Silversea Cruises-free alcohol on board?

O-no don't say that! Jeff does not like to eat Crow... although he might make a nice stew out of them.

I wish we had a 'like' button, this so made me laugh!

Like Regent Crystal has the same policy. You cannot give any open bottles to the crew. That being said, you may give a sealed bottle to a crew member usually our butler as a gift. All open bottles are to be tosseed for sanitary reasons.

Like Regent Crystal has the same policy. You cannot give any open bottles to the crew. That being said, you may give a sealed bottle to a crew member usually our butler as a gift. All open bottles are to be tosseed for sanitary reasons.

Hi genuinely interested in your comment and my question is not confronational just seeking to understand. I'm presuming Crystal is all inclusinve and if so ....

1. Why do you believe the bottle you give to the crew is your to give?

Is there anything you have read or seen that enables you to believe it is yours. In really over simple terms I believe that all inclusive means all you consume rather than anything else left on the ship that is opened and that you haven't consumed if you get my drift. And if this logic is wrong .. I'd like to understand the counter argument as I am really genuinely always open minded. Really see no difference in reality betwen unopened bottles anywhere in the ship. they are all the cruiselines until 'in the mouth"! At the momentb it sort of seems to me that you are giving Crystal property to the staff and they are making the right noises to avoid the issue. Or f you are right they are being generous. Or it isn't all inclusive :)

2. Why specifically do you believe that Crystal approves of (a) customers giving liquor from the suite to staff ... and if so why might you not do so all the way through the cruise rather than just at the end .... and (b) why do you think Crystal approves of their crew having spirits in their cabins.

3. What have you heard or seen that makes you believe that any opened bottle is "tossed"?

I repeat so as to avoid misunderstanding, I'm not arguing or disagreeing but simply trying to differentiate reasonable presumptions and hoped-for wishful beliefs from verifiable facts - as it is interesting.

:)

Jeff

No worries Jeff I understand your question. All the crew are allowed to have any alcoholic beverage in their cabin and also can purchase alcohol in duty free shops ashore. The crew also has a crew bar which they can purchase drinks at a very cheap price.

At least on Crystal when they deliver wine or other spirits it is considered yours....you either consume it or take it with you when you leave. If I want to give a unopened bottle to the butler or stewardess that is up to me. Our butler who we have known for years told us that they empty the bottles and cans and put them in a recycle bin. Full bottles left behind are returned to the ships inventory.

One strict rule on Crystal is you don't show up for duty drunk they do have random testing and if you fail a drug or alcohol test you are fired and put off in the next port. In my 25 cruises with Crystal I have only heard of one crew member being fired for abuse of the policy.

Some people will schlep all the leftover booze home....go figure. We have a fully stocked bar at home and why bother packing this stuff or pouring remaining booze into plastic water bottles?

The one good thing is when your stewardess or butler notice you are at the end of your wine or spirts they will ask you if you need another or would you like something different?

Yes, I have seen the staff pick up the bottles on debarkation and they put it on the trolley and take it down to the galley for disposal.

Crew bars on Silversea are now beer and wine only - no hard liquor or spirits. All open bottles of booze from the suites are disposed of for sanitary reasons.

Crew bars on Silversea are now beer and wine only - no hard liquor or spirits. All open bottles of booze from the suites are disposed of for sanitary reasons.

The crew bar on Crystal does have liquor/spirits and wine as well. They are told from their first contract to drink responsibly. We have been to the crew bar when we sponsored a party and only stayed for about thirty minutes and the Captain must approve these parties. Very interesting to see crew life below deck. The crew lounge and crew mess are very nice and the crew mess has their own chef and staff. For such hard work the crew does, they are treated very well.

No worries Jeff I understand your question. All the crew are allowed to have any alcoholic beverage in their cabin and also can purchase alcohol in duty free shops ashore. The crew also has a crew bar which they can purchase drinks at a very cheap price.

 

At least on Crystal when they deliver wine or other spirits it is considered yours....you either consume it or take it with you when you leave. If I want to give a unopened bottle to the butler or stewardess that is up to me. Our butler who we have known for years told us that they empty the bottles and cans and put them in a recycle bin. Full bottles left behind are returned to the ships inventory.

 

One strict rule on Crystal is you don't show up for duty drunk they do have random testing and if you fail a drug or alcohol test you are fired and put off in the next port. In my 25 cruises with Crystal I have only heard of one crew member being fired for abuse of the policy.

 

Some people will schlep all the leftover booze home....go figure. We have a fully stocked bar at home and why bother packing this stuff or pouring remaining booze into plastic water bottles?

 

The one good thing is when your stewardess or butler notice you are at the end of your wine or spirts they will ask you if you need another or would you like something different?

 

Yes, I have seen the staff pick up the bottles on debarkation and they put it on the trolley and take it down to the galley for disposal.

Thanks for your patient and detailed response. From a personal point of scepticism I am begrudgingly convinced from your clearly balanced and knowledgeable account that you seem right about pretty much about what you say about Crystal.

I've no background point of knowledge about anything Crystal. You might have read either generally or here specifically that there has been a number of disperate credibility integrity issues with respect to SS and some of it's practices. The detail of the hygiene issues with respect to food storage and customer stuff about champers substitution ... I could go on .. but there is a pattern of behaviour that causes some to be doubtful of SS corporate integrity. So my question is (to save me time in looking ....) has there been anything remotely similar to your knowledge that highlight failings in Crystal along the lines that you might have seen about SS with respect to the diffeence between what they say and what they do? That would represent counter and contrary evidence to your view.

You say booze delivered to the suite is considered yours, but you still don't say why you believe this to be so. Does Crystal actually say you can take anything booze wise from your suite home or is it still a well founded (on your part) impression? Is this just practice and long term impression or is there something that says so? Why do you believe it?

The only other doubt I harbour simply because I am a cynical old business oreientated git, is do you actually have anything that is more substantial and tangible than a perfectly understandable and trusting belief from those you like and trust that partly used bottles are taken from the suites to the galley and then disposed? In my view there isn't actually a real hygiene issue just a customer shiver issue and with all the focus on wastage I'm struggling to believe ancedotal belief (nothing published for what might be a pretty expensive wastage issue) that this level of wastage is heroically tolerated? It is the type of thinbg that could easily be an urban myth that it is actually thrown. I still can't see it myself ...

Jeff

Geeeeeeez..............they toss the booze on Crystal. They have a twelve page manifesto that explains everything.

the cruise ships do have a policy and procedures manual that pax's do not see. Crystal has an outstanding CDC record and at least one luxury line has failed and had numerous issues in the past. One can look this up on their own as I will not post the line on CC.

I would never want to partake from a used bottle not handled by the bar keeper. Our friends drink our spirits from our home but they know they will not get norovirus but you sure can from a cruise ship even from the bottle itself. Most lines today are really on top of the crew about washing hands and avoiding contact when cleaning without gloves.

As far as required disposal of used spirits, that was put into place several years ago. Again a unopened bottle may be given to your butler or stewardess or you just take it home with you if you like. No issues.

12 year old single malt has been entered into the Silversea history book. Another recent entry would be Kleenex or equivalent quality facial tissue.

Crew bars on Silversea are now beer and wine only - no hard liquor or spirits. All open bottles of booze from the suites are disposed of for sanitary reasons.

That's interesting as I was told just last week while on board Spirit that opened liquor bottles left in the cabin went to the crew bar.

That's interesting as I was told just last week while on board Spirit that opened liquor bottles left in the cabin went to the crew bar.

And did you believe this Mark?

Have you made any estimate about how much booze might be involved at the end of each cruise and how quickly the staff would need to drink it to keep up? Or do you perhaps conclude that what you were told was untrutuhful? If so, why would they tell fibs and where do you think all that excess booze ends up?

Jeff

And did you believe this Mark?

 

Have you made any estimate about how much booze might be involved at the end of each cruise and how quickly the staff would need to drink it to keep up? Or do you perhaps conclude that what you were told was untrutuhful? If so, why would they tell fibs and where do you think all that excess booze ends up?

 

Jeff

Keeping in mind that there were considerably more crew members (376) than cabins (270) on our cruise, I'd say they'd have no problem keeping up if the amount we left in our cabin is at all typical.

Keeping in mind that there were considerably more crew members (376) than cabins (270) on our cruise, I'd say they'd have no problem keeping up if the amount we left in our cabin is at all typical.

Mark,

I am continually surprised and impressed!

On the basis that the cruisers are on holiday for 100% of their time on board and drink vast quantities of booze, and leave extraordinary quantities, you genuinely believe that the crew on their very very limited down time can keep up with all the "dregs" and are encouraged to do so, have no objection paying for this quantity out of their lavish earnings (and crew fund?) and still keep upright all day? The would have to condense all their drinking of this somewhat .. no? Ever seen a drunk member of crew? You steadfastly refuse to countenance that ALL of the drag spirits from the suites end up in the restaurants and bars.

I do admire anyone who is clearly able to argue the hind legs of a disabled mule of an argument ....! You are are lovely trusting person! :D

Anyway you stay a true believer! They need you!

:)

Jeff

ps ..... just a thought! From your point of view, in the highly unlikely event that I am right and you are wrong ..... just speculating .... would you be comfortable about drinking spirits in an SS bar? Would it put you off SS a little?

Jeff,

Just how much opened, unused liquor do you believe averagely gets left in a cabin at cruise end? What we left would have barely been enough to provide one crew member, one drink a day for the duration of the ship's next cruise.

If the ship used open liquor bottles from cabins to serve me in a bar, I would not be pleased. If they use it for crew drinks, and the crew is aware of it, that's OK with me, if its OK with the crew.

Mark

Mark,

I'm afraid I don't get this at all.

Why is it OK with you that the crew are told to drink dregs but customers do not? What is the difference? If hygiene is the reason given for not giving it to passengers why are staff afforded a lessor degree of consideration exactly?

Jeff

Crew bar.....beer, wine, and liquors containing no more than 20% alcohol allowed. Bailey's yes, whisky no.

Why would anyone take unused liquor home? Seriously, I am curious. Thanx

Because they can. I mean, look around. I watched butlers delivering new bottles of booze after 6 PM on last evening of segment.

Geez.

Mark,

 

 

 

I'm afraid I don't get this at all.

 

 

 

Why is it OK with you that the crew are told to drink dregs but customers do not? What is the difference? If hygiene is the reason given for not giving it to passengers why are staff afforded a lessor degree of consideration exactly?

 

 

 

Jeff

I pay a premium price to sail with Silversea and expect premium service. If the crew gets discount drinks and discount service, I'm OK with that.

As far as hygiene goes, I have no problem pouring myself drinks from previously opened bottles, handled by persons unknown, at airport lounges that have self-serve bars.

Because they can. I mean, look around. I watched butlers delivering new bottles of booze after 6 PM on last evening of segment.

In most US states, taking away food from an all you can eat buffet can be prosecuted as theft by conversion. I would imagine doing the same with booze from an all you can drink cruise could be as well. (Not that Silversea is likely to pursue it)

I pay a premium price to sail with Silversea and expect premium service. If the crew gets discount drinks and discount service, I'm OK with that.

 

As far as hygiene goes, I have no problem pouring myself drinks from previously opened bottles, handled by persons unknown, at airport lounges that have self-serve bars.

A few more Aunt Sally's Mark. You implied earlier completely different issues.

You said staff were offered dregs at a discount in the crew bar and that they were happy with it. Were you told the drink taken from suites was sold to them at discount? And were you told that they were happy to drink dregs? How many? I consider these "Aunt Sally" presumptions on your part because you do not want to confront what many also "know" or "suspect" is industry common practice and mentioned many times before.

I have no problems either with pouring drinks from drinks used in public areas like club lounges and airport lounges. Bottles are opened, emptied and replenished in minutes and at most hours. They are on display and managed and in public view. Can you not see the considerable difference from drinks stored and opened and kept in people's bedrooms? Another "Aunt Sally"! A small and unsavoury minority might also drink directly from the bottles ..... what I do with my own personal Torres in the privacy of my own quarters is my own business ....:eek: ;)

Anyway, as I have indicated when this was raised before, I do not believe that staff have access to spirits during on-board down time - I think management want them as far away from cheap spirits as they can keep them as many are considered on permanent call. Many spirits have a higher proof than we normally get in the UK because our tax is set at certain percentages. My understanding is that dregs are taken from the suites to the bars and used there which is common industry practice.

To be completely honest, I have taken your comments at "face value" but it is dawning on me ( as a slow learner) that you might not genuinely believe what you are posting, but what you genuinely choose to believe is for you. :)

Jeff

A few more Aunt Sally's Mark. You implied earlier completely different issues.

 

You said staff were offered dregs at a discount in the crew bar and that they were happy with it. Were you told the drink taken from suites was sold to them at discount? And were you told that they were happy to drink dregs? How many? I consider these "Aunt Sally" presumptions on your part because you do not want to confront what many also "know" or "suspect" is industry common practice and mentioned many times before.

 

I have no problems either with pouring drinks from drinks used in public areas like club lounges and airport lounges. Bottles are opened, emptied and replenished in minutes and at most hours. They are on display and managed and in public view. Can you not see the considerable difference from drinks stored and opened and kept in people's bedrooms? Another "Aunt Sally"! A small and unsavoury minority might also drink directly from the bottles ..... what I do with my own personal Torres in the privacy of my own quarters is my own business ....:eek: ;)

 

Anyway, as I have indicated when this was raised before, I do not believe that staff have access to spirits during on-board down time - I think management want them as far away from cheap spirits as they can keep them as many are considered on permanent call. Many spirits have a higher proof than we normally get in the UK because our tax is set at certain percentages. My understanding is that dregs are taken from the suites to the bars and used there which is common industry practice.

 

To be completely honest, I have taken your comments at "face value" but it is dawning on me ( as a slow learner) that you might not genuinely believe what you are posting, but what you genuinely choose to believe is for you. :)

 

Jeff

Actually, all I said was "I was told just last week while on board Spirit that opened liquor bottles left in the cabin went to the crew bar." And I said that IF the crew's OK with it, I'm OK with it.

Everything else was my suppositions as to how it might work, if true, in response to your suppositions about why it wouldn't/shouldn't work, if true.