WOW! Booze is expensive on RCI???

[Merion_Mom]

Dammit, well there go my plans for day 2.

 

[Cabansail]

We get it. You don't like alcohol. But don't rain on the parade of those who can enjoy it responsibly.

 

And relax- it's not like we're driving the ship.

 

No you don't get it.

 

I don't mind a drink myself. I will often have one or two a week.

 

What I did not like on the ship was being around people who had had too much to drink. This coupled with the marketing system used which encourages encourages people to drink a lot.

 

I did not buy any alcohol on the ship for two reasons. One was that the prices for individual drinks was higher than I could justify. The other is that having had problem drinkers in the family I am sensitive to them and find it unpleasant being around them. When there are people abusing alcohol it drives me away from it. The culture on board a cruise, from what I witnessed, is very attractive for people who drink too much. The fact that you do not have to drive and can have an unlimited supply of drinks a short walk from your bedroom caters for a market which must be worth seeking for the cruise companies.

 

Many of the aspects of a cruise are very good, and better than I expected. The alcohol abuse which is part of cruising is what I did not like and means I would not be going on cruises very often again, if at all. Things may change as they did with tobacco, which would make them more attractive. If I was offered another bargain I may well go again and just put up with alcohol abuse around me. If I do at least I know to expect it.

 

Does it surprise me that raising this issue gets me flamed? Not at all. Substances of dependence are very dear to many who rely on them. It is also the nature of this site to berate anyone who raises criticism of what they like themselves. I think you forget that critic is half of the title.

[funinthesun71]

So we just booked Liberty of the Seas for May 22,2016. I have been thru this entire post. Our last cruise was in 2014 so everyone's posts on the drink prices have been very informative, I did not know about the price increases. I do believe that based on the premise of 5 drinks a day to equal the cost of the Premium package, my DW and myself will be better off or at least break even by purchasing the package.

 

That being said I do have a couple questions for anyone who has the info as we have never used the drink package option before.

 

1) When you purchase the package, you just show them your SeaPass card when ordering a drink and that is it?

 

2) The Gratuity is included also? So there is nothing out of pocket after purchasing the package?

[brillohead]

1) When you purchase the package, you just show them your SeaPass card when ordering a drink and that is it?

That is correct. They will usually swipe your card, and may or may not have you sign a slip.

 

 

2) The Gratuity is included also? So there is nothing out of pocket after purchasing the package?

 

That is correct. When you pay for the package, the 18% gratuity is included at that time. When you sign the slip for each drink, you have the option to list an ADDITIONAL tip if you want, but nothing more is actually expected/required.

[brillohead]

What I did not like on the ship was being around people who had had too much to drink.

 

The thing is, alcohol use is rampant in almost any social situation, other than maybe coffee hour at church (and even then, some churches .... ;)).

 

If you go to a beach resort hotel, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a rock concert, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a bar, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a ski resort, the lodge is going to be full of people drinking.

 

Alcohol use is in NO way exclusive to cruising life. I think THAT is where you're getting a lot of flak from people ... not that they're defending alcohol use, but that they're defending a very enjoyable way of vacationing. Alcohol drinkers are everywhere.

 

 

 

 

This coupled with the marketing system used which encourages encourages people to drink a lot.

 

I did not buy any alcohol on the ship for two reasons. One was that the prices for individual drinks was higher than I could justify.

 

But those two statements contradict each other.... if the "marketing system" encourages drinking in excess, how can it ALSO have caused you to restrict how much you drank????

 

:confused:

 

I drink WAY less alcohol than you do in my daily life. If I have four margaritas in a single year, it was a HEAVY drinking year for me. I'm also not some boring goody-two-shoes individual -- I closed down the nightclub every single night on my last three cruises, and intend to do so again at the end of this month on Oasis. I have a heck of a good time and meet a bunch of people and dance my booty off.

 

You easily drink TEN TO TWENTY TIMES if not FIFTY TIMES as much as I drink in a year. So should I start calling you names, claiming you OBVIOUSLY have a drinking problem because of your HEAVY VOLUME of drinking compared to mine, etc.? :rolleyes:

 

 

 

Does it surprise me that raising this issue gets me flamed? Not at all. Substances of dependence are very dear to many who rely on them.

 

People aren't flaming you because they are alcoholics. They are flaming you because you blame CRUISING on the fact that SOME people like to drink.

 

I go on a cruise and don't drink at all.

 

You go on a cruise and don't drink at all.

 

And yet your posts make it sound like you think that cruising is making people be alcoholics.

 

Obviously if I was able to resist the "evils of alcohol" and you were able to resist the "evils of alcohol" then the cruise lines must not be very good at what you claim is their specialty of turning people into drunks.

 

Nobody is required to get an alcohol package. Not everyone does. Some do, some don't. Just like everything else. Booze is there for the people who choose to partake. Nobody is pouring it down their throats against their will.

 

For future vacations, I recommend a secluded cabin in the forest somewhere, where your delicate sensibilities won't be offended by seeing adults partaking in adult behavior.

[dpostman]

I've testified in court countless times on the level of ones intoxication. I can tell you, the amount of alcohol one consumes is often completely irrelevant to their displayed level of intoxication.

 

True or false, a person can have 12 drinks over the course of the day and pass a blood alcohol test of .08?

 

The answer is true.

 

If someone has 5-6 drinks a day each and every day is that problematic? Perhaps.

 

If someone has 5-6 drinks a day over the course of a 7 day cruise is that problematic? Highly unlikely.

 

We get it. You don't like alcohol. But don't rain on the parade of those who can enjoy it responsibly.

And relax- it's not like we're driving the ship.

 

Like! Like! Like!

 

But, I do have my Pleasure Craft Operator Card, so could I please drive, huh... just for a few minutes... preferably early in the morning, before I have a few drinks in me :D

 

dp

[Cabansail]

The thing is, alcohol use is rampant in almost any social situation, other than maybe coffee hour at church (and even then, some churches .... ;)).

 

If you go to a beach resort hotel, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a rock concert, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a bar, you're going to see lots of people drinking. If you go to a ski resort, the lodge is going to be full of people drinking.

 

Alcohol use is in NO way exclusive to cruising life. I think THAT is where you're getting a lot of flak from people ... not that they're defending alcohol use, but that they're defending a very enjoyable way of vacationing. Alcohol drinkers are everywhere.

 

I know drinking is common. I do not go to Rock Concerts. If I was in a resort I would not go to the bars etc.

 

Those places also sell the drinks by the glass, not unlimited packages.

 

But those two statements contradict each other.... if the "marketing system" encourages drinking in excess, how can it ALSO have caused you to restrict how much you drank????

 

:confused:

 

The marketing system is to raise the price of individual drinks to encourage the purchase of packages. I would not buy a package and found the price per drink unacceptable, so I did not buy any.

 

You easily drink TEN TO TWENTY TIMES if not FIFTY TIMES as much as I drink in a year. So should I start calling you names, claiming you OBVIOUSLY have a drinking problem because of your HEAVY VOLUME of drinking compared to mine, etc.? :rolleyes:

 

We both fall into the area of safe use of alcohol. Neither of us have a drinking problem. Many of my friends drink less than you and I have gone many moths without any alcohol too.

 

People aren't flaming you because they are alcoholics. They are flaming you because you blame CRUISING on the fact that SOME people like to drink.

 

I go on a cruise and don't drink at all.

 

You go on a cruise and don't drink at all.

 

And yet your posts make it sound like you think that cruising is making people be alcoholics.

 

Wrong. What I have been saying is that Cruising attracts people who already have a drink problem.

 

Obviously if I was able to resist the "evils of alcohol" and you were able to resist the "evils of alcohol" then the cruise lines must not be very good at what you claim is their specialty of turning people into drunks.

 

I have never said they are turning people into drunks. They are well capable of doing that themselves. They are creating an environment which suits those who already have a problem.

 

For future vacations, I recommend a secluded cabin in the forest somewhere, where your delicate sensibilities won't be offended by seeing adults partaking in adult behavior.

 

I was on a boat for four days last week and there were no alcohol packages. No drunken behaviour and the drinks were at a reasonable rate.

 

Like I have said before, the marketing of alcohol is the one thing which discourages me from going cruising again. There are many other very good aspects as well. The problem on a ship is that it's harder to avoid the drunks than in many other places.

 

Can we get this clear. I am not saying that cruise lines make people into alcoholics or develop a problem with alcohol. What they do it make a situation where those problems are acceptable and can seem almost normal. Those who already have a problem will be drawn to that lifestyle.

[jmckay331]

 

 

Ok this had me laughing my butt off. I mean really. "Those who have a problem will be drawn to that lifestyle" is this for real? Honestly those with a "problem" can't afford that lifestyle. Cruising isn't a cheap way to stay drunk regardless if you buy a la carte or package. Do I think folks overindulge on ship...probably for them. Everyone tends to relax their standards when on vacation and I bet even some of those stumbling drunks aren't actually like that when they go home again. I have vacationed around the world lived in numerous countries and seen all kinds of behavior. My first cruise which was in the med. we never really saw this crazy drunk behavior that cabansail seems to think is prevalent and highly encouraged by the cruise line. My husband and I bought the wine package (when it was still offered) and ordered a few cocktails during the trip. I think we spent more in the spa than drinks actually (dumb I know) but I digress. Anyway do packages increase consumption, probably a little. Regardless it's not forced on consumers blaming marketing and the cruise line for encouraging alcoholism is naïve. If someone hates cruising because of the few jack a$$es that overindulge then make the choice not to go rather than become a one man crusade against "the man".

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

His experience was cruising out of Australia. Have you done that?

[brillohead]

Ok this had me laughing my butt off. I mean really. "Those who have a problem will be drawn to that lifestyle" is this for real? Honestly those with a "problem" can't afford that lifestyle. Cruising isn't a cheap way to stay drunk regardless if you buy a la carte or package.

 

Exactly... it's WAY cheaper to stay home and drink yourself into a stupor!!!

 

And the whole thing is still ludicrous.... I rarely drink, and yet I'm drawn to the "cruising lifestyle" like a moth to a flame. So if drinkers are drawn to it AND non-drinkers are drawn to it, what does that mean?

 

Gee, maybe it's just that cruising is something that ALL KINDS of people enjoy -- young and old, drinkers and non-drinkers, smokers and non-smokers, gamblers and non-gamblers, jewelry-buyers and non-jewelry-buyers, fat and skinny, active and sloth-like, wealthy and not-so-wealthy, etc.

 

:cool:

[oldguysandgalls]

Whew.....I almost (not quite) feel guilty reading through the various post while sitting here with my perfectly chilled Martini. ;)

[Gator83]

I think the prices are really high so I won't be drinking on my next trip but you should see the prices at this year's super bowl.

http://florida.247sports.com/Bolt/Alcohol-prices-at-Super-Bowl-50-are-astronomical-43555111

[shakeNbake]

Key Lime Martini with glass rim Graham Cracker @ O Back,$4.00!

[John&LaLa]

Newcastle Brown Ale at my local watering hole it Tucker, GA. $5 plus tax and tip. Pretty much identicle to onboard