Don't Shoot Me... But Perspectives Would be Great......

[tugboat]

We know one thing RCL would prefer everyone to buy the drink package it is a better bang for there buck.

 

 

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[Guest BigRoger]

Interesting update or post script to this.... the price of the deluxe package has gone up by around 15 per cent over the course of today... doh....

[BunnyLebowski]

I’m putting in a “no package” vote for you.

 

Just returned from my first cruise without any drinks package on Celebrity. We brought some wine onboard, had access to the Elite happy hour, and just paid for whatever cocktails we wanted without limit. Our bar bill was nowhere near what a drinks package would have been, and we enjoyed several tastings, etc. not covered by a package. Can you try without a package for a few days then buy one for the remainder of the trip if it makes sense to do so?

 

If interested, check out my full review: Summit Review: Penthouse Cruisers Try Aqua Class

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2677269

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

I’m putting in a “no package” vote for you.

 

Just returned from my first cruise without any drinks package on Celebrity. We brought some wine onboard, had access to the Elite happy hour, and just paid for whatever cocktails we wanted without limit. Our bar bill was nowhere near what a drinks package would have been, and we enjoyed several tastings, etc. not covered by a package. Can you try without a package for a few days then buy one for the remainder of the trip if it makes sense to do so?

 

If interested, check out my full review: Summit Review: Penthouse Cruisers Try Aqua Class

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2677269

 

 

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I believe you can purchase with a minimum of 4 days left

 

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[dchurchward]

I am putting in a no package vote, but it really depends on how much you drink normally. The question I would ask myself is if I purchase the package, will I feel like I should drink more than I might normally, and how will that impact my cruise? For some people, it would not impact it at all, and for others it may have a large impact, positive or negative. I do find that when I have to purchase beverages individually, it helps me keep better track of how much I am consuming, but that may just be me.

[patreke]

I’m currently debating the same issue. I’m considering putting the money that would have gone towards a drink package on my ship board account and if there’s some left over great If the money starts to run out I can decide what to do at that point. On previous crossings they have had 10 drink cards available towards the end which offered a savings. FYI this will be my first cruise with diamond drinks but haven’t been impressed when I’ve seen the list of available wines

 

 

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[lbjen]

Here’s my take on the drinks packages. Royal doesn’t do anything without a profit in mind. So if you think about all the people who get the package, and think about how many people really drink enough to be better off paying for the package than just per drink, then there has to be at least as many if not more people who aren’t getting their money's worth out of it to offset that hit to Royal’s profit. They wouldn’t keep offering the packages if they weren’t coming out on top courtesy of all the people who don’t drink the amount they paid for.

[John&LaLa]

Here’s my take on the drinks packages. Royal doesn’t do anything without a profit in mind. So if you think about all the people who get the package, and think about how many people really drink enough to be better off paying for the package than just per drink, then there has to be at least as many if not more people who aren’t getting their money's worth out of it to offset that hit to Royal’s profit. They wouldn’t keep offering the packages if they weren’t coming out on top courtesy of all the people who don’t drink the amount they paid for.

They stopped offering them on short cruises out of Southampton

 

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[George C]

The only time it most likely did not pay for us was our Europe cruise since it was so port heavy with long excursions and we were in a suite on brilliance which had a really great concierge lounge. We also dislike wine offered in all the lounges diamond, concierge or suite. Since we normally have a couple of glasses of good wine for lunch and dinner that will pay for package.

[dswallow]

Here’s my take on the drinks packages. Royal doesn’t do anything without a profit in mind. So if you think about all the people who get the package, and think about how many people really drink enough to be better off paying for the package than just per drink, then there has to be at least as many if not more people who aren’t getting their money's worth out of it to offset that hit to Royal’s profit. They wouldn’t keep offering the packages if they weren’t coming out on top courtesy of all the people who don’t drink the amount they paid for.

If you buy 3 drinks with some "premium" liquor you've paid for a liter of liquor. The 4th drink pays for all the mixers and ice. The 5th drink pays for the bartender. There's still at least 15 drinks left in that bottle. If you're lucky they'll only be able to pour another 12 or so from the bottle. :)

 

Here's my record of beverages from my 12-day Anthem of the Seas sailing on 1/7/2018...

 

 

I most certainly got more than my money's worth, but I calculated it out and there's still no way Royal Caribbean didn't earn a profit from my $39.20/day plus $7.06/day gratuity for the Deluxe Beverage portion of the combo I purchased. That's $470.40 collected for the Deluxe Beverage package before the gratuities. If I got a decent pour I probably had at most 9 liters of Stoli in those 12 days (pretty much stay with a Stoli Sea Breeze all the time; makes it easier for the bartenders and for me; and the volume of juice is just too much in those big glasses they love to use; I always ask for it in a rocks-sized glass). Maybe a dozen or so of those were some other drink, and there were probably a dozen shots in there too. But I don't know if I counted everything perfectly. I always tried to take photos of each one as well. And there's almost no possible way I could have consumed much more. :) Royal Caribbean might not have made as much money as they would if I'd been spending $11/drink plus gratuity, but there's no way they lost money either.

 

The app that's done with is called "Thing Counter."

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.sleak.thingcounter&hl=en

 

And the "Mississippi" counter there is because it's fun to increment since the app voices the count "1 Mississippi" "2 Mississippi", etc. :)

[momofmab]

but the prospect of getting 'more than just happy' every day of the TA might sound conceptually nice I'am not sure in practice its such a good idea...

 

 

 

I think you have to resolve this conundrum before you can decide whether to pay for the package. You can certainly get "happy" with your wine and D+ benefits alone. Wanna be "more than happy"? Get the package (or just get it to have the flexibility of being "more than happy" if you want, without stressing about your final bill).

 

I never buy the package. I'm a lightweight and would have a tough time getting out of bed each morning if I consumed enough drinks a day to make the package worthwhile. I'm not a wine drinker, I bring bottled water onboard, I don't drink soda, can live without fresh squeezed OJ, and am not interested in the sugary frozen drinks (virgin or not). On my last cruise (Oasis) I brought $50 worth of Starbucks cards that our family had accumulated over the year and enjoyed coffee from there each morning. I typically purchased 1-2 drinks a day (beers by the pool).

 

Enjoy your cruise - whatever you decide!

[Davebhoy]

Sea Day: Starbucks in the morning, a beer and a soft drink pre-lunch, soft drink/beer with food, 2 cocktails in the afternoon, glass of wine with dinner, two or three beers at the evening entertainment and possibly a malt before bed -- drinks package is easily worth it.

 

Port Day: Starbucks in the morning, bottle of water getting off, cocktail on boarding, glass of wine with dinner, two or three beers at the evening entertainment and possibly a malt before bed, package is still worth it.

[Andy C]

Someone mentioned it on another thread - if you are stressing about the cost among other things than the package is not for you. And you are Diamond. Just pay for a drink or two when you want it outside of the happy hour window.

[John&LaLa]

Someone mentioned it on another thread - if you are stressing about the cost among other things than the package is not for you. And you are Diamond. Just pay for a drink or two when you want it outside of the happy hour window.

That works well for us. I cant drink all day anymore. And I'm fine with New Amsterdam vodka in my Cape Codders

 

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[Havingfun2010]

My port intensive 12 day cruise, I did not get the package. Although I think it's mostly a good value in place of buying as you go, with the soda, coffee, water etc included. However, I get free drinks as a Diamond, 3 extra drinks that I had at dinner, and/or the show. Than I bought the 10 beer card, and the 10 drink card at reduced prices for drinks and had water in my room. Once I added everything up, I did not come close to the daily price.

 

I should note, that I like beer. I'm not a fancy drinker, so the basic drinks are just fine for me. 4 hours of free drinks, made the price not worth it.

[John&LaLa]

My port intensive 12 day cruise, I did not get the package. Although I think it's mostly a good value in place of buying as you go, with the soda, coffee, water etc included. However, I get free drinks as a Diamond, 3 extra drinks that I had at dinner, and/or the show. Than I bought the 10 beer card, and the 10 drink card at reduced prices for drinks and had water in my room. Once I added everything up, I did not come close to the daily price.

 

I should note, that I like beer. I'm not a fancy drinker, so the basic drinks are just fine for me. 4 hours of free drinks, made the price not worth it.

How much was the beer card?

 

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