Beverage Package Prices Just Keep Going Up And Up!

[Ocean Boy]

What is this talk about tax on packages? Are people actually meaning gratuity?

[nasa1974]

33 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

What is this talk about tax on packages? Are people actually meaning gratuity?

Yes, it's gratuity.

[TravisP]

9 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

Beers are $12 each now? $12 x 7 = $84. Does the $83.99 include the tip?

I am redoing my post since it had an error in it. I mistakingly referred to the gratuity as tax. 

 

The information I found shows domestic beers are $7.49 without gratuity and $8.84 with gratuity. So 7 beers come out to $61.87. If I were not getting the DBP, I would be getting the RP and which is currently $33.99 on my cruise. $40.11 with gratuity. So 7 beers plus RP cost $101.98. The DBP for my cruise is currently $83.99 pre-gratuity, and $99.11 with gratuity. I attached my spreadsheet to see if the package is worth it or not. 

Beverage Program Calculation.xlsx

[ShillyShally]

3 hours ago, TravisP said:

I am redoing my post since it had an error in it. I mistakingly referred to the gratuity as tax. 

 

The information I found shows domestic beers are $7.49 without gratuity and $8.84 with gratuity. So 7 beers come out to $61.87. If I were not getting the DBP, I would be getting the RP and which is currently $33.99 on my cruise. $40.11 with gratuity. So 7 beers plus RP cost $101.98. The DBP for my cruise is currently $83.99 pre-gratuity, and $99.11 with gratuity. I attached my spreadsheet to see if the package is worth it or not. 

Beverage Program Calculation.xlsx 17.85 kB · 0 downloads

Where are your numbers from?  I don't see straight vodka as cheaply as you have it in yours - I see Absolut/Belvedere/Grey Goose at $10.99/$12.99/$13.99 respectively in my current app for an upcoming sailing.  If Tito's is $7 I'd be very surprised.  I'm craft beer at home but not on ship so then I switch to vodka/water.  But I expect most of the shots are higher than the spreadsheet #s.  Most domestic beer is $7.49 but a few craft domestic are $7.99.  I don't rely on beer on board because when I have found the rare IPA source they tend to run out on board.  

[TravisP]

9 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

Where are your numbers from?  I don't see straight vodka as cheaply as you have it in yours - I see Absolut/Belvedere/Grey Goose at $10.99/$12.99/$13.99 respectively in my current app for an upcoming sailing.  If Tito's is $7 I'd be very surprised.  I'm craft beer at home but not on ship so then I switch to vodka/water.  But I expect most of the shots are higher than the spreadsheet #s.  Most domestic beer is $7.49 but a few craft domestic are $7.99.  I don't rely on beer on board because when I have found the rare IPA source they tend to run out on board.  

I search for pictures of recent menus. So the prices on my sheet might not be all up to date since things change all the time. It has been several months since I did a price update on it and I tried to find the most up-to-date prices I could at that time. If you find a more updated price, you can change the pre-tip amount on the sheet and one with the tip amount will automatically update.  You would need to unprotect the sheet to do so. There is no password on the protection. 

 

 

[ShillyShally]

2 minutes ago, TravisP said:

I search for pictures of recent menus. So the prices on my sheet might not be all up to date since things change all the time. It has been several months since I did a price update on it and I tried to find the most up-to-date prices I could at that time. If you find a more updated price, you can change the pre-tip amount on the sheet and one with the tip amount will automatically update.  You would need to unprotect the sheet to do so. There is no password on the protection. 

 

 

No worries, thanks, I figured, and I did unprotect it so I confirmed we're still coming out ahead currently with the DBP!  I'll try and confirm prices on our fall cruise and then keep this handy for future ones (and the varying DBP prices!) - I had one previously but not sure where that went.  I'll also use our fall cruise to gauge if our drinking habits onboard are the same they were 4 years ago when we last cruised.  While I like to think I'm not slowing down with age, and vacation me isn't every day me, things do change!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

IMO, you need to spend at least $50 every day in alcoholic drinks.  That's the difference between the refreshment package (non-alcohol) and ultimate (alcohol).  So roughly four cocktails every day.  Easy on sea days.  Even a "light weight" like me can down four cocktails when I'm on the ship (or private island) all day.  It's the port days that are killer for me.

 

I would probably have a cocktail at dinner, one at the show, and then possibly a night cap.  If that's all I have in a day, the following day I need to have 5. 

 

Alcohol just isn't that important to me.  

[BK79]

I am cruising on Harmony in April 2024. They just released the Deluxe Bev package at $83.99 per day. Hopefully, I will see a lower price but if I lock it in now do I have to pay now or at the time of my cruise? I'm trying to decide if I should just lock in now with nothing to lose, and rebuying once it goes down.

[Mark_UK]

1 minute ago, BK79 said:

I am cruising on Harmony in April 2024. They just released the Deluxe Bev package at $83.99 per day. Hopefully, I will see a lower price but if I lock it in now do I have to pay now or at the time of my cruise? I'm trying to decide if I should just lock in now with nothing to lose, and rebuying once it goes down.

Sadly you have to pay now, but can cancel and refund whenever if it goes down and you want to rebook.

[BK79]

1 minute ago, Mark_UK said:

Sadly you have to pay now, but can cancel and refund whenever if it goes down and you want to rebook.

Do you professionals out there think it will go down from there? Black Friday? Just curious, I have never done this before.

[TravisP]

1 minute ago, BK79 said:

I am cruising on Harmony in April 2024. They just released the Deluxe Bev package at $83.99 per day. Hopefully, I will see a lower price but if I lock it in now do I have to pay now or at the time of my cruise? I'm trying to decide if I should just lock in now with nothing to lose, and rebuying once it goes down.

You would pay now. It would be $83.99 plus an 18% gratuity. That would be $99.11 per guest per day. The total with the tip for a 7-day cruise would be $693.70 per guest. 

 

If you ever see it for a cheaper price, just call them up and get it reduced to the cheaper price and they will refund you the difference. 

[Mark_UK]

1 minute ago, BK79 said:

Do you professionals out there think it will go down from there? Black Friday? Just curious, I have never done this before.

Chances are there will be a sale at some point, but never guaranteed and the general direction has been prices going up. If you plan to buy it and are happy at this price then the best thing you can do is go ahead - you don't loose out then.

[ShillyShally]

16 minutes ago, BK79 said:

Do you professionals out there think it will go down from there? Black Friday? Just curious, I have never done this before.

Mine was $85.99, then down to $75.99 (when I bought) and now $80.99 (6 night, October 23).  I'm hoping to find it lower than that but my cruise is before Black Friday so I'm banking on that for the other cruises I have booked.  I do check often.  I find you see lower prices for longer sailings since you have to buy for all the days.  I joked to my husband we needed to stick to shorter cruises so I wouldn't have sticker shock 🙂  I couldn't justify it before it got to $75.99, and can only slightly justify it now, but know we'll at least break even.  It's a birthday/anniversary cruise though so mainly it's for convenience and not having to think about it!

[icsys]

18 hours ago, ksadonnab said:

What ever happened to the beer package?!  I don't see it anymore........

 

The 'Select Beer and Wine' package was discontinued years ago. Was about $35 pppd

[molly361]

33 minutes ago, BK79 said:

I am cruising on Harmony in April 2024. They just released the Deluxe Bev package at $83.99 per day. Hopefully, I will see a lower price but if I lock it in now do I have to pay now or at the time of my cruise? I'm trying to decide if I should just lock in now with nothing to lose, and rebuying once it goes down.

Better than my Allure sailing January 2024  $87.99 and I believe my sister is going to go ahead and get it and hope price goes down.  Guess in the next 9 months it could also go UP

[garywatson]

On 2/20/2023 at 4:35 PM, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I'm assuming they have studies done that shows how many people purchase at each price point.  If you have 100 people purchase at $63.99, you need 75 people to purchase at $85.99.  So even if they lose 20% of their $63.99 sales, they're STILL ahead of the game.  

 

While it's not a "supply and demand", the role of any business is to get people to pay the most for the product.  

 

They may also be trying to control how many drinkers are aboard to keep the serving and bar staff from being overloaded - let's say they can accommodate 800 people hitting the sauce, but at $63.99 they were projecting 1000 unhappy drunkards. Might as well raise the price to maximize profits while keeping up a good quality of service for the 800 who will pay $85.99.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 minute ago, garywatson said:

 

They may also be trying to control how many drinkers are aboard to keep the serving and bar staff from being overloaded - let's say they can accommodate 800 people hitting the sauce, but at $63.99 they were projecting 1000 unhappy drunkards. Might as well raise the price to maximize profits while keeping up a good quality of service for the 800 who will pay $85.99.

Also possible.  BUT, just because people don't get the ultimate drinking package doesn't mean they're not getting drinks.  They could have a lower package or be paying a la carte.  Either way still ties up the bar staff. 

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, garywatson said:

 

They may also be trying to control how many drinkers are aboard to keep the serving and bar staff from being overloaded - let's say they can accommodate 800 people hitting the sauce, but at $63.99 they were projecting 1000 unhappy drunkards. Might as well raise the price to maximize profits while keeping up a good quality of service for the 800 who will pay $85.99.

I suspect that overworking the bar staff is not RCI's main concern but I could be wrong.

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, garywatson said:

 

They may also be trying to control how many drinkers are aboard to keep the serving and bar staff from being overloaded - let's say they can accommodate 800 people hitting the sauce, but at $63.99 they were projecting 1000 unhappy drunkards. Might as well raise the price to maximize profits while keeping up a good quality of service for the 800 who will pay $85.99.

I don’t think staff levels have anything to do with the price of the deluxe drink package. I meet/see lots of people without the drink package buying drinks at whatever bar I am currently at all the time. Using your example, it’s not like the 200 people who didn’t buy the package aren’t going to drink during the cruise. Additionally, it takes longer for the bartender to sell a drink to someone without the drink package because they have to give a receipt to the passenger and make sure they get a signed copy of the receipt. So once again using your example, service might possibly be slower if only 800 people bought the package instead of 1000 people. 

[nyletak]

Posting here just to add my offer for information's sake. I'm going on a 7 night Mediterranean cruise May 11th. I bought my drink package when it was at 61.99 per day, it's now at 66.99 per day. I doubt it will drop any further but Imma keep checking lol

Edited March 7, 2023 by nyletak

[ShillyShally]

11 minutes ago, nyletak said:

Posting here just to add my offer for information's sake. I'm going on a 7 night Mediterranean cruise May 11th. I bought my drink package when it was at 61.99 per day, it's now at 66.99 per day. I doubt it will drop any further but Imma keep checking lol

Ha, seeing those prices is what keeps me motivated to keep on checking!

[Caps_Shield]

My Wonder deluxe package is $83.  Looking at the menus I can see all the drinks I like are $14 each.  So that is 6 drinks in a day.  That doesn't seem like very much to me.  The peace of mind is worth the cost I believe.  Sometimes I do not like the drink I ordered and with a package I do not feel bad for trying something.   

[roseoftx]

A slightly different perspective on this, when you exclude port days and attending shows (you can get 1 beforehand but harder during) and meals (maybe a cocktail or wine by the glass), I come up with about 50 hours.  So the break even point at $65 and $85 is one drink about every 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. 

 

I do agree that if you think it is should justified for your usage than go for it.  For us, its better to not get the package as we typically drink a few per day - for us, the price would need to be done in the $40 range to even have a short at break even,.

[emdia43]

I just got an email from Princess cruises. For $60 on top of cruise fare per day , you can get drinks up to $15, WiFi, crew grats, 2 fitness classes, premium desserts and juice bar. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, emdia43 said:

I just got an email from Princess cruises. For $60 on top of cruise fare per day , you can get drinks up to $15, WiFi, crew grats, 2 fitness classes, premium desserts and juice bar. 

 

This might be the next transition to get everyone aboard to the "next" level. They can offer a low initial cruise fare and then "bundle" the rest. A quiet way to advertise very low prices with a package to give you the "ultimate" bundle.

 

Smart, slick, and smooth transition from a minimum to a maximum package. I do not need all of the above but they are now competing with all inclusive resorts with this type of advertising. Interesting 🤔.