Does RCCI really limit alcholic drinks

[NolaGirl99]

I am new to RCI. I was reading a previous post about passengers being cut off by bartenders and quite honestly it scared the bajeezus out of me! I don't even drink but I am traveling with a group of 16 from New Orleans on July 18th on the Freedom. In Nawlins due to the 24 hour lure of Bourbon Street we are taught young to manage ourselves and watch out for each other---BUT when in party mode (Like on vacation--when we don't have to drive) being cut off by a bartender could get ugly--I am nervous now. I want my friends to have fun. We have traveled together on Carnival and Disney and been fine. Does RCI monitor alcohol consumption more closely than other cruise lines? Should we order wine packages in advance? I am making us sound like a bunch of alcholics-But on sea days I know they plan on drinking beer next to the pool most of the day and then would want wine with dinner. Any insight is appreciated.

[akcruz]

I am new to RCI. I was reading a previous post about passengers being cut off by bartenders and quite honestly it scared the bajeezus out of me! I don't even drink but I am traveling with a group of 16 from New Orleans on July 18th on the Freedom. In Nawlins due to the 24 hour lure of Bourbon Street we are taught young to manage ourselves and watch out for each other---BUT when in party mode (Like on vacation--when we don't have to drive) being cut off by a bartender could get ugly--I am nervous now. I want my friends to have fun. We have traveled together on Carnival and Disney and been fine. Does RCI monitor alcohol consumption more closely than other cruise lines? Should we order wine packages in advance? I am making us sound like a bunch of alcholics-But on sea days I know they plan on drinking beer next to the pool most of the day and then would want wine with dinner. Any insight is appreciated.

 

I have never seen anyone cutoff on an RCI ship and I've seen some that definitely should have been. I wouldn't worry about it all. If for some reason you get a grumpy bartender like in that thread there is another bar around the corner and I am sure they will be more than happy to serve you.

[Puffinater]

The bartenders can and do cut folks off. I have seen this only once but believe me it was the right thing to do.

[Retired LEO]

Don't buy any drinks for your friends. If too many drinks are purchased in a specific time period, your account will be shut off for any further alcohol purchases.

[Aquahound]

The only people I have ever seen cut off really needed it. They are usually pretty generous with the serving.

 

A word of advise though...if you do get cut off, don't let it "get ugly" as you put it. They will not hesitate to confine you to your rooms or kick you off the ship.

[Loyal2RCCL]

I've seen several people cut off by the bar staff and each case it was for good reason. One one 7 night cruise, a man and his wife were cut off on day 2 and were not allowed to purchase (or consume) any alcohol for the remainder of the cruise. They had a BIG, RED "X" drawn on the front of their Seapass card.

 

Once you've been cut off, they circulate a list to all of the bars that have your name and picture attached.

[kyriecat]

Here is what I posted on the other thread:

 

My husband and I were on Brilliance several years ago to celebrate our 10-yr anniversary. We had a great group at our dinner table so we bought a couple of rounds for the table as part of our celebration. We were at a table of 10 and I think we bought 18 drinks that night. Hubby had 3 beers and I had 2 mixed drinks. The rest were consumed by the others at our table. We were having a good time so we were there for at least 1.5 hours eating and talking at the table.

 

After dinner, hubby and I went to the Schooner Lounge to hang out and watch the pianist. We each ordered a drink and gave the waiter my husband's card. The waiter came back a few minutes later and said he couldn't serve us because we'd already reached our limit for the evening. Neither of us were even slightly buzzed. We explained to the waiter that we bought rounds for the dinner table and had not drank all 18 drinks ourselves. He said it didn't matter whether we showed signs of being drunk or not, he still couldn't serve us. I tried using my Seapass card, but hubby and I were linked to the same account so they wouldn't take mine either.

 

Moral of the story - don't buy drinks for friends on RC. :rolleyes: I've seen similar stories a few times. I don't know what the "daily limit" for drinks on RC actually is. I usually average 3-4/night (1-2 w/ dinner and 1-2 later in the lounge). Hubby usually has 2-3 beers with dinner and 1-2 mixed drinks later. Neither of us normally drinks during the day. The only time we had a problem was when we bought the drinks for the dinner table.

The drinks that we purchased for our friends at dinner (18 total) were the only drinks that we bought that day. Neither of us had anything to drink prior to dinner and neither of us was exhibiting any signs of intoxication when we went to the lounge after dinner. I don't drink regularly, but 2 mixed drinks over a 1.5 - 2 hour period with dinner has very little affect on me, especially since RC does not mix their drinks very strong. My husband is 6'3" and weighs about 180 so 3 beers over that same period has no affect on him. We were not rude to the waiter when we explained that we had purchased most of the drinks for others. The waiter even said that we did not appear to have overindulged, but it was their policy to cut people off when they purchase too many drinks.

 

Usually 8-9 drinks (4 for me, 5 for him) is the most we buy, and that is usually over 3-4 hours during dinner and afterward. We've never had a problem being cut-off with that quantity.

[Loyal2RCCL]

Here is what I posted on the other thread:

 

The drinks that we purchased for our friends at dinner (18 total) were the only drinks that we bought that day. Neither of us had anything to drink prior to dinner and neither of us was exhibiting any signs of intoxication when we went to the lounge after dinner. I don't drink regularly, but 2 mixed drinks over a 1.5 - 2 hour period with dinner has very little affect on me, especially since RC does not mix their drinks very strong. My husband is 6'3" and weighs about 180 so 3 beers over that same period has no affect on him. We were not rude to the waiter when we explained that we had purchased most of the drinks for others. The waiter even said that we did not appear to have overindulged, but it was their policy to cut people off when they purchase too many drinks.

 

Usually 8-9 drinks (4 for me, 5 for him) is the most we buy, and that is usually over 3-4 hours during dinner and afterward. We've never had a problem being cut-off with that quantity.

 

That may have been the ship's policy to monitor the purchases. Seeing that it was on the Brilliance it may have something to do with the George Smith case. I was on the Monarch a few years ago with a large group. The group leader purchased drinks at the pool bar for the entire group of 40 which resulted in about $1,000.00 bar tab before sailaway. At no point in the cruise was he ever cut off from purchasing drinks which makes me think the monitoring may be different from ship to ship.

[cb at sea]

We've never been "cut off" by a bartender....(hubby's made suggestions, however!!!)...are you refering to the post that was on this board a couple hours ago?

[kyriecat]

I've seen several people cut off by the bar staff and each case it was for good reason. One one 7 night cruise, a man and his wife were cut off on day 2 and were not allowed to purchase (or consume) any alcohol for the remainder of the cruise. They had a BIG, RED "X" drawn on the front of their Seapass card.

 

Once you've been cut off, they circulate a list to all of the bars that have your name and picture attached.

I don't think that is always the case. When my husband and I were cut off, it was only for the evening. We were able to buy drinks again the following night at dinner. We were neither drunk nor rude when we were cut off so that might make a difference. We definitely didn't get any red X's drawn on either of our cards.

[Loyal2RCCL]

I don't think that is always the case. When my husband and I were cut off, it was only for the evening. We were able to buy drinks again the following night at dinner. We were neither drunk nor rude when we were cut off so that might make a difference. We definitely didn't get any red X's drawn on either of our cards.

 

The Red "X" was because this couple was cut off for the remaining 5 days of the cruise. When they cut you off for the night, they circulate the list to the different bars to keep you from going to another area for more.

[sjb317]

On our last cruise a few weeks ago, I was ordering some drinks at the pool bar and the bartender was explaining (nicely!) to a young man why he was switiching him to water for his next drink. It was pretty obvious the young man was intoxicated. First time I've ever seen that happen!

Sherri:)

[NolaGirl99]

So it sounds like it everyone stays in reasonable limits and is not "drunk" we should be okay.

[wwcruisers]

So it sounds like it everyone stays in reasonable limits and is not "drunk" we should be okay.

 

Well, as long as none of you is driving! :D

But seriously, Google "George Smith", and you'll get an idea of why RC has to be vigilant about excessive alcohol consumption. If everyone in your group remembers to pack their common sense, you'll all have a great cruise! :cool:

[amybeth4]

I've never seen anyone cut off. I see people drink lots of buckets of beer by the pool.

 

On my last cruise I drank about 9 drinks over the course of a "day at sea" between about noon and midnight. I never got drunk and it certainly didn't raise any flags.

[Retired LEO]

So it sounds like it everyone stays in reasonable limits and is not "drunk" we should be okay.

 

Just remember if things get "Ugly" as you stated earlier you'll not only be cut off but you'll be thrown off.

[lovemylab]

The bars on the ship can cut you off. So can a bar on land. It's a liability concern. As others have pointed out, when it happens it's usually done for good reasons.

[bigeagle12]

Just remember if things get "Ugly" as you stated earlier you'll not only be cut off but you'll be thrown off.

 

Well said .. end of discussion. I have seen people cut off and thrown off both. You do not want the opportunity to meet RCCL security.

[Coralc]

Royal Caribbean has a "Serve Safe" program that the bartenders attend. They can limit you by appearance or by the number of charges within a period of time. We have seen people cut off, especially on Grandeur. (There apparently were some serious Spring Break issues onboard a few years ago, that I don't recall reading about)

 

I don't know the specifics, but we did ask a bartender about it after seeing "the cutting off" in action. There was a notation on the pasenger's Seapass card. :) Correction, it should have read "the" passenger or another passenger. It wasn't us.

[KoryD]

Been on numerous cruises already never saw anybody get cut off but that just me

[Loyal2RCCL]

Royal Caribbean has a "Serve Safe" program that the bartenders attend. They can limit you by appearance or by the number of charges within a period of time. We have seen people cut off, especially on Grandeur. (There apparently were some serious Spring Break issues onboard a few years ago, that I don't recall reading about)

 

I don't know the specifics, but we did ask a bartender about it after seeing "the cutting off" in action. There was a notation on the pasenger's Seapass card. :) Correction, it should have read "the" passenger or another passenger. It wasn't us.

 

I was on that infamous Spring Break cruise on the Grandeur a few years back. The amount of drunk college students was out of control (and so were they). This was on the 5 night cruise from Tampa and there was an undercover news team onboard who got it all on hidden video. This aired all over (CNN, I believe) and several of the bartenders involved lost their jobs.. Since then RCCL requires all of the bar staff to watch the footage as part of their "Serve Safe" program.

[Gilgo Surfer]

I've never seen anyone cut off. I see people drink lots of buckets of beer by the pool.

 

On my last cruise I drank about 9 drinks over the course of a "day at sea" between about noon and midnight. I never got drunk and it certainly didn't raise any flags.

 

I saw a guy get denied a bucket of beer by a bartender at the pool bar on the EOS.He was stunned and so was I as an onlooker. The bartender seemed to be in a bad mood all week. When I glanced at his name tag he said "thats fine, you can look all you want"

 

I saw the guy a little later with his bucket of beer he must have gotten from another bar.

[grnyel05]

I saw someone cut off for the first time on my Voyager cruise in March. The guy in question was certainly incredibly intoxicated at the time. The same guy was also cut off a couple nights later. Other than that I've never seen anyone else cut off.

[Bakincakes]

Why is it that people believe just because they are on a cruise ship and won't be driving that they can get drunk and shouldn't be denied bar service?

 

Drunk is drunk and most times goes hand in hand with obnoxious.;)

[Funky Face Painter, UK]

Never seen it either, always happy to serve drinks with the grats on top!