E-mail about $9.50 Consumption fee

[Ocean Boy]

I hear a surcharge is going to be added to all cruise fares in order to pay for the newly hired SOAP team (Smuggled Onboard Alcohol Procurment team). :D

[AngieBaby161]

I hear a surcharge is going to be added to all cruise fares in order to pay for the newly hired SOAP team (Smuggled Onboard Alcohol Procurment team). :D

 

Inspector Grab-it?

Agent Double OH 70 proof?

The Spy Who Dimed Me?

Dr. No?

 

[rubrrick]

I can just see it now........

 

"Baltimore Maryland, September 16, 2005

 

A group of vacationers were arrested today by ATF at the Port of Baltimore after being detained by Royal Caribbean International security personell.

 

The group, from Northern Virginia, were returning to Baltimore after a 5 night cruise to Bermuda aboard Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas.

 

According to sources from the cruiseline, the group had been discovered by crew and staff hosting a speakeasy in one of the Junior Suites. Thirteen people were found in the cabin comsuming liquor, beer, and other alcohol substances and were detained until authorities were notified. The alcohol was confisated.

 

Crew members say they noticed irregularities when certain passengers seemed to be missing from the onboard bars. After further investigation by senior crew, sounds of joy and celebration were reported coming from the vicinity of cabin 8038. Company officials stated, crew entered the cabin and found the happy group."

 

.......maybe the crew will start conducting raids like they did back during prohibition.... LOL

 

Has anyone sent this on to RCCL to get their "official" reaction???

 

LOL, what a great sense of humor!!

[donlb]

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

Regarding your inquiry, yes, we no longer will allow guests to

purchase beverages from our gift shops for in cabin consumption. We apologize

for any disappointment in this regard.

 

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International.

 

Maria Perez

Customer Service Representative

[joannanna]

This is directly from RCCL's own website. Apparently they haven't updated it yet.

 

 

 

Can I bring my own liquor onboard?

We apologize for any inconvenience but due to our regulatory and licensing requirements guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption or any other use.

 

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty-free from the Shops On Board or at ports of call will be stored by us and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of your voyage. A member of our staff will be at the gangway to assist with the storage of your purchases. Should you choose to consume alcoholic beverages purchased from the Shops On Board, a consumption fee will apply at the time of purchase. Note that no open liquor bottles will be permitted to be brought into dining areas or public areas.

 

This policy may not apply to every ship or itinerary depending on local laws, customs, or license requirements. Royal Caribbean is not responsible for fines imposed or items confiscated by local authorities.

[judyzoo]

Let me see now. You can't take liquor on board and take it to your cabin. You can't purchase liquor on board and take it to your cabin. But if the spies find liquor in your cabin you will be charged a consumption fee. Where do they think that liquor is going to come from? They could call it, instead of a fee, a fine for breaking one of their rules.

 

Is there any place that we can buy locks for our mouthwash / ginger ale / whatever bottles so that the spies can't open them and smell what's in them?

 

Those of us who were okay with the consumption fee for liquor bought on board are going to have to resort to smuggling. No other way to enjoy a couple of nightcaps or before dinner or midafternoon drinks in the cabin without waiting for watered-down drinks from room service. Next thing they'll be telling us that we can't take a drink -- bought from one of the bars -- back to the cabin.

[tommoore1]

I wonder if the room steward would actually risk his/her main source of income (TIPS) and turn in a passenger for having a bottle of Myer's or Jack Daniels in their cabin...

[tommoore1]

Hey, I just noticed...

 

T = turn

I = in

P = passengers

S = smuggling

[rubrrick]

At someones suggestion, I wrote my favorite C&A Loyalty Ambassador, asking her about the new liquor policy and asking her to forward my email to Miami.

 

There are several threads going now about this subject. I am beginning to suspect that RCCL will come out in about a month with a new ruling. In part it will state:

 

"RCCL today announced a new amended policy on bottled liquor purchases, for consumption onboard. Following other cruise lines, including it's sister line, Celebrity Cruises, RCCl will allow onboard purchases of Gift Liquor, of the following brands, XXXXXX , for a price of $50.00 per gift. (Or higher)":D

 

Me thinks that a few of you savvy CC members are right. It's about the "money".

 

Hang on for the latest news from RCCL.

 

Rick

[Merion_Mom]

I wonder if the room steward would actually risk his/her main source of income (TIPS) and turn in a passenger for having a bottle of Myer's or Jack Daniels in their cabin...

Tom, it's really very simple. "But Stewart :D, this is a quad cabin, and here are the other passengers: Meet my cousin, Jack Daniels, and my grandpa, Johnny Walker."

 

Carol :D

[Robinob]

At someones suggestion, I wrote my favorite C&A Loyalty Ambassador, asking her about the new liquor policy and asking her to forward my email to Miami.

 

There are several threads going now about this subject. I am beginning to suspect that RCCL will come out in about a month with a new ruling. In part it will state:

 

"RCCL today announced a new amended policy on bottled liquor purchases, for consumption onboard. Following other cruise lines, including it's sister line, Celebrity Cruises, RCCl will allow onboard purchases of Gift Liquor, of the following brands, XXXXXX , for a price of $50.00 per gift. (Or higher)":D

 

Me thinks that a few of you savvy CC members are right. It's about the "money".

 

Hang on for the latest news from RCCL.

 

THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY TELEPHONE CALL>>>>IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. (yesterday, 8/5/05)

I just got off of the phone with RCCL. She gave me the "policy answer". Well I told her that I wanted it explained. So she said that it was a "decision of the REVENUE department". So I said "that explains alot. It is another way of RCCL making money off of their customers". "OH no", she says "It isn't about that". So I asked "well what does revenue deal with".....MONEY!!!" She then said that "we still could have drinks brought to the room from room service". I answered "two bottles of absolute cost $40.00 with the consumption fee. At $7.00 per drink, (she said that she didn't know how much a drink costs). I said, "I do. It is $6.93". That is approximately 6 drinks for 40.00. You do the math. She got really annoyed at that one.

 

She said to write letters to customer service. I told her that this is going to force people onto other lines and the smugglers will come out in force. She said that people already smuuggle liquor on board.

 

She also gave a lame story about taxes and controlling what people drank in their staterooms....come on...it's all about REVENUE!!!

 

Write those letters!

[rubrrick]

OK, here's what my Loyalty Ambassador suggested I do on my next cruise. Very interesting statement considering she knows that I have the Royal Suite.

 

"Thank you for your e-mail. Yes, this is the new policy and there is not

much I can do about it. As you know I always follow the company rules and

policies.

 

If you want to throw a party in your cabin then you will have to order

drinks from the bar - best to speak with the bar manager when you get

onboard and speak with Captain Hakan as well. He may be able to assist you."

 

Looks like the days of the "grand" parties are over for this cruiser. My next trip is going to tell me whether to continue to cruise with RCCL, or seek other cruises till this area rights itself.

 

I was on a roll till I slipped on the butter!

Rick

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

As usual, just use common sense, bring your own booze in your suitcase to your cabin, your room stuart isn't going to rat you out because he or she knows if they do there will be no tip for them. RCCL has to create a image that this is wrong to do but they have to turn the other way when it happens or they will have no customers. We like to cruise as much as we can and by taking inside cabins cruising off season and bringing some of our own drinks we can save a bundle. We still manage to have a rooom tab of more than 800 dollars per week LOL.

 

Brian J

[tomko2]

Here is the reply I received earlier this week from RCCL. It is pathetic that the misbehaviour of some results in a lot of us being penalized. One of the things I liked about RCCL was the option to buy onboard and pay the consumption fee. Like many others, we enjoy a cocktail in our room as we are getting dressed and a nightcap on the balcony.

 

 

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

On August 5, Royal Caribbean International instituted a new policy

regarding alcohol purchased by the bottle onboard its ships. It is as

follows: Bottles of alcohol purchased onboard a Royal Caribbean ship will

be held by the ship until the last full day of the cruise. At the time

of purchase, the alcohol is marked with the guest's stateroom number

and put into storage. On the last full day of the cruise, the alcohol is

delivered to the stateroom of the guest, so they may depart the ship

with it.

 

Royal Caribbean implemented this policy to prevent inappropriate

alcohol consumption by young people, as well as to prevent over consumption.

Additionally, the new policy is identical to those of other major

cruise lines.

 

we regret any disappointment this response may cause you.

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International.

 

Doris Wilhelm

Customer Service Representative

[abridalmaven]

I KNOW I am going to be smacked around for this, but I think it is a good idea. Too many people getting beyond drunk and wreaking havoc. I am sorry but since I lost a nephew to a drunk driver, I have NO sympathy for people who NEED booze that much. And I know I will even get smacked round by my fellow Os, but I have a hard hide, smack away.:p

I know I will hear, but I can have a relaxing drink on my balcony... yeah like just one will be it. Maybe for you and a few others, but there are MANY who do NOT know when to quit.I have seen my share of drunks roaming the hall, young and old. Plus then it gets into the hands of teens, and guess what drunk teens which you all complain about. And a few ruin it for all, but that is the way it goes.

 

And before you beat me up to much my dog was put to sleep today, so nothing you can say to me will have much of an effect on me!:rolleyes:

[kybill]

WS said it best "much ado bout nothing" If RCCL enforces this new rule like they do the no shorts in the dinning room, no children in the Solarium area at certain times, ect, ect. I don't think we'll have to walk the plank should the cabin stewart notice our 6 Scope bottles in the cabin. Seem like each cruise I spend less and less on board. When Diamond members got 20% percent off of every purchase we spent 1500-2000 every cruise on jewelry, clothing, liquiors. Last cruise we spent less than 400 dollars, this next cruise looks like we might not need to charge anything. Wake up RCCL those of us who cruise your line aren't stupid, how do you think we earned the money to cruise$ You'll also find out we're pretty crafty, I'm sure someone will come up with a carry on which is nothing more than a large whiskey flask, now where's my drawing board!

Bill

PS: With all the new found profits from the booze maybe it's time for RCCL to start registering its ships in the USA, paying our taxes and not skirting their responsibility toward the country which most prominately supports them, IMHO.

[NYDee]

Try Raddisson where they stock the bar in your cabin at no additional charges.