What is the Drink Package Loophole in Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean International has gained a reputation for offering some of the most exciting and luxurious cruise experiences available. Among the many amenities that enhance a cruise vacation, drink packages stand out as an extremely popular option for guests looking to enjoy unlimited beverages during their journey. But what this costs – a pretty penny indeed – means that some passengers will look to squeeze out all they can from the value of such a package or work around certain rules of the program. And so has emerged what has become known colloquially as the “drink package loophole.” In this blog post, we will take a close look at how Royal Caribbean’s drink packages work, the loopholes that some passengers exploit, and how to best make the most of it all.

Royal Caribbean Drink Packages Overview

Royal Caribbean offers several drink packages that can meet the demands and wallets of different consumers. Knowing what one package covers helps make that decision.

Deluxe Beverage Package

The Deluxe Beverage Package is the most inclusive of all the drink packages that Royal Caribbean offers. This package entails:

• Alcoholic beverages, providing a wide choice of cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, and spirits.

• Sodas and bottled water, specialty coffees, and other non-alcoholic beverages are also part of the package.

• The per-day rate may also vary depending on the length of the cruise and its itinerary. 

• However, generally, it ranges from $55 to $75 per day and can be higher for some sailings or peak season.

This serves the needs of guests who have planned several drinks for the day without caring about the cost of each.

Royal Refreshment Package

Guests can take the Royal Refreshment Package at Royal Caribbean if they prefer soft drinks. This package includes the following:

• Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Sodas, juices, bottled water, mocktails, and specialty coffees are included in this package.

• Price: This package is more affordable than the Deluxe beverage package, with prices ranging from $25 to $35 for each person, each day. 

The Royal refreshment package is suitable for families or those who prefer nonalcoholic beverages. 

Important Policies Regarding Drink Packages

Here is a notable aspect of the Royal Caribbean drink package, if a guest in a particular cabin chooses the Deluxe package then all other adults in that particular cabin must buy the same package. This may cause lots of confusion and frustration to guests who want different options given their drinking habits.

Drink Package Loophole Explained

1. Booking Separate Packages

One of the most effective strategies here is calling Royal Caribbean’s customer service a few weeks before your cruise and asking them to give the adults in the cabin different drink packages. 

Situation: An adult in a cabin wants to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package, while another adult in the same cabin would prefer the Royal Refreshment Package. Because these packages are not the same, they call customer service before sailing, and with a good explanation, they can get different packages without penalty.

This helps save some cash for those who do not drink, or who want to choose something a little more budget-friendly; one does not have to pay for the Deluxe Beverage Package and still have fun on their cruise.

2. Sharing Drinks

This is not allowed in the policy of Royal Caribbean: Although Royal Caribbean does not allow sharing drinks between guests with different packages, some guests try this by ordering drinks under the name of the person having a Deluxe Beverage Package and then sharing it with others. It may seem to be an easy way to save money but that has many risks.

• Probabilities of Detection: The waiters will be on the lookout for orders of drinks. When they identify a drink being circulated and shared among passengers with different packages, they may intervene.

• Consequences: In the case of circulating drinks, travelers have the possibility of losing the drink package without being compensated. The traveler is disappointed and frustrated at the vacationing stage.

 3. Reseating for Lower Rates

Another popular ploy is to purchase a drink package a few months ahead and observe the rising prices from there until embarkation day. When the price goes down:

• Cancel and Rebook: The person can cancel their original booking and book at the new lower price. If done correctly, this can be thousands of dollars in savings.

• Watch the Prices Closely: Pay attention through your cruise planner or contact customer service about updates in the price.

• Notice the Dates: Know any cancellation or change dates after which you might be charged a fee to modify your drink package.

4. Smuggling Liquor Onboard

A few guests sneak liquor on board to save money on drinks by hiding them in personal items, like mouthwash bottles or flasks.

It is a policy violation with Royal Caribbean that could lead to extreme penalties if caught.

Passengers caught attempting this may have their alcohol confiscated or even be banned from future cruises with Royal Caribbean.

Loophole Exploitation Risks

On the surface, loopholes appear to be appealing to be exploited; however, there are several risks passengers should watch out for:

1. Package Cancellation

If Royal Caribbean eventually discovers that passengers share drinks or otherwise evade their policies:

Package Cancellation: The company will cancel a purchased drink package without refunding the amount spent.

In this manner, consumers may not be psychologically geared for the expense associated with drinks consumed on their cruise.

2. Litigation

Getting alcohol onboard could also breach the cruise lines’ rules and can have legal action when searched by security:

Possible Fines or Bans: For travelers, there an odds of getting a penalty or even being barred from ever sailing aboard Royal Caribbean.

3. Reduction in Enjoyment

Struggle to defeat rules may erode the overall enjoyment of the cruise experience:

Risk of Getting Caught: The concern may be getting caught or receiving penalties rather than relaxing and having a good time.

Getting the Most from Drink Packages for Better Beverage Value

For those who are keen to keep their activities within the confines of what Royal Caribbean allows but yet would like to get the best beverage experience, consider these options:

1. Establish Your Drinking Habits

Before you decide to purchase a drink package:

Assess Your Needs: Determine how much you drank during the previous cruises or similar vacations.

If you are a heavy drinker, consuming five or more drinks per day, you may find that the Deluxe Beverage Package covers its own cost; otherwise, you may want to opt for paying for drinks when you want them.

 2. Take Advantage of Included Drinks

Both packages bring you soda, coffee, and bottled water under the umbrella of complimentary beverages:

Don’t Waste Them: Take advantage of these as they apply to your cruise.

If you don’t take advantage of these complimentary drinks, you pay for drinks that you would have otherwise bought yourself.

3. Strategically order drinks

To get the most from your package:

Strategic ordering: Order drinks at strategic intervals over the day rather than gulping them down all in one go.

Drink cocktails at lunchtime in poolside bars and wine at dinnertime.

4. Use Promotions

Stay on the lookout for sales or promotions on drink packages before your cruise sets sail or while you are sailing:

Check Frequent: Check Royal Caribbean’s website or sign up for the emails that will send you “deal of the week” type deals.

The savings can be dramatic, and it can make the overall experience so much nicer.

Other Factors To Consider When Choosing a Drink Package

When deciding whether you would like to spend your hard-earned cash for a drink package on Royal Caribbean, this could affect your decision:

1. Duration of your Cruise

The number of days you’re going to spend on the cruise determines whether a drink package is worth buying or not for you:

• As you spend more time drinking onboard because you’re able to go ashore on excursions or take part in activities, individual purchases could become less expensive for shorter cruises, like 3–4 nights.

• For cruises of 7 nights or more, since you’ll spend additional time aboard you are probably to consume a couple of beverages per day. When buying a drink package usually tends to be the better value for money.

2. Region/Travel Style

Consider where you’re cruising:

• Port Calls with Short Onboard Time: You probably won’t get the best bang for a drink package when making port calls to destinations where the amount of onboard time is going to be very short.

• Several sea days: If your cruise includes many sea days where you would spend most of your time aboard and indulge in facilities like pools and bars, a drink package may make a difference.

3. Board special events

Royal Caribbean often organizes special activities like wine tastings or mixology classes, and these are also factors in whether you should or shouldn’t buy a drink package.

Attending Functions: If you are attending any of these functions that include drinks, weigh this into your overall consumption when deciding whether you should spend the extra to buy a drink package.

Conclusion

The so-called “drink package loophole” of Royal Caribbean has showcased how far some passengers may go to save pennies on drinks during a cruise. Since there are indeed legitimate ways around the associated drink packages laws, through booking different packages for adults in a cabin, among others, some precautions must be taken to avoid risks such as circumvention of policies or unlawful sharing of drinks.

In the end, knowing your drink habits and having made smart choices about drink packages can give you a happy cruise experience without breaking any bank – said shady practices. Instead, best practices and respect for Royal Caribbean’s practices will be one solution to have full enjoyment in time at sea and control the costs incurred with drinks.

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