The easy solution is to sell drink cards. Sell a 10, 20, 50, 100 drink package. Want to get a drink for someone, sure. One drink less off your drink card
Great idea. Bit like the bucket of beers but way more convenient. It's How RCL do their Diamond drinks - 5 a day. Just need them to make it transferrable between cruises. However, Princess duded me on a coffee card like this. I bought one when it was transferrable between cruises. They changed it to cruise of purchase only for future cards and refused to honor past cards.
@@johnwinter6061 Diamonds get 4 drinks a day. Basically a voucher system. Diamond Pluses get 5 drinks a day. Pinnacles get 6 drinks a day. The coffee card works between cruises, doesn’t it? I don’t see why a drink card wouldn’t.
Trick #1- In port get a large drink cup (Something like a big gulp or souvenirish) then buy a bottle of your liquor of choice at the port liquor store out in town. Dump drink out of cup and fill with your chosen spirit. Sip (or at least look like ur sipping) when you return onboard. As you pass through they will ignore your drink and only look for local spirit bottles. Just saying it works-from experience
Pro tip for anyone unsure whether to get the deluxe package: Don’t buy it, but keep an eye on the price. Then drink as you please on the cruise. When it’s over, check out the bill and add up your beverage total. If you drank more than the lowest cost of the package (90% of you won’t), you’ll know to buy it next time. And if you’re on a 3- or 4-day cruise with an excursion anywhere other than Coco Cay, *definitely* don’t buy it.
Yea, our cruise isnt til next year so I'm HOPING black friday gives some sales.. But DAMN that's WAY too much for a drinks package.. Will be our first time on RC so unless there is something amazing about everything else, may be our last with those prices.
I use a combination of bringing wine/champagne on board, attend events that have free drinks (no limit!), buy a drink here and there at the bar using the coupons, and then purchase drinks when we're off the boat. For me, that always seems more than enough.
I'll be booking a cruise soon with RC, departing from Sydney and as an Australian, I'll be paying US dollars on the cruise. That alone will hit my pocket pretty hard as any purchases made on the ship will be charged to my (bank) account in US dollars of which I'll incur exchange rate and fee. So for me, a $14 dollar cocktail is now more like $20 Australian and if I want to load up cash on my seapass, I'll stand to lose money once that exchange rate hits. For me, the drink package is a viable option and while I'm not a big consumer of alcohol, it's nice to have the choice and not worry that a $14 dollar cocktail is going to turn into a $20 or $25 dollar purchase (not including the gratuities and bank charges) Thanks for the video, Matt. Loving these and can't wait for my next cruise 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Im going on a Royal Caribbean cruise for the first time. I opted for the drink package. $330 for a 5 day cruise. For me it’s worth it. I know I’ll enjoy the premium coffee , bottled water and alcoholic drinks and that’s enough for me. Hell maybe I’ll go to Johnny Rockets for a shake lol. I’m on vacation baby!
@Sephult14 yeah my wife and I are going on a 3 night cruise to Bahamas and its going to be 492 for both of us. I wonder if we could spend less than that without it.
@@Cossack_Gaming I doubt it. A couple did a video about it and added up the prices of drinks, including water and coffee. It was absolutely a huge save on money. Their Drink packages were around $69. per person, and the total if they paid per drink was over $300 dollars. I think they drank around 17 “drinks” each including water and coffee. The bottled waters were $2.36 each then. So not too bad really. I think the video was about a year old, so prices might have changed.
You can have two adults in a cabin and only order one drink package. You need to submit a doctor's note that says one person is not allowed to have sugary drinks like pop or alcohol for medical reasons. They will then allow only one person to have a drink package.
In Amsterdam, there was a guy selling wine in the cruise terminal. So convenient, and relatively cheap. We often bring two bottles of wine on board, and ask our stateroom attendant for a couple of glasses.
My favorite tip is always get the refreshment package, as it is invaluable, but to buy liquor as needed/as you see fit. Unless you're drinking 10+ alcoholic drinks a day, you'll find the discount between the two packages is unhinged. Our refreshment package for one week was $210, whereas the alcoholic one was $740. While we drink a lot of the specialty drinks (mocktails, fresh squeezed juice, coffees, etc) we only would drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day. Assuming each drink is $15, that's an extra $210, for a total of $420. For $420, we had 2 alcoholic drinks a day and unlimited other premium drinks, vs. $740 for unlimited alcohol. I know the peace of mind of prepaying is great, but trust me, unless you're partying each day on the cruise, the refreshment package is the way to go!
Does the refreshment package have to be purchased by each adult in the room? I can’t seem to get a clear answer. My roommate bought it with our on board credit, we are not sure if she actually purchased for the two of us. She paid $180. I was told that she would have had to purchase mine at the same time. I drink only water and would hate to be surprised at the end of the cruise with a bill for a drink package that I didn’t use. Thank you
@@christined2066 Hi Christine! Back when I sailed, you only had to buy the refreshment package per person. It's the alcohol package you have to buy for the whole room (although, if you do have someone get the alcohol package, you can contact RC directly to say that someone else in the cabin doesn't drink). Anyway, your roommate should be fine, and you will be water only!
The drink package is worth it to me once I remember that it includes more that just alcohol. I love having espresso based drinks and can have up to five or six lattes per day. When I add that to the smoothies, other random drinks I usually drink enough to cover the cost without going out of my way to "drink more".
I'm glad it worked out for you I got the pop package and then I already have a Starbucks card which I load so I really didn't even need that many Starbucks because the coffee wasn't bad in the dining rooms that was good enough for me in the morning a Starbucks in the afternoon I still save money. Set aside enough money for three drinks a day. It's all about whatever works right. Oh and it's nice that each adult gets to bring a bottle of wine.
The refreshment package includes everything except alcohol. The average price is 79.99 a day for alcohol and 29.99. $50 difference that’s 3-4 drinks a day at the average price for alcoholic beverages. If you aren’t doing that, the refreshment package makes sense.
We're Diamond and get enough drinks per day that the package isn't necessary. On our next cruise in October we will bring a bottle of wine each onboard as that is allowed. But really we've never bought the alcohol drink package because we couldn't drink enough to make it worth the money.
@@911HRWthere’s 24hrs in a day…..you’re wasting 12hrs of good drinking time 😜 ! I get the drinks package every time….7 drinks a day pays for it, at dinner alone I’d have that in Prosecco ( I am not an alcoholic….i promise)
Agreed 100%. I love a glass of wine with my dinner and other than that I can have a beer or two in a port of call. That is enough for me. I think buying a drink package force the people to drink more.
You know, they ought to have some extra options when it comes to alcoholic drinks at least. Like perhaps purchasing a certain number of drinks for the length of the cruise. Like 10, 25, 30, etc.
Tried that tipping the drink waiters in the MDR (when they had them) about the cost of the mixed drinks on the first night. Second night I don't remember leaving the MDR, the drink was a glass a rum with a tsp of cola
Could be coffee in the morning, with an orange juice and breakfast. Then a coffee to go walk the ship with. A bottle of water to put in you fanny pack or cross bag and now your at 4 drinks just after breakfast. Glass of wine at dinner maybe a cocktail at your show in the evening or two. Not every drink we get that is part of the drink package contains alcohol in them. For years we skipped he drink package and would pay for drinks and we spent quite a bit or we skipped drinks when we wanted them( breakfast lunch or dinner time). For us it’s less trouble to buy it and get whatever whenever. The price is definitely higher than the past and wish for it to come down but let’s be real no prices are going back down anymore.
If you get the royal Caribbean credit card or book during special sales, you can receive onboard credit that can be used in purchases such as drinks this also works with booking onboard the ship
We bring two bottles of wine each trip. Our diamond vouchers are perfect for us each day for cocktails and if we use up the vouchers then we’ll just pay for a drink or two but this only happens on a sea days as we are not heavy drinkers. Depending on price we may also add a beverage package if the ship has a vitality spa bar and Johnny rockets for shakes and can stock up on bottled water for port days.
Fun fact....On the final night of the cruise any liquor you ordered at the shops or in port is delivered to your room. You can drink what you bought on the last night if you choose. My last cruise we had our bottles in my room before dinner.
2:04: From what I've heard, it's not "tedious," or "cumbersome" to smuggle booze. I've heard it's actually incredibly easy. People fill clear rum runners with booze and roll these in between their clothes in their checked bag. Or spend $600 for the drink package. People bring their metal water bottle and drink from that onboard and there apparently is zero chance anyone working for RC is going to seize and test your water bottle. That's just what a friend told me.
The best thing to do is each spouse or friend can bring two small mouth wash bottles with a clear alcohol in it and add a little bit of food coloring blue like Listerine. Plus you need to bring a bottle of wine and next just figure out how many drinks you're going to have a day if you just drink basic drinks vodka tonic rum and Coke whatever, maybe truly's, hard ciders, then you just look on the menu that they post online have that money aside plus quatuity charge on your debit card. I bought a soda, basically we split, he does not drink that much soda one a day was good for him, me I drink it all day. We are not to get drunk anyway we're just out to you a little bit of a buzz and have fun that's how we we are just because on a cruise doesn't mean we're going to get drunk. Lol
I'm using the drink package to experiment and try drinks I've never had before. I rarely do that, because drinks are usually expensive as hell, so I only stick to the tried and true.
I agree! Wife and I don’t drink but maybe twice a year so we are not up on the mains stream of what drinks bars make. We ordered drink package for Halloween week and plan to make some Memories without hurting ourselves lol!
If I'm not mistaken, the deluxe drink package also covers things like specialty coffees that you would have to pay out-of-pocket otherwise. So get a lot of special decafs to and that could make you our drink package more worthwhile. That's what I'm going to do next time. ☕️
And, bottled water (sparkling & still) like the ones available as you depart the ship for an excursion. Seriously, it’s not that hard to spend $ on drinks in a day.
I’m not a heavy drinker I think I’ll get the refreshment package which includes all of the specialty drinks and purchase alcoholic beverages here and there.
I always pay for the deluxe drink package. It's definitely worth it. I drink specialty coffees, Johnny Rockets milkshakes, sodas, fresh juices, spa drinks, mixed drinks, and beers. I don't need to worry about a big bill at the end of my cruise, and I can try new drinks. It works for me.
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog what if you bought duty free booze on the ship, and they let you take it on departing day....BUTT surprise you have another cruise with the same ship, so can you walk off with it and then walk back on for you second trip? Does anyone know?
My husband and I are not big drinkers, but we are both Diamond members, and I am Prime in the casino. As a result, we never have to pay for drinks. We rarely even use our 4 daily Diamond drink vouchers.
Diamond is a whole different ball game. I have a 3 year plan to reach Diamond. So Diamond and Prime is the perfect ticket. I have the drink package for my next cruise, but not for the one the following week. Should be Prime before or during my Back to Back December cruises.
Another limited option is to sail when I sail….im constantly getting bubbly or wine delivered to my cabin from the casino and I give them away. It’s far more than I would ever drink. Some cruises I’ll get as many as 4 bottles.
Matt, one inaccuracy. You can't re-add the drink package without cancelling it first, it tells you it is already reserved. So, you have to do the math to see if it is cheaper. Easy formula per person: Daily rate x number of nights x 1.18 (for the required gratuity)= cost per person for the cruise. Example, 4 night, current sale showing $75.99/person/day.... 75.99 * 4 * 1.18 = 358.67 per person total.
On other cruise lines my friends have found if you tip the bartender well they will look the other way if the person with a drink package orders a friend a drink. There are limits to how much you can share drinks, but it does work on some lines.
I don't drink, but my cruise-mate does. We always call for the exception, and it's never been a problem. Drink packages are getting pricier, but we like to pre-pay, to avoid a bill at the end of the cruise.
14 day cruise in April/May, drink package with gratuities is $924.84. To me its worth it because i wont be worrying that i am over spending especially on sea days.
Boy howdy Matt your title gave me pause 😃. But glad you presented it as you did. IMHO, casino cruises and drinks aren’t free…they’re “pre-paid” 🤪. Great video as always.
i have used plastic rum runners for years and have a 100% success rate with them. not one of them has ever been detected. i get free casino drinks and 5 free drinks a day with diamond plus, but the rum runners are useful for when you want to drink something actually high quality, which RCL does not stock -- such as, for example, foursquare ECS rums, certain top shelf whiskys, etc.
Got to sail with a drink package for the first time over Christmas... it was bought for us, and was amazing. That said, we've sailed on 7 other cruises, and have learned to cruise without one. Have used the wine bottle filled with coconut rum + the 12 cans or bottles of assorted soda they allow =12 drinks easy. Pushing luck further... not really worth it.
We just did a 9 day graduation cruise for our boys. one from high school and one from college. As someone who only drinks about 5 alcoholic drinks a year, I don't get the way people over imbibe on cruises. We brought 3 bottles of wine (we were travelling with our 18 and 22 year old sons) and drank two in the cabin. The other bottle went home. I did buy my husband a bottle of amaretto (and the price was high!) and had it delivered to the cabin. We carried on a case of coke for mixer. We also purchased a pitcher of spiked lemonade and shared it with our underage son (he was 18) in the cabin. I feel like he might have had some amaretto and coke, but I don't remember. We had a $300 cruise credit and I think my husband and 22 year old went to sit and listen to music and have drinks a couple times. But that was after I already went to bed. Not sure what my younger son did, but he spent a lot ot time in their cabin. Prob on wi fi with his friends. As for your comment on drinking in the cabin, we had no problem doing so. We had two suites and that made a huge deck. We also had a table where we could play games. We did the hack where we put our 18 year old in the cabin with my husband but, later, decided not to buy the package. We just don't drink alcohol that much. Even if we cheated and shared....it still wasn't worth it for one or two drinks a day. I drank more in those 9 days that i had in the previous year... so i guess that is why people drink more. they are on vacation.
We used to use the rum runners or refill wine bottles with alcohol and reseal them, became to big of a hassle. One easy thing to do with wine though is manage to take a separate security scanner with your travel companion with two bottles of wine each. As long as you're not obvious, these people are contractors more concerned about dangerous items. They can't tell if one passenger is carrying both bottles for a couple. RCCL's prices are crazy high IMO. Tipping will end up getting you stronger drinks also.
I also like to order a soda at dinner. (To stay awake for the shows) Often if someone else has the soda package and you don’t they never ask to see your card and bring you sodas all week!
One thing not mentioned for free liquor on board is suite guests have access to suite lounge also top tier suites have a time during the afternoon when a bar cart makes its rounds to the rooms. And it’s free
It's not free. It was paid with the price of the suite. Which is very expensive! In my opinion, the suites seem more for the guests that don't get out much. For me. My room is for all the S's. Shit, shower, shave, sex n sleep. (Not in no particular order)
I never ever get the drink package. I don't drink near enough alcohol to make it worth my while. Now if there was a Starbucks/coffee shop package...now I might be able to do it lol 😂! I know NCL's Pride of America has something like that. But I decided to not buy it because of budget reasons when we went there in August 2023.
What do you mean by re-price the cruise? Is this something you have to do through a TA? Is it something specific to RC? I feel like you should do a video on that. Unless you have and I just haven't seen it. I am new to the channel, and looking to go on my first cruise, so not very experienced of course lol Been trying to do as much research as possible before booking anything tho :p
Do they offer it pro-rated during the cruise? I usually do not drink alcohol more than one or two days in row. No way I drink alcohol enough to make it worth it for a six-day sail, but I could see buying it for the last day for a binge!
I don’t really drink that much so it’s no big deal. However, I am Prime Casino Royale so the drinks are free when we are at sea. So, if I want a drink or two, it’s on the house. The free cruises far outweigh the drinks.
have been traveling on the Royal Caribbean for 24 years! When I got married, my friend recommended this company to me! Since then, I have never changed companies! I've been on a few cruises and I really assume I gave my wife a drink!! But that was on the honeymoon! I think the company forgives!! Lots of Health and Prosperity to everyone on your Channel!!
I booked a solo cruiser, as part of a group through the group leader. I bought the deluxe drink package and since I was that only person I only had to buy one. I later added my sister to the reservation through the leader, and I still had my package and she had none. She decided to get her own deluxe package so I don't know if it would have worked if she didn't want one.
I think it is unfair to allow a bottle of wine but not a 6-pack of beer. There are so many brands of beer that are not available on ship but you should be able to bring it onboard.
Cameras all over the ship..... maybe they should use them to keep track of underage kids going into the nightclubs or the drunkards starting fights, or even the assaults that have happened. Or maybe they just use the cameras to ensure they make as much money as possible rather than for guest and crew safety.
If I buy the package that includes mocktails. Can i order a package included mocktail and just pay for a shot to be added? I don't drink enough to warrant the cost of thr deluxe package but will drink here and there and figured this may be a way to save some money on an alcoholic beverage if it is possible to do.
When you say you can't bring drinks on board.What if you're buying them to bring back home In duty free I'd be going on my first royal caribbean cruise soon
They should have a couples package for sharing. It’s ridiculous to have to be to pay so much for 2 packages in one cabin. We still buy them. I love being able to try new drinks.
Are the coffee cards limited to one person as well? I was under the impression you get a certain number of "punches" on each card and can use them for anyone in your party.
I just get the soda package. Waaaay cheaper. Then I'll just pay cash if I want a drink. Granted, I don't drink a lot anyway, and as long as I have my Diet Coke, I'm happy.
I was thinking of sharing a card with another stateroom. Like i order the drink and give it to them. Then a few mins later i order another one. I dont see a problem with that
I buy drinks separately, not a big drinker. So getting 3-4 during the cruise will not bother me. I get the soda package so at least I have the cup to go to the different freestyle machines. Great video as always.
There's no way I can drink the amount the alcohol costs. I like to drink soda and would sometimes order a single or double and use the soda package as a mixer.
I can vouch for them not charging the corkage fee. Just got off my first RCL cruise the FOS on Sunday. I was with 7 other friends. They all had the drink package. I did not for what it's worth. The final night I brought a bottle of champagne to the Main Dining Room for Dinner. They never charged me anything. . Now I just need to call someone at RCL about that cheap watch I bought for $26 which doesn't tick after a half a day.
The easy solution is to sell drink cards. Sell a 10, 20, 50, 100 drink package. Want to get a drink for someone, sure. One drink less off your drink card
Love that solution. I'd get a 20 drink card and that would be enough for my husband and I for the whole trip.
Honestly a great idea
Let’s not forget it’s always about the money for this corporation .
Great idea. Bit like the bucket of beers but way more convenient. It's How RCL do their Diamond drinks - 5 a day. Just need them to make it transferrable between cruises. However, Princess duded me on a coffee card like this. I bought one when it was transferrable between cruises. They changed it to cruise of purchase only for future cards and refused to honor past cards.
@@johnwinter6061 Diamonds get 4 drinks a day. Basically a voucher system. Diamond Pluses get 5 drinks a day. Pinnacles get 6 drinks a day.
The coffee card works between cruises, doesn’t it? I don’t see why a drink card wouldn’t.
Trick #1- In port get a large drink cup (Something like a big gulp or souvenirish) then buy a bottle of your liquor of choice at the port liquor store out in town. Dump drink out of cup and fill with your chosen spirit. Sip (or at least look like ur sipping) when you return onboard. As you pass through they will ignore your drink and only look for local spirit bottles.
Just saying it works-from experience
Pro tip for anyone unsure whether to get the deluxe package: Don’t buy it, but keep an eye on the price. Then drink as you please on the cruise. When it’s over, check out the bill and add up your beverage total. If you drank more than the lowest cost of the package (90% of you won’t), you’ll know to buy it next time. And if you’re on a 3- or 4-day cruise with an excursion anywhere other than Coco Cay, *definitely* don’t buy it.
Deluxe drink package on my upcoming 4-night cruise is $688 for two people. 😂 That’s more than we paid for our balcony cabin.
Yea, our cruise isnt til next year so I'm HOPING black friday gives some sales.. But DAMN that's WAY too much for a drinks package.. Will be our first time on RC so unless there is something amazing about everything else, may be our last with those prices.
@@ifiveoh you may want ro drink strait shots only.. mixed drinks are no stronger than koolaid
@@stanrussell9956 Or order your normal cocktail then order a shot right after haha
@@mamabar6811 that work too..
@@stanrussell9956exactly! I learned my lesson and just get red wine most times. It’s straight alcohol and it gets me there quick.
Your tip on repricing the drinks package saved us a ton!
I use a combination of bringing wine/champagne on board, attend events that have free drinks (no limit!), buy a drink here and there at the bar using the coupons, and then purchase drinks when we're off the boat. For me, that always seems more than enough.
Drink package for the convenience and freedom to drink whatever and whenever I want.
I'll be booking a cruise soon with RC, departing from Sydney and as an Australian, I'll be paying US dollars on the cruise. That alone will hit my pocket pretty hard as any purchases made on the ship will be charged to my (bank) account in US dollars of which I'll incur exchange rate and fee. So for me, a $14 dollar cocktail is now more like $20 Australian and if I want to load up cash on my seapass, I'll stand to lose money once that exchange rate hits. For me, the drink package is a viable option and while I'm not a big consumer of alcohol, it's nice to have the choice and not worry that a $14 dollar cocktail is going to turn into a $20 or $25 dollar purchase (not including the gratuities and bank charges)
Thanks for the video, Matt. Loving these and can't wait for my next cruise 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Im going on a Royal Caribbean cruise for the first time. I opted for the drink package. $330 for a 5 day cruise. For me it’s worth it. I know I’ll enjoy the premium coffee , bottled water and alcoholic drinks and that’s enough for me. Hell maybe I’ll go to Johnny Rockets for a shake lol. I’m on vacation baby!
Wow that's crazy. On a 9 night for my wife and I it was going to be 1400. We opted to just buy drinks.
@Sephult14 yeah my wife and I are going on a 3 night cruise to Bahamas and its going to be 492 for both of us. I wonder if we could spend less than that without it.
330 for 5 days? That's someone's light and gas bill in a month. It's not worth it. After paying for the 5 days cruise
@@Cossack_Gaming
I doubt it.
A couple did a video about it and added up the prices of drinks, including water and coffee.
It was absolutely a huge save on money.
Their Drink packages were around $69. per person, and the total if they paid per drink was over $300 dollars.
I think they drank around 17 “drinks” each including water and coffee.
The bottled waters were $2.36 each then. So not too bad really.
I think the video was about a year old, so prices might have changed.
You can have two adults in a cabin and only order one drink package. You need to submit a doctor's note that says one person is not allowed to have sugary drinks like pop or alcohol for medical reasons. They will then allow only one person to have a drink package.
No doctor note required. You just need to call and book the refreshment package for the non drinker.
In Amsterdam, there was a guy selling wine in the cruise terminal. So convenient, and relatively cheap. We often bring two bottles of wine on board, and ask our stateroom attendant for a couple of glasses.
Oh man. That is such a great idea.
My favorite tip is always get the refreshment package, as it is invaluable, but to buy liquor as needed/as you see fit. Unless you're drinking 10+ alcoholic drinks a day, you'll find the discount between the two packages is unhinged. Our refreshment package for one week was $210, whereas the alcoholic one was $740. While we drink a lot of the specialty drinks (mocktails, fresh squeezed juice, coffees, etc) we only would drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day. Assuming each drink is $15, that's an extra $210, for a total of $420. For $420, we had 2 alcoholic drinks a day and unlimited other premium drinks, vs. $740 for unlimited alcohol. I know the peace of mind of prepaying is great, but trust me, unless you're partying each day on the cruise, the refreshment package is the way to go!
That’s exactly what I plan to do.
Does the refreshment package have to be purchased by each adult in the room? I can’t seem to get a clear answer. My roommate bought it with our on board credit, we are not sure if she actually purchased for the two of us. She paid $180. I was told that she would have had to purchase mine at the same time. I drink only water and would hate to be surprised at the end of the cruise with a bill for a drink package that I didn’t use. Thank you
@@christined2066 Hi Christine! Back when I sailed, you only had to buy the refreshment package per person. It's the alcohol package you have to buy for the whole room (although, if you do have someone get the alcohol package, you can contact RC directly to say that someone else in the cabin doesn't drink).
Anyway, your roommate should be fine, and you will be water only!
@@highkeycass Thank you so much for your quick reply! You have put my mind at ease!
The drink package is worth it to me once I remember that it includes more that just alcohol. I love having espresso based drinks and can have up to five or six lattes per day. When I add that to the smoothies, other random drinks I usually drink enough to cover the cost without going out of my way to "drink more".
I'm glad it worked out for you I got the pop package and then I already have a Starbucks card which I load so I really didn't even need that many Starbucks because the coffee wasn't bad in the dining rooms that was good enough for me in the morning a Starbucks in the afternoon I still save money. Set aside enough money for three drinks a day. It's all about whatever works right. Oh and it's nice that each adult gets to bring a bottle of wine.
I can't have caffeine 😮
The refreshment package includes everything except alcohol. The average price is 79.99 a day for alcohol and 29.99. $50 difference that’s 3-4 drinks a day at the average price for alcoholic beverages. If you aren’t doing that, the refreshment package makes sense.
We're Diamond and get enough drinks per day that the package isn't necessary. On our next cruise in October we will bring a bottle of wine each onboard as that is allowed. But really we've never bought the alcohol drink package because we couldn't drink enough to make it worth the money.
Same here.
One has to drink AN AWFUL LOT to make up for the drinks package.
Not really, just paid £66 a day, $83, thinks that’s pretty good for 12 hours of drinks a day
@m.m.464i only have to drink 6 drinks a day for my 9 day cruise 😂 that's not very much
@@911HRWthere’s 24hrs in a day…..you’re wasting 12hrs of good drinking time 😜 ! I get the drinks package every time….7 drinks a day pays for it, at dinner alone I’d have that in Prosecco ( I am not an alcoholic….i promise)
Agreed 100%. I love a glass of wine with my dinner and other than that I can have a beer or two in a port of call. That is enough for me. I think buying a drink package force the people to drink more.
You know, they ought to have some extra options when it comes to alcoholic drinks at least. Like perhaps purchasing a certain number of drinks for the length of the cruise. Like 10, 25, 30, etc.
They do offer that towards the end of the cruise occasionally. I think it was 100 for 10 drinks
Ive never seen that offered. Others have said only if sales are slow and on last few days so gotta drink up.
I agree, I only want 2/day
If they are that strict and cameras all around and my hubby doesn't drink alcohol, why make him pay. It's crazy.
Tried that tipping the drink waiters in the MDR (when they had them) about the cost of the mixed drinks on the first night. Second night I don't remember leaving the MDR, the drink was a glass a rum with a tsp of cola
I set a # of cocktails per cruise in my head and budget for it. Then I don’t feel guilty for getting a drink if I want one 😊
That’s a great strategy!
Having 4 drinks a day is tough after a day filled with excursions. I can’t imagine having to drink 6-7 to make it worth it per day.
Could be coffee in the morning, with an orange juice and breakfast. Then a coffee to go walk the ship with. A bottle of water to put in you fanny pack or cross bag and now your at 4 drinks just after breakfast. Glass of wine at dinner maybe a cocktail at your show in the evening or two. Not every drink we get that is part of the drink package contains alcohol in them.
For years we skipped he drink package and would pay for drinks and we spent quite a bit or we skipped drinks when we wanted them( breakfast lunch or dinner time). For us it’s less trouble to buy it and get whatever whenever. The price is definitely higher than the past and wish for it to come down but let’s be real no prices are going back down anymore.
If you get the royal Caribbean credit card or book during special sales, you can receive onboard credit that can be used in purchases such as drinks this also works with booking onboard the ship
buggered if I'm getting their cretin card
Yes we just got onboard credit on a cruise we booked :) !
We bring two bottles of wine each trip. Our diamond vouchers are perfect for us each day for cocktails and if we use up the vouchers then we’ll just pay for a drink or two but this only happens on a sea days as we are not heavy drinkers. Depending on price we may also add a beverage package if the ship has a vitality spa bar and Johnny rockets for shakes and can stock up on bottled water for port days.
Fun fact....On the final night of the cruise any liquor you ordered at the shops or in port is delivered to your room. You can drink what you bought on the last night if you choose. My last cruise we had our bottles in my room before dinner.
2:04: From what I've heard, it's not "tedious," or "cumbersome" to smuggle booze. I've heard it's actually incredibly easy. People fill clear rum runners with booze and roll these in between their clothes in their checked bag. Or spend $600 for the drink package. People bring their metal water bottle and drink from that onboard and there apparently is zero chance anyone working for RC is going to seize and test your water bottle. That's just what a friend told me.
What are clear rum runners?
The best thing to do is each spouse or friend can bring two small mouth wash bottles with a clear alcohol in it and add a little bit of food coloring blue like Listerine. Plus you need to bring a bottle of wine and next just figure out how many drinks you're going to have a day if you just drink basic drinks vodka tonic rum and Coke whatever, maybe truly's, hard ciders, then you just look on the menu that they post online have that money aside plus quatuity charge on your debit card. I bought a soda, basically we split, he does not drink that much soda one a day was good for him, me I drink it all day. We are not to get drunk anyway we're just out to you a little bit of a buzz and have fun that's how we we are just because on a cruise doesn't mean we're going to get drunk. Lol
Witaf is happening with that company. Those prices are wild!!!
I'm using the drink package to experiment and try drinks I've never had before. I rarely do that, because drinks are usually expensive as hell, so I only stick to the tried and true.
Choosing a port intensive package (with no RCCL private islands) and plan to mainly drink ashore.
Best part about a drink package is just trying different drinks 👍🏼
I agree! Wife and I don’t drink but maybe twice a year so we are not up on the mains stream of what drinks bars make. We ordered drink package for Halloween week and plan to make some
Memories without hurting ourselves lol!
I always get the drink package, but it would be nice to have a bottle in the room for a nightcap instead of walking back and forth to the bar.
Or toss a coupla personals your way, in lieu of a 5th. But that's a good idea
Good to exert a few calories before you drink them though.
@@tduck828 True.
If I'm not mistaken, the deluxe drink package also covers things like specialty coffees that you would have to pay out-of-pocket otherwise. So get a lot of special decafs to and that could make you our drink package more worthwhile.
That's what I'm going to do next time. ☕️
People seem to forget everything, but the alcohol. Milkshakes, fresh squeezed juices, specialty coffee, etc. All adds up.
@@davidfence6939 I just commented that. The speciality coffee alone tends to tip me over the edge,
And, bottled water (sparkling & still) like the ones available as you depart the ship for an excursion. Seriously, it’s not that hard to spend $ on drinks in a day.
I’m not a heavy drinker I think I’ll get the refreshment package which includes all of the specialty drinks and purchase alcoholic beverages here and there.
I have several cruises booked at any given time. When I see a great price for my upcoming cruise I go check on following cruises for the same deal.
I always pay for the deluxe drink package. It's definitely worth it. I drink specialty coffees, Johnny Rockets milkshakes, sodas, fresh juices, spa drinks, mixed drinks, and beers. I don't need to worry about a big bill at the end of my cruise, and I can try new drinks. It works for me.
Matt, thanks for sharing this valuable information!
Glad it was helpful!
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog what if you bought duty free booze on the ship, and they let you take it on departing day....BUTT surprise you have another cruise with the same ship, so can you walk off with it and then walk back on for you second trip? Does anyone know?
My husband and I are not big drinkers, but we are both Diamond members, and I am Prime in the casino. As a result, we never have to pay for drinks. We rarely even use our 4 daily Diamond drink vouchers.
Whats is necessary to become diamond??
@rodrigoshow182 80 points. Generally, each person gets 1 point per night. But you do get double points for suites.
Diamond is a whole different ball game. I have a 3 year plan to reach Diamond. So Diamond and Prime is the perfect ticket. I have the drink package for my next cruise, but not for the one the following week. Should be Prime before or during my Back to Back December cruises.
@@FoxChallenges Thank you!!
Another limited option is to sail when I sail….im constantly getting bubbly or wine delivered to my cabin from the casino and I give them away. It’s far more than I would ever drink. Some cruises I’ll get as many as 4 bottles.
Matt, one inaccuracy. You can't re-add the drink package without cancelling it first, it tells you it is already reserved. So, you have to do the math to see if it is cheaper. Easy formula per person: Daily rate x number of nights x 1.18 (for the required gratuity)= cost per person for the cruise. Example, 4 night, current sale showing $75.99/person/day.... 75.99 * 4 * 1.18 = 358.67 per person total.
On other cruise lines my friends have found if you tip the bartender well they will look the other way if the person with a drink package orders a friend a drink. There are limits to how much you can share drinks, but it does work on some lines.
I don't drink, but my cruise-mate does. We always call for the exception, and it's never been a problem. Drink packages are getting pricier, but we like to pre-pay, to avoid a bill at the end of the cruise.
We always get the deluxe drink package. But its good to know that they have a selection to bring to the rooms
14 day cruise in April/May, drink package with gratuities is $924.84. To me its worth it because i wont be worrying that i am over spending especially on sea days.
Splitting up adults when you have kids an multi cabins makes sense
Boy howdy Matt your title gave me pause 😃. But glad you presented it as you did. IMHO, casino cruises and drinks aren’t free…they’re “pre-paid” 🤪. Great video as always.
i have used plastic rum runners for years and have a 100% success rate with them. not one of them has ever been detected. i get free casino drinks and 5 free drinks a day with diamond plus, but the rum runners are useful for when you want to drink something actually high quality, which RCL does not stock -- such as, for example, foursquare ECS rums, certain top shelf whiskys, etc.
Works like a charm
Such high class acts, not
It make a strong drink and then let the ice melt, you can sip and enjoy for longer, if you know you know
Half the reason Matt is saying this is so he doesn't lose his benefits with Royal Caribbean 😂
It would be rather dumb for him to publicly state otherwise. Do it your way and let us know how that works out for you. Cheers!
Exactly lol
Buying the drink package I wouldn't even come out out even, as I'm just a occasional drinker and I only have one so just easier to pay per drink.
Got to sail with a drink package for the first time over Christmas... it was bought for us, and was amazing. That said, we've sailed on 7 other cruises, and have learned to cruise without one. Have used the wine bottle filled with coconut rum + the 12 cans or bottles of assorted soda they allow =12 drinks easy. Pushing luck further... not really worth it.
Why cheat???
Just had the bartender at 5:37 on the Allure and he was great.
Im glad the way i sneak wasnt mentioned. Easy too.
On my last two cruises with Royal Caribbean they offered on the ship a 10 drinks for $100 but I only seen this halfway through the cruise.
So that was an offer onboard?
We just did a 9 day graduation cruise for our boys. one from high school and one from college. As someone who only drinks about 5 alcoholic drinks a year, I don't get the way people over imbibe on cruises. We brought 3 bottles of wine (we were travelling with our 18 and 22 year old sons) and drank two in the cabin. The other bottle went home. I did buy my husband a bottle of amaretto (and the price was high!) and had it delivered to the cabin. We carried on a case of coke for mixer. We also purchased a pitcher of spiked lemonade and shared it with our underage son (he was 18) in the cabin. I feel like he might have had some amaretto and coke, but I don't remember. We had a $300 cruise credit and I think my husband and 22 year old went to sit and listen to music and have drinks a couple times. But that was after I already went to bed. Not sure what my younger son did, but he spent a lot ot time in their cabin. Prob on wi fi with his friends.
As for your comment on drinking in the cabin, we had no problem doing so. We had two suites and that made a huge deck. We also had a table where we could play games. We did the hack where we put our 18 year old in the cabin with my husband but, later, decided not to buy the package. We just don't drink alcohol that much. Even if we cheated and shared....it still wasn't worth it for one or two drinks a day. I drank more in those 9 days that i had in the previous year... so i guess that is why people drink more. they are on vacation.
We used to use the rum runners or refill wine bottles with alcohol and reseal them, became to big of a hassle. One easy thing to do with wine though is manage to take a separate security scanner with your travel companion with two bottles of wine each. As long as you're not obvious, these people are contractors more concerned about dangerous items. They can't tell if one passenger is carrying both bottles for a couple. RCCL's prices are crazy high IMO. Tipping will end up getting you stronger drinks also.
Interesting..I like that.
Such a high class act, not
I also like to order a soda at dinner. (To stay awake for the shows) Often if someone else has the soda package and you don’t they never ask to see your card and bring you sodas all week!
One thing not mentioned for free liquor on board is suite guests have access to suite lounge also top tier suites have a time during the afternoon when a bar cart makes its rounds to the rooms. And it’s free
Very true. We had that on a cruise we made and stayed in a suite. We had all kinds of drinks from 5 to 8 in the suite lounge
It's not free. It was paid with the price of the suite. Which is very expensive! In my opinion, the suites seem more for the guests that don't get out much. For me. My room is for all the S's. Shit, shower, shave, sex n sleep. (Not in no particular order)
I never drink enough to justify the alcohol package. Unless you're a heavy drinker, it's a waste of money.
I never ever get the drink package. I don't drink near enough alcohol to make it worth my while. Now if there was a Starbucks/coffee shop package...now I might be able to do it lol 😂! I know NCL's Pride of America has something like that. But I decided to not buy it because of budget reasons when we went there in August 2023.
What do you mean by re-price the cruise? Is this something you have to do through a TA? Is it something specific to RC? I feel like you should do a video on that. Unless you have and I just haven't seen it. I am new to the channel, and looking to go on my first cruise, so not very experienced of course lol Been trying to do as much research as possible before booking anything tho :p
Great video! When I’m on the ship can I order from the Royal Gifts and Gear website? Or do we do it before? Thanks for that HACK😊
Before!
😂😂😂I love ❤️ t keep them coming!!
Another legal hack is to buy an excursion with an open bar included. We did this in Aruba 🌊 🥂
Cruising Star class fixes all this! Love your content! BTW Royal Loft on Symphony was the best vacation of our lives. Booking it again ASAP
How much did it cost you?
Check price and tell me how it fixes it. 😂
Since we're Diamond and get 4 vouchers, the refreshment package is perfect for us for waters and specialty coffee.
They don't care we pass the card around. It help if you tip 😅
Agree
First cruise with hubby and he hes 5 years sober. I called and it saved a great deal. 😊
Do they offer it pro-rated during the cruise? I usually do not drink alcohol more than one or two days in row. No way I drink alcohol enough to make it worth it for a six-day sail, but I could see buying it for the last day for a binge!
I buy the refreshment package and order a shot of the corresponding liquor to add to the cocktail.
Its worth it for Johnny Rockets milkshakes, specialty coffees, smoothies, and booze.
Or..attain Diamond level and above status for RC's loyalty program. Diamond = 4 free drinks/day, Diamond Plus = 5, and Pinnacle = 6. Not bad!
Takes multiple cruises. You can't skip that
How many cruises ?
@@kristoffliftoff931680 points for Diamond.
@@davidfence6939and the problem with multiple cruises is? :-)
@@kristoffliftoff9316 80 nights total. 40 nights if you book suites or curise solo.
You could always just buy the $100,000 cup they sell that gives you free drinks for life
I don’t really drink that much so it’s no big deal. However, I am Prime Casino Royale so the drinks are free when we are at sea. So, if I want a drink or two, it’s on the house. The free cruises far outweigh the drinks.
have been traveling on the Royal Caribbean for 24 years! When I got married, my friend recommended this company to me! Since then, I have never changed companies! I've been on a few cruises and I really assume I gave my wife a drink!! But that was on the honeymoon! I think the company forgives!! Lots of Health and Prosperity to everyone on your Channel!!
Thx for the tips
I booked a solo cruiser, as part of a group through the group leader. I bought the deluxe drink package and since I was that only person I only had to buy one. I later added my sister to the reservation through the leader, and I still had my package and she had none. She decided to get her own deluxe package so I don't know if it would have worked if she didn't want one.
I think it is unfair to allow a bottle of wine but not a 6-pack of beer. There are so many brands of beer that are not available on ship but you should be able to bring it onboard.
Not a question about alcohol packages but the casino part prompted me to wonder...what are the typical minimum bets I can expect to see at the tables?
Cameras all over the ship..... maybe they should use them to keep track of underage kids going into the nightclubs or the drunkards starting fights, or even the assaults that have happened. Or maybe they just use the cameras to ensure they make as much money as possible rather than for guest and crew safety.
Is there a deal on domestic beers? Buy 4 get 1 or buy 5 and get 1? I already have a RCL Cooler from a previous cruise prior to 2020
Can you bring the drink package cup from a different cruise onto the same ship?
No
@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog Why not? It is your cup.
Thx matt!
If I buy the package that includes mocktails. Can i order a package included mocktail and just pay for a shot to be added? I don't drink enough to warrant the cost of thr deluxe package but will drink here and there and figured this may be a way to save some money on an alcoholic beverage if it is possible to do.
My understanding is yes. Ask the bartender what is the best way to go. Also tipping the bartender real good off the bat may work well in your favor.
Thanks for asking this question.
Why not sell a set number of drinks per sailing. Say 21 drinks for a 7 night cruise?
There is no incentive for them to do that. It's all about profit
When you say you can't bring drinks on board.What if you're buying them to bring back home In duty free I'd be going on my first royal caribbean cruise soon
They will hold it for you until the night before you disembark the ship. They deliver it to your room that last evening.
If you have a deluxe drink package can you bring the drink from the bar to your room?
Yes
They should have a couples package for sharing. It’s ridiculous to have to be to pay so much for 2 packages in one cabin. We still buy them. I love being able to try new drinks.
Are the coffee cards limited to one person as well? I was under the impression you get a certain number of "punches" on each card and can use them for anyone in your party.
No the coffee card is not the drink package
@ricoenglish: you are correct.
drink package every time.
Just save your money and purchase the drink package. All that effort to cheat is not worth it.
I just get the soda package. Waaaay cheaper. Then I'll just pay cash if I want a drink. Granted, I don't drink a lot anyway, and as long as I have my Diet Coke, I'm happy.
So Is it better to pay for a drink with cash then card? If so why
@@kawaiipotatolewis9507 Sorry, I just mean paying extra out of pocket. You don't use cash on the ship. It's all put on the seapass card.
If you buy any bottles of alcohol at port in Cozumel the ship will hold it until the last night
I’ve always done the first one. I didn’t know you couldn’t share drinks!
To be fair the bartenders and others never cared
Sneaking on booze with a fake beer belly…haha wow!!
Does the carnival cruise allow me to order bottles to my room
I was thinking of sharing a card with another stateroom. Like i order the drink and give it to them. Then a few mins later i order another one. I dont see a problem with that
I buy drinks separately, not a big drinker. So getting 3-4 during the cruise will not bother me. I get the soda package so at least I have the cup to go to the different freestyle machines. Great video as always.
We definitely prefer the drink package for a short sailing. It wouldn't be worth it for us on a longer sailing.
I have never seen liquor for sale in the gifts and gear. Am I missing something?
I've seen it in a section titled Royal Gifts. It has only opened on my computer and not my phone
Yes cause it’s there
Google RCL gifts. Don’t use the app.
Since I am diamond level with Prime I don't need a Package, but my new girlfriend is not. Can she buy a package by herself under this circumstance?
There's no way I can drink the amount the alcohol costs. I like to drink soda and would sometimes order a single or double and use the soda package as a mixer.
I only drink whatever is free! 😅 I don’t like alcohol
The drink package will be the last product I buy...a week before the cruise. Trying to get the least expensive offer for 1 adult 2 kids
I can vouch for them not charging the corkage fee. Just got off my first RCL cruise the FOS on Sunday. I was with 7 other friends. They all had the drink package. I did not for what it's worth. The final night I brought a bottle of champagne to the Main Dining Room for Dinner. They never charged me anything. . Now I just need to call someone at RCL about that cheap watch I bought for $26 which doesn't tick after a half a day.
You should've waited for their 10 buck sale😂
Thank god I don’t drink alcohol, saves me mad money😂😂
I was a suite guest on my last cruise. Drinks were free in the lounge.
I did see people sharing the alcohol package though.
Crucero 🚢 ☀️ Royal Carribean excelente vacaciones
If you have two adults in a cabin and only one drinks… you can call RC and they will only do one package.