Yes, you can just cancel it and buy it again. For this reason, a drinks package may be better value on a cruise with lots of sea days, such as a transatlantic sailing. Classic Soda Package: $12.99-$15 per person, per day. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. The key is to know how you like to cruise and which pros and cons of the drink package are more important to you. Get your Moneys worth when you purchase Royal Caribbeans Drink Package. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? In either case, you will still likely have a great vacation experience. It really boils down to your habits on a cruise and how much you think you might drink. However, in your stateroom will be a corkscrew, so you could simply open the bottle in your room, take your wine bottle and glass of wine out, and drink elsewhere onboard. Frequent users of Royal Caribbean's drink packages become pretty adept at getting more bang for their buck on the packages, but with some advance planning, first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers can also make the most of the packages. How to Cheat Royal Caribbean Drink Package Once purchased, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise. In fact, Royal Caribbean almost always has some kind of special offer to encourage people to book cruises. Before you go ahead and buy the Coffee Card, here are some things youll want to consider: The tap water on Royal Caribbean cruise ships is perfectly safe to drink and tastes okay, although it may not always be very cold, depending on the weather. None of the packagesinclude mini bar items, Evian water, canned sodas, bottled juice and souvenir glassware, specialty beers as listed on bar menus, or super premium category beverages. We just came back from a Cruise to Nowhere aboard the Quantum of the Seas as well. !I just cant afford that and i dont see how its justified. Some muster stations are outside, some are inside with seats. One of the most popular ways to potentially cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package is by bringing your own alcohol on board. Or BYO seltzer, and make wine spritzers. Royal Caribbean offers a choice of three all-inclusive drinks packages: Deluxe Beverage Package Refreshment Package (No alcohol) Classic Soda Package Deluxe Beverage Package $63 - $89 per day Royal Caribbean's alcohol drinks package includes: Beer Wine by the glass Cocktails and mocktails Spirits and liquors Premium teas and coffees And with so many tantalizing choices on each bar menu, the temptation to grab a drink is always present. Savings - You can save money with a drink package (versus paying for each drink a la carte), but you have to be a certain kind of drinker and not waste the daily package benefits. Before purchasing any drink package, be sure to do your homework and do the math of how much you have to drink, every day of your cruise for it to make sense. Hi Rebecca. If you want to cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package, there are a few things you can do. Disclaimer: I have never tried to cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package and am in no way encouraging you to do it. The cocktails in the Bamboo Lounge are a little different to the poolside cocktails, the have fancier glasses and the ingredients may be different too. Hi Kristin. Each time I try to untick one adult, it would untick us both. Another way that people cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package is to sneak their own booze on board with them. The thing is, the number one reason to buy a drink package is to save money, otherwise why would it exist. Do Royal Caribbean offer drink packages on three night cruises? Once purchased, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise. You likely still have some more questions, and we will dig into them below and get them answered. Weve never bought a drink package, always paid per drinkbut are considering this trip. Jenni. What should I do to highlight this so as not to embarrass him on board. On cruises departing from the UK, the gratuity is included in the price of each drink as shown on the menu, so the menu prices may appear higher. Is this due to the situation at the moment or have they stopped selling drinks package online. Good luck! It's not like you can just stick the drink package sticker on your cruise card and get free drinks for the entire cruise. But in most cases, it probably isnt. Read more:How to purchase Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink packages. But I have one question. Stay hydrated for onboard thrills with water or favorite fountain sodas to fill your Coca-Cola souvenir cup. The Deluxe Beverage Package includes any single beverage item with a value of up to $12: Fountain soda and refills at any venue. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package for one guest and the Refreshment Package for another guest. One way guests sneak liquor on a Royal Caribbean cruise is to take advantage of the two bottles of wine per cabin policy but replace the wine with hard liquor. Required fields are marked *. You can even request the brands to be used in making your cocktails. There are three of us going on the cruise May 22nd my self, my wife, and a cousin. Or is that extra? When you consider all of these, you might not see a need for a drink package at all. This means a drink package cannot be shared by more than one person. The various plans provide guests with unlimited drinks that can be used at any bar or restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships (and private destinations). Pack Your Own Wine First is one way is one Royal Caribbean allows which is bringing your own wine onboard the ship. Ive just contacted RCI via messenger and asked them why the price on my cruise planner is a lot more than what Ive seen offered for new cruise bookings, and asked if I can have it at the same price. A Royal Caribbean drink package offers the choice to enjoy an unlimited amount of drinks for a fixed daily price. These drinks are included in your drink package, which is great, as on MSC Cruises ships, drinks made by the MSC robotic bartender are not. If you wish to recognise outstanding service by adding extra gratuities onboard the ship, you are welcome to do so. So, instead of buying a drink package, you would just drink your own booze instead. Here's the breakdown: $133 for 16 gin & tonics at the bar. While theres a requirement for all adults in a stateroom to have the package, Royal Caribbean doesnt require kids to get any package at all. How To Cheat Royal Caribbean Drink Package - Answerim For most people, this is limited to the occasional glass of free fizz at an art auction or similar event. Instead, while others are queuing, you can be ordering your first drink! They worked for about half a drink before they collapse. Jenni. On the other hand, your local restaurants may serve up drinks for a fraction of the cost of what you will find at Boleros. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. The price per night of the Deluxe Beverage package varies from ship to ship, and sailing to sailing. Yes, thats correct. We are travelling with Royal Caribbean for the first time and are considering purchasing the Deluxe drinks package. If purchased during your cruise, guests will pay for the remaining nights of their cruise. Hi, I'm Jenni. Did you know you can take your free water bottles off the ship on excursion days? It reminds us of cell phone plans and why so many people prefer unlimited data plans rather than fixed-data plans. Another difference from the other drink packages is you are allowed to share the coffee card benefits with another guest. Also, bear in mind what happens if you are caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise. The Classic Sodapackage is what was once called by many guests, "the soda card". Cheating the Royal Caribbean Drink Package can be done with a few simple tricks. But by the glass its included. Unlike the other drink packages, the coffee card is not unlimited. Whipped cream etc. To work out if a drinks package is worth it, you need to work out how many drinks you would need to drink each day to break even. So you would need to let someone else be served and then order again. Could please do insurance recommendations. 10 Cruise Alcohol Hacks for Better Drinking on the Cheap Use a travel agent: One way to get a discount on your Royal Caribbean drink package is to book your cruise through a travel agent. In this case, youd be charged for the whole drink. When using a drink package, I always struggle with the question of, "Am I ordering a drink because I want one or because I have a drink package?" For cruises that start elsewhere, its 18. Whichever package you choose, you must buy it for every adult passenger for every day of your cruise. Not sure if Id risk it though! However, you can get all-inclusive cruise package deals that have drinks included. It's similar with the Royal Caribbean beverage package. Usually, Royal Caribbean will allow the other adult(s) to purchase a less-expensive drink package, such as the Refreshment Package. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. Find your drink package and click View Details, followed by Cancel. Whilst it was nice to be able to fill up my drink from the machine, I didnt like that I had to carry the cup everywhere with me. This is different from other cruise lines like MSC which make kids also get one. So Im booked and considering the drinks package. Tap water is always free of charge on Royal Caribbean cruises and there are lots of places you can get it on the ship. When the ship is docked at a port, guests are allowed to leave the ship and explore the local area. Royal Caribbean drink packages go on sale in the Cruise Planner every few weeks with advertised discounts of between 10% and 30%. Royal Caribbean would not roll out something that offers no savings and expect people to pay for it, right? On the first day of your cruise, you may see signs offering Buy One Get One Free deals on drinks packages. Classic Soda: $12.99 per person, per day. Every day there will be a "drink of the day," where one drink is discounted about 20%. We know the drink package is expensive and people are searching for this information and are simply providing it. I have some tips for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/taking-a-baby-on-a-cruise-ship/ Jenni, Many thanks, very useful. You would most likely just lose your alcohol. Manage Settings Wines are available to purchase by the bottle. My gf is a big tea drinker and is considering the package purely for that. On my last Royal Caribbean cruise on Anthem of the Seas, it was a seven-night cruise from Southampton so I didnt get a drinks package. We had a short four-night cruise to Royal Caribbeans private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas. The price of a drink package can change many times before the cruise begins and this is because of various sales offered. I have a question about the free drinks thoughcan we bring our own reusable water bottles to fill them up with the free lemonade/ice tea or are cups readily available for us to use? would i be charged the difference between a virgin pina colada and a pina colada with alcohol? Getting caught will get your drink package canceled or can result in. If you are caught sharing your Royal Caribbean Drinks package, it will be canceled, and you will not receive a refund. Come have . It does not mean you will actually save any money, as you still need to drink enough each day of your cruise to make a drink package worthwhile. Hi, I would Like to know something. If youre caught, youll lose your whole package with no refund. For many, its also about getting around some of the drink package instructions, which limit to buying a certain amount of drinks. How to Cheat Royal Caribbean Drink Package (2023) Click the button above to compare the prices of cruises from all travel agents. However, the cruise line no longer offers these discounts. You should think about how much time you plan to spend on the ship. Thanks for this . Water. However, you can get a drink every 15 minutes so it is possible to get the occasional drink for your child on the sly. We were exploring ports almost every day. The discount is increased by up to 30% during promotional periods such as Black Friday. Refreshment: $29 per person, per day. So, if you want to save a few dollars on wine, this is the way to do it. This includes the gratuities for any beverages you order. Does that include the 16.36% gratuity or will I be charged another 16.36% of 856, which would be another 140 approx ? drink with blended scotch and Drambuie on ice. I have a question. Cruise Drink & Beverage Packages | Royal Caribbean Cruises Start your morning off with a cup of premium coffee or tea and freshly-squeezed juice. Cheating the Royal Caribbean drinks package completely isnt really possible. pineapples) arenotincluded with the drink package, however a portion of the drink price is subsidized by the beverage package. I was wondering. Cocktail - $14. If it drops, cancel the package and re-buy it at the lower price. The lowest prices can often be found during the Black Friday sale period. Royal Caribbean drink package - your top questions answered I am curious why some of the same drinks are over $13 in one location and $12 or less in another. There are also lots of free drinks available including flavoured water, water and milk as well as fruit juices at breakfast time. Instead, they can order soft drinks and discreetly add their own alcohol directly to the drink. Likewise, shorter cruises have a tendency to have more of a party atmosphere than longer cruises. Do we need separate soft drinks packages for the kids or can they share ours? What Happens if Caught Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise? You can buy a Royal Caribbean drinks package either before you sail via Royal Caribbeans Cruise Planner, or on board the ship on the first day of your cruise. The best way to get a deal on a Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy one as early as you can and then re-price when there are price drops. So Im noticing all the cool mixed cocktail drinks are priced. Each card is good for 15 punches. Hi Michael. You will also find some fountain-style drinks at the buffet. Royal Caribbean offers a discount when you pre-book your drinks package on the cruise planner before you sail. If you celebrate a milestone birthday mid-way through the cruise, you should ask the Guest Services Manager to modify your record to allow you to drink alcohol after your birthday. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. But, the cup doesnt seal so you have to keep it upright. And refuel for evening adventure with non-alcoholic cocktails. Royal Caribbean does not require guests under the legal drinking age to buy any kind of drinks package. And you also have to wash it yourself so be sure to bring dish soap and a sponge. How to Cheat Royal Caribbean Drink Package? Can I ask there is a limit of bringing drinks on board yourselves but how do they actually know if you have brought more than the allowance? Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Can I opt out of the gratuities scheme ?, we prefer to tip directly to people who give good service. To get around this, they have introduced, like most cruise lines nowadays, a rule whereby if anyone wants to purchase a drinks package in a cabin, everyone staying in the cabin of drinking age has to purchase a drinks package too! If you spot any further discounted offers, you can simply cancel your initial order penalty free and replace it by ordering the new cheaper offer price.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruiseshiptraveller_com-leader-2','ezslot_8',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruiseshiptraveller_com-leader-2-0'); If you wait to purchase the drinks package until on the ship, you will generally have to pay a higher price and wait in a long queue for pleasure! If someone told me I could save more money by doing some simple math every day, you bet I would bring my calculator onboard. You might be wondering what you get with a drink package and if it's really worth it to spend all that money on one. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. And they also make it very hard for anyone to actually do that. This includes unlimited everything from non-alcoholic beverages to premium coffee and bottled water. The drink packages also work at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee. . Royal Caribbean advertises that its drink packages can be purchased at any point in a cruise, provided there are at least four days left in the cruise. If you book a Star Class suite on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, complimentary Deluxe Beverage Package is included for every guest in the room. Royal Caribbean guests wishing to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise via the Cruise Planner web site or once onboard their ship. Each drink package purchased is per guest, and may only be used by the person buying it. Most people dont know this, but there are actually quite a few drinks that are free of charge on Royal Caribbean cruises. Order non-alcoholic drinks, like juice, coffee, and soda, throughout the day as part of your drinks package. Is it worth it to by a drink package? But, heres what some people have been known to do. Although that is listed together with more serious infringements. First-time cruisers will hopefully find this post as a good jumping off point for further reading on the drink packages. Simpler to have one cost that covers everything, than worry about "going over.". Were booked on the Liberty of the Seas cruise in November 2020. Royal Caribbean offers a choice of three all-inclusive drinks packages: Royal Caribbeans alcohol drinks package includes: Royal Caribbeans non-alcoholic drinks package includes: The Classic Soda Packages comes with a refillable souvenir cup which you can use at self-service machines across the ship. Royal Caribbean Rules for Deluxe Drinks Package. I had the drink package so I didnt get the answer to this. Expensive Cruises are expensive enough. Hi Aoife. The whole notion of not having to worry about receipts, gratuity or how much a drink costs holds less water for us. 1 Buy your drink package before the cruise. Fresh squeezed orange juice and sodas etc. Here are some of the top ways to "cheat" Royal Caribbean drinking packages. You can ask for a jug of iced water in any restaurant or get iced water by the glass for free at any bar. It is impossible to completely cheat the Royal Caribbean drinks package. Just pop your email in the form and Ill send you a link to the calculator. You can read more about those here: How to Sneak Alcohol on a Cruise Ship. If you plan to be off the ship exploring ports most days, then not only will you not have as much time on board to drink your drinks, but youre also less likely to want a hangover! The drink package benefits will save the most money for folks that drink a lot during the day and spread their drinking out throughout the course of their day and night. This information is brill thanks. Spirit and mixer - $9 to $11+. Cruise Alcohol Packages 2021 | How To Cheat The System This gratuity is compulsory and cannot be taken off. It varies depending on the sailing, and prices also go up and down as the sailing date nears. or would i be charged for the whole pina colada with alcohol? There is a point to be made about pre-purchasing a drink package months before your cruise, paying it off then and then later going on your cruise and not dealing with a bill at the end of your cruise that makes you cringe (or worse). I was drinking a Rusty Nail on my last cruise and thats a drink small enough where the bartender poured me doubles to keep me from coming back so much. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Just dont be ordering drinks and blatantly passing them to someone else in front of the bartender or waiter. Each package provides guests with an unlimited allotment of servings of the specific beverages their package includes. When you log into the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner, it wont actually let you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package for just one adult. Whether you order from the bar, main dining room, or a specialty restaurant, soda will cost extra on Royal Caribbean. When you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package or the Refreshment Package, you also get the souvenir cup and so have all the benefits of the Classic Soda Package. The price of Royal Caribbeans Deluxe Beverage Package is not fixed. Worth It? Complete Guide to Royal Caribbean's Drink Package Great blog. Its all or none. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you book your cruise during a free drinks offer, then you will get drinks included with your cruise. On Anthem of the Seas and other Quantum-class ships you can order drinks from the robotic bartender. You can also get cold coffee drinks at the coffee bars. Drinks that are served in a souvenir cup/glass/mug and/or drinks served inside fruit (i.e. All rights reserved. Sterilisers? So you cant get the Royal Cribbean alcohol package for one person and the soft drink package for another. You can usually find other drink specials throughout your cruise. Is the alcohol package for you? I had it on a 4-night cruise. You may be better off opting to pay for drinks as you go as its hard to break even without drinking a lot of alcohol each day. Usually, the Deluxe Beverage Package runs somewhere between $40 - $52 per person, per day when purchased in advance. I have a guide that debates that question for you here: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/refuse-pay-gratuities-on-cruise/. Whole Cabin everyone in the cabin has to buy it. Today we dive into a controversial cruise line topic. The drink packages can be redeemed at pretty much any restaurant or bar on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship or private destination. What about couples where one person drinks and the other person doesnt? For a simple system, it can be surprisingly complex, do not feel bad if it takes some reading before you fully understand how the drink package works and whether it is a good for for your party. How do I purchase a drink package for 1 and a soft drinks package for 1 because of a medical condition, Hi Jill, Im considering booking a drinks package with Royal Caribbean. So do you have to buy a drink package for every day of your trip or can you buy for just 3 days of your trip. Grab fruit and sugar from the buffet and some booze from the bar, and make your own in-cabin sangria for a happy hour on your balcony. Enjoy reading all you write about cruising. Because of the high drinks prices and the limited amount of alcohol you can bring on the cruise, some people cheat on the drinks package by attempting to sneak alcohol on the cruise ship. Look for discounts up to 72 hours before you set sail. Are you going to be spending much of your time by the pool or are you someone that will be doing other activities where drinking may not always be an option. Royal Caribbean offer discounts to people who buy their drinks packages online in advance of their cruise. Where did you see the cheaper prices for the new cruise bookings? Prices for the non-alcoholic drink packages are obviously much cheaper. Generally speaking, Royal Caribbean does not offer its drink packages for free, but it does regularly offer discounts on them. You will have to contact Royal Caribbean directly, as you cannot do this online. Royal Caribbean Drink Package loophole * NEW FOR 2020 As a person who rarely drinks and had to buy a package for myself so that my husband could have one, does this mean Im paying an extra dollar or two if I decide Id like to try one of these drinks. There might be the most amazing drink on the menu, but you cannot bring yourself to spend $14 (or more) on it because that sounds too expensive for just one drink. Hi Maria, By booking a drink package early you lock in the price and guard against a price increase, but can still take advantage of a price decrease. There's usually always a good sale for Black Friday, too. Got it for 39 pppd day! These include alcoholic beverages that are not part of the house brands, such as top-shelf liquor and wine by the bottle. There are some other ways you can sneak booze on boar too. On the Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships, the drinks package limit is $13 rather than $12 to account for these ships having slightly higher drinks prices. The Royal Caribbean drink package is expensive. As the drink package offers an unlimited number of drinks per day, you might be considering this as an option. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. ? The bar staff were always encouraging me to let them make up drinks rather than stick the menu, so Im sure they wouldnt mind you asking. Example pool vs Bamboo. If purchased during your cruise, guests will pay for the remaining nights of their cruise. My two sons are coming on the cruise with me. Lets get more into the nitty-gritty of the 2023 Royal Caribbean drink package. 2023 Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons That is probably enough background on Royal Caribbean's drink packages. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Thinking about using it? There are some exceptions to this rule. Free drink packages are rare. All I can see is my cruise planner prices which are $95+ per day!! Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring up to two 750ml bottles of wine per stateroom with them. It is important to note that you are not always forced into paying full prices for drinks. If the other adult(s) in the same stateroom do not wish to purchase a Deluxe Beverage Package, you can call Royal Caribbean and ask for an exemption. Is is possible to buy the package for less days than those of your cruise? You cant pick and choose what days to have the package, you have to have it every day. Cheating the Royal Caribbean drinks package completely isn't really possible. Here is what is included during the sale: Star Class staterooms are the highest . Im not saying do it, but people do it. Should you purchase the drinks package on your next cruise? 4 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package - Cruise Mummy I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Taking on board their favorite typically strong liquor saves them even having to buy the drinks package in the first place. With the acquisition of 80 points (equivalent to 80 nights at sea), guests become Diamond members. ), I have just updated this post as the gratuity on Royal Caribbeans drinks packages is now 18% for 2021. The only places you cannot use your drink package are withroom service, minibar or Starbucks. But, its still going to inflate the price of your cruise by several hundred dollars, maybe more. Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring wine onboard but charge a $15 corkage fee if you consume in public areas of the ship. Be the first to rate this post. How much extra does Royal Caribbean charge for a double? The Deluxe Beverage Package includes drinks with liquor up to $14 in value. If the price does drop, you can always call Royal Carribbean to cancel it and book it again at the lower price. Or relegating ourselves to drink the same old drinks because we know we like them. These discounts have the potential to add to the potential value a guest can get from a drink package, but remember any discount does not necessarily make the value proposition a drink package offers a "slam dunk" deal. Do you plan to buy a drinks package on your next cruise? If you have questions, ask them there, too. ? Royal Refreshment Drink Package: $29-38 per person, per day. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. You can then compare this total with the exact price of the drinks package for your cruise (shown on your Royal Caribbean cruise planner) to easily work out whether the drinks package is worth it or not. If you wish to drink it in public areas then youll have to pay a corkage fee of $15 per bottle. However, prices seem to have increased recently, with an upcoming cruise quoting a sale price of $83.99 and an onboard price of $105! If you are someone that enjoys having many drinks every day, it can definitely save you money with a Royal Caribbean drink package. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Glass of wine - $9 to $16+. So, could you order an orange juice for your kid and then go back to get your own drink 15 minutes later? Id suggest asking Royal Caribbean, theyre usually very quick to reply on Facebook.