John Heald: Liquor Distribution Change

[love my grandkids]

Marginal lost liquor sales, the last night of the cruise.

 

Lost Obscene Profit ain`t how CCL rolls and I`ll take you up on that bet!

 

People might put up with this once but after they see what a hassle picking up their liquor and repacking suitcase to take it home liquor sales will plummet.

[cruizinisthebest]

Is it really that big of a deal to carry it off of the ship and then stick in in your luggage after? I mean really? Doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

 

I disagree. This is a big deal. If one party is doing it, that's one thing. But half the ship let's assume since not everyone purchases liquor. Opening suticases in the port or in the airport. Totally ridiculous idea. Like everyone else, I like to carefully pack my bottles in clothes to make sure as best I can that they don't break. Haven't had a broken one in 15 years of cruising. I'm not about to open my suitcase outside (usually in the heat) as thousands are leaving with thousands coming in to sail.

 

Plus who wants to be summoned to some lounge to wait in a line on the morning you leave to go pick up liquor? You still have to be out of your cabin by 8am. Kids in tow. And even if not, it's just a bad, poorly thought out unnecessary change. Carnival can't possibly be that hard up for profits on the last few hours that they would inconvenience people to this degree just to ensure they don't drink out of the bottles they purchase.

 

I could live with picking them up the night before, although I don't really like that idea either. But there's nothing sensible about this new change and I hope they change it back quick. They will take a hit to duty free sales in the fun shop with this foolishness.

Edited June 10, 2015 by cruizinisthebest

[BigDoug]

How about the guests that use the Luggage Express service? How will they repack their bags?:confused: I guess that they won't be able to purchase liquor to take home.:(

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

Has Carnival been sued a lot for drunken mishaps (man overboard, injuries, etc..)? These recent new policies sound like Carnival is trying to build a legal defense that they control liquor distribution to the best of their abilities.

[love my grandkids]

They don't want to inconvenience guest getting on the ship with the water bottles but once you are off the ship they don't mind inconveniencing the guest.

 

OK I got it now.;)

 

Bill

 

Sad but apparently very true:(

[GrannyFlamingo]

I can understand liquor bought at port, but i thought liquor bought on ship was overly expensive?

[MsMot]

In the past, I know they have had some problems with delivering duty free liquor to the room the night before debarkation. Sometimes it made it to the wrong room causing a problem. Sometimes they left it outside the door and it disappeared (big surprise). Sometimes it was delivered properly and the recipient claimed otherwise. I suspect this change is being done for many reasons.

 

It's even possible that US customs wants folks to have duty free booze in hand when going thru the customs line and I'm sure the labor involved in delivery the night before is significant.

 

Having said all that, I suspect this change will cause some drop in duty free purchases. Carnival will determine if the trade off is justified and change the policy if it thinks it makes sense. If customs is the one driving the change then it doesn't have to make sense.

 

I doubt Carnival gives a twit about your night cap.

 

Whenever a change in policy happens there are always those who claim Carnival is making the change because they're cheap and don't like their customers. That's just dumb. If it was true they would have gone out of business years ago.

 

 

You are so on point. That is what happened last year on the Breeze. My Mom bought some flavored liquors in Curacao and it was delivered to the wrong cabin. Guest services tracked it down and when they went to get it back, they guy in the cabin had consumed ALL of it. He claimed that he thought Carnival had sent it to him as a gift. :rolleyes:

[cruizinisthebest]

No they're not. Not if you self assist. I have never waited in line longer than 10 minutes max for customs with self assist. Plus, who wants to open their luggage in line and re-pack everything. I can just see it now. "oh hey sorry you get to see all my dirty laundry and everything but I have to re-pack my suitcase..."

 

Seriously - whose going to put up with people opening their luggage in the customs line. Nothing said can make this sensible. Sorry.

[love my grandkids]

I can understand liquor bought at port, but i thought liquor bought on ship was overly expensive?

 

Liquor purchased to drink on the ship is outrgeously expensive.

 

Purchased to be held and delivered for consumption after the cruise is very competitive.

[bruadhin]

I can understand liquor bought at port, but i thought liquor bought on ship was overly expensive?

 

Based on my recent cruise, I would say it is competitive. Some less, some more. The problem is, the selection is rather limited, mainly just big brands or really obscure stuff. Also, they were very, very, very heavy on Johnny Walker. To the point, if you don't drink Bacardi or Johnny Walker, there isn't much point to the liquor shop.

 

Interestingly, the shops on the Breeze are run by LVMH, yet there were very few of their brands in the shop. Some Hennessy, but not a lot and no real big promotion for it.

[detroitlions]

Sounds like another terrible idea to me, I think their liquor sales will suffer.

And I have noticed that you have do not save as much as you used to. I am not going to be inconvienced that much to save 4 or 5 dollars on a bottle of what ever. I deffinately am not doing it anymore and I live in Florida I drive to the port I dont want to make leaving a all day affair to save a few dollars. I think this and the water ban is another ploy to max out profits. There must be some new management trying to look good saying they are making profit. Everying seem to point to more booze sales. All the cruise lines are raising there prices on drinks. Now I just book the UBP for free package on NCL and only pay the grutuities. and if the deal goes away so do I.

[cruizinisthebest]

Plenty of duty free variety in most ports. We usually buy one bottle of something Johnny Walker and Bacardi in the fun shops, then several bottles of other stuff we can't readily find in the states in the ports. It's all cheaper than what I pay for it here at home, so yeah we like buying. We buy plenty and declare it all. Never had a single issue.

Edited June 10, 2015 by cruizinisthebest

[detroitlions]

You are so on point. That is what happened last year on the Breeze. My Mom bought some flavored liquors in Curacao and it was delivered to the wrong cabin. Guest services tracked it down and when they went to get it back, they guy in the cabin had consumed ALL of it. He claimed that he thought Carnival had sent it to him as a gift. :rolleyes:

All the arrows point to Booze sales anyone can see that. You add the drink price increase the water bottle ban and the delivery of booze it all adds up. And on the web site they are saying it is being done to stop people from sneaking drinks on to make the cruise a more enjoyable experiece which that is stupid beyond comprehension.

[SIENA6334]

I agree - their "shop" sales are going to go down. This is simply "micro managing" at its worse. Carnival is not losing "alcohol" sales on the last night of the cruise. People are busy getting their bags packed and so forth; and I'm sure they have already made a significant profit from the total sailing. This, plain and simple, makes absolutely no sense. I have always loved carnival and been loyal to them, but these changes since new management has take over is going over the top. Another side thought - lower the costs of the drinks, wine packages and/or bottles and offer a shared "cheers" program and maybe you won't have to implement these changes. (i.e. the wine I purchase at home for $16 a bottle carnival sells for $40.) Quite the mark up:eek:

[chengkp75]

Picking it up that morning at a central location is not unusual. I just can't remember what ship I was on when this happened.

 

I believe that NCL does it this way.

[kelkel2]

I agree - their "shop" sales are going to go down. This is simply "micro managing" at its worse. Carnival is not losing "alcohol" sales on the last night of the cruise. People are busy getting their bags packed and so forth; and I'm sure they have already made a significant profit from the total sailing. This, plain and simple, makes absolutely no sense. I have always loved carnival and been loyal to them, but these changes since new management has take over is going over the top. Another side thought - lower the costs of the drinks, wine packages and/or bottles and offer a shared "cheers" program and maybe you won't have to implement these changes. (i.e. the wine I purchase at home for $16 a bottle carnival sells for $40.) Quite the mark up:eek:

 

But what about the liquor bought in ports? I mean I think the majority of liquor passed out the last night (or last least my impression was) that it was purchased on shore. I always saw a ton of people brining liquor back on the ships from shopping. They're collecting all liquor not just the fun shop liquor so it can't just be about their revenue.

Someone suggested this being a customs thing and that they wanted it done this way so that it was in hand when they came through to declare what they were brining in. If so, why aren't RCCL, NCL, Holland, and Princess following suit? They have the same customs agents.

The whole thing really irks me. We will be in Curacao on our next cruise and was really looking forward to brining home some Blue Curacao, but I really have to think now if it's going to be worth taking the time out of my morning to claim it. Debark morning is already crazy. Everyone can relate, whether you have kids, early flights, whatever it may be it can be quite stressful.

[MsMot]

All the arrows point to Booze sales anyone can see that. You add the drink price increase the water bottle ban and the delivery of booze it all adds up. And on the web site they are saying it is being done to stop people from sneaking drinks on to make the cruise a more enjoyable experiece which that is stupid beyond comprehension.

 

I completely agree with you. The bottom line is that the people who smuggle booze on board, probably are not using water bottles. I will not purchase alcohol to bring home anymore because debarkation is already stressful.

[zdcatc12]

I believe that NCL does it this way.

 

On the Epic in January, you went to a location to pick it up, but it was the last evening, not in the morning of debarkation.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

I believe that NCL does it this way.

 

NCL has you go to the store the night before or the morning of disembark to pick it up.

[sandij]

I don't find the prices enticing enough to buy on the ship and lug it home, my corner liquor will do just fine.

[Taters]

I always have to very carefully pack my bags so that the liquor gets home in one piece, as I always have to fly to/from the port. I will not be purchasing anymore liquor from Carnival or on shore as a result of this new policy. There is way too much hassle and it is definitely not worth it. I will not repack my suitcase at the port or airport.

[loxley]

I wouldn't blame CBP for this. On our last two cruises we bought more than the allowance. Both times I properly disclosed it on the form. In each case they just glanced at the form and waved us through. I don't think CBP really cares to take the time to collect unless a person is massively over.

 

You do know the people who make the CBP rules and the ones who do the checking are different people right?

 

They don't want to inconvenience guest getting on the ship with the water bottles but once you are off the ship they don't mind inconveniencing the guest.

 

OK I got it now.;)

 

Bill

 

Ever been to a casino where they open the big heavy doors and welcome you when you arrive, but just look at you struggling with the doors while trying to help your aging mother when you leave?

[RuthlessBoss]

NCL has you go to the store the night before or the morning of disembark to pick it up.

 

Then my pickup wasn't NCL. Mine was in a rotunda type setting where things were sold from glass displays in a circle. Oh, well. I still haven't opened it and it's been quite some time I bought it.

[dvond]

I always buy a few bottles and my wife will carefully pack it in suitcase the night before, now not having the ability to do this as well as another possible line in the morning will make me never buy from the fun shop. Too much work in the morning now, do not want to wait on another line. It could be chaos

[sapphire_407]

It seems the only thing that hasn't gone up with inflation is the price of liquor, however the price of drinks on the ship constantly goes up. I used to pay 3.25 for a basic rum and coke now it's over 6.00. It's no surprise to me that people try smuggling on liquor. I for one like having a drink on my balcony in the evening and don't like having to pay 6.00 for a drink that tastes watered down and have to tip someone to bring it to my cabin.