- Royal Caribbean currently uses dynamic pricing for its drinks package which means that prices constantly change.
- Some guests can end up paying much more than others for their drinks packages, but on the plus side, it also means good deals can be found.
- Should Royal Caribbean switch to a fixed price for drinks packages?
Royal Caribbean has often been a topic of cruise conversations for the fact that its drinks package system works differently to other cruise lines. While most cruise lines offer a fixed price for their drinks packages, Royal Caribbean has a different way of doing things.
Their drinks package change due to a dynamic pricing structure in price which is attributed to the demand of the offer.
Some RCI Australian cruisers have reported paying wildly different prices for Royal Caribbean drinks package, with some claiming to have found packages as low as $75 per day, while on Black Friday, some Royal Caribbean customers saw the package marked down from a massive $183 per day. These could mean cruisers pay up to $105 difference. Over a 10-day cruise, this equates to $1050 in difference.
It’s rare, though, for a drinks package to cost that much, and $110 – $120 is a more realistic per-day price, but this can still lead to some customers having to pay an extra $30 or $40 per day when compared to others.
The argument can be made that the positive of this system is that people can get good deals on their package and end up paying less than they would have to with other lines that employ a fixed price.
The current system rewards people who are willing to refresh the cruise planner every day and check if prices have lowered, as well as those who are aware of tips and hacks, such as the fact that if the price drops, you can cancel your package and rebook under the new price.
This means that savvy cruisers who are commonly in online forums and cruise communities often end up finding the good prices, but others may be completely unaware that they could have paid less.
Royal Caribbean could move to a more traditional system and simply put a fixed price for the drinks package, and alert customers by email if they run promos on the price. While some cruisers would likely be happy to have a more fixed price and a bit less stress, others might be upset that their chance at a good deal is gone.
What cruisers have been saying
Cruisers were recently discussing the frustrating process of waiting for Black Friday sales to get the drinks package, only to see that the prices barely dropped for their cruise.
One cruiser wrote in an online cruise forum: “These “Black Friday” deals on drinks packages are a joke … .I thought they were meant to be real cost saving offers.
“For two weeks now, the Deluxe Drinks package has been sitting at $117/118 per day. Guess I won’t be buying them if this is the lowest it’s gonna get.”
Another wrote: “Every year people are upset about Black Friday sales especially in relation to drink packages . This year Black Friday sales appear to be concentration on dining packages, specialty dining and tours.
“Next year it will be something different.”
Many other cruisers reported paying a vastly different range of prices and were frustrated and confused by the differences. However, others were happy to have got a better deal than usual and felt satisfied that there their efforts
This only serves to strengthen the debate, should Royal Caribbean keep their current system or switch to a fixed price drinks package?
Royal Caribbean’s drinks package prices explained
How do Royal Caribbean’s drinks package prices work?
While the exact ‘formula’ isn’t known, Royal Caribbean’s drinks package prices are dynamic. This generally suggests that the fewer people that have purchased one, the cheaper the package will be for that particular cruise, and vice versa. The price can also change due to promos or your status levels.
What if I already have the drinks package and I see a lower price?
If you see a price lower than what you’ve paid for a drinks package, with Royal Caribbean you can simply cancel your current package and pay again at the newer price.
Does everyone in a cabin need to get a drinks package?
If one member of a cabin wants to get a drinks package, all adult members need to purchase one as well. There are no exceptions for medical reasons or otherwise.
Where do I purchase a drinks package?
You can find the drinks package option in your Cruise Planner. You can also purchase one once your on board, but this will generally be more expensive.
What is a good price for a Royal Caribbean drinks package in Australia?
Many cruisers report paying as lower as $80, give or take a few dollars. However, this price will not appear on every cruise. A standard price is about $120, so if you see a price much higher than this, you might want to wait before purchasing the package.
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We prefer all inclusive cruises for the value they provide. We’ve bought packages on different lines and they don’t represent value. We’ve found it is often difficult to find the prices of drinks when we are planning a cruise and debating the package. The other problem we have encountered often enough is for the named beverage to have magically ‘run-out’ and replaced by something inferior at the same or higher price.
Dynamic pricing is such blatant extortion, with all of the cruise lines costs being fixed its costs them the same whether demand is high or low. Because of the greed of many lines we now cruise less and only with reputable lines.