darrencolne

Just had this from UK crown and anchor

Thank you for your email. I hope this day finds you well. I would like to advise you that as of Tuesday 6th September, our drinks plan has changed. Indeed we used to have three alcoholic packages (select, premium and ultimate) merged into one called the Deluxe. We are honoring guests who had Select drinks packages or Premium drinks packages without changing them. Unfortunately, the balance to upgrade has changed, since we now have Deluxe package only. Pricing is always subject to change without prior notice as per our Terms and Conditions. You will not be able to upgrade on board to a Premium package since we do not have it anymore. So, to upgrade on board, you are looking on or about 25-30 USD range (always subject to change). I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience, it is really not up to me to establish these rulings. The upgrades are able to be done on board only.. If there is anything else we can help you with, please feel free to contact us. Best Regards Yours Sincerely, Ari Cesar Carlo Martini Acevedo Crown & Anchor Society

RCCL may be looking at it very differently than the hundreds if not thousands of Standard package holders who had the chance to upgrade at a reduced price and now are unhappy that they can't go from Standard to Deluxe with a smaller upgrade charge.

 

So there were 3 drink packages

 

A- Standard

B- Premium

C- Ultimate

 

RCCL decided to change the prepaid drink packages and made the following changes as of September 06/2016.

 

Basically there will be only one alcohol beverage package the D- Deluxe.

 

Any remaining Standard will receive what the original package provided.

Any Premium will be automatically upgraded to Deluxe.

The Ultimate Package is now the Deluxe as well.

 

Upgrade price from the Standard package is now (as of 9/06/2016) based on the new rates for Deluxe since the Ultimate or Premium is no longer available.

 

The Standard package could have been purchased as well as upgraded to either the Premium or the Ultimate at any point prior to 9/6/2016 taking advantage of several sales offered.

 

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Say there are 3 types of staterooms on a cruise (Ocean View and Inside being the least expensive)

 

A- Ocean View/Inside

B- Veranda

C- Suite

 

RCCL decided to offer a special deal for Veranda cabin passengers

 

Basically there will only be one type of stateroom with a veranda the D-Deluxe stateroom, which offers all the same benefits as the C- Suite category provided and now includes all B and C passengers at no additional cost.

 

Passengers who for any reason had purchased or were booked into an A- Ocean view/Inside cabin had the opportunity to book into a B- Veranda or C- Suite at any point prior to 9/06/2016 for the difference in package costs at that time.

 

Upgrades to the new D- Deluxe stateroom by those booked in an A- Ocean View/Inside will be calculated from the difference in the original A price and the new D price on any upgrades after 9/06/2016

 

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There were sales on beverage packages for quite a long time prior to this change and those with the Standard could have upgraded to either Premium or Ultimate at a sale price or just remained happy with what they got.

 

Just like in special cabin sales if one kind is offered as an automatic upgrade (sales like: Free upgrade from one category to another are not that rare) if the deal is for NEW bookings only and you are within the deadline date, you have to settle on what you booked in the first place.

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If everyone who got the STANDARD package wanted to upgrade ?? they could have at any point up to 9/06/2016 at were sale prices for either the Premium or Ultimate.

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I purchased the Premium package when it went on sale and was lucky to see it bumped up a bit, even though I would have been satisfied with what I paid for. Book and pay for what you want, take advantage of sales and accept the fact that sometimes what you bought is often on sale a month later.

 

Just another way at looking at it, no matter how wrong it may be.

 

bosco

If I could have upgraded to premium from select prior to my sailing I would have done.

All I want is for them to honour what they said when I booked which was upgrade to premium for between 10-15 dollars depending on what ship youre on.

They have told many people this so should let us all upgrade accordingly.

I'm sure we are a small number of people who know about this. There will be people who don't come on here and will face the same problem when they have their cruise.

So to spread the word and hopefully get royal to sort out the mess they have made I suggest on this Friday we all post on all of their social media sites.

This would mean other people see it and also complain and also royal will also see how many people this has affected.

As we are all in different time zones this means it will be constantly at the top of their pages hopefully for a full 24 hrs.

Dear Sir Madam

I am booked on NOS departing Southampton in 28th October.

With my booking I received the select drinks package. I was told at the time of booking I could upgrade to the premium for 10-15 dollars. Now you have changed the drinks package it's looking more like 25-30 dollars.

Please can you advise of our options.

We have bought dollars and OBC to cover the upgrade at the quoted price at time of booking and to be asked to pay and additional cost I feel it totally unfair.

Sent to UK crown and Anchor

Any other email addresses greatly appreciated.

I think if royal offered everyone who has booked and is looking to upgrade the chance to at 15 dollars per day this would be a good compromise. It's just how do we go about getting this?

We have the free select drinks package as part of your cruise and was going to upgrade for the 10-15 dollars which we have been told by royal Caribbean

With the new package in place it's looking like between 25-30 dollars!

I have bought on board credit to pay for the original price to upgrade to premium.

I think there will be alot of people in the same position.

Maybe a mass approach of people getting in touch and asking for the original 10-15 dollars to be honoured may make a difference?

A petition or a group post on royals social media sites?

People and group power may be the way forward??

This is going to have a big effect on everyone who got the select package as part of a deal and was told they could upgrade for between 10-15 dollars.

We are sailing on Grandeur OTS 15th September 2016, we also have the select package. We called RC and were told we could upgrade to the new package once on board.

:)

Did they give you a price for the upgrade?? Thanks

I am on deck two and my boarding time is between 11 am and 3pm on 28th October:)

On the same cruise. Have you been given your documents?

Thank you. Great info.

On navigator this October and like as much info before I sail.

As above any info, tips greatly appreciated.

Also my OH loves coffee are there any places to get specialty coffee if we upgrade her drinks package to ultimate?

Thanks in advance

I am travelling on the Navigator on the 21st of August and received an email from RC yesterday advising that check-in would be by deck and to arrive at around 2:15 for our deck. We were planning to check-in and board earlier (around midday), I was wondering if anyone had any experience of this and knew how strict they were at the port and made you stick to these timings. I don't recall ever having this previously.

Out of interest what deck are you in to be asked to check in at 2:15?

18% grats.

Ok thanks

For 14 nights out of Southampton (returned 7th Aug) it cost me $232 to upgrade each package to premium around $16.50 per day.

 

Select package was $45 pd premium was $59 pd

Hi how come 16.50 if the difference was only $14?

Did you enjoy the cruise? Thanks for the info.

20$ does seem alot to upgrade I as hoping for about 15$. On Navigator at the moment premium is 59 but not sure about how much the upgrade would be?

I think it's $67 per day but maybe that's the ultimate package. Could be $59. Sorry, but I haven't really paid attention.

Thanks for the info. Are you enjoying the cruise? Really looking forward to ours.

3 formal nights. MANY really dress up - much more so than cruises out of the US. I would say 95% wore jackets. At least 50% wore tuxes.

 

Some wore less formal to specialty restuaurants and, of course, WJ.

 

I'm currently on NOS out of SH so this is "hot off the press." Note that the ship has literally 95%+ Brits, so passenger nationality may have something to do worth it.

Hi as you are on NOS . We are on there this October have you noticed the price of the premium drinks package? We have the select and want to know the upgrade price. Thank-you and enjoy your cruise

Someone mentioned earlier that it could be there are so many folks getting a "free" Select package as part of their booking, that RC is making it very expensive for them to upgrade once onboard.

Alot of UK customers will have the select drinks package as part of thier bookings. We have for our Navigator cruise in October.

We will be upgrading our drinks package just hope royal don't do silly things with prices for the upgrade!!???

The only downside of booking via the USA I guess is not being able to take advantage of this!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s using Tapatalk

Hi I would like more info on booking via the USA if it's possible for you to let me know??

I have bought some this morning and still £70 per $100.

Thanks for the replies. As we are from the UK tipping is not as common as in other countries so we just wanted t make sure we are on the right lines.

Would never remove our prepaid gratuities as we understand this makes up part of the wages

We prepay our tips before we get onboard and will tip our room attendant extra and our waiters at dinner. Also if we have breakfast in our room we tip those too.

Should we be tipping anyone else?

I have just read if you are not happy with the service you can have you prepaid gratuities removed? Is this really correct ?

I wish us UK cruiser's could find out about a good TA to use. We have to use the uk web for royal and I think we might get a better deal using a TA from America? Any tips?

We will be getting off as you get on.

 

They will take one look at me and take pity, realising I have no money and give me a free ultimate upgrade :D

 

 

 

I have brought on board credit to pay for two upgrades, but if it is near the top end price range we will only upgrade one so my wife can have decent wine and cocktails, I'm happy with beer most of the time.

I am thinking the upgrade cost will be something like 12 to 14 dollars per day per person??

I understand what you mean darrencolne, we will be on the Navigator soon and I am planning to do the same as we can only upgrade once on board as you know.

 

I have seen the on board upgrade cost reported to vary from $11 to $25 per day, it's not clear how they decide.

That is what I want to know!!! I have rung royal Caribbean and they won't give me an answer!

I like to have the money ready before I go but with there being so many different prices being given I'm not sure of the cost.

Hopefully someone will give us an upto date price.

Hope you have a great cruise!!