Royal testing to bring back same drink package for all

[mngolfer]

If people would just follow the rules and not try to cheat to save a buck it wouldn’t ever be an issue.

 

 

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[fishtaco]

Although we've always been loyal to Royal and are Diamond+ members, I'm afraid our upcoming cruise in February will be our last with Royal due to this change in policy. I drink, my husband and mother do not. To be forced to buy deluxe drink packages for all three when only one drinks in our cabin is truly unacceptable.

 

Going forward, we will sail with another cruise line that is more flexible and/or includes drinks (Norwegian, Celebrity) on their cruises. So long, Royal. It's been fun.

 

So why dont you just pay as you go especially if 2 out of 3 cabin guests dont drink?

 

I am confused to why its a cruisline deal breaker for you given noone is forcing the 2 non drinkers to buy a package and experience must tell you that its hard to spend more a la carte on booze than the package cost.

[fishtaco]

If people would just follow the rules and not try to cheat to save a buck it wouldn’t ever be an issue.

 

 

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I agree! but I suspect the reason many are so unhappy with the rule returning to original is because although they say they would never share drinks or they dont drink they are thinking only booze and I would suggest many of them do share quite freely in the bottled water and soda included in the premium without considering its the exact same as sharing booze from the one card.

 

Common sense tells you if you pop out the cabin to grab a drink and the non drinker asks you to bring back a water or soda for them then most of the card holders will put the water or soda on their package card!

 

If purchased onboard I am sure they would allow most non alcohol drinkers to purchase a refreshment package and the drinker a premium drinks package,this way is much easier to police than allowing just one drinks package per cabin.

[fishtaco]

Just thought! this policy change would enrage the closet/secret boozers lol

 

If one in the cabin doesnt drink much or at all then the package x2 isnt worth buying so all drinks consumed would be itemized exposing the closet boozer :)

[Ocean Boy]

Just thought! this policy change would enrage the closet/secret boozers lol

 

If one in the cabin doesnt drink much or at all then the package x2 isnt worth buying so all drinks consumed would be itemized exposing the closet boozer :)

Seriously? If someone buys a package they obviously drink a fair amount of alcohol. They don't need to have each drink itemized on a bill for people to know they have been drinking.

[fishtaco]

Seriously? If someone buys a package they obviously drink a fair amount of alcohol. They don't need to have each drink itemized on a bill for people to know they have been drinking.

 

You need to read entire threads before commenting me thinks!

 

Oh I am Diamond+ and get complimentary drinks in the lounge, Hubby doesn't drink at all but for me the Premium package is oh so convenient not to have to sign those pesky drink chits! lol

[ReneeFLL]

I think that was a bad attitude for the GS rep to take, and I would have asked for the Guest Services Manager.

 

 

However, I can understand how they might unfortunately fall into that mode where they suspect someone is lying to them all the time, because it happens quite often when it comes to paying the bill. We used do B2B cruises on Monarch fairly often, and the gathering point for B2B guests was right next to Guest Services. The gathering time was during the last 15 minutes of guest walk-off, so this was when we heard the most buzzer sounds (instead of the nice ding) as people were trying to walk off without paying their bill. The "discussions" at the GS counter were quite loud and you would not believe the stories that were told as to why the bill could not be paid.

Would they actually let someone off without paying their bill? I would hope not.

[grapau27]

Although we've always been loyal to Royal and are Diamond+ members, I'm afraid our upcoming cruise in February will be our last with Royal due to this change in policy. I drink, my husband and mother do not. To be forced to buy deluxe drink packages for all three when only one drinks in our cabin is truly unacceptable.

 

Going forward, we will sail with another cruise line that is more flexible and/or includes drinks (Norwegian, Celebrity) on their cruises. So long, Royal. It's been fun.

If you could book with a UK travel agent we have free drinks and free tips promotions on RC at the moment.

[Ourusualbeach]

If you could book with a UK travel agent we have free drinks and free tips promotions on RC at the moment.

At the prices you are paying they are hardly free.:eek:

[grapau27]

At the prices you are paying they are hardly free.:eek:

True.

[Ocean Boy]

You need to read entire threads before commenting me thinks!

 

Oh I am Diamond+ and get complimentary drinks in the lounge, Hubby doesn't drink at all but for me the Premium package is oh so convenient not to have to sign those pesky drink chits! lol

I have read the thread. But thanks for the tip on how to use Cruise Critic. And what does your C&A status have to do with anything?

[Milwaukee Eight]

You need to read entire threads before commenting me thinks!

 

Oh I am Diamond+ and get complimentary drinks in the lounge, Hubby doesn't drink at all but for me the Premium package is oh so convenient not to have to sign those pesky drink chits! lol

 

 

 

Trying to figure what being D+ has to do with this other than FREE DRINKS during cocktail hours (only certain ones) and a discount on the package.

 

D+ .... the Premium Package was changed to the Deluxe Package some time ago. One would think D+ would know this?

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

I have read the thread. But thanks for the tip on how to use Cruise Critic. And what does your C&A status have to do with anything?

 

 

 

Wondering the exact same thing??? What does Ones status have to do with requiring all in cabin to Purshase DP if one in cabin buys DP?

 

 

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[tbillcruising]

This is CRAP! Just a way for RC to "steal" more money from paying customers. The nickel and diming has been outrageous in and of itself. This is ridiculous. Not everyone drinks alcohol.... and is RC really going to go broke if a drink or two is shared between a couple who has one drink package? I think not!! If sharing is the concern than come up with a way to police it. Don't punish the 99% that do not take advantage by charging them double!!

[Clarea]

Would they actually let someone off without paying their bill? I would hope not.

They try not to, but at some point they have no choice. I believe if they exhaust all the possibilities of getting payment before the guest leaves, they require that the guest sign some sort of promissory note in order to get off the ship.

[Beachammo]

This is CRAP! Just a way for RC to "steal" more money from paying customers. The nickel and diming has been outrageous in and of itself. This is ridiculous. Not everyone drinks alcohol.... and is RC really going to go broke if a drink or two is shared between a couple who has one drink package? I think not!! If sharing is the concern than come up with a way to police it. Don't punish the 99% that do not take advantage by charging them double!!

Not 99%......

 

It was pretty obvious, if you sit at a bar for a few hours, that many people were sharing the drink package. But....I do agree Royal could of inforced it in a different way. Maybe 20/30 minutes between drinks?? Royal doesn't want front line employees confronting passengers who were stealing drinks.

 

This was the easiest and most profitable solution for Royal.

 

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[Clarea]

... This was the easiest and most profitable solution for Royal.

It will be interesting to see how it works out. It may cut drink package purchases so much that they go back to the old way.

[Ourusualbeach]

This is CRAP! Just a way for RC to "steal" more money from paying customers. The nickel and diming has been outrageous in and of itself. This is ridiculous. Not everyone drinks alcohol.... and is RC really going to go broke if a drink or two is shared between a couple who has one drink package? I think not!! If sharing is the concern than come up with a way to police it. Don't punish the 99% that do not take advantage by charging them double!!

 

I have no proof of this but I’m thinking that if 99% of the people were being honest and not sharing the package then Royal wouldn’t have changed to the new system.

 

When they started offering it for only one guest it set them apart from a few competitors and probably gave them an edge. To go back to requiring both to purchase and give up that advantage must have meant that the losses were somewhat significant.

[Beachammo]

It will be interesting to see how it works out. It may cut drink package purchases so much that they go back to the old way.

Bob

 

You know how people are.....

 

Upset at the beginning and then acceptance.

 

Just like the non refundable deposits. Royal now has everyone believing they are getting a "discount" for booking non refundable.

 

The next big one will be kicking Diamonds out of the Diamond Lounge. Which will become necessary very soon.

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

Bob

 

You know how people are.....

 

Upset at the beginning and then acceptance.

 

Just like the non refundable deposits. Royal now has everyone believing they are getting a "discount" for booking non refundable.

 

The next big one will be kicking Diamonds out of the Diamond Lounge. Which will become necessary very soon.

 

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And remember when Royal was going to go broke by eliminating smoking on the balconies.

[grapau27]

I was once charge for a drink that I did not have and guest services approached the issue as if I was trying to screw over RCI. The woman backed down when she saw that I had no intention of backing down. I got really annoyed and told her to either produce a receipt that I signed or remove the charge. The charge disappeared.

Great point about telling them to produce the signed receipt.

[grapau27]

Trying to figure what being D+ has to do with this other than FREE DRINKS during cocktail hours (only certain ones) and a discount on the package.

 

D+ .... the Premium Package was changed to the Deluxe Package some time ago. One would think D+ would know this?

 

 

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When we had the Deluxe Drinks package on Freedom in June our card had PP Premium Package stickers on as you can see on the photo.

[maryann2]

Bob

 

You know how people are.....

 

Upset at the beginning and then acceptance.

 

Just like the non refundable deposits. Royal now has everyone believing they are getting a "discount" for booking non refundable.

 

The next big one will be kicking Diamonds out of the Diamond Lounge. Which will become necessary very soon.

 

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This happened on the Freedom TA in Oct.

Nightly event in the Diamond lounge only for Pinnacle Suites and Diamond plus.

Star lounge for Diamonds only.

Diamonds were allowed to use the Diamond lounge during the day.

Edited January 7, 2018 by maryann2

[Milwaukee Eight]

When we had the Deluxe Drinks package on Freedom in June our card had PP Premium Package stickers on as you can see on the photo.

 

 

 

Yes, Royal chose to use up the old stickers but it’s called Deluxe and no longer PP. Your D + and cruise a lot, shouldn’t you know this?

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

This happened on the Freedom TA in Oct.

Nightly event in the Diamond lounge only for Pinnacle Suites and Diamond plus.

Star lounge for Diamonds only.

Diamonds were allowed to use the Diamond lounge during the day.

 

 

 

Similar on Freedom President Cruise except P’s assigned to Diamond Club, D+ Olive or Twist, D Star Lounge. CL was Suites, P, and D+.

 

Last 2 nights, they opened Olive and Twist for D and D+.

 

 

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