiding touching 1000 cards a day is probably a reasonable preventative measure.  Makes things easier for the customers too.  
 

Pre Covid they always seemed to ask for the card until they knew you from ordering a few times.  Perhaps it is one of the Covid changes that is actually a good thing.  Although I never found showing my card or even signing a slip to be a bother.  But no paper is definitely faster for them.  

[SRF]

21 hours ago, muenchner said:

How about driks over the price limit? Can you just pay the difference?

 

The difference PLUS 18% of the difference.

[SRF]

They can also charge just by your cabin number, so if they swipe your card and you want a drink for the other person in the cabin, they can see that the person also has the package and will give you two.