Latest news with #DeluxeBeveragePackage
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Celebrity Cruises faces issue; Royal Caribbean tightens key rule
Celebrity Cruises faces issue; Royal Caribbean tightens key rule originally appeared on TravelHost. After having cruises on two of its ships canceled or significantly disrupted by technical issues in July, Celebrity Cruises is seeing its string of bad luck continue into August. A third Celebrity Cruises ship has now joined Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Beyond in experiencing technical difficulties this summer. The cruise line's troubles began in early July when a minor electrical fire on board Celebrity Infinity led to major problems. The ship experienced a power failure and technical issues afterward that forced it to cancel the rest of its port stops and stay docked in Kusadasi, Turkey for days as emergency repairs were completed. Then, Celebrity Beyond, one of the cruise line's newest Edge Class ships, began experiencing propulsion problems that are now slowing down the rest of its summer cruise season in the Caribbean. Despite canceling a cruise in July so the ship could undergo emergency repair work, the cruise line had to adjust cruise itineraries through October to accommodate the ship's reduced sailing speed. Now, another Celebrity Cruises ship sailing in the Mediterranean experienced a sudden setback that left many passengers concerned. Doug Parker shared details on the latest Celebrity Cruises snag, and other cruise news, including how Royal Caribbean is tightening a key beverage package policy, on the Aug. 4 edition of Cruise News Constellation loses power while sailing in Italy Cruise News Today Transcript: This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Good morning, here's your cruise news for Monday, August 4th. Passengers aboard the Celebrity Constellation experienced a full power outage while the ship was sailing off the coast of southern Italy over the weekend. Now, for about two hours, the ship had no air conditioning, no flushing toilets or hot meals. It drifted at a low speed before power was eventually restored and the ship resumed course up to Messina.A report to our tip line says guests were given a free drink and WiFi for the inconvenience. Celebrity Cruises has not commented at the time of broadcast and passengers described poor communication during the blackout. The incident follows other technical issues across two other ships over the past month with Celebrity. In early July, Celebrity Infinity broke down in Turkey where it stayed for five days for repairs while closer to the states, Celebrity Beyond was out of service for a week due to propulsion issues, which are still ongoing. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Royal Caribbean stops making exceptions to drink package rule And Royal Caribbean is tightening enforcement of its drink package policy. Yeah, now while the cruise line has long required all adults in the stateroom buy the Deluxe Beverage Package if one person does, it used to grant exceptions, especially for pregnancies or non-drinking guests. But as of August 1st, that flexibility is long gone. According to Royal Caribbean Blog, a company spokesperson confirmed saying, quote: 'Royal Caribbean will no longer be able to grant exceptions to our policy.' This move follows a rise in people asking for exemption requests and concerns about guests sharing drink Cruise Line cuts costs while upholding standards And during a business update, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings says its 200 million dollars in cost savings this year and 300 million projected by next year won't impact the guest experience. CEO Harry Sommer said that these savings are coming from smarter purchasing and operational efficiencies, not service cuts. He did add that some of the money is actually being reinvested, including upgrading food offerings across the company's 34 ships. CFO Mark Kempa said that guest satisfaction remains strong and that NCL will continue tightening costs while maintaining its onboard standards. Last week, Norwegian reported a total of 2.52 billion in revenue in Q2. That's up six percent from the same quarter last cruise line stocks were down on Friday. Carnival Corporation: down 2.3%, 29.07. Royal Caribbean: down 1%, 314.25. Norwegian: down 4%, 24.50. And Viking: down 2%, 57.56. If you have a lead on a story, let us know: tips@ Here in Seoul, South Korea, I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Monday. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean enforces drink package rule
Royal Caribbean enforces drink package rule originally appeared on TravelHost. Going on vacation usually involves consuming your favorite alcoholic drinks, whether it be a Bahama Mama or a Whisky Sour-that is if you drink alcohol. Many people do, especially on cruises where you don't have to worry about driving. Drink packages are among the most popular add‑ons that cruisers purchase, offering travelers a carefree way to enjoy cocktails, specialty coffees, juices, and sodas throughout their trip—without tallying up each vacationers treat their package as part of the cruise experience—from pool‑deck margaritas at sunset to espresso‑martinis before evening shows. Whatever your favorite drink is if you buy a package, you are probably having more than a few since drink packages can be a big part of your vacation investment. Cruise line veterans and first‑time cruisers should look closely at new rule changes from Royal Caribbean governing its all‑important Deluxe Beverage Package. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Royal Caribbean is not giving out exceptions to the Deluxe Beverage Package rule As of August 1, 2025, the cruise line will no longer allow exceptions to the long‑standing policy that if one adult in a cabin buys the Deluxe Package, all legal‑age adults must do so—including non‑drinkers or those who prefer the lower‑cost Refreshment or Soda packages. This marks one of the most significant policy shifts in years—and while Cruise Hive broke the news, Royal Caribbean has yet to publish a formal memo, press release, or updated site FAQ formally announcing internal statement from Royal Caribbean regarding the Deluxe Beverage Package was provided to Cruise Hive: 'Beginning August 1, Royal Caribbean will no longer be able to grant exceptions to our policy that both guests in a stateroom must purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package…''Over time…requests for exceptions have increased, and sharing of packages has continued, which led us to implement this policy change.' This means that customer‑care overrides, which previously allowed exceptions for one guest to skip Deluxe, are now completely revoked. While Royal Caribbean's formal policy has long required that if one legal‑age guest in a stateroom buys the Deluxe Beverage Package then all other legal‑age guests must also purchase it, the informal practice that once allowed a second adult to choose the Refreshment Package instead has been officially removed. Even if there is a medical reason for not drinking alcohol, the rule will still apply that all persons in a stateroom of legal drinking age will need to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package even if for example, one person is pregnant or simply does not drink alcohol. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. What the Royal Caribbean's drink packages include Typically, the Deluxe Beverage Package runs from around $50 to $100 per day depending on the specific sailing and when you buy the package. The Deluxe Beverage Package includes: Cocktails, spirits, liqeurs and beer Still and sparkling water Wines by the glass Fresh squeezed juices Mocktails Coffees and teas Fountain sodasThe Refreshment Package is around $30 to $45 per day, roughly half of what the Deluxe Beverage Package costs. The Refreshment Package includes: Coffees and teas Still and sparkling water Fresh squeezed orange juice Mocktails Fountain sodas On a typical 7-night cruise, the Deluxe Beverage Package can cost over $700 per person. Maximize Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society perks and drink saving tips If you are a Diamond member of the Crown & Anchor Society you are provided with 4 drink vouchers (up to $14/voucher). If you are Diamond Plus you will receive 5 drink vouchers. This can help offset the cost of buying one or more drink packages. If you are a casino player and you are Prime status or higher with Club Royal, you can get free drinks while playing at the casino. If you consider not buying the drink package and you drink modestly, let's say 4-6 drinks a day, you'd possibly save money just by buying drinks a la carte (drinks range from around $7-$14).There are daily drink specials that can be purchased onboard. While some cruisers may be disappointed by this change, you can still take advantage of savings through sales, not buying drink packages and taking advantage of loyalty perks. If you are a moderate to heavy drinker or plan to really splurge on your trip, rest assured, Royal Caribbean does not have any drink limit to the Deluxe Beverage package, like some other cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
This Royal Caribbean drink package is valid for multiple cruises
Even if you're not the type of cruiser who collects cruise key cards as souvenirs, there's one card you should save if you get one during your Royal Caribbean cruise and plan to sail again. Keeping this drink card in a safe place like your wallet could save you money during your next cruise. Related: Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises announce new reward benefits Although Royal Caribbean's three main drink packages - the Deluxe Beverage Package, Refreshment Package, and Classic Soda Package - are only valid for a single sailing, there's another beverage package that can actually be used for more than one cruise. If you don't hit the limit of drinks purchased with this package during your cruise, you can redeem the remaining drinks on a future sailing - as long as you keep the card you're issued in order to redeem them. With most cruise drink packages, you lose what you don't use, but that's not the case with Royal Caribbean's beverage package for specialty coffee. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Although Royal Caribbean's Specialty Coffee Card package is sold in the same way as other drink packages pre-cruise, it's handled differently on board. Passengers are issued a punch card in order to redeem their specialty coffee drinks included with the package. If you purchase Royal Caribbean's Specialty Coffee Card package for your cruise, you get 15 specialty coffee drinks for a lower price than you would by purchasing them individually. The best part is that if you don't redeem all 15 coffee drinks during your cruise, you can save the coffee card to use on your next Royal Caribbean cruise. Some passengers don't realize this and throw the card out after their cruise. Related: Royal Caribbean waiter saves passengers in freak cruise accident The Specialty Coffee Card package costs around $35 plus gratuities, but may be offered at a discount if booked pre-cruise. Some cruisers have reported recently purchasing it for as low as $27.99, or even $23.99 (plus gratuities), during a sale. To be clear, not all coffee served on a cruise costs extra. Complimentary dining venues on Royal Caribbean ships do serve basic Lavazza coffee, but if you want specialty coffee during your cruise, you will have to pay extra for it. The Specialty Coffee Card may offer a good value for you if you want to enjoy espresso drinks, but there are some considerations and exclusions to note. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. For one punch on your coffee card, you can enjoy one of the following specialty coffee drinks or teas: Single espressoTall espresso-based beverages (hot and cold)Tall chai latteTall hot specialty teaTall hot chocolate Larger coffee drinks and teas are redeemed as two punches on your coffee card. Double-punch coffee drinks include: Double espressoGrande/venti espresso-based beverages (hot and cold)Grande/venti chai latteGrande/venti hot specialty teaGrande/venti hot chocolateFrappuccino The Specialty Coffee Card can be picked up and used at Café Promenade or Café Latte-tudes (and Pearl Café on Icon of the Seas). Related: Royal Caribbean makes casino smoking, loyalty program change If you're sailing on a newer Royal Caribbean ship that also has a licensed Starbucks café, you'll want keep in the mind that the Specialty Coffee Card is not valid at the onboard Starbucks cafe. However, you can use the card for Starbucks brand coffee that's brewed at Café Promenade locations. Unless you're sailing on a ship that has an onboard Starbucks cafe and prefer to get your specialty coffee there, you'll probably find that Royal Caribbean's Specialty Coffee Card is a good buy, especially if you get it on sale. "Sale price works out to $2.20 per tall latte, mocha, etc. (they of course add 18% to your purchase). A grande then is $4.40. Way cheaper than menu pricing," BrainDad-208 noted in a recent Reddit discussion about the coffee package at a sale price of $27.99. "And it's shareable, and transfers to your next cruise." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@ or call or text her at 386-383-2472. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
