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IIRC Starbucks is included on all ships except Oasis and Allure, on those two the specialty coffee from the "other" coffee shops is included but not the standalone Starbucks on the promenade. Not a coffee drinker myself so I could be wrong but pretty sure that was the story on Starbucks on RCL.

That would make sense given the feedback I had heard

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have rulled out the alcohol packages, I just don't think I would get my moneys worth without drinking the entire cruise. I have been debating the Royal Replenish package. I am not much of a soda drinker, but I drink water all day long. The replenish says it offers bottled water. Can someone that has purchased this package tell me the pros and cons. Looks like it will cost $306 for the two of us to have this package. Will it be worth it. What are your drink options without a package?

We did the equivalent package on Celebrity and figured we'd only break even at best as it was a port intensive (7 ports in 7 days) cruise. However, I figured the convenience and having it paid for upfront would be worth it. In the end, we really saw the value in it. I would start with fresh squeezed orange juice and a sugar free vanilla latte in the morning, have an ice-blended coffee when we returned, a couples of bottles of water on excursions, a soda or two with dinner, cappuccino with dessert, and a nonalcoholic cocktail with the show. In the end, it more than paid off.

 

We're doing the same on the Jewel this January on another port intensive cruise. I'll consider it for our European cruise, too, if it's offered as I hear they raise the bar prices when the ships are in Europe.

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I tend to agree on the value of the royal replenish package although I was pleasantly surprised by their flavored waters in the Windjammer. One thing worth noting also is their iced tea. I grew up loathing tea but in the last few years have started to find select places with iced tea so good I actually like it. Royal Caribbean turns out to be one such place!

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I tend to agree on the value of the royal replenish package although I was pleasantly surprised by their flavored waters in the Windjammer. One thing worth noting also is their iced tea. I grew up loathing tea but in the last few years have started to find select places with iced tea so good I actually like it. Royal Caribbean turns out to be one such place!

Good points.

 

I tend to be fine with the complimentary drinks but I know others prefer to have a few soft drinks per day at the very least so it's so subjective. 

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  • 1 month later...

Here's what I've gathered: Not on ships with a dedicated Starbucks in addition to Cafe Latitudes. If Starbucks is served at Cafe Latitudes and is the only coffee bar on the ship (e.g., Radiance class), then it's included.

It was also on Navigator, but I guess that would fall under 'no dedicated Starbucks'.
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  • 3 weeks later...

It is definitely one of those things where your mileage may vary with the package.  We did a similar one on Celebrity (nonalcoholic) and purchased it out of convenience.  In reality, I didn't expect to save any money and simply thought I'd break even or come close to breaking even, which would have been acceptable for convenience sake and having the expense prepaid.  What surprised us is that we actually found value in it.  I had a couple of specialty coffees per day (breakfast/dinner), a fresh squeezed orange juice in the morning, a soda with lunch and/or dinner, and bottled water and in the end we found value in the package.

 

We're trying it out next month on the Jewel.  If it works as well as it did on Celebrity, then we'll likely opt for the package on the Brilliance in July.  I actually suspect that it may be a better value on the Brilliance since our major port stops are Norway, where everything is expensive, so the option of bringing on soda and/or water might be cost prohibitive.  I actually watched a Rick Steve's seminar on YouTube where one of his writers actually said that he spent more on the soda he bought before getting on the ship than it would have cost him to simply purchase the can out of the mini bar on the ship.

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I had already decided the drink packages would not be worth the money for my wife and me.  Reading this thread, it was a good decision --- for us.

 

Greg

Everyone is different and there are some people who think 7-8 drinks per day is no big deal so the package is perfect for them.  I think you've come to the same conclusion that I have, which is that the package is not a deal for us.

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  • 1 month later...

We are going on a 10 day Western Caribbean.  Can you purchase drink package the last half of the cruise?  I thought I seen a post that you could use your drink package on Labadee.

It's worth trying. RC will sell you the package at a pro-rated rate every day you wait to purchase it but there has to be at least 4 days left on your cruise.

 

And yes, the drink package works at Labadee and CocoCay

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  • 2 weeks later...

By the "full", I assume you mean "Premium" or "Ultimate" beverage package. Those allow you to get any wine that is available by the glass that costs up to $12/glass. If the per-glass price is higher, you only pay the difference.

 

The lower "Select" beverage package works the same way, but the limit is $8/glass.

 

The 20% discount is if you decide to purchase a whole bottle of wine. This can be useful if you want to get wine to share with others.

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By the "full", I assume you mean "Premium" or "Ultimate" beverage package. Those allow you to get any wine that is available by the glass that costs up to $12/glass. If the per-glass price is higher, you only pay the difference.

 

The lower "Select" beverage package works the same way, but the limit is $8/glass.

 

The 20% discount is if you decide to purchase a whole bottle of wine. This can be useful if you want to get wine to share with others.

Have you had experience paying the difference? That is something that is not real clear as to what happens if you have a package and purchase a beverage that exceeds the cost limit.

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Have you had experience paying the difference? That is something that is not real clear as to what happens if you have a package and purchase a beverage that exceeds the cost limit.

I have never done it but I've heard you would pay the difference in cost.  So if the glass of wine was $20, you would pay $8 (if on premium plan).  Just sharing what I've read online.

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Have you had experience paying the difference?

I've not had any experience with beverage packages except for the soda package, but I can offer that this FAQ addresses it somewhat:

Q:  If I buy the premium package and want a $12 cocktail, will i pay $2 or be charged the full amount?

 

A:  Guests will only have to pay the $2 difference. the premium and ultimate packages offer a $10 credit towards ultra-premium cocktails.

 

It does appear a bit dated since the premium package now includes cocktails and wine up to $12.

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  • 1 month later...

Sounds like everyone is only concerned with "getting their money's worth" in drinks.  In my opinion, convenience adds to the overall value of the packages as well.  My wife and I will be going on our third cruise in a couple weeks and we have vowed to always get a drink package.  

 

There are a few things about drink packages that we feel add to the vacation experience:

  1. You don't have to worry about tipping.  We love that you just sign your slip and walk away.
  2. Try as many different drinks as you like!  If you don't like a drink, get another!
  3. If you've been sitting by the pool and your drink gets watered down, just get another!  Or, if it's a beer and it gets warm, get another!
  4. Peace of mind... It's great to not think about what the bill is going to be at the end of your trip, it's already paid for...  If we didn't get a package my wife, who can be frugal, would always want another drink but probably wouldn't get one.  
  5. I also like being able to pay ahead of time for vacations, so I don't have to think about the bill during the vacation.

There's a package for everyone.  If you don't drink mixed drinks, get the beer/wine package.  With these things in mind, my wife and I definitely got our "money's worth" on our cruise last year, even in drinks alone.  A drink package on a cruise makes it more of an "All-inclusive" vacation resort, which we love.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sounds like everyone is only concerned with "getting their money's worth" in drinks.  In my opinion, convenience adds to the overall value of the packages as well.  My wife and I will be going on our third cruise in a couple weeks and we have vowed to always get a drink package.  

 

I get that convenience is important but why overpay for something you can otherwise get for cheaper?  If you get the package knowing full well you will not break even on the price of the package, then why not just buy drinks a la carte?

 

The tip is automatic anyway with a la carte pricing and you will spend less money than with the package.  Unless of course, you are independently wealthy and then I kindly ask you take me on your cruise :P

 

It is true the package allows you to break up the cost of the cruise BUT you could take that money, stash it somewhere and then bring it onboard and deposit in your guest service account and you've achieved the same result but with more savings.

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Sounds like everyone is only concerned with "getting their money's worth" in drinks.  In my opinion, convenience adds to the overall value of the packages as well.  My wife and I will be going on our third cruise in a couple weeks and we have vowed to always get a drink package.  

 

There are a few things about drink packages that we feel add to the vacation experience:

 

  • You don't have to worry about tipping.  We love that you just sign your slip and walk away.
  • Try as many different drinks as you like!  If you don't like a drink, get another!
  • If you've been sitting by the pool and your drink gets watered down, just get another!  Or, if it's a beer and it gets warm, get another!
  • Peace of mind... It's great to not think about what the bill is going to be at the end of your trip, it's already paid for...  If we didn't get a package my wife, who can be frugal, would always want another drink but probably wouldn't get one.  
  • I also like being able to pay ahead of time for vacations, so I don't have to think about the bill during the vacation.
There's a package for everyone.  If you don't drink mixed drinks, get the beer/wine package.  With these things in mind, my wife and I definitely got our "money's worth" on our cruise last year, even in drinks alone.  A drink package on a cruise makes it more of an "All-inclusive" vacation resort, which we love.
Exactly
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I would agree about the convenience of the packages; however, there's a limit between convenience and costs. If I were to miss out on a couple of dollars per day, I'd be okay with that. But if it were much more, then the convenience wouldn't be worth it for me.

 

As an example, I paid $49 to be the first group on the ship on my Carnival cruise, to have immediate access to my cabin, expedited luggage delivery, priority disembarkation, etc. as this was a convenience to me. For me, the value was there; for others, they'd likely prefer to spend that money elsewhere.

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Carnival charges for that? Wow.

 

I would be one who would not think that was worth $50. Besides getting your room an hour early or so(depending on what time you board), you can get all the other perks for free with Royal, or at least I do.

 

But to each their own. I don't need/want my room or luggage a hour or two earlier than everyone else. I would spend that $49 for the drink package for my first day and drink for free all day.

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Basically, Carnival allows you to buy the perks that the top tier cruisers get for their loyalty. I'd do it again for the simple fact that I was able to access my room upon embarkation and for the express disembarkation. With a kid in tow, self-disembarkation isn't a convenient option and we usually have three full size suite cases and three carry-one as we extend our cruise vacation with a precruise trip to maximize the airfare costs.

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