To drink package or not to drink package.. A Shakespeare tale

[colesc15]

Thoughts? My wife and I have been prime for quite a while now, and we're both diamond so we each get 4 drinks per person per day. The last handful of cruises, we've never even considered the drink package because using our diamond drinks during the day and popping in and out of the casino, and then being in the casino each night, we easily would have 10-15 drinks a day and never paid for a single one.

 

We have a short 3 day coming up that stops at Nassau and Coco Cay. We'll stay on the ship all day in Nassau, but casino is closed. Coco cay, we'll be off the ship from 8am until likely 5. Yes we can use our Diamonds on Coco cay but could easily drink 4 Coco locos before 10am if we wanted lol.

 

We're considering the drink package for this one since it works at Coco Cay and I feel like we won't be able to use prime drinks as often. Package comes to like $550 with gratuity for the two of us for the 3 days.

 

Crazy to get it or no? Normally we can easily get tipsy on diamond and prime drinks but this cruise, the package seems like it makes more sense.

The cruise is a free comped cruise for what it's worth.

[SilkySal]

I would say, yes, it's worth it for your short cruise. Remember, the Dx package includes everything, not just alcohol. And, the "not having to worry about if you used up all of your D drinks, is a plus! I vote "yes" and hope you enjoy your shorty! Relax and enjoy the beach, etc.! Cheers!

[colesc15]

8 minutes ago, SilkySal said:

I would say, yes, it's worth it for your short cruise. Remember, the Dx package includes everything, not just alcohol. And, the "not having to worry about if you used up all of your D drinks, is a plus! I vote "yes" and hope you enjoy your shorty! Relax and enjoy the beach, etc.! Cheers!

First time ever doing a short weekend cruise so our normal 7 day cruise brain is all out of sorts lol. Normally on a 7 day with prime and diamond I'm sick of alcohol by the end but with this short one and being on the ship or Coco cay the whole time, a whole different mind set. 

[SilkySal]

If the ship has the vitality spa, the package will also include fruit smoothies, to which you could even add a shot (or 2) of coconut rum!🍹 Yum!

[poocher]

How many of your drinks of choice could you have buying OOP for the price of the package ($550)?  Looks like 30 or so alcoholic beverages at $14 plus tip.  That’s 5 drinks each plus your Diamond 4 per day.  If you think you’ll have more than an additional 15 drinks each over the 3 days, get the package.

[thunter1224]

I really don't drink..I will only have maybe 2-3 drinks total for the whole cruise..  so a drink package would never work for me.. where can I find a bar drink menu and price guide for 2023 cruises? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ARandomTraveler]

It sounds like you're considering buying the package for $550 for just 2 days of drinking. That's $225/person, or $112.50/day. That's about 8 frozen alcoholic drinks, or like 15 other types of drinks. This is on top of the 4 Diamond drinks, so you're looking at 12-19 drinks each day. 
 

If you can drink that much liquid go for it, but if not, you do realize you're allowed to pay for drinks out of pocket right? Might cost you less than $550.

[sgmn]

9 hours ago, thunter1224 said:

I really don't drink..I will only have maybe 2-3 drinks total for the whole cruise..  so a drink package would never work for me.. where can I find a bar drink menu and price guide for 2023 cruises? 

In the Royal Caribbean app. You can look up the current cruise of any of the ships and check out the menus in the bars.  Cocktails seem to be from $11 to $14 (most $14) Simple shot around $10, beer $8, wine between $8 to $16 (mostly around $12)

Often there's a drink of the day that may be a couple of dollars cheaper. 

Add 18% gratuities to the price 

[JeffT237]

20 hours ago, colesc15 said:

My wife and I have been prime for quite a while now

What is "prime" and 'prime drinks"? I'm assuming it is drinks from the casino?  We are not gamblers and don't visit the casino, just curious as I've never heard of that.

[colesc15]

7 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

It sounds like you're considering buying the package for $550 for just 2 days of drinking. That's $225/person, or $112.50/day. That's about 8 frozen alcoholic drinks, or like 15 other types of drinks. This is on top of the 4 Diamond drinks, so you're looking at 12-19 drinks each day. 
 

If you can drink that much liquid go for it, but if not, you do realize you're allowed to pay for drinks out of pocket right? Might cost you less than $550.

You're forgetting boarding day as we're generally onboard by 11am. Easily 10 drinks each that day, Nassau somewhere around 15 each if I had to guess based on past cruises, and potentially more in Coco cay since the cups are smaller at the pool. 

[Stick93]

YOLO - if it adds to the value of the trip the amount makes no difference. Sounds like you will enjoy the freedom of the package. The rest is math - 

[Donsyb]

5 minutes ago, JeffT237 said:

What is "prime" and 'prime drinks"? I'm assuming it is drinks from the casino?  We are not gamblers and don't visit the casino, just curious as I've never heard of that.

It’s the casino loyalty programme which is separate from Crown & Anchor.

[poocher]

15 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

You're forgetting boarding day as we're generally onboard by 11am. Easily 10 drinks each that day, Nassau somewhere around 15 each if I had to guess based on past cruises, and potentially more in Coco cay since the cups are smaller at the pool. 

Ok, I’m already praying to the porcelain gods just thinking about 10-15 drinks per day.  I think you are a prime candidate for the DBP!

[Starry Eyes]

1 minute ago, colesc15 said:

You're forgetting boarding day as we're generally onboard by 11am. Easily 10 drinks each that day, Nassau somewhere around 15 each if I had to guess based on past cruises, and potentially more in Coco cay since the cups are smaller at the pool. 

Though you could handle boarding day as you have satisfactorily on previous cruises…free D and casino drinks.  The other poster’s point of view, I suspect, is that implies you’d be really buying the drink package the other two days.  It is another way of looking at it.  Perhaps you’d enjoy day 1 more with the drink package than with your usual method, in which case, some adjustment ought to be made.

 

Does the two bottle wine allowance impact your decision?  

[colesc15]

9 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Though you could handle boarding day as you have satisfactorily on previous cruises…free D and casino drinks.  The other poster’s point of view, I suspect, is that implies you’d be really buying the drink package the other two days.  It is another way of looking at it.  Perhaps you’d enjoy day 1 more with the drink package than with your usual method, in which case, some adjustment ought to be made.

 

Does the two bottle wine allowance impact your decision?  

Not too much. My wife does some wine but I'm not a fan. I usually stick to gin or tequila 

[mandyleighflies]

42 minutes ago, Stick93 said:

YOLO - if it adds to the value of the trip the amount makes no difference. Sounds like you will enjoy the freedom of the package. The rest is math - 

 

THANK YOU. I was about to say this same thing. OP if you think it will add fun to your vacation and it was a comp cruise anyway, just do it!! Have fun!! 

[Denversail]

I’m in your same boat. Diamond and free casino drinks. I always buy the package anyways. I don’t care if I break even. I just consider it part of the cruise cost. It is nice just to have it paid for and then I can get what I want where I want. 

[resetjet]

No way. Just buy your drinks and pay normal price.  How many are you gonna

drink while in port?  You have 4. ,  it takes 8 more just to break even for the day usually.  If you wind up having 7 you lose money.  If you wind up having 9 you lose $10.  Plus your body will thank you for not having 12 drinks before the casino opens!!!!

[foxgoodrich]

With the devotion to drinking you've expressed, I'd have to advise you should buy the package in addition to all the free drinks you get.

 

If you don't buy the package and charge extra drinks (non freebie drinks) to your Sea Pass account,  after about 30 extra drinks beyond your freebies your bar bill for the cruise would be about $550.  Since access to alcohol is your priority, rather than cost, you should buy the package.  

Edited February 28, 2023 by foxgoodrich

[colesc15]

3 hours ago, mandyleighflies said:

 

THANK YOU. I was about to say this same thing. OP if you think it will add fun to your vacation and it was a comp cruise anyway, just do it!! Have fun!! 

The $550 will likely keep us out of the casino more, so spend $500 to save likely around $5k in gambling losses? Might be worth it lol 

[Mum2Mercury]

I get what you're saying:  This is a stay-on-the-ship cruise, so you're likely to use the drink package more heavily than you would on other cruises.  Thoughts: 

 

- You've already got 4 free drinks each day ... that includes boarding day, right?  

- So the drink package would cost $275 each (does that include the 18%?  That 18%'s a lot of money.)  That means each of you -- over the course of three days -- would have to drink your 12 free drinks + 19 drinks at $14 to break even.  

- You say your wife likes wine -- the two bottles you can bring on would make a difference too.  

[dpostman]

9 minutes ago, colesc15 said:

The $550 will likely keep us out of the casino more, so spend $500 to save likely around $5k in gambling losses? Might be worth it lol 

 

I always consider the DBP basically an investment 🍷

[topnole]

Collectively a lot of time now spent on this pretty simple decision.  Just do it.  

[The Scurvy Pirate]

I was just on a similar cruise.  Had bought the refreshment package thinking it would cover coffee/sodas/OJ. Etc. (think I only got two coffee's so it was a complete waste).  We are D+ and wife was prime.  I think one day we had used 9 of the D+ drinks and everything else we used the prime.  Knowing what I know now, I would not buy any package.  You just have to pace yourself until the casino opens.  We did bring wine on board that we drank at dinner...  I would not get any package and if necessary pay as you go.  Doubt you will drink anything close to the package price taking into consideration 4+4 (diamond) plus your primes....

[ARandomTraveler]

7 hours ago, colesc15 said:

You're forgetting boarding day as we're generally onboard by 11am. Easily 10 drinks each that day, Nassau somewhere around 15 each if I had to guess based on past cruises, and potentially more in Coco cay since the cups are smaller at the pool. 

I was using 2 days for the calculation based on your statements that you usually drink in the casino. But that you'd be in Cococay one day where you'd be on the island instead, and when in Nassau the casino wouldn't be open, and therefore you were considering the package because of those 2 days.