Ultimate Drink Package

I was curious if anyone thinks the Ultimate Drink package is worth it? From what I see, you get the Premium Package and Royal Replenish combined right? Does that mean I would have to drink 7 to 8 drinks/beers per day to just break even right?

-Chris

Past

RCCL Mariner of the Seas

Jan 15th, 2006

(7 Day - Western Caribbean)

RCCL Freedom of the Seas

Dec 1st, 2013

(7 Day - Eastern Caribbean)

RCCL Enchantment of the Seas

Apr 4th, 2014

(3 Day - Bahamas)

Future

RCCL Oasis of the Seas

Nov 22nd, 2014

(7 Day - Western Caribbean)

RCCL Independence of the Seas

Mar 14th, 2015

(8 Day - Eastern Caribbean)

I was curious if anyone thinks the Ultimate Drink package is worth it? From what I see, you get the Premium Package and Royal Replenish combined right? Does that mean I would have to drink 7 to 8 drinks/beers per day to just break even right?

 

-Chris

Sounds about right. Remember also to add any bottled water, fresh squeezed OJ, and specialty coffee that you might want.

Yes, you would have to drink about $55.00/$65.00 a day to break even. I just went through the same thing for my upcoming trip. I'm not a big drinker, and also plan on bringing the allowed 2 bottles of wine onboard for my room, so for me it isn't worth it.

Only down side is you have to keep track of your bar bill.

But if you are a big drinker it will set your mind at ease knowing you don't need to keep a mental tab of your alcoholic expenses and you have the liberty of trying several different things that maybe you normally wouldn't if you were paying for them. :)

I didn't get a drink package on my recent cruise and I wasn't sure if I had made the right choice. I enjoy drinking quite a bit :D when on holidays so I wasn't sure - by the end of the cruise I did the sums and I was $350 better off for not having purchased the package. I was on an 18 night transpacific so although I would have at least a couple of drinks per day with a few big nights thrown in from time to time, on average it was less than what would've been required to break even or be in front.

I would suggest that a shorter cruise may be different and it could be better value in that instance. It all depends on your drinking habits. And don't forget that if the cruise is port intensive, you may not have a whole lot of time on the ship to drink, or big nights before a port where you'll be drinking a lot.

I bought the ultimate package on the Allure earlier this month and for me it was definitely worth it. I had several mocha coffees in addition to soda and water. Add in a few drinks at dinner and at the shows, followed by another bedtime mocha coffee. I think it all depends on how many sea days you have too, the Allure only had two port days, not counting Labadee where I could use the drink package, so it was definitely worth it to me. Next cruise on the Adventure only has one sea day so I do not think it will be worth it then.

We are booked on Oasis for Thanksgiving. Labadee, Falmouth and Cozumel. I think that the 7-8 drinks is easily attainable.

-Chris

Past

RCCL Mariner of the Seas

Jan 15th, 2006

(7 Day - Western Caribbean)

RCCL Freedom of the Seas

Dec 1st, 2013

(7 Day - Eastern Caribbean)

RCCL Enchantment of the Seas

Apr 4th, 2014

(3 Day - Bahamas)

Future

RCCL Oasis of the Seas

Nov 22nd, 2014

(7 Day - Western Caribbean)

RCCL Independence of the Seas

Mar 14th, 2015

(8 Day - Eastern Caribbean)

It is easy to "make" it worth it. However, it comes down to what freedom and cost. I would never drink enough to pay for the package going by the glass, but I surely could once I've purchased it. In that case, I'm not really saving any money ... though I am paying for a different experience.

It was worth it for me even though we had access to diamond and concierge lounge , Wine I liked was about 10 a glass and so were my cognac's so I would break out ahead after 6, we also had champagne a couple of times with breakfast. I liked not even thinking about bar bill .

I went without last week on Enchantment. Only spent about half of what the premium package would have cost.

It is easy to "make" it worth it. However, it comes down to what freedom and cost. I would never drink enough to pay for the package going by the glass, but I surely could once I've purchased it. In that case, I'm not really saving any money ... though I am paying for a different experience.

True. For me, I never wanted to feel as if I had to drink to reach a certain quota per se. I will be getting one for my short three nighter in January though.

Depends on so many factors, but for me on vacation, in the sun, I am way past 7-8 drinks before the evening dinner.(Evening dinner alone can be 3-4 drinks for me. A glass of wine or two with my meal, your there for almost 2 hrs!, and then a specialty coffee with desert, and then sipping on some Baileys on ice after dinner)

It can go quickly sitting in the sun, with friends drinking, or on the private island for the day. The first day in port, sitting in the sun all day on the pool deck, then supper, then the night at the disco.

For me, I wouldn't think twice about getting it. The soda package alone is almost $7/day so factor that in as well.

Yes, you would have to drink about $55.00/$65.00 a day to break even. I just went through the same thing for my upcoming trip. I'm not a big drinker, and also plan on bringing the allowed 2 bottles of wine onboard for my room, so for me it isn't worth it.

Only down side is you have to keep track of your bar bill.

 

But if you are a big drinker it will set your mind at ease knowing you don't need to keep a mental tab of your alcoholic expenses and you have the liberty of trying several different things that maybe you normally wouldn't if you were paying for them. :)

This is my big reason for why I am going to get it. Not to force myself to drink so that I can try every single drink on the book I have ever wanted to without worrying about my bill at the end.

Or like I saw somewhere posted on here. I love milkshakes. Well they cost extra but I could just order a virgin mudslide now. Or non virgin too:D

One last question is it the same price for the drink packages pre-cruise vs signing up once on board?

One last question is it the same price for the drink packages pre-cruise vs signing up once on board?

Same price.

Same price.

Thank you.

I was curious if anyone thinks the Ultimate Drink package is worth it? From what I see, you get the Premium Package and Royal Replenish combined right? Does that mean I would have to drink 7 to 8 drinks/beers per day to just break even right?

 

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Depends what you want? for me, the Premium works fine. Gives me all the beer I want with a mixed drink thrown in there. Soda/water included. So for me, no reason to spend the extra on the Ultimate

My DW and I love it as it give us the freedom to try different things without worry about the price, I find the cost is about a wash, but the cost is not the point.

For me I'm looking forward to not having to worry about my bar bill at the end of the cruise. There were many times on previous cruises that I held back from ordering another drink because I was worried about the bill at the end of the cruise. I ordered the drink packages months ago and they are paid for. I don't have to worry about that expense again! I can just go and enjoy myself and not have to second guess on whether I should get another drink or not!

One last question is it the same price for the drink packages pre-cruise vs signing up once on board?

Same price.

Unless you are Canadian and pay pre-cruise in Canadian funds. You save about 5% right now as RCCL charges less than the Canadian banks are charging for converting CDN - US. RCCL is charging a 9% exchange rate and Canadian Banks are about 14% (Assuming we can't pay our tab in Canadian funds once onboard.... anyone know?)

We don't mind ice water....don't need bottles!...and the regular OJ is fine for us...it's what we drink at home! I don't do the lattes or whatever....regular coffee is fine with me! We don't drink sodas hardly at all, and you can buy a can of soda IF you need one...

While we do a bit of drinking on sea days, on port days, it's usually just before dinner...so a package isn't worth it, to us.

Drinks that are included in your fare are: ice water, coffee, tea (iced or hot),lemonade or flavored waters, milk, and juice at breakfast.

 

Unfortunately, you still needed to sign blank receipts, unless RCI has changed that.

 

Have a great cruise!

On Freedom with the Replenish package we signed receipts about half the time. The other half they didn't even create a receipt. Which seemed silly to me. What if I wanted to tip more?

On Vision last week, at least at the cafe/ben&jerry's spot, when we got waters or lattes we signed electronically EVERY time. When we got two drinks using two cards, the one doing the errand got to sign for the other because they were very very specific about using first one card then the other.

I was curious if anyone thinks the Ultimate Drink package is worth it? From what I see, you get the Premium Package and Royal Replenish combined right? Does that mean I would have to drink 7 to 8 drinks/beers per day to just break even right?

 

-Chris

Chris,

For us, the Premium Package was the right choice. As much as we love good coffee and fresh OJ, we are fine with the choices of free coffee and juices on the ships. We have orange trees in my backyard, so we are fine with going a week without needing fresh-squeezed.

With the types of drinks we generally order, the break-even point was closer to five or six drinks per day as opposed to seven or eight, and it's fairly easy to achieve that on a cruise vacation. The other benefits made it even more worthwhile, such as being able to try new drinks that you wouldn't normally want to spend $8 or $10 to 'experiment' on. Plus, let's say you're at the pool and you realize your Rum Runner or Corona has gotten warm and it's still half full. Just order another instead of thinking you're wasting money if you don't finish the first one.

Cheers, and happy cruising!

I have purchased the Ultimate package for an upcoming cruise in Feb. My favorite drink is anything that comes in a fresh pineapple. Does anyone know if drinks served in a pineapple are covered?

Not sure about drinks served in a pineapple, but I can tell you that the pineapple mojitio is one of the best drinks I have ever had anywhere....can't wait to sbe sipping one of those on EOS in 3 days!

I have purchased the Ultimate package for an upcoming cruise in Feb. My favorite drink is anything that comes in a fresh pineapple. Does anyone know if drinks served in a pineapple are covered?

If it's less than $10, then it's included.