What % of people on the ship have drink packages?

[Mitzyscorner]

While I don't care if people want to buy the package or not, there is another concern as to how much people drink. Such as the time I was waiting in the FC lounge on Voyager, when two women both proceeded to throw up over the sofa and carpets, for an extended period.

 

The whole area reeked after that effort, and I sympathised with the stuff who had to to do the clean-up work, as well as the impact on where they did it.

 

Agree.

 

I walked into a shower in the spa to find the floor covered in chunky vomit, reeking of God knows what kind of booze. They had to shut down the entire locker room, the sauna, steam room, and the hot tub. So much for a relaxing evening after the spa. Geez.

[rtazz17]

To op,just figure how much you intend to drink based on prices above.Very easy to figure out if its worth it or not.

 

Personally I dont.Ive gotten to the point of not wanting to deal with any hangovers while on vacation.That goes for any vacation.. Im not knocking anyone who does but Im past wanting to deal with it anymore.

 

I drink mabe two beers a day and thats it,no wheres near worth it to me.

[Domino D]

[

While I don't care if people want to buy the package or not, there is another concern as to how much people drink. Such as the time I was waiting in the FC lounge on Voyager, when two women both proceeded to throw up over the sofa and carpets, for an extended period.

 

The whole area reeked after that effort, and I sympathised with the stuff who had to to do the clean-up work, as well as the impact on where they did it.

 

Agree.

 

I walked into a shower in the spa to find the floor covered in chunky vomit, reeking of God knows what kind of booze. They had to shut down the entire locker room, the sauna, steam room, and the hot tub. So much for a relaxing evening after the spa. Geez.

 

Sorry, but these have nothing to do with drink packages, or even how much someone has had to drink. Peoples tolerances are very different. They might have only had two drinks.

 

1. They cold have been sick from something else, but since you say you smelled alcohol, I will accept that as the cause.

 

2. I suppose they could have been drinking smuggled alcohol. but...

 

3. Assuming they were not, this is the responsibility of the bartenders, bar managers, and the cruise line.

 

Package or no package, no one should be served enough alcohol to reach that point of inebriation.

 

If you are in the business of pouring or serving alcohol, the second thing you learn is how to know when someone has had enough. Your job is to stop them once they are buzzed (called yellow light). The amount people can drink before being inebriated is very different for everyone. You can't count drinks, you can't sweat how long they have been drinking, it is visual and conversational.

 

I have cut off hundreds of people. Last week, I advised a hotel bartender to shut off a guest. A hotel which I have authority over, not just some random hotel.

 

The issue you raise is valid, but it is the cruise lines issue, not the passengers. And still not my business. I don't own any part of a cruise line.

 

As far as being upset or effected by the actions of drunk passengers, I just add it to all the other things people do that could annoy me if I let it. I am on vacation, and am going to just roll on.

 

I am sorry that it impacted your cruises, that isn't fair, but really it is the cruise lines fault.

[Flamencacha]

Food for thought. I did a google search on bevarage packages. The results were that they were intended to profit the cruise line.

The drinks are weak especially the fancy cocktails Which I dont drink due to the sugar content. I can't see spending 988 in alcohol for my next cruise. However it may happen. The prices for premium and cocktails are comprable to Resort hotel prices and mayor cities. We are on vacation, if one wants budget try pullmantur in the Med. its alcohol inclusive they have premium but there is a charge.

Another item i found that the free drink packages offered in promotions are so cruise prices do not fall below a certain price point.

 

So you all have a great vacation. May see one day at the bar[emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited August 27, 2015 by Flamencacha

[The_Big_M]

Sorry, but these have nothing to do with drink packages, or even how much someone has had to drink. Peoples tolerances are very different. They might have only had two drinks.

 

They do relate to how much someone has had to drink. Which is what your comment referred to. The fact people have different tolerances is immaterial as no broad limit was specified, just individual consumption.

 

And in my example, both women were seriously drunk; staggering and slurring (when not vomiting). Regardless of the actual quantity they had drunk, of which I have no idea and made no comment on, they had had too much to drink.

 

The issue you raise is valid, but it is the cruise lines issue, not the passengers. And still not my business. I don't own any part of a cruise line.

...

I am sorry that it impacted your cruises, that isn't fair, but really it is the cruise lines fault.

 

I'm not buying that. Personal responsibility plays a part. It is not the job of the cruise line to be your nanny nor are they responsible for you (although I of course agree the cruise line technically bears some responsibility as well in not continuing to serve - and we are assuming it was purchased onboard rather than smuggled), but it is not solely the "cruise lines fault" either.

 

Essentially, if a passenger can't control themselves and lets their actions spoil the experiences of others due to how much they've drunk, then it isn't just about what they want to do any more.

Edited August 27, 2015 by The_Big_M

[sc1349]

We've been on 2 cruisers. The first was RC and we had a few blurry nights with a drinks package and felt we got our monies worth.

The second was with NCL, we felt like we were drinking for the sake of it.

Booked the Harmony in June next year, probably will have a drinks package for the convenience.

[Paul65]

We've been on 2 cruisers.

 

I've only been on one cruiser. My wife would get rather upset if she found out I was on another one. :eek:

[Mommags123]

Bring me a bottle of gin and a straw...

 

I've earned this vacation and this drink.

 

Love it! Last cruise we had the drink package as we were celebrating son's college graduation!

 

I asked for a gin and tonic at dinner the first night and each night after that there was one waiting and another one magically appeared as needed!!!

 

Now that we have experienced the drink package, we love it.

We are not lushes in normal life... ( maybe 1-2 drinks a week) but while on vacation we like to relax, let go, and live it up! And we do!!! :)

 

It's all a personal preference..... pay up front and be done thinking about it or be reminded how much you are spending with each drink you sign for...... ;)

[TheGinBoy]

The drinks are weak especially the fancy cocktails Which I dont drink due to the sugar content.

 

 

You're clearly not nice enough to your bar staff, you could have powered a small village with the amount of alcohol they put in mine!

[jules815]

You're clearly not nice enough to your bar staff, you could have powered a small village with the amount of alcohol they put in mine!

 

This has also been our experience. I don't think I've ever had a weak drink on a cruise.

[Domino D]

Essentially, if a passenger can't control themselves and lets their actions spoil the experiences of others due to how much they've drunk, then it isn't just about what they want to do any more.

 

I think we agree more than you might be thinking. I agree with each of your points individually, but it sounds like you are adding them up to a conclusion that says purchasers of a beverage package end up throwing up in the lounge, or everyone who is drunk and disruptive has a drinking package.

 

I am saying there is not a line that can be drawn from buying a beverage package, to drinking a lot, to becoming disruptive. They are all independent events, without a direct connection.

 

If someone wants to buy a beverage package, good for them. If someone wants to have 8 drinks in a day, good for them. If someone pukes in the lounge, now I have a problem, but my complaint will be with the cruise line and staff. There is no point in complaining to the drunk.

 

I don't have a contract with other passengers, I haven't paid money to other passengers, other passengers are not responsible for MY safety or enjoyment, the cruise line is. I understand wanting people to have personal responsibility, but when their judgement fails it is the cruise line who is suppose to step in.

 

Yes we should all know our limits, and not interfere with others vacations. But when someone is becoming disruptive it is the Cruise Line who has assumed responsibility for them. If they did their job properly and even handed you would not have seen what you did.

[Domino D]

It is not the job of the cruise line to be your nanny nor are they responsible for you (although I of course agree the cruise line technically bears some responsibility as well in not continuing to serve - and we are assuming it was purchased onboard rather than smuggled), but it is not solely the "cruise lines fault" either.

 

In the early 90's we had a guest who got drunk at the bar, went to the indoor pool with 3 other adults, ignored the 8 signs and 6 stencils on the pool edge saying "No diving shallow water", dove into 3 feet of water with all his clothes on, and ended up paralyzed. He sued us and won a multi-million dollar settlement. We advertised Happy Hour and Indoor Pool in the same ad, we served him, we build the hotel with the pool in close proximity to the bar, we lost. So as it turns out the operator of the bar is indeed your nanny.

 

If either of those women had hurt themselves or someone else, even a bad lawyer pulls the bar tabs first, then wants copies of all security tapes to see their movements. The questions will be why did you keep serving them, and you can clearly see the women are drunk why weren't they confronted by security.

 

Even if we agree they are not fully responsible for the person being drunk, the cruise line is responsible for observing someone is impaired and getting the situation controlled and corrected.

 

From the guest conduct policy

 

Alcohol

"Royal Caribbean International guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one’s judgment and reduces one’s ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship’s staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly, including those who have purchased an all-inclusive beverage package. Ship’s personnel may request verification of a guest’s age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the “Consequences Section” of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use the disco or other areas or facilities of the ship."

[sailaway2010]

I'd say about 40 %...probably less, tho! Not everyone is a lush!!! Not saying that's bad, but there are a lot of nondrinkers out there!

 

Drinking does not make one a lush.

[sailaway2010]

$809 for drinks for two people for a week sounds lushy to me. Call it a judgment if you like, I'm ok with that. I simply consider it an opinion.

 

"lushy"? Another holier than thou heard from.

[Sitzmark]

"lushy"? Another holier than thou heard from.

 

Welcome to the thread, you're way late but always welcome to come and claim offense. Can I suggest you grow a thicker skin? Life will be tough for you if my comments offend you because I really don't care one bit about your feelings.

[jagmanss1]

I've heard lushy too much in this thread, I prefer the term Slushy.... Or how about loosely lucy :-) Either way I'm going to enjoy my slushy drinks and hope my wife is loosely Lucy.... Lmao :-) On the balcony cameras and all..... WooHoo!

["Ginger"]

Did the cost of the drink package just go up. I thought the Ultimate package was $55. last week today it is $67.

[jagmanss1]

Drink don't drink, Pay as you go, Buy the beverage package or don't.... But I'll be watching and call all those out who are in this thread who complain about pricing if you go individual priced drinks instead of buying the package..... Pricing is outrageous I agree, But for me a GG Bloody Mary or 2 and 2 Drinks during the day and a couple Stellas for dinner and I'm ahead, Will I do that every day or not? Perhaps not, But the first 2 sea days I can..... Then the last 2 and will certainly be averaged out to I win..... It's simple math folks.....

[Goodtime Cruizin]

"lushy"? Another holier than thou heard from.

 

He's a troll of this board... and he also wishes he could afford to get lushy on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. He can't, so he complains that others do. He's trolled this thread and this board for quite sometime.

[casinostreer]

Did the cost of the drink package just go up. I thought the Ultimate package was $55. last week today it is $67.

 

Short answer - yes. But not as much as it appears.

 

They used to add the 18% gratuity when you checked out. Now - it's built into the price. So what WAS $55 on paper would have cost you just under $65. But now you're seeing $67 which now INCLUDES the gratuity - plus a couple bucks. It's upsetting - but divide that over 7 days and it's not that bad.

[BND]

No way to know what the % is, but DH and I don't and there's no way we could drink enough to make it worth it. There are so many threads asking basically the same question and the answers haven't changed. I can't begin to drink enough to break even. Our last RCI cruise in Nov 2014, we had $150 obc and at the end of the cruise (10 night), we owed 45 cents lol. We are D+ so we do have the lounge/drink coupons in the evening, but we still wouldn't have come close to the cost of the package. Also, plenty of people have reported, they start out easily more than breaking even on the first couple of days, but after a couple of port days and by the end of the cruise, they just aren't drinking as much and end up not saving any money. I also don't get those that say that they like knowing how much they are spending, even though they probably won't break even. That one leaves me scratching my head.

[BND]

Short answer - yes. But not as much as it appears.

 

They used to add the 18% gratuity when you checked out. Now - it's built into the price. So what WAS $55 on paper would have cost you just under $65. But now you're seeing $67 which now INCLUDES the gratuity - plus a couple bucks. It's upsetting - but divide that over 7 days and it's not that bad.

 

Um, I think you mean multiply, not divide. $67/day.:rolleyes: And, it still went up.

Edited August 28, 2015 by BND

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Did the cost of the drink package just go up. I thought the Ultimate package was $55. last week today it is $67.

 

Ours went down. It was $49/day + $8.82 (18%) = $57.82, now it's $57 which equals a savings of $5.74 for the week. For two people, that's $11.48 savings for both of us. Not much, but a drop all the same!

[casinostreer]

Um, I think you mean multiply, not divide. $67/day.:rolleyes: And, it still went up.

 

Wow, thanks for the correction.

 

I kind of meant that it went up by "short answer - yes. But not as much as it appears."

 

And why the eye rolls?

[SheehanDJ]

One thing to start because I've seen it mentioned in a few posts.

 

Ordering a drink and not liking it and being "stuck" with it if you don't have a drink package. If you don't like it, tell the bartender and they will dump it and make you something you do like at no extra charge (If you want a refund you can get it but be prepared to wait not only for an okay but for the charge to be reversed). They will also make you a sample of the drink of the day if you ask, no charge.

 

Drink packages. Never, and we would easily come out ahead on the drink packages.

 

So why not a drink package. We enjoy ordering a bucket of beer and finding a nice quiet part of the deck away from the pools and bars and just chilling, you can't do that with a package. If I paid for it, I'd want what I paid for, so I would track how much we drank just to make sure we were breaking even, so that would inject me worrying about something when I'm on vacation. With a package, we would still order the bucket of beers, then I'd be paying for something I've really already paid for, that would piss me off!

 

I've never kept my copy of receipts, I glance at the sea pass account the last day of the cruise so I know how much is coming out of checking, and that is the most worry I put into on board costs.

 

The only thing we budget for on the ship is gambling money. Once that is gone we are done gambling, so we really don't budget it either. From booking day to sailing day we squirrel away gambling money in an envelope, however much we put away is how much we have to gamble with.

 

The upside of the system we use is we can do whatever we want on vacation because there is plenty of money set aside to do it, on average 3 times more that we really need. The downside of the system we use is we would probably be heading on our 20th cruise instead of our 8th if we sat down and made a budget for it. :)

 

We go on vacation to NOT worry about anything, especially money.