As of today......RCI drink price increase!!!!!!!

[aubreyc1988]

This is what I downloaded in September

 

 

 

Is there a US version of this, saw this is U.K. Version

 

What are the "full terms and conditions"? Anyone have links? I'll be disappointed if greygoose is not included

 

 

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[bren61]

This is what I downloaded in September

 

I also have this list printed out and will question them when I board the Harmony in March, if they won't honor it I will be cancelling our 2 packages!

[F27TW]

A friend is on Freedom right now and they posted a menu from the R bar?? Because there was an unfortunately phallic cosmopolitan misspelling.

Royal Citrus Ritatini - $14 (Avion Silver)

Chocolate Martini - $12 (Absolut)

Apple Martini - $12 (Absolut)

Chivas Rob Roy - $14 (Chivas 12)

Cosmo - $14 (Grey Goose)

Gentleman Jack - $14

Crowne Old Fashioned - $14

 

Hope this helps answer some questions.

 

I don't have a cruise booked but I would be disappointed to pay more each time I got a Grey Goose cosmo because they were included last time around.

 

 

Well now ... you have to tell us what it was !! ;) ;)

[squiffynimrod]

I also have this list printed out and will question them when I board the Harmony in March, if they won't honor it I will be cancelling our 2 packages!

 

Just remember that list is for the UK and Ireland. Bet they'll use that as the out.

Edited January 1, 2017 by squiffynimrod
schpeling is harrd

[rusty nut]

Hey rusty nut! I see that you will be on the Navigator with us in 2018!:cool: Hope you decide to join our informal roll call!!;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2343482&page=10

Hi SilkySal!! Yes, looking forward to it. We're in a group with beachammo, also.

[cruise1234]

I think the prices are outrageous but more concerned with the quality of the drinks, I am convinced the mixed drinks are watered down

[Biker19]

I am convinced the mixed drinks are watered down

 

:confused: you can see the bartender make the drink.

[daka]

:confused: you can see the bartender make the drink.

 

I'm a beer drinker, so no problem, but my wife says the same thing, they water the drinks...so unless you actually see the bartender open the bottle, you have no idea what you are getting....watered or what kind?

[QE2_Fan]

I'm surprised they haven't upped the capped limits on the drink packages to allow for the price hike. I know they've done this preciously, maybe they will again but just out of synch with initial increase to allowing for it in the packages?

 

It seems to defeat the purpose of the 'deluxe' package otherwise!

 

 

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[Ocean Boy]

I'm surprised they haven't upped the capped limits on the drink packages to allow for the price hike. I know they've done this preciously, maybe they will again but just out of synch with initial increase to allowing for it in the packages?

 

It seems to defeat the purpose of the 'deluxe' package otherwise!

 

 

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Maybe they are waiting to see how many complaints they get about the surcharges on drinks before they increase the cap. If people are willing to pay the extra why would RCI not collect it?

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Maybe they are waiting to see how many complaints they get about the surcharges on drinks before they increase the cap. If people are willing to pay the extra why would RCI not collect it?

Could be.

 

Many businesses use the "what the market will bear" pricing structures...so unclear why other folks would be surprised about it.

 

Prices typically go up over time - even with competition. The fact that this reality comes as a surprise to a few people is puzzling in and of itself.

[Biker19]

...so unless you actually see the bartender open the bottle, you have no idea what you are getting....watered or what kind?

Why stop there - RCI could be slapping name brand labels on some cheap knock-off bottle of booze. If you think it is that bad why would you ever buy a drink in the first place?

[dpostman]

Could be.

 

Many businesses use the "what the market will bear" pricing structures...so unclear why other folks would be surprised about it.

 

Prices typically go up over time - even with competition. The fact that this reality comes as a surprise to a few people is puzzling in and of itself.

 

So certain drinks that were around $8 in January 2015 have gone up to $15 in 2 years... Practically doubling in price, you don't find that surprising, or at the very least frustrating? I think cruisers that think like you are exactly the type RCI are looking for. They are much more profitable.:rolleyes:

 

dp

[Ocean Boy]

Could be.

 

Many businesses use the "what the market will bear" pricing structures...so unclear why other folks would be surprised about it.

 

Prices typically go up over time - even with competition. The fact that this reality comes as a surprise to a few people is puzzling in and of itself.

 

RCI has marketed their drink packages as virtually all inclusive. If people are now willing to pay a surcharge per drink then that is what I will find puzzling.

 

You are right that prices go up over time. However, when they reach the point where I no longer feel I am getting a good value for my money then that is where I stop buying. I do realize that point is different for each of us.

[Ocean Boy]

So certain drinks that were around $8 in January 2015 have gone up to $15 in 2 years... Practically doubling in price, you don't find that surprising, or at the very least frustrating? I think cruisers that think like you are exactly the type RCI are looking for. They are much more profitable.:rolleyes:

 

dp

 

I can't tell you how many times I have read posts on these boards that go something like.... I am on vacation and don't worry about the price of....

Yes, people like that are a CEO's dream. I don't happen to be one of those people that the CEOs dream about.

[daka]

They wouldn't actually change the bottle labels, or water them down....

WOULD THEY.... as I've said, you don't know what you are getting....

[aubreyc1988]

They wouldn't actually change the bottle labels, or water them down....

WOULD THEY.... as I've said, you don't know what you are getting....

 

I suppose technically you don't know for sure, but I guess at a certain point you just have to have some faith that they wouldn't stoop that low. I suppose you don't know a lot of things, like the quality of specialty restaurant food vs MDR, they could potentially just be charging you extra for the same thing, etc. But I hope they have more integrity than that, on both accounts

 

But as for other comments about them being watered down, from my personal experience, I've had really good drinks on RCI. I don't normally do frozen cocktails, as they fill me up and are SO many calories and tend to drink more martinis, but i've really only had a couple drinks that I didn't like on RCI, most of them have been really high quality and tasty. The ones I didnt like is when I asked the bartender to surprise me and it was just weird flavors, had nothing to do with being watered down. I also felt like the pours I got in each drink were generous and strong. Maybe I have just been lucky, who knows! :)

[melissagohard]

I suppose technically you don't know for sure, but I guess at a certain point you just have to have some faith that they wouldn't stoop that low. I suppose you don't know a lot of things, like the quality of specialty restaurant food vs MDR, they could potentially just be charging you extra for the same thing, etc. But I hope they have more integrity than that, on both accounts

 

But as for other comments about them being watered down, from my personal experience, I've had really good drinks on RCI. I don't normally do frozen cocktails, as they fill me up and are SO many calories and tend to drink more martinis, but i've really only had a couple drinks that I didn't like on RCI, most of them have been really high quality and tasty. The ones I didnt like is when I asked the bartender to surprise me and it was just weird flavors, had nothing to do with being watered down. I also felt like the pours I got in each drink were generous and strong. Maybe I have just been lucky, who knows! :)

 

I have to agree! In fact, most times I find the drinks can sometimes be too strong for my taste (I drink them way too fast - especially in the heat!). DH and I tend to tip extra and chat it up with the bar staff, I think that gets us in trouble because they proceed to "hook it up" thereafter not knowing we have the drink package and don't really NEED the extra booze. At least not all at once! :D

 

Now, "all-inclusives"? That's where you'll find some watered down drinks. At the RIU in Jamaica you couldn't get a buzz if you drank all day! Pre-mixed, watered down, garbage. :mad:

[aubreyc1988]

I have to agree! In fact, most times I find the drinks can sometimes be too strong for my taste (I drink them way too fast - especially in the heat!). DH and I tend to tip extra and chat it up with the bar staff, I think that gets us in trouble because they proceed to "hook it up" thereafter not knowing we have the drink package and don't really NEED the extra booze. At least not all at once! :D

 

Now, "all-inclusives"? That's where you'll find some watered down drinks. At the RIU in Jamaica you couldn't get a buzz if you drank all day! Pre-mixed, watered down, garbage. :mad:

 

I agree about "All inclusives" and a lot of the excursions with "Rum punch", thats where you find the watered down garbage...and perhaps on RCI private islands where they serve watered down labadoozies....but I think those just taste watered down because they put ice cubes in them, which melts in the sun faster than you can drink them. But overall, pleased so far with the quality and selection of drinks on Royal, I just hope that the deluxe package continues to include most drink selections!

Edited January 2, 2017 by aubreyc1988

[Jeremiah1212]

Now, "all-inclusives"? That's where you'll find some watered down drinks. At the RIU in Jamaica you couldn't get a buzz if you drank all day! Pre-mixed, watered down, garbage. :mad:

 

 

We stayed at a fairly well known (and not inexpensive!) AI this summer. I've gone through a bottle of two of Ketel One. I'm very familiar with the taste. The stuff they were pouring for their Ketel One bottle tasted more like chilled hot tub water than vodka. Someone at the bar pointed out that you will never see them open a fresh bottle and pour a drink. They would 'run out' until a little time passed and someone would deliver a new bottle to the bar with the plastic pour spout already on the bottle. I didn't want to believe her at first but it was totally obvious!

 

If cruise lines start that approach we will have to reconsider our vacation choices. Especially if we're paying for a drink package. The cocktails on NCL were a step above Royal in my opinion, lots of fresh mixers, herbs and garnishes, but I've never questioned what liquors they were truly using.

 

 

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[aubreyc1988]

We stayed at a fairly well known (and not inexpensive!) AI this summer. I've gone through a bottle of two of Ketel One. I'm very familiar with the taste. The stuff they were pouring for their Ketel One bottle tasted more like chilled hot tub water than vodka. Someone at the bar pointed out that you will never see them open a fresh bottle and pour a drink. They would 'run out' until a little time passed and someone would deliver a new bottle to the bar with the plastic pour spout already on the bottle. I didn't want to believe her at first but it was totally obvious!

 

If cruise lines start that approach we will have to reconsider our vacation choices. Especially if we're paying for a drink package. The cocktails on NCL were a step above Royal in my opinion, lots of fresh mixers, herbs and garnishes, but I've never questioned what liquors they were truly using.

 

 

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the cocktails have changed recently on NCL - I have HEARD from many different recent NCL cruisers that almost all drinks on NCL are not made to order now, but come premade out of jugs that are visible to the PAX. :eek: NO THANK YOU!

[legaljen1969]

The fact is, the drink packages are either worth it or not depending on what you drink (type of drink, brand of drink, etc), and what your plans are for the cruise.

 

I've done the math and it doesn't make sense for me or my wife.

 

If you drink mainly beer, well cocktails and the frozen foo foo umbrella drinks, and if house wine is fine by you, AND you plan to have at least 8 to 12 drinks a day, AND you you won't be onshore all day on port days (drinking on your own dime), AND you aren't Diamond C&A or suite guests with access to the free drinks in those lounges each evening, then the drink package probably makes sense for you.

 

If one or more of the factors above doesn't describe you, then be very careful before purchasing a so called "all inclusive" drink package.

 

As to the drink prices themselves, I have two points I want to make.

 

1) I don't really think that this is "corporate gouging" as some seem to think, nor

2) do I think that the primary reason that passengers are not allowed to bring their own liquor onboard is to force them to pay the inflated drink prices.

 

I understand that it is frustrating and irritating to pay what are clearly higher than typical land based restaurant or bar prices. But I am much more irritated when I feel that drink prices are too high in a restaurant on land. Why, you ask? Because a land based restaurant isn't feeding me virtually unlimited food, nor are they providing an entertainment staff, a water park, Broadway style shows, live music and dancing of various types, cooking demonstrations, dance lessons, movies, (I could go on) etc, etc.

 

The reason that I feel confident in saying that this is not corporate "gouging" is twofold. Like most all corporations, they have to maintain a reasonable profit margin (usually 8-12% of revenue). If they don't, their investors will all bail and the next new RCCL vessel will not have a robot bartender or a really cool waterslide. It will have oars. They charge what they have to charge in order to turn that reasonable level of profit.

 

The second reason that I know that it is not corporate gouging is that RCCL does not have a monopoly on cruising. They are in an extremely competitive business environment and they have to be at least reasonably price competitive with Carnival, NCL, etc. I do agree that some of the ways that they seem to hide the true costs of the cruise are irritating, but as always, let the buyer beware. Read the fine print, ask questions and make sure that your decisions about who to cruise with and how to budget for your onboard consumption and activities are well informed decisions.

 

As to the idea that RCCL (or any other cruise line I'm aware of) prohibits passengers from bringing their own liquor aboard so that they can gouge them with inflated bar prices is ridiculous. if profit was the reason, they wouldn't let you bring soft drinks or bottled water aboard, but they clearly do. The reason they prohibit passengers from bringing their own booze is primarily to limit their liability when drunk idiots "fall off the ship." And the reason I put "fall off" in quotes is that the only way to get overboard is to climb over or jump. It is virtually impossible to fall off a cruise ship (what with the chest high railings, glass barriers and whatnot), unless maybe you're on deck during a hurricane.

 

Okay, rant concluded. Thanks!

 

Great points.

[cruise1234]

I'm a beer drinker, so no problem, but my wife says the same thing, they water the drinks...so unless you actually see the bartender open the bottle, you have no idea what you are getting....watered or what kind?

 

They are watering down the bottles, we've resorted to bringing nips to add to the poor drinks

[rusty nut]

Although anything's possible, I highly doubt RCI would be illegally swapping out name brand booze for cheaper brands. That's flat out fraud and they are just too big of a company with an astronomical reputation. I just can't see such a scandal from them. With that, I have to agree that the drinks I'm served on their ships do not taste "watered down". Yes, prices are going up but IMHO, they've always made good, potent drinks.

[dcgrumpy]

So certain drinks that were around $8 in January 2015 have gone up to $15 in 2 years... Practically doubling in price, you don't find that surprising, or at the very least frustrating? I think cruisers that think like you are exactly the type RCI are looking for. They are much more profitable.:rolleyes:

 

dp

 

Exactly. I paid $9 for a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc in 2015. It's now $17. That's crazy.