Alcohol now being destroyed

[81Zoomie]

Luce Della Vita is ~$28 retail so Princess marks it up $50.

[Roses2]

Pricing by Industry Standards

Restaurants generally mark up a bottle of wine from 200 to 300 percent over its retail sales price. You can therefore reasonably price a bottle that retails around $20 at $60 and $80. For bottles offered by the glass, divide your bottle list price by the number of glasses you get per bottle to determine your price by the glass. The generosity of restaurant pours varies widely, but a 750 milliliter bottle usually provides about 6 glasses. It is standard practice to mark up the most popular wines on a list closer to 300 percent, while marking up less impressive sellers closer to 200 percent.

[aaerobear]

Hey High Heels,

 

Tell me just how Princess waters down a drink? Where is your proof?

 

I too have worked in the industry for many years and usually sit at the bar on cruises and have NEVER seen a bartender "short shot" a drink.

[bhopal21]

Hey High Heels,

 

Tell me just how Princess waters down a drink? Where is your proof?

 

I too have worked in the industry for many years and usually sit at the bar on cruises and have NEVER seen a bartender "short shot" a drink.

 

I have never seen a short pour onboard either.

 

Mike:)

[bigeagle12]

As I had previously stated in the deleted thread (I wonder if Princess influenced that deletion), they seriously botched this new policy implementation.

 

Very bad form, Princess. :(

 

LOL .. do you really think they care :rolleyes:

[Iamcruzin]

Let's hope it does soon.

 

BUT, if it does someone will try to find a way to smuggle in another post!

But since CC has never enforced the policy or warned us then it's not smuggling.

[bigguy1]

As I had previously stated in the deleted thread (I wonder if Princess influenced that deletion), they seriously botched this new policy implementation.

 

Very bad form, Princess. :(

 

Was that the thread where you wrote a suggested implementation for the "new" alcohol/wine policy? If so, why?

[JimmyVWine]

Luce Della Vita is ~$28 retail so Princess marks it up $50.

 

Nope.

http://www.budgetbottle.com/?iVar=7454

 

Perhaps you are confusing it with their second label:

http://www.finewinehouse.com/luce-della-vite-lucente-toscana-igt-2009.html

 

And here is Total Wine's price for Ornellaia, albeit from a different store than FLL:

http://www.totalwine.com/store/McLean/Wine/19555750

[Woobstr112G]

I have never seen a short pour onboard either.

 

Mike:)

 

Neither have I.....:):):)

 

Bob

[rdsqrl]

I have never seen a short pour onboard either.

 

Mike:)

Nor I . . . *hic*

 

[ONT-CA]

A full shot of a watered down bottle is still a short shot. As far as Princess caring about all this, I think you will shortly see why they must.

[rdsqrl]

A full shot of a watered down bottle is still a short shot. As far as Princess caring about all this, I think you will shortly see why they must.

Oh, so now they water it down in the bottles. Is there no end to the ridiculous conspiracy theories some people will entertain? Hey, I bet Princess actually contacts vineyards and has them water down the wine and champers before corking the bottles! I guess all that beautiful garnet-red Cabernet was watered down and then they added just enough food colouring to make it look right.

[PunkiC]

Was that the thread where you wrote a suggested implementation for the "new" alcohol/wine policy? If so, why?

 

I think so and I have not clue why. It is a shame as it contained some very valuable information, IMHO.

 

bigeagle12, I most certainly hope that Princess cares about the impact they are having on their customers. If not, what do they have left?

[necruiser215]

A full shot of a watered down bottle is still a short shot. As far as Princess caring about all this, I think you will shortly see why they must.

 

Just one conspiracy after another! Is your last name McCarthy?

 

I think Princess will continue just fine. Not everyone bases their vacation choices on the ability to sneak booze.

[Cobraman]

A full shot of a watered down bottle is still a short shot. As far as Princess caring about all this, I think you will shortly see why they must.

 

After wading through all the posts, I firmly believe the only thing watered down around here is your opinion and the weight you actually believe it carries.

[YYC F/A]

Right. I was reading that as a continuation of the previous discussion of smuggling alcohol on at embarkation, but she didnt specifically limit the comment to that. In any event, i dont see how her statement, if it relates to alcohol willingly surrendered at port, makes any sense since the old policy was to do just that: catalog and store the alcohol and return it at the end of the trip.

 

Here's the language under the FAQ, Onboard Experience, which seems to be current considering it discusses the $15 charge for additional wine:

 

As provided in the Passage Contract, passengers agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption, except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per voyage, which will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles are welcome, but will incur a $15 corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. Liquor, spirits or beers are not permitted. Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded.*

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship's gift shop, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the passenger's stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship's staff will be at the gangway to assist passengers with the storage of their shoreside alcoholic purchases while our Boutiques staff will assist passengers with shipboard alcoholic purchases..

 

 

As far as I can see, you bring a bottle of alcohol onboard at port of embarkation, and whether you are trying to "smuggle it" or whether you are willingly trying to declare and store your alcohol <fine bottle of whisky, local liquer, etc.> until the end of the cruise when you disembark - it's a moot point, it's getting seized and flushed either way.

 

On a roundtrip Caribbean itinerary, that's not such an issue.

 

On European or Exotic cruises when one (most?) might easily spend time some pre-cruise in your destination, then yes I think it's incredibly asinine to essentially prohibit people from buying a local specialty liquor item or souvenir to take home with them, just because they're going on a (Princess) cruise at some point in their trip.

 

At least with wine you only in effect have to pay a $15 per bottle transportation tax to have it with you on your cruise before you then take it back off and home at the end. Whisky, Grappa, Fine Cognac, Limoncello - any of those gems you might pick up in Europe while touring around - forget it. Princess decides that it's "too logistically challenging to store it", never mind that every other cruise line in the business has managed just fine for years.

 

Mind you, if you buy it from their duty free stores that they direct you to the next day, suddenly it's no longer "logistically challenging". :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

For the many (most?) on the boards here whom don't drink or are in the "It doesn't affect me personally so I don't care" camp... You're missing the point.

 

Princess has won the race to the bottom in their nickel and diming and draconian steps to protect onboard revenue. Their policies are so overly harsh, no one else - NCL, Costa, CCL, Royal - has gone that low to refuse you to even voluntarily check liquor you might have purchased before your cruise that you wish to take home.

 

As the person up-thread commented, take a look around outside the mass-market cruise business. I can stay in anything from a modest boutique hotel to a nice Hilton or Intercontinental in Europe, and nowhere would a hotelier even dream of searching me and seizing and destroying my property, my souvenir items, my special purchases that I plan to take home. Big TD for Princess here. :rolleyes:

[bobhsv]

Looks like we will have to purchase our wine gifts to bring back downunder, at LAX....rather than at one of the ports of the Californian Coastal Wine Country cruise.

[caribill]

From a safety/insurance standpoint at least with this package all alcohol is monitored by the serving staff which theoretically could cut someone off if they felt they were a risk..

 

Since you can order on board (or have been given gifts of) 375ml bottles of liquor that will be delivered to your cabin, they all can be consumed without any monitoring by Princess employees.

 

If Princess is concerned about over consumption of alcohol by passengers, then they would not sell any bottles of liquor on board by room service.

 

Since you can purchase and consume as many bottles of liquor as you want on board, bringing liquor/wine onboard should make no difference except for being a loss of onboard revenue to Princess.

[Moeve]

I think that is definitely something that needs to be addressed. The concern seems to be for the people who smuggle alcohol on for consumption on board. So far as I know, since the increase in enforcement, no one has attempted to do what you suggest (willingly surrender it upon boarding for return upon leaving), so we can't say what Princess's policy is. I would think that if they would hold alcohol surrendered at ports, they would do the same for alcohol surrendered at embarkation, but who knows.

 

It is my understanding that this has been deemed tooo challenging to handle. Bear in mind that this will also effect all purchases in places like St. Thomas along the way too.

 

We have done it in the passed too. We come from a part of Germany that produces lot of Cherry Water (the HOT stuff) and we often bring for fellow friends we meet on board. What we have done in the passed is pack it into our hand luggage and point out during the check in process that we have items for friends that we would like to hand over until the end of the cruise. Most of the time we know thier cabin numbers unless they have been upgraded. We have told them that it is alcohol and that it is not for consumption on board but rather for our friends to take home. So far we have never had any trouble and the same applies for the items WE want to take home.

 

However with the current wording it seems Princess will make this impossible or if they redeem it they might want to charge a hefty fee for this service.

[GHDPeter]

The recent issue regarding the amended Alcohol/Wine policy on Princess Cruises on the Sun, Sea and Dawn where the policy that is printed on boarding passes and luggage tags is not being applied made me wonder if Princess Cruises and their Principal Carnival PLC are in breach of Australian Consumer Law.

 

I don't know what the wording in the US, UK or EU stated but the Australian site that Australians are forced to book through states

 

"Terms & Conditions

Introduction

These are the terms and conditions under which you book your cruise holiday and travel on any Princess Cruises® product we sell you. You are bound by these terms and conditions, so it is important that you read them carefully.

We/Our/Us means Carnival plc, trading as Princess Cruises® and, where the context permits, includes the Carrier. PCL means Princess Cruise Lines Ltd, a Bermudan company. Carrier means PCL, except for bookings on Sun Princess® and Dawn Princess® where Carrier means Carnival plc. In selling you cruises and issuing you tickets, Carnival plc acts as a sales agent for PCL, except for bookings on Sun Princess® and Dawn Princess® where Carnival plc acts as principal. For bookings on Sea Princess® cruises departing and returning to Australia, Carrier means Carnival plc and Carnival plc acts as principal in selling and issuing your tickets.

You are entering into this contract with Carnival plc trading as Princess Cruises®, ARBN 107 998 443.

Certain laws such as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and any applicable state based consumer legislation (from here known as 'consumer laws'), are in place for your protection. They are designed to ensure the services provided by us (and, where applicable, the Carrier), are provided with due care and skill and are reasonably fit for a cruise holiday. These 'Terms & Conditions' do not alter any protection given to you by consumer laws."

 

Is their failure to honour and advertised offer/invitation "Thank you for observing our carry-on alcohol policy. As a reminder, adult passengers are permitted to bring one 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne onboard per voyage, which will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles are welcome, but will incur a $15 corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. Liquor, spirits or beers are not permitted. Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded." in breach of Australian Consumer Law?

 

Under Australian Consumer Law False or misleading claims are a breach of the law.

"Creating a false or misleading impression

 

Businesses are not allowed to make statements that are incorrect or likely to create a false impression.

 

This rule applies to their advertising, their product packaging, and any information provided to you by their staff or online shopping services.It also applies to any statements made by businesses in the media or online, such as testimonials on their websites or social media pages.

 

For example, businesses cannot make false claims about:

 

the quality, style, model or history of a product or service

whether the goods are new

the sponsorship, performance characteristics, accessories, benefits or use of products and services

the availability of repair facilities or spare parts

the need for the goods or services

any exclusions on the goods and services.

It makes no difference whether the business intended to mislead you or not. If the overall impression left by a business’s advertisement, promotion, quotation, statement or other representation creates a misleading impression in your mind—such as to the price, value or the quality of any goods and services—then the behaviour is likely to breach the law."

Any thoughts?

[Cauzneffct]

It is my understanding that this has been deemed tooo challenging to handle. Bear in mind that this will also effect all purchases in places like St. Thomas along the way too.

 

We have done it in the passed too. We come from a part of Germany that produces lot of Cherry Water (the HOT stuff) and we often bring for fellow friends we meet on board. What we have done in the passed is pack it into our hand luggage and point out during the check in process that we have items for friends that we would like to hand over until the end of the cruise. Most of the time we know thier cabin numbers unless they have been upgraded. We have told them that it is alcohol and that it is not for consumption on board but rather for our friends to take home. So far we have never had any trouble and the same applies for the items WE want to take home.

 

However with the current wording it seems Princess will make this impossible or if they redeem it they might want to charge a hefty fee for this service.

 

Right. I posted the current language on the FAQ regarding the alcohol policy which still allows for the cataloging and storing of alcohol bought at port, so it would seem that they (for now) possess the ability to handle the logistical challenge. If they would prefer not to do so for smuggled alcohol, then they should have just said that rather than (presumably) making something up. Also, given the added logistical challenge of the $15 corkage fee and its implementation, I would think that simply following the existing procedure re: storing alcohol wouldn't add additional strain.

 

That said, as someone who has frequently bought alcohol at port for souvenirs and who would gladly have it stored and returned, if this is actually a change in policy, that would be unfortunate.

[bigeagle12]

bigeagle12, I most certainly hope that Princess cares about the impact they are having on their customers. If not, what do they have left?

 

So, when you make your kids obey your rules .. this is not because you care for them. :eek:

 

So, lets say I own an upscale restaurant and make most of my profits off alcohol sales .. am I going to let all my customers bring in their own alcohol. :rolleyes:

 

When I cruise .. I am on vacation .. never figured out why all these people want to drag all these additional items onto the ship (water, soda, alcohol, laptops, power strips .. what next my 60" wide screen, lazy boy .. maybe my own filet mignon and lobster so I don't have to pay for the specialty restaurants)

[Pia1913]

So, when you make your kids obey your rules .. this is not because you care for them. :eek:

 

So, lets say I own an upscale restaurant and make most of my profits off alcohol sales .. am I going to let all my customers bring in their own alcohol. :rolleyes:

 

When I cruise .. I am on vacation .. never figured out why all these people want to drag all these additional items onto the ship (water, soda, alcohol, laptops, power strips .. what next my 60" wide screen, lazy boy .. maybe my own filet mignon and lobster so I don't have to pay for the specialty restaurants)

 

For me, it's my coffeemaker and Starbucks. Oh yes, my netbook and Kindle too.

[Ontario Cruiser]

As mentioned before I phoned Princess about taking liquor to carry onboard to be stored until the end of the cruise upon embarkation in Fort Lauderdale and the giirl asked her supervisor and I took her name told be that yes we could and that was this past week. So that is what I am doing Ontario Cruiser

[bigeagle12]

As mentioned before I phoned Princess about taking liquor to carry onboard to be stored until the end of the cruise upon embarkation in Fort Lauderdale and the giirl asked her supervisor and I took her name told be that yes we could and that was this past week. So that is what I am doing Ontario Cruiser

 

I would not count on this. Why would you want to take liquor on at embarkation to be held til end of cruise :confused: