Drinks package

[Richardkear]

Another question regarding drinks package. Is it best to add gratuities to the package or is there an option to pay it yourself?

[WAAAYTOOO]

3 hours ago, Richardkear said:

Another question regarding drinks package. Is it best to add gratuities to the package or is there an option to pay it yourself?

When you pre-purchase the deluxe beverage package online (before the cruise), the 18% gratuity is automatically charged at the time of purchase.  If you purchase beverages individually on the ship (no drinks package), you are automatically charged an 18% gratuity at the time of purchase.  There's no way around paying the drinks' gratuity.  If you choose to add additional gratuity, it is your option to do that, but there is no way to choose NOT to pay the drinks' gratuity.

[SPS]

In addition to what @WAAAYTOOO said, keep in mind that the 18% automatic gratuity turns out to be less per drink in the long run when you purchase a drink package. (provided you drink enough per day, no matter the drink) Keep in mind that ALL beverages purchased with the package have the 18% applied (beer, wine, cocktails, specialty coffees, etc)

If you buy a drink package in advance in the cruise planner, the 18% becomes less per drink.

AND if you purchase the drink package in advance ON SALE, the 18% becomes even less per drink.

 

[Briles]

We go on Rhapsody of the Seas in 7 weeks time. We are thinking of pre purchasing the delux drinks package online before we sail. Does anyone know if it is likely that there will be some discounts available before we sail? Many Thanks

[Hoski]

Unless you are Diamond or above it is cheaper to purchase online before you cruise.  Buy it at a price you are happy with and if it goes on sale you can cancel and rebook.

[delerium98]

4 hours ago, Briles said:

We go on Rhapsody of the Seas in 7 weeks time. We are thinking of pre purchasing the delux drinks package online before we sail. Does anyone know if it is likely that there will be some discounts available before we sail? Many Thanks

Royal LOVES to play games with their beverage "sales" (B1G1 half off, 30% off, etc).  No matter what sale Royal is advertising just remember the magic number is $49.  If you see the base price at $49 or slightly below then that's about as good as it gets and is significantly cheaper than buying the Deluxe Beverage Package on the ship.

 

Also, if the price drops further then you can cancel your previous purchase and buy it at the lower price.

[delerium98]

Forgot to mention that if you buy the Deluxe Drink Package at $49 then your break even point is about 4 cocktails (@ $13 ea) per day.  5 cocktails if you are including gratuity.  Anything over that is gravy!

[VinceC]

I purchased the Deluxe Drink Package combined with the Internet Surf & Stream for $57/day/person.  Would that be considered a good deal?

[AshleyDillo]

38 minutes ago, VinceC said:

I purchased the Deluxe Drink Package combined with the Internet Surf & Stream for $57/day/person.  Would that be considered a good deal?

Considering the Surf & Stream runs about $13/$14 a day, yes that would be a good deal.  

Just remember you have to get the same drink package for everyone over 21 in your cabin.  So if someone doesn't need an internet code, you should call Royal and order that way so one can get the Deluxe package and the other get the combo.

[JC123]

Sorry if this is a little off topic - if you have the DBP I understand that you get one drink per seapass at a time.  Can I get 2 drinks if I have my boyfriends seapass too? Or does he have to get it himself? 

[JLMoran]

1 hour ago, JC123 said:

Sorry if this is a little off topic - if you have the DBP I understand that you get one drink per seapass at a time.  Can I get 2 drinks if I have my boyfriends seapass too? Or does he have to get it himself? 

If you have your boyfriend's Sea Pass card with you, you can indeed hand over both and get a drink for each of you.

[pezgirl]

35 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

If you have your boyfriend's Sea Pass card with you, you can indeed hand over both and get a drink for each of you.

Thank you for answering this.  This was my question. If I get up before my husband and what to get us both fancy coffees, can I get him his as long as I have his card? It appears that way.  Thanks. 

[Hoski]

9 hours ago, pezgirl said:

Thank you for answering this.  This was my question. If I get up before my husband and what to get us both fancy coffees, can I get him his as long as I have his card? It appears that way.  Thanks. 

Yes, I like to send hubby so my coffee is waiting when I roll out of bed.

[CruiseGus]

14 hours ago, Hoski said:

Yes, I like to send hubby so my coffee is waiting when I roll out of bed.

sound like my DW also.  She also sends me for drinks while she is "sunning" on deck.

[Zambia-Zaire]

Quick question...are Powerade, Vitamin/Coconut Water, Evian, & Spa Smoothies included in the Refreshment Package???

….and, what would anyone say the average price of Mocktails?...$4-6 dollars?

[JLMoran]

18 minutes ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

Quick question...are Powerade, Vitamin/Coconut Water, Evian, & Spa Smoothies included in the Refreshment Package???

….and, what would anyone say the average price of Mocktails?...$4-6 dollars?

Evian and smoothies (without any add-ons like protein powder) are definitely included. Not sure about Vitamin water, though I have seen flavored Dasani water offered through the Freestyle machines and that will be included (requires use of the special cup that comes with the package). I don't drink Powerade and don't remember seeing that offered, but if it is (maybe also via Freestyle machines) I would expect that to also be included.

[Zambia-Zaire]

24 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Evian and smoothies (without any add-ons like protein powder) are definitely included. Not sure about Vitamin water, though I have seen flavored Dasani water offered through the Freestyle machines and that will be included (requires use of the special cup that comes with the package). I don't drink Powerade and don't remember seeing that offered, but if it is (maybe also via Freestyle machines) I would expect that to also be included.

Ok....I thought I saw Powerade either on Oasis or Anthem....don't quite remember which one. Any ball park guesstimate on average cost on non-alcohol cocktails?

[JLMoran]

15 minutes ago, Zambia-Zaire said:

Any ball park guesstimate on average cost on non-alcohol cocktails?

I think others here have posted that they run around $6-8 on average, might have been on an Oasis class ship. I don't personally drink mocktails so I haven't paid attention to that before.

[Zambia-Zaire]

13 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

I think others here have posted that they run around $6-8 on average, might have been on an Oasis class ship. I don't personally drink mocktails so I haven't paid attention to that before.

I hear ya...what's the point; but, the misses don't drink cocktails; she's a wine only drinker. Thanks for the info...appreciate it.

[DES]

Another thread said that you have to wait 15 minutes between drink orders. That seems like a long time.  I'm traveling solo and want to be able to get 2 drinks for myself to take back to my cabin to enjoy on the balcony.  What has everyone's experience been as far as wait time in between drinks?  Has anyone tipped double to shorten the time in between?

[delerium98]

6 minutes ago, DES said:

Another thread said that you have to wait 15 minutes between drink orders. That seems like a long time.  I'm traveling solo and want to be able to get 2 drinks for myself to take back to my cabin to enjoy on the balcony.  What has everyone's experience been as far as wait time in between drinks?  Has anyone tipped double to shorten the time in between?

They are confusing Carnival with Royal.  Carnival has a 15 minute wait between drinks - Royal has no minimum wait time.  However, you cannot order 2 drinks at the same time.  You'll have to order one, drink it, and order the next one right after.  I think they are a little more lenient when asking for a side of water with your alcohol though.

[DES]

1 minute ago, delerium98 said:

They are confusing Carnival with Royal.  Carnival has a 15 minute wait between drinks - Royal has no minimum wait time.  However, you cannot order 2 drinks at the same time.  You'll have to order one, drink it, and other the next one right after.  I think they are a little more lenient when asking for a side of water with your alcohol though.

I really want to be able to take a couple drinks with me to sit on the balcony a couple hours without having to go out to get another drink.  Does anyone have any suggestions how I could accomplish this?  Can I immediately go to a different bar and order another drink if I pour the first drink in my Yeti cup then add the second from another bar?  I'm open to any suggestions.

Thank you

[delerium98]

8 hours ago, DES said:

I really want to be able to take a couple drinks with me to sit on the balcony a couple hours without having to go out to get another drink.  Does anyone have any suggestions how I could accomplish this?  Can I immediately go to a different bar and order another drink if I pour the first drink in my Yeti cup then add the second from another bar?  I'm open to any suggestions.

Thank you

The Yeti cup idea would most likely work.  Just go to a different bar when you order that second drink.  There is no safeguard in their ordering system that would prevent you from doing it (like a wait time).

[DES]

13 hours ago, delerium98 said:

The Yeti cup idea would most likely work.  Just go to a different bar when you order that second drink.  There is no safeguard in their ordering system that would prevent you from doing it (like a wait time).

Thank you so much!

[Kathleen]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 1:10 PM, pezgirl said:

Thank you for answering this.  This was my question. If I get up before my husband and what to get us both fancy coffees, can I get him his as long as I have his card? It appears that way.  Thanks. 

One morning I forgot to grab my husband's card and they were able to confirm his package at the register with just name and cabin number. Off I went back to the room with both premium coffees in hand!

[Ogalthorpe Haywood]

On 7/31/2019 at 5:06 PM, Zambia-Zaire said:

Quick question...are Powerade, Vitamin/Coconut Water, Evian, & Spa Smoothies included in the Refreshment Package???

….and, what would anyone say the average price of Mocktails?...$4-6 dollars?

I’ve seen the 20oz powerades and yes they are included with the drink package. We usually get one of those and a water when getting off the ship. 

[adidassler]

On 7/22/2019 at 1:08 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

When you pre-purchase the deluxe beverage package online (before the cruise), the 18% gratuity is automatically charged at the time of purchase.  If you purchase beverages individually on the ship (no drinks package), you are automatically charged an 18% gratuity at the time of purchase.  There's no way around paying the drinks' gratuity.  If you choose to add additional gratuity, it is your option to do that, but there is no way to choose NOT to pay the drinks' gratuity.

This is excellent. I was under the impression that an additional 18% would be charged to my on board account to be settled on departure if I bought the drink package, but reading this it's included?

[JLMoran]

1 hour ago, adidassler said:

This is excellent. I was under the impression that an additional 18% would be charged to my on board account to be settled on departure if I bought the drink package, but reading this it's included?

That's correct. If you have the Deluxe Package, then any time you order a drink you will not be charged anything unless that drink goes over the per-drink cap applicable to your ship ($12 or $13). Generally this will only be for more-expensive wines or a glass of some high-end top shelf spirit. Even in that case, you'll only be charged for the overage, plus 18% gratuity on that overage.

[Cruiser 1018]

I have a question regarding gratuities (we have the DBP). If I add an additional amount to reward good service, etc., does the person who served me actually get that gratuity? Or are the charged gratuities pooled?  IOW, should I bring cash to tip in these instances?

[JLMoran]

@Cruiser 1018, welcome to the forums!

To answer your question, definitely bring some cash if you want to directly tip your bartender an extra dollar or two when you order. Several of us here do that, wrapping the bill(s) around our SeaPass card when we hand it to them for the order. They do get to keep that money for themselves rather than having to put it into the general tip pool that receipt tips go into.

The other reason to do this is that when you have the drink package, you often don't even get a receipt to add extra gratuity. They see you have the package when they swipe your card and just hand the card back.

[pezgirl]

Vitamin Water is included. (or was last week on the Freedom). When we would get off at a pot, I would grab a bottle of water and a vitamin water and my husband would grab a bottle of water and a red bull. 

[tiny260]

On 8/6/2019 at 7:04 AM, adidassler said:

This is excellent. I was under the impression that an additional 18% would be charged to my on board account to be settled on departure if I bought the drink package, but reading this it's included?

Want to make sure you understand the 18%, if you buy the drink package through the cruise planner, for easy calculations, lets say for $50 per day, times a 7 day cruise equals $350, plus 18% gratuity $63, so when you check out of the cruise planner the total would be $413, assuming 2 adults in the room a total of $826.

[twangster]

On 8/6/2019 at 6:04 AM, adidassler said:

This is excellent. I was under the impression that an additional 18% would be charged to my on board account to be settled on departure if I bought the drink package, but reading this it's included?

43 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

Want to make sure you understand the 18%, if you buy the drink package through the cruise planner, for easy calculations, lets say for $50 per day, times a 7 day cruise equals $350, plus 18% gratuity $63, so when you check out of the cruise planner the total would be $413, assuming 2 adults in the room a total of $826.

As @tiny260 indicates, it's added during the check out process, either on the ship or in the cruise planner.

There is no escaping the 18% gratuity.  If you buy your drinks on board one at a time, 18% is added to each drink.  If you buy a drink package in the cruise planner, 18% is added to the package price.    If you buy a drink package on board, 18% is added to the package price.

One way or another, you are going to pay the 18%.

[adidassler]

I'm fine paying the 18%, I just thought it was added to my on board account to be settled at the end of my cruise, not to the cost I pay in advance.

 

thanks everyone.

[MrHaga]

Another quick question:

When you purchase drink packages pre cruise in the cruise planner. Where do we pick up the Coca-Cola souvenir cup`s?

[CruisinUpinLife]

4 minutes ago, MrHaga said:

Another quick question:

When you purchase drink packages pre cruise in the cruise planner. Where do we pick up the Coca-Cola souvenir cup`s?

They will be in your rooms when you board the ship.

[MrHaga]

Cool! Thanks!

[Hoski]

I thought the mocktails were $10 recently so double check on that price.  Daughter got the Refreshment package so they were included but I thought her one slip said $10 then credit for $10.

[Thom Cruise]

Me and my wife have separate cabin numbers due to an interconnected room. 

Technically, can I just buy one pass and we can share it? 

[ellcee]

53 minutes ago, Thom Cruise said:

Me and my wife have separate cabin numbers due to an interconnected room. 

Technically, can I just buy one pass and we can share it? 

Technically, Nope. No sharing of packages.