"Naughty room" for 2 airplane bottles of rum!

[davekathy]

How can this thread have gone on so long?

I merely posted to let people know about how strict RCI's alcohol screening is - in case they were not aware. Had I read a thread like this one before she booked, I guess I would not have advised her in that way. I am accepting blame for breaking the "rules" and I realize I should not have advised her to bring her own few drinks. I am not whining or complaining, just merely pointing out how ridiculous I feel the policy is.

I have never sailed RCI, and never will because of this. Same reason I will never sail NCL. I have cruised several times with HAL, and have never had a problem bringing on liquor I intend to consume in my room (in fact, HAL allows you to bring a case of wine if you wish - openly because it's not against the "rules").

If I was at a hotel for a week on holidays, do the hotel regulations state that I cannot bring any outside liquor to my room so that they may profit from me buying drinks at their bar? I think not.

So many insulting and berating posts. I thought this board was to share information and gain knowledge, not make judgements from a high horse.

 

I see you are not new to Cruise Critic. If this was your or Granny’s first Cruise with RCCL you know very well you could have asked the question here and as you have read would have received answers and comments to your question. That’s what the Cruise Critic forum is all about. Another excellent source of information about rules each Cruise Lline has is in their brochures and your Cruise Contract. In my opinion your original post was a ***** not a warning to others. Again, just my opinion.

[TravelerThom]

... I have cruised several times with HAL, and have never had a problem bringing on liquor I intend to consume in my room (in fact, HAL allows you to bring a case of wine if you wish - openly because it's not against the "rules")...

Just so you are aware, HAL policy is to confiscate liquor brought on board their ships. I have no experience with their enforcement.

From http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/ShipboardLife.action?contentMenu=Onboard%20Policies&contentSubMenu=Bringing%20Alcoholic%20Beverages%20Onboard here is HAL's policy:

 

Bringing Alcoholic Beverages Onboard

Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages purchased in the vessel's shops or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage.

A corkage fee of US$15.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.

Room Service offers reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom consumption of alcoholic beverages.

[Loki_77573]

How can this thread have gone on so long?

I merely posted to let people know about how strict RCI's alcohol screening is - in case they were not aware. Had I read a thread like this one before she booked, I guess I would not have advised her in that way. I am accepting blame for breaking the "rules" and I realize I should not have advised her to bring her own few drinks. I am not whining or complaining, just merely pointing out how ridiculous I feel the policy is.

I have never sailed RCI, and never will because of this. Same reason I will never sail NCL. I have cruised several times with HAL, and have never had a problem bringing on liquor I intend to consume in my room (in fact, HAL allows you to bring a case of wine if you wish - openly because it's not against the "rules").

If I was at a hotel for a week on holidays, do the hotel regulations state that I cannot bring any outside liquor to my room so that they may profit from me buying drinks at their bar? I think not.

So many insulting and berating posts. I thought this board was to share information and gain knowledge, not make judgements from a high horse.

 

I appreciate your posting and truly feel bad about the hateful flaming that thrives here on postings like yours. I am not a smuggler but faced the same type of embarrassment when a piece of my luggage did not show up on an NCL cruise. I do not even remember what they thought they saw but I had to stand in line (a long line) and then we went through my suitcase and I had nothing, no irons, booze, or bombs. But, I was asked about it by other passengers who saw me standing in the balcony area waiting. Following this the front desk spoke to me as though I was not deserving of their time as I was one of "those people" and it made me late to dinner. And to all the flamers, no I did not make a scene, I was embarrassed and wanted to just go home. The strange thing is I had a bottle of wine in my hand at embarkation and had to pay the corkage fee up front. No problem but after the embarrassment of the naughty room I never drank it and had a hassle having the corkage fee removed from my statement at disembarkation. I like you will never sail NCL again.

[setsail]

[madforcruising]

I appreciate your posting and truly feel bad about the hateful flaming that thrives here on postings like yours. I am not a smuggler but faced the same type of embarrassment when a piece of my luggage did not show up on an NCL cruise. I do not even remember what they thought they saw but I had to stand in line (a long line) and then we went through my suitcase and I had nothing, no irons, booze, or bombs. But, I was asked about it by other passengers who saw me standing in the balcony area waiting. Following this the front desk spoke to me as though I was not deserving of their time as I was one of "those people" and it made me late to dinner. And to all the flamers, no I did not make a scene, I was embarrassed and wanted to just go home. The strange thing is I had a bottle of wine in my hand at embarkation and had to pay the corkage fee up front. No problem but after the embarrassment of the naughty room I never drank it and had a hassle having the corkage fee removed from my statement at disembarkation. I like you will never sail NCL again.

 

 

So actually the statement of many smugglers about their alcohol smuggling doesn´t affect others is not true. If people wouldn´t smuggle alcohol there would be no need for the naughty room and innocent people wouldn´t need to go there being accused of smuggling.

[Loki_77573]

So actually the statement of many smugglers about their alcohol smuggling doesn´t affect others is not true. If people wouldn´t smuggle alcohol there would be no need for the naughty room and innocent people wouldn´t need to go there being accused of smuggling.

 

 

Oh, my goodness how true because they only do that for booze smuggling, right?:rolleyes: Maybe the line wouldn't have been so long or whatever..., booze smugglers do not bother me mostly because I am not part of it.

Caution generalization here--

But, they aren't the ones that crank on everything and everyone. They are on vacation and they are happy. They are not normally the ones that push people out of their way to get to the buffet line the first thing on the boat or complain about the elevators, waitstaff, how their feet hurt, and the cost of bingo. The obnoxious drunks are the ones over served by the staff, the ones that drink their smuggled booze in their cabin can drink all they want as long as I don't have to hear them when I am in my room, then again that goes for the honeymooning couple or the poor old bloke that hit the cheese to heavy. Look the other contraband is for safety reasons and have always been screened. The booze, for profit reasons, and has been haphazardly and inconsistently screened. It is not the same and has not been treated the same by RCCL until now. The original poster I felt was informing how their attitude to wards enforcing one of their restrictions has changed. Since the poster said she had read other posting here she must have known this site may be called Cruise Critic but you best not say anything anti cruise line, or cruise line policy because it is not tolerated, so she must have wanted to inform. A little kindness goes a long way.

And the sad thing is I know I will be flamed for this.

[FireCap]

Grandma should have just stuck the plastic bottles in her pockets (assuming she had something with pockets). They're plastic- no way to detect. My 16oz. rum runners are going into my pockets. HAAHAHAHAHAHA

 

The scanners pick up the closure. They are metal screw tops.

[lovesublime]

Is the "naughty room" new? We went on a RCCL cruise during spring break last year and our suitcases were delivered to our cabin without our small bottles of booze. Nothing was said, it was just confiscated. If I have to be embarrassed to go get my suitcase it would make me less likely to try to sneak in anything.

 

 

Wow! I don't think anyone should have the right to go into your bags and take anything out without you being present.

[clevelandrocks1r]

Well, that answers that question. "Size doesn't matter". :D

lol. these alcohol smuggling threads are always humorous, but "size does matter", totally cracked me up!

[davekathy]

The scanners pick up the closure. They are metal screw tops.

 

 

Not 100% correct. Some of the plastic mini bottles have plastic screw off caps. Even some of the small (about a white wine glass full) wine bottles are plastic including the screw off caps.

[Cruzaholic41]

Wow! I don't think anyone should have the right to go into your bags and take anything out without you being present.

 

They don't. It's done in your presence.

[Retired LEO]

Plain and simple, Granny needs a time out.

[lovesublime]

They don't. It's done in your presence.

 

 

 

The poster wrote that their small bottles of liquor were missing when their bags arrived to their cabin and also that nothing was said to them about it. I take that to mean the bottles were removed out of the presence of those pax.

[crcossel]

I wish they would apply some "basic economics" to the photos. There are photos I like but not $25 worth of like. They have already put their overhead costs into them, why not lower the price and sell more rather than throw them out?

 

I've seen people take their digital cameras and take pictures of their pictures. Why don't the anti-smugglers accusing people of "cheating, depriving the cruise line of deserved revenue, breaking rules, etc." get on that bandwagon?

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Well I would I just don't know who to yell at :P I wouldn't be happy with this either because it actually breaks copyright law.

[Cruzaholic41]

The poster wrote that their small bottles of liquor were missing when their bags arrived to their cabin and also that nothing was said to them about it. I take that to mean the bottles were removed out of the presence of those pax.

 

It was more than likely an oversight on the part of the cruiser, or it was years ago when the policies were a little different. Today, they do not open your bag until you are present, and in most cases, they have you open it.

[mgg42]

If they do that to me it will be our first and last cruise on Royal. Stupidity.

 

Okay....So what's the threshold? Three mini-bottles? Six? Nine? Does it depend on the length of the cruise?

 

A rule is a rule. Think it's a waste of time to get called down there? Easy solution, don't smuggle booze. If you choose to and you get caught, being offended isn't really an appropriate response.

[susiecreamchs]

It was more than likely an oversight on the part of the cruiser, or it was years ago when the policies were a little different. Today, they do not open your bag until you are present, and in most cases, they have you open it.

 

This was last March, spring break time. The ship was full of college kids, so if they brought everyone down to the naughty room who tried to smuggle in liquor, no one would have had their luggage on time. (BTW the cruise was awful. Don't ever go on a cruise during spring break!)

They definitely took our bottles. It was not an oversight.

[justfred]

My goodness me, this naughty boy approach by rccl has rattled a few cages, and no doubt as a result have created an aufull lot of unhappy customers, who might be tempted to look elsewhere in future,and no wonder, can you just imagine how you would feel if you recieved this kind of treatment in any 5 star hotel anyware in the world!, I've never experienced it and I've been in quite a few, most hotels do not object to customers enjoying their own drink in their own rooms, so why should rccl. I think its all about greed really!, we cruise quite a lot and always pay upfront for their very expensive dinner wine and generally order a bottle for each night of the cruise which cost an absolute fortune.

We all spend quite large amounts of our money in advance booking these cruises, including pre paid tips for all of their staff and I also appreciate that a profit needs to be made but perhaps if rccl charged a more reasonable and sensible price for their alcohol people would have little reason to smuggle, but generally the people that do, just want a little tot to start the evening off prior to spending a small fortune in their bars, after all we are supposed to be on vacation enjoying our selves, and not being repremanded by nasty teachers like naughty little school children. Come on rccl get real, before you scare off even more potential customers.

Happy cruising:confused:

[mgg42]

perhaps if rccl charged a more reasonable and sensible price for their alcohol people would have little reason to smuggle

 

This is the statement that I totally disagree with. The prices RCI charges for drinks are DIRT CHEAP compared to any land based resort I frequent.

 

A pina colada at the cabana bar at the pool at Wynn Las Vegas? $16 before tip.

 

A Bombay Saphire Martini at the bar at Marriott Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando? $12.75 before tip.

 

Mid-range glass of Cabernet Sauvignon at the bar at Abe & Louie's in Boston? $15 before tip.

 

Look, there are a lot of arguments, but overcharging is simply not one of them.

[Ocean Boy]

If you really want to here about petty... last year in St. Thomas when returning to Adventure they made my mother throw away the can of coke she was drinking. That was beyond ridiculous.

[grand isle joe]

This is the statement that I totally disagree with. The prices RCI charges for drinks are DIRT CHEAP compared to any land based resort I frequent.

 

A pina colada at the cabana bar at the pool at Wynn Las Vegas? $16 before tip.

 

A Bombay Saphire Martini at the bar at Marriott Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando? $12.75 before tip.

 

Mid-range glass of Cabernet Sauvignon at the bar at Abe & Louie's in Boston? $15 before tip.

 

Look, there are a lot of arguments, but overcharging is simply not one of them.

 

I agree with the examples you site yet the Carribean and Mexico are teeming with all inclusive resorts and I believe that is the big competition to the cruise line in that area. Like all things in retail there is a tipping point that either supplies more or less business.

[mgg42]

I agree with the examples you site yet the Carribean and Mexico are teeming with all inclusive resorts and I believe that is the big competition to the cruise line in that area. Like all things in retail there is a tipping point that either supplies more or less business.

 

 

I haven't found an all inclusive resort with prices even remotely close to what you can get a cabin on a cruise ship for. And if they include alcohol (especially premiums), the price is way more. And I would have trouble spending that much more on booze on board.

 

No, I think the real problem is people think about how much a six pack of beer, or a fifth of bourbon costs retail, and somehow think that is relevant.

[Loki_77573]

If you really want to here about petty... last year in St. Thomas when returning to Adventure they made my mother throw away the can of coke she was drinking. That was beyond ridiculous.

 

Ocean Boy you hit it right on target it is when the cruise line, who ever they may be becomes petty. Making your Mom throw away her Coke that she was drinking before she boards it truly petty.

[Badlands99]

No, I think the real problem is people think about how much a six pack of beer, or a fifth of bourbon costs retail, and somehow think that is relevant.

 

Of course it's relevant. My cost for bringing a box of wine for my wife to enjoy during the week at her convenience, compared to the cost of buying that same amount on board and having to venture out to a bar and bring it back to the cabin one glass at a time? It's a no brainer. And my cost for that box of wine is the same as it would be if we were vacationing at a nice hotel for the week: About the same as one glass at ship or hotel restaurant prices.

 

I'm not saying RCCL overcharges for drinks. Their prices are probably in line with similar venues. But as long as they enforce the smuggling policy half-heartedly, I'll bring our box of wine and continue to purchase a glass or two at dinner as well.

 

I'm sure the savvy folks at RCCL realize this, but it's not just other cruise lines and the hotel and resort industry that they compete against. It's also the beach house that my in-laws own and we have access to. We could spend a week there and eat and drink like kings for far less than what we spend to cruise. The more strict they are with policies like this one, the more attractive that beach house begins to look to us. I suspect that is why they only put forth a token effort at enforcing it.

[mgg42]

Of course it's relevant. My cost for bringing a box of wine for my wife to enjoy during the week at her convenience, compared to the cost of buying that same amount on board and having to venture out to a bar and bring it back to the cabin one glass at a time? It's a no brainer. And my cost for that box of wine is the same as it would be if we were vacationing at a nice hotel for the week: About the same as one glass at ship or hotel restaurant prices.

 

I'm not saying RCCL overcharges for drinks. Their prices are probably in line with similar venues. But as long as they enforce the smuggling policy half-heartedly, I'll bring our box of wine and continue to purchase a glass or two at dinner as well.

 

I'm sure the savvy folks at RCCL realize this, but it's not just other cruise lines and the hotel and resort industry that they compete against. It's also the beach house that my in-laws own and we have access to. We could spend a week there and eat and drink like kings for far less than what we spend to cruise. The more strict they are with policies like this one, the more attractive that beach house begins to look to us. I suspect that is why they only put forth a token effort at enforcing it.

 

A couple thoughts.

 

I really don't lose any sleep over people smuggling booze on board. I don't bother, but to each his or her own. However, I do think it's pretty unreasonable to act indignant about getting caught. RCI could make any rule it wants, and make any consequence it wants. If they decide tomorrow men can wear striped shirts, and they publish that if a man wears a striped shirt, he will not be allowed to use the pool for the remainder of the trip, they are entirely within their rights to do so. Even if it seems absurd and unreasonable, those are the rules. And people trying to break them should be willing to live with the consequences when caught.

 

I do wish RCI would follow the model Celebrity and Carnival have, wherein you can order a bottle for the room, and it's delivered the first night. Yes, it's still more expensive than retail, but it's a slight savings over buying individual drinks. Maybe that would be a start.