First ever cruise - questions re: drinks package

Hello,

I hoped someone could help answer a query I have re: drink packages (sorry!)....

We've booked our first ever cruise for our honeymoon in Feb 2018, around the Caribbean! We've looked at the Deluxe Drinks Package - I've seen on some posts that there is a limit for the cocktails, typically $12. However, when I proceed to the booking page for this package, I cannot see this limit stated on the T&Cs, so I wondered if this was true?

Also, as I'm in the UK, the price is stated in GBP - does this price include everything e.g. extra taxes, gratuties etc - or will this price increase once I go through to the booking page?

(I'm reclucant to actually click 'add to cart' as I don't want to be committed to buying without knowing the above).

Thank-you! :D

I don't know the specifics, however if you 'Add to Cart', it will show you the real total, and you can delete it from your cart if you choose not to buy it at that point. I've done it several times when checking the prices!

Ah - thank-you - presumed you are comitted once added to cart, will give it a try!

Congratulations on your wedding and upcoming honeymoon!!:hearteyes: Hope you love cruising as much as most of us do!:cool: Welcome to Cruise Critic, where you can find a lot of useful and interesting information, as well as enjoyable conversations with possible future friends and cruise buddies!;) If you have time, check out the Meet & Mingle site, find your ship and cruise week, and chat with your fellow cruisers going on the same cruise as you!! Great way to meet new friends!! Happy cruising!! Cheers!!

Ah - thank-you - presumed you are comitted once added to cart, will give it a try!

Nope, you're not committed until you enter a credit card number.

We have found that unless you plan to be drinking all day for the whole cruise, (6 drinks a day pp to break even) it is less expensive to just charge what you use. There may days that you are on shore long hours and waste your package.

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The drinks packages also go on sale at times. At least for US passengers, you can cancel at any time up to 3 days before sailing with a full refund.

Last cruise I got a package with wifi and drinks, so it only took about 3 - 4 drinks per day to break even. And that was easy, even on port days.

We have found that unless you plan to be drinking all day for the whole cruise, (6 drinks a day pp to break even) it is less expensive to just charge what you use. There may days that you are on shore long hours and waste your package.

 

 

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The OP is from the UK, They will have no problem getting their money's worth.:D

Thanks all - at the moment it is 25% off each person, so I roughly worked this out that we would break even at about 3 cocktails each per day, but it's likely my husband will drink wine so assume a drinks package is the better option?

(I'm unlikely to drink normal spirits - if I were then agree it wouldn't be worth it for me, but if I do drink, then it's cocktails, so worth it?).

If we are paying $12-14 per cocktail, plus 18% grad then we should at least break even?

Plus, we drink a lot of water during the day, which bottled water will be included, as from what I've read, it wouldn't usually??

We have been weighing up the package and initially decided against it but at 3 alcoholic drinks a day I now think it's worth it.

We are travelling around Florida prior to the cruise so won't be drinking on that part of our trip, hence why we've now considered the package.

*I must add, we are not big drinkers, but if we do drink then it's likely to be wine/cocktails which seem to be considerable more on the cruise than standard beer/spirits.

Remember that drinks include not only alcoholic beverages but soft drinks, water and coffees as well.

Congratulations on your wedding and upcoming honeymoon!!:hearteyes: Hope you love cruising as much as most of us do!:cool: Welcome to Cruise Critic, where you can find a lot of useful and interesting information, as well as enjoyable conversations with possible future friends and cruise buddies!;) If you have time, check out the Meet & Mingle site, find your ship and cruise week, and chat with your fellow cruisers going on the same cruise as you!! Great way to meet new friends!! Happy cruising!! Cheers!!

Many thanks :D we are really looking forward to it!!

Remember that drinks include not only alcoholic beverages but soft drinks, water and coffees as well.

Yep, the bottled water and coffee is also swaying it for me:D

Love the package had it on last 5 cruises and again in 2 days , if you drink 4 or more a day it is well worth it. price sometime changes so even if you buy it and you see it cheaper later you can cancel and rebook at list in USA. package for our cruise was listed at 20 percent off and selling for 44 plus tip, I bought it then cancel and rebooked it when it was 25 percent off or 41, have a great cruise and honeymoon. Also for our cruise limit is 12 for a drink which covers 95 percent of the drinks, we get glasses of wine that are over the limit so if glass is 15, we pay just 3 plus tip on the 3

I bought one and my wife did not. I drink a lot and she does not. I got my monies worth for sure. She only had 2-3 drinks a day on a four day cruise. Her drinks were around $80-90.

I drank a couple beers before dinner, a couple with, a couple at the show, and several drinks at whatever bar we ended up at after. I also wore that card out on CoCo Cay.

We would likely do it the same way on our next cruise. The 18% grats is nice when prepaid with a drink package too vs drink by drink.

I bought one and my wife did not. I drink a lot and she does not. I got my monies worth for sure. She only had 2-3 drinks a day on a four day cruise. Her drinks were around $80-90.

 

I drank a couple beers before dinner, a couple with, a couple at the show, and several drinks at whatever bar we ended up at after. I also wore that card out on CoCo Cay.

 

We would likely do it the same way on our next cruise. The 18% grats is nice when prepaid with a drink package too vs drink by drink.

Royal recently changed to all adults in a room must get a drink package. Online if one gets the alcohol package both must, but people have had success calling in and getting the Refreshment package for the second adult.

Ah - thank-you - presumed you are comitted once added to cart, will give it a try!

Just remember, they can't charge you until you've given them a credit card number--until then, no commitment.

Just remember, they can't charge you until you've given them a credit card number--until then, no commitment.

Very true, but the concern is understandable; after all, they have your credit card information from when you booked the cruise (Although, I'm assuming Royal follows best PCI Compliance and doesn't actually store the card information).

But yes, feel free to add anything from cruise planner to your cart to see the price. I do it all the time to compare options, like if it's cheaper to get 2 Deluxe Packages and 1 2-Device Internet Package, or to get 2 of the Combo Deluxe Beverage + 1 Device Internet Packages (It was $25 cheaper to get the beverage and internet separately)

So just a few minutes ago I purchased the drink package for my husband and not me. I don’t drink that much but we wanted to be able to get bottled water and chia too. I’ll have my hubby get me my chia in the morning. Has anyone ever had luck with spouse getting a few drinks for their wife? I’m sure they aren’t supposed to do that, but if you tip a waiter or bartender, do they look the other way? I’d love to know if others have tired it

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So just a few minutes ago I purchased the drink package for my husband and not me. I don’t drink that much but we wanted to be able to get bottled water and chia too. I’ll have my hubby get me my chia in the morning. Has anyone ever had luck with spouse getting a few drinks for their wife? I’m sure they aren’t supposed to do that, but if you tip a waiter or bartender, do they look the other way? I’d love to know if others have tired it

 

 

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If caught they can revoke the package without a refund and retroactively charge for all drinks received using the package. Stealing is generally heavily frowned upon by cruise critic especially since a lot of people, myself included, believe it is because of people stealing drinks without buying the package that Royal is starting to force all adults in a room to buy the package.

 

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Thanks for the info! I purchased the package last cruise and didn’t use it enough, but. Easy enough to just purchase what I do drink.

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So just a few minutes ago I purchased the drink package for my husband and not me. I don’t drink that much but we wanted to be able to get bottled water and chia too. I’ll have my hubby get me my chia in the morning. Has anyone ever had luck with spouse getting a few drinks for their wife? I’m sure they aren’t supposed to do that, but if you tip a waiter or bartender, do they look the other way? I’d love to know if others have tired it

 

 

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How did you manage to buy for your husband but not yourself? It's now every adult in a room who has to buy - did you phone up?

How did you manage to buy for your husband but not yourself? It's now every adult in a room who has to buy - did you phone up?

I just did it online through the cruise planner and it let me. But I actually called and canceled it now. We felt like it was worth it if he could get me a few drinks but since that's considered stealing, we just canceled it. We'll end up spending less for the two of us without the package since we're not big drinkers.

I just did it online through the cruise planner and it let me. But I actually called and canceled it now. We felt like it was worth it if he could get me a few drinks but since that's considered stealing, we just canceled it. We'll end up spending less for the two of us without the package since we're not big drinkers.

It is nice to see that there are good folks out there!!

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