$12 Drinks? No thanks!

[Paul65]

Some of the responses on this thread...

 

Is that supposed to be a guy passed out from drinking too much? :eek:

Edited April 21, 2015 by Paul65

[tserface]

He must be rich at these prices :rolleyes:

 

Is that supposed to be a guy passed out from drinking too much? :eek:

[American Bear]

Actually it was probably one of the more polite comments in this thread but thanks for your input. ;)

 

Your welcome.:)

[Paul65]

He must be rich at these prices :rolleyes:

Not if he was drinking from a plastic flask or a maalox bottle. [emoji106]

[Ocean Boy]

It's even stranger that people who are getting "ripped off" continue to book future cruises with RC

 

What is so strange? I book cruises with RCI because I feel I get good value, and cruise experience, for my money. Though there are certainly cruises that I have not booked with RCI because I felt the pricing for those weeks was not a good value. I rarely book ship sponsored tours because I don't feel I'm getting that same good value and I get a better experience, often for less money, doing things on my own. We don't book specialty dining as that food is not worth the extra cost to me. I rarely purchase RCI's transportation from the airport to the ship for the same reasons I don't buy tours through them. It doesn't have to be all or nothing does it?

[Ocean Boy]

I agree 100%. No it is not black and white. I think the new drink prices are outrageous and told them as much in my survey I just completed. Combine that with overall poor bar service and weaker drinks of which I also commented on and I am surprised some people are happy with paying more and getting less. Will me commenting on that in the survey change things? Highly doubtful but it made me feel better :) I still had a great cruise though and still like the product RCI offers overall.

 

I just adjusted my onboard drinking down to about nothing and got my drink on in port. You can now drink much cheaper at Margaritaville and Senor Frogs and various other places in port than you can onboard :)

 

Why are you surprised? We have both read plenty of comments on these boards that go something like.... I don't have to clean, cook, or make my bed for a week so its all good. Or... a bad day on a cruise is better than a good day at work.

 

It reminds me of the scene in the movie "Animal House".... thank you sir, may I have another.... WHACK.

[Paul65]

What is so strange? I book cruises with RCI because I feel I get good value, and cruise experience, for my money.

 

I don't think he was questioning why someone who felt they were getting good value would keep booking. There's a subtle difference between getting good value and getting ripped off.

[Ocean Boy]

I don't think he was questioning why someone who felt they were getting good value would keep booking. There's a subtle difference between getting good value and getting ripped off.

 

My point is that part of the cruise experience can be a good value while other aspects of it can feel like a rip off. And I don't think there is a subtle difference at all between getting good value and being ripped off.

[Paul65]

My point is that part of the cruise experience can be a good value while other aspects of it can feel like a rip off. And I don't think there is a subtle difference at all between getting good value and being ripped off.

 

True, but if you think it is, overall, a good value, you probably don't waste too much time harping on the individual parts of it that are not. (Or, maybe you do.)

 

I think it's sort of a rip-off to charge $3 for a bottle of water that probably costs them something like 15 cents wholesale. But I don't spend a lot of time complaining about that or even thinking about it. And, if I want a bottle of water, I have one.

[Ocean Boy]

True, but if you think it is, overall, a good value, you probably don't waste too much time harping on the individual parts of it that are not. (Or, maybe you do.)

 

I think it's sort of a rip-off to charge $3 for a bottle of water that probably costs them something like 15 cents wholesale. But I don't spend a lot of time complaining about that or even thinking about it. And, if I want a bottle of water, I have one.

 

Ok.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[bcarney]

I don't think he was questioning why someone who felt they were getting good value would keep booking. There's a subtle difference between getting good value and getting ripped off.

 

 

 

For me, when I booked, my most recent experience was on Oasis a year ago and drinks were in the $7.50-$7.75 range. While I certainly expect the occasional price increase, its the WHOPPING leap from <$8 to $12+ that has upset me the most. Yes, I *DO* feel ripped off by RCL. Do I feel like I get good value from RCL now? HELL NO.

[Paul65]

For me, when I booked, my most recent experience was on Oasis a year ago and drinks were in the $7.50-$7.75 range. While I certainly expect the occasional price increase, its the WHOPPING leap from <$8 to $12+ that has upset me the most. Yes, I *DO* feel ripped off by RCL. Do I feel like I get good value from RCL now? HELL NO.

 

I've heard that from others, too (about the drink prices), but it must vary from ship to ship. We certainly didn't see that on Serenade. There were a number of $12 drinks, but they were not ones that had recently been <$8. They were the specialty cocktails that were more like $10 before. Didn't see anything that was above $12, but I'm sure there are some.

[bcarney]

I've heard that from others, too (about the drink prices), but it must vary from ship to ship. We certainly didn't see that on Serenade. There were a number of $12 drinks, but they were not ones that had recently been <$8. They were the specialty cocktails that were more like $10 before. Didn't see anything that was above $12, but I'm sure there are some.

 

 

 

I don't know when the increase started, but from piecing together information from other threads it must have been mid to late March that it was implemented. I've read that drink menus on other some ships don't have prices listed; on those that I looked at on Jewel they were printed on there, and they all started at $12. I wonder if this is some sort of corporate experiment - having menus w/out prices can allow ships (fleetwide or individually) to raise or lower prices on a cruise-by-cruise basis until they figure out where the passengers 'tipping point' is. They found out mine, that's for sure....

[Paul65]

I don't know when the increase started, but from piecing together information from other threads it must have been mid to late March that it was implemented. I've read that drink menus on other some ships don't have prices listed; on those that I looked at on Jewel they were printed on there, and they all started at $12. I wonder if this is some sort of corporate experiment - having menus w/out prices can allow ships (fleetwide or individually) to raise or lower prices on a cruise-by-cruise basis until they figure out where the passengers 'tipping point' is. They found out mine, that's for sure....

 

We found the prices of the "menu" drinks at most bars to be $12 (though, as I said, I didn't see any prices higher than that), but they were also mostly specialty martinis and cocktails. The menus didn't list every possible drink, but the simpler ones that we ordered were in the $7 - 8 range. This was just the week before last on the Serenade. They might charge more on other ships for basic drinks.

[ryano]

I've heard that from others, too (about the drink prices), but it must vary from ship to ship. We certainly didn't see that on Serenade. There were a number of $12 drinks, but they were not ones that had recently been <$8. They were the specialty cocktails that were more like $10 before. Didn't see anything that was above $12, but I'm sure there are some.

 

On Freedom this past week, if it had liquor in it at all, it was 10.00 + 18%. Even a simple vodka and orange juice, gin and tonic type drink. Their frozen drinks like the lava flow, labadoozie etc were all 12.00 + 18%. Bloody Marys were also 12.00 + 18%.

 

I drank a few really good margaritas at Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Falmouth for 8.00 a piece. It is now cheaper to get your drink on at the tourist trap places like Margaritaville and Senor Frogs than it is to do it on the ship.

Edited April 21, 2015 by ryano

[Paul65]

On Freedom this past week, if it had liquor in it at all, it was 10.00 + 18%. Even a simple vodka and orange juice, gin and tonic type drink. Their frozen drinks like the lava flow, labadoozie etc were all 12.00 + 18%. Bloody Marys were also 12.00 + 18%.

 

I drank a few really good margaritas at Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Falmouth for 8.00 a piece. It is now cheaper to get your drink on at the tourist trap places like Margaritaville and Senor Frogs than it is to do it on the ship.

 

I think the lowest price drink we had on Serenade was a simple Bailey's on the rocks that my wife ordered. It was just under $7 before the gratuity/service charge. Obviously, based on some varied reports on here, it is not uniform across the fleet. I think it was wolfcathorse I saw in one thread talking about having "Jack & Coke" for $7.75 + 18%. Others seem to have encountered $10 as a bottom end price.

[Funky Chicken]

On Freedom this past week, if it had liquor in it at all, it was 10.00 + 18%. Even a simple vodka and orange juice, gin and tonic type drink. Their frozen drinks like the lava flow, labadoozie etc were all 12.00 + 18%. Bloody Marys were also 12.00 + 18%.

 

I drank a few really good margaritas at Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Falmouth for 8.00 a piece. It is now cheaper to get your drink on at the tourist trap places like Margaritaville and Senor Frogs than it is to do it on the ship.

 

We were on Freedom last week as well.

We got a very hard sell on drink packages after boarding. I knew that we wanted the soda package only, primarily for the freestyle machine cups. I also knew that we would not likely drink the value of the package but I was cool with that-the freestyle machine also offers choices that you can't get anywhere else on the ship (Powerade, flavored ginger ale and lemonades, flavored Dasani).

We were presented with a package menu that had the Ultimate Package in big letters up top and lower level packages down below, but the soda package was not being offered. I had to ask THREE TIMES for it before they even acknowledged that it was an option. Once they realized that I was not being upsold they completed my receipt and shoved three cups my way.

We bought a few glasses of wine at dinner and a handful of other drinks along the way. We carried 2 bottles of wine onboard and had a glass on the balcony before dinner most nights.

There is no way I can justify an alcohol package. I'd rather drink a $6 beer than a lousy $12 cocktail and pay as I go. On a Western, there are 3 days to drink off the ship.

[Paul65]

I'd rather drink a $6 beer than a lousy $12 cocktail and pay as I go.

 

Did you order any "lousy" $12 cocktails? Just curious, because I've seen a few people insulting the quality of the drinks, but I found the ones I tried to be very good. I'd rather have paid less than $12 plus 18% for them, but they were good.

[Funky Chicken]

Did you order any "lousy" $12 cocktails? Just curious, because I've seen a few people insulting the quality of the drinks, but I found the ones I tried to be very good. I'd rather have paid less than $12 plus 18% for them, but they were good.

 

My wife had a $12 Margarita at Olive or Twist. She didn't have a lot of praise for it.

 

Another thing that I noticed is that shipwide the bartenders didn't seem to be interested in striking up much conversation or building rapport.

It seems like the packages are getting in the way of personal attention. I don't know how the gratuities work with a package-does a bartender receive 18% on every drink poured, or is everything pooled? I always try to leave my extra tips in cash so that they actually go to the server involved (especially in the MDR where I will see him/her consistently).

[squadron]

True, but if you think it is, overall, a good value, you probably don't waste too much time harping on the individual parts of it that are not. (Or, maybe you do.)

 

I think it's sort of a rip-off to charge $3 for a bottle of water that probably costs them something like 15 cents wholesale. But I don't spend a lot of time complaining about that or even thinking about it. And, if I want a bottle of water, I have one.

 

I agree - $3.00 is too much for water so I don't buy it. Water is free on board. On the other hand - don't forget $4.00 for water in airport plus the $10 sandwich.

[Paul65]

I agree - $3.00 is too much for water so I don't buy it. Water is free on board. On the other hand - don't forget $4.00 for water in airport plus the $10 sandwich.

 

Yes. It's true in airports, at movie theaters, sports arenas, etc. Anywhere you have a captive audience with demand, and you control the supply, the prices tend to be on the high side.

[Pesseh0729]

My wife had a $12 Margarita at Olive or Twist. She didn't have a lot of praise for it.

 

 

 

Another thing that I noticed is that shipwide the bartenders didn't seem to be interested in striking up much conversation or building rapport.

 

It seems like the packages are getting in the way of personal attention. I don't know how the gratuities work with a package-does a bartender receive 18% on every drink poured, or is everything pooled? I always try to leave my extra tips in cash so that they actually go to the server involved (especially in the MDR where I will see him/her consistently).

 

 

The packages are getting in the way of personal attention? Lol

[Goodtime Cruizin]

What is so strange? I book cruises with RCI because I feel I get good value, and cruise experience, for my money. Though there are certainly cruises that I have not booked with RCI because I felt the pricing for those weeks was not a good value. I rarely book ship sponsored tours because I don't feel I'm getting that same good value and I get a better experience, often for less money, doing things on my own. We don't book specialty dining as that food is not worth the extra cost to me. I rarely purchase RCI's transportation from the airport to the ship for the same reasons I don't buy tours through them. It doesn't have to be all or nothing does it?

 

Nailed it. Everyone that cruises on any ship, not just RCL, have choices and decisions to make that enhances their personal needs and these decisions form their opinions of a 'value'. Many factors go into the equation to determine one's value on a particular cruise and a particular item. My value may not be what others consider as a value. When I don't see a value in a particular item or thing, I typically makes decisions based to avoid it. Or I learn to create a value elsewhere in an effort to stay on budget. As an example, I do not buy RCL sponsored excursions. I buy non-sponsored excursions, or I do a self guided day in an effort to save money that can be used on items for the ship, i.e. alcohol/drink pkgs, meals, and casino. I avoid Bingo and rarely do I buy pictures. I shop for TA's that offer OBCs and lower pricing than RCL is displaying. I recognize that liquor is a biggee on a cruise, but does anyone follow or chart the cost of excursions. They have had increases as well, but few threads discuss this.

[dcgrumpy]

Nailed it. Everyone that cruises on any ship, not just RCL, have choices and decisions to make that enhances their personal needs and these decisions form their opinions of a 'value'. Many factors go into the equation to determine one's value on a particular cruise and a particular item. My value may not be what others consider as a value. When I don't see a value in a particular item or thing, I typically makes decisions based to avoid it. Or I learn to create a value elsewhere in an effort to stay on budget. As an example, I do not buy RCL sponsored excursions. I buy non-sponsored excursions, or I do a self guided day in an effort to save money that can be used on items for the ship, i.e. alcohol/drink pkgs, meals, and casino. I avoid Bingo and rarely do I buy pictures. I shop for TA's that offer OBCs and lower pricing than RCL is displaying. I recognize that liquor is a biggee on a cruise, but does anyone follow or chart the cost of excursions. They have had increases as well, but few threads discuss this.

 

But like you said, you have other options with excursions. You can book with an outside company. You don't have that option where alcohol is concerned.

[Funky Chicken]

The packages are getting in the way of personal attention? Lol

 

How is this funny?

I always try to connect with a bartender or two aboard ship. A little friendliness and a cash tip early on gets me a nicer pour and faster service. It's no different than a local bar at home.