mini "bar" question for recent cruisers, please.

[39august]

A few months back, some folks had posted that a new practice is that a person from the food and drinks manager comes around daily to check for items gone from the minibar and replaces as needed. Reports were that after knocking, if there was no response, that person entered the cabin and did the check, replacing items. Our practice has always been to remove items, tell the steward what we were doing, use the fridge for our things, then return items the last day. How can we do this without being charged for items not consumed? Also, I am not crazy about people, other than my cabin steward, entering my cabin without my presense.

[Tamerella]

A few months back, some folks had posted that a new practice is that a person from the food and drinks manager comes around daily to check for items gone from the minibar and replaces as needed. Reports were that after knocking, if there was no response, that person entered the cabin and did the check, replacing items. Our practice has always been to remove items, tell the steward what we were doing, use the fridge for our things, then return items the last day. How can we do this without being charged for items not consumed? Also, I am not crazy about people, other than my cabin steward, entering my cabin without my presense.

 

I have always asked the cabin attendant (immediately when I get to the cabin) to remove all of the items from the fridge. Then, I put my own items in there. I have never had a problem doing it that way.

[Merion_Mom]

I have always asked the cabin attendant (immediately when I get to the cabin) to remove all of the items from the fridge. Then, I put my own items in there. I have never had a problem doing it that way.

 

T, I don't know the last time that you cruised, but the situation has changed. Stewards are not supposed to touch the stuff in the refrigerators - that is all being handled by these bar staffers.

[Tamerella]

T, I don't know the last time that you cruised, but the situation has changed. Stewards are not supposed to touch the stuff in the refrigerators - that is all being handled by these bar staffers.

 

I cruised in October 2010 and December 2010 and both times, the cabin attendant removed the items without question. I was in a suite so not sure if that had something to do with it.

[gemcrusier]

We have it removed and buy a bar set up , when we go ashore get soda and what we want no problems

[Merion_Mom]

I cruised in October 2010 and December 2010 and both times, the cabin attendant removed the items without question. I was in a suite so not sure if that had something to do with it.

 

Some stewards still will do it, but the part about the personnel from the bars doing the checking and stocking is absolutely accurate.

 

In August, our steward flat out refused to move the contents. We did it ourselves, and asked the bar staff to take them away, but they wouldn't. We had to live with the stuff littering the small amount of shelf space.

 

In early December, we had plenty of storage space, so we didn't mind moving the cans etc ourselves and putting them in the cabinets.

 

Last week, we never even OPENED the refrigerator. Not once. Weird, I know, and it just occurred to me!

[Merion_Mom]

We have it removed and buy a bar set up , when we go ashore get soda and what we want no problems

 

There is no bar setup on Royal Caribbean. You are talking about some other cruise line.

[CruiseKeeper]

Nah, not so weird, we don't use or go into our mini-bar either. No good can come of it. :D

 

On two cruises we've had to go to guest relations to have phantom mini-bar purchases removed. After the going back and forth with GR and the bar staff that stocks the mini-bars and waiting until they duke it out, I'd just as soon not have the mini-bar in my cabin. It can be an erroneous little honor bar that sometimes causes them to doubt your honor.

[CVU]

Nah, not so weird, we don't use or go into our mini-bar either. No good can come of it. :D

 

On two cruises we've had to go to guest relations to have phantom mini-bar purchases removed. After the going back and forth with GR and the bar staff that stocks the mini-bars and waiting until they duke it out, I'd just as soon not have the mini-bar in my cabin. It can be an erroneous little honor bar that sometimes causes them to doubt your honor.

 

Definitely will be on my comment card from now on to have nothing in the fridge -unless you want it stocked. I don't like the idea of someone daily checking our cabin either...........

 

We had a problem with being charged for a bottle of water, they reversed it but then on our departure day I saw a half empty bottle under our sofa!! :confused: That was truly odd, we never opened the fridge to use it either!! Makes you wonder how it got there? I guess it was removed from our fridge and half consumed on the 2nd to last day?

 

We are on a long B2B later this Fall and sure don't want the space taken up with the stock, I guess we could put it into an empty suitcase if they won't remover it..........

[goinmobile68]

June 2010 on the Radiance I asked guest services to have the contents removed after reading about frequent "misunderstandings" regarding charges for items not used. I was told to "do it yourself", so I did. As others have stated, it took up storage space that we could have used! It seems that a lot depends on what your cabin steward is like. We never saw ours & was never informed if there was a way to contact him/her, so that wasn't an option.

[Carpe Diem Gal]

On the first day of our Oasis of the Seas cruise in November 2010, we simply asked our room steward to remove all items which she happily agreed to do or have done. No PROBLEM at all. (In the past, we took things out as we needed the space and returned them at the end of the cruise.) I can't believe it took us so long to realize we could simply ask to have them removed! LOL! We always carry our own water on shore excursions. We use ship water because it is safe to drink and is good. We just fill our aluminum containers up the night before and put in the refrigerator. I believe the bottled water sold before departing ship is about $3 each and that adds up. They don't permit filling your own watr bottles up at the free cafes, but if you fill just put water in cups you can fill your container.

[Puffinater]

The last few cruises we have been on there has been someone from the beverage dept. checking.

On our recent Navigator cruise we were charged for a Diet Coke that we did not take from the fridge. There was a half empty can on the desk and I suspect the beverage person just assumed. Took three trips to guest services to get it removed. A lot of time and effort for a $2.24 charge but it became more the principle of it more than the charge. Best to check your onboard account daily to try and avoid any last minute surprises.