No More Bon Voyage Liqure

[kcroxyoursox]

I was planning to purchase from BV but now, smuggling seems to be the only other option. Unless Carnival opens 100% of all luggage and searches everything, more people will get creative with their smuggling and get alcohol on the ship creating LESS profits for you.

 

As someone said before, thanks Carnival for taking some of the FUN out of your Funships. :mad:

 

In the future, I will go back to an all inclusive land resort where they actually provide and encourage you to have drinks in your room.;)

 

Carnival, with all their rule implementations and restrictions lately, are making the decision to do the All Inclusive Resort route the next few years very easy.

 

Point is that we need to really let them know this nonsense with BV is just wrong. Fix it or we're done. Further more, we don't want to see any other changes for a couple years or we will be looking into other vacation options. They've toyed with us enough.

DING DING DING we have a winner. PLEASE write to them and let them know how dissatisfied you are, or all this complaining will be for naught!

[osucruise]

Wow! 1st time cruiser and have a cove balcony in August. It came down between celebrity and carnival. Also, chose Port Canaveral over San Juan because of more sea days. I did not want to smuggle but I am really looking forward to spending a lot of time on balcony and my own drinks.

 

Not sure options, But I may be in better shape transferring to someone else and paying that fee then loosing $1000 ES deposit. On a side note wouldn't this be breach of contract if they offered something when I paid then switched up rules? Sinds like a bait and switch tactic.

 

I will stay calm until next week then make the decision.

[Aknot]

Well and feel free to blacklist me, never respond to my post etc. However this change is an ok change by me and I havent even cruised yet.

 

To see how "adamant" some of you people get is quite scary. Its like you cant live without it and or over indulging.

 

Which is your choice. Dont get me wrong.

 

I would like (out of curiosity) know what brought this along as it WILL increase smuggling.

 

It seems I missed what a cruise has become from the "old" days to now a days (from observations or maybe it was a fallacy). Just seemed like a way to get away and relax, mingle and lounge at your liesure without having to really worry about anything. No traffic, food provided, entertainment, travel, etc.

 

Now it seems all it is to people is a booze cruise. Cant that be done at home?

 

Please notice I am not singling anyone out. Nor am I saying you are a heathen and shouldnt drink.

 

With the BV gone do you think (if smuggling would subside) they would/could lower drink prices at the bar? Would that help?

 

I hope they change it back in a way. Im not a prude... but I can live without it.

[kelkacric3]

IS rum runners a publicly traded company??? I see a good stock tip here!

I was just thinking the same thing! Who needs Google or Apple! :D

Stacy

[Kurt-N-Kathy]

Well and feel free to blacklist me, never respond to my post etc. However this change is an ok change by me and I havent even cruised yet.

 

To see how "adamant" some of you people get is quite scary. Its like you cant live without it and or over indulging.

 

Which is your choice. Dont get me wrong.

 

I would like (out of curiosity) know what brought this along as it WILL increase smuggling.

 

It seems I missed what a cruise has become from the "old" days to now a days (from observations or maybe it was a fallacy). Just seemed like a way to get away and relax, mingle and lounge at your liesure without having to really worry about anything. No traffic, food provided, entertainment, travel, etc.

 

Now it seems all it is to people is a booze cruise. Cant that be done at home?

 

Please notice I am not singling anyone out. Nor am I saying you are a heathen and shouldnt drink.

 

With the BV gone do you think (if smuggling would subside) they would/could lower drink prices at the bar? Would that help?

 

I hope they change it back in a way. Im not a prude... but I can live without it.

 

I think you're missing the point. Its not the alcohol. Its the fact that they are restricting our freedom to choose what we can and cant do. BV was one of the things that set CC apart from the rest.

[kcroxyoursox]

My submission

 

I would like to get my name on the list of those not happy about the most recent change regarding the cessation of liquor purchases through the Bon Voyage department.

 

Many cruisers choose Carnival because of the immense value provided for the buck. Unfortunately, all of the recent changes and cutbacks have caused lots of people to reconsider their future vacation plans and evaluate whether Carnival cruises really offer the best vacation value (as I know I've been saying, to anyone that will listen, for years.)

 

First, the crack down on liquor smuggling. Fine, it's in the contract, and those who have done it should be prepared for the consequences. The remedy? Buy from the bar, or buy from Bon Voyage ahead of time. Many people like the idea of the amount of convenience a bottle of liquor in their stateroom offers, and they were willing to pay a (sometimes exorbitant) markup for it. Just as you sell drinks from the bar when people don't want to go all the way back to their stateroom to use their own liquor, so too will you lose revenue from those in their rooms that don't want to walk all the way back to the bar. Wouldn't it be in your best interest to continuously provide the opportunity for "happy" guests?

 

I understand you are a business, and as such should be focused on profit maximization. But the "gimme more" mentality, as evidenced by taking away the compromise that is those who don't want to smuggle and those who are willing to pay a large markup for convenience, makes me wonder how much harder you'll have to hard-sell the few remaining loyalists, as the rest of us re-evaluate our future vacation plans. No, it's no secret that alcohol sales make up a large portion of revenue. So why ruin a good thing?

[Aknot]

I think you're missing the point. Its not the alcohol. Its the fact that they are restricting our freedom to choose what we can and cant do. BV was one of the things that set CC apart from the rest.

 

But isnt it their perogitive? Do you (not you the collective you) think it was (unless of course it was) a knee jerk thing or maybe something they have noticed across the fleet that needed to be addressed?

 

Meaning they were only contributing more to a possible (im guessing here giving an idea not stating fact) problem with the delivering of the bottles to the room? I mean they are crackign down on smuggling and now this. Maybe it is not a money issue but a "rep" issue as someone stated before.

 

Maybe they want to make a more family environment instead of being known as a party cruise. Maybe they are just checking it out to see the reaction (which a lot seem to be blowing out of porportion).

 

I dont know, and probably never will. However I find it hard to believe someone passed this without a proper thought process and reason... If they did then I would be more worried about that going on then the alcohol and restricted items.

 

I mean whats next to many lifeboats lets remove some for a few weeks and see how that pans out? ;)

[kcroxyoursox]

Many of us scrimp and save to be able to have a vacation at all. We stay in inside cabins on bottom decks at extreme ends of the ship. It is inconvenient to trek up several floors, across to the other end of the ship, to purchase a (possibly overpriced) drink, to schlep it all the way back down to enjoy before dinner. Would you think less of me if you saw me carrying a tray full of drinks back to my room - I bet I'd be thirsty by the time I got back.

 

The compromise was BV. Because a sale is better than nothing, the markup was agreeable based on "convenience," and everyone was happy.

 

Plus, I don't think a single person mentioned getting drunk/trashed/wasted etc. I've said it before - it amazes me to think that there is the perception that because I buy three bottles of varying liquor, that I'm going to consume every last drop before I disembark. Not necessarily so! BUT, if it was, wouldn't it be in Carnival's best interest to facilitate that "happiness?" My assumption is that "happy" people are having fun, maybe buying more stuff that they don't need, or gambling, or just partying it up, and then they will tell all their friends at home how awesome of a time they had, and that will lead to future bookings and future revenue.

[kcroxyoursox]

I find it hard to believe someone passed this without a proper thought process and reason... If they did then I would be more worried about that going on then the alcohol and restricted items.

 

I don't find it hard to believe at all. Take a look around the boards a little and you'll see "policies" that are posted one day, and retractions/changes that come a day or two later. If it was so well thought out, it would be one story that they'd be sticking to, no matter the backlash...

[Aknot]

Many of us scrimp and save to be able to have a vacation at all. We stay in inside cabins on bottom decks at extreme ends of the ship. It is inconvenient to trek up several floors, across to the other end of the ship, to purchase a (possibly overpriced) drink, to schlep it all the way back down to enjoy before dinner. Would you think less of me if you saw me carrying a tray full of drinks back to my room - I bet I'd be thirsty by the time I got back.

 

The compromise was BV. Because a sale is better than nothing, the markup was agreeable based on "convenience," and everyone was happy.

 

Plus, I don't think a single person mentioned getting drunk/trashed/wasted etc. I've said it before - it amazes me to think that there is the perception that because I buy three bottles of varying liquor, that I'm going to consume every last drop before I disembark. Not necessarily so! BUT, if it was, wouldn't it be in Carnival's best interest to facilitate that "happiness?" My assumption is that "happy" people are having fun, maybe buying more stuff that they don't need, or gambling, or just partying it up, and then they will tell all their friends at home how awesome of a time they had, and that will lead to future bookings and future revenue.

 

No. Yes. It depends.

 

How many people on average can ride on a cruise ship? How many people get drunk? (work with me here) How many people get sick/ make a spectecle of themself? How many people get unruly?

 

How many times does it take 1 person to mess it up for everyone else? All it takes is the wrong person getting bumped, thrown up on, something said in front of their child, etc. before something gets changed.

 

Doesnt Carnival have to facilitate their happiness too? Just because the crowd that supports this is the loudest (no pun not saying you are all drunks etc.. im trying to be civil here and discuss) doesnt mean they are in the majority or in the best interest (at the time) to Carnival.

[Kurt-N-Kathy]

But isnt it their perogitive? Do you (not you the collective you) think it was (unless of course it was) a knee jerk thing or maybe something they have noticed across the fleet that needed to be addressed?

 

Meaning they were only contributing more to a possible (im guessing here giving an idea not stating fact) problem with the delivering of the bottles to the room? I mean they are crackign down on smuggling and now this. Maybe it is not a money issue but a "rep" issue as someone stated before.

 

Maybe they want to make a more family environment instead of being known as a party cruise. Maybe they are just checking it out to see the reaction (which a lot seem to be blowing out of porportion).

 

I dont know, and probably never will. However I find it hard to believe someone passed this without a proper thought process and reason... If they did then I would be more worried about that going on then the alcohol and restricted items.

 

I mean whats next to many lifeboats lets remove some for a few weeks and see how that pans out? ;)

 

 

I understand what you're saying. It upsets us simply for the fact that we purchased our cruise based on something that has now changed. :( We purchased a suite simply to have a private place to escape to. Enjoying a drink while watching a sunset from our balcony was a big appeal for us. We may have gone a different route had we known.

[Aknot]

I understand what you're saying. It upsets us simply for the fact that we purchased our cruise based on something that has now changed. :( We purchased a suite simply to have a private place to escape to. Enjoying a drink while watching a sunset from our balcony was a big appeal for us. We may have gone a different route had we known.

 

Now I direct your attention to the way you formulated that.... and the very level headed reasoning you gave... then I look at most of the other threads and responses and emails....

 

Do you think they would respond better to a statement such as yours or a "im leaving for what you did if you dotn change it back email!!". ;)

 

Hopefully as I said a change or compromise can be made....I can live with or without it.

[WeBeCruisin']

I think you're missing the point. Its not the alcohol. Its the fact that they are restricting our freedom to choose what we can and cant do. BV was one of the things that set CC apart from the rest.

 

That's a very anarchistic viewpoint. The freedom to choose everything you can and can't do is what anarchy is all about. Laws and rules had to be created to keep people from abusing others by their choices.

 

Maybe the bottom line is that Carnival just got fed up with all the blatant and arrogant smuggling and whining and Just decided not to put up with it anymore. Why should they do people favors which ultimately decrease their profit margin when the people for whom they're doing the favors are constantly beyotching and complaining? :)

[4boysnus]

DING DING DING we have a winner. PLEASE write to them and let them know how dissatisfied you are, or all this complaining will be for naught!

 

Don't worry I sent mine in as soon as I started reading this thread. Now everybody please email them. Go to Carnival website and click on "contact us".

[McDebbie]

Enjoying a drink while watching a sunset from our balcony was a big appeal for us. We may have gone a different route had we known.

Exactly. I don't care why they changed it or if it was carefully thought out. If we can't have the vacation experience WE want we will have to look elsewhere. There is so much about cruising that is NOT fun that we won't miss (buffet lines, tender lines, etc). Not to say that I would ever quit cruising but we do have options.

[thefish]

No. Yes. It depends.

 

How many people on average can ride on a cruise ship? How many people get drunk? (work with me here) How many people get sick/ make a spectecle of themself? How many people get unruly?

 

How many times does it take 1 person to mess it up for everyone else? All it takes is the wrong person getting bumped, thrown up on, something said in front of their child, etc. before something gets changed.

 

Doesnt Carnival have to facilitate their happiness too? Just because the crowd that supports this is the loudest (no pun not saying you are all drunks etc.. im trying to be civil here and discuss) doesnt mean they are in the majority or in the best interest (at the time) to Carnival.

 

 

I enjoy two or three drinks prior to going to bed. By getting 1 liter of booze you would get about (22) 1.5 ounce drinks out of that bottle which works out to around 3 drinks per night (or day) for a 7 day cruise. One liter is what I have ordered on different cruise lines. It is extremely hard to get sick/drunk on 4.5 ounces of booze a night.

 

I do not particularly enjoy the company of drunks. I also avoid cigarette smoke and loud noise as much as possible. Because of this I avoid bars, even at home. But I do enjoy a couple of drinks before bedtime. In some eyes I might be considered a drunk because I drink any alchohol at all.

 

I could go without but why? I am more than happy to pay through the cruiseline for a bottle than to smuggle. Why would they take this service away and force me to go to a smokey bar to get three drinks (neat so I'll use ice and mix in my room). Others who would not put up with this will smuggle and I suspect most of them are like me, only wanting to enjoy a quite, non drunk, drink in their room.

 

As for the suggestion of that some passenger must have messed up being drunk for Carnival to change the policy, people who drink till they are sloppy drunk will find a way to do this with no bottle in the room. I don't think Carnival would use this reasoning to punish people like I.

 

So why folks is Carnival changing their policy? Do they think they will get more people drinking at their bars?

 

thanks

.

[Aknot]

So why folks is Carnival changing their policy? Do they think they will get more people drinking at their bars?

 

thanks

.

 

That is the million dollar question. It could be answered by a few answers meanign there is not one answer but a cumilation of answers that created the decision.

 

Logic (yes im giggling) would dictate you would see an increase in drinking at the bar.

 

OR

 

You would see a decrease in attendence.

 

OR

 

You would see a decrease in attendance only to see it return as more people cruise because of the "family friendly" aspect.

 

Or... etc.

 

The only way to find out is after a short term test evaluation. I would think 2 to 3 months if they are serious about this change. Any longer in finding out would probably have a bearing on their bottom line.

 

From what people say Carnival (even without the booze?) is still dollar for dollar you best choice for a cruise? Why would this change? At least this is what I surmize from my short time here.

[nrdsb4]

 

Maybe the bottom line is that Carnival just got fed up with all the blatant and arrogant smuggling and whining and Just decided not to put up with it anymore. Why should they do people favors which ultimately decrease their profit margin when the people for whom they're doing the favors are constantly beyotching and complaining? :)

 

How does discontinuing a practice of selling liquor for delivery to passenger rooms do anything to decrease the practice of smuggling or whining? Seems to me they've just guaranteed more of each.:rolleyes:

[Bunkie103]

Count me in as having sent my e-mail.:(

[cruisekwazee]

I just sent mine and I have neither smuggled nor ordered from Bon Voyage dept but they are gonna send us all packing. LOL

[graderman373]

put my name into the sent email pile also. dam i would not like to open that email box tomorrow lol.

[dland4us]

We sailed on Splendor March 2010. Halfway through the cruise we ordered a liter of vodka from Guest Services. It was delivered to our room right away. I am wondering if Bon Voyage and Guest Services are one and the same? Will Carnival not allow passengers to order and receive alcohol while sailing?

[Kurt-N-Kathy]

We sailed on Splendor March 2010. Halfway through the cruise we ordered a liter of vodka from Guest Services. It was delivered to our room right away. I am wondering if Bon Voyage and Guest Services are one and the same? Will Carnival not allow passengers to order and receive alcohol while sailing?

 

 

If this is the case than I have no problem with BV changing there policy. Whether I order after embarking or before makes no difference to me. I just want to freedom to order to my room.

[Wheresthesalt]

I ordered a bottle this morning, with no problems.

[smyemar]

I just emailed them too! Strength in numbers!:o