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RCCL New Drink Packages - different for Oz

Kizza

By Kizza,
in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

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Kizza

Kizza

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Posted

I spoke to RCCL today about the new drink packages and was told at this stage we are only getting a revised "classic" & "Premium" package. No $20 Replenish or Ultimate package. She did say the Premium was the same price $55 / day and would include specialty coffee's but not bottled water.

 

Has anyone else heard this?

 

Btw - she also said the new packages were already available online but they are not.....:rolleyes:

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SydSailor

SydSailor

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I spoke to RCCL today about the new drink packages and was told at this stage we are only getting a revised "classic" & "Premium" package. No $20 Replenish or Ultimate package. She did say the Premium was the same price $55 / day and would include specialty coffee's but not bottled water.

 

Has anyone else heard this?

 

Btw - she also said the new packages were already available online but they are not.....:rolleyes:

 

Based on past experience, RCI are not good at disseminating information,esp to satellite markets like Aust. Heck, at the moment they can't even get accurate package info on the US site, so take anything they say over the phone with a grain of salt. If you expect not to know the true position until you are on board you won't be disappointed!

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bobbris

bobbris

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Their is another thread which shows the ultimate package and from what I can understand can be booked online from mid December. It also says in the q&a that aus will get upto $12 cocktails

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Forums mobile app

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Esilef

Esilef

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Posted
I spoke to RCCL today about the new drink packages and was told at this stage we are only getting a revised "classic" & "Premium" package. No $20 Replenish or Ultimate package. She did say the Premium was the same price $55 / day and would include specialty coffee's but not bottled water.

 

Has anyone else heard this?

 

Btw - she also said the new packages were already available online but they are not.....:rolleyes:

 

I was told exactly the same thing. Hoping we can just bp book online from mid December

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fishtaco

fishtaco

Posted
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I spoke to RCCL today about the new drink packages and was told at this stage we are only getting a revised "classic" & "Premium" package. No $20 Replenish or Ultimate package. She did say the Premium was the same price $55 / day and would include specialty coffee's but not bottled water.

 

Has anyone else heard this?

 

Btw - she also said the new packages were already available online but they are not.....:rolleyes:

 

They are USA ships just visiting Australia!

 

Buy the drinks package onboard when you first arrive, there is no advantage in purchasing it online from RCI Australia unless the US dollar gets a lot stronger.

 

Your onboard account will be in US Dollars anyway and the drinks packages are in US Dollars when bought onboard.

 

I cant see USA cruisers cruising out of Australia being sold a different drinks package deal when they book from home.

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The_Big_M

The_Big_M

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They are USA ships just visiting Australia!

 

Buy the drinks package onboard when you first arrive, there is no advantage in purchasing it online from RCI Australia unless the US dollar gets a lot stronger.

 

Your onboard account will be in US Dollars anyway and the drinks packages are in US Dollars when bought onboard.

 

I cant see USA cruisers cruising out of Australia being sold a different drinks package deal when they book from home.

 

To be fair there are differences, e.g. they change the price in Aus waters to remove the gratuities separately and make them inclusive.

 

Similarly some of the drinks packages then have the thresholds adjusted because the list price is different.

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cruisin-m

cruisin-m

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They are USA ships just visiting Australia!

 

Buy the drinks package onboard when you first arrive, there is no advantage in purchasing it online from RCI Australia unless the US dollar gets a lot stronger.

 

Your onboard account will be in US Dollars anyway and the drinks packages are in US Dollars when bought onboard.

 

I cant see USA cruisers cruising out of Australia being sold a different drinks package deal when they book from home.

 

Don't know if they've made the change yet but it wouldn't surprise me as they seem to have modelled the RCI drinks packages off the Celebrity packages, but Celebrity now charge you an extra $5 per day for the packages if you decide to purchase it onboard.

 

So it is cheaper to book it online beforehand. Not sure if RCI have gone this way yet though :confused:

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Justcruzin08

Justcruzin08

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To be fair there are differences, e.g. they change the price in Aus waters to remove the gratuities separately and make them inclusive.

 

Similarly some of the drinks packages then have the thresholds adjusted because the list price is different.

I cruised march 2013 with rci in Australia, and drinks menus were same as people had posted on forum from USA cruise. The drinks package was same price on board as online. and would have to agree with fish taco.

The drinks package was great if you like a few drinks, especially cocktails. We cruised when weather was warm with lots of sea day, as yes we got our money's worth, but seriously reconsidering the package for Alaska next year. Just don't think I can drink 9 frozen cocktails in a cold climate.

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Royalty X

Royalty X

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We are on Rhapsody now, no new drinks package...very dissapointing.

The guy who sold us package when we got on board said I think maybe 19 Dec but that just seemed a date he pulled out of air.

 

Vicky:)

I believe the new packages have already started in the U.S. and they start from January for everywhere else.
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The_Big_M

The_Big_M

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We are on Rhapsody now, no new drinks package...very dissapointing.

The guy who sold us package when we got on board said I think maybe 19 Dec but that just seemed a date he pulled out of air.

 

Vicky:)

 

When the details were released RCL did say mid-December was the timeframe for international cruises, so that date fits. :)

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Esilef

Esilef

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I tried again. ..now I can purchase any of them EXCEPT the one I want - the Royal Replenish package. Another website wrinkle to be ironed out :)

 

I can also purchase other packages but the royal replenish! You can also not add more than one to your basket and then pay.

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SydSailor

SydSailor

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I tried again. ..now I can purchase any of them EXCEPT the one I want - the Royal Replenish package. Another website wrinkle to be ironed out :)

 

2 of the 4 packages now appear to be available for online booking for Radiance 29 Dec sailing - Select and Premium. The Ultimate Package is also up on the website, but when clicked shows an "unavailable" script as follows. No Royal Replenish as noted above.

 

"Online sales for Alcohol Packages are currently not available for your sailing. If your cruise vacation begins more than two months from today, please visit the website closer to your sail date. Please note that certain itineraries preclude online sales, but all packages can be purchased onboard ships for sailing's with 4 or more nights."

 

This seems to be consistent with some earlier posts suggesting that only 2 of the 4 packages would be available on Aust cruises (though perhaps all are available on board). Seems a strange outcome though - what would the rationale be? Are we Aussies thought to over-consume juices and lattes?

 

The good news is that the USD-AUD x rate at which they are offered appears to be quite favourable provided that your credit card provider does not slug you with a forex fee. With the AUD heading south it may be worth breaking my usual rule of only booking packages on board once all details are available, and booking online now.

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SydSailor

SydSailor

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Not sure if they take package bookings over the phone. Last time I called them, after a 40 min wait, a very friendly lady told me that all details would be as per website or I could purchase on board. When I asked about any details, she simple deferred to the website, so didnt inpsire a huge amount of confidence that they are on top of it.

 

Anyway, i booked the Premium package online as the x-rate offered by RCI (USD55 = AUD 57.75) is about 5-6% better than the current wholesale rate.

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Kizza

Kizza

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We get on Radiance on the 20 Dec so will see what we were told about the 19 Dec is correct.

I'm sure it was just a date the guy said as it was the day our Rhapsody cruise ends.

 

V:)

Looking forward to hearing if you were able to purchase the new packages on board or not. :)

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