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Are we getting value for our drinks packages?


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I think you need to look at overall costs and how much you actually will drink. Yes, the drink prices are nuts right now but we all know inflation is up so this isn't a complete surprise. You'd have to compare the prices of each cruise and what you're actually getting for your money. 

 

Royal is more budget friendly to me at this point plus, if the drink package is too expensive, I don't buy it and pay as I go. 

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I have yet to NOT save money by purchasing a drinks package. I drink at least $100 each day (coffees, colas, juices, alcoholic combined), and I don't suffer from drink fatigue, so it has to be priced very high for me not to indulge in a drinks package. The most I have paid so far is $53pppd.

I wont sail on any that cruise company's ships anyways.

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8 minutes ago, Pooch said:

I think you’ll find the package price is now much closer to your $100 per day average consumption.  Our next cruise is $86 including tip pppd.  My limit is $70ish so unless they run a great sale, we will pay as we go.

LoL, 1 said at least* $100 - But again, I have never paid more than $53(including tip)pppd, even my upcoming 12 night cruise only cost me $48(including tip) currently selling for $82 on the cruise planner. I haven't had to make the hard math decision to date:) But I would probably switch cruise lines, or do all inclusive resort stays going forward if it becomes more than it is worth.  I'm in the UK so we historically have seen a lot of good last minute vacation deals. 

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Bored this morning and created this comparison to your Competitor pricing with my Sunday 5/15 sailing on Voyager.  Hope this doesn't violate any Blog posting rules!  Forgot to add that Drinks are a max price of $18 vs $13 on Royal.  I have no Idea what the average drink price is on either Cruise line.

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I think it depends on what the prices on board per drink are.  If the drink package prices are up 25%, I would imagine the prices per drink are up as well.  So are the $13 drinks now $16?  If that is the case, I think overall people will just drink less.  The next cruise I have booked that I don't already have a drink package purchased for is next February.  It's currently $77, which makes it $90 with gratuity.  Last week it was $72.  I am confident it will drop below $72 on some sale at some point.  If Black Friday / Cyber Monday comes and goes and it doesn't drop, then I guess I will have to make a hard decision.  I am in the $100 per day group, anything less than that and I will benefit.  My wife will not however, she is more of a $60 per day break even point.  Oh well, first world problems I guess.   

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But wouldn't the "worth" be everything in total?

If the base fare for a princess cruise is $3200pp all-inclusive for an interior room. You would also have to factor in the value of each offer because it is all-inclusive. The base fare is $1400 for same room on RCG, once you add $590 for DX, $100 for specialty dining, $140 for internet and $180 for photo package; you get around $2400.  If you don't take photos, is that value? How about whatever little gifts they will be giving? With a la carte pricing, you can decide what has value to you and not be forced to take anything you want. So, a drink package might be $80+ and yes it was $55 or less years ago; if you know you are going to drink $100+ in drinks it will still save you $20+ a day.

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6 hours ago, BigKarl said:

Bored this morning and created this comparison to your Competitor pricing with my Sunday 5/15 sailing on Voyager.  Hope this doesn't violate any Blog posting rules!  Forgot to add that Drinks are a max price of $18 vs $13 on Royal.  I have no Idea what the average drink price is on either Cruise line.

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And that is identical rooms?  $527 total for 7 days?  I might have to look at Princess!  Although we would need a suite😁

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11 minutes ago, Pooch said:

And that is identical rooms?  $527 total for 7 days?  I might have to look at Princess!  Although we would need a suite😁

The $527 is the cost of the princess premier package on a 7 day itinerary. The comparison was what you would pay for equivalent ammenites with Royal Caribbean.

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I am a newbie for RCCL.  Our cruise is not until June 2023 so I am hoping for some bargain days between now and then.  But with that said, it just seems like a cash grab for things like The Key and even Voom Surf+stream.  The DBP cost is "discounted" to $72/pp/d as of this writing.  Now, we can afford it, but it makes me ask "just because I can doesn't mean I should".  If the DBP was in the $50-$55 range, I would grab it up in a second. Even though Mrs Fan would lose us money at $20/day. LOL  Anyway, hoping for better discounts in the future.

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Princess limits alcoholic drinks to 15 beverages per person in a 24-hour period, beginning at 6 AM each day....and ordering a double counts as 2......just pointing out additional facts to make sure comparison is truly apples to apples........and not start an argument about being able to actually drink that much or not.

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1 hour ago, Pooch said:

And that is identical rooms?  $527 total for 7 days?  I might have to look at Princess!  Although we would need a suite😁

Pooch,

This package comparison is offered on the cruise itself and does not change for the room unless you are comparing high end Suites on Royal in which case Royal offers Free Wi Fi and Coastal Kitchen which could balance it out a little more.  I was making this comparison for my price range of a Balcony and in that instance this chart applies and does not compare room rates but only the "Package."

Oh, and for full disclosure my math was a little off the 7 day price was $525 and not $527  sorry.

Dodgestang...  Thanks for the correction.  Since I do not drink (anyone want my 5 vouchers a day 🙂 ) I did not know that Royals Premium drink package is unlimited daily drinks(that will make a BIG difference for some).

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15 hours ago, Mike.s said:

Just seen the latest offering from Princess, for $75 pppn you get drinks, wi-fi, gratuities, photos and a couple of specialility restaurants, makes over $80 for drinks alone look expensive.

https://www.cruisehive.com/princess-cruises-details-new-premium-all-inclusive-package/71802

 

 

The devil is always in the details and for Princess the details are it is not unlimited drink package you are limited to only 15 drinks over a 24 hour period. Click on the hyperlink provided in the article and checkout the fine print at the bottom 

If you are a person who does not drink a lot on vacation then yes this sale is a deal.  But I personally like when Royal says unlimited they mean unlimited not unlimited up to 15  alcoholic drinks over a 24 hour span.

Royals DBP has gotten expensive but most of that is the result of out of control inflation.  Liquor prices are up everywhere Royal can't be expected to absorb all of that cost, it has to be passed on to customers. 

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Reading about the cost of the UDP makes me glad I made Signature and Diamond. Between the 4 drinks pppd, unlimited drinks in the casino, free wifi, and two printed pictures /cruise we get to gamble up to @$200 /day for what a UDP would cost.

 

Forgot to mention, we are on semi free cruises due to gambling. Not gloating, just cannot believe RCL gives us such great benefits. Only cruise line I plan to be on except for unique experiences (river cruises etc)

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23 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

But wouldn't the "worth" be everything in total?

If the base fare for a princess cruise is $3200pp all-inclusive for an interior room. You would also have to factor in the value of each offer because it is all-inclusive. The base fare is $1400 for same room on RCG, once you add $590 for DX, $100 for specialty dining, $140 for internet and $180 for photo package; you get around $2400.  If you don't take photos, is that value? How about whatever little gifts they will be giving? With a la carte pricing, you can decide what has value to you and not be forced to take anything you want. So, a drink package might be $80+ and yes it was $55 or less years ago; if you know you are going to drink $100+ in drinks it will still save you $20+ a day.

Well said.

I might add that a direct dollar for dollar price comparison between/among cruise lines is only the beginning to answering this question.  

I have performed mock bookings for our upcoming Alaskan cruise on 2 other cruise lines.  The closest P******s sailing based upon price was for a ship that was MUCH smaller, with much fewer dining options, and WAY FEWER activity amenities, and WAY older than the Ovation of the Seas. 

So...if I were to pay $68/person/day for my drink package and $8/kid/day for soda, I would be gaining so much more in terms of the overall ship features and options. 

Thus, the other cruise lines can keep their included drink packages, I will choose RCCL and pay for my own drinks while enjoying a newer, more advanced, more option providing ship. 

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