Drink Package - Lack Of Products

[Mreimer]

I just wanted to let everyone know that many of the common liquor brands are not available onboard. I just docked back into Fort Lauderdale this morning from the 8 day Allure. Here is a short list of what was missing:

 

1. No Crown Royal - I was told this may never return. (I hope this is false as this is my go to)

 

2. No Captain Morgan 

 

3. Ship ran out of Canadian Club

 

4. No Buffalo Trace

 

5. No Johnny Walker Black 

 

6. No Chai Tea in Café Promenade. 

 

I just think if they would like to sell drink packages at a premium cost to the guests they need to have the ship stocked. 

 

PS - I know supply chain issues.......... Kinda funny the on board store has plenty to sell. In addition every island that we visited had no shortage. 

 

Mike

 

 

[CatLadyFemme]

Ope. I don’t drink booze for medical reasons, but love me a chai. Hope they are back in stock next month (or will just have to be getting more juices from the vitality cafe!). Supply chain stuff is so tricky for sure.

[Mreimer]

Royal should hire Starbucks for their logistics. They has Chai….. lol

[CatLadyFemme]

1 hour ago, Mreimer said:

Royal should hire Starbucks for their logistics. They has Chai….. lol

My partner is a SB store manager. They have had SO many items out of stock and unavailable for reorder for long stretches of time over the past two years. Can’t imagine it would be much better. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Jasukkie]

Any issues with Silver Patron? I'm really looking forward to some margaritas.

[fliprcruiser]

11 hours ago, Mreimer said:

I just wanted to let everyone know that many of the common liquor brands are not available onboard. I just docked back into Fort Lauderdale this morning from the 8 day Allure. Here is a short list of what was missing:

 

1. No Crown Royal - I was told this may never return. (I hope this is false as this is my go to)

 

2. No Captain Morgan 

 

3. Ship ran out of Canadian Club

 

4. No Buffalo Trace

 

5. No Johnny Walker Black 

 

6. No Chai Tea in Café Promenade. 

 

I just think if they would like to sell drink packages at a premium cost to the guests they need to have the ship stocked. 

 

PS - I know supply chain issues.......... Kinda funny the on board store has plenty to sell. In addition every island that we visited had no shortage. 

 

Mike

 

 

For me, the 6 day Allure was opposite. Bars were stocked, store was not. Cruise had 1 bottle of Jack Daniel's when it sailed, other selections were sparse as well.

[cargopilot]

Out of Canadian Club? Should have sent someone ashore at the next port with a twenty to pick up a 1.75 liter.

[Joseph2017China]

So the drink package is not a premium cost, but rather a discounted price from paying per drink, unless of course you don't drink that much.  

 

I was on a cruise, where they were out of 3 different beers.  I survived just like everyone else will survive when a shipment is not made to the ship, and they run out.  

[Husky1987]

6 hours ago, Jasukkie said:

Any issues with Silver Patron? I'm really looking forward to some margaritas.

Our local Mexican restaurant bar hasn't been able to get Silver Patron for a couple months.  They were also out of Grand Marnier for my usual Cadillac Margarita.  Alcohol supply chain issues are showing up all over the place.

[SRF]

The only one of those worth drinking is Buffalo Trace. 😄

 

It is strange that they do not have a mechanism to replenish in a port when they can't get something or they run out.

[topnole]

23 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

Our local Mexican restaurant bar hasn't been able to get Silver Patron for a couple months.  They were also out of Grand Marnier for my usual Cadillac Margarita.  Alcohol supply chain issues are showing up all over the place.

Very true.  The hard part is when one is on a cruise, there may be very limited substitutes.  On land, one can usually hunt down something that at least serves as a decent substitute.  For those that prefer that go to brand of beer or booze, it definitely puts a damper on the overall trip.  This is not near as big of a potential issue for land based vacations.   
 

[twangster]

They should probably reduce the price while they are constrained by supply chain issues.  

 

I understand and appreciate the challenges they face but when there are so many choices in short supply... give us a break.  

[CruiserLucas]

Someone on Harmony for our cruise 2/27 must have planned really well or we had light drinkers, because all of those were in stock on our sailing throughout. I saw them regularly on the shelf and being ordered through the last night. Except chai, since I didn't order that or go to the Cafe Promenade.

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, cargopilot said:

Out of Canadian Club? Should have sent someone ashore at the next port with a twenty to pick up a 1.75 liter.

Funny should say that. Even Pre-Covid and Supply issues lots times a Ship runs out items. Three different Cruises Ship ran out of Diet Coke, cans were issued at Bars and for days in WJ they filled my cup from 2lt Bottles they must have PU on shore stops. 

Edited March 14, 2022 by ONECRUISER

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

The only one of those worth drinking is Buffalo Trace. 😄

 

It is strange that they do not have a mechanism to replenish in a port when they can't get something or they run out.

I’m a bourbon drinker too,  but I like a good Captain and Coke every now and then..I can understand OP’s frustration…having a plethora of drink choices is what cruising is about to many..

[DCPIV]

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with JW Black.  I've been on 6 cruises since July on 3 different lines, and JW Black has been absent or hard to come by.  That's also pretty wild that CR may not even be an option in the future.  I don't drink it, but I know that's a very popular choice.

 

There's no doubt that supply issues are a continuing problem.  I noticed a number of things missing or in limited supply.

 

The last thing I'm going to do is ask for a break on the drink package price, though.  As mentioned, it's a discount program rather than a premium.  It's still a heck of a good deal for us, even if we need to adjust a little.  Lowering the price will not fix the issue.

[DCPIV]

4 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

I’m a bourbon drinker too,  but I like a good Captain and Coke every now and then..I can understand OP’s frustration…having a plethora of drink choices is what cruising is about to many..

 

I don't recall whether Captain Morgan has been around, but I know I've seen Kraken and Sailor Jerry all over the place on the ships I've been aboard recently.

[topnole]

9 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with JW Black.  I've been on 6 cruises since July on 3 different lines, and JW Black has been absent or hard to come by.  That's also pretty wild that CR may not even be an option in the future.  I don't drink it, but I know that's a very popular choice.

 

There's no doubt that supply issues are a continuing problem.  I noticed a number of things missing or in limited supply.

 

The last thing I'm going to do is ask for a break on the drink package price, though.  As mentioned, it's a discount program rather than a premium.  It's still a heck of a good deal for us, even if we need to adjust a little.  Lowering the price will not fix the issue.

And it isn’t like the cost goes down for Royal if certain supplies aren’t available.  If anything costs are probably going up.   They are still paying for the supply that is available and being served.  There is no reason to reduce the price.  The situation sucks, but them reducing the price makes no sense.  

Edited March 14, 2022 by topnole

[Flipchild32]

I know that the liquor industry has also ran out of supplies that they needed because they had to switch from large batches (kegs, etc.) to individual because bars were not ordering. I still think there is an aluminum shortage for cans. I could also just be the truck to supply it got lost somewhere. Who knows things ran out before COVID, but I think we just now notice how often that can happen and the fact that the backups are also out doesn't help.

 

About going on shore to buy. My guess is the price for the number they need is high, plus there could be surcharges, etc. that make it less profitable... Also as mentioned other places, crew aren't always allowed to go on shore during port days in some places. 

[DCPIV]

18 minutes ago, topnole said:

And it isn’t like the cost goes down for Royal if certain supplies aren’t available.  If anything costs are probably going up.   They are still paying for the supply that is available and being served.  There is no reason to reduce the price.  The situation sucks, but them reducing the price makes no sense.  

 

I agree 100%.

 

If folks don't like the value of the drink package, then they can elect not to buy it.  Even if I don't find as much value as I have in the past because of the lack of certain choices, I still come out well ahead of where I'd be if I didn't buy it.

[DCPIV]

2 minutes ago, Flipchild32 said:

About going on shore to buy. My guess is the price for the number they need is high, plus there could be surcharges, etc. that make it less profitable... Also as mentioned other places, crew aren't always allowed to go on shore during port days in some places. 

 

Indeed.  You can't just "run to the liquor store" to serve a few hundred (or a few thousand folks) for a week.

[PTC DAWG]

32 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

I don't recall whether Captain Morgan has been around, but I know I've seen Kraken and Sailor Jerry all over the place on the ships I've been aboard recently.

That works, I actually prefer Sailor Jerry…

[rmurray847]

38 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with JW Black.  I've been on 6 cruises since July on 3 different lines, and JW Black has been absent or hard to come by.  That's also pretty wild that CR may not even be an option in the future.  I don't drink it, but I know that's a very popular choice.

I couldn't find JW Black at my two local Total Wines.  It's just funny what things are on shelves and then where an empty shelf is collecting dust due to nothing being there for weeks.  (Like Caffeine Free Diet Coke in almost every grocery store in New Mexico.)

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

They should probably reduce the price while they are constrained by supply chain issues.  

The only place that would happen is at Fantasyland.  With Royal's Dynamic Pricing policy combined with spring break, I doubt there's a value priced package on any of their ships.

[DCPIV]

4 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

That works, I actually prefer Sailor Jerry…

 

I know many who do, and I also know many that prefer something else (Kraken, Jonah's Curse, what have you) over Captain Morgan.  In fact, I can't think of anyone who's recently told me that Captain Morgan is their favorite spiced rum.  I'm sure there are plenty of folks that do, but I don't know 'em.

 

1 minute ago, rmurray847 said:

I couldn't find JW Black at my two local Total Wines.  It's just funny what things are on shelves and then where an empty shelf is collecting dust due to nothing being there for weeks.  (Like Caffeine Free Diet Coke in almost every grocery store in New Mexico.)

 

Wild.  I had no idea the shortage was so widespread.  I haven't been to Total Wine in a little while, so I haven't looked.  I accumulated so much booze during covid times that it'll be a while before I go back! 🤣

 

I did check the website, and it looks like JW Black is available at my local Total Wine.  Come on over to Houston and grab yourself some!