Drink Prices Different on E Class vs. S Class

[lordian]

We have 2 cruises booked for spring 2025 that show different prices for the same alcoholic beverages in the cruise planner.  For example a glass of Celebrity Elegance Chardonnay is $20 on our E Class cruise vs. $17 on our S Class cruise.  Another example is the beer Blue Moon.  It is $13 on E Class and $11 on S Class. When comparing prices between the 2 classes of ships it looks like most drinks are more expensive on the E Class Ship than the S Class ship. Why the discrepancies?  

[canderson]

One cruise starting in a market that requires the tip be included in the advertised price ... and one not?

[jelayne]

^^^^This^^^^^

[Thejuggler]

Some cruises have to show tip inclusive prices.  

[lordian]

Both cruises are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, FL. One at the end of Feb. and the other at the end of April.  There is nothing on cruise planner that says that the E Class prices include tips.

[mrgabriel]

Are you looking at the App? It's notoriously unreliable.

 

We've sailed S and E classes out of FLL and there was no difference in drink prices. 

[Lena11033]

28 minutes ago, lordian said:

Both cruises are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale, FL. One at the end of Feb. and the other at the end of April.  There is nothing on cruise planner that says that the E Class prices include tips.

 

Which ships? Apex is currently in Europe so it's $20 because it includes tips because even though your cruise is at another time it's pulling current menus and prices in - not the one you'll have.

[lordian]

That could be it.  We are sailing on the Apex in Feb.  Perhaps they haven’t changed the European prices yet.

[Lena11033]

20 minutes ago, lordian said:

That could be it.  We are sailing on the Apex in Feb.  Perhaps they haven’t changed the European prices yet.

 

They won't until the ship is out of Florida I believe. I wouldn't stress once its in US area it will be $17 for items that are currently $20

 

Some drinks will be higher than premium pricing but rule of thumb right now if its 20 it will be 17 when the ship transitions

 

Legally some countries have to have everything in the price, tax/service etc which is why its higher right now

Edited 14 hours ago by Lena11033

[Kordy]

Question - would it not make sense to advertise the inclusive price, because the tip is not optional?  If I buy a drink at my local bar and it's $15, I can choose to pay or not pay tip.  But if I buy a drink on a cruise ship, it looks like 20% tip is automatically included without my choice. Therefore, the actual price is $15+20%, not $15 as tip is *always* added.

 

This also makes me feel like the European pricing model is fairer & more transparent? and easier to understand?  So why not stick with it?

[Lena11033]

5 minutes ago, Kordy said:

Question - would it not make sense to advertise the inclusive price, because the tip is not optional?  If I buy a drink at my local bar and it's $15, I can choose to pay or not pay tip.  But if I buy a drink on a cruise ship, it looks like 20% tip is automatically included without my choice. Therefore, the actual price is $15+20%, not $15 as tip is *always* added.

 

This also makes me feel like the European pricing model is fairer & more transparent? and easier to understand?  So why not stick with it?

 

Personally I agree, but I grew up in the UK where the price you see is what you pay which makes it far easier

But yeah the tip isn't exactly optional like it is a bar in North America so its weird to not include it in the listed price