Free wine on RCCL NOT FREE

[peternina]

You are missing the point. Let me try to explain to you. I just became your best friend, your going on an RCCL cruise. I buy a bottle of wine from RCCL ask them to send to you on the ship. You open the door to your room and there is a bottle of wine and a note telling you Peter bought you a bottle of wine from the RCCL wine store, "enjoy and bon yoyage." You go to the dining room with the bottle and they tell you that it will be 12 dollars to open the gift. Do you think that is right? If you go to the dining room and order a bottle of wine they do NOT charge to open the wine.

[critterchick]

Another way to look at it is that your travel agency sent you a six dollar bottle of wine and you're having a fit because you couldn't open it where finer wines are being sold.

 

I really don't see what the fuss is.

 

They're trying to discourage people from bringing their own cheap booze. Restaurants have the full force of the law behind them to do the exact same thing.

 

Not exactly. The TA bought the wine from RCI, so it came from the ship's wine cellar (that $6 bottle of wine, La Terre would be my guess, is sold in 4 flavors on the wine list). Then RCI charges an additional corkage if the happy recipient wants to drink it with dinner.

 

The same policy applies to wine that you purchase through Gifts & Gear - I think it may be in fine print at the bottom of the page. Purchase it for cabin delivery and either consume it there or be prepared to pay $12 in corkage if you bring it to the dining room. Also your Diamond Plus amenity wine.

 

I wouldn't choose to have my wine delivered to the MDR - we don't eat in there very often, preferring the buffet or a specialty restaurant. We've never encountered corkage there.

 

I once put my corkscrew in my purse when I brought my wine to the MDR. If somebody was going to charge me corkage, I was fully prepared to open it myself.:p

 

I'm from New England. It's in my blood.:D

[aurelius180]

I get what you're saying. But it's a policy that was designed to prevent people from bringing in their own wine. It's a common policy. And they weighed themselves down by verifying every bottle to see if they were the original retailers then it would get sloppy.

 

 

I'll preface this by saying I'm an RCI Cheerleader...

 

But quite honestly it's the responsibility of security to prevent alcohol smuggling. The waitstaff should be running under the assumption the wine was purchased on board or via "My Cruises" pre-cruise and not smuggled. A bottle can be purchased pre-cruise for delivery to the stateroom or dining room.

[DetroitMark]

You are missing the point. Let me try to explain to you. I just became your best friend, your going on an RCCL cruise. I buy a bottle of wine from RCCL ask them to send to you on the ship. You open the door to your room and there is a bottle of wine and a note telling you Peter bought you a bottle of wine from the RCCL wine store, "enjoy and bon yoyage." You go to the dining room with the bottle and they tell you that it will be 12 dollars to open the gift. Do you think that is right? If you go to the dining room and order a bottle of wine they do NOT charge to open the wine.

 

 

I understand the scenario. It's the same as the cruise line saying, "Please do not bring your bottle of wine in here. If you do, we will penalize you with a fee."

 

I think you're complicating the story when really it just comes down to not bringing your personal supply into the dining room. And I don't think the cruise line cares whether your friend bought it from them or a wine retailer on the mainland. It's just a rule. Don't bring in your own wine.

 

I understand your frustration. But to say your wine is no longer free is to misspeak.

[DetroitMark]

I'll preface this by saying I'm an RCI Cheerleader...

 

But quite honestly it's the responsibility of security to prevent alcohol smuggling. The waitstaff should be running under the assumption the wine was purchased on board or via "My Cruises" pre-cruise and not smuggled. A bottle can be purchased pre-cruise for delivery to the stateroom or dining room.

 

 

If the cruise line delivers it, they have control over its contents, correct?

[Mark_K]

You are missing the point. Let me try to explain to you. I just became your best friend, your going on an RCCL cruise. I buy a bottle of wine from RCCL ask them to send to you on the ship. You open the door to your room and there is a bottle of wine and a note telling you Peter bought you a bottle of wine from the RCCL wine store, "enjoy and bon yoyage." You go to the dining room with the bottle and they tell you that it will be 12 dollars to open the gift. Do you think that is right? If you go to the dining room and order a bottle of wine they do NOT charge to open the wine.

You're acting like the gift can't be opened at all unless you pay $12. If it were me, I'd email my friend thanking them for the wine and ask my room steward to get me a corkscrew and a couple of wine glasses. I'm certainly not going to let where I drink it spoil my enjoyment of a bottle of wine.

[RetireeWannabee]

as for the champagne comment above, instead of returning it, why not just open it yourself? You don't need a bottle opener for champagne. I would've said, "corkage fee, huh...tell me more about that," as i was twisting the wire off the cork. :)

love it!

[BobbyD]

Hasn't RCCL charged a corkage fee for years? How is it different now?

[steponboard]

I'll preface this by saying I'm an RCI Cheerleader...

 

But quite honestly it's the responsibility of security to prevent alcohol smuggling. The waitstaff should be running under the assumption the wine was purchased on board or via "My Cruises" pre-cruise and not smuggled. A bottle can be purchased pre-cruise for delivery to the stateroom or dining room.

 

This would be a good example of how smuggling liquor on board does affect everyone.

[swooldri]

Our extensive Wine Cellar Collection rivals those of the finest restaurants, offering more than 50 bottles of wine and champagne from around the world. Order from the list below and have your favorite bottle delivered to your stateroom or to your table at dinner. Please choose Dining Room delivery if you wish to drink your wine in the dining room (corkage fee is waived). Stateroom delivery indicates you will drink your wine in your stateroom only.

[doublebzz]

Hasn't RCCL charged a corkage fee for years? How is it different now?

 

Yes - but not if it was puchased on board through their own gift program. This policy is simply inane. As some responders have pointed out, its tantamount to ordering a bottle of wine in a restaurant and then charging an extra fee to open the bottle. And, P.S., does anyone really believe this policy will deter folks bent on smuggling booze on board??

[PH8]

You're acting like the gift can't be opened at all unless you pay $12. If it were me, I'd email my friend thanking them for the wine and ask my room steward to get me a corkscrew and a couple of wine glasses. I'm certainly not going to let where I drink it spoil my enjoyment of a bottle of wine.

any time I have gotten a bottle of wine delivered to my cabin, it comes with the corkscrew and glasses.......

 

Like others on here,I have gotten the bottle for most cruises and was told I'd be charged a corkage fee:mad:..............wound up just opening it up in the cabin..and have brought a glass with me to dinner.

[aurelius180]

Yes - but not if it was puchased on board through their own gift program. This policy is simply inane. As some responders have pointed out, its tantamount to ordering a bottle of wine in a restaurant and then charging an extra fee to open the bottle. And, P.S., does anyone really believe this policy will deter folks bent on smuggling booze on board??

 

 

In fact , they're punishing those operating within the rules.

[pxy cda]

 

I've never seen a restaurant sell me a bottle of wine and charge me for opening it, which is the difference here. And nobody is going to go broke over $12, but we don't like being charged extra for something that the line has already made a handsome profit on.

 

Actually this is very common up here in Canada. If you bring your own wine, the establishment will charge a corkage fee - no charge for restaurant stock other than price of the wine. Using the gift analogy if someone sent wine to your home and you took it to a restaurant then a corkage fee applies. RCL obviously is operating their dining room as a stand alone restaurant establishment for better or for worse.

 

 

Why not simply decide to choose not open the wine and select something from their list and enjoy the wine at home or in your cabin?

 

My other solution would be to call guest services and see if the unopened bottle of wine could be redirected to the dining room by my steward or a member of the crew to avoid the corkage if I prefer to drink in the dining room. Perhaps if transported by the ship and not me as a passenger it might work. From an etiquette standpoint likely far more couth than carrying your own bottle into the dining room.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We use to take TA wine gifts to the dinning room and exchange the bottle for one that was chilled and it was never a problem. RCI's new policy only makes sense if they knock $12 off the price of wine delivered to the cabin. BTW, we have instructed TA's in the past to skip sending the bottle of wine and take the price off the cost of the cruise.

[RetireeWannabee]

In fact , they're punishing those operating within the rules.

exactly!

 

Sorry, StepOn, I'm not seeing that smugglers created this problem as it's not the least bit likely that I would take my RR of Jack Daniels to dinner and have a waiter pour it for me, after signing for a 'corkage fee'.

 

seems just another not-so-bright way to wring a few more $ out of alki sales. Mighta worked, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids!

[amybeth4]

Actually this is very common up here in Canada. If you bring your own wine, the establishment will charge a corkage fee - no charge for restaurant stock other than price of the wine. Using the gift analogy if someone sent wine to your home and you took it to a restaurant then a corkage fee applies. RCL obviously is operating their dining room as a stand alone restaurant establishment for better or for worse.

 

OMG this thread is about to drive me to drink...

 

What is the difference between me calling your favorite Canadian restaurant and saying, "Please present pxy cda with a bottle of wine when they arrive, and send me the bill," and a TA calling RCCL and saying, "Please leave pxy cda a bottle of wine in their cabin and send me the bill?"

 

Why is it okay for the restaurant to not charge the corkage fee but you and DetroitMark think RCCL should?

 

:confused:

[Rala]

Another way to look at it is that your travel agency sent you a six dollar bottle of wine and you're having a fit because you couldn't open it where finer wines are being sold.

 

I really don't see what the fuss is.

 

They're trying to discourage people from bringing their own cheap booze. Restaurants have the full force of the law behind them to do the exact same thing.

 

You are not getting it, Mark. My travel agent sent me a bottle of Royal Caribbean's own in-house brand "La Terre" red wine better known as "La Terrible". She obviously purchased it from the cruiseline so they have gotten their money from her. Now they want more money from me ($12). So now I have to pay for receiving a gift???? Sorry, but this wrong.

 

I am getting the feeling that you like to be contrary just for the sake of being contrary.

[cruisinfanatic]

Surprised no TA has chimed in here. A TA purchased bottle of wine delivered to the cabin costs about half compared to a bottle delivered to your dining room table.

[alwayshappytocruise]

Imagine our shock and dismay to find a note along with the four bottles of wine I had pre-purchased from RCCL's own Gifts and Gear site a few months ago.......Something to the effect of: "Please enjoy this wine in your stateroom. If you choose to take it into the Dining Room you will be charged a $12 corkage fee."

What complete and utter rubbish that is!!

Lynda

[DetroitMark]

You are not getting it, Mark. My travel agent sent me a bottle of Royal Caribbean's own in-house brand "La Terre" red wine better known as "La Terrible". She obviously purchased it from the cruiseline so they have gotten their money from her. Now they want more money from me ($12). So now I have to pay for receiving a gift???? Sorry, but this wrong.

 

I am getting the feeling that you like to be contrary just for the sake of being contrary.

 

Not at all. But when you become hostile to someone who merely had an opinion in a thread that invited them ... it begins to look as though you are only interested in opinions that support yours. I guess that's ok. Just might be a good idea to note that at the top so people who don't agree won't waste their time engaging you.

[emmy]

any time I have gotten a bottle of wine delivered to my cabin, it comes with the corkscrew and glasses.......

 

Like others on here,I have gotten the bottle for most cruises and was told I'd be charged a corkage fee:mad:..............wound up just opening it up in the cabin..and have brought a glass with me to dinner.

 

Recently on our Oasis cruise we were charged corkage when we brought a bottle of wine sent by our TA. We brought it to Giovanni's table. After the manager made an appearance at our table and asked how I brought that bottle onboard and told me I was not supposed to do that ...I told him I knew that and I do not smuggle wine onboard...I should have just opened it in the cabin and brought a glass with us..I just totally forgot about doing that.:(

 

Anyone walked into a specialty dining restaurant with an glass of wine?

[NordicPrince]

Nordic, before you go jumping on people again...you shouldn't be charged a fee if the wine was purchased through RCCL. If you buy wine in a restaurant, they're not gonna add $12 to open it! You're referring to someone bringing a bottle onboard, which wasn't the case here...

 

Here's my point and I'm not jumping on anybody: IMHO Instead of getting all worked up about a $12 corkage fee in the MDR after you've aleady spent $1000 on a cruise just drink the bottle in your room and have room service bring the food to you. Or bring the bottle home with you. No fuss needed. Just buy a different bottle in the MDR. Every minute on the ship is precious and worth money. I'm not wasting my time letting little things (and I mean little) things ruin my good fun.

 

I would be more embarrassed for you making a big scene in the MDR about a small fee and showing your lack of courtesy for the other table guests.

 

Of course they mark up a bottle of wine. Every good restaurant around the world does.

 

Now some in the chorus will yell "Cruising isn't what it used to be, they didn't charge fees then".

 

Then again any one who could afford to cruise in the "good ole days" wouldn't and didn't worry about paying small amounts to have a good time, they had too much STYLE and CLASS.

 

Maybe that's what's really wrong with cruising today.

[Bobbye]

Surprised no TA has chimed in here. A TA purchased bottle of wine delivered to the cabin costs about half compared to a bottle delivered to your dining room table.

 

Correct. The Travel Agent La Terre is discounted and does not include corkage and may only be delivered to the cabin. If taken to the dining room it does have a corkage fee. Agents pay regular rates for every other wine.

[NordicPrince]

You're acting like the gift can't be opened at all unless you pay $12. If it were me, I'd email my friend thanking them for the wine and ask my room steward to get me a corkscrew and a couple of wine glasses. I'm certainly not going to let where I drink it spoil my enjoyment of a bottle of wine.

 

Thank you, on the money.