CoupleOfCruisers

Ceil and I feel the same way.  It's nice to tell work that we are unreachable for those 1 or 2 weeks a year.  It makes it sort of a like a real vacation! ?
We've both tried the free 1 day of internet we both get as diamond and find it useless.  No kidding, for us it is more trouble than what its worth.  I can't ever imagine paying for it...

In my opinion it’s not worth it but I also don’t have a “need” for it. I enjoy the time off the grid and usually have cell coverage at some point or at least free WiFi while in port somewhere so I can check calls and emails. I can’t imagine paying the price they charge regardless of speed, but to each their own!

I was thinking the same thing.  We started cruising again last year after many years of all-inclusive because my husband got a free cruise from a casino.  We have achieved Emerald already and continue to travel on free cruises.  When we previously cruised we did Carnival and NCL and I really loved NCL as they were the first Freestyle.  So hubby got a free certificate for NCL and we will be going over Thanksgiving to see how it compares.  We got the free beverage package and other perks so our cruise cost us a little over $900 for both of us.  Drink package on RCCL would cost us about $800.  That being said I would not pay the $100 a day NCL charges without the free perk.  I'm thinking RCCL might be losing me as a package customer if the packages keep up this high.  $50 is where I feel my limit is.  Usually we have two free cabins so hubby could purchase it in his cabin because he drinks more but I will skip and pay as I go.  If it is just hubby and I then we would buy it because we would be in the same cabin.  Seven more nights and I will get Diamond drinks plus I get free casino drinks so I will just be more selective when I drink my alcohol.  I think a giant price jump in packages may cause people to at least try other lines such as NCL. 

This is clearly what RCL is hoping for, they can raise the prices to whatever they want and people will keep paying it.  Worked well for APPLE for years and now the IPHONE is not even their largest revenue generator

I struggle mightily with the drink package .. with several free drinks a night, no interest in coffees, juices, etc. its tough for me to make an economic argument for the package. Convenience only carries me so far ...

I have this hunch that we will see a change to this "program" very soon.  I have bought drink packages for every cruise, even as diamond but with these new prices ill stop buying it and i have a feeling i am not alone.

Yes, when when you hit Diamond C&A status you are entitled to a limited drink menu during early evening hours.  See @Lovetocruise2002's link for the menu.  On the Anthem it ran from 4:30PM to 8PM with two ways to obtain free drinks.  1) In the Diamond lounge where you enjoy as many free drinks as you want along with appetizers.  2) Each night you get 3 free drink credits loaded onto your sea pass card.  You can retrieve those drinks at any bar, but they expire at 8PM each night.  IMO, this is the best cruise loyalty rewards perk available.

Save money on fuel while simultaneously charging us more money. It's a win-win for RCCL!

There was when we took a cruise 2 years ago on the Rhapsody.  But as advised by @melski94 , you can check a more recent cruise compass.  Even if they don't have one on your cruise, 1970's attire is always fashionable on Royal!

Not being rude at all. My response was from the Wizard of Oz, no reference to any cruise line.This post started out as a joke, if you truly followed along, you would have picked that up. I also know the difference between every cruise line that there is as I have cruised approximately 40 years. We all are here to enjoy this great blog, share our different experiences and opinions and have a little fun along the way.  Sit back, relax, and have a Mimosa on me!  ???????

I have voiced my frustration on the so called sales that RCCL publishes every minute of the day.  It truly is for the people that have no clue which I feel bad for!  Don't get me wrong, RCCL does have some great deals on cruises but it's only the ones that they are having a hard time filling.  Yes, I also get they are a business trying to make money so they will prey on those who do not do their homework!

@princevaliantus  What did you expect to see, an actual sale? LOL  Look for prices to double real soon. ? Unless we call in the big gun's... Oh Matt, could you wave your magic sword around to RCCL and give us a true 50% off sale ???

This is the same sale that has gone on the entire summer. So, actually, it isn't a Labor Day sale. Just a "sucker is born everyday" sale! ?

Wonder how the title is Bottomless Galley Brunch but it says select ONE from each category.  

We’ve been on 20 cruises in total. The first 6 were on another cruise line. We stopped cruising with that line partly because there were to many intoxicated people and we like to drink! Along with being loud there would be lots of bad language, inappropriate drunk behavior and we saw a number of fights.
 
One time in particular about 15 years ago  on a cruise, sitting at a bar in evening talking with a really nice older couple probably in mid 70’s. The woman shook a little and had previously had a stroke. Some drunk guy came up he over heard her saying to me that in her day she had been a looker, she was still quite lovely. He immediately started hurling insults at her calling her an old hag! I was shocked at such appalling behavior. It was really upsetting. 
In our 13 cruises with Royal Caribbean we have seen people who probably shouldn’t have had so much to drink. Never have we seen any offensive behavior, fights or anything we’d deem inappropriate. 

I live near Melbourne. We are south of the port. Traffic wouldn’t really be issue but drive time is probably about the same as Orlando (MCO). Melbourne you drive though town with traffic lights Orlando is straight shot on highway. 
Pro’s- to using Melbourne very small airport so you are in and out fast! Usually what ever flight you’re on is only one at that time. So no long security lines. 
Con’s- No direct flights and Melbourne is usually more expensive. 
When I travel I like using Melbourne because I live here. If I didn’t and was going on a cruise use Orlando. 

My daughter and I had a drunk lady ask if my daughter's breasts were real and then touched them to see. Don't worry my daughter is 25, plus her dad was there in case it got any weirder.

I've never seen any problems with the "over-served". Just people having fun and not even getting all that loud.
Thankfully, I have also never BEEN a problem after being "over-served"

The types of incidents that make the news are few and far between.  Things can happen with or without alcohol when people perceive someone has done them wrong.  On an increasing basis people are easily offended when they see something that isn't their way of living.  A few people drinking and talking loudly in a hot tub is just good fun and enjoyable to some people but downright outlandish and god forsaking to someone who doesn't drink based on their religion.  
I was on a cruise over Super Bowl and didn't observe any outlandish drunken behavior or fights yet people went into a FB group to complain "drunken people were all over the place wreaking havoc on their vacation the whole cruise".  
 

Royal still needs the smaller ships to Embark/Disembark and visit smaller ports. In particular, the ports of Baltimore and Tampa cannot accommodate the larger ships in which Vision class ships sail from. (Vision, Rhapsody, Grandeur, Enchantment)

I feel like that way about PR. I'll most likely just stay on board.  ?

Sailing on AOS the end of Janaury and just got the dreaded broken propulsion email. I am a super optimistic guy who loves sailing once or twice a year but this is the second port switch to Nassau in a month. First rerouted from Havana on Majesty and now we won't make Roatan so back to Nassau.
I am sure we will have a great time but Roatan was going to be a highlight. 
Seems like Nassau is the Bermunda Triangle of cruise changes. 

I also find it easy to "Get your Moneys worth" if you are literally comparing the price of the drinks with the package price.  This is EXACTLY what RCL wants you to do.  The real question is whether you would buy all those drinks if you didn't have the package.  A lot of people say this and I know it to be true, often with the package i find myself just getting a drink because I can.  The reason why the packages became available is exactly that reason, not enough people were  spending 350.00 per person on drinks each but we all know what happens when we have a ALL YOU CAN EAT / DRINK package, we make sure we are doing the math to get our moneys worth.
 

For me, I guess my threshold is very low.  I have never bought a RCL drink package!  A week ago my October 9N Anthem dropped to $44 but we did not bite.  Currently it is still only $51, but that is over $1K in total for the 9N cruise.  With tax and tip that $51 turns into $60 pppd (per person per day).  We only paid $90 pppd for the total cruise.  When I see the numbers I say NO way!  We will stick with the free Diamond well drinks as people call them.  They work for us!