bringing wine onboard vs liquor

[navybankerteacher]

I am not sure there are many passengers who drink enough to make a $100 profit for the cruise line.

 

You must be kidding. A $10 mixed drink has to yield a minimum $6 profit to the line. At three drinks per day (which many obviously meet or exceed) that $18 per day works out to $126 per week.

 

For wine drinkers who bring their own on board the $15 corkage fee at dinner applied 7 times works out to $105 profit per week - with no costs for carrying inventory.

[navybankerteacher]

it is always easy to spot those who are the wine drinkers, because they have no problem with the wine policies for the most part. but consider if all cruise lines banned you from bringing wine onboard....what would you do then?

 

yes, i realize it's a rule. that's obvious. but wouldn't they easily make a killing charging for cigarettes? are for all of the wine lovers at there, couldn't the cruise lines make a nice profit charging you for wine as well?

 

just because a company can do it, doesn't mean its right. take southwest airlines for instance...they are the one major airline not charging for checked bags like the other carriers. funny, they are the one major airline making a profit. don't nickel and dime and overprice things and people will come.

 

How about Southwest's charging fat people for two seats - just because they can?

 

It always comes back to common sense (which is so often lacking in these posts): if you do not like the way a company does business, do not do business with them.

 

Whatever else, do not try to justify chiseling by citing "unfair rules" or claiming the inability to drink anything but ones "favorite brand, which is unavailable on the ship". Go ahead and chisel if you want, but spare us the stupid attempts at justification.

[nikkin]

I see so many threads chastising those of us who choose to bring a few adult beverages onboard.

 

Yes, I realize that it's against the rules. So is saving deck chairs but it still happens.

 

I bet those that chastise "smugglers" probably even broke the law by speeding on their way to their vacation. So you can't use that excuse "it's wrong" or "it's against the rules".

 

So, why should I not be allowed to bring my liquor onboard while others can bring their wine onboard. Honestly, what's the difference? I can be as drunk on a bottle of wine as I can on a couple of rum & cokes.

 

So please, tell me why wine is okay, but my Rum is not? Why discriminate?

 

Is saving a few bucks by smuggling your own booze any different then waiting for and expecting an OBC for a price drop? I figure the price you booked at was good enough then, it should still be good enough when you sail.

 

I am strictly a wine drinker, but I have wondered about this myself, it seems to make no sense.

[CMHCruiseCouple]

Your point is taken. I do not sail with certain cruise lines because of their pig headedness regarding bringing "cabin wine" aboard. I spend about $650 on dinner wine over a typical week cruise. If they want to get sticky about a few bottles in my cabin they don't get my business. Period.

 

Travel safe.

[Hlitner]

You must be kidding. A $10 mixed drink has to yield a minimum $6 profit to the line. At three drinks per day (which many obviously meet or exceed) that $18 per day works out to $126 per week.

 

For wine drinkers who bring their own on board the $15 corkage fee at dinner applied 7 times works out to $105 profit per week - with no costs for carrying inventory.

 

I agree only more so! Cruise lines all buy their liquor (and wine) duty-free and tax free which means their cost for booze is very low. A typical bottle of booze will yield about 18 drinks and when you factor in the cost of mixes the cost per drink (bar brand) would be less than 50 cents. Many of these drinks are now sold for about $8 plus most cruise lines add a mandatory 15 - 18% service charge on-top of the drink price. As to wine prices, it really varies between the cruise line (we are certified Oenophiles). Some lines like Princess have kept wine prices within reasonable limits while other lines such as RCI seem to have no problem marking-up their lower cost wines by more than 600% (check out the price of a bottle of Mondavi on RCI). Cruise lines now make a good percentage of their profit by "maximizing on-board revenue" and this is just a fact of life. On the other hand, we often book cruises today for about the same cost per day we used to pay for cruises more than 20 years ago!

 

Hank

[Almost Packed]

How about Southwest's charging fat people for two seats - just because they can?

 

It always comes back to common sense (which is so often lacking in these posts): if you do not like the way a company does business, do not do business with them.

 

Whatever else, do not try to justify chiseling by citing "unfair rules" or claiming the inability to drink anything but ones "favorite brand, which is unavailable on the ship". Go ahead and chisel if you want, but spare us the stupid attempts at justification.

 

southwest...as well as all other airlines, charge for 2 seats because if a person takes up two seats. if the plane is not sold out, the customer gets their money back for that second seat. seems fair to me.

 

i don't see it being "stupid attempts" i see it being fair...a fat person taking two seats up, is affecting me if i am sitting next to them...on any airline. you bringing onboard your favorite wine means less money the ship makes, therfore instead of making you pay for your wine, i must pay more for my drinks so you can continue to bring your wine onboard.

[Jo-Bob]

I think someone mentioned something about this earlier.....it is not possible for a ship to carry the literally thousands of different kinds of wine that are out there for the sampling. They may indeed be able to furnish a dozen differnt vodka's, or brandy's etc....but for them to be able to offer all there is out there in terms of wine, is impossible.

 

So, they generously allow the passenger to bring the wine of their choosing, some charge a corkage for enjoying in the dining room, others do not. It would not be hard to find 100 different (and wonderful) wines in every port. For some, collecting wine is the reason they travel.

 

I really think it's a matter of the sheer volume of available wines that they can not stock, that impacts the policy to allow wine, rather than spirits. Did that make sense? Hope so:)

[Evil Scotsman]

I see so many threads chastising those of us who choose to bring a few adult beverages onboard.

 

Yes, I realize that it's against the rules. So is saving deck chairs but it still happens.

 

I bet those that chastise "smugglers" probably even broke the law by speeding on their way to their vacation. So you can't use that excuse "it's wrong" or "it's against the rules".

 

So, why should I not be allowed to bring my liquor onboard while others can bring their wine onboard. Honestly, what's the difference? I can be as drunk on a bottle of wine as I can on a couple of rum & cokes.

 

So please, tell me why wine is okay, but my Rum is not? Why discriminate?

 

Is saving a few bucks by smuggling your own booze any different then waiting for and expecting an OBC for a price drop? I figure the price you booked at was good enough then, it should still be good enough when you sail.

 

 

BRAVO! Well Put! I agree 100%

[simplelife]

I think someone mentioned something about this earlier.....it is not possible for a ship to carry the literally thousands of different kinds of wine that are out there for the sampling. They may indeed be able to furnish a dozen differnt vodka's, or brandy's etc....but for them to be able to offer all there is out there in terms of wine, is impossible.

 

So, they generously allow the passenger to bring the wine of their choosing, some charge a corkage for enjoying in the dining room, others do not. It would not be hard to find 100 different (and wonderful) wines in every port. For some, collecting wine is the reason they travel.

 

I really think it's a matter of the sheer volume of available wines that they can not stock, that impacts the policy to allow wine, rather than spirits. Did that make sense? Hope so:)

 

Yes, that makes sense and provides a good answer to the OP's question (navybankerteacher alluded to this too).

It is far more expensive to maintain an inventory of wine than liquor. It is probably more profitable for the lines to permit wine to be brought on (and charge corkage) than to maintain a huge temperature-controlled wine cellar.

[scottbee]

I see so many threads chastising those of us who choose to bring a few adult beverages onboard.

 

Yes, I realize that it's against the rules. So is saving deck chairs but it still happens.

 

I bet those that chastise "smugglers" probably even broke the law by speeding on their way to their vacation. So you can't use that excuse "it's wrong" or "it's against the rules".

 

So, why should I not be allowed to bring my liquor onboard while others can bring their wine onboard. Honestly, what's the difference? I can be as drunk on a bottle of wine as I can on a couple of rum & cokes.

 

So please, tell me why wine is okay, but my Rum is not? Why discriminate?

 

Is saving a few bucks by smuggling your own booze any different then waiting for and expecting an OBC for a price drop? I figure the price you booked at was good enough then, it should still be good enough when you sail.

 

Have you considered Rum in a wine bottle? Just go buy some shrink caps from a wine store to place over the re-corked bottle, shrink with a heat gun/paint stripper, or dipping in boiling water (use a spoon to hold cap in place)

[Almost Packed]

Have you considered Rum in a wine bottle? Just go buy some shrink caps from a wine store to place over the re-corked bottle, shrink with a heat gun/paint stripper, or dipping in boiling water (use a spoon to hold cap in place)

 

actually, no i have never thought of that...i'm not really so poor that i cannot afford to pay for the ridiculous prices onboard.

 

i just don't understand why ccl just doesn't charge a "cork" fee for my rum, and let me be happy. lol....

 

It's such a double standard. I'd be happier if CCL just raised the prices for everyone and allowed us to bring on our beverages of choice. Then everyone can help pay the price.

 

CCL announced bookings were up so high, they are now raising their prices.

 

Sounds like it's time to actually start charging for those cork services, as I always hear about people bragging when they are not charged. :rolleyes: hmm.