Mark Edwards Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 Ovation of the Seas - 12 Night New Zealand Cruise from Sydney AU (March 11th 2023) Our cruise planner just released the Drinks Packages for this cruise and this one being our 4th cruise on RC over the last 10 years we have always booked the drinks package and seem to get great value from it. Our last cruise in December 2018 was priced at $73.00 AUD per day. This cruise has the price at $143.00 AUD per day ($105.00 USD) as of 22/4/22. I can't believe it has gone up so much. We enjoy a drink and the flexibility of the package but at this price we would need to drink 11 cocktails each priced at $13 per day just to break even. I think we will be giving this one a miss this time around. Does anyone else have a similar experience? I know Matt always recommends to book early and cancel later if needed but coming up with $3,438.00 AUD right now is ridiculous. Surely it can't go up higher than this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrey51 Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 It's likely because it's just so early - I don't think a lot of the "sales" kick-in this early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vancity Cruiser Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 The drinks packages for Royal have been sky rocketing. They are testing the consumers breaking point it seems to recoup there losses as quickly as possible I guess. It’s an interesting approach given that some other lines ‘NCL, Princess, Celebrity...’ are going to an all inclusive model. Sure you pay more for the cruise, but not more than when the price of Royals drink package is factored in csrsue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csrsue Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 43 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said: The drinks packages for Royal have been sky rocketing. They are testing the consumers breaking point it seems to recoup there losses as quickly as possible I guess. It’s an interesting approach given that some other lines ‘NCL, Princess, Celebrity...’ are going to an all inclusive model. Sure you pay more for the cruise, but not more than when the price of Royals drink package is factored in And this is why after our two upcoming cruises in May and August, we are looking at Princess for a January cruise instead of another Royal. Allen2, Neesa and Vancity Cruiser 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_UK Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 First cruise in a while coming up where I won't be buying the deluxe package, no way can I justify the cost. Given the cost price is so low I struggle to see the economics but clearly people must be buying it, unless they are now actively trying to discourage package uptake? Rackham 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spang1974 Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 IMO - It can go higher! Not to say it will but I wouldn't bet on it NOT going up even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexster Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 I'm not a drinker and I got the refreshment package, but yeah drinking 11 drinks every single day for 12 days straight just to break even is insane to me. Moby Dick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonNZ Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 10 hours ago, Mark Edwards said: . This cruise has the price at $143.00 AUD per day ($105.00 USD) as of 22/4/22. Simular story for our January Ovation sailing ($156 NZD). That is absolutly insane and absolutly no way we'll be buying a package at that price it is about double what we last broughout it at in Jan 2020. I am hoping it is a mistake or placeholder as they start adding things back into the cruise planner for sailings out of Aust. If not I can't see them selling too many at that price. As you mentioned for many that will be mroe than the cost of their cruise. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AspiringCruisePlanner Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 It's starting to look the most economical to get a bottle, or a few, delivered to you room via Royal Gifts https://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalgifts/wine-liquor/absolut-vodka-and-sprite-package You could get 8 drinks for $44. No gratuity added! MichelleB1234 and DDaley 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 Don't forget. You can buy drinks as you go without a package. Moby Dick, Lexster and ChanaC 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tkrych Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 Same for me. I have a cruise booked in June 2023 on Oasis and it's $98 USD per day. That's the highest, I've ever seen it. Now I know a sale will lower it eventually, but I don't recall ever paying more than $53 per day and the most recent cruise I was on was the first one out of the Bahamas on the Adventure post pandemic in 2021. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexster Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 17 minutes ago, smokeybandit said: Don't forget. You can buy drinks as you go without a package. Right, I think it's easy to think you need a package. If you only have a couple drinks per day, it's way cheaper to just calculate a budget per day and stick with it. Neesa and Vancity Cruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 10 hours ago, Mark Edwards said: Ovation of the Seas - 12 Night New Zealand Cruise from Sydney AU (March 11th 2023) Our cruise planner just released the Drinks Packages for this cruise and this one being our 4th cruise on RC over the last 10 years we have always booked the drinks package and seem to get great value from it. Our last cruise in December 2018 was priced at $73.00 AUD per day. This cruise has the price at $143.00 AUD per day ($105.00 USD) as of 22/4/22. I can't believe it has gone up so much. We enjoy a drink and the flexibility of the package but at this price we would need to drink 11 cocktails each priced at $13 per day just to break even. I think we will be giving this one a miss this time around. Does anyone else have a similar experience? I know Matt always recommends to book early and cancel later if needed but coming up with $3,438.00 AUD right now is ridiculous. Surely it can't go up higher than this? If you book a cruise just a few months out, I'd say, by all means, purchase right away and check back for sales. But, when you book early, like a year or two early, I'd say to wait for the first sale to pop up, then purchase ASAP. I'd bet a dollar to a donut that if you book a year or two out, when packages finally show up, there will be a sale and hopefully you notice it. Drink packages aren't like excursions, they don't run out of space/time. This way, like you said, you won't have to put out that initial inflated out lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingNewb Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 I understand the use of hyperbole when frustrated or upset, but "extortionate?" In my line of work, that loaded word is borderline defamatory. Royal Car. is not forcing you with threats for you to buy the package. I don't mean to lessen the effect of the substance of what you are saying, but its just overkill. That price is very high though! Your cruise is in one year from now. There is no need to think that the prices won't go lower. I suppose the opposite is true as well. Why not just wait and see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phideaux2003 Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 Doing Alaska on Ovation in a few weeks and the drink package is mid $70's/per day USD. $105 per day USD for a 10 night cruise is craziness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitsmom Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 3 hours ago, Lexster said: I'm not a drinker and I got the refreshment package, but yeah drinking 11 drinks every single day for 12 days straight just to break even is insane to me. That's my thinking too! Our DBP is $66/day for 12 days for two is $1584. We got the refreshment package for a total of $408, along with our 2 bottles of wine. and will just pay as we go for 1-2 drinks at most a day. We are very port intensive on our 12 night British Isles cruise. There is no way we could comfortably drink enough to pay the difference of $1176! I would rather use that money to book another cruise! USCG Teacher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingNewb Posted April 22, 2022 Report Share Posted April 22, 2022 1 hour ago, phideaux2003 said: Doing Alaska on Ovation in a few weeks and the drink package is mid $70's/per day USD. $105 per day USD for a 10 night cruise is craziness. On one hand, I agree. On the other hand...My spouse and I have a glass of wine or one beer at night when at home. We are not heavy drinkers. When we go out, we will have a couple of cocktails. BUT--a cruise is a vacation right? We plan to have a mimosa for breakfast, a couple of cocktails by the pool or elsewhere, and at least one glass of wine at dinner. We also plan to drink at least a couple bottles of water and at least two coffees a day. That is already about $70 a person per day. So far so good. Now, on port days, we aren't going to be drinking the same as sea days right? So we might only drink half of that amount. Let's figure $35 a person a day on port days. So if you do the math, we can't break even unless we push our limits. Having said that, I have always said that having peace of mind is priceless. We will not have to be doing math in our heads and checking our balances everyday. We won't likely have to visit guest services to pay off a big balance. We can drink more or less without having to think twice. At a certain point, I guess it is no longer economical, but as long as it stays under $80 a day per person, it is worth it for us. WAAAYTOOO and DDaley 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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