RCI Drink Package Pre Cruise Pricing

[marti315]

I was doing a little bit of digging to try to determine why the pre-cruise package prices are all over the place when they offer a 20% discount on the package. After making some phone calls to RCI they explained to me that the pre-cruise drink packages are all re-priced every Monday for every single ship. This means that the 20% discount you are seeing may not be off the "published rates" we are all used to but instead their pricing for that given sailing. There seems to be no rhyme or reason except for they are raising the prices for the packages when they are getting near where they want to be with respect to pre-sales of drink packages. The 20% still helps over the ship prices typically but in some cases its more like 10% off the standard ON SHIP rates. Hope this helps to clarify (or confuse even more).

[gurt]

We recently went on ovation of the seas and there package before boarding for royal replenish was $19.99 a day each upon boarding this was increased to $29.99 plus vat so $34 dollars a day.( instead of the normal &$19.99).Big increase

[CFD130]

When and where do you find these discounted drink rates

[JessyCruises]

When and where do you find these discounted drink rates

 

On your cruise planner in your reservation.

[Ourusualbeach]

I guess they are hoping that people purchase them and forget about it instead of spchecking back, finding that it's lower, cancelling and then re booking.

[cdwh1902]

We recently went on ovation of the seas and there package before boarding for royal replenish was $19.99 a day each upon boarding this was increased to $29.99 plus vat so $34 dollars a day.( instead of the normal &$19.99).Big increase

 

I think the prices on the Ovation are outrageous! We are booked on the Christmas cruise in December out of Sydney to New Zealand for 15 nights. With our current weak Aussie dollar we are having to pay AUD77 (approx. USD57) per person/day for the Premium Package - with the 20% discount . This equates to AUD 2296 for the two of us. We were on the TA Allure cruise last year and it was nowhere near that price!

[topnole]

I think the prices on the Ovation are outrageous! We are booked on the Christmas cruise in December out of Sydney to New Zealand for 15 nights. With our current weak Aussie dollar we are having to pay AUD77 (approx. USD57) per person/day for the Premium Package - with the 20% discount . This equates to AUD 2296 for the two of us. We were on the TA Allure cruise last year and it was nowhere near that price!

 

To be fair you can't really blame RCI for the AUD Dollar being weak now. A few years ago when the AUS $ was a premium to the US $ it was a benefit for the Aussies.

 

Going to Spain and Italy (given their economies) and paying a big premium on currency can be a bit frustrating as an American but of course we know that going into it. Several years back it was $2 per UK pound. A pint of beer was $8-10 at a neighborhood pub at those conversion rates. That was pretty tough too.

[QE2_Fan]

I think the prices on the Ovation are outrageous! We are booked on the Christmas cruise in December out of Sydney to New Zealand for 15 nights. With our current weak Aussie dollar we are having to pay AUD77 (approx. USD57) per person/day for the Premium Package - with the 20% discount . This equates to AUD 2296 for the two of us. We were on the TA Allure cruise last year and it was nowhere near that price!

 

 

 

Even so, if you're a candidate for a drink package you know you will consume a few drinks of whatever is included (soda, coffee, water, cocktails etc) and it still works out around 6-7 drinks a day compared to pay as you go prices.

 

The USD priced per day hasn't increased so much, it's our poor Aussie dollar that makes it look worse [emoji857][emoji37]

 

 

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[wlf34]

If I plan on using my OBC towards a drink package, do I need to purchase it on the ship or can I take advantage of these discounted rates and purchase now?

[Ourusualbeach]

If I plan on using my OBC towards a drink package, do I need to purchase it on the ship or can I take advantage of these discounted rates and purchase now?

 

I have only read of 1 report where someone said they were able to use their OBC through their cruise planner. It appears that Royal may have been testing this out but it is currently not widely available.

[Coralc]

I guess they are hoping that people purchase them and forget about it instead of checking back, finding that it's lower, cancelling and then re booking.

 

They don't know Cruise Critic people very well then. Most of us are obsessive planners and price checkers. :D:):D