Alcohol Returned on Morning of Debarkation

[DKane]

My experience is that alcohol is not delivered to your stateroom the night before. On the Pride a few weeks ago, folks had to go down to deck 1 to pick it up. Can't remember if it was the last night or 7 am on day of embarkation.

 

Check before you buy because if you can't pick it up til the morning of, and you are flying home, you won't be able to bring it with you. (No liquid carry-ons).

[gtalum]

Just do self-assist and put the liquor in your bag(s) before debarkation.

[CRUZBUDS]

Purchasing liquor on board or bringing liquor on board from ports is not an inalienable right but a "luxury" that the ship offers.

 

:D -- I understand your point, but there must be a better word.

 

Things like robes in the cabin are a luxury, them selling me liquor (often over priced) ... not so much

[RuthlessBoss]

 

Just off the Valor two weeks ago. It was our 7th Carnival cruise. On all of our previous cruises we have always bought several bottles of liquor at the shops on board (spending easily a hundred dollars or more each time). This time we did not! We usually drive to our starting ports in Florida. Which means when I get off I have a 6 hour, 8 hour, or longer drive to get home. I refuse to get up earlier on my last day because of this new change to the rules if I purchase liquor on board the ship. It makes a long day even longer. It is a totally unnecessary step in the debarkation process.

 

I feel this added task on the morning I must leave the ship to be a PITA just to make Carnival 's job easier. I don't think they will go back to the old sensible way. But that is OK. I will just keep my money in my pocket, not theirs.

 

There is a 3 hour pick up time, why do you need to get up early? People are reporting a 5 to 10 minute time to get their purchases. Even if you spend $100 on booze, that isn't a $100 lost profit to them.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

:D -- I understand your point, but there must be a better word.

 

Things like robes in the cabin are a luxury, them selling me liquor (often over priced) ... not so much

 

Yeh...but I'm not talking about ship's liquor. I'm talking about the cruise ship "allowing" you to check purchased liquor from shore and then "allowing" you to pick it up the final morning. We are all smart enough to realize Carnival is doing this as a courtesy as well as to protect their sales of onboard drinks that do make them a ton. Kind of a I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

[Cruisinangel2]

Since so many posts are reporting short or no lines on the morning of the pick-up could it be that alcohol sales were never that great to begin with; and with that thought the distribution the night before was not a big time consuming task. Or, does it mean that now that this new rule for morning pick-up has been implemented the sales of alcohol as diminished significantly?

 

Just a thought to ponder. 

[DaytonCruiser]

Since so many posts are reporting short or no lines on the morning of the pick-up could it be that alcohol sales were never that great to begin with; and with that thought the distribution the night before was not a big time consuming task. Or, does it mean that now that this new rule for morning pick-up has been implemented the sales of alcohol as diminished significantly?

 

Just a thought to ponder. 

 

My guess not much of a drop in sales. It was never really about the time it took to distribute(IMHO) but more about liquor sales on the last evening.

It doesn't take that long to pick up a bottle as long as they have a good system,which it seems they do.

[RuthlessBoss]

Since so many posts are reporting short or no lines on the morning of the pick-up could it be that alcohol sales were never that great to begin with; and with that thought the distribution the night before was not a big time consuming task. Or, does it mean that now that this new rule for morning pick-up has been implemented the sales of alcohol as diminished significantly?

 

Just a thought to ponder. 

 

I saw the huge bins being rolled out on one cruise and it looked like a lot to me. With the ships being so big now, it must have been time consuming to do the deliveries. I'm sure this was part of their decision to not do it anymore.

[DaytonCruiser]

I saw the huge bins being rolled out on one cruise and it looked like a lot to me. With the ships being so big now, it must have been time consuming to do the deliveries. I'm sure this was part of their decision to not do it anymore.

 

Can you think of any other time Carnival had a policy changed based on saving the crew members from working more? I can't,but maybe one slipped past me.

 

More often than not,since the crew isn't paid by the hour,Carnival reduces staff and just expect the remaining ones to clean more rooms and handle more tables.

[deetrayn]

I always buy 3-4 bottles and picking up the bottles the morning "of" was new to me. I just came off the Victory 2 days ago. I brought bottles on my excursion and I brought bottles on the ship. I knew ahead of time I needed the extra space so I packed light and put my stuff in a bigger suitcase and I brought my scale (Walmart) with me.

 

The morning of I picked up my boxed bottles and my wrapped bottles from my excursions, headed down to luggage claim, found a spot away from the foot traffic, inserted the bag with 3 bottles in the middle of the suitcase, covered it with my towel and hand carried the box out (2 bottles). When we got to the airport, I had plenty of time and space to rearrange and weigh my luggage.

 

Happy sailing!

 

Ok, sounds good. I guess it won't be as bad as I thought. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Dee

[Sparky2]

Ok, sounds good. I guess it won't be as bad as I thought. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Dee

 

But still a PITA!

[shelbs]

deetrayn- where did you have to go to pick up your bottles on departure day?

 

Thanks!

[gtaylor]

Delivered the night before if you use luggage express to the plane. Of course that's a charge too.

 

Do you personally know this to be true?

 

gary

[caribill]

I'm planning on packing a small collapsible suitcase specifically for my alcohol purchases.

 

Send everything except our almost empty carry on the night before and then once i get my liquor, put it in the bag and go.

 

Are you flying home or driving?

 

If flying you would have to check that bag with the alcohol and unless you have special status with the airline or flying first class (or on SWA), would have to pay $35 or more to check it. That would eat up a good part of the cost savings.

[caribill]

Since so many posts are reporting short or no lines on the morning of the pick-up could it be that alcohol sales were never that great to begin with; and with that thought the distribution the night before was not a big time consuming task. Or, does it mean that now that this new rule for morning pick-up has been implemented the sales of alcohol as diminished significantly?

 

Just a thought to ponder. 

 

Remember that this pickup is also for any alcohol collected that you purchased in a port. Even if onboard sales dropped to zero, the pickup would still be needed.

[caribill]

I saw the huge bins being rolled out on one cruise and it looked like a lot to me. With the ships being so big now, it must have been time consuming to do the deliveries. I'm sure this was part of their decision to not do it anymore.

 

I am sure that if passengers had to pick the alcohol up themselves the evening before instead of the morning of disembarkation there would be less complaints and Carnival would still save that delivery labor.

 

The big inconvenience is not being able to completely pack your suitcases the evening before if you will be flying home.

 

It is a total PITA to have to repack a suitcase so that the purchases can be put into the suitcase in a protected manner. It is not simply a matter of throwing it in on top of what is there.

 

How would Carnival react to the following suggestion:

o Continue to distribute the alcohol on disembarkation morning.

o Do not pick up suitcases outside a cabin until the passenger has had the chance to pack the alcohol into the suitcases on that morning.

o Get the luggage onshore then in a timely manner

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I am sure that if passengers had to pick the alcohol up themselves the evening before instead of the morning of disembarkation there would be less complaints and Carnival would still save that delivery labor.

 

The big inconvenience is not being able to completely pack your suitcases the evening before if you will be flying home.

 

It is a total PITA to have to repack a suitcase so that the purchases can be put into the suitcase in a protected manner. It is not simply a matter of throwing it in on top of what is there.

 

How would Carnival react to the following suggestion:

o Continue to distribute the alcohol on disembarkation morning.

o Do not pick up suitcases outside a cabin until the passenger has had the chance to pack the alcohol into the suitcases on that morning.

o Get the luggage onshore then in a timely manner

 

If you have liquor to pick up and you want it in your luggage just keep the suitcase with you and pack it in the morning. There is NO RULE that says you can't have half your luggage picked up the night before and take one suitcase with you when your zone is called.

[love my grandkids]

I am sure that if passengers had to pick the alcohol up themselves the evening before instead of the morning of disembarkation there would be less complaints and Carnival would still save that delivery labor.

 

The big inconvenience is not being able to completely pack your suitcases the evening before if you will be flying home.

 

It is a total PITA to have to repack a suitcase so that the purchases can be put into the suitcase in a protected manner. It is not simply a matter of throwing it in on top of what is there.

 

How would Carnival react to the following suggestion:

o Continue to distribute the alcohol on disembarkation morning.

o Do not pick up suitcases outside a cabin until the passenger has had the chance to pack the alcohol into the suitcases on that morning.

o Get the luggage onshore then in a timely manner

 

This whole procedure is nothing but a PITA. If they saw their liquor sales drop hopefully they would reconsider.

[Glock19]

Mine got lost on the Splendor in July. I spent and hour in the lounge while they looked for it. Just as I was leaving they found it. One bottle I bought on shore. I made it back just in time for Platinum self assist.

[deetrayn]

deetrayn- where did you have to go to pick up your bottles on departure day?

 

Thanks!

 

I don't know, I haven't gone on my cruise yet. I will return from my cruises on Oct 4 and will give an update on where the booze was picked up. I'm sure my brother or others in my traveling group will be going there to pick some up.

 

I am doing luggage express, so my bottles will be given to me the night before.

 

Dee