Kirsten

I was actually thinking about that as well.  Since RC is honoring it, I am definitely going to make sure the bartenders get some compensation.  

I was actually thinking about that as well.  Since RC is honoring it, I am definitely going to make sure the bartenders get some compensation.  

I was actually thinking about that as well.  Since RC is honoring it, I am definitely going to make sure the bartenders get some compensation.  

I'll be bringing lots of extra dollars on our two 2020 sailings to tip the bartenders!! 

Wow totally unexpected, I went and bought ours knowing this might be canceled. However, for those who got the deal tip your bartenders well! They deserve it so much and their paychecks depend on us! ???????❤️? Happy 4th of July! Honeymoon 2020 is going to be that much more amazing. RCC seriously gained a fan for life with this one! 

LOL! I'm glad I could help out so many of you! Enjoy those heavily discounted drinks ??????

I was actually thinking about that as well.  Since RC is honoring it, I am definitely going to make sure the bartenders get some compensation.  

Yes, I am Gold status and received the email.  Maybe have them check their spam folder, in case it went there.

Be sure to tip your bartenders....the 18% gratuity amount just went down - this was certainly not their fault

I just got my email as well.  I am in shock!

I just got my email as well.  I am in shock!

@kuruczpa Thank you again for the original posting. Let's hope Aurora Yera-Rodriguez doesn't know who you are!?

They were supposed to be, but their cruises were cancelled.

I don't know how accurate this is.  They have had so many weird deals lately that when I saw the $18/day drinks package, I ran to my computer, thinking it was some sort of flash sale or lightning deal.  On Oasis of the Seas last week, a balcony room for my 2020 sailing was several hundred dollars less than an ocean view room, and the "pick your own room" was less expensive than the "we pick your room".  I figured this was just another one of those deals that didn't totally make sense, but rolled with it, since I had already called and gotten better deals on our room than when we initially booked.

I don't know how accurate this is.  They have had so many weird deals lately that when I saw the $18/day drinks package, I ran to my computer, thinking it was some sort of flash sale or lightning deal.  On Oasis of the Seas last week, a balcony room for my 2020 sailing was several hundred dollars less than an ocean view room, and the "pick your own room" was less expensive than the "we pick your room".  I figured this was just another one of those deals that didn't totally make sense, but rolled with it, since I had already called and gotten better deals on our room than when we initially booked.

But now we'll pay more for the margaritas that go with the salt.
 

So let them call (or their TA) and book it, knowing that they'll get something when it's cancelled. Hey, let's all call and book it....they're busy doing cancellation letters anyway, right??

Other cruise lines don't seem to have an issue with knowing drinking habits, and pricing the package at one price before you step onboard.
I find the Royal process of buying, watching for a sale, cancelling, purchasing, and repeating tedious. But, as a sale can have a significant cost savings I do it. I would much rather know that for my upcoming Serenade voyage the price is $XX.XX per day vs checking daily on sales.
I also wonder what type of transaction costs they have to eat because people do this; on my last Transatlantic voyage we purchased and cancelled the beverage package five times, because rates would drop, and it was a better deal.

I think part of the reason so many are irate is because RC was aware of the issue and left the "deal" up for HOURS afterward.  If it truly was a glitch they should have turned off the ability to purchase beverage packages once they were aware of it.

I think part of the reason so many are irate is because RC was aware of the issue and left the "deal" up for HOURS afterward.  If it truly was a glitch they should have turned off the ability to purchase beverage packages once they were aware of it.

I am one of the people that purchased it for $18.00 a day, and I thought it was low until I saw that it was a Special Offer. With the amount of sales, price changes, and varied pricing that comes into play with the cruise planner I honestly wasn't sure. 
Will I be irritated if they cancel - no. However; their handling has been less than stellar. Keeping the price on the cruise planner for hours, mixed information provided to multiple different parties. It's like a master class of how not to respond to an issue of your own making. 
I don't expect Royal to be like Cathay Pacific but, their way of handling their pricing issue is above and beyond.
Lastly - other cruise lines don't discount their drink packages, the price is the price, and I would much rather see Royal do an across the board price adjustment to list one price per ship for their drink packages rather than the incredibly irritating buy, find a cheaper price, cancel, purchase, wait for a refund, and potentially repeat the entire process over and over again until you sail. 

I think part of the reason so many are irate is because RC was aware of the issue and left the "deal" up for HOURS afterward.  If it truly was a glitch they should have turned off the ability to purchase beverage packages once they were aware of it.

While this is true that it would likely give them the ability to rescind this, the question they would have to answer is whether or not it is worth the good vs bad PR.  Assuming an average loss of $36 ($54 - 18), and picking a wild number, say 100,000 days purchased at this price, that's only $3.6 Million they would lose.  While this sounds like a lot, consider that if they are in a situation where they give $200 OBC to all passengers during a cruise for issues (weather, mechanical, etc) on a ship with 5,000 passengers, that's $1 Million.  If they give a 50% voucher off a future cruise (which does happen occasionally), that's in the same ballpark as the drink package snafu (again, assuming my 100,000 number is anywhere near correct).  If we assume the average was a 7 day cruise, that would mean more than 14,000 passengers got that rate.  Again, I have no idea if this is correct and I could be off by a factor of 10 or 100!  But it makes for a reasonable assumption, to me, anyway.
Bottom line, there is likely an accountant who's very busy with a spreadsheet this morning. 
I'd even be happy if they came back and split the difference... say gave it to us at $30/day instead of $18.  My wife and I aren't big drinkers and we're going on a 3 day/4 day B2B.  We were only considering the drink package for the 4 day because we have relatives joining us for that one.  I was able to snag the $18 for both, though, because it was well worth it.  And since we could easily drink 2 per day, $18/day is very reasonable.  At $30/day, throw in a coffee or two and we're still in the right ball park.  At $54/day, that's 5ish alcohol drinks and that's a lot for us.  

Is someone on the drink package already? If so, Why weren't we invited to this social event, Hey i've reached Diamond status....Where's our invite to the top tier even? ??

I guess the point is moot now, if they honor the $18/day deluxe drinks package!