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Deluxe beverage package 90 $ ?


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As always , every few days I am checking the cruise planner to see if any new deals.

Just went to check the group cruise to the Norwegian Fjords and  saw the beverage package cost  90 $  is that a new record or its just what you see when you check a cruise that is due in more then 400 days ?

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Seems high but no telling what the new "normal" might be like after COVID-19.   Most likely the price will not come down until 6 months before embarkation date.  

It's good to check periodically just in case those interns come up with another crazy sale.

 

 

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Wow! Makes me glad that the drink package prices on Celebrity are so far holding stable for my August cruise from what I've seen since they first appeared.

  • $69/night for Premium Alcohol
  • $59/night for Classic Alcohol
  • $22/night for premium non-alcohol (currently what the four of us will be getting, though not until closer to sail date if there's no sale offered)
  • $18/night for classic non-alcohol
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@JLMoran  their cruise is not for over a yr from now, compared to yours that is for 4 months.   If you look at @Bean79  theirs has remained at 69 for their cruise in 5 months, thus, they are holding stable for RCL for at least the next 6 months.  

My spring cruise for this year was cancelled.  Our spring cruise for next yr.  is running the deluxe pkg at $84.  There is no way I am biting off on that price.  I will if I have to, but if that price remains I will wait until 60-90 days out. 

 

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There is no way that we would pay more than $50 PP/PD for a drink package. We just don’t drink enough.  Paying as we go would make more sense.  We got the DBP for $48 for the Oct Brilliance group cruise but even at that I don’t think it’s probably financially beneficial. I did it for the convenience.  I’ll never pay more than $50.

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To me the real question is....what will the individual drink price be set at?  If they raise it to 15 or 16 per drink, than for my sailing it would be 5 drinks.  Of course if you look at my sailing the refreshment is running @34.  So it is only 50 more for the deluxe.  If they rise it to 15, than for us it would be just over 3 which is not difficult to do.  There is no way I am doing anything less than the refreshment.

OBTW here is the interesting facts.  The soda package and the coffee punch card really did not go up in price.  The soda is running at 13.50 and the coffee card is at 31.  That is about a buck more than I usually see for the coffee and  $3 more for the classic soda or about 20% higher compared to my previous sailings.  The refreshment is running about $15 more than I have seen it in the past, or about 40% more.  The deluxe is running about 45% higher.

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Mine is $69/night for my Western Caribbean cruise in September of this year. 

 

A general question:

Seeing all the fluctuating prices, how long do you think is reasonable to wait to buy these packages? Is there a possibility they will drop lower the closer to the disembarkation date? 

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33 minutes ago, hail73 said:

Mine is $69/night for my Western Caribbean cruise in September of this year. 

 

A general question:

Seeing all the fluctuating prices, how long do you think is reasonable to wait to buy these packages? Is there a possibility they will drop lower the closer to the disembarkation date? 

The general wisdom is to determine a price that is the most you are willing to pay and then buy it at that price.  After that continue to check frequently for price drops.  if it does drop then cancel and repurchase.  If it doesn't drop or increases then you have secured it at a price that had value for you.  

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Thats insane.....that's about a 150% increase in the past 7 years for drink packages..

 

Talk about your head in the clouds.....during or after this worldwide epidemic that is really hitting the cruise industry...so start upping prices like that. This complaints and pictures of drink package pricing at Royal is all I have been seeing for the past 2 days......lots of extra negative press for Royal and the cruise industry.

Stupid move on Royals part....this is NOT the time to do anything to deter people from booking or even thinking about cruises.

I can tell you here that  not ONE of my friends who if I told them those drink prices would ever sign up for a cruise...

In Canadian dollars...that's about $157/day with grats/….per person!!..WTH??!!…$2200 for a 7 day cruise for drinks....I wont ever be cruising with Royal again if that's what its come to....and a lot of others wont be either.

Royal is going to continue to price themselves out of the market and pay the price.....I have said this before here and I stand by it when they make  bonehead decisions.

And I already know what some will say..."its what the market supports or if ppl are willing to pay it" etc...…..

Not this time...mark my words...

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4 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

I can tell you here that  not ONE of my friends who if I told them those drink prices would ever sign up for a cruise...

At the $65 dollar price for one of my cruises I have my heavy drinking friends saying they'd rather just pay per drink. I try and say it's not that unreasonable given onboard prices, but they don't buy it (no pun intended). I cannot see people spending $90 per day and if individual prices increase to support that number. Ouch. Not good.

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1 hour ago, monctonguy said:

Stupid move on Royals part....this is NOT the time to do anything to deter people from booking or even thinking about cruises.

I can tell you here that  not ONE of my friends who if I told them those drink prices would ever sign up for a cruise...

I agree with you, but I am still in the camp that this is just their out of the gate numbers to test waters.  The OPs cruise is May 2021.  400 days a way. or IOWS 13 months.  I can understand buying the bev package if it was the OMG $18 oops sale.  However, even if it was at $65.  I probably would not pull the trigger.  I have OBC and a credit card with 0% int., yet why would I use that this far out.  My expectation is that it will probably drop to 70 or so, which would be on par with a 10% inc.

We always buy the package, and never bring on board our allowable wine.  If it stays at that price I would bring on wine.  I would look into how much they are selling a bottle of alcohol to be delivered to your room, and call it a day with just the classic soda package plus the coffee card.  The only way I would still be swayed is our cruise stops at both Labadee and Coco Cay.  

I have seen many companies that go under just because they think by rising prices they will make up their losses.  In this industry, it will also come down to see if Carnival, NCL and Princess follow suit.  They may all join the bandwagon, or they may stay put and gain past Loyal to Royal clients due to this faulty business model.

The only thing I will be pulling the trigger way early is still not showing up.  Coco Beach Club pass.  I doubt that will show up for 3 more months.  I too have a sailing 403 days away.

Here is one thought of why they have it so high as of right now.  The 125% FCC.  Maybe they are hoping those receiving the credit will pull the trigger thinking that, heck it is 25% free money.  However, what I have read the sailings are costing more, so I am not sure that works.  My cruise is up 1K for my cabin.  

 

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19 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Wow! Makes me glad that the drink package prices on Celebrity are so far holding stable for my August cruise from what I've seen since they first appeared.

  • $69/night for Premium Alcohol
  • $59/night for Classic Alcohol
  • $22/night for premium non-alcohol (currently what the four of us will be getting, though not until closer to sail date if there's no sale offered)
  • $18/night for classic non-alcohol

PLUS no requirement for more than one person in a cabin to purchase a package. 

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6 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

PLUS no requirement for more than one person in a cabin to purchase a package. 

Very true, especially since my wife can't drink and my kids are all under 21. But, kind of useless in this case because it's a 14-night sailing with 7 port days and 1 day cruising Prinz Christian Sund, where I won't be getting my drink on at all. With only 6 sea days, an alcoholic drink package would be very underutilized, and even the $59/night option comes out to $991.20 after gratuities. Just gonna bring on my allowed 4 bottles of wine (two cabins booked) and drink that at dinner time. Any other alcoholic beverages I'll buy a la carte, like a mid-day espresso martini at Cafe Al Baccio on one of my sea days.

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On 4/7/2020 at 3:01 AM, Jason12 said:

I thought this was bad enough for 15 night Sydney cruise ?

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Which cruise is that for?

Our Ovation 15 night on 22 December would currently cost us $2172 ($83.57 per person/day)

I just looked at my spreadsheet for our cancelled Radiance cruise, and we originally paid exactly the same daily rate at 7 months out. We cancelled and repurchased four times, eventually getting it at $65.76 in Early December.

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On 4/7/2020 at 8:35 AM, sk8erguy1978 said:

At the $65 dollar price for one of my cruises I have my heavy drinking friends saying they'd rather just pay per drink. I try and say it's not that unreasonable given onboard prices, but they don't buy it (no pun intended). I cannot see people spending $90 per day and if individual prices increase to support that number. Ouch. Not good.

At $65 a day you are talking 9 beers a day for me to break even ... i dont do coffee, i usually dont do mixed drinks, etc. .... as a Diamond i get 3+ free beers a night ... the convenience factor isnt enough to bite on that.

At $50ish ... i'm all about the convenience and come close to break even.

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@jticarruthers, yes, but most cruisers are not Diamond + and that is what RCL is banking on right now at that price.  Plus, other things when it comes to the price.

IE.  My hubby and I are not Diamond and will not be for a while even though we sail every 9 months (7 night + cruise balcony).   I think I am more of a consumer they are banking on at that price than you....no offense.  I am loyal, I am purchasing the middle of the road cabin.

  •  I get every a.m. an iced coffee with an extra shot of espresso from the starbucks (cafe latitudes) on our way to the MDR for breakfast.   Don't know the actual cost, but lets say 6 - 7 bucks
  •  Breakfast we always ask for the squeezed OJ.  Can't stand the fake stuff.  Guessing $3.  I am officially at $10 and I have yet to eat breakfast.
  •  Husband hits the Gym after breakfast.  I go to the Solarium.  He hits the freestyle machine to fill his cup with a Powerade, I grab a bottle of H2O.  It is now 9:00 a.m. and we are at $13.   
  •  11 a.m. rolls around and we hit the bar for a cocktail...He is a Lava Flow fan.  Me I will stick with margarita on the rocks.  BAM  we are at $26.  Always ask for a bottle of H2O, BAM 29.  I never order another cocktail until I finish the bottle of water 1st.
  •  Lunch @ 12:30. Be it in the MDR or WJ we get a soda.  Now I am at 32...again I don't know how much a soda goes for, guessing it is $3 a pop.
  •  Back to the solarium @ 1:30 after lunch and grab my 2nd cocktail for the day.  I am now at 45.  Mind you only 2 alcoholic bevs all day long.
  •  Still following my rule, I also get another bottle of water.  I am at 48 and it is 1:30
  •  3:30 I call it a day at the pool to hang on the balcony.  Hit cafe latitudes and get myself a frappucino.  I am at $55.  Hubby refills his cup with Cherry Coke Zero.  He is at 51.
  •  We always do a pre-dinner cocktail.  At 68 now 
  •  Dinner glass of wine, followed with a cappuccino and amaretto shot.  At @ 95.  (total alcohol bev = 5)
  •  Off to show and get a bottle of water.   I am at 98.  
  •  Show over and I get 1 more bottle of water.  101.

Granted that is a sea day.  Yet, you can see how someone like me can easily be a losing money maker for RCL.  Additionally, I think I ran low on the numbers.  My SoS cruise is also hitting both Labadee and Coco Cay, that means I am using the package 2 of my port days.  I have 2 sail days.  I am only  at a non RCL port 2x on my 8 day cruise.  Those port days also are unique.  I will stop at OSJ from noon to 10 pm.  We will be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner on the ship.  We will get off the ship after lunch, back on for dinner, off SoS after dinner, back on for the late show...IOWS will use our alcohol pkg that day too.  St. Thomas is a short day in port, depart at 4.  That means again, we will be back on the ship by 2:30 or so.  Using the package again, because as we walk off the ship we will walk off with a couple of bottles of water.  Get back on, change and hit the Solarium bar/pool for sail away.

I get that 84 for my cruise is OMG compared to when we paid 57 prior.  I am not saying I will buckle and pay for it, but I do get the rise in cost.  I also believe it will come down since they need to make cruising affordable again, and $1600 for a 7 night cruise on top of the dining package, excursions like the Coco Cay Beach club pass, plus the cabin will price them out of the market.

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5 hours ago, jticarruthers said:

At $65 a day you are talking 9 beers a day for me to break even ... i dont do coffee, i usually dont do mixed drinks, etc. .... as a Diamond i get 3+ free beers a night ... the convenience factor isnt enough to bite on that.

At $50ish ... i'm all about the convenience and come close to break even.

What works for some doesn't work for others. I'll admit, we probably wouldn't get the coffee & water without a package. Soda, maybe a can a day. However we do quite a few pool side drinks and plenty at night. We are also diamond members. So for us it works but $65 is about my breaking point.

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15 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

@jticarruthers, yes, but most cruisers are not Diamond + and that is what RCL is banking on right now at that price.  Plus, other things when it comes to the price.

IE.  My hubby and I are not Diamond and will not be for a while even though we sail every 9 months (7 night + cruise balcony).   I think I am more of a consumer they are banking on at that price than you....no offense.  I am loyal, I am purchasing the middle of the road cabin.

  •  I get every a.m. an iced coffee with an extra shot of espresso from the starbucks (cafe latitudes) on our way to the MDR for breakfast.   Don't know the actual cost, but lets say 6 - 7 bucks
  •  Breakfast we always ask for the squeezed OJ.  Can't stand the fake stuff.  Guessing $3.  I am officially at $10 and I have yet to eat breakfast.
  •  Husband hits the Gym after breakfast.  I go to the Solarium.  He hits the freestyle machine to fill his cup with a Powerade, I grab a bottle of H2O.  It is now 9:00 a.m. and we are at $13.   
  •  11 a.m. rolls around and we hit the bar for a cocktail...He is a Lava Flow fan.  Me I will stick with margarita on the rocks.  BAM  we are at $26.  Always ask for a bottle of H2O, BAM 29.  I never order another cocktail until I finish the bottle of water 1st.
  •  Lunch @ 12:30. Be it in the MDR or WJ we get a soda.  Now I am at 32...again I don't know how much a soda goes for, guessing it is $3 a pop.
  •  Back to the solarium @ 1:30 after lunch and grab my 2nd cocktail for the day.  I am now at 45.  Mind you only 2 alcoholic bevs all day long.
  •  Still following my rule, I also get another bottle of water.  I am at 48 and it is 1:30
  •  3:30 I call it a day at the pool to hang on the balcony.  Hit cafe latitudes and get myself a frappucino.  I am at $55.  Hubby refills his cup with Cherry Coke Zero.  He is at 51.
  •  We always do a pre-dinner cocktail.  At 68 now 
  •  Dinner glass of wine, followed with a cappuccino and amaretto shot.  At @ 95.  (total alcohol bev = 5)
  •  Off to show and get a bottle of water.   I am at 98.  
  •  Show over and I get 1 more bottle of water.  101.

Granted that is a sea day.  Yet, you can see how someone like me can easily be a losing money maker for RCL.  Additionally, I think I ran low on the numbers.  My SoS cruise is also hitting both Labadee and Coco Cay, that means I am using the package 2 of my port days.  I have 2 sail days.  I am only  at a non RCL port 2x on my 8 day cruise.  Those port days also are unique.  I will stop at OSJ from noon to 10 pm.  We will be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner on the ship.  We will get off the ship after lunch, back on for dinner, off SoS after dinner, back on for the late show...IOWS will use our alcohol pkg that day too.  St. Thomas is a short day in port, depart at 4.  That means again, we will be back on the ship by 2:30 or so.  Using the package again, because as we walk off the ship we will walk off with a couple of bottles of water.  Get back on, change and hit the Solarium bar/pool for sail away.

I get that 84 for my cruise is OMG compared to when we paid 57 prior.  I am not saying I will buckle and pay for it, but I do get the rise in cost.  I also believe it will come down since they need to make cruising affordable again, and $1600 for a 7 night cruise on top of the dining package, excursions like the Coco Cay Beach club pass, plus the cabin will price them out of the market.

Absolutely agree that if you do enjoy all the pieces of the package then at pretty much any price it is going to make sense ... I just am not that guy ?

They used to have a beer and wine only package that was perfect for me, much more reasonable price but still got the convenience of wave and go rather than pay by the drink.

No offense taken on the diamond, FYI I earned mine with a lot of middle of the road cruising; only tried a JS once and most of mine are balconies or oceanviews. Frankly the only real benefit i perceive from diamond status is the free drinks and with the drink package i dont think i have used them in a while since i already have "free drinks" on the package. I do get a kick out of "buying" drinks for random strangers though since they can be given to others.

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