Beware of carnival and alcohol purchased at ports

[MissDiva1]

Guess no one does what I do which is put it through the x-ray scanner, pick it up and keep on moving. I have never surrendered a bottle and it's not necessarily because I am planning on drinking it in my cabin, it's because I don't want to go through the hassle.

 

Yep we do this ALL time too and never had a problem.

[Chief Cruiser]

Consumers beware!!!! We just returned from Carnival Freedom April 17-23 and had purchased alcohol in different ports. They have a new procedure where any alcohol purchased at ports has to be picked up the morning of departure. We went down at 6a.m. and they didn't even look at our papers. They gave us 1 box and then my husband reminded me there was another box, they searched and found it and gave it to us. I assumed everything was there and didn't want to open the boxes as we had to get off the ship and the boxes were all taped up. When we opened the box we realized our order purchased at Blackbeards Duty Free Liquor in Grand Cayman was not there and was rudely told by a carnival representative there was basically nothing she could do if it was left on the ship we would have to return to the port to pick it us. We are in the Tampa area and are leaving tomorrow morning and we most certainly are not going to travel 4 hours back to Port Everglades to pick it up. I have contacted the store where it was purchased and am waiting to hear back from them. This new procedure is terrible and they were not organized and we had to ask them twice for another order and finally got it and then come to find out we were still missing items purchased. I much preferred getting our alcohol delivered the night before disembarkment so you could check it and if there was anything missing you had time to check with guest services. Our cruise was great and we had an awesome time, but in the future I will spend my thousands of dollars with another cruiseline that appreciates my business and knows a little bit about customer service.

 

First, this is not a new policy and has been a practice of Carnival for quite a while now.

 

Secondly, while I understand your point, I am of the opinion that utlimately, the responsibility for ensuring that I leave the ship with everything that I brought on and purchased while on-board or in port is solely up to me. For me, it's like checking an order before leaving the drive thru window at a fast food restaruant. I live by the moto that if humans are involved, there is always room for mistakes, whether intentional or not, they do happen.

 

Might I suggest:

 

Take close-up pictures of your purchases prior to returning to the ship. Then take pictures of the purchases on the table where you check it in upon returning to the ship. Make sure you get pictures of the employees with your purchases in the picture.

 

At the end of the cruise, upon receiving the package like that fast-food order, open it. If the purchase is of any value to you, open it and just check it. Check everything in it before you leave the holding area. If anything is missing, then you can make the missing item known to the employee at that point and time and it eliminates the possibility that you have misplaced it away from the collection site. If necessary, you can produce the pictures on your camera to the employees. Not only will it show the item up clsoe, the number of items and some detail to what the items are, you can also identify the employees who were working and took possession of your items.

 

If they are still unable to locate your goods, then follow the procedure for filing a report of the missing items. There is risk in everything and while I understand Carnival has an obligation to ensure the safe holding and timely return of your goods, I also understand you have a reasonable expectation that those goods will be returned to you in the same conditon as received and as promised. Having said that, a picture is worth a 1000 words and documenting the purchase process to the loss prior to leaving the ship is crucial to resolving the dispute with the best chances of a positive outcome.

 

As a final observation, I don't see the store where the purchase was made having any liability in this situation at all as I understand it.

 

On a totally different note, I also take picutres of any damage to the cabin upon initial entry and alert my cabin steward with a phone call and personal inspection when he/she comes around to introudce themselves. I certainly don't want to get hit with charges for damages that I didn't do.

 

Just my thoughts and opinion. You may see it differently. :)

[kjunea]

I am sorry this happened to you. I can see why it would be upsetting but I am curious as to one of your statements. You say you have contacted the store where it was purchased and are waiting to hear back from them. Why? What can they do? I am not bashing, just curious as to why.

 

I think in GC you have to have it delivered to the boat to get the cheapest price. I know when I went on a land vacation there, they wouldn't let us buy a bottle without it being delivered to the AIRPORT to be picked up! They wouldn't even let me buy a little set of 6 rum cakes with 4 little airplane bottles of rum and walk out with it last fall. They had to deliver it to the room too (on the last night, before the new policy started)

[papilliontraveler]

Please remember that the people who experience problems are usually the most vocal...that's not a bad thing, but keep in mind that the customers who were satisifed don't always write about it!

 

Very true with most on here about a variety of things.

[chasinraynbowz]

I think in GC you have to have it delivered to the boat to get the cheapest price. I know when I went on a land vacation there, they wouldn't let us buy a bottle without it being delivered to the AIRPORT to be picked up! They wouldn't even let me buy a little set of 6 rum cakes with 4 little airplane bottles of rum and walk out with it last fall. They had to deliver it to the room too (on the last night, before the new policy started)

 

 

Thanks for sharing that. I didn't know. Learn something new everyday... lol.

[VAN2222]

Guess no one does what I do which is put it through the x-ray scanner, pick it up and keep on moving. I have never surrendered a bottle and it's not necessarily because I am planning on drinking it in my cabin, it's because I don't want to go through the hassle.

 

First time cruiser in March ... worked for us.

[misguidedangel]

The last two cruises I went on I bought alcohol in port and when I boarded the ship was told to drop it off at the liquor table. I walked off to the side and didn't bother dropping it off. No one chased me down or told em to leave it with them, so I didn't. It wasn't going to be opened and was left with all my other purchases in the cabin.

 

I would be angry if I got it the next morning because I fly home and pack my bags very carefully. Not being able to pack my booze in my suitcase means I'd have to do it after I get my bags and everyone can see what is in my suitcase...not nice......

 

I generally only buy one bottle of alcohol, so I don't worry too much.

[mcwebber]

Sorry to hear that! I learned the hard way to always check inside the box.

 

I make sure they're packing the box in front of me in the gift shop. If they can't I don't buy it. When checking liquor bought in port I take a picture of it at the table where I turn it in for documentation.

[holdon216]

Last July on The Dream it was delivered to the cabin the night before debarking. Alcohol bought on the Islands that is. If this is the new policy that i have to go play ...hunt for my booze. I will not buy any. What if you need to get off the ship right away for a early flight?

[holdon216]

Wait just thougt of something. Are you saying the alcohol has to be picked up on the very last day on the cruise? How then could you pack it in your luggage? If you are suppose to put your luggage in the hall the last night of your cruise?

[DenaInWyo]

Recently off the Legend and I'll be trying the "walk on past" method next time too. Instead of being able to pack my bottles carefully in checked luggage, it was out to be carried off the ship. Thanks to some careless stuffing of our things in the back of a taxi that picked us up from port, it ended up smashed on the pavement when the hatch of the taxi van was opened.

 

Not saying this is carnival's fault..just a careless accident..but would have been nice to be able to pack it in my luggage to prevent this :(

 

Of course, we also decided this was the last time we wouldn't be doing self-debarkation. Didn't look at all difficult to wheel your own luggage off the ship and avoid the circus of finding bags.

[cruzn buckeye]

We purchase alcohol this way, and will continue to do so. I think it depends where you live and what you like to drink, as to how much of a "deal" it is. When we can buy a liter of Absolut in GC for 1/2 the cost of 750/fifth in Michigan, it is worth bringing back.

 

I do not like the new Carnival procedure of morning delivery either, since you can no longer carry the bottles on airplanes, so we have to pack them. We did not have any problems with getting our bottles though.

 

Just got back from Inspiration on Saturday. We took two bottles of white zin, one in the carryon and one in the checked luggage. I used to do it this way all the time. Not smuggling, you are allowed one bottle of wine each. So at the airport, it used to be that as long as the bottle has not been open, you could take it in your carryon.... not this time. they took it even though it was still corked. So, we thought at least we have the one in the luggage... not so... open our luggage in the cabin, a nice note saying that contraband was confiscated. Our other bottle of wine... I called to check because you can take two bottles onboard.... well, I was told in the carryon... NOT in the suitcase...???

Guess I had it back asswards... lost both bottles of wine....what a crock....

[marie0157]

Consumers beware!!!! We just returned from Carnival Freedom April 17-23 and had purchased alcohol in different ports. They have a new procedure where any alcohol purchased at ports has to be picked up the morning of departure. We went down at 6a.m. and they didn't even look at our papers. They gave us 1 box and then my husband reminded me there was another box, they searched and found it and gave it to us. I assumed everything was there and didn't want to open the boxes as we had to get off the ship and the boxes were all taped up. When we opened the box we realized our order purchased at Blackbeards Duty Free Liquor in Grand Cayman was not there and was rudely told by a carnival representative there was basically nothing she could do if it was left on the ship we would have to return to the port to pick it us. We are in the Tampa area and are leaving tomorrow morning and we most certainly are not going to travel 4 hours back to Port Everglades to pick it up. I have contacted the store where it was purchased and am waiting to hear back from them. This new procedure is terrible and they were not organized and we had to ask them twice for another order and finally got it and then come to find out we were still missing items purchased. I much preferred getting our alcohol delivered the night before disembarkment so you could check it and if there was anything missing you had time to check with guest services. Our cruise was great and we had an awesome time, but in the future I will spend my thousands of dollars with another cruiseline that appreciates my business and knows a little bit about customer service.

 

Since you contacted the store i'm guessing you did not bring it back to the ship but had the store deliver it to the ship.

 

So why would this be a Carniival problem.

 

The store screwed you and even if it was sent to your room the night before the order was still missing and nothing you could do.

 

So you really don't know if Carnival had the order or the store ever sent it.

 

So why bash Carnival since YOU don't know who was at fault.

[mcwebber]

Wait just thougt of something. Are you saying the alcohol has to be picked up on the very last day on the cruise? How then could you pack it in your luggage? If you are suppose to put your luggage in the hall the last night of your cruise?

 

You can't, unless you pay for Luggage Express.

[H82seaUgo]

what i don't like is that they, or i haven't yet seen, given the reason for this change, with all the problems it seems to cause for the passengers.

 

some of us remember that you could just freely bring booze onto the ship, at embarkation and all the ports.

 

this is just getting too restrictive.

[xntric1]

We were on the Legend in March and had to retrieve ours the morning of debarkation. Having stopped in Grand Cayman and found a wonderful deal on the Bushmils my husband drinks, we bought (with a couple of other bottles) over 12 bottles in GC. This was in addition to the Jameson & Sheridans we had already bought on the ship. It was quite the feat to get it all packed in our luggage. We do self-debarkation and I gotta say, the old luggage got a work out that morning.

I think they should at least warn you that there has been a policy change. However, now we know, and will make sure we pack our suitcases lightly and with a lot of bubble wrap. We are licky that we drive to most ports - had we been flying we never could have capitalized on the great deal.

[mcwebber]

We were on the Legend in March and had to retrieve ours the morning of debarkation. Having stopped in Grand Cayman and found a wonderful deal on the Bushmils my husband drinks, we bought (with a couple of other bottles) over 12 bottles in GC. This was in addition to the Jameson & Sheridans we had already bought on the ship. It was quite the feat to get it all packed in our luggage. We do self-debarkation and I gotta say, the old luggage got a work out that morning.

I think they should at least warn you that there has been a policy change. However, now we know, and will make sure we pack our suitcases lightly and with a lot of bubble wrap. We are licky that we drive to most ports - had we been flying we never could have capitalized on the great deal.

 

They do warn you, if you call the item printed in the FunTimes a warning.

[mcwebber]

what i don't like is that they, or i haven't yet seen, given the reason for this change, with all the problems it seems to cause for the passengers.

 

Every cutback they have made causes a problem to some degree. None of them has been explained. It seems obvious it's another way to cut staff.

[H82seaUgo]

Every cutback they have made causes a problem to some degree. None of them has been explained. It seems obvious it's another way to cut staff.

 

doesn't make sense when they claim they are still delivering the liquor purchased on board.

[Juanita56]

I have a copy of the Fun Times for the Victory sailing 4/10/11 -4/17/11. I don't see that mentioned anywhere. I've looked on each and every day. Does this policy apply to the Victory? Sailing with a group of 25 on Dec. 4th and would like to give them this information beforehand.

[Juanita56]

Never mind. The last two pages dealing with Debarkation on the right side is shaded so I can barely read what it says. After I increased it 100% I found it on the bottom.

[Brentonsmom]

Does anyone know when you can begin picking up your alcohol that morning?

 

I also think it is very inconvenient for the passengers to pick it up. Luckily for us, we drive and do not have to fly. So as long as we have an extra hand or 2 we can leave with it pretty easily. We usually buy a few bottles from Carnival but the ones we buy at the ports are ones they don't carry, it isn't always based on price. I love the chocolate rum from St Marten and in Grand Cayman they have a type of rum in cool looking bottles that I have been collecting. We do not buy to drink on the ship anyway--they come home full. There have been a few times where there was nobody at the collection desk so we just continued on to the elevators. I am always up early our last day anyway so it will all work out. I will just be sure to have a list of what I have purchased and check it before I leave the area.

 

Tina

[dprg644]

Consumers beware!!!! We just returned from Carnival Freedom April 17-23 and had purchased alcohol in different ports. They have a new procedure where any alcohol purchased at ports has to be picked up the morning of departure. We went down at 6a.m. and they didn't even look at our papers. They gave us 1 box and then my husband reminded me there was another box, they searched and found it and gave it to us. I assumed everything was there and didn't want to open the boxes as we had to get off the ship and the boxes were all taped up. When we opened the box we realized our order purchased at Blackbeards Duty Free Liquor in Grand Cayman was not there and was rudely told by a carnival representative there was basically nothing she could do if it was left on the ship we would have to return to the port to pick it us. We are in the Tampa area and are leaving tomorrow morning and we most certainly are not going to travel 4 hours back to Port Everglades to pick it up. I have contacted the store where it was purchased and am waiting to hear back from them. This new procedure is terrible and they were not organized and we had to ask them twice for another order and finally got it and then come to find out we were still missing items purchased. I much preferred getting our alcohol delivered the night before disembarkment so you could check it and if there was anything missing you had time to check with guest services. Our cruise was great and we had an awesome time, but in the future I will spend my thousands of dollars with another cruiseline that appreciates my business and knows a little bit about customer service.

 

I agree that it is a pain to have to pick it up the morning of debarkation. It leaves out the option of leaving your luggage out the night before since you can't pack it and if you fly you for sure can't take it in a carry on. We also purchased alcohol in Grand Cayman and it was boxed up and delivered as promissed. IMHO it would be much easier on the packing and still allow guests to take advantage of putting your luggage out that night if they would simply allow you to pick up you own alcohol the night before. I certainly would not let that keep me from Carnival. Yes it is was a raw deal but when we turned our alcohol over to Carnival and the night before we got a paper saying check your items before leaving and that Carnival was not liable if you left anything on board. I simply opened up the box to make sure all of our stuff from Grand Cayman was in there. They also had me sign for it saying I get everything and it was correct.

Please remember that the people who experience problems are usually the most vocal...that's not a bad thing, but keep in mind that the customers who were satisifed don't always write about it!

 

That being said, just off the Carnival Valor. Took the slips for my booze purchases to the stated area, and had the liquor in hand in less than 5 minutes! Painless! Definitely will do it again!

 

Although a pain to have to pick it up the morning of debarkation it was very painless and had it like you in 5 minutes. This was on the Conquest. It was a single file line and everything was seperated by deck so it was in and out.

 

I think in GC you have to have it delivered to the boat to get the cheapest price. I know when I went on a land vacation there, they wouldn't let us buy a bottle without it being delivered to the AIRPORT to be picked up! They wouldn't even let me buy a little set of 6 rum cakes with 4 little airplane bottles of rum and walk out with it last fall. They had to deliver it to the room too (on the last night, before the new policy started)

 

When we purchased our alcohol in GC the lady told us it was Cayman law that it had to be delivered to the ship and nothing could walk out the door.

[kdo711]

If you are buying 'duty free' booze in port -- most likely they are required by law to deliver it right to the ship.....locals would be buying the 'duty free' all the time...and the 'duty free' is only meant for those traveling.

 

Sounds like things go wrong sometimes. Not sure how many cabins are on board the ship -- but time whatever figure you think or know it is by 52 and then factor in how many errors are made....probably it isn't enought o NOT buy. But of course -- if you are picking something up you should make sure it is yours and all there. I don't think the cruise company can 'ship' the booze so if you leave it I think it stays there unless you can pick it up.

[4kids3dogs2cats&fish]

Guess no one does what I do which is put it through the x-ray scanner, pick it up and keep on moving. I have never surrendered a bottle and it's not necessarily because I am planning on drinking it in my cabin, it's because I don't want to go through the hassle.

 

We go even one better. Get a big water bottle, pour out the water and put in the clear liquor, vodka, gin, rum, etc. Do this on embarkation as well as the ports

 

On one cruise, on embarkation, they made me take a sip out of the water bottle. Keep a straight face when you drink hard liquor straight from the bottle! Start practicing!:D