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Bringing Unlimited Wine Policy Officially Change Yesterday

LAFFNVEGAS

By LAFFNVEGAS,
in Holland America Line

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earljr

earljr

Posted
Posted (edited)
May not change their minds but you will get a lovely letter from the "Office of the President" (likely from Christine Ferris).

This will let you know that Holland America is 140 years old , has five star dining, award winning entertainment, impeccable ships, and is one of the highest rated cruise lines.

They will assure you that your letter has been forwarded to senior management for review.

It's really a lovely form letter that it seems everyone that writes HAL gets. There are the obligatory "insert here" areas to make it personal.

Yes I know that I sound snarky and sarcastic; probably because I have received a few of these letters recently while trying to resolve a major issue.

 

I received the same type of reply and I have sent another snail mail back.

I agreed that they have the right to limit wine brought aboard but my plea was

to allow us to bring wine aboard in all ports of call with the same embarkation rule

Tasting wine from foreign ports is a major part of our cruise experience and I reminded

them that we have 98 days booked in 2014.

Edited by earljr
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PunkiC

PunkiC

Posted
Posted
Some HAL passengers coming off cruises now are reporting it is being enforced already at ports on their cruises. Once again right hand not knowing what left hand is doing.:confused:

 

I would call foul on that and insist that they contact HQ immediately and get the straight scoop.

 

Folks had to do this on Australia sailings when the ship crew didn't seem to have received the word that passengers could bring as much wine on board as they desired, as long as they paid the corkage fee. Previously, Princess passengers couldn't board wine at Australian ports.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Where did you get this info. I had read it was Jan 31 so as to exclude the World Cruise.

 

Wow. Seriously ? Jan 1 ?

Innlady is asking the question, not making a statement. Note the question marks, and the "confused" emoticon.

Someone else is making the statement.

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OBX-Cruisers

OBX-Cruisers

Posted
Posted (edited)

HAL certainly did allow unlimited quantities of wine onboard before the recent policy change.

One of our early cruises was on the Zaandam in 2008 and our dining partners were older than us in their late 70s and they had brought on 4 bottles of wine.

 

THOSE were GALLON bottles!!!...........but then that was a 15 RT from San Diego to Hawaii.

Probably a "good" 2007 vintage I would imagine but we didn't get any to comment.

 

As for Xraying baggage.............NCL and Celebrity have been our worst experience with an NCL crewman finding a bottle of water in my bag and actually opening the sealed bottle and smelling it. Celebrity recetly held one of our bags on 1/2013 because they found a pair of scissors in the bag that my wife uses for crafts...........they CONFISCATED the scissors and I could only get them back if I waited in line at Ft. Lauderdale upon return............I like Celebrity but that was INSANE...the steak knives in the dining room are a lot more lethal than those scissors.

Edited by skiron
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Boytjie

Boytjie

Posted
Posted (edited)
What is an emoticon?

 

Printable characters used to express emotions on internet posting and text e.g. a smiley :-). Sometimes it is automatically converted into a graphic e.g. if you remove the "-" in the previous example on these board it displays this: :).

Edited by Boytjie
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protocrone

protocrone

Posted
Posted

Glad I found this post! We were just looking at boxed wine to bring on our December cruise. I've recently gone 'gluten free' so I had to give up beer which is my drink of choice during the day. I'd rather substitute a glass of wine but I'm not frou-frou enough to need the expensive stuff. So if this policy goes into effect on Jan 1 or 31, then we're still allowed to bring a box for our 14 days that ends on Dec 20, right?

 

I'm the only drinker in our party and a glass of wine a day would suit me fine. A cocktail in the Crow's Nest in the evening will even out the rest of my relaxation needs. Oh and maybe a little rum drink in port. That's all I need!

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OVgirl

OVgirl

Posted
Posted
Interesting question, Annette. We need volunteers! I remember a thread somewhere on here about "rum runners" used for smuggling wine on board.

 

If you take the bladder out of the box, I'm guessing it will show up on Xray just like a rumrunner.

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Windsailer

Windsailer

Posted
Posted

There were many of us very active on this board when HAL abruptly changed the wine policy back in July. Other than signing the petition and sending our own letters to HAL we see no need to continue to comment on the board - except to answer specific questions about specific issues. We see no need to respond to any of your inane posts.

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
Let's recap what we do know for fact here....

 

Some of folks with the most number of posts here.

 

Kazu - 108

surfergirle -92

Startwin - 58

Lorekauf - 53

innlady1 - 35

 

That would be 346 of the 1,342 posts. So, is this really a big deal to HAL? or even a big deal here on the boards? or.... just a few dominating the conversation?

 

I am not stating that I am in favor or not... I just don't think a petition or letter writing campaign from a small number of people will matter. But, let's see - the proof will be in January.

 

Interesting????

 

And your point is? I really don't care about their new or old policy. I think I've brought one bottle on wine on the ship in all my 300 days. I've had rude comments made about me because I really don't care about this. Hal is in business to make money. That is the bottom line. If this influences their decision so be it. If it doesn't that's fine too. I just don't understand the persistence by you to beat this thing to death. As if it hasn't been done already:rolleyes:. Surely you must have better things to do.

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MR NW GUY

MR NW GUY

Posted
Posted
And your point is? I really don't care about their new or old policy. I think I've brought one bottle on wine on the ship in all my 300 days. I've had rude comments made about me because I really don't care about this. Hal is in business to make money. That is the bottom line. If this influences their decision so be it. If it doesn't that's fine too. I just don't understand the persistence by you to beat this thing to death. As if it hasn't been done already:rolleyes:. Surely you must have better things to do.

Oh wow... You are absolutely correct! I should have not referenced you in the top (pro) posters. I just read some of your comments. You and I have much more in common on this topic than not.

 

As for your comment about me beating this thing to death... Well, I have how many posts on this thread?? and you have how many? Just saying :rolleyes:

 

I do find this one of the more lively topics... It can get boring just when the topic is just a, "hold hands around the campfire and sing songs of praise".

 

This is one of the few topics here that may really have an effect on every person who brings wine on a ship, so why not talk about it?

 

besides you...... the remainder of the top posters seem keep beating this to death and that is OK???

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startwin

startwin

Posted
Posted
Let's recap what we do know for fact here....

 

Some of folks with the most number of posts here.

 

Kazu - 108

surfergirle -92

Startwin - 58

Lorekauf - 53

innlady1 - 35

 

That would be 346 of the 1,342 posts. So, is this really a big deal to HAL? or even a big deal here on the boards? or.... just a few dominating the conversation?

 

I am not stating that I am in favor or not... I just don't think a petition or letter writing campaign from a small number of people will matter. But, let's see - the proof will be in January.

 

Interesting????

 

I'm beginning to feel very sorry for you. Obsessive or what?

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MR NW GUY

MR NW GUY

Posted
Posted
There were many of us very active on this board when HAL abruptly changed the wine policy back in July. Other than signing the petition and sending our own letters to HAL we see no need to continue to comment on the board - except to answer specific questions about specific issues. We see no need to respond to any of your inane posts.

I think you are responding to me???

 

I agree, you probably don't need to respond.

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