WOW - bar drinks prices increased by up to 40%

[darlacat]

...I'm on Adventure next week - and have no interest in the drink package as there is only 1 sea day - and I don't want to feel pressure to drink like a fish when we get back on the ship to make it worth it. Thing is that I do like to have a couple of drinks - but I only like a drink $7 worth - not $10 worth. I'm not cheap or poor - but I've got a price point in my head that makes the purchase feel right and anything about that just makes me enjoy the drink less. Looks like it's going to be a dry cruise!

[joepeka]

We will be sailing on Rhapsody next month. With all this talk of increased drink prices does anyone actually have a list of current prices. Don't think I can justify the cost of a package for 11 nights when 5 days are spent in port.

 

You may want to consider what we are thinking of doing (if it makes sense given your itin): we will wait until day 5 of our 9 day cruise to purchase a package since the first 4 days are port time and we'll be off the ship a lot.

[link99]

We will be sailing on Rhapsody next month. With all this talk of increased drink prices does anyone actually have a list of current prices. Don't think I can justify the cost of a package for 11 nights when 5 days are spent in port.

 

 

Doing the figures (in Au$) a premium package for us both for the whole cruise is over $1800, now I can spin it lots of ways to 'justify' the price ie if we each drink so many drinks at so many $ the it's cheaper but the bottom line is I just don't want to spend that amount on alcohol. When you look at the fact we paid less then that each for the whole cruise it's outrageous.

 

 

Sylva.

 

I agree with you on this. We will be On the Legend 10 day next Friday and their is no way we will be buying the drink package at over a $1000 when 5 of those days are in port and two of the excursions have drinks included. might as well take $ 500 in cash and throw it overboard.

 

We will be sure to get to the Diamond Lounge to get drinks AND make sure we use all 6 (3x2 People) of our drink vouchers each and every night.

 

RCCL has gone way to far this time. And for pool time, a couple beers will be just fine. We drink it at home so why not on the ship. As the poster said WE WILL NOT PAY FOR HALF THE COST OF THE CRUISE AGAIN in purchasing Alcohol. That is just way to crazy IMHO.

[Whitnee1]

I am sure the next ball to drop will be the elimination of the allowance for the two bottles of wine per cabin to further push people to the package.

[kevinyork]

This will displease those who cannot cancel as they are beyond final payment or are in the UK where cancellation forfeits the deposit. Some will have booked cruises knowing what the drinks prices are through experience or through research including on this site, booked a cruise and then find that the drinks prices have rocketed which will mean either a cutback in buying drinks onboard or a big increase in onboard spend. I know the cruise lines can change their prices at any time but this is a huge increase all in one go.

 

 

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[Whitnee1]

Also if they have eliminated the requirement that everyone in the cabin has to get the package you could buy one package;);););)

[Stags14]

Also if they have eliminated the requirement that everyone in the cabin has to get the package you could buy one package;);););)

 

We were on the Freedom in September - I got the ultimate package, wife got nothing.

[Ocean Boy]

We will be sailing on Rhapsody next month. With all this talk of increased drink prices does anyone actually have a list of current prices. Don't think I can justify the cost of a package for 11 nights when 5 days are spent in port.

 

It is hard to generate a list of prices as RCI has stopped putting prices on the menus. At least there was no pricing available on Indy last week.

[kevinyork]

Just a thought, last year when Celebrity stripped back the drinks included in their drinks packages (after many had booked to get the free drinks package promo) then postings to social media pushed them to reverse their decision in a matter of days. Its a powerful tool.

 

 

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[link99]

We were on the Freedom in September - I got the ultimate package, wife got nothing.

 

Believe me I just might be doing that to.

[setsail]

Seems as though a 7 day cruise, 20 drinks. Will cost us an extra whopping 60$ at most:eek::rolleyes:

[cruzecontrol]

On my December 2014 cruise I ordered my first on board pina colada - price $8.47

 

On my February 2015 cruise I ordered the same thing - price $15.15.:(

I probably got top shelf rum the second cruise but was not asked - still a very big jump.

[Big_G]

Isn't it $40 a day?

 

 

I don't know. That's why I was asking.

 

 

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[vanrrr]

On my December 2014 cruise I ordered my first on board pina colada - price $8.47

 

 

 

On my February 2015 cruise I ordered the same thing - price $15.15.:(

 

I probably got top shelf rum the second cruise but was not asked - still a very big jump.

 

 

What ship were you on?

[cruzecontrol]

What ship were you on?

 

 

The Explorer OTS in December and the Navigator OTS in February

[WestCoastCruiser123]

I just got off liberty this morning. Funny this thread started this week because I was thinking that the drink prices were outrageous. Mudslides were $10+ $1.80 grat and a chocolate martini I ordered in the theater was $12 + grat. Yes, $14 for a cocktail!!! I couldn't believe it. It's not like I was at a fancy bar where you already assume drink prices will be high. I usually like a drink or two a day, not enough for a package. But I hardly drank with those prices.

 

Are they trying to get people to rationalize that it's better to share 1 drink package than buy a couple per person each day?

[kevinyork]

Well Michael Bayley said he wanted to increase the top line figures. But these increases are really unbelievable. To go from mainstream land based restaurant drink prices to top knotch hotel drink prices in one jump is a risky step. Many fall between the lines of pay per drink and buying a drinks package and they will be the ones looking elsewhere soon.

 

 

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[link99]

Well Michael Bayley said he wanted to increase the top line figures. But these increases are really unbelievable. To go from mainstream land based restaurant drink prices to top knotch hotel drink prices in one jump is a risky step. Many fall between the lines of pay per drink and buying a drinks package and they will be the ones looking elsewhere soon.

 

 

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Dear Michael Bayley I will be sharing my drink Package on my up coming cruise catch me if you can. Take your drink prices and ...........

[DirtyDawg]

Merriam Webster says:

 

 

 

noun cock·tail \ˈkäk-ˌtāl\

 

Definition of COCKTAIL

 

1 a : an iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients

 

A Highball by any other name is still as sweet...(ly) expensive on Royal Caribbean.:mad:

;)

Edited March 15, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[joepeka]

Dear Michael Bayley I will be sharing my drink Package on my up coming cruise catch me if you can. Take your drink prices and ...........

 

As someone posted on another thread: "good luck with that."

[onyourtoes]

It does tend to look that way, doesn't it?

 

I don't drink that much, so the package would be overpaying for me. I don't drink soda (much) so that package is of no used to me. I guess it's water all the way this year, except for Diamond lounge 6 to 8:30.

Question: If the single drinks go up, won't the cost of the package increase also? Just curious.

 

Happy sailings

[link99]

Easier then you think

[krisko]

I probably got top shelf rum the second cruise but was not asked - still a very big jump.

 

They will do this unless you specify cheap liquor...underhanded but hardly something RCI can control. I tell the bartender that I am not pleased and never use that bar rest of cruise. Still, I'm sure this happens a lot.

 

The obvious answers are to get drink package for one person and share with your significant other or to start smuggling. The nuclear option of course is to not cruise Royal. I'm Diamond so I'm inclined to just roll with the DL at night and smuggle a tad otherwise.

Edited March 15, 2015 by krisko

[Highlander1]

Just off the Grandeur, we drank morning specials from 9-12, Bloody's, Screwdrivers, and Mimosas, $3.95 each. Martini special at night from 5-9, $5.95 at most inside bars. For a 10 day a premium drink package would have been over $1200 for my wife and myself, we like to drink but not at those consequences. Four of us, SIL, BIL and us with the same opinion, and we were always good for a $500 bar bill at then end of the cruise, this time just over $200 for a 10 day. I mean almost $50 for a round of 4 bloodys poolside with a tip is getting costly, and the drinks are weak.:o

 

The staff will be the biggest losers, many people won't drink, I always tip an extra $2.00 per round, I won't be drinking so no more tips. Just can't drink heavily for a 10 day period everyday. And many people can't drink there moneys worth, some will and more, but its a big nut to pay.

 

I'll still cruise and drink, but I'll be aware of the cost and we will cut back. It won't matter, we are 55+, they don't care about us, the money is in the 21-45 crowd, they like to pay top dollar and they easily justify the drink package cost, if I were 25 I'd be going for it too.

[2PinaColadas]

This will be our first Royal cruise. I hate to read this. I am not a big drinker and I have no intention of paying $15 for a weak drink that will melt before I finish it. This is really a dumb decision on somebody's part. First an increase in gratuities now a huge jump in prices. :( Maybe we should have stuck with Carnival.