Feedback on how much the drink package is running for Jan 2024 Carribean sailings Please. Deciding which sailing to book.

[warren buffet]

It makes it overly complicated to have the prices dynamic per sailing, rather than the set price method. thank you to all for feedback. If you would like to respond for other months or destinations that could be helpful as well. thanks to all

[amby6063]

It’s currently bogo 50% for the January 7th cruise on symphony. Showing around $1523 CAD for 2 people, 6 night sailing. 
 

I booked it a couple months earlier for 30% off, paid $1374 CAD. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by amby6063

[soremekun]

The prices cruise ship companies are charging these days are even affecting Warren Buffett.  

[Biker19]

10 hours ago, warren buffet said:

It makes RCI more money to have the prices dynamic per sailing

Fixed for you.

[Wheels Up]

Harmony of the Seas, Jan 7-14, Western Caribbean out of Galveston. It's "on sale" buy one get one half off which comes out to $77.99 USD pp/pd.

[mets123]

Just a dumb question ❓ Why would the price of a package affect the cruise the OP chooses. And a second dumb question, why can't he just call himself instead of others doing it for him?

[Wheels Up]

1 hour ago, mets123 said:

Just a dumb question ❓ Why would the price of a package affect the cruise the OP chooses. And a second dumb question, why can't he just call himself instead of others doing it for him?

 

It seemed a reasonable question to me. Some people don't care what ship they're on or where it goes, but don't like the idea of paying $105+18% per day to walk around the ship and get their booze on. It's not my primary concern when booking a cruise, but I don't see a problem with someone else planning their trip that way.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, mets123 said:

And a second dumb question, why can't he just call himself instead of others doing it for him?

CC posters provide a curated answer you may not get from a generic internet search. 

[WiddyTwo]

January 26th on the Explorer is showing $65.99 right now

[Sherri914]

This is a very generic observation, but may be of some help.  

 

The bigger ships (Oasis class in particular) are very popular for Caribbean cruises.  Those ships usually sail full.  When ships sail full on a very popular itinerary (Caribbean for example), it usually means there is high demand for the Deluxe beverage package.   When the Deluxe package is selling well, the price is higher.  Supply and demand.   I know it's very frustrating.  

 

My upcoming sailing in January 2024 on Symphony (Southern Caribbean) shows $105/pp/pd as the onboard price for the Deluxe package.  Currently its offered for BOGO50, bringing it down to $77.00/pp/pd.  

 

I've seen smaller ships offering their pp/pd undiscounted rate (onboard pricing) at a fraction of that -- somewhere in the $80/pp/pd range.   

 

Bottom line for me -- the only really "good" pricing I've seen on the Deluxe packages are on less popular itineraries and on smaller classes of ships.   It didn't used to be that way -- but it has been for many years now.    

[badaple92]

1 hour ago, WiddyTwo said:

January 26th on the Explorer is showing $65.99 right now

January 7th on Anthem is 59.99 + 18%

[smokeybandit]

I think it's a poor idea to base which cruise to book on the projected cost of a drink package.

[warren buffet]

Just now, Sherri914 said:

This is a very generic observation, but may be of some help.  

 

The bigger ships (Oasis class in particular) are very popular for Caribbean cruises.  Those ships usually sail full.  When ships sail full on a very popular itinerary (Caribbean for example), it usually means there is high demand for the Deluxe beverage package.   When the Deluxe package is selling well, the price is higher.  Supply and demand.   I know it's very frustrating.  

 

My upcoming sailing in January 2024 on Symphony (Southern Caribbean) shows $105/pp/pd as the onboard price for the Deluxe package.  Currently its offered for BOGO50, bringing it down to $77.00/pp/pd.  

 

I've seen smaller ships offering their pp/pd undiscounted rate (onboard pricing) at a fraction of that -- somewhere in the $80/pp/pd range.   

 

Bottom line for me -- the only really "good" pricing I've seen on the Deluxe packages are on less popular itineraries and on smaller classes of ships.   It didn't used to be that way -- but it has been for many years now.    

thank you. the next poster on the anthem, verifies what you believe. although, I did in fact call (to the early other poster who was complaining about me). enchantment jan 13 was 85 and reliance on jan 15 was 80. and those are both pretty old ships. lpretty expensive.  So. it would seem it it pretty inconsistent. S

[warren buffet]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

I think it's a poor idea to base which cruise to book on the projected cost of a drink package.

do you pay zero attention to the cost of the base cruise fare? by that logic you would just pick a date and a port and give RCL a blank check to take any amount from your accounts as they would like. People who comparison shop do you a huge favor and lower the price for everyone. in the proportion that such people exist in any given customer base. 

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, warren buffet said:

do you pay zero attention to the cost of the base cruise fare? by that logic you would just pick a date and a port and give RCL a blank check to take any amount from your accounts as they would like. People who comparison shop do you a huge favor and lower the price for everyone. in the proportion that such people exist in any given customer base. 

If the cost of a cruise is $1000 more, I'm not picking it because the drink package is $2 per day less.

[akcruz]

Haven't used it myself but thus thread has a spreadsheet you can out info in to see beverage package prices

 

 

[warren buffet]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

If the cost of a cruise is $1000 more, I'm not picking it because the drink package is $2 per day less.

the differences are a lot lot much wide than that. one person said a sailing was 47.99 for the drink package as opposed to very close to 90 day for the large ships. per person per day everyday. 

[clarky213]

16 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I think it's a poor idea to base which cruise to book on the projected cost of a drink package.

When comparing the total price for a cruise, I always include the drinks package price to get the overall cost of the cruise. It would be much easier if they had a set price like Princess & MSC.

 

I compared my last cruise to Norway on Princess with the same 7 day cruise on Anthem. Without the drinks package , Anthem was cheaper, but when you added on Drinks package, Gratuities & Wifi, the Princess price came in around £500 cheaper with the Plus package for the 2 of us..

[skittl1321]

On 11/14/2023 at 8:27 AM, smokeybandit said:

I think it's a poor idea to base which cruise to book on the projected cost of a drink package.

 

If the only goal of the cruise is to drink yourself silly, it seems to make sense to me.  Who knows why the poster has decided this should be a factor, but since the price varies, it seems like it you are an overplanner who wants all the information, this is a good piece to gather.

 

On 11/13/2023 at 10:01 AM, mets123 said:

Just a dumb question ❓ Why would the price of a package affect the cruise the OP chooses. And a second dumb question, why can't he just call himself instead of others doing it for him?

Would they even tell you if they called? It's dynamic pricing, so they would probably just say it varies by sailing. 

[dcgrumpy]

If you're working with a TA they can tell you the price before you book. 

[warren buffet]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:01 AM, skittl1321 said:

 

If the only goal of the cruise is to drink yourself silly, it seems to make sense to me.  Who knows why the poster has decided this should be a factor, but since the price varies, it seems like it you are an overplanner who wants all the information, this is a good piece to gather.

 

Would they even tell you if they called? It's dynamic pricing, so they would probably just say it varies by sailing. 

the agent at royal carribean i talked to was willing to put me on hold and find out. but the price was crazy. like 87 dollars a day per person after the mandated tax and gratuity. for an older ship on jan 13 2024