20% off on Alcohol Packages and 30% off Voom

[ShakeDownCruise]

I'm on Allure on 04/03/16.  Just curious if anyone on other sailings is seeing discounts of 30% on Voom and 20% off on the alcohol packages.  I was going to book my internet on the ship but I did it at 30% off when I got an email from Royal about a special promotion.  Also I found out about 20% off the alcohol packages from a cruise critic roll call board and oddly I didn't get an email about that from Royal.  That 20% off saved me $80 since I had already paid the full price!  My first ever Labadooze will now taste that much sweeter!

 

[zamboni03]

Yes, I'm on the 04/17/16 Allure sailing and I also had the offer available. So glad I was randomly looking at the cruise planner website earlier today and was able to change what I had already booked.

[bcarney]

I'm on Allure on 04/03/16.  Just curious if anyone on other sailings is seeing discounts of 30% on Voom and 20% off on the alcohol packages.  I was going to book my internet on the ship but I did it at 30% off when I got an email from Royal about a special promotion.  Also I found out about 20% off the alcohol packages from a cruise critic roll call board and oddly I didn't get an email about that from Royal.  That 20% off saved me $80 since I had already paid the full price!  My first ever Labadooze will now taste that much sweeter!

 

I'm on Vision on 4/2 and mine are still listed at full price. :(

[David Bennett]

Just checked my cruise in Europe in August and it is 20% off drinks packages too. Anyone know when this is likely to end?

[WAAAYTOOO]

No discount on the Empress sailing 4-11...not that I would purchase a beverage package anyway...

[Todd]

The discount is shown on my Ovation of the Seas trip for the top two Drink Packages, no discount on the internet. Does any one see what Royal has done here? Last year jack up the prices which were already high and then offer a discount, so many people look at the discount and put blinders on to the total price. 

[Matt]

The discount is shown on my Ovation of the Seas trip for the top two Drink Packages, no discount on the internet. Does any one see what Royal has done here? Last year jack up the prices which were already high and then offer a discount, so many people look at the discount and put blinders on to the total price. 

My guess is RC is looking at select sailings and trying to boost numbers.  It's not an across the board discount, but if/when it sees a particular sailing could use a bump, they look for ways to increase onboard spending.

 

Onboard spending is what has made so much money for RC over the last few years and they seem to be more and more focused on doing whatever they can to get guests spending money on their cruises.

[DocLC]

I'm seeing the discount on the Premium and Ultimate packages for my Baltics cruise on the Serenade in July, but not on the Allure in January or the Navigator in February.  More interesting is that the Ultimate package is $59 per day on the Allure and $67 per day on the Navigator as the former doesn't include the gratuity and the later does; thus, the $67 is actually a better deal by a couple of bucks.

[KLA]

Considering these are both things I would have gotten anyway, I hope these show up on any of my future sailings... haha! 

[ShakeDownCruise]

For me the math got a lot better with that discount.  Total cost for the Premium Alcohol package was $323.79 for my 7 day cruise after discount.  For better or worse I would have gotten the soda package either way and that was $66.08.  So if I back that out I'm down to $257.71.  That amount divided by 7 days brings my daily cost to only $36.82 a day.  There's always ways to manipulate numbers to make you feel better or worse about a decision but I'd say I fully expect to enjoy the luxury of trying different drinks and not feeling like I need to drink a ton just to get my money's worth.

[JasonD]

So far on my 3 bookings ( 5/22 Harmony, 5/26 Harmony and 5/30 Navigator) I am only finding it on the Navigator. .Although slightly different, it is only on the Select package reducing it from $42/day to $37/day.... What they are offering on Harmony is the Buy one Get one half off Voom.... 

[mom2mybugs]

Where are the discounts showing up? On the initial beverage page or after adding to the cart? Im guessing im just not lucky and it isn't on any of our cruises. Jane

[ShakeDownCruise]

It's easy to spot if you have one.  They show up as a banner right over the image you would click on in the cruise planner when picking a package option.  If you don't see it at this time there aren't any deals for your sailing unfortunately.  Mine just turned up a few days ago and there was no warning for the alcohol package discount so it seems like checking every so often is the safest bet to not losing out on a deal.

[Matt]

So far on my 3 bookings ( 5/22 Harmony, 5/26 Harmony and 5/30 Navigator) I am only finding it on the Navigator. .Although slightly different, it is only on the Select package reducing it from $42/day to $37/day.

Same here

[Matt]

Where are the discounts showing up? On the initial beverage page or after adding to the cart? Im guessing im just not lucky and it isn't on any of our cruises. Jane

If you browse any of the internet or beverage packages, it shows right up in the image banner.

[KLA]

Hmm... it looks like only sailings happening over the next couple of months?

[Matt]

Hmm... it looks like only sailings happening over the next couple of months?

Yes, it appears to be for cruises in next 60 days or so

[DocLC]

Yes, it appears to be for cruises in next 60 days or so

My cruise is about 4 months out and the sale is showing for me.

[bcarney]

That amount divided by 7 days brings my daily cost to only $36.82 a day.  There's always ways to manipulate numbers to make you feel better or worse about a decision but I'd say I fully expect to enjoy the luxury of trying different drinks and not feeling like I need to drink a ton just to get my money's worth.

 

My last cruise drinks were $14.16 after tip, so if you have more than 2 drinks a day you've broken even.  Well done!

[kirby]

I'm on Allure next week.   I just checked on Cruise Planner for my trip - there is no banner but prices ARE showing cheaper.   I had written them down before so I know for sure (i.e. Royal Refreshment now $8 vs $9.44/day and Premium now $49 vs $57.82/day).  When you multiply for full week and add gratuity it's a good savings - actually an 18% savings (like getting free gratuity???).    I'll take it!

 

So - my question is do I book the beverage plans now or will I see this savings on the ship as well?   I was originally going to wait until boarding so I can ensure we have our replenish cups immediately (we are planning to board early) but now I'd think I'd rather lock in savings if this may go away.   

 

Didn't they just have an increase in beverage plan prices???  Maybe they were seeing drop in sales?   

 

My sister-in-law did repurchase Voom and did get notification that price was 30% cheaper.  There is banner for this on the Cruise Planner.  I don't know if it's an additional 30% off or she's already purchased at lowest price.  Will have to confirm with her on that...  

[bcarney]

I'm on Allure next week.   I just checked on Cruise Planner for my trip - there is no banner but prices ARE showing cheaper.   I had written them down before so I know for sure (i.e. Royal Refreshment now $8 vs $9.44/day and Premium now $49 vs $57.82/day).  When you multiply for full week and add gratuity it's a good savings - actually an 18% savings (like getting free gratuity???).    I'll take it!

 

They keep flipping between advertising the full price, and then the price w/out tip (but adding the tip in the checkout process).  Your price hasn't changed - go through the purchase process to see the full price.

[Wilson]

Can someone take a screenshot of the "banner" that indicates a discount is being offered?

[DocLC]

I'm on Allure next week.   I just checked on Cruise Planner for my trip - there is no banner but prices ARE showing cheaper.   I had written them down before so I know for sure (i.e. Royal Refreshment now $8 vs $9.44/day and Premium now $49 vs $57.82/day).  When you multiply for full week and add gratuity it's a good savings - actually an 18% savings (like getting free gratuity???).    I'll take it!

 

So - my question is do I book the beverage plans now or will I see this savings on the ship as well?   I was originally going to wait until boarding so I can ensure we have our replenish cups immediately (we are planning to board early) but now I'd think I'd rather lock in savings if this may go away.   

 

Didn't they just have an increase in beverage plan prices???  Maybe they were seeing drop in sales?   

 

My sister-in-law did repurchase Voom and did get notification that price was 30% cheaper.  There is banner for this on the Cruise Planner.  I don't know if it's an additional 30% off or she's already purchased at lowest price.  Will have to confirm with her on that...

 

I would purchase now just to be safe. There's no guarantee that the sale will be offered on the ship.

[Todd]

 

 

So - my question is do I book the beverage plans now or will I see this savings on the ship as well?   I was originally going to wait until boarding so I can ensure we have our replenish cups immediately (we are planning to board early) but now I'd think I'd rather lock in savings if this may go away.   

 

 

Every time I have purchased in advance the cups have been in the cabin when we got to the cabin. Buy pre purchasing your key card will also have the package logo on it. So you can walk onto the ship and go directly to a bar if you want and get served in a regular glass.

 

I have always had good like pre purchasing the coke package and will keep doing it. The Internet package is another issue, that I will purchase on board as the will give you the codes in hand, no waiting or hunting for them.

[kirby]

They keep flipping between advertising the full price, and then the price w/out tip (but adding the tip in the checkout process).  Your price hasn't changed - go through the purchase process to see the full price.

That could be especially since the savings is 18%, the same as what gratuity would be.  I had seen price increase before from when I started looking at the trip and was kicking myself for not buying when first looked into it.  Never went far enough into process to see if gratuities was included in original quote or not as I had already decided to wait until got on board so the kids could have their coke cups for the machines and not have to wait until we could get into our cabins.   At this point, what appears to be the savings in big enough to offset the kids having to wait an hr or two to play around with the special soda machines.   

 

Another question - if I do repurchase and there is additional savings on board will RC honor that and give me a credit on my account?

[kirby]

For others' reference:  I went ahead and just purchased my beverage package, which will be the "Premium" and the cost ended up being $49/day or $404.74/week including 18% gratuity.     Per my notes, I expected the price to be $477.59/wk (or $57.82/day + 18% gratuity).   Whether real or not, I'll tell myself that I just saved $70 - woohoo!

 

So, either I had it wrong before, or there really is a discount.  Either way, I'm locked in now.   Hopefully if there is (another) discount RC will honor it when I get onboard.  For now, I'm going to gamble with my daughter's soda only beverage package and get that one onboard.    Hopefully I've done (and am doing) the right thing.  It's only money, right???  

[kirby]

Following up on this thread post cruise (was on a week ago).  I did repurchase the Premium package and it was $404 including gratuities ($49/day or $343 for week plus $64 for 18% gratuities).   My sister-in-law waited because she wanted to apply her onboard credit towards this purchase but she unfortunately was charged either $467 or $477 (honestly I forgot) but it was definitely more.  At first we thought it was because she was in port and they were including a special tax (we had read somewhere that someone was charged a Florida resort tax or something like that) while in port.  So she decided to wait and purchase later in the evening after we left port and it was still the same price.  It wasn't advertised very well but it looks like there had been a sale and luckily I was able to take advantage of it.   Personally, if the price is okay and you don't plan to use your onboard credit toward drink packages, I'd prepurchase before cruise.  Makes life simpler.  

 

I did wait, though, to purchase my daughter's Royal Refreshment (soda) package until we got onboard so she could have access to the soda cup immediately and not have to wait until we were able to get into our cabin.   My cup was in the cabin waiting for me, but I didn't need it for my beverages.  :-)

[theweets]

This package is also available at a 20% discount on Ovation sailings out of Australia on Alcoholic beverage packages only. Its for a limited time with no time frame given for the promo to expire.