Drink packages increase for 2019/2020 sailings

[Sailor_to_Cruiser 123]

On 8/17/2019 at 1:32 PM, Ogalthorpe Haywood said:

I agree, when gratuity is mandatory and not left to anyone’s judgement it should just be added up front. 

In my humble opinion, a gratuity that is mandatory is not a gratuity.  What are we gratuitous for? Paying the extra 18%?  This is just a tax levied by RCCL and kept by RCCL.

[Pro24 7]

Problem is, like everything else in life, if people keep buying it - its only going to go higher. Economics 101. A few out way the many. My baseball team will not make the playoffs, but they still sell out every game. Prices go up every year, and because they sell out, they will go up again next year. If people keep buying the product, why not increase the cost? The rich just keep getting richer.

[WAAAYTOOO 11,598]

3 hours ago, Sailor_to_Cruiser said:

In my humble opinion, a gratuity that is mandatory is not a gratuity. 

Agree completely with this !!

[Baked Alaska 1,259]

I am a generous tipper, minimum 25%, USUALLY. However, a mandatory gratuity. . . Don't better hotels call that a RESORT FEE?

[FManke 2,608]

6 hours ago, Sailor_to_Cruiser said:

 Paying the extra 18%?  This is just a tax levied by RCCL and kept by RCCL.

What % of cruisers with drink packages, do you think would tip and how much would they tip? Surely not 18% every drink.  Just about everybody who has weighed in on this site,  that I've seen, recognizes that the beverage staff is hard working and deserves the tips.  They certainly would not be making as much, tip wise without it. 

It's of course a marketing thing, but just change the package cost to say " includes tax and gratuity," give us a final price and be done with it. I think most people are smart enough to know, if you are buying any package, it's going to cost you more than listed with tax and gratuity. 

[GregD 1,578]

Odyssey of the Seas pricing

[Orange Crush 276]

12 hours ago, emsff02 said:

Odyssey of the Seas pricing

($82.00)

Yikes!  For that price, I'd go back to smuggling liquor onboard

[JLMoran 6,795]

2 hours ago, Orange Crush said:

Yikes!  For that price, I'd go back to smuggling liquor onboard

Shhh! You have to do like @Jolly Ogre -- bring on your two bottles of "wine". 

[Jolly Ogre 510]

2 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Shhh! You have to do like @Jolly Ogre -- bring on your two bottles of "wine". 

Well? avast me mateys its 9/19....yarrrr!

[JLMoran 6,795]

3 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

Well? avast me mateys its 9/19....yarrrr!

Ummm... Might t'day be National Talk Like a Pirate Day... Me matey?

[Hoski 370]

Onboard prices on the Anthem just went up by $5 per day in the last month according to the compasses.  We typically tip $1 minimum per drink with or without the package.  A lot of people do not tip so the only tips from those people are from the 18% if they bought the package.

[JLMoran 6,795]

11 hours ago, Hoski said:

Onboard prices on the Anthem just went up by $5 per day in the last month according to the compasses.  We typically tip $1 minimum per drink with or without the package.  A lot of people do not tip so the only tips from those people are from the 18% if they bought the package.

Not true; if you don't buy the package, all a la carte purchases have an 18% gratuity automatically added to each drink you buy. So a $13 drink is really $15.34.

That said, the bartenders still appreciate the single wrapped around the Sea Pass card because they can directly pocket that for themselves, whereas the automatic 18% is split among all bar staff.

[IRMO12HD 118]

Thanks for revealing the technique, @JLMoran!!

[Skatepunk 20]

We are on Navigator at the end of October, before they announced two cococay stops it was $49, the day they announced the two stops it suddenly jumped to $65 a day.. I think they are factoring the extra cococay day BUT it replaced a sea day that anyone who purchased the package would be using it anyway, I can’t imagine drinking more at cococay vs being at sea.. at least on Navigator. Sadly we missed the lower price so we purchased on sale and hoping there is a lower price.

We have another on Jewel in July 2020 and it has not gone up still $52 per day and has not changed. 

[DublinFC 345]

On 9/19/2019 at 7:50 AM, Orange Crush said:

Yikes!  For that price, I'd go back to smuggling liquor onboard

deffo not paying that.  I think buying the package is great for piece of mind, but not for that price.  drinking in port and drinks of the day will be the ticket.  For 2 ppl that is equivalent to the cost of some cruises.  RC getting greedy with that price.

[AJM 1]

*Sigh*

I remember the days... on my first 11 day cruise we got 25% off the original deluxe drink package price of $55. . .  now $55 is the "sale" price (and I'm going on a smaller ship!). I got it this time (the deluxe beverage package with the 1 device Voom surf + stream as it's actually saving me a WHOPPING $2.40/person/day doing it this way) but I suggested to my spouse that we should go a la cart next time as I can only foresee prices rising even more by the time we cruise after next. 

[KathyC 997]

My Empress next August is $69 a day.  Ridiculous.  Empress?!??  Not happening. LOL