The Royal Caribbean drink package mistake too many people are still making
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 เม.ย. 2022
- This week I saw so many people talk about missing out on a better price for a Royal Caribbean drink package because they didn't follow this simple advice.
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I can’t keep drinking 4-6 drinks every day to break even. This year we had some cruise credit, I drank what I want and spend a third the price of what I’d have done with the package, and still had some credit left at the end. I can see Royal make a fortune out of these. I spoke to guys struggling to get any value out of it.
another thing people dont know or dont remember, you can go to the spa and get fresh squeezed smoothies. and they are included in the drink package also
I don't drink that much but I do love that RCC offers the refreshment package. I got one for our Nov cruise at $16.99 a day. It includes everything but alcohol. Specialty coffee, smoothies, fresh squeezed juices, bottled water, soda, virgin drinks.....it pays for itself by mid-morning.
buying the refreshment package and paying for shots on the side is also a strong move if you only plan on drinking a few drinks each day or only drinking some days
@@beautywearsboots6458 oh yea! Done that too. I like the virgin Mojitos but sometimes I'll get a shot to add to it. Much cheaper.
@@kimkelly4586 a virgin mojito with a shot added in it isn’t a virgin mojito 😂
@@brandonsargent7105 yes I know. What we're saying is if you only occasionally want a drink with alcohol the refreshment package is nice.
what sux is if I want to purchase a drink package that includes alcohol my wife who doesn't drink must also purchase a drink package ( anybody sharing the state room 21 and over )
Depending on when the next cruise is, I always wait until the Black Friday sales, as many times any add-ons will be half off. I never book onboard, as add-ons are more likely to cost more than if I were to book them back home.
Why would they charge both guests in the same room, what if the lady is pregnant,or 1 of the guest is a recovering alcoholic..
Thanks for this video, Matt! It definitely would have come in handy when we were planning our first cruise last year so I'm glad it's out there now for people who need to hear it!
Glad it was helpful!
I remember when you were able to pre order several bottles of wine, i think it was quite cool to just have a couple of bottles of wine if you enjoy dinning with red or white.
Just finished 7 days with mom and 2 daughters. We drank a lot at Coco Cay but also a lot on port days. So by the end we didn’t do the drink package and came out ahead. We did not limit ourselves for anything but bringing wine to dinner for 4 nights helped as well.
So I ordered the deluxe drinks package 2 months ago for a cruise next month…Then just last week, it dropped and I saved £150 over 2 packages.
I watched this video before the original purchase and took your advice.
Thank you!
Just got off wonder of the seas yesterday! We always book our drink packages as soon as we book the cruise!
Greetings from the Jewel of the Seas somewhere in the English Channel!Halfway through our current 12 day cruise we figured that we’d saved about $400 by not buying the drink package.
There are some days that we barely get to $70 for both of us so we feel foolish just doing an analysis!
Matt you are the man of RCI I bought the packages early on our last/first RCI cruise and lo an behold the price dropped, canceled the first ones bought the new lower cost easy peasy I love the package, never have to worry about how much I am spending on board and with all that is included it seems to make great sense, coffee soda and of course adult beverages
Just got off a 8 day RC cruise. My hubby and I aren't big drinkers so no package at all. We brought 2 bottles of wine with us and 12 soda,water and our favorite ginger beer. Then our 1 st stop was Florida and we brought another 12 drinks to put in our room fridge.( I wasn't sure they would let me bring more on, but security said as long as it isnt alcohol) We brought alcoholic drinks when we wanted them, hubby even had 3 drinks in 1 day which was only about 40.00. Our alcohol bill was only 207.98 when we docked. We also drank and had a meal at each port. We don't drink enough and don't like soda enough to buy a drink package. The cheapest we saw was 854.00 for us. So glad I didn't waste the money we know our limits. My daughter and son would probably get the alcohol package when they go. I'm past that stage in life! Lol
Though I haven’t sailed RC (yet), this is great advice. Thank you!
Actually you saved me on the last few videos you made concerning this issue. I've already locked in my package for he 40% discount and now it shows 30% so you are right. They may never go down.
I booked a Royal Caribbean cruise a few years ago and wanted to purchase the drink package, but wanted to wait for the price to come down… one night I was with a friend that was also booked on that cruise, I went onto the site to check out the price while we were chatting about if we wanted to even get the drink package & I was shocked to see that the price went from like $55 USD to like $18 USD & I immediately booked the package, my friend did too. The next day we both received an email from RC stating the discount was a mistake! They honored the discount though & my friend and I used our “onboard credit” as well to purchase the drink package, we ended up only paying about $8USD/day for our drinks! Sadly, the cruise was booked for the end of April 2020…. The cruise was canceled, and so our amazing deal was too. 😭😭
Karma got you for being crooked and holding them to the mistaken discount!!!!! Hope you learned to be honest and not greedy!!!!
@@michaelvoorhees5978 Man, the whole COVID pandemic was caused by this one lady trying to get cheap cruise drinks. Who knew?!
@@michaelvoorhees5978 that's not crooked and greedy! They booked the package on Royal at the rate Royal listed. They just got lucky and then super unlucky.
@@michaelvoorhees5978 Bull. Get off your high horse. She booked in good faith what was offered. The cruise line did the appropriate thing and honored their mistake.
@@michaelvoorhees5978what an A hole
Yes to all this!!! I waited and the price INCREASED by $6/day per person. I immediately bought it because I wanted to stop the increase. If it goes back down best believe I will cancel and repurchase!
I've been following the advise you provided and been able to literally go from $400.00 per person for the drink package to now about $250pp. Constantly checking and cancelling/rebooking when I see a better offer for the package. Very Happy with the savings!
That’s awesome!
When you get the drink package you can try drinks you've always wanted to but we're afraid you wouldn't like and if you don't like it you don't feel bad about not drinking it. And I plan out my drinks pre cruise 😆
Thats why my husband is getting it for our cruise. We dont drink like ever because im allergic to it and hes the only one who drives. But i want him to relax and try all the fun drinks he wants so its worth it for us
I went on Royal Caribbean and i drank roughly 3 bottles of patron, 4 bottles of captain, 2 bottles of titos, 2 bottles of moet, beers and soda. I went with the premium drink package for $500 includes internet as well. As a drinker this is an amazing deal considering each drink on the ship without is around $10-$20. The simplicity as well, no signing receipts and no squaring up at the end.
I’m definitely getting the drink package. This will be my first cruise, and I want it to be perfect. I’ve learned that buying mixed drinks when it go out never gives me the feel that I’m looking for, so I’m going to need A LOT to feel it. 😂
I order drinks as I wish and have never come close to what a drink package would cost. I’m fine with the complimentary coffees, teas, juices and tap water. Therefore, a drink package is not worth it for me. But, everyone is different. Only you know what’s best for you. You gave great tips, but I might want to add that you still have to pay a gratuity on your drinks even if you have a drink package. Whatever you choose to do, have a wonderful cruise!
Update: apparently I was mistaken. From what I understand, gratuities are included with drink package price. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Happy sailing y’all!
I agree. Drink packages forces one to drink and plays on the psych that you are money ahead or behind on drinks.. RC has a drink package for $71/day + 18% tips. Maybe the drinks are simply over priced?
Sorry this might seem like a silly question but say you pay $71 A-day for the package is it an extra 18% on the $71 are is it an extra 18% on everdrink you purchase plus $71 aday?
@@LM-zc4up thanks for this question. Seems I was wrong. You do not have to pay an additional gratuity. Apparently, it’s included with your package.
@@LM-zc4up Yes, and no... The sale price maybe $71.99/day and RC will automatically add 18% gratuities in your "Cart". Ones you buy, you will not have to pay gratuities for drinks on the ship. That's what everybody "gratuities included" calls included.
@@VictorNLisiMartin so do you tip them or not?!
Just saved me nearly $200 on the refreshment package because of your note about the sale still going on :)
Wow, thanks so much! I just checked the cruise planner and the Refreshment Beverage Package on my cruise
(Ovation Sept 2nd Alaska) dropped by $60. I canceled the original order and rebooked. Again, thanks!
Thanks for this video! I had bought the RC Deluxe Drink package at a 20% savings when I originally booked my cruise. However, after watching this video, I learned I could cancel and rebook if a better price came along. I did that tonight because the July 4th sale cut the price to 30% of regular pricing. Thank you so much for the info!
How do you find the new pricing? Will you see it even after you book your drink price?
Excellent tip! Just booked ours.. and will pay attention from now on till cruise date. TY!
Hello. I’m cruising the 4 of June on symphony of the seas. In my cabin there are three adults, two of them have never had alcohol. When I went to book the drink package it automatically select all three adults for 1,637.00 which is amazing. I will be drinking tap water and lemonade😅😅😅. Thank you RCC
It better to call the royal caribbean and asked for the drink package for yourself. The app charges for everyone in the room. That how my cousin got the drink package
@@mstee4155 So, you’re not held to the two person rule for a couple, etc? That’s great to know.
That is to avoid the adults from sharing one drink package.
Huh ?
Since I enjoy cigars specially while on vacation, it makes sense for me cause I typically drink Scotches, Whiskeys or Bourbons while having one. Another good part of the package is like you said in the video. There are time specially on sea days that you will drink more than port days. I have been on 2 cruises on 2 different other cruise lines and found that's how I end up by how much I drink. I'll drink less if I am headed off to an excursion or beach day. When I get back to the ship then I start to have a few. Also during shows I have a tendency to only have one drink at that point. So what it comes down to is think of how you will end up when and where you would like to drink.
I buy just the refreshment package for myself. We get a cocktail or beer when we want, and we check out off the ship around $435 last several cruises! On Oasis class ships (That includes the gratuities and sometimes something from the ship store) Of course I leave an additional cash tip for crew.
Thanks for sharing this information about the drink package.
While not consider big drinkers, we like locking in the drink pkg for a variety of reasons. No bill to pay at the end,the ability to try some higher end brands, and the ability to have specialty coffee/hot chocolate in the morning/evening,juices,pop. But the the most appealing to us is the ability to try something new w/o feeling like having to finish it if its not to our liking.
I payed for a drink package. Two of three drinks included in the package (under 11 dollars) was "out" on day one and on the rest of the cruise 🤔
the problem is that you'd need to drink like 6 drinks a day per person just to break even. So even if you waste one or two drinks a day at 14 bucks each, you're still saving money as long as you stay under 6 drinks a day.
If you plan to purchase a bottle of wine for your dinner or a bottle of saki for your sushi, the deluxe drink package will provide a discount. You'll want to consider that discount when determining if the package is worth it.
Thanks Matt, great advice!
I'm normally a fairly heavy drinker (especially on a Caribbean cruise in the heat) but we are going on a Mediterranean cruise next with only one full day at sea, all the other days are at ports. So, I think this time I'll try to avoid getting the deluxe drink package in hopes that I can bring wine back with me from the ports.
One thing not mentioned is that (say) on a 7-day cruise, you are off the ship three days paying for drinks that are not part of that package. If you like to party, you're off the ship consuming drinks and still need to consume the drinks that you've paid for as part of your drink package when you return to the ship. This is where you can loose on the drink package. You're hammered when you return to the ship (which the ship likes) because you're not drinking the drinks that you've paid for (package) driving up the per drink cost.
I will get even more hammered when I get back on the ship to my package!!!!! Lol
We don’t plan on really getting off.
Drink package can be used on COco cay and Haiti.
That part😂
Harmony for October 30th jumped big time. The normal pre-cruise was $69.99 from $87. I bought it at buy-one get one at 50% off at $65.99. This new sale shows the normal price jumped to $98 and the sale is $72.99. With more people cruising and the price of fuel, it’s going to continue to rise. They have to recoup somewhere
An appropriate topic for what I was planning to say anyway. We just returned 3 days ago from a 10-day S.Caribbean cruise on Vision. Your comment that the average person has 4-6 drinks per day proved to be right on for us; and being Diamonds, we got the vouchers for 4 free drinks/day. Only on 3 of the 10 days we sailed did we exceed those 4 drinks/day. However, I probably would have exceeded that had my favorite scotch (for mixing with soda) been available. Nothing negative to say about the cruise experience EXCEPT this: I quickly discovered that there was a grand total of ONE bottle of J.W. Black aboard the ship when we arrived, and it was only about 1/3 full. Needless to say, it didn't last long. There was PLENTY of J.W. Black in the ship's store, which I know is a concession; but the F&B manager told me that the ship simply hasn't been able to get any Black from J.W. for weeks, as well as several other liquors. You can buy a bottle of wine onboard and have the dining room put it aside for your use only, but they wouldn't do that with any other liquor.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the variety of beer onboard was also extremely limited to: Bud, Stella, Corona (only at some of the bars), Bud light, Coors light, and Miller light.
I'm sincerely hoping that the ships sailing out of EU countries have a better variety of both beer and liquor since we're scheduled for a 7-day Scandinavian cruise next month.
We did exactly as recommended in booking the package early on. We then did a cruise prior to this last RC cruise where we did not book the package and what we found out for us is, it was much less not using the drink package. So we cancelled our package and we drank as much as we wanted, even buying bottle of wine and we still came out ahead. Matt, thanks for doing the blog it was so helpful for our cruise on Harmony. What a ship!! Here's a tip for your audience. Coco Cay, if you're part of the older crowd book the Beach Club, the lunch alone is worth the cost. Don't bring a towel, they already have them there.
I'm booking a cruise for harmony of the seas for me and my kids. So what you are saying is that you saved less by not purchasing the drink package?
@@0024811 It was just my wife and I and the package was around $900. We didn’t spend half that including gratuities and a couple dollars if they were fast. I probably had on sailing days 8-10 drinks. When in a port I bought a 6 pack of Modelos in a tub of ice at St. Martin for $15 and $25 at St. Thomas sitting on the beach. If you and the family drink sodas then the soda package is probably worth it but be aware you have to carry a big plastic cup with you and the drink stations are limited locations. We just carry on cans of soda and keep in the fridge in the room. Each person is allowed a 12 pack. We just took one. Lemonade, tea, water, orange juice is always free.
Thnx for the advice I have never been on a cruise and I'm planning on taking one this January on royal Caribbean
The refreshment package is the only bev package the hubs and I are getting as we're fans of fresh squeezed juices, smoothies, and lattes. (If there's a lavender one on board I'll be in heaven lol) 💜 ✨️
We went on a themed cruise on RCC early this year. Our friends got the drink package and it proved to very cost effective for them. As we did have a lot of drinks but they had way more than we did. Since we pre-booked the same themed cruise for next year. The company running the themed cruise offered a lower price on the drink package than what RCC has listed. Needless to say, we booked that with the company. Our only compliant would be that if a couple goes on a cruise and if a spouse does not drink or cannot drink alcohol due to any reason. It does not matter or so it seems, because both have to buy the drink package.
I heard you can contact guest services and let them know that you can't drink
@@katiereed8361 this is true i told them my traveling companion has liver issues and cannot drink and we only have to by one as long as i provide documentation of the issue
Not only is it a good idea to book early on your drink package, shore excursions, or anything else that you can prepay for in advance, but it also includes the base price of the cruise. Because the sooner you booked the sooner you lock in the price, if it goes down you can always rebook if it goes up you've got the best price.
My cruise is a couple days away and I finally bought a drink package and it’s $200 cheaper than it’s been in the 6 months leading up to our cruise.
@Jeff Dinter Question: what is the best way to book the Atlantis Day Pass for the Nassau day, On the ship or on the Bahamas website?
If you cancel and rebuy at a lower price, do they refund you the difference or is it a credit?
For us, the biggest benefit to the package was the freedom. We felt free to experiment with new alcohols and new mixed drinks with out fear of disliking something. If you've never tried Scotch, or Gin etc. here's your chance to try a bunch of different ones to see if you can find something new. Similarly, maybe you want to try some new mixed drinks. My wife found her new favorite go to drink while we were cruising. Take a sip of something different then pass it back if you don't like it and try something else.
This is exactly what we said we wanted to do tonight! Plus our espressos, bottles water and soda its way worth it for us.
I agree with you 100% iwe like to try new drinks and if we don't like them we aren't out 14 bucks
and malts and milk shakes!
Spot on! The ability to experiment at a whim is awesome. At sailaway I saw a fellow cruiser get a gorgeous drink; what was that? A mint mojito- my new fave sailaway drink. Another nite... wtf was this espresso thing someone got? Espresso Martini! A great nite time drink! Plus waters, Red Bulls, sodas n'at. Gotta get a drink package on a cruise!
It’s vacation
I always buy the alcohol package ! It’s better to book in advance as well as excursions. Also I have a wonderful travel agency person that knows all about it . It helps to book thru one . Five past cruises , one coming in November! I love cruising !
Wife and I were just on the Harmony of the Seas back in May. She's not a drinker so I chose not to get the drink package. I got her instead the refreshement package because she could get fresh vegetable juices as part of the package from the spa cafe. I chose not to get the drink package because I felt it was way too expensive. Instead, i used our OBC to purchase my drinks and ended up settling up at the end of the cruise for an additonal $250. Way cheaper than paying $670 for the over priced drink package. Some say we should have used that OBC for specialty dining. We've been on several cruises where we payed for specialty dining and I must admint, I'd rather go to the MDR because for us, it was not worth the price.
Matt I literally purchase my drink package & check every day. YES EVERYDAY. I HAVE booked & rebooked so many times. I ALWAYS get the best price.
How long does it take to see the money back on your card
@Angela Butts I usually get mine back within 3 to 5 days.
@@angelabutts5849 usually 3 to 5 days is what I've experienced
what’s the cheapest price per day you’ve gotten? 🤔
@@mermaidhairr The cheapest was $23.00 per day & I think that was ONLY because cruising had just started back up
Thank you for this video, it was very informative and I might book a cruise soon!!🎉
I think this depends partly on your personality. Last time I cruised I felt so much pressure to make sure I got my money's worth when I bought the package it actually stressed me out. We were constantly thinking about getting our next drink, or when we were in a port - we stopped at a bar and were having a great time but the whole time felt like we were wasting money as we could be drinking free on the ship. This time I'm going to go, drink as much as I want, when I want to - and will see what the difference is. I'm sure it will be less than the discounted drink package. Now our friends are completely different and they don't want to worry about the bill at the end of the cruise and just cover it all from the start.
This sounds like exactly what would happen to me and the gf, we would be worried about getting our moneys worth.
I booked it before the video was over, I added the dinner package too! And refreshments package for my little girl. Thank you for your recommendation. I’ll be sure to replace it day by day to make sure I’m not losing out on any onboard credit.
Awesome!
Bought mine almost as soon as I booked the cruise. The cruise is in November this year, and I booked it in Sep last year LOL. I keep checking or a lower price and , so far, I have the lowest. Your logic stands.
Thanks to your info, that is exactly what we did. We booked the drink package, and then a nice discount hit the planner a few weeks later. I cancelled and rebooked and saved a nice sum....
That is awesome!
Hi there. Booked a cruise with my daughter for September . We used a travel agent. Where do you go to book this drink package? I downloaded the RC app but it's not on there. Do I have to go back to the agent to book the package and do I have to keep going back to him if there are price drops? Thanks for the help?
We came back from Anthem of the Seas recently and we had Refreshment package. I was under the impression there will be various types of juices but only orange is available and only available until 11:30 am WindJammer BF time. That is not the biggest disappointment, the Mocktails syrup water and actually spoils a few of our meals, after all, we just don’t order mocktail anymore.
Are you saying all their drinks were made with fake stuff instead of juices?
Thank you so much for you suggestion
We hadn't decided on if we wanted a drink package or not yet, but back on Thanksgiving day it was 50% off. I assumed it would never be cheaper, so even though we weren't 100% sold on the idea I booked it then. Now we're 6 months later (and I've been checking the cruise planner website at least once a week since and its never been cheaper or the same price), and decided we're keeping the package, and mostly because of the price. If it was more it wouldn't be worth it. Glad I bought it when I did knowing I could cancel later if we changed our minds, but locked in the best price. 18 days and we set sail! Can't wait!
How was your cruise and was the drink package worth it?
How can I find the cruise website?
Good info for novice and experienced cruisers alike. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Is that Jay from The Shiplife @ 9:06 - 9:10 sitting off to the left of the screen chillin with a cocktail? Very cool.
Great video Mat. Normally we get the deluxe drink package, but on our upcoming cruise we decided to try the refreshment package and purchase our alcohol separately. Tiff and I just don't drink more than two alcohol beverages per day. Not to mention, we just don't drink as much alcohol anymore as we get older. Hopefully we can see a cost savings this time. On our next sailing in June, the difference from the refreshment package to the deluxe beverage package was about $400 total for two people. I don't think we are going to reach that limit. Your strategy for purchasing the deluxe drink package is true for any of the beverage packages. Great advice.
Video came just in time. The drink package on my cruise just went on sale again and my friend was trying to decide if she should get it for her and her husband. They’re drinkers, my husband and I are lightweights and coffee drinkers that’s why I purchased the refreshment package. We’re leaving in 87 days so I told her she needs to get it before the price increases again. Thanks Matt maybe she will listen to your advice.
Fantastic!
On the Royal Caribbean cruises, if you purchase on the website early, both people have to purchase the same one. I know on Celebrity, from my last 2 cruises with them, if you wait until you board, they don't enforce that. I wanted the alcoholic drink package and my friend only wanted the non-alcoholic package. I am taking my daughter-in-law on RC this summer, and she will be 6-months pregnant by that time. I plan on calling to see if they will allow an exception!
It also depends if you can use the package on shore! The cruise to bahamas says we can use the drink package at coco cay 🙌🏽
Years ago when you went on a cruise the minute the ship got 3 miles off shore the drinks were not expensive as compared to being in port.
Dec 2023
Wonder of the Seas drink package price:
On ship: $100/day
Black Friday: $73/day
Cruise Points Earned: < 30
Well done.
You Saved me $400 AUD.
Purchased. Week later price dropped. Cancelled and re purchased at discounted price.
Fantastic and great channel.
Our 1st cruise on royal Caribbean
Quantum of the seas out of Brisbane Australia Nov,Dec
I've done royal caribbean without a drink package and with a drink package...both specialty cruises..A soca cruise... and without it i spent $450 by myself in drinks.... on a four day cruise... the other specialty cruise the package was included with the price so IDK how much it was but i just booked a 3 day cruise for me and my boyfriend and paid $488 total for two drink packages... it's a must have for me.
Hay Matt great advice 👍
This is my biggest negative experience with Royal. Neither Carnival, Norwegian or MSC play this game, the price is the price.
I understand adjusting the price by sailing, but the current scheme is too dynamic and makes me feel like I'm getting scammed unless I check the Planner like every day.
As a travel agent that is what I do, check it every day for best prices.
This is actually one of the main reasons why I rarely sail Royal. Because NCL and Celebrity usually have deals where they include the drink package (even if it's just the basic one) but it's still something.
You really have to watch the sales with Royal Caribbean! Mostly it's a good idea to buy early as their prices tend to rise the closer to the cruise we get. For example, I wanted the private beach club on my last Royal Caribbean cruise. It was on sale Thanksgiving week for under $100 and I didn't know. When I went to purchase it, it had gone up to $179!! Not worth it at that price! It never went down to a reasonable price, so I didn't end up getting it. Carnival is generally just 10% off prior to the cruise. Even though I'm not a big drinker, if I have four drinks a day (possible if you think about it this way - a mimosa or Bloody Mary at breakfast, a frozen drink in the afternoon by the pool, a martini before going to dinner and a drink at one of the shows. Plus, I might have a coffee mid-morning and four to six bottles of cold water, along with a soda - hydration is important, especially when it's hot out! :o) All of this would come out to roughly what is charged for the drink package when it's at it's lowest prior to the cruise both on Royal and Carnival. This way, I don't have to keep track of how much I'm spending because I've already paid for the drinks and if I don't like something, I don't have to drink it. I also don't have to watch the bartenders and think how much ice they are putting in that drink!!
I highly recommend buying the deluxe package. I'm not a big drinker but when you're on vacation, you definitely want to let loose & relax.
Thanks for the tip!
Being an Aussie when we cruise you need to buy the drink package if you don’t want to get stung with the US$ conversion rate
I find it easy, knowing how much of paid in Australian dollars rather than worrying about an exchange rate in US dollars. I don’t drink heaps but I do have a few coffees and lots of waters and a few drinks at night. It definitely works out to my advantage to buy the drink package some of the drinks work out at approximately $12 US which add our conversion rate isn’t very cheap
Just be careful and keep track of account. More than once I ordered Refreshment drink package, cancelled it when black Friday specials came up and repurchased with the sale. It messed up my already paid cruise price. Cruise planner glitch. I'm not saying don't do it just be careful.
I like to utilize a spreadsheet per person since each might drink different types of beverages, cocktail, wine, beer, coffee and bottle water for excursion day. I also like to have a separate column for each cruise day and note each day as either a sea day or port day since port days you might only have 3 beverages once you return to ship after an excursion vs a sea day were you might have 7 drinks (cocktail, beer, wine) plus a couple speciality coffees.
Overall this aids in letting you know if daily rate (plus 18.5%gratuity) is a break even price, in the red (no savings) or in the green (savings).
What were your spreadsheet findings if you don’t mind me asking 🤣
@@datstudkillacam6046 about $100 into the Red which means we have to tip back a couple more on the sea days to break even.
🍻 Cheers
We just drink and pay. There is usually a 10 drink paper card for $100 sold near the mid point of the cruise that can be used for any mixed drink. And just keep buying that. We've never come close to hitting the total drinks package cost.
It’s this with royal?
I do this with everything I purchase. It always goes down. My next cruise, I have lowered the price of my excursions, my drink package, my specialty dining, and the key.
We always get the package early. A couple of times there was a lower price, we canceled and then rebooked. After all, a bar is just a stumble away. Watched excursions and dining, and photos, no savings were found there, but we check. Definitely book anything early. On board, $$$ is always more. Be careful in the shops, very few bargains.
Just to give an update Matt thank you for your advice as I previous said my package was $90 a day but went on sale for $71.99. I cancelled my first purchase and able to re-book it at the cheaper price saving my around $470.
Perfect!
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog Thank you Matt the price just lowered to $66.99 A day and I was able to cancel that and scoop it up for a lower price even still. My excursions went on sale also and I was able to cancel them and get better ones. Thank you for your advice.
This is true, we called Royal Caribbean 2 days ago and the advisor told us this 👍
Have just read all the comments on drink packages, didn't hear anyone mention changes for water and coffee's that are part of a beverage package.
This was so informative and perfect timing! I remember that "glitch" where it was $18 pp per day for a little while; almost caught that sale, but couldn't check out my cart!! We are trying the drink package for the first time on a Royal Caribbean ship and looking forward to the "extras" as far as fresh squeezed juice, water and special coffees. Thanks for the information, Matt!!
I remember the Glitch! What a day that was. 😂
Love the specialty coffee. We also get bottled waters throughout the day to keep in the fridge. Great for when going into port/excursions.
@@ameerahjordan1231 - Yes! That's what I'm thinking! So it has such value!
Dang that would have been nice. Got surf and stream and drink for $59 and thought it was a deal
@@sbeiring76 that IS a great deal!! This was years ago and just a fluke; not an actual intended sale from RCCL! You should be very happy with your price!!
My friend & I grabbed that $18/day price in February of 2020 on Symphony. It was nice!!🍷🥃🍸🍹
Learned a lot from this vlog. Saw Jay from the Shiplife at the end. LOL
We usually get it. Last cruise in March, 3 night, was $66 per person but remember they will add on 18% in gratuities so check the cart price. I believe the convenience of the drink package is a big selling point, as one can just hand a card and they swipe it. No signing receipts. Also I can say this drink is warm I want another and I can get one right away. But I agree, the game they play with the prices is ridiculous. “Price as shown” is price so don’t try to do the math!
You still have to sign for every single drink lol. Annoying
I have never seen so much emphasis put on alcohol consumption.. was the trip really that much more enjoyable or did it just seem like due to the alcohol fog?
I've booked Wonder for May 2022 @ £40 p.p.p.d. This will save me a fortune as I intend to smash those cocktails 24/7/7. 🍸 Given the total expense of cruising with Royal Caribbean this looks like my first and last cruise with them.- Returned from Cruise with RC. The Drinks package was a bargain. There were times when we ordered a Cocktail and they where far too strong to drink and we left them. If we had paid separately for them I doubt we would have tried so many. Speciality dining was awesome. 7 night, too much food though. All in it was a great Holiday for a good price. Will go again on ICON.
I get 2 specialty coffees daily. I also get 2 bottles of water to take with me when, I leave the ship. I have a drink before dinner, during dinner, and with the evening entertainment. One of the things I like about the drink package, is the convenience.
Me too. I pay in advance so by the time the cruise comes along, I forgotten about that expense and don’t need to worry about how much I’m paying when I’m on board
My husband booked is a Friday-Monday cruise and didn’t get a drink package beforehand and the first day we were on board decided to get one without alcohol and paid the hefty price of $120! 😳 We know now for our next two cruises that are already booked.
It is $73 a day now. When I first booked it was 65.99. Although there is a a discount for the second person, they jacked the prices up to still be more than what it was in the beginning. It feels like a Kohl tag switch up. Thanks for the video. Now I know!
Did the original price include the 18% gratuity?
@@danielmejorado6098 They tack it on as you're purchasing it. That was another 250 or so.
I bought a deluxe package for my son who doesn't drink. Then I called RCC and bought a liquor package for me and was able to get it without buying one for my son. They're able to override getting the second package for my son.
Yes I did too..but you almost have to say the other person has a medical condition not to get the package. & they make you get the Refresher drink package...which worked for us
If your son was under drinking age you don’t have to upgrade his package
I did the same, my Dad has a medical condition. So I still got him the base drink package in case he needs tea, or a soda etc. Saved a ton of money !!! Waited 2 hours on hold but......totally worth it! Yup me and my Pops dream trip!!!! So I got the deluxe package to try different things...and just have fun with no worries!! We can't wait!
That is good to know as my wife would possibly want one but my medication prevents me from drinking so would be a waste for me to get one. In drink water like a fish so the refresh package would be good for me along with having special coffees and soda.
These packages are nearly $100 per day per person and the best discount you can hope for is 20% which is taken up by the gratuities.
Best package is the free one. Make sure you always use you players card in the casino. 👍🚢
I really feel that Royal Caribbean should include the drink package in the price in the cruise. Celebrity does and that's their ship. Why are you not taking care of your cruisers? Why are the prices of the drink package sooo expensive. The price is what you could spend in another cruise.
I haven't sailed with RC yet, but on other lines we buy the package so we know we're not going to be hit with having to pay all the on-board spend at the end of the cruise, it's already been paid up-front and it's all done. The RC drink package seems expensive to me, and costs more than we would spend (not big soda / coffee drinkers either so not much benefit that those are included). Does anyone know if RC would let us pre-purchase OBC to offset some of the cost so we don't have to pay it all at the end of the cruise?
Very interesting
We were just shown a $90/day price for next years sailings on oasis. I really think we might have to pull the trigger sooner rather than later and switch to Norwegian. We don’t do anything they charge extra for anyway. We had $52/day this past sailing in March n didn’t really cover that. Maybe there should be a unlimited alcohol and water only package for those who don’t drink soda, coffee and juice.
Yep, I am in the same boat. Going on Odyssey next year and the drink package is $98/day. I used the drink package calculator and in order for it to be worth it to me, the prices needs to drop down to approximately $42-45/day.
Matt maybe you can also remind people that the Deluxe Package also includes soda, bottled water, juices, specialty coffee and smoothies. They can also add to cover the drink package cost.
The drink package is very convenient but also forces you to drink a ton of booze every single day to "break even" even at their expensive per drink prices. By day 3 or 4 you just aren't wanting that much booze and calories. My opinion.
I’m very annoyed at the drink package price changes. When I booked my cruise I was on the fence about getting the drink package since I’m not a big drinker and decided on a specific amount that made sense for me to spend. I waited it out for a few days and when I saw the price dropped I grabbed it and booked the deluxe drink and voom package. A few days ago I checked in for my cruise on the cruise planner and made a huge mistake. I accidentally scanned my underage sons passport in my spot immediately realized it and scanned my passport in the correct spot. WELL that prompted their system to automatically cancel my drink package even though I had not completed the check in process. I called RC and they basically nothing can be done except book at the higher price now😫 also tried emailing them before they refunded my money to try and correct it but emails went unanswered☹️. So as a first time cruiser it’s a bummer. Now I refuse to pay a penny more because it just wouldn’t make sense for me being that I’m not a heavy drinker.
Sounds like it was yoir fault and not the cruise company.
I’m usually solo so I didn’t get the drink package or soda package. I knew I didn’t wanna drink that much because I was alone. The ship had free water, lemonade and another drink. I did order a drink, maybe two.
I just drank strawberry kiwi all afternoon everyday at windjammer when I was on Vision of the seas. :D
The same kind of thing happened to me with the dining package for a future sailing on harmony of the seas in November 2022.
I was looking at a three night dining package which at one point was $92 and it jumped $10 and has not gone down since. I think I’m going to just book it and check the price.
Great videos as always thanks Matt!
When we sailed on Majesty, we brought two bottles of wine on board for dinner, and I bought the drink package just for myself. I bought a case of water for my wife. We weren't flying at the end of the cruise, so all the unopened bottles came home with us. I've since learned in another video to just request bottles of water whenever we think of it and stash them in the fridge in the room if you have one. It is also important to remember that the drink package extends to Perfect Day. That came in handy. Finally, about halfway through the cruise, the bartenders stopped charging me for her (occasional) drinks, but that's not something you can bank on happening.
You can always buy the package, and if the price goes down, cancel and repurchase. Or buy it when it is cheap, then cancel if you change your mind. I usually cancel and rebook stuff on my cruises at least 3 or 4 times.
Another great video Matt
Glad you enjoyed it