Is it true--RCCL to cut drink prices!!!

[unklez]

That doesn't matter. There are very few of us who do not have some type of vice, passion or craving that RCI hasn't found a way to make a profit on. Not that I'm complaining, it's still the best vacation option going for my taste.

 

That _is_ the whole reason for the industry's existence, is it not?

[I<3Incubus]

I hope prices are down on drinks cause I'm planning on going on my first RCI cruise and that would help make my trip so much funner!!!

 

TBScruiser - Just was wondering... does the TBS in your username stand for a band?

 

-Jamie

[TBSCruiser]

I hope prices are down on drinks cause I'm planning on going on my first RCI cruise and that would help make my trip so much funner!!!

 

TBScruiser - Just was wondering... does the TBS in your username stand for a band?

 

-Jamie

 

 

Nothing so interesting, just my initials.

[TBSCruiser]

Don't say that to her. She'll call you rude, LOL

 

No, only to people who are to me, no idea why you keep making snotty comments to my posts.

[oakley2414]

Can't we all just get along.. Haha

[cruisinfanatic]

No, only to people who are to me, no idea why you keep making snotty comments to my posts.

I responded to two of your posts and am sorry you had a problem with both. Guess that's too bad. Being from the city (or close enough to it), you can take it.

[Hlitner]

We have long been unhappy about the drink and wine prices on RCI, but when we had access to the Concierge Lounge (Diamond members) we simply did most of our drinking for free. But, our recent HA cruise on the Noordam really drove home the point about outrageous prices on RCI. On HA you could by a 20 drink wine card for about $70 and their house wines were pretty decent considering we paid about $3.50 per drink. As to cocktails, they had a happy hour every day from 4:30 to 5:30 and nearly all drinks were half price. I should add that unlike RCI, many other cruise lines such as HA and Princess also allow you to bring your own wine aboard. We love to take a Blackbox Chardonnay (this is equal to 4 bottles of wine) and than have wine at our leisure on our balcony.

 

Hank

[emdia43]

We are platinum 8 cruises with RCi and tried MSc orchestra in the Caribbean and thought they were much more reasonable for everything extra on board. Their drink prices were 5.95 which included the tip and tax and they were much bigger than on RCI. Their excursions were just 5 more than our private ones.... they were so reasonable. We loved that cruise so much we booked for a 10 night on Poesia in Nov!

I think RCI is pushing and pushing with the extra charges they are getting and giving back less and less! After one cruise on MSC you get 10 garments dry cleaned for free. After 21 credits, which is equal to 21 cruise nights, ( that is 3 7 night cruises....) you move to another level which gives you % off excursions, cruise fare, and one free dinner at the specialty restaurant, in addition to other things.

In this economy I find no reason to continue to sail only with RCI to get to the next level.... they just keep cutting back. I have to say thanks though to them, because without the cutbacks we would not have tried another cruise line. MSC was our favorite cruise so far, done 14, even on X. The MSC ORchestra was the most beautiful cruise ship we ever saw, and the shows were the best we have ever experienced.

RCI is missing the mark with giving less back to the passengers in way of nickel and diming..... and the passengers are trying other lines because of it.

 

 

Trying to get info from their website is painful though- so S-L-O-W.

[Ladylouwho]

We have long been unhappy about the drink and wine prices on RCI, but when we had access to the Concierge Lounge (Diamond members) we simply did most of our drinking for free. But, our recent HA cruise on the Noordam really drove home the point about outrageous prices on RCI. On HA you could by a 20 drink wine card for about $70 and their house wines were pretty decent considering we paid about $3.50 per drink. As to cocktails, they had a happy hour every day from 4:30 to 5:30 and nearly all drinks were half price. I should add that unlike RCI, many other cruise lines such as HA and Princess also allow you to bring your own wine aboard. We love to take a Blackbox Chardonnay (this is equal to 4 bottles of wine) and than have wine at our leisure on our balcony.

 

Hank

 

Yes, and NCL and Carnival stock your mini-fridge. Makes the customer happy if they wish to make an in cabin purchase and the cruise line makes money. Many cruise lines let you bring a bottle of wine on board.

 

RCI used to let you purchase a bottle in the on board duty free shop and pay a $9 charge to bring to your cabin for personal in cabin consumption. I assume they made money on this as well.

 

RCI seems to be cutting back on just about everything and adding very little. In a recession I would think a business would not only like to keep its loyal customers but would like to gain new customers as well. Guess RCI knows better.

 

JMO,

Colleen

[Scotty G]

But was that in the large plastic cup with the lid/straw?

Mine was last week! :D:D:D

[mpbmark]

Now that you have all vented about RCCL, and most of it was justified, the original question was whether anyone had any info on reduced liquor prices. Can anyone answer that question? :confused:

[jkfreeman33]

smuggle - smuggle - smuggle along with a soda card for $42.00

[mzk90]

I believe drinks prices were lowered for Independence about a month ago and that it is only for her, not fleetwide.

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

don't come to NY then as that is typical prices.

 

Or clubs in Miami. Or some clubs in Anchorage. Or...

[halos]

We are platinum 8 cruises with RCi and tried MSc orchestra in the Caribbean and thought they were much more reasonable for everything extra on board. Their drink prices were 5.95 which included the tip and tax and they were much bigger than on RCI. Their excursions were just 5 more than our private ones.... they were so reasonable. We loved that cruise so much we booked for a 10 night on Poesia in Nov!

I think RCI is pushing and pushing with the extra charges they are getting and giving back less and less! After one cruise on MSC you get 10 garments dry cleaned for free. After 21 credits, which is equal to 21 cruise nights, ( that is 3 7 night cruises....) you move to another level which gives you % off excursions, cruise fare, and one free dinner at the specialty restaurant, in addition to other things.

In this economy I find no reason to continue to sail only with RCI to get to the next level.... they just keep cutting back. I have to say thanks though to them, because without the cutbacks we would not have tried another cruise line. MSC was our favorite cruise so far, done 14, even on X. The MSC ORchestra was the most beautiful cruise ship we ever saw, and the shows were the best we have ever experienced.

RCI is missing the mark with giving less back to the passengers in way of nickel and diming..... and the passengers are trying other lines because of it.

 

 

Now you have me looking at MSC cruises :)

variety is good :)

[firsttimer57]

If this helps you, on the IOS for the last fortnight, and prices I can recall are

 

Miller Lite, Coors Lite, MGD, Corona etc - $4.50

Bud etc in 16oz bottles - $5.50

Pints of Heinilen & Amstel Light - $6.50

Glass of Wine - $5.50

Pina Collada - $7.50 (may have been 6.50 - not 100% sure)

 

On port days and some sea days the drat beers were reduced to £3.00 ($4.50)

 

All these prices INCLUDED the gratuity. You could add additional gratuity if you wished.

 

Although we didn't buy spirits the measures are very generous and hand poured.

 

The bars were very busy, and the service is excellent. We didn't see anyone complaining about the prices.

 

I was concerned having read everything before we went, but to be fair these are the type of prices we would pay in restuants either in UK or US when travelling there.

[jmraggs]

Or clubs in Miami. Or some clubs in Anchorage. Or...

 

My last drink at Bayside in Miami was $14

[unklez]

If this helps you, on the IOS for the last fortnight, and prices I can recall are

 

Miller Lite, Coors Lite, MGD, Corona etc - $4.50

Bud etc in 16oz bottles - $5.50

Pints of Heinilen & Amstel Light - $6.50

Glass of Wine - $5.50

Pina Collada - $7.50 (may have been 6.50 - not 100% sure)

 

On port days and some sea days the drat beers were reduced to £3.00 ($4.50)

 

All these prices INCLUDED the gratuity. You could add additional gratuity if you wished.

..........

 

These prices do seem lower than our April cruise.

[EBFURR]

I agree with the poster that said that RCI would probably come out better if they lowered the prices a little to increase volume. As for the "economists" knowing what is best, that is a pretty optimistic view of most marketing departments. I have found that most marketing departments have trouble finding their own posteriors using both hands and a map. (Sorry to offend if you are in marketing, just an observation).

Drinks used to be a real bargain on board compared to land based establishments. This has eroded over time and our observation is that it really became noticeable about 3-4 years back after RCI had some really bad publicity and lawsuits over various idiots & morons “falling” and jumping overboard. The George Smith case comes to mind, along with the kid that smuggled booze aboard Mariner and then jumped over the railing. Although he had been cut off at one of the ship’s bars for being intoxicated, he was able to continue drinking in his cabin. The ship’s video caught him climbing the railing and jumping of his own volition, but the family sued anyway. In many of these cases, the cruise lines are not entirely culpable, but the damage is done from a public relations perspective. They must also incur the costs of defending themselves in court.

One of the favorite tactics of the ambulance chasing lawyers is to say that the cruise ships provide an atmosphere that encourages over indulgence by making the alcohol so cheap and freely available. We also noticed that on many cruises the waiters no longer walk around the pool deck with trays full of the “drink – o – the day”; they carry empty trays instead.

Essentially, the drink prices are driven not only by the profit motive, but also to limit (or appear to limit) over consumption. Alas, another reason to sing the praises of our noble trial lawyers and their infinite caring and compassion for their fellow man.

[bobstheboy]

If this helps you, on the IOS for the last fortnight, and prices I can recall are

 

Miller Lite, Coors Lite, MGD, Corona etc - $4.50

Bud etc in 16oz bottles - $5.50

Pints of Heinilen & Amstel Light - $6.50

Glass of Wine - $5.50

Pina Collada - $7.50 (may have been 6.50 - not 100% sure)

 

On port days and some sea days the drat beers were reduced to £3.00 ($4.50)

 

All these prices INCLUDED the gratuity. You could add additional gratuity if you wished.

 

Although we didn't buy spirits the measures are very generous and hand poured.

 

The bars were very busy, and the service is excellent. We didn't see anyone complaining about the prices.

 

I was concerned having read everything before we went, but to be fair these are the type of prices we would pay in restuants either in UK or US when travelling there.

 

These prices are reasonable, especially now the pound is stronger against the dollar.

 

Roll on September !

[Albert Ross]

HI all,

 

`my sister has just telephoned me to say she has recieved an e-mail (earlier on this evening) from the TA we booked our Splendour cruise with.The e-mail says that due to complaints from pax on the IOTS-RCCL will be lowering the price of the drinks on this ship as from the 23rd of June.The new prices will be rolled out fleetwide as from this date.

 

Anyone else heard this news.

 

Taffygirl

Can you please post this email so we can read the text? Who is this email from??

[OceanDreams]

If this helps you, on the IOS for the last fortnight, and prices I can recall are

 

Miller Lite, Coors Lite, MGD, Corona etc - $4.50

Bud etc in 16oz bottles - $5.50

Pints of Heinilen & Amstel Light - $6.50

Glass of Wine - $5.50

Pina Collada - $7.50 (may have been 6.50 - not 100% sure)

 

On port days and some sea days the drat beers were reduced to £3.00 ($4.50)

 

All these prices INCLUDED the gratuity. You could add additional gratuity if you wished.

 

Thank you ..... I'm not a big spirits drinker either......guess I'm afraid I might miss out on something. However, the other folks that I'm traveling with are from Guatemala and they love their beer. I haven't cruised in 3 years so I didn't know if the prices went up or not.

 

OceanDreams

[Taffygirl]

Can you please post this email so we can read the text? Who is this email from??

 

Hi,

 

the e-mail was sent to my sister from the TA who we booked our cruise with.I'm sorry but I would not know how to post that on this thread.This cruise TA has just been voted the best in the U.K.

 

If the drink price decrease only apply's to the IOTS out of Southampton--I ask the question,why?,surely it should make no difference where you sail from.

 

Regards.

Taffygirl

[iluvnyc]

don't come to NY then as that is typical prices.

Lol! I always say that in these threads! $5.95 for a beer is good here! And my drink choice goes anywhere from $9 - $15 in the city.... I find RCCL to be a bargain - lol!

[tyler6597]

When I'm on a cruise I will drink to enjoy myself. The price doesn't matter too much. That's the only time I drink. If they lower the price then more drinks.:D:D:D