Video: Carnival's mistake gives Royal Caribbean beverage edge

Very few passengers pick a cruise based on a drink package.

Many cruisers have a favorite line and stick with that. But, there are some cruisers who look for the best value. They may factor in the ships they're booking, the quality of the ports visited, and how much they will actually spend.

Related: Video: Free dining at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay

That has helped MSC Cruises, for example, win some business in theory at the expense of Royal Caribbean and Carnival. MSC Cruises often has a lower price overall when you factor in that it offers bundles, including a drink package and WiFi.

Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line sell everything on an a la carte basis. Carnival has a set price for its Cheers beverage package, $82.54 per person/per day (which includes an 18% gratuity), with alcoholic beverages capped at 15 per day. 

Royal Caribbean has no limit on how many alcoholic beverages someone can consume when buying its Deluxe Beverage Package (DBP). It also has another major advantage over its rival (an edge that MSC Cruises offers as well).

Come Cruise With Me Executive Editor Dan Kline and Dennis Post, co-owner of PostCard Travel Planning, discussed Royal Caribbean's edge over its rival from the cruise line's private destination in Labadee, Haiti. 

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Royal Caribbean has a key advantage

Transcript:

Dan Kline: Good afternoon, cruisers. I am Dan Kline, executive editor of Come Cruise With Me. That is comecruisewith.com or comecruisewith.me, but you probably know that. You are watching our video.

I am here in Labadee, Haiti with Dennis Post, our travel agent partner. We want to talk about something. We both are generally fans of the Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package.

We don't always get it. We're prime in the casino. We get some free drinks being diamond, diamond plus, that sort of thing.

But there is something really cool about the Royal Caribbean drink package that is not the case if you are on Carnival. Dennis, you want to share with people what that is?

Dennis Post: Yeah, what's important is that when you go to their private island, whether it's Perfect Day at CocoCay or you come here to Labadee, Haiti, the drink package is included, so you don't have to get out any money. It's all included. It's all in your package, all the food, all the entertainment, unless you do some specialty stuff.

Kline: And that's true with MSC. When you go to their private beach, I love Ocean Cay as much as it's just a beach, it's a really beautiful one.

But if you're on a Carnival ship and you stop at their private islands, of which they have a new one, Celebration Key, coming soon, you cannot use your drink package. On the other hand, whatever you drink doesn't count towards your daily drink limit. 

So, if you're someone who's stymied by the 15 drinks, and that's a lot of drinks, I know. If you're stymied by that limit, you can get a few extra in on the island.

But here in Labadee, we might have a Labradoodle or I forget what the other specialty drinks are here, but whatever it is is included with our drink package.

Just wanted to share, I hope you come to visit here. I am Dan Kline. He is Dennis Post. Come cruise with me soon.

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