Just when you think the drink package can't go higher....

[Goodtime Cruizin]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:25 AM, Dayman9966 said:

Honestly, should have bought at $52, but when people post they get things for less, it's kind of a mind bender making the decision.  But, I can always just pay out of pocket, I like beers, but I won't drink 10+ per day.  Live and learn I guess.

 

Two words twice.

 

Pay Up

 

or 

 

Rum Runners

[Goodtime Cruizin]

On 8/28/2019 at 11:23 AM, Goofyfanatic said:

And I hope you get caught...

 

 

Why? I mean seriously. It will not effect your cruise. Not even a future cruise. If one isn't going to 'purchase' due to pricing, RCL has placed themseleves into a situation of collecting less revenue. That's howe capitlism works. Whether one smuggles in liquor is irrelevant. What's relevant is if one opens their wallet so RCL can get revenue. Either way, smuggling liquor willnot effect your cruise. It might effect your mental state of others though. But that's on you. Not RCL or the smuggler. 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

19 hours ago, boscobeans said:

This is a serious question..

 

If you went out to a nice restaurant on par with an MDR or specialty shipboard restaurant,

 

or to a club that had very nice seating, table service, live music and maybe dancing,

 

or to an entertainment venue with comedians, singers, dancers or other types of stage shows where you were served at your seat

 

or to a pool where you had bar service at your lounge chair,

 

what do places like the above charge for drinks in your area???

 

 

 

I really couldn't answer this, but.... our local Chili's... yes Chili's... they price their

Presidente' Margarita for $13. Not including a tip. Fact.  

[Iamcruzin]

7 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

It's all based on supply & demand. It's the beauty of capitalism. You can always cancel if the price drops so why not purchase it at the current price and then cancel/re-order if the price drops? Seems like it's the way to go.

 

 

You do realize that your advice to buy now will only lower the supply and raise demand? No need to drop price if everyone is willing to buy high.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Here's my take...

Newer ships Oasis class ship = Higher prices. Symphony is way out there these days. Not just drinks or drink pkgs either. I'm talking Dining Pkgs, Cabanas etc.  A caban for $1299/day at CocoCay?

 

You take Adventure, Radiance, Navigator etc... these ships still are offering the $49/$55 per day drink pkg prices. Also cruises that are longer than 7 days. The 9day to 15 day cruises on soem of the smaller ships have decent drink package pricing as well. 

 

Take a look. It's Capitalism at it's finest. Supply & demand. At this rate, CoCoCay will be paid for in a couple of years. 

 

Caveat...

I buyUltimate drink packages for the wife & I.

We are both Diamond and can drink in the DL for free.

I smuggle my fav on board because they don't have it on the ship. Shoot me.  

[DaCruiseBug]

39 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

You do realize that your advice to buy now will only lower the supply and raise demand? No need to drop price if everyone is willing to buy high.

10-20 people on CC that do this have virtually 0 impact on the demand when you're talking about a ship with over 6,000 people. I'm not worried and it's worked for me...that's how I got the drink package at $49 per day.

[boscobeans]

23 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

I really couldn't answer this, but.... our local Chili's... yes Chili's... they price their

Presidente' Margarita for $13. Not including a tip. Fact.  

 

There are always cheaper places and always more expensive places but for all that the bars, the restaurants,  the lounges, the bartenders and the servers on ships provide I can't imagine anyone having a just complaint about prices.

 

Just like the complaints about cruise prices..  

We have been sailing for 20 years and sure, there are some things that seem to have vanished with the times but just like

the 48 ounce half gallon of ice cream that's the breaks.. 

 

I was just reading about the $400 dollar a night Waldorf Astoria planning on doing away with evening turn down service for its guests.. 

 

Then I thought about what half of that or less gets you on a Royal Caribbean cruise:

 

Find a hotel that:

Provides robes
Provides twice daily housekeeping
Provides turn down service
Provides room service for just a single service charge
Provides excellent gym facilities

Provides indoor and outdoor pools
Provides a variety of restaurant venues
Provides nightly live broadway style shows
Provides nightly various entertainers on stage
Provides fairly recent movies
Provides several lounge areas many with live music
Provides available medical care

Provides, on some,  water slides and supervised areas for kids of all ages.

 

BUT ALAS they don't provide $1.50 draft Buds or happy hours with pitchers of watered down slop made with $4.95 vodka

 

With the beverage packages for both of us and all that ships provide we can't think of a better way to have a good time. LOL

[boscobeans]

16 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

10-20 people on CC that do this have virtually 0 impact on the demand when you're talking about a ship with over 6,000 people. I'm not worried and it's worked for me...that's how I got the drink package at $49 per day.

I got the deluxe for 48 the other day and it is still that price for the Grandeur 3/7/20.

Have always gone with the packages and have always managed to get them at a decent rate. My break even point considering drinks, soda, water, juices and coffee is anything 70 bucks or less.

[Cruisegirl6]

Navigator October 14th $57 and Harmony January 12 $61 I don't think so!

[bitofun]

43 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Here's my take...

Newer ships Oasis class ship = Higher prices. Symphony is way out there these days. Not just drinks or drink pkgs either. I'm talking Dining Pkgs, Cabanas etc.  A caban for $1299/day at CocoCay?

 

You take Adventure, Radiance, Navigator etc... these ships still are offering the $49/$55 per day drink pkg prices. Also cruises that are longer than 7 days. The 9day to 15 day cruises on soem of the smaller ships have decent drink package pricing as well. 

 

Take a look. It's Capitalism at it's finest. Supply & demand. At this rate, CoCoCay will be paid for in a couple of years. 

 

Caveat...

I buyUltimate drink packages for the wife & I.

We are both Diamond and can drink in the DL for free.

I smuggle my fav on board because they don't have it on the ship. Shoot me.  

My 8 night Southern Caribbean on Adventure of the Seas next April 25 was $54, now $59. My cruise on Harmony coming up in 3 weeks I got for $49, then went down to $46, I canceled and rebought. The other day was $59, now $52.

[jeepfan2006]

I’m one of those who always purchases the beverage package. I enjoy the convenience and I enjoy trying different brands of liquors and unusual concoctions. I wouldn’t have as much of an appetite to risk trying something new if I were paying in real time, but with the beverage package, these are sunk costs (not free, I know…don’t beat me up). I realize that everyone is unique, but for me having convenient access to refreshing alcoholic beverages is just as important to having a great dining experience each day of my cruise.

 

I don’t have an opinion either way on smuggling. But I do have a question if someone has any experience on that subject, disembarking in the United States. What do you do if you still have some liquor left over at the end of the cruise? Do you throw good liquor down the drain, or do you try to smuggle it by US Customs? I understand that any amount of liquor is allowed into the US as long as you pay the duty, but that’s only if it is in its original sealed packaging. I know if you don’t declare liquor and they find it, you might be pulled aside and made to pay the duty. But, if you don’t declare liquor and they come across an unmarked, unsealed bag of liquid, are there more severe consequences?

[Cruisegirl6]

I haven't smuggled liquor in over 30 years but when I did it was all consumed lol

[papaflamingo]

8 hours ago, ToroAzul said:

By that clairvoyant rationale, am I smuggling in 3 weeks where I bought the package at $46 pppd? 

 

Get outside and take a walk papa. You're projecting whatever issues you have on me. 

Nope, just calling it as I see it.  I don't buy anyone who says they are "only violating the rules because...."  You either violate them or you don't.   You just change the justification to fit the circumstances. 

Edited August 31, 2019 by papaflamingo

[Iamcruzin]

6 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

10-20 people on CC that do this have virtually 0 impact on the demand when you're talking about a ship with over 6,000 people. I'm not worried and it's worked for me...that's how I got the drink package at $49 per day.

Did you buy at $49 which is the lowest that I’ve seen or at the high? Personally I have nothing to gain by paying for something months in advance only to return it and repurchase it. I purchased mine at $ 49 and it never went lower. These prices now are just crazy.

[JessandLevi]

I have been checking the drink packages every couple of days for my Nov Indy cruise. It went from $61 to $65. I checked last night and it showed $52 so I booked it for my husband and I. This is the cheapest it has been since we booked our cruise so hopefully it went down for some of you.

[korpo024]

On 8/31/2019 at 5:44 PM, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Here's my take...

Newer ships Oasis class ship = Higher prices. Symphony is way out there these days. Not just drinks or drink pkgs either. I'm talking Dining Pkgs, Cabanas etc.  A caban for $1299/day at CocoCay?

 

You take Adventure, Radiance, Navigator etc... these ships still are offering the $49/$55 per day drink pkg prices. Also cruises that are longer than 7 days. The 9day to 15 day cruises on soem of the smaller ships have decent drink package pricing as well. 

 

Take a look. It's Capitalism at it's finest. Supply & demand. At this rate, CoCoCay will be paid for in a couple of years. 

 

Caveat...

I buyUltimate drink packages for the wife & I.

We are both Diamond and can drink in the DL for free.

I smuggle my fav on board because they don't have it on the ship. Shoot me.  

Drink Package on Navigator = 60,72 € on a 4 nights cruise to the Bahamas....that is 66,70$ ! No way that we will pay that...

[LuCruise]

On 8/31/2019 at 11:44 AM, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Here's my take...

Newer ships Oasis class ship = Higher prices. Symphony is way out there these days. Not just drinks or drink pkgs either. I'm talking Dining Pkgs, Cabanas etc.  A caban for $1299/day at CocoCay?

 

You take Adventure, Radiance, Navigator etc... these ships still are offering the $49/$55 per day drink pkg prices. Also cruises that are longer than 7 days. The 9day to 15 day cruises on soem of the smaller ships have decent drink package pricing as well. 

 

 

It's crazy how it varies from ship to ship (or cruise to cruise).

 

Our Adventure is at $59.85 CAD, which is $45 USD.  (current labor day sale is lowest we've seen it)

Our Mariner is at $91.77 CAD, which is $68.90 USD.

 

P.S. - Just got off Navigator and the price before we left was $86.45 CAD, so that one was up there too.  On board, it was going for $82 USD, which seems pretty high.

Edited September 2, 2019 by LuCruise

[charmy98]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:57 AM, atush said:

ours went up today from 57 back to 61.  Why didnt you buy it at $52?

 

My theory is they have raised prices in advance of a LD sale.

haha LD sale what a joke I got their LD sale email this morning, not one penny less than the price it was 3 weeks ago. For the 1st time ever we will be taking our wine and water on board with us and pay as you go for anything else we want

 

[mac66]

On 8/31/2019 at 1:59 PM, jeepfan2006 said:

 

I don’t have an opinion either way on smuggling. But I do have a question if someone has any experience on that subject, disembarking in the United States. What do you do if you still have some liquor left over at the end of the cruise? Do you throw good liquor down the drain, or do you try to smuggle it by US Customs? I understand that any amount of liquor is allowed into the US as long as you pay the duty, but that’s only if it is in its original sealed packaging. I know if you don’t declare liquor and they find it, you might be pulled aside and made to pay the duty. But, if you don’t declare liquor and they come across an unmarked, unsealed bag of liquid, are there more severe consequences?

 

If you bought it in the US you don't have to declare it or smuggle it in. You just bring it back.

 

If you bought it outside the US, you are allowed 2 bottles/person or $200 worth, not exactly sure which is it is now. One cruise in Feb, it was 2 bottles/person, our cruise in April you didn't have to declare anything up to $200.

Edited September 2, 2019 by mac66

[mjkacmom]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:28 AM, cb at sea said:

I remember when they didn't charge outrageous prices for a drink...a beer was around $2.25 + tip...and a mixed drink was in the $4 range...that's acceptable, when you're a "captive audience"...but $8-10 for a drink is simply gouging.  It's one thing when a ballpark or other entertainment venue does it...you're only there for a few hours....but when you are residing for a week and they are asking such prices....it's off-putting!

Beers here start around $7, wine $8, cocktails $10, local restaurants and bars. I am over 50 wit( no experience drinking a $4 cocktail!

[boscobeans]

1 minute ago, mjkacmom said:

Beers here start around $7, wine $8, cocktails $10, local restaurants and bars. I am over 50 wit( no experience drinking a $4 cocktail!

 

I am in total agreement.

 

I remember back when you could get 4 shots of Four Roses for a buck and nickel beers in a few dives in NYC.. 

 

Show me a decent place TODAY offering all the comforts, service and entertainment  that I get on a Roytal Caribbean cruise ship that doesn't charge the same if not MORE than on board.

[ReneeFLL]

On 8/29/2019 at 4:02 PM, JillK said:

.......We were able to economize on the Brilliance as we took advantage of the punch card where you get 10 mixed drinks for a set price (believe it was $89, including gratuity) and we also got a similar punch card for 10 draft beers for a discount (if memory serves, $56). Those only came out mid-cruise but definitely helped us to save over buying all week a la carte.

 

We're hopeful to see those again in March!

 

I have never seen the drink cards on any of my cruises. How do you find out if they are selling them?

 

 

On 8/31/2019 at 4:29 PM, papaflamingo said:

Nope, just calling it as I see it.  I don't buy anyone who says they are "only violating the rules because...."  You either violate them or you don't.   You just change the justification to fit the circumstances. 

 

Why are you on ToroAzul's case? Because you used to smuggle and got caught? When you smuggled you obviously had your reasons also or you wouldn't have done it. 

I know not everyone likes to have drinks on the balcony or in the room, but it's nice sometimes. We like to sit out there and play cards sometimes with a drink or 2. Also, a drink while getting ready for dinner is something a lot of people like. If you have an aft cabin it's a pain to be walking back and forth for drinks. It kind of takes the fun away from what you're doing.

 

The way RC plays the pricing game is ridiculous and I can see why some want to play that game also such as smuggling. We don't buy the package anymore and just get drinks from the DL or pay as we go. When we pay as we go we drink a whole lot less.

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

How do you find out if they are selling them?

Sometimes they are advertised, but the sure way to find them is to ask a bartender. 

[papaflamingo]

3 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Why are you on ToroAzul's case? Because you used to smuggle and got caught? When you smuggled you obviously had your reasons also or you wouldn't have done it. 

I know not everyone likes to have drinks on the balcony or in the room, but it's nice sometimes. We like to sit out there and play cards sometimes with a drink or 2. Also, a drink while getting ready for dinner is something a lot of people like. If you have an aft cabin it's a pain to be walking back and forth for drinks. It kind of takes the fun away from what you're doing.

 

The way RC plays the pricing game is ridiculous and I can see why some want to play that game also such as smuggling. We don't buy the package anymore and just get drinks from the DL or pay as we go. When we pay as we go we drink a whole lot less.

Why?  I simply think he's wrong when he says he wouldn't smuggle if the prices were lower.  Unless they're free, of course he'll smuggle.  Just like someone who says they wouldn't speed if the speed limit was 80.  Of course they would, they'd do 90.  Come on... give me a break. 

As for me?  Well duh.... First I've never been caught, I've had friends caught, but I've not been.  Second I haven't smuggled alcohol in many years...too old and it's not worth the effort for me.  Third, I admit it.  I know it's wrong and I make no excuses for it.  It has nothing to do with cost, etc.  I also like a drink on my balcony and I also find it a long walk from the stern balcony.  But that doesn't give me an excuse.  I simply admit that I know exactly what I'm doing.  

Oh, we also drink in the DL and pay as we go.  I don't drink enough to buy the package.  And you'd think I'd be more likely to smuggle, but I really don't.  I don't care if someone does or not.  I don't not because I'm "pure at heart," but because I don't drink that much anymore.  But I think people should be honest about what they do instead of some b.s. justification like "golly, if it was only cheaper I'd strictly follow the rules."  B.S. 

[JillK]

4 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

 

I have never seen the drink cards on any of my cruises. How do you find out if they are selling them?

 

 

On the Brilliance last year and the Oasis a few years back, they showed up mid-cruise.

 

They were advertised in the daily planner and most of the bars also had a sign advertising them. You were able to buy them at any bar and for the mixed drink card it was $89 plus tip. Can't recall the exact price of the draft beer card which was only offered on the Brilliance.

 

Perhaps they only show up if booze sales aren't going as expected?