New to RCCL. Questions about alcohol purchase

[jmwg49]

We are new to RCCL but diamond on CCL.   Can you purchase buckets of beer or something similar?   Is there a savings in doing so?   Approximate cost?   The drink packages are crazy expensive!!   What is the average cost of a cocktail? Beer?    

[klfhngr]

Yes to buckets, averages to 1 free beer, give or take. 6-13 a drink, on average (beer on lower end).

[AshBee]

I would also love to know the drink prices! I have 6 previous cruises with Royal and 1 with Carnival and have always purchased drink packages, but have always travelled with a friend. This time I am travelling with my bf who is not a big drinker so I’m not sure what to do. I saw on the dinner menu that a glass of wine was $8. 

[chuckhendo2]

5 minutes ago, AshBee said:

I would also love to know the drink prices! I have 6 previous cruises with Royal and 1 with Carnival and have always purchased drink packages, but have always travelled with a friend. This time I am travelling with my bf who is not a big drinker so I’m not sure what to do. I saw on the dinner menu that a glass of wine was $8. 

Personally, if I was only drinking beer and wine, I'm not sure I'd drink enough to justify a package. But as a cocktail drinker (and those are often $13/piece), I really only have to drink 6 drinks per day per person to justify it. Even then I may still not come out ahead, but I really like not having to think about it after it's paid

[Mum2Mercury]

Beer runs about $10.50, including mandatory 18% tip. 

Cocktails run about $13-14, again, including mandatory 18% tip. 

The drink of the day will be more like $10.  

 

You can buy a bucket of beers from the Pool Bar (I think it's the only one that runs this special).  The price varies, depending upon the type of beer, but Heineken is about $42 (including tip) for five beers.  So, yeah, as someone else said, it's kinda like Buy-4-Get-1-Free.   

[AshBee]

13 minutes ago, chuckhendo2 said:

Personally, if I was only drinking beer and wine, I'm not sure I'd drink enough to justify a package. But as a cocktail drinker (and those are often $13/piece), I really only have to drink 6 drinks per day per person to justify it. Even then I may still not come out ahead, but I really like not having to think about it after it's paid

I’m not a beer drinker but LOVE their cocktails. We are sailing to Bermuda so wont be on the ship for 2 days when we are docked. I’m Canadian and with our exchange a $13 drink is more like $17 CAD. I can get the drink package for 2 people right now for $1037 CAD. Pretty much 60 drinks within 3 full days on the ship between two people. It’s terrible that the booze is almost what I paid for the cruise. 

[chuckhendo2]

23 minutes ago, AshBee said:

I’m not a beer drinker but LOVE their cocktails. We are sailing to Bermuda so wont be on the ship for 2 days when we are docked. I’m Canadian and with our exchange a $13 drink is more like $17 CAD. I can get the drink package for 2 people right now for $1037 CAD. Pretty much 60 drinks within 3 full days on the ship between two people. It’s terrible that the booze is almost what I paid for the cruise. 

Yeah I've had the same reaction on basically every cruise I've been on, but Royal is definitely more expensive. I just calculate it into the cost of the cruise from the start and try not to think about it

[murph1031]

Unlike CCL no limit. Our 8 night was $72 per person per day. Southern Caribbean. We will get our money's worth. The 15 drink limit on CCL doesn't do me 😂

 

[rebeccac]

You can google "Royal Caribbean (or your specific ship) bar menu" and you should be able to find the prices.  Or you can look on the app.  Go to the dining tab at the bottom of the page and then scroll over to "bars & lounges".  Pick a bar, most of them have a menu with prices.  Quite often there are drink prices in the various restaurant menus as well.  

Edited September 29, 2022 by rebeccac

[chuckhendo2]

29 minutes ago, murph1031 said:

Unlike CCL no limit. Our 8 night was $72 per person per day. Southern Caribbean. We will get our money's worth. The 15 drink limit on CCL doesn't do me 😂

 

I hit 15 on Carnival one time, but as a liquor drinker, the next day wasn't terribly pleasant 😆

[mjc702]

Are you able to purchase a bucket of beer with the drink package?

[poocher]

On 9/29/2022 at 1:38 PM, murph1031 said:

Unlike CCL no limit. Our 8 night was $72 per person per day. Southern Caribbean. We will get our money's worth. The 15 drink limit on CCL doesn't do me 😂

 

I would be praying to the porcelain gods every night if I tried to down 15 drinks in one day!  Holy Crap Batman, that’s a lot of drinking!

[Mum2Mercury]

28 minutes ago, mjc702 said:

Are you able to purchase a bucket of beer with the drink package?

Yes.  I believe it's only sold at the Pool Bar.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, mjc702 said:

Are you able to purchase a bucket of beer with the drink package?

Purchase? Yes 

 

Be given a bucket as part of your drink package? No 

[watcher_62]

Fleetwide drink menu https://cruisespotlight.com/royal-caribbean-drink-menus-for-2022/#fleet