We Will Never Cruise With RCI Again

[florida lover]

On a recent cruise with RCI one of our bags did not show up to our cabin by 7pm so I went to inquire and was told the bag had been "confiscated" because it had alcohol it in. I was then led to a little room by a very unpleasnt employee and instructed to open the bag so they could see what was in it. While several employees stood staring at me I got down on the floor and opened the bag and showed them two bottles of wine. Their published policy allows two bottles of wine per cabin. I was then told ok you can take your bag now (with the wine inside) and I was left to schlep the bag all the way to my cabin. Throughout this episode I was never offered any apology or kind word by any of them.

 

We are vetern cruisers on many different lines. I'm not at all happy about this encounter and it will be my last RCI cruise.

[JBert]

So you had something in your bag that could have very well been two bottles of vodka and not wine, and are pissed that they did their jobs?

 

Carry them on next time. Sorry it destroyed your experience

[wrkfire911]

On a recent cruise with RCI one of our bags did not show up to our cabin by 7pm so I went to inquire and was told the bag had been "confiscated" because it had alcohol it in. I was then led to a little room by a very unpleasnt employee and instructed to open the bag so they could see what was in it. While several employees stood staring at me I got down on the floor and opened the bag and showed them two bottles of wine. Their published policy allows two bottles of wine per cabin. I was then told ok you can take your bag now (with the wine inside) and I was left to schlep the bag all the way to my cabin. Throughout this episode I was never offered any apology or kind word by any of them.

 

We are vetern cruisers on many different lines. I'm not at all happy about this encounter and it will be my last RCI cruise.

 

SORRY...PERFECT example of why you should have packed it in your carryon! too bad you cant chalk that one up to a lesson learned-most veteran cruisers know they take bags to the naughty room because of alcohol

[PSCruiser]

Sorry to hear you were treated in a nasty manner on this cruise, and I wondering which ship it was on?

Not to make excuses for RC, but guess I assumed that the wine you bring on would be carried on, not in checked luggage - don't know if this is an actual rule or not.

[Langley Cruisers]

Terribly sorry to hear of your frustration. Two bottles of wine per stateroom are permitted but let's be honest: the x-ray of your bags did not assertain what kind of alcohol you had put in your luggage. For all they know, it absolutely could have been hard liquor. They called you to the room and asked you to open your bag. Would you rather they rifled through it without you being present?

 

If you choose to sail one of the lines which allow wine to be brought oboard, you will know for next time to put it in your carry-on bag.

 

You are a veteran member here and have posted for many years. This has been discussed literally for months now. Sorry you must have missed it. :(

 

.

[melbur]

On a recent cruise with RCI one of our bags did not show up to our cabin by 7pm so I went to inquire and was told the bag had been "confiscated" because it had alcohol it in. I was then led to a little room by a very unpleasnt employee and instructed to open the bag so they could see what was in it. While several employees stood staring at me I got down on the floor and opened the bag and showed them two bottles of wine. Their published policy allows two bottles of wine per cabin. I was then told ok you can take your bag now (with the wine inside) and I was left to schlep the bag all the way to my cabin. Throughout this episode I was never offered any apology or kind word by any of them.

 

We are vetern cruisers on many different lines. I'm not at all happy about this encounter and it will be my last RCI cruise.

 

Carry them on and you won't have this problem - how do they know what kind of alcohol is in the bottles without seeing it?

[epcopres]

Every post on this site recommends putting your wine in your carry on bag. Wine bot title can easily look like vodka.

[UCF_Knight]

That is a pretty silly reason to swear off a cruise line, but it is obviously your call. Would you rather they open your bags on their own and go through all of your personal belongings if they think they see something that may be on their banned item list?

[Paul65]

Should have checked here before sailing. Though there is nothing to prohibit you packing the allowed wine in your checked bags, the advice here is pretty consistent that it's best to have it in your carry-on bags. If you check it, there's the chance you'll have to go to the naughty room.

 

Not sure if knowing this would have made you any happier about the situation, but at least you wouldn't have been surprised by it. :cool:

[melbur]

Other cruise lines would also call you to the "naughty room" if they suspected it was hard liquor, it's not just Royal

[Langley Cruisers]

I predict this thread will go.... 7 pages. Anyone? :p:D

[cruisin_cutie216]

My boyfriend's bag was confiscated and he had Mountain Dew in his bag. It looked like it could have been a six pack of any sort of alcohol but they let him go once he opened it and declared that it was indeed Mountain Dew. It happens, perhaps carry it on next time? So sorry that you had a bad experience. Lots of times its the few (not meaning yourself) that ruin it for everyone else.

[Aquahound]

This seems like a pretty minor issue, if them doing their job is even an issue, to swear off a cruise line. Was the rest of the cruise bad, or did this just sour your mood? But if its that big a deal to you, I wish you the best in your future cruises.

[Maxiecat3]

You said recent cruise but didn't say how recent. Cruise lines are in prime spring break season and they would have no way of knowing the age of the passenger the bag belongs to. They have to be pro-active when it comes to alcohol.

 

Gregg

[beachnative]

On January 5 you posted this in a thread YOU HAD STARTED discussing alcohol in checked bags: "Are carry on bags scanned/checked for bottles on embarcation?"

 

Your post was the one immediately after this one: "If bottles are detected on the scanners, your luggage will not be delivered and you will spend precious hours of your vacation time waiting in line to get into the naughty room where you will have to open your luggage, waive goodbye to your bottles and then haul your luggage to your cabin. Not worth it for the few times they might miss a bottle IMO."

 

Sorry that you are not happy, but the bags sent to the naughty room have shown something that needs to be checked out as stated in that thread.

 

If I were to be called to the naughty room I would not expect to find smiling, friendly faces.....it is a destination the for the "naughty";).

 

I have no sympathy for you.

[negc]

There is no excuse for the RCI staff members to treat you rudely, although as others have said, there was no way of knowing what was in those bottles until you opened the bag. However, did the rest of the staff that you encountered or interacted with (wait staff, bar staff, room steward,etc.) also treat you rudely or were they, as has been our experience, friendly, pleasant, polite and helpful? Unless rudeness was your common experience on the cruise, I think it is more than a bit foolish to base your decision not to sail again with RCI solely on your bad experience with one or two of their employees.

[Bosjoe]

Dont let the RCCL door hit you in the butt. :D

 

Seriously, they did their job, and as others have said, bring it through the carry-on. I'm sure you had a great cruise otherwise. To be honest they don't owe you an apology for doing their job. Live and learn.

[EVALUATOR]

In defense of the op, why shouldn't it have been RCI's responsibility to get the bag to the cabin after it was shown to be an allowed beverage?

[Langley Cruisers]

I was then led to a little room by a very unpleasnt employee and instructed to open the bag so they could see what was in it. While several employees stood staring at me ... I was left to schlep the bag all the way to my cabin. Throughout this episode I was never offered any apology or kind word by any of them....

 

Sounds to me like OP was more upset about the treatment he felt he received. I would think anyone who was without their luggage until the evening hours wouldn't mind finally finding out where it was and taking it themselves to their room. *shrug*

[flyerjay11]

Sorry to hear that this minor incident ruined your entire cruise and you are still this upset after the rest of your cruise. Sounds like a pretty petty reason to give up a cruise line, but your call.

 

I'm half considering trying to pack a small bottle of booze just so I can see / get to experience the infamous "naughty room"

[maureencruiser]

OK, I have to call shenanigans on you! Your thread on January 5th asked about taking LIQUOR in your checked luggage and you were told than you can't and your bags would be xrayed and if suspicious, you would be called to the naughty room and waste precious time. You were also told that you were allowed to CARRY ON 2 bottles of wine. You knew the deal, knew the potential consequences....why the huff now??

[TigerLady]

OK, I have to call shenanigans on you! Your thread on January 5th asked about taking LIQUOR in your checked luggage and you were told than you can't and your bags would be xrayed and if suspicious, you would be called to the naughty room and waste precious time. You were also told that you were allowed to CARRY ON 2 bottles of wine. You knew the deal, knew the potential consequences....why the huff now??

 

Live and learn. More cruise lines out there. I'm sure that more went on then what was "stated".

[TigerLady]

Sorry to hear that this minor incident ruined your entire cruise and you are still this upset after the rest of your cruise. Sounds like a pretty petty reason to give up a cruise line, but your call.

 

I'm half considering trying to pack a small bottle of booze just so I can see / get to experience the infamous "naughty room"

 

We got to go because of a bottle of face astringent. I thought it was humorous..

[MrFunInTheSun]

LOL

 

OK, I have to call shenanigans on you! Your thread on January 5th asked about taking LIQUOR in your checked luggage and you were told than you can't and your bags would be xrayed and if suspicious, you would be called to the naughty room and waste precious time. You were also told that you were allowed to CARRY ON 2 bottles of wine. You knew the deal, knew the potential consequences....why the huff now??

 

You mean these?

 

We have done many cruises on Princess ships and always were able to carry some liquor onboard in our luggage without a problem. We were also able to carry our own sport cups about the ships without ever being questioned about it. We have our first RCI cruise on the the Brilliance next month and are curious to know if we wil be able to continue our usual liquor routines on the Brilliance?

 

Thank you.

 

Are carry on bags scanned/checked for bottles on embarcation?

 

Yes, all carry ons go through an airport type x-ray machine.

 

From this tread?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=36548889#post36548889

[maureencruiser]

Thanks MRFUN?SUN, I dont know how to post from other threads! :)