RCI not allowing passengers to bring wine onboard?

[RSS from SF]

It would also be nice if, in addition to improving the wine selection, RCI didn't feel the need for a 400% to 500% markup. I expect a markup, but that's just out of line, IMO. Charging $28 for a bottle that costs $6 at the store? Eek.

 

beachchick

 

The current "Wine Cellar Selections" in the RCCL Cruise Guide shows a Beringer Founders Estate Cabernet Sauvignon for $39.95 that is currently on slight sale for 6.99 at my nearby upscale, higher-priced supermarket (usually at 7.99 at discount stores not on sale). Buy 6 bottles of any wines/liquors you get 10% off and each bottle is $6.29. And that's not a big sale at a discount shop.

 

That's 635% MARKUP OVER RETAIL for this low-end stuff!

[wwinfl91]

That is why I started this thread and why people need to vote in the poll against RCI stopping us from bringing on our own wine. It is totally unfair the markup and the lack of choices in the wines that are offered.

 

VOTE on the poll and hopefully someone at RCI will notice that this thread has stayed active and on the first few pages of the board for almost a month now. It has been viewed over 3100 times and has over 225 posts. 361 people have voted for the freedom to bring their own wine aboard without hassle.

 

On well enough preaching for now.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[first timer with teens]

Did you warn NASA about your launch? Hopefully it didn't interupt any of their scheduled launches.

 

It does sound like a great way to start a cruise.

 

Have a great next cruise.

Actually, one time, I was really really REALLY tempted to pop it as soon as we started pulling out of Miami, when there were still a lot of little local boats floating around us. I wanted to see if I could hit one. :D

 

William Tell

[RSS from SF]

That is why I started this thread and why people need to vote in the poll against RCI stopping us from bringing on our own wine. It is totally unfair the markup and the lack of choices in the wines that are offered.

 

VOTE on the poll and hopefully someone at RCI will notice that this thread has stayed active and on the first few pages of the board for almost a month now. It has been viewed over 3100 times and has over 225 posts. 361 people have voted for the freedom to bring their own wine aboard without hassle.

 

I agree! I voted AS SOON as I saw the poll :) !

 

Salud! -RSS-

[island lady]

My vote was in there early too!! :)

 

Cheers!

[syndyj]

We cruised on AOS last September and took a bottle of wine with us, which we we had with dinner one night in the dining room and were not charged the corkage fee by our waiter.

[Grego]

I didn't have time to read all 10 pages of messages regarding this topic, so forgive me if someone has already offered the following comments.

 

Princess does a better than most job of handling the whole alcohol situation. You are allowed to bring onboard a few bottles of wine and beer. You are not allowed to bring bottles of booze, however, this policy is not always enforced.

 

One of the main issues with Princess is that they are trying to limit the liabilities with over indulgence or under age drinking hence the restrictions of bring aboard alcohol. That said, there is still the issue that Princess wants to profit from selling beverages and because of that they want you to have a good time and to buy the bottles from them. Their prices are very reasonable for all products including wine. They are higher than duty free, but much cheaper than most liquor stores - and they deliver to the room.

 

So to me the policy that makes sense is to let passengers bring a couple of bottles of their favorite wine aboard, take them to dinner if they wish and for a small corkage charge enjoy the wine at dinner. If you pick up a couple of bottles in port and bring them back to the ship there shouldn't be any problem taken them back to the room for consumption there if they desire.

 

If you want a bottle or two of Dewars White Label in your room, then offer the service of ordering ahead before embarkation and having them delivered to your cabin. When you run out, be able to call Room Service and have them deliver another bottle at reasonable cost. Should you wish to purchase from the Duty Free store on board or from a store in port, than those items should be held until disembarkation.

 

I would hope the RCI adopt a policy that really does what should be done and provide for the protection of the passengers and not punish them. If they don't I can see that there is going to be a lot of effort in smuggling the adult beverages aboard.

[FinelyCruising]

If they improved the wine list then I would stop bringing some of mine with me. That's where they need to start IMHO.

[critterchick]

Sorry to be a downer, but sending your champagne cork into the water is a bad idea. You're not supposed to throw (or launch) anything overboard in order to avoid further pollution of the oceans. We always put a towel over the cork, which would probably draw gasps from the wine snob crowd, but it also keeps the cork from denting the ceiling or breaking a lamp.

[wwinfl91]

Probably a good idea to avoid launching corks overboard although I thought that cork was a natural substance and may decay normally. Still it would be better to not put anything in the ocean that isn't already there. By the way when you are in some of the ports don't look too closely down in the water because you probably won't like what you see floating there.

 

Thanks for everyone who has voted in the poll. I don't know if anyone from RCI has seen it and I sure hope they aren't tracking me down as I type this but maybe it will help.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[smeyer418]

Sorry to be a downer, but sending your champagne cork into the water is a bad idea. You're not supposed to throw (or launch) anything overboard in order to avoid further pollution of the oceans. We always put a towel over the cork, which would probably draw gasps from the wine snob crowd, but it also keeps the cork from denting the ceiling or breaking a lamp.

Launching a champagne cork is a no-no even among wine snobs. The best wine stewards gets it off with out so much as a whimper. In fact it is recommend to have a towel around it so it doesn't splash someone when it comes out. The heathen among us pop a cork and waste the champagne- please do that with boone's farm and not Dom Perignon

[first timer with teens]

Not a drop is wasted, I assure you, smeyer. The pressure forces the cork out, but the champagne does NOT bubble out. At home, I work the cork out slowly with a towel over the top, and it is always happy to just plop into the fabric.

 

I am truly sorry if I upset any of you by launching a piece of tree bark into the ocean. I shall not only cease doing this, but I shall start a protective group to force all other trees around the globe to cease dropping their bark on the ground where it could be washed into a stream, flow down a river, enter the ocean, and join my cork in a vast conspiracy to harm the fishies.

 

(By the way, I don't think that Boone's Farm would froth forth, since it is not "carbonated" although it does taste like soda pop. Or so I am told. :))

 

Rachel Carson

[smeyer418]

You need to shake the Boone's Farm first and yes its carbonated--from experience... :)

[island lady]

The best wine stewards gets it off with out so much as a whimper. In fact it is recommend to have a towel around it so it doesn't splash someone when it comes out.

 

 

Ok...I will stop giggling now..... :D

[island lady]

Not a drop is wasted, I assure you, smeyer. The pressure forces the cork out, but the champagne does NOT bubble out. At home, I work the cork out slowly with a towel over the top, and it is always happy to just plop into the fabric.

 

I am truly sorry if I upset any of you by launching a piece of tree bark into the ocean. I shall not only cease doing this, but I shall start a protective group to force all other trees around the globe to cease dropping their bark on the ground where it could be washed into a stream, flow down a river, enter the ocean, and join my cork in a vast conspiracy to harm the fishies.

 

(By the way, I don't think that Boone's Farm would froth forth, since it is not "carbonated" although it does taste like soda pop. Or so I am told. :))

 

Rachel Carson

 

And now I am REALLY laughing....ROTFLMAF!!! :D :D

 

Loved your reply!! Good one, first timer with teens!!

 

Oh...and by the way, I too have sent many corks into the water.....I was fishing with a "cork" bobber!! Amazing...you send it out and the fish bring it back!! :D

 

Cheers!

[royalcaribbeanfan]

The only time they gave us a hard time about bringing alcohol on board was when we were getting back on the ship from Jamaica. My DH bought a six pack of Red Stripe Beer. Jeff Arpin(Cruise Director) told him that he had to turn it in and we could have it the night before we debarked. We told him that it was not for consuming but for souvenirs. He looked at us both and then said "OK". We do bring champagne onboard with us because they don't sell the kind that we drink. We have never had a problem. We are going on another cruise in October, we will see what happens then.

[wwinfl91]

Does anyone remember Strawberry Hill by Boone's Farm? I think that and Mad Dog (Morgan David) were my first two experiences with "wine". I know that dates me a little but after all the "60's" were an interesting time.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[setcarp]

Launching a champagne cork is a no-no even among wine snobs.

Once in France we saw a Champagne vault and they showed us the way champagne snobs opened a bottle and that was with a sword. I do not think TSA will allow us to carry swords onboard.

As far as trash in the ocean....I remember a few years ago seeing video from a boy scout troupe that was spending a couple of nights on a US NAVY destroyer and they cought on tape their weekly ritual of dumping all their trash overboard. It was sickening.

[island lady]

Does anyone remember Strawberry Hill by Boone's Farm? I think that and Mad Dog (Morgan David) were my first two experiences with "wine". I know that dates me a little but after all the "60's" were an interesting time.

 

Have a great next cruise.

 

They actually still make those! The last distributor I worked for did quite the business in supplying the retail market. I would always smile to myself when I walked by their department in the warehouse with those cases stacked to the ceiling of the stuff. I do remember those as my "teenage years" drink of choice! Boones farm makes a rainbow of flavors, and I still remember the green apple flavor....oh my gosh would I get sick on that now!! ;)

 

Cheers!

[wwinfl91]

Thanks Island Lady. I will have to check out the grocery store wine section and see if I can find a bottle of Strawberry Hill just to see if it still tastes like I remember it tasting. But I don't think I will bring it along on my next cruise even for the cabin.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[critterchick]

Imagine the embarassment - "BOONE'S FARM GOING THROUGH LUGGAGE MUST BE CONFISCATED!!!":D

 

Rachel, somebody on board will make repeated announcements about not tossing anything overboard. Sure, there are lots of natural substances that might not do any harm, but if they catch you doing it, they will hit you with a steep fine and/or toss you off the ship. Hardly worth it, IMHO.

[msraye]

I just spoke to RCCL and they told me that yes, you can bring wine and champagne aboard AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ON THEIR WINE LIST. No problem for me there. I tend to take advantage of where I live (SF Bay Area) and get small winery output. Well, except for the Mumms and you can only buy that particular type there at the "factory". On Princess to Hawaii my roomie and I brought on 3 champagnes and 8 bottles of wine. I expect to do about the same for my RCCL BtoB in October. I take mine on board cuz I object to paying $35 for a $6 bottle of wine.

 

Now, banning water---I will revolt. I drink about 2.5 liters of charged mineral water a day. Sometimes more if it is hot and I am running around. I have learned that 1 case weighs 40 pounds. I have had horrible time finding the water I like to drink away from home. If I find it somewhere other than California it is all in little bottles! I can finish one of those in 2 gulps! I can just see me on an excursion with multiple bottles hanging all over me!!

[island lady]

Thanks Island Lady. I will have to check out the grocery store wine section and see if I can find a bottle of Strawberry Hill just to see if it still tastes like I remember it tasting. But I don't think I will bring it along on my next cruise even for the cabin.

 

Have a great next cruise.

 

You go big guy!! Something rather nostalgic about living a few moments of our youth!!

My problem is that life was so much more simple when I could drink cheap wine, and of course easier on the old wallet!! :D

Now, ...sigh....life is so much more complicated: complicated palate, complicated everything.

But then again, I digress...and most definitely enjoy the whole new world of wine that has opened up for me. Going on 10 years in the business and I still feel like a bright eyed child of wonder!

 

Cheers!

[wwinfl91]

HI msraye,

 

That sounds more like the policies that Princess, HAL and other cruise lines have. Did, by any chance, your communication with them occur in writing?

 

If so then I will also be contacting them so I have something in writing when I board the ship with my 6 bottles of wine in a wine box. As I have said earlier it isn't like I am going to be bringing on anything expensive, although a little more so than Strawberry Hill. But my better half likes the sweeter wines and no cruise line seems to carry much in that area.

 

Maybe all our posts did some good. After all this thread has been checked out over 3000 times and almost 80% have voted against an RCI policy that refused people bringing their own wine with them.

 

Island Lady, it sounds like you enjoy your new profession and I have to admit working with wine daily does sound like an interesting occupation. I will let you know if I find some Strawberry Hill and if it does bring back memories of the good old days.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[zachnlucy]

STAY AWAY FROM BOONE'S FARM STRAWBERRY HILL. My memories from the last time I drank it in 1971 still haunt me. ;) I distinctly remember a bonfire and my friend Leo singing some Beatles song while playing his guitar ... that's about it (other than three horribly sick hours afterward).