Drink package

[buckeyefrank]

On 12/6/2023 at 2:24 PM, KsucAts said:

This price is making it tough.  I like to drink on a cruise and drink more than most.  I miss the days when I could get it for around $50.  I just checked and it is $88.  I will keep checking daily & if it drops to $70 I will go ahead and buy it.  

I think a vastly underrated benefit of drink package is the fact that you don't have to keep track of the amount spent during the cruise.  I usually select it, if I think it's going to be relatively close break-even wise.  We may not come out ahead on a dollar basis, but I don't have to think about the amount I've spent and can more easily relax on vacation.  Additionally it gives you the freedom to try different drinks that you wouldn't if you didn't have the plan.  If you don't like it, don't drink it.

[KsucAts]

4 minutes ago, buckeyefrank said:

I think a vastly underrated benefit of drink package is the fact that you don't have to keep track of the amount spent during the cruise.  I usually select it, if I think it's going to be relatively close break-even wise.  We may not come out ahead on a dollar basis, but I don't have to think about the amount I've spent and can more easily relax on vacation.  Additionally it gives you the freedom to try different drinks that you wouldn't if you didn't have the plan.  If you don't like it, don't drink it.

Agreed.  My wife and I discussed that the other night and agreed we will buy it.  Just going to keep watching the prices for a drop, but ultimately will end up buying it.  

[asctony]

On 11/27/2023 at 3:07 PM, SoloAlaska said:

NCL has Free at Sea (FAS) which gets you some wifi coverage, 50$ towards each excursion, some specialty dinning, and the drinks package and all you pay is the gratuity.

 

Since you addressed NCL.

Here is Princess Plus & Premium packages.

Please look at what you get. These 2 are will within the $73 - $100 per day on RCI. PLUS the pkgs includes daily gratuities.

 

[hotdogworm]

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

[taglovestocruise]

57 minutes ago, hotdogworm said:

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

Would work just fine, after boarding Royal does not care who sleeps where.  

[HappySailer88]

14 hours ago, hotdogworm said:

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

Yes we have done this and once on board went to the desk and had it switched. No issues.

[Billy Baltic]

18 hours ago, hotdogworm said:

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

No need to explain. What happens on vacation, stays on vacation 😉

[CruisingHogFan]

20 hours ago, hotdogworm said:

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

Just call Royal and book a deluxe and a refreshment package per room.

[GimmeOcean]

21 hours ago, hotdogworm said:

My best friend and I are considering booking our husbands together in 1 cabin with us in another and then switch cabins on the ship because while the deluxe beverage package makes sense for the husbands, it doesn't make sense for us. Is it possible to do this? We did it on Carnival some years ago, but have never cruised with Royal Caribbean. Thanks in advance. 

You can call and get the refreshment package or maybe even just the soda package for you, and the DBP for your husband.

[Frankmac]

If there is a price drop and I cancel my booking, how long before I can re-book?

[Biker19]

34 minutes ago, Frankmac said:

If there is a price drop and I cancel my booking, how long before I can re-book?

No time limit when to book.

[GimmeOcean]

4 hours ago, Frankmac said:

If there is a price drop and I cancel my booking, how long before I can re-book?

Immediately.

[ngrund]

31 minutes ago, GimmeOcean said:

Immediately.

But keep in mind that there can be a bit of a wait for the refund of the first purchase to be processed 

[Frankmac]

12 hours ago, Frankmac said:

If there is a price drop and I cancel my booking, how long before I can re-book?

Got it sorted now. Thanks.

[SUESEABE]

@Beer Belly

Keep checking. We also  pulled the trigger on our March sailing at $69.99 pppd

Now senior discount (65+) shows $64.99 pppd. Cancelled and rebooked at lower price.

[Frankmac]

5 minutes ago, SUESEABE said:

@Beer Belly

Keep checking. We also  pulled the trigger on our March sailing at $69.99 pppd

Now senior discount (65+) shows $64.99 pppd. Cancelled and rebooked at lower price.

Yeah that's the deal we go toot.

[Beer Belly]

15 hours ago, SUESEABE said:

@Beer Belly

Keep checking. We also  pulled the trigger on our March sailing at $69.99 pppd

Now senior discount (65+) shows $64.99 pppd. Cancelled and rebooked at lower price.

 

15 hours ago, Frankmac said:

Yeah that's the deal we go toot.

Still have another year to go till that comes around 🙏

[fsupharm77]

On 12/20/2023 at 11:22 AM, buckeyefrank said:

I think a vastly underrated benefit of drink package is the fact that you don't have to keep track of the amount spent during the cruise.  I usually select it, if I think it's going to be relatively close break-even wise.  We may not come out ahead on a dollar basis, but I don't have to think about the amount I've spent and can more easily relax on vacation.  Additionally it gives you the freedom to try different drinks that you wouldn't if you didn't have the plan.  If you don't like it, don't drink it.

We contemplated not getting it on our cruise on Wonder in February at $72.99 pppd.  Right about $1,200 for the 2 of us.  We were on Virgin in May and had $900 bar tab to start our cruise($300pp from Virgin, plus another $100 from them on pre purchase of $200)  We went over it by $20.  Virgin doesn’t add taxes or gratuities so the same drinks on Rcl would be at least $1,085(plus the average was $12 so it would have been more)  

 

For us the biggest thing is the drinks we wouldn’t do if we were paying for them separately.  With drink package we have 2-3 mimosas with breakfast and in the morning in a hot tub or by the pool.  On the Virgin cruise we didn’t do that.  We also try different things.  
 

 

[iKarenE]

So is they price they show on the web site for the alcohol package include the tax and gratuity or do you have to add that to the price shown?

[Tiggerontheseas]

5 minutes ago, iKarenE said:

So is they price they show on the web site for the alcohol package include the tax and gratuity or do you have to add that to the price shown?

 

The price shown is before gratuities.   An 18% gratuity will be added at checkout.  

[Frankmac]

2 hours ago, iKarenE said:

So is they price they show on the web site for the alcohol package include the tax and gratuity or do you have to add that to the price shown?

When I booked recently there was a 10% tax and 18% gratuity added to the advertised price. So the advertised price of $64.99 per day ended up at $83.19 per day.

[HilaryC]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:00 AM, deliver42 said:

I'm Diamond and the 4 drinks a day are good for me. If I want more, i just pay it.

I was trying to get some clarification on the Diamond policy... is it 4 drinks up to $14 each per Diamond member, per day?  I'm not a drinker, but could I get a mocktail or sparkling water with my drink tickets?  I haven't cruised for almost 10 years... so all of the rules have changed!  Thanks.

[gerif]

9 minutes ago, HilaryC said:

I was trying to get some clarification on the Diamond policy... is it 4 drinks up to $14 each per Diamond member, per day?  I'm not a drinker, but could I get a mocktail or sparkling water with my drink tickets?  I haven't cruised for almost 10 years... so all of the rules have changed!  Thanks.

Definitely. Even bottled water or a fancy coffee. For me, I don’t drink juices, soda or coffee and have no problem with tap water so the 4 alcoholic drinks per day are just fine. 

[MichaelCMTX]

On 12/6/2023 at 1:24 PM, KsucAts said:

This price is making it tough.  I like to drink on a cruise and drink more than most.  I miss the days when I could get it for around $50.  I just checked and it is $88.  I will keep checking daily & if it drops to $70 I will go ahead and buy it.  

We're with you there.  We used to just roll with it and figure "At that price we'll just buy it and not have to get nervous about what tab we're running up" which I expect is what RC wants us to do; but the last one was a 13-nighter and I never saw the package go below $72 a day.  For the both of us that was $1872 plus gratuities and taxes.  We already had the Suite Lounge and figured between that, our permitted wine we could bring aboard, and our Diamond drinks we ought to be-- and were-- perfectly fine.

So for the next one, not even bothering.  

[iKarenE]

On 12/31/2023 at 3:59 PM, Frankmac said:

When I booked recently there was a 10% tax and 18% gratuity added to the advertised price. So the advertised price of $64.99 per day ended up at $83.19 per day.

Just when you think they are giving you a discount you end up with a surprise additional cost!!  Thanks.