Do you think RC will offer Diamond a discount on beverage package

[CruisesRMe]

Celebrity is owned by RC and diamond members are given a discount on the drink package, do you feel the same should be offered on RC ships and, do you think RC will ever offer this?

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

RC did offer Diamond members a discount for a while, but removed it.  I doubt it's coming back.

[CruisesRMe]

Perhaps if there is a decline in purchasing the drink package they bring it back, but on the other hand, raising the price and less people purchasing would keep them even with the same amount of revenue.  It is a hopeful idea.

[gerif]

Actually, the discount when it did exist could only be applied to the onboard purchase of the drink package which made it much cheaper to purchase in advance so I don’t see many taking advantage of it anyway. If they offered it on purchases made in advance on the cruise planner it might have been worthwhile. 

[not-enough-cruising]

28 minutes ago, CruisesRMe said:

Perhaps if there is a decline in purchasing the drink package they bring it back, but on the other hand, raising the price and less people purchasing would keep them even with the same amount of revenue.  It is a hopeful idea.

however it appears they are raising the package price AND more people are buying them; in this reality there is no financial reason for a vendor to reduce their price

Edited September 7, 2019 by not-enough-cruising

[CruisesRMe]

I am reading on boards here of people not purchasing the drink package due to the price increase and I am reading about others that will go to NCL, Celebrity and MSC because the drink package is included.  Just curious whether RC wants to keep its customers and will do something by either offering a more special rate at times for the drink package or bring back discounts for diamond and above members.

[Clarea]

Just now, CruisesRMe said:

I am reading on boards here of people not purchasing the drink package due to the price increase and I am reading about others that will go to NCL, Celebrity and MSC because the drink package is included.  Just curious whether RC wants to keep its customers and will do something by either offering a more special rate at times for the drink package or bring back discounts for diamond and above members.

 

RC is not concerned with long term trends.  As long as enough people keep buying the package now, they will keep raising the price.

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, CruisesRMe said:

I am reading on boards here of people not purchasing the drink package due to the price increase and I am reading about others that will go to NCL, Celebrity and MSC because the drink package is included.  Just curious whether RC wants to keep its customers and will do something by either offering a more special rate at times for the drink package or bring back discounts for diamond and above members.

The drink packages are not "included" on the lines you mentioned. If you look at the bottom line cruise fare, the drink packages may not be line item listed, but you are paying for it. At least on Royal you have the option to choose not to buy.

[sjb317]

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The drink packages are not "included" on the lines you mentioned. If you look at the bottom line cruise fare, the drink packages may not be line item listed, but you are paying for it. At least on Royal you have the option to choose not to buy.

And yet, when I was comparing pricing between Harmony and Equinox for a cruise in June, the total cost of an InsIde balcony on Harmony was around $2400 for two. Equinox was about &2600. for an OV balcony plus paid gratuities, WiFi, drink package for 2 and $600 OBC.  I thought that was a pretty good deal.

 

Sherri🙂

[not-enough-cruising]

8 minutes ago, sjb317 said:

And yet, when I was comparing pricing between Harmony and Equinox for a cruise in June, the total cost of an InsIde balcony on Harmony was around $2400 for two. Equinox was about &2600. for an OV balcony plus paid gratuities, WiFi, drink package for 2 and $600 OBC.  I thought that was a pretty good deal.

 

Sherri🙂

Granted, but comparing one of the most expensive Oasis class ships to a 10 year old Solstice class is really not an "apples to apples" comparison

[CruisesRMe]

28 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The drink packages are not "included" on the lines you mentioned. If you look at the bottom line cruise fare, the drink packages may not be line item listed, but you are paying for it. At least on Royal you have the option to choose not to buy.

There are many Celebrity cruises which include the drink package, internet, dining package, gratuities and shipboard credit...my sister today is boarding the Celebrity Equinox and booked with all those incentives and during thanksgiving week she be on the Edge with the same incentives but $600 shipboard credit!  My friend is going on the Breakaway in a few weeks, she also has the dining package and drink package included.

[not-enough-cruising]

9 minutes ago, CruisesRMe said:

There are many Celebrity cruises which include the drink package, internet, dining package, gratuities and shipboard credit...my sister today is boarding the Celebrity Equinox and booked with all those incentives and during thanksgiving week she be on the Edge with the same incentives but $600 shipboard credit!  My friend is going on the Breakaway in a few weeks, she also has the dining package and drink package included.

i feel you missed my point, those fares are more expensive because of the perks being "included. 

 

Lets compare Breakaway VS Harmony 

Early November, western Caribbean sailings, ocean view balconies, 2 people

 

Breakaway with "included" drinks and WiFi $3316.64

Harmony $1974.06 (ADD $826 IF you want drink package ADD $149 IF you want WIFI)

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by not-enough-cruising
more information

[CruisesRMe]

31 minutes ago, sjb317 said:

And yet, when I was comparing pricing between Harmony and Equinox for a cruise in June, the total cost of an InsIde balcony on Harmony was around $2400 for two. Equinox was about &2600. for an OV balcony plus paid gratuities, WiFi, drink package for 2 and $600 OBC.  I thought that was a pretty good deal.

 

Sherri🙂

That is the same deal my sister has for the Edge this November.

[CruisesRMe]

6 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

i feel you missed my point, those fares are more expensive because of the perks being "included. 

They are not expensive, my sister was comparing RC prices to Celebrity and Celebrity may be 400 more but that includes all the extras which if she cruised on RC the cruise cost her alot more with all those items which she always wants.

[sjb317]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Granted, but comparing one of the most expensive Oasis class ships to a 10 year old Solstice class is really not an "apples to apples" comparison

True, but Equinox is a pretty nice ship, actually nicer than Harmony in some ways.😀

 

Sherri🙂

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, CruisesRMe said:

They are not expensive, my sister was comparing RC prices to Celebrity and Celebrity may be 400 more but that includes all the extras which if she cruised on RC the cruise cost her alot more with all those items which she always wants.

Then she can cruise Celebrity and be happy.  

I do NOT drink booze, and I don't want it "included" with a higher base price, so I will continue to cruise Royal, which has a product I like at a price point I can handle.  

That's the great thing about cruising -- there's something for everyone.

 

[belmontcrew]

13 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

however it appears they are raising the package price AND more people are buying them; in this reality there is no financial reason for a vendor to reduce their price

 

Just curious as to how you know more people are buying them at the higher price?  I wonder if that was the discussion in the last marketing meeting. “People, we really need to raise the drink package from $49 per day to $56 because way more people will buy it at $56  What were we thinking?”  😜.  All kidding aside, maybe they are trying to put the screws to all of us that did not get in on the $18/day goof. 

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, belmontcrew said:

 

Just curious as to how you know more people are buying them at the higher price?  I wonder if that was the discussion in the last marketing meeting. “People, we really need to raise the drink package from $49 per day to $56 because way more people will buy it at $56  What were we thinking?”  😜.  All kidding aside, maybe they are trying to put the screws to all of us that did not get in on the $18/day goof. 

If people weren't continuing to purchase it, the price would not continue to rise

[cruisegus]

14 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

i feel you missed my point, those fares are more expensive because of the perks being "included. 

 

Lets compare Breakaway VS Harmony 

Early November, western Caribbean sailings, ocean view balconies, 2 people

ut am still aut am still hanckering to try an NCL ship for the experiance

Breakaway with "included" drinks and WiFi $3316.64

Harmony $1974.06 (ADD $826 IF you want drink package ADD $149 IF you want WIFI)

 

 this has been my experience also compering apples to apples on RCCL ships compared to NCL, so i have stayed with RCCL but am hankering for an NCL ship just for the experience.  Have also sailed carnival and sometime it is an acceptable choice, just not that often.

[ReneeFLL]

15 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

RC did offer Diamond members a discount for a while, but removed it.  I doubt it's coming back.

What am I missing? I thought Diamonds still got a discount on DP if booked on board.

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

What am I missing? I thought Diamonds still got a discount on DP if booked on board.

 

 

Nope.

[Clarea]

5 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

What am I missing? I thought Diamonds still got a discount on DP if booked on board.

 

Gone for at least a couple of years.

[CruisesRMe]

21 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

i feel you missed my point, those fares are more expensive because of the perks being "included. 

 

Lets compare Breakaway VS Harmony 

Early November, western Caribbean sailings, ocean view balconies, 2 people

 

Breakaway with "included" drinks and WiFi $3316.64

Harmony $1974.06 (ADD $826 IF you want drink package ADD $149 IF you want WIFI)

 

I don't know where you are getting your prices, but just went on NCL website did a mock booking for early November Oceanview balcony and the price I got was $2479.44 with only a $50 per person deposit, which includes drink package, specialty dining package, wi fi and shore excursion credits, definitely a much better deal than the Harmony currently at $2583.96 with no incentives.

[CruisesRMe]

21 hours ago, sjb317 said:

True, but Equinox is a pretty nice ship, actually nicer than Harmony in some ways.😀

 

Sherri🙂

In what ways?  We are going to decide today whether to go on the Equinox or the Edge for January/February.

[CruisesRMe]

8 hours ago, brillohead said:

Then she can cruise Celebrity and be happy.  

I do NOT drink booze, and I don't want it "included" with a higher base price, so I will continue to cruise Royal, which has a product I like at a price point I can handle.  

That's the great thing about cruising -- there's something for everyone.

 

Agree, I love RC, I am working on diamond plus, just need a few more cruises...but, my sister is currently on the Equinox, boarded yesterday and they sent me so many photos and they are raving about it.   I don't drink much either, but I purchase sparkling water, espresso, lattes and coffees and they really add up.  Yes, something for everyone, but I love the fact if I cruise Celebrity my status on RC remains on Celebrity, which is nice.