WOW - bar drinks prices increased by up to 40%

[jd07]

Coastalrap - Australia has very high tax on alcohol. It is used as a deterrent to reduce drinking and it's adverse effects of violence as well as future health risks.

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

This isn't a defense of raising the drink prices, but merely an observation... You really have never paid that amount for a drink on land? Granted it's not at every bar... But if you haven't paid $7 for a beer or $12 for a margarita ANYWHERE on land ever, I'm going to have to assume you've never drank a drink at any hotel bar, any "trendy" club, any big major city, or any tourist destination ever... Because that is not that exorbitant of a price as to make it unfathomable.

 

Also, to the poster taking about $1 swill beers at their local hole in the wall drinking spot, just stop. Totally ridiculous comparison. The beers that I drink even at home cost more than $1 each at the State minimum prices.

 

Now back to the topic of the thread... I will likely be drinking slightly less on the cruises I don't have a package on if this does indeed go fleet-wide... But it's certainly not going to ruin a vacation. Relax people. Lol

 

 

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Exactly!!

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

We are cruising November 19, 2016 on the Rhapsody of the Seas 13 night Transatlantic from Malaga to Miami. The agency had group pricing and our outside stateroom is only costing $499.49/pp including taxes. (Great pricing!)We considered purchasing a drink package since we will be at sea quite a bit. The

Beer wine and soda package price looks like it is $42/day (not sure if that included the 18%gratuity) and that will cost us more than the cruise @$546/pp.

I can't see paying more for drinks than the cruise! Drinks have really gone up! We are not big drinkers but do enjoy having drinks when we cruise!

 

I will happily pay more for drinks than a cruise any day of the week! $42 a day to cruise whats to complain about.

[metchie55]

Thanks everyone for you thoughts. I'm now looking at it in a different light. I too, did not know you can cancel the package at a later date. Great info! :) Thanks Again! Happy cruising

[ParRoo]

 

 

 

A MUST DO for anyone contemplating a Drinks Package particularly if you are a cocktail drinker, is to print out a copy of the Royal Caribbean Drinks Menu (mentioned and supplied much earlier in this thread).

 

 

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Regards

 

 

 

Denice :)

 

 

Where can I find the old drink menus to print out?

[Clarea]

Where can I find the old drink menus to print out?

http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/royal-caribbean-drink-package/

[ParRoo]

Thank you!

[bubbasqueen]

I am on my first full day on the Allure. We were on here exactly a year ago. We, my husband and I, were sticker shocked last night by the drink prices. We especially like to get a glass of wine and have tapas at Vintages in Central Park, usually daily. $15 a glass for a wine that costs $22 a bottle at home feels like gouging. The price on the tapas has gone up too. We spent there on three small tapas and two glasses what the specialty restaurants have cost in the past and what a restaurant costs. We've decided to not drink except for the wine we brought with us.

[The Sunset Glow]

I am on my first full day on the Allure. We were on here exactly a year ago. We, my husband and I, were sticker shocked last night by the drink prices. We especially like to get a glass of wine and have tapas at Vintages in Central Park, usually daily. $15 a glass for a wine that costs $22 a bottle at home feels like gouging. The price on the tapas has gone up too. We spent there on three small tapas and two glasses what the specialty restaurants have cost in the past and what a restaurant costs. We've decided to not drink except for the wine we brought with us.

 

 

Yes we are the same. They increased the individual drink prices to make the packages more appealing. But in doing so the "take it or leave it" drinkers have decided to leave it. We can do without it at those prices and do not drink enough to to make the package worth it.

 

They've alienated a large customer base IMO. Maybe that's why they are tinkering with those drink cards on some ships.

[icsys]

Yes we are the same. They increased the individual drink prices to make the packages more appealing. But in doing so the "take it or leave it" drinkers have decided to leave it. We can do without it at those prices and do not drink enough to to make the package worth it.

 

They've alienated a large customer base IMO. Maybe that's why they are tinkering with those drink cards on some ships.

 

Quite possibly.

We had a ten drink card offer on Splendour last month. $80 inclusive. Any drink up to $14 in value.

At $8 per drink it was easier to swallow :)

[denatravels]

Quite possibly.

 

We had a ten drink card offer on Splendour last month. $80 inclusive. Any drink up to $14 in value.

 

At $8 per drink it was easier to swallow :)

 

 

Agreed!! I was disappointed (although NOT surprised) to find that it wasn't on anthem.

 

 

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[Lucky TGO]

Wow $14.00 for a drink plus a tip. I'm happy that I don't drink. And I still have a great time on the cruise!! Now about my wife buying all that jewelry :eek: Who cares look at all the money I'm saving on those drinks🍾🍹🍷🍺🍸.

Tony

[jd07]

Most drinks on voyager of the seas are $10-$12 each and include gratuities (they have to as the cruise is from Australia) so seems the Australian market is cheaper

[Denice and Annalise]

Hi. Australian cruises also have the identical 18% drinks gratuity onboard RCI ships.

 

It is added when you purchase a drink. So, for example if I purchase a drink for $10 off the drinks menu, it will appear on my account with the 18% added ie $11.80. The only time you do not pay the 18% gratuity is if you have purchased a drinks package which already has the 18% gratuity added in. Same all ships. Clarified with RCI Australia 2 minutes ago. Gets a lot of people into trouble because they don't necessarily realise how much their drinks are actually costing them. Particularly in Australia where this is not the norm.

 

The $14 drink referred to earlier is a glass of wine and it was on our drinks menu also - just returned RCI cruise 28/02.

 

So, yes they can and they do have the 18% gratuity on drinks on RCI in Australia.

 

D :)

[vepps]

How can I get a copy of the RCI drink menu?

 

 

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[jd07]

Denice - when I purchased a mocktail on voyager last week the menu price was $4. And that's what I paid - $4. So I'm assuming the 18% gratuity was built in to the menu price?

[The_Big_M]

Denice - when I purchased a mocktail on voyager last week the menu price was $4. And that's what I paid - $4. So I'm assuming the 18% gratuity was built in to the menu price?

 

Yes that's correct. Prices are adjusted here, so the example would actually be $12 locally. Some are rounded down as well as up though.

[IndyKid]

:mad: So what now, even if I get the drink package, I will also have to pay $10+ on top of it for a drink on Coco-Cay (because the drink all you can drink package don't work there?)

What about Labadee? Does the drink package I bought work on the beach? I was looking forward to a nice day laying in the beach chairs drinking and reading.

[mark22mac]

Yes you can use your drink package on labadee.

[Sfr1959]

Most drinks on voyager of the seas are $10-$12 each and include gratuities (they have to as the cruise is from Australia) so seems the Australian market is cheaper

 

 

It's not that our market is cheaper , it's all got to do with exchange rate. That $10 - $12 USD is $14- $17 AUD which is very expensive in the Aussie market place

 

 

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[jd07]

I meant that apparently in November last year drinks were $12-$14 each. So a reduction of around $2 in a few months.

[BekkaW]

I meant that apparently in November last year drinks were $12-$14 each. So a reduction of around $2 in a few months.

 

Yes I can confirm, cocktails on voyager last week $10

[BekkaW]

Hi. Australian cruises also have the identical 18% drinks gratuity onboard RCI ships.

 

It is added when you purchase a drink. So, for example if I purchase a drink for $10 off the drinks menu, it will appear on my account with the 18% added ie $11.80. The only time you do not pay the 18% gratuity is if you have purchased a drinks package which already has the 18% gratuity added in. Same all ships. Clarified with RCI Australia 2 minutes ago. Gets a lot of people into trouble because they don't necessarily realise how much their drinks are actually costing them. Particularly in Australia where this is not the norm.

 

The $14 drink referred to earlier is a glass of wine and it was on our drinks menu also - just returned RCI cruise 28/02.

 

So, yes they can and they do have the 18% gratuity on drinks on RCI in Australia.

 

D :)

 

Interesting...That's against at the law here, that why gratuity is usually included in published prices (also in the UK). I had a package so don't have any data myself but I find that very odd. Perhaps cruises to international waters don't have to comply. My previous cruise from Sydney was only to domestic ports.

[kontraxed]

My wife and I have been on a number of cruises and never thought about "smuggling" liquor on board. We are not big drinkers but, particularly on a cruise, we do like a drink or two in the evening. Given the increase in drink prices, I wonder if there has been a corresponding increase in attempts to smuggle booze on board and how successful those attempts are?

[Denice and Annalise]

How can I get a copy of the RCI drink menu?

 

 

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Hi Vepps.

 

I originally found it elsewhere on a thread however, below is a link to the same one from another site. It is from late last year. Since then the gratuity has risen from 15% to 18% and ignore the prices as some have changed.

 

We found it really helpful. We used it not for the prices (we had a Premium Drinks Package) but for their full cocktail list to give us inspiration on what to order. The drink menus onboard were very limited in the list of cocktails (there were only about 8 listed). Same limited menus on RCL ships in Asia and Australia. Not sure about US as haven't cruised RCL out of US for some time.

 

The Bartenders seemed to know each one when we ordered them. Only on a couple of occasions did they ask to see what spirits were in them. The list is really handy as it lists the ingredients. Highly recommend the Baileys Butterball for late evening drinks. Warning though - they are toooo good. :) All of the cocktails on the list were included in our Premium Drinks Package.

 

Another thing to remember is the Premium and Ultimate drinks package are "call" which means you can request what brand of spirit you have in your drink. If you just order a drink, ie scotch and coke, they give you what is in the wet bar (can be a cheaper brand or not of your preference). With your drinks package, you can request the spirit brand of your choice (within reason - there are a couple of exclusions for the really xxxx y spirits but most are included).

 

Hope this helps. I know it was great for us and quite a few friends who have also cruised recently with RCL.

 

http://www.cruisemapper.com/wiki/708-royal-caribbean-alcohol-policy-drink-prices

 

Regards,

 

Denice

Edited March 8, 2016 by Denice and Annalise