New liquor policy

[mcwebber]

See John Heald's post on this on Facebook:
[url]https://www.facebook.com/JohnHeald[/url]
According to JH, having to pick up liquor the morning of departure "This will be a fleetwide standard soon"

[krhpee]

In January in the Freedom it was delivered the last night,

[Frequent Floater]

[quote name='Willbcruisin']So what happens to those sailing on a B2B:confused:

Am I reading this correct.........If I purchase booze onboard my Miracle sailing in April I have to pick it up the morning we disembark?[/QUOTE]

I AM on a B2B and hope there is no problem bringing it back to my cabin last morning of the 1st leg to use the 2nd leg and not hold till the last morning of the last leg??

[Avril]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3]So what happens if you're on a B2B? :confused: Do you get to pick up any booze you bought on the 1st cruise (on debark morning of the 1st cruise) or will they keep it for the 2nd as well? Just wondering!! :D[/SIZE][/FONT]

[BSQ]

[quote name='Neotericisis']NOT COOL! We have a really close flight (dum dum DH booked it at 12:30pm lol), so we don't want to waste time picking anything up. If this is the case then I won't buy Tequila in Cozumel, and I will be fine with the brands I get in NJ. I'll ask once I board the Imagination, but if I find this to be true then the chances of me buying extra liquor is 0%.

Thanks for the info, I assumed they would leave it for me the last night so I could pack it! Any extra wait time is not within my departure plans![/QUOTE]

It was like that on the Imagination this past November.

I can't remember where I had to go to pick up my bottles. But it was a painless process.

If you pack your bags knowing you have to slip a couple bottles into them, it only takes a couple minutes to do when you are reunited with your suitcase either before customs or at the airport before you check your bag.

[familycruzinnewbie]

I flew to DC this summer and decided I would buy a bottle of wine duty free at the Toronto airport. Well they were selling Ontario wine in 1L tetrapaks (like a large juice box). A lady there had tried them and didn't approve.
I Vegas I was looking for Malibu or similar in a plastic bottle at the ABC store and had to buy the 1.75L size. Luckily I didn't have to explain to customs that DH and I were sharing as we are only allowed 1L each (we just claimed 1L each).

[bluecat_1975]

I posted this to John Heald's facebook page. He has confirmed that this is being done as a trail on some ships and if it works it would be fleet wide. He encouraged everyone to leave their comments on his facebook page and he will bring them to the beards.

[tweety33]

We do early self disembark, and don't have any spare time to go track down the liquor, then get it packed. So I guess with this new rule, we won't be purchasing Carnival liquor anymore to take home.

[tracyvansmith]

[quote name='mcwebber']See John Heald's post on this on Facebook:
[URL]https://www.facebook.com/JohnHeald[/URL]
According to JH, having to pick up liquor the morning of departure "This will be a fleetwide standard soon"[/quote]

[quote name='bluecat_1975']I posted this to John Heald's facebook page. He has confirmed that this is being done as a trail on some ships and if it works it would be fleet wide. He encouraged everyone to leave their comments on his facebook page and he will bring them to the beards.[/quote]

I think we all should let him know how we feel about this on his Facebook. Here is his quote. I have already told John how I felt about this bad, bad policy.:mad:


This is a trial that is going on some of our ships and will most probably be fleetwide if it works. I can understand your point of view and I will pass this onto those in the Miami office who are in charge of this procedure. We will look at... the comments closley so it is important that thosed comments are placed here as this is the site that the senior beards read. Please tell your friends on CC to let me know their feelings here in the weeks ahead. Cheers. There should be time to re pack the case before its placed through check in Trina. If you need help with this please letme know. Cheers

[Willbcruisin]

I asked John Heald on FB. He said there is a new policy but has emailed the Beards for an official statement which we are waiting for. He only could confirm so far that people who use luggage express will have their bottles delivered the night before.

He will update when he has more info.

[frazzledrazzle16]

I guess the Valor is one of the test ships.... We had to go to the teens club on the morning of disembarkation to pick up our purchases. Very much an inconvenience! All the liquor was divided up by deck and you just grabbed whatever and left... Nobody was double checking anything to make sure you had the right package or to prevent anyone else from grabbing it, which honestly I see as being a larger issue once more people are aware of this process... Why buy alcohol when you can just grab someone elses on debarkation day for free????

[bluecat_1975]

[quote name='chachi']That was my thought too. I would never by liquor at port to pack in my luggage. I can buy it at home. I haven't, but could see buying it to drink on the last night. That could be a substantial savings.[/QUOTE]

We could all buy it at home..but at the prices from the ports? not even close - about a 60-70% saving for us. We never had a problem or a hassle brining it back and we usually bring 6 or 7 bottles between us! This new policy is a huge pain in the a**!

I suppose jewellery, clothes, perfume and electronics are all available at home - so why bother all that as well.

[Froufie]

I am trying to figure out the 'rationale' behind this decision? Why would anyone dream this up and think it might be 'popular'? Shades of 'removal' or free drinks at captain's cocktail reception and creation of the farewell party - somehow this was also on a 'trial basis' on some ships and John reported everyone LOVED this new format and so it was adopted fleet-wide? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Just another cost cutting measure I think?

[vanityfur]

[quote name='babyblue78']In February, we bought liquor in Ocho Rios at the store near the port. They boxed it up and delivered it to the ship, they didn't let us take it with us. DH and to go to the dance club the morning of debarkation to pick it up. I wonder if this is going fleetwide?[/quote]

They did this on the Elation, as well, in Feb. I wouldn't have known about if a woman hadn't dropped her liquor bottles on the floor. She was not happy that she had to carry them off like that - especially when that led to her dropping them! She said she normally has them packed in her suitcase...

[airmj2123]

[quote name='Froufie']I am trying to figure out the 'rationale' behind this decision? Why would anyone dream this up and think it might be 'popular'? Shades of 'removal' or free drinks at captain's cocktail reception and creation of the farewell party - somehow this was also on a 'trial basis' on some ships and John reported everyone LOVED this new format and so it was adopted fleet-wide? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Just another cost cutting measure I think?[/QUOTE]

RCL uses the same policy during spring break. It is not that big of a deal. It doesn't take long to pick up your liquor and repack it in a suitcase.

[Frank12]

[quote name='airmj2123']RCL uses the same policy during spring break. It is not that big of a deal. It doesn't take long to pick up your liquor and repack it in a suitcase.[/quote]
It is when all of your suitcases left your room the night before.

[airmj2123]

[quote name='Frank12']It is when all of your suitcases left your room the night before.[/QUOTE]

Plan ahead and roll a suitcase off... or carry it off and have space in one of the suitcases waiting for you.

[Frank12]

[quote name='airmj2123']Plan ahead and roll a suitcase off... or carry it off and have space in one of the suitcases waiting for you.[/quote]

You just made my point. Now it is becoming a big deal.

The old way was very simple. I just don't see any reason to change it.

[airmj2123]

[quote name='Frank12']You just made my point. Now it is becoming a big deal.

The old way was very simple. I just don't see any reason to change it.[/QUOTE]

I can think of two reasons:
1) don't have to use staff delivering alcohol
2) cuts down on underage drinking (this has been a problem in the past)

[luvthebalcony]

For all of you throwing a little tantrum if you don't like it go somewhere else. Carnival does a great job for the dollar. You could pack the booze you want to buy in a carry on case after you pick it up in the morning. I don't believe this a way to nickel and dime us or a way to cut cost or raise revenue although they are in the business to make money. If they can't make money the ships won't sail. Go ahead and reclaim your vacation or better yet go with some other line if you don't like Carnival.
We have tried other lines over the years and have decided we like Carnival more for many reasons. I hope I don't have to listen to people bitchin while I'm on my vacation I just go with the flow and have fun. Enough said !

[ardnassac79]

[quote name='luvthebalcony']For all of you throwing a little tantrum if you don't like it go somewhere else. Carnival does a great job for the dollar. You could pack the booze you want to buy in a carry on case after you pick it up in the morning. I don't believe this a way to nickel and dime us or a way to cut cost or raise revenue although they are in the business to make money. If they can't make money the ships won't sail. ![/quote]

Like.

I'll be the first to say we always buy our allotted 2 bottles of liquor per adult for duty free in the ship's shop.

That said... I don't see what the huge deal is... I can understand if they didn't know "who's box was who's" and you got a Russian Roulette of liquor boxes at the end. Most everyone I've seen has at least a carry-on with them while debarking - and unless you're buying a massive amount of alcohol (which I'd have a hard time understanding how you re-packed it in the first place without intricate plans of bringing at least 1-2 extra empty bags on board) the carry-on should be fine. Just either smoosh the box in your carry-on, or for heavens sake just CARRY it. Doesn't seem like a Bachelors Degree in Logistics is needed here. I'm sure the crew has more more important things to do on the night before debarkation than make sure we have our liquor that we purchased in the shops or on shore.. You took the time to buy it, be responsible for it.

[richstowe]

[quote name='KatyAnn']I think the reason is to help sales on the last night of the cruise. As it is now, one can buy liquor in port and then have it returned the night before disembarkation. This would keep one from needing to buy drinks the last night.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="3"]100% Agree! This does seem to be a cash grab. It may backfire if people don't want the hassle of picking
up their booze the final morning.[/SIZE]

[Sherrybaby412]

For those of you who keep saying just put it in your carry on, you cannot carry liquids over 3 ounces on a plane.

[minerva78]

I'm a little annoyed at this change, because it seems like it will just add inconvenience to an already hectic morning - unless we end up being in group 23 to disembark again and then we'll have plenty of time to get this done, haha. But we're driving to and from the port, so I don't see it as a huge deal. If I were flying though, I really don't know if I'd go through the hassle, because having to hastily stuff liquor into your already packed and checked luggage seems a bit too inconvenient for me. And would definitely increase the likelihood of having broken bottles than if you had the time to carefully pack the liquor the night before in your room. So it will be interesting to hear people's experiences following this "trial".

All I know is that one of the reasons I chose to go back to Nassau is so we could get several bottles of Tortuga Rum, since it is the best rum I have ever had and I can't get it locally. Now with this potential new policy in place, I will probably go a little over our alcohol allowance this time, just to stock up. Because if we take a cruise next year we'll likely be flying to a port and I do NOT want to deal with this then! :)

[RoofingPrincess]

I enjoy the low prices in port or onboard, but this may keep me from purchasing.
Yes, I can carry it off the ship, but I generally put my liquor bottles each in their own ziplock bag and then wrap them in clothing (and I have a zero breakage record so far). I don't want to be opening up my suitcase in the baggage retrieval warehouse or in the airport and rearranging everything! And I only take one full-sized suitcase, and I don't want to wheel/carry it off myself. My carry-on bag is reserved for fragile/expensive items (and my nightie!) that can be carried on to the plane.
And for the person who asked "are the deals that good?" Yes, they can be. On one trip the onboard prices were amazing: $6 for a liter of Bacardi Gold, $7 for a liter of Absolut Pear, and $22 for 2 one-liter bottles of Bailey's! Thankfully I was driving home from that port and could take advantage of the bargains. Add in a bottle of Irish whiskey and two of French wine that I'd purchased in port... my bill at Customs would have been $12, but they just smiled and said, Put away your wallet; welcome home!