Is "Deluxe Beverage Package" the only alcoholic choice?

[Elusive_Cruiser]

We're sailing 1st time on RCC, but have loyalty on Celebrity.  Doing a transatlantic cruise, Nov-2024.  It appears we only have one choice for a drink package, being "Deluxe Beverage Package".  On Celebrity, there are two choices, being "Classic" and "Premium".  Is this the case, or just due to being a transatlantic?

[HaveWeMetYet]

14 minutes ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

We're sailing 1st time on RCC, but have loyalty on Celebrity.  Doing a transatlantic cruise, Nov-2024.  It appears we only have one choice for a drink package, being "Deluxe Beverage Package".  On Celebrity, there are two choices, being "Classic" and "Premium".  Is this the case, or just due to being a transatlantic?

Only one choice is the Deluxe. This is for all cruises.

[Elusive_Cruiser]

Thank you!  So, what if you want to order a 'premium' wine, or scotch...?  Do you pay the full price, or a price differential?

 

[HaveWeMetYet]

22 minutes ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

Thank you!  So, what if you want to order a 'premium' wine, or scotch...?  Do you pay the full price, or a price differential?

 

You pay the difference. 

[taglovestocruise]

Are you Elite on Celebrity, if so you would be Diamond on Royal and get 4 free drinks per day.   

[smokeybandit]

Remember you don't need a package to buy alcohol

[Mum2Mercury]

9 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Remember you don't need a package to buy alcohol

Yes, I was going to make this same point.  The cruise lines'd like you to feel you either buy a package ... or you can never have an alcoholic beverage.  But you can buy individual drinks without a package.

[RedIguana]

1 hour ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

On Celebrity, there are two choices, being "Classic" and "Premium".  Is this the case, or just due to being a transatlantic?

RCI's package is comparable to the Premium on Celebrity as far as the beverages that fall under the package go.

[crzndeb]

1 hour ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

Thank you!  So, what if you want to order a 'premium' wine, or scotch...?  Do you pay the full price, or a price differential?

 

If you buy the package, drink purchases are up to $14. Most liquors fall under that price. What level are you on Celebrity? If Elite or above, you will get Diamond status on Royal, and receive 4 drink vouchers, per person, to use at any bar, anytime of the day.

Edited November 16, 2023 by crzndeb

[Denversail]

1 hour ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

Thank you!  So, what if you want to order a 'premium' wine, or scotch...?  Do you pay the full price, or a price differential?

 

You can also get discounts on bottles of wine if you have the package although I don’t recall the details. If you click on it in the planner it will show you what’s included.

[Tree_skier]

1 minute ago, Denversail said:

You can also get discounts on bottles of wine if you have the package although I don’t recall the details. If you click on it in the planner it will show you what’s included.

Not being a wine drinker I've never understood this.  Wouldn't you just order by the glass for free or small up charge instead of a whole bottle at only 40% off.  The math on that never made sense to me.

[Denversail]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

Not being a wine drinker I've never understood this.  Wouldn't you just order by the glass for free or small up charge instead of a whole bottle at only 40% off.  The math on that never made sense to me.

 Not if you want the really good stuff. At least that is my assumption as I also am not a wine drinker.

[TheDawg79]

6 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Remember you don't need a package to buy alcohol

I have saved thousands of dollars over the years by NOT buying a package for my drinks. I used to do packages, but after a while it felt like an obligation just to hit the daily average number needed to break even. Not buying the package actually allows me to enjoy drinking at my leisure much better. 

[cublet]

5 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Not being a wine drinker I've never understood this.  Wouldn't you just order by the glass for free or small up charge instead of a whole bottle at only 40% off.  The math on that never made sense to me.

Hello,

 

The maths of it doesn't make economic sense to be either - I've just used it!

 

The principle is this: You use one of your Diamond/D+/P vouchers worth $14 towards a bottle of wine to get 40% off the price. So any bottle of wine over $35 will make you a 'winner'.

 

I've used it, as regular readers of this forum will know, to buy genuine Prosecco unlike the swill that is served as such in the bars. I could NOT pay an up-charge as this product was not available to buy 'by the glass'.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Elusive_Cruiser]

12 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, I was going to make this same point.  The cruise lines'd like you to feel you either buy a package ... or you can never have an alcoholic beverage.  But you can buy individual drinks without a package.

We generally buy the package (lowest level) as we prefer the upgraded coffees and bottled water and just do not like having to keep track!

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

We generally buy the package (lowest level) as we prefer the upgraded coffees and bottled water and just do not like having to keep track!

I'm sure the cruise lines love you for it! 

[ch175]

1 hour ago, Elusive_Cruiser said:

We generally buy the package (lowest level) as we prefer the upgraded coffees and bottled water and just do not like having to keep track!

If that is what you want, there is the Refreshment Package that is specialty coffee, soda, etc. Essentially non-alcoholic beverages. It’s on sale for my cruise right now for about $24 a day.

 

I’m Elite on Celebrity so was Diamond on my October cruise. I used the 4 free daily drinks, and got coffee from the espresso machine in the Diamond/Crown lounge a couple times a day. That was good enough for me.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

You can also bring one bottle of wine each (up to two per stateroom).  Some have said they were able to put 2 bottles in their checked luggage and 2 bottles in a carry on.  You can also get small bottles of liquor and beer/truly through Royal Gifts.  Choices are limited and aren't necessarily the best "value" as opposed to pay as you go.  But, these are additional options.

[js]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:01 AM, The Scurvy Pirate said:

You can also bring one bottle of wine each (up to two per stateroom).  Some have said they were able to put 2 bottles in their checked luggage and 2 bottles in a carry on.  You can also get small bottles of liquor and beer/truly through Royal Gifts.  Choices are limited and aren't necessarily the best "value" as opposed to pay as you go.  But, these are additional options.

This is news to me since haven't been on Royal for five years so don't remember much.

I can bring wine onboard without a corking fee? I will have the UBP but like a nice bottle once in a while. Is is per person or cabin because if I can bring in carryon and since I'm driving to the port, I can have my dh also bring on two bottles for me.
Thank you.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

There is a whole other discussion on corkage fee.  The "rules" say there is one but apparently no one, including me, has ever been actually charged (o'k, I think there was this one person but that may have been waiter related...).  It used to be two bottles per stateroom, but they changed it one bottle per adult limited to two per stateroom.  I guess maybe some solo cruisers were bringing two bottles.  You can put the wine in your checked backage (where you give it to the porter at the cruise terminal that later gets delivered to your room) or you can put it in a carry on bag that you lug around the cruise ship until your room is ready.  Because there is no coordination between those two luggage systems, some people have been rumored to put two bottles in the checked baggae and then take two more that they put in a carry on/roller bag.

[KelJ]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:01 AM, The Scurvy Pirate said:

You can also bring one bottle of wine each (up to two per stateroom).  Some have said they were able to put 2 bottles in their checked luggage and 2 bottles in a carry on.  You can also get small bottles of liquor and beer/truly through Royal Gifts.  Choices are limited and aren't necessarily the best "value" as opposed to pay as you go.  But, these are additional options.

 

It is now one bottle per adult in the stateroom.  Sailing solo?  One bottle.  Two adults in the room?  Two bottles.  Three adults in the room?  Three bottles.  Four adults in the room?  Four bottles.  You get the gist.

[crzndeb]

2 hours ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

  I guess maybe some solo cruisers were bringing two bottles

As a solo traveler, it used to be 2 bottles per cabin, so we could bring 2. Now that rules have changed, solo’s can only bring 1.

[Starry Eyes]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:04 PM, Tree_skier said:

Not being a wine drinker I've never understood this.  Wouldn't you just order by the glass for free or small up charge instead of a whole bottle at only 40% off.  The math on that never made sense to me.

I have not used this benefit, but I can imagine a couple uses.  If the wine one desires is only offered by the bottle, not by the glass, it would make sense to use a voucher for a discount to get the wine one really wants.  Or if one wanted to treat your whole table to wine, one could buy a bottle (or two) with the voucher discount.

[Tree_skier]

5 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

If the wine one desires is only offered by the bottle, not by the glass, it would make sense to use a voucher for a discount to get the wine one really wants.

That makes sense... Is there a significant percentage of wines that are only available by the bottle.  

[PhillyFan33579]

On 11/15/2023 at 8:29 PM, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, I was going to make this same point.  The cruise lines'd like you to feel you either buy a package ... or you can never have an alcoholic beverage.  But you can buy individual drinks without a package.

 
I don’t understand your comment. I have been on 69 cruises on several cruise lines and I have never felt pressured to buy a drink package.