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

[Clarea]

Is it just us or are there others the can't see the value in the new drink package prices. We both drink but just can't see us consuming over $1600 worth, that's more than the total OBC amount I ever had in total. Considering also that we have 4 shore days, so that's several hours off ship.

It's all based on how much you will drink. It's worth it to some and not worth it to others.

[Duffys wife 1957]

$1600.... That is a whole lotta drink! :D

[goodml]

 

 

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Wow I was on Navigator Dec 9-18. Those cocktails were $12 and the bloodys were $10. I forget what the beer cocktails were. I drank Kim Crawford all week and it was in the package.

Edited December 26, 2016 by goodml

[riclop]

That is why we have crossed off RCL from our cruising list.

[Codster]

Yep, unless you were aware that there was an earlier discount offer (and we weren't ) the alcohol package is $69 per day per person and over a 12 day cruise . . . . . . .

 

 

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[colesc15]

Wow I was on Navigator Dec 9-18. Those cocktails were $12 and the bloodys were $10. I forget what the beer cocktails were. I drank Kim Crawford all week and it was in the package.

 

So based on this, my old fashions won't be covered in my drink package anymore??

[Clarea]

So based on this, my old fashions won't be covered in my drink package anymore??

I cannot imagine that a regular Old Fashioned would not be within the limit of the drink package.

[George C]

On our cruise in September on Brilliance all normal drinks were covered only scotch over 12 years old was a few more dollars, also wine we liked was a couple of dollars extra.

[Ocean Boy]

I agree. There should be no guilt for smuggling based on hurting a cruise and benefiting yourself line financially.

 

Where it's a problem is that it's against a policy that's available to see before you book and in violation of the cruise contract you agree to when you pay for the cruise.

 

Despite the $12pp cost of a movie ticket, the theaters I go to have policies about us bringing in our own $1.69 bag of popcorn and cans of soda from home.

 

And I'm sure that if DW and I went to Capital Grille and ordered the expensive $52 Porterhouse for 2 and split a $9 salad, a manager may come over to the table if we brought our own 6 pack of beer ($9 our cost / $36 their price), set out our own homemade pre-cooked appetizers ($6 our cost / $18 their price), foil wrapped home baked potatoes and veggies ($6 our cost / $24 their price) and opened a thermos of piping hot home-brewed coffee ($1 our cost / $8 their price) to enjoy with our $2.49 cheesecake slices from our supermarket's bakery department ($14 their price).

 

They'd still be making a very nice profit on the $52 Porterhouse and $9 salad. Yet we'd be saving $60 - $65 on the things we brought on our own. What do you think Capital Grille's position on this might be if say we and a small minority, like 20% of their customers, did the 'bring your own" thing?

 

I'm thinking Capital Grille's P&L management department may look at this practice the same way that ant cruise line's food and beverage management that's responsible for profit & loss would look at it.

What are your thoughts on the cruise line marketing their drink package as virtually all inclusive and then when you board the ship you find that they have hiked the prices of drinks enough to create a surcharge for each drink you consume that you have to pay on top of the package that you already bought?

Edited December 26, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[mkam2821]

Once upon a time, many many years ago, drink prices onboard were much lower than those ashore, the thought being that they were buying it and selling it at duty free rates (not while in a US port). Now onboard drinks rival and often surpass those of top-shelf restaurants. Unfortunately (at least in the MDR and Windjammer) the food and service don't. On our revent Allure sailing (Dec 11-18) we received a complimentary bottle of wine with our neighborhood balcony booking and brought 2 bottles onboard. We also enjoyed the chef's table one night. So our alcohol for 4 dinners was covered. As a result we only purchased one or 2 drinks a day during the other 3 days and therefore kept our liquor cost quite low. Obviously we are not big consumers of alcohol but do enjoy a good wine and/or single malt scotch.

[angelofsin]

What are your thoughts on the cruise line marketing their drink package as virtually all inclusive and then when you board the ship you find that they have hiked the prices of drinks enough to create a surcharge for each drink you consume that you have to pay on top of the package that you already bought?

 

i typically don't worry about such things once I have decided to pay the price of the cruise but this sort of situation would cause me to me rethink what company I would spend my vacation dollars with.

 

basically a bait and switch tactic. sadly corporations get away with this sort of behavior all of the time until the people decide to start voting with their wallets in a significant way.

 

the truly maddening part to all of this is that most of the cruise lines are exhibiting the same exact behavior. I have a carnival cruise booked for next sometime and I am going to see how I feel about their drink package offerings (from what I have read on these boards there drink price limits are a lot higher though the amount of drinks one can get on the package can be lower. depending on one's tolerance of course).

[theotherchad]

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!

[pspercy]

If someone who is on a ship that has raised the prices could find out if I wanted a drink with gentleman jack or makers mark how much it would cost. We were on the fence about the drink pkg and if we have to pay extra for those drinks we won't get it. Not going to pay all that money and not have it include what DH likes to drink. Thanks

 

You pay the difference, so a $14 drink becomes a $2 drink if you have the package, so add the two buck drinks to the cost of the package to see if it's still worth it (not forgetting the 18%).

[Seville2Cabo]

First, people complaining about $12 drinks need to get out a bit. In most tourist places, prices are higher. We go to Vegas a few times a year and a martini at a resort is $18 to $20. Same in New York and larger cities.

 

I do agree with posters above - before I get on the ship I understand the policy and can decide to cruise or not and to buy drinks or not. We do bring the 2 allowed bottles of wine onto the ship, but don't sneak anything else. Also - RC's margins on revenue are not that great. Only about 8% and that includes revenue from cabins, drinks, excursions, shops......

[theotherchad]

First, people complaining about $12 drinks need to get out a bit. In most tourist places, prices are higher. We go to Vegas a few times a year and a martini at a resort is $18 to $20. Same in New York and larger cities.

 

I do agree with posters above - before I get on the ship I understand the policy and can decide to cruise or not and to buy drinks or not. We do bring the 2 allowed bottles of wine onto the ship, but don't sneak anything else. Also - RC's margins on revenue are not that great. Only about 8% and that includes revenue from cabins, drinks, excursions, shops......

 

This, exactly! I will say also, that, as my wife is a red wine drinker who is a bit picky, we have found that purchasing a wine package (usually 7 bottle, top level package) is a relative bargain. If you are consistently selecting one of the best bottles on the package, you are definitely saving a fair amount over the by the bottle price. Also, doing that allows us to prepay for the wine which is a help in budgeting.

[melissagohard]

i really hope we get clarification after the holidays on whether or not drink prices are truly raising (again) and whether or not the drink package cap is being raised as well. :confused:

 

if most "on-menu" fancier drinks are being raised to $13, but the drink package cap (before you have to pay the difference) is also raised to $13 - i won't be AS upset of course. however, if they are now expecting you to pay $1-2 on TOP of the drink package (since the package currently caps at $12), i'll be pretty upset. i know an extra $1 or 2 seems trivial, and i can always choose well cocktails instead, but part of the allure of the drink package for me has always been that i can choose pretty much any top-shelf or hand mixed cocktail and not worry about the cost - in my mind that helps to justify the drink package cost ($$$). i enjoyed not worrying about the cost of drinks and now feel like i'm being nickeled and dimed if i want anything off the drink menu other than beer, house wine, and well liquor. :( not cool, RCI.

Edited December 26, 2016 by melissagohard

[Ocean Boy]

First, people complaining about $12 drinks need to get out a bit. In most tourist places, prices are higher. We go to Vegas a few times a year and a martini at a resort is $18 to $20. Same in New York and larger cities.

 

I do agree with posters above - before I get on the ship I understand the policy and can decide to cruise or not and to buy drinks or not. We do bring the 2 allowed bottles of wine onto the ship, but don't sneak anything else. Also - RC's margins on revenue are not that great. Only about 8% and that includes revenue from cabins, drinks, excursions, shops......

 

Yes, you understand the policy and can make the decision that suits you as to whether you will cruise or buy drinks. But how does one make an informed decision about purchasing a drink package when it seems to be impossible to know if what one drinks will be fully covered or not when the time comes to actually sail?

[grandgeezer]

Yes, you understand the policy and can make the decision that suits you as to whether you will cruise or buy drinks. But how does one make an informed decision about purchasing a drink package when it seems to be impossible to know if what one drinks will be fully covered or not when the time comes to actually sail?

 

Wait until you get on the ship. After checking pricing, then you can make an informed decision.

[Ocean Boy]

Wait until you get on the ship. After checking pricing, then you can make an informed decision.

 

I am well aware that you can wait buy on the ship. RCI, however, makes a big push to get you to buy in the pre-cruise planner. And when they do run special sales you either jump on it or lose out.

[squiffynimrod]

I'm waiting to see if this is a high season increase or an across the board increase.

 

We agonized over the drink package purchase, and finally bought. It was a substantial amount of money for the 2 of us, and if we have to pay extra for the mixed drinks we like it will just not be worth it, IMHO.

 

If we get onboard and find the prices aren't covered by the package, can we cancel and get $$ back? Or would they issue OBC?

Edited December 26, 2016 by squiffynimrod

[Fluffy Tiger]

I would love to see if this price increase is fleet wide as I have just purchased a drinks package for February on the Explorer. No point having a package if it doesn't cover most of the drinks.

[hollykimalan]

I would love to see if this price increase is fleet wide as I have just purchased a drinks package for February on the Explorer. No point having a package if it doesn't cover most of the drinks.

 

We go next Week...just bought the package. We'll let you know!

[vacationlover_mn]

I know you can cancel, but I'm not sure if you get $$ back or OBC...

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

I'm waiting to see if this is a high season increase or an across the board increase.

 

 

Drinks prices rose at the beginning of this year as well, so I'd say it's an annual across the board increase.

[BNBR]

I am not a big fan of this new pricing model.... where many drinks have a surcharge. I prefer the "pay and not get dinged" model. However, I would note that I'm paying less for the drink package on my next Harmony cruise than I did on my Oasis cruise. I'm pretty sure it's a good $15 - $20 cheaper. They only have the one package and it's only $48/day which is even cheaper than Carnival Cheers. Weren't the ultimate packages pushing $70/day or so?

 

So if SOME of my drinks have a small surcharge of a buck or two, I think we are still doing fine, especially considering most won't have a surcharge. I imagine this may hurt the additional tips to bartenders more than anything.

 

It seems obvious that this isn't really about gouging, but more about providing a simpler and more marketable approach to drink packages. Looks cheaper, so they will sell more - and most people will be in the under $12 range. Instead of 5 different packages that are complicated for first time cruisers, they just do the one package, at a cheaper price, but upcharge a small amount on the higher end drinks.