In yourr opinion,with some the problems with alcohol ,should drink package be stoped?

Not trying to start a feud here with this thread. Just some thoughtful discussion about the abuse of alcohol by some on a cruise. I don't drink, I quit five years ago, and I will admit, even though my wife and I have done only fifteen-sixteen cruises (while I can only speak for myself) I have never seen a passenger, as some here refer too as, 'sloppy-falling down' drunk. Maybe, the lines should start a pay-as-you-go (drink) situation. MAYBE (and I'm saying maybe here) this would weed out the folks who think they have to drink X amount of drinks to get their money's worth? I have been and will always be a believer that we all should be held accountable for their actions. However, on a ship where you have 3,500 adults and if only one third buy a drink package, that's a potential for a lot of alcohol problems. I know most won't abuse the availability and I am NOT saying all those who buy the package will, I'm just wondering what your thoughts are about the cruise lines doing something to stop this? OR, is it like bad manners and conduct, is there no cure. :)

Mac

On the cruise lines I patronize, I have never witnessed drunken behavior, even with the drink package given as a promotional perk. I have seen some "tipsy" people, but not rowdy, belligerent, or obnoxious drunks. I understand that some cruise lines are more apt to have this type of behavior due to the demographic they cater to and the way they advertise themselves. There might be a reasonable argument to stop these packages on troublesome itineraries (such as short 3 or 4 night cruises during spring break), but not on the majority.

FYI: we don't drink enough to get good use of these packages, so we op for other benefits being offered instead. For us total elimination of alcoholic drink packages would have no impact on us, so we don't have a vested interest in keeping them available.

Never been a big fan of the "if some people screw up everyone has to pay for it" school of thought. The cruise lines sell the packages to make money and it appears they are doing just that, even with the number of people who take "getting their money's worth" as a challenge. Heavy drinkers are going to drink whether they buy a package, buy a la carte or smuggle their hootch on board (or in some cases I've read about doing all three).

Not trying to start a feud here with this thread. Just some thoughtful discussion about the abuse of alcohol by some on a cruise. I don't drink, I quit five years ago, and I will admit, even though my wife and I have done only fifteen-sixteen cruises (while I can only speak for myself) I have never seen a passenger, as some here refer too as, 'sloppy-falling down' drunk. Maybe, the lines should start a pay-as-you-go (drink) situation. MAYBE (and I'm saying maybe here) this would weed out the folks who think they have to drink X amount of drinks to get their money's worth? I have been and will always be a believer that we all should be held accountable for their actions. However, on a ship where you have 3,500 adults and if only one third buy a drink package, that's a potential for a lot of alcohol problems. I know most won't abuse the availability and I am NOT saying all those who buy the package will, I'm just wondering what your thoughts are about the cruise lines doing something to stop this? OR, is it like bad manners and conduct, is there no cure. :)

 

Mac

Hi Mac,

Looks like we are Atlanta neighbors.

I, personally, love the offering of drink packages. I have been on only one cruise that I have been able to take advantage of it but will be on another two this year and will purchase it. I admittedly drink more on cruises than I normally do and love being able to try new things. But, like others have said, I have never seen obnoxious behavior. Maybe the cruise lines have given awesome training and the staff puts this to rest before any of the other passengers have to be exposed to it. I think if someone wants to get THAT drunk, they will, regardless of the drink package and if 80-90% of the people who buy it aren't abusing it, I don't think it would be fair to take it away for someone else's bad behavior.

Unfortunately, I have seen at least one passenger that should have been cut off long before I saw them. The sad thing is, a few months after the cruise I saw this person, I read a story about a passenger who "fell" from a ship out of Mobile. The picture of this passenger was the same person I had seen previously! Sad story, but folks who can't help themselves should be no reason to punish those who take responsibility for their actions. I will say that cruise lines should have training for all bar staff to recognize folks who are beyond the limit and have a means to cut them off, drink package or not. Soap box relinquished. :)

Personally we don't drink enough to ever purchase the package, but gladly accept it if it is offered as a perk. Like others, we've never seen anyone obviously drunk enough to be disruptive, though as dedicated 'people-watchers', a few have been highly entertaining. Discontinuing it just because some small percentage abuse it and behave unacceptably is not much different from discontinuing the buffet because some waste enormous amounts or mishandle the food, or doing away with pool loungers because of a relatively small number of 'chair hogs'. Just enforce the behavior rules that are already in place and deal aggressively with those who do abuse them.

There's a cure; they'll raise cruise prices. The cruise lines have to make a profit. Drink packages, premium dining, internet, shops are sources of revenue. I've never drank alcohol but I'm not going to begrudge someone the opportunity to enjoy their cruise.

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13 cruises not seen any problems, I always buy a drinks package if it's not included after all I am on holiday and want to enjoy myself and not worry about bills

Let's face it 2 bottles off captain Morgan in the ships duty free are $10 each,

Lucky if I drink a full bottle from the bar during a weeks cruise and I've paid say $300 for the package

I am in fact along with the gamblers subsidising your cruise

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No point in removing the program because of a few abusers. Also, because bar tenders are supposed to cut off drinks when they see someone has had too much, the same end is reached - and because the diligent bar tender does not get a per-drink tip from those with drink packages, he might be more likely to refuse service to someone with a package who has had too much than to one buying individual drinks.

I have only cruised Royal Caribbean and have not seen any belligerent drinkers. As long as Royal Caribbean allows me to bring on two bottles of wine I will not buy the drink package. After my two bottles are gone I pay as I go and I still make out ahead in the money

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I've also never seen a belligerent or falling down drunk onboard and don't think it's up to the cruise lines to police responsible alcohol consumption by adults. I've received the packages as a perk and I've paid for them, and I've always used them responsibly and so have my fellow passengers, even on cruises where many/most have the package.

Your proposal is a solution looking for a problem.

We've never been able to justify the cost of the packages based n what we would drink but we are now on a promotion on HAL (Explore4) that breaks even at 6 drinks a day and we would definitely hit that ala carte so even if we just hit 6 and don't go over it's sort of like a prepaid bar tab with tips included (although we tip extra anyway). The package maxes out at 15 drinks a day which we could do without getting smashed since that's only about one an hour all day. But pacing like that is unlikely and we're better off leaving a few drinks "on the table" at the end of the day. It's still nice not to have to worry about the big hit on our bill at the end of the cruise each time we order a drink.

It's still nice not to have to worry about the big hit on our bill at the end of the cruise each time we order a drink.

This is exactly why I like having a beverage package, especially on HAL because it includes specialty coffees, which isn't the case on all lines. I think that this, more than the opportunity to drink themselves into a stupor, is why most people get the beverage package whether it's through a promo or buying it outright.

If someone wants to get stupid drunk they will do it,package or no package. Bartenders just need to get better at cutting people off, and those to whom the bartenders report need to back their bartenders up.

I have seen 1 person who was bloto on booze on a cruise. It was in the solarium pool area on a Celebrity ship. I assume the gentleman (about age 60) had either the drinks package or just bought the drinks individually. I couldn't tell and he was passed out so I couldn't ask him.

I suspect the same problem of over drinking occurs here at home in the bars. Why single out a cruise line?

Yeah, everyone should be punished and deprived of a perk because of a few bad apples. Great suggestion.

I have not seen a drunk person on a cruise causing trouble. Being loud, yes, while having fun. I don't drink alcoholic drinks much. Maybe a bottle of beer or 2. IMO, I don't think the cruise line have any reason, yet, to take a hard look on its drink packages.

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I suspect the same problem of over drinking occurs here at home in the bars. Why single out a cruise line?

Because no bar is allowed to sell a drinks package in most, if not all, US states.

I suspect that eventually what will happen is that some notorious tragedy will occur where one more drunk person falls overboard due to excessive drinking attributable to a drinks​ package and that'll be the straw that breaks the camel's back. It seems that reason (reason being limiting the drinks package to two drinks an hour as well as 15 per day, for example) can no longer be relied upon and that instead rational decisions have to be driven by incidents such as tragedies.

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We don't drink but I really haven't seen any really drunk people on board. I have seen a few who have had a few too many on the dock after a day onshore.

Although the drink package isn't something we will ever need, I don't necessarily think it should be discontinued for those who do, unless it gets really out of hand.

I suspect the same problem of over drinking occurs here at home in the bars. Why single out a cruise line?

Because this is the Cruise Critic boards, not the Pub Pundit boards.;p

And besides, if the OP ask this question about land based bars the faux moderators around here would go ballistic. "Why are you posting this on CC??? We are all about cruising!!!!" yada, yada, yada. ;)

First of all the packages are optional. Second no one is forcing anyone to buy one. And lastly, with or without a package, if someone has a problem or simply desires to drink as much as they want, they will do so "pay as you go" just as easily. Its a matter of personal responsibility - and all the cruise line is doing is offering an option.

I've never seen anyone on any cruise "sloppy, falling down, drunk". If you appear to be too inebriated, they will NOT serve you, whether you have a "package" or not.

Anyone bent on being totally snockered can do it, whether a package is involved or not!

And lastly, with or without a package, if someone has a problem or simply desires to drink as much as they want, they will do so "pay as you go" just as easily.

What possible reason would more than two drinks per hour be necessary?

I would think cruise lines make good profit on the alcohol package with most people. Plus they collect the $ up front instead of the last day of the cruise when onboard bills are settled. Just think of the interest earned in getting $400 from you a couple months before the cruise

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