Sick and Tired of Tricks

[Cabansail]

Just on board Radiance and there is no mini bar. Just a notice with a number to call if you want it available in your cabin. Seems a good idea. You opt in and then they only need to check those which wish to have the facility.

[trogmd]

This happened to us a couple of times on prior cruises after we disembarked. They did remove it after calling and credited my card.

Since then, we set up a cash account which removes the possibility of them doing this as we never use anything from the mini-bar.

 

 

Have sailed on RC 3 times and got home to find additional charges on all 3 cruises. I will be using a cash account from now on as well.

The last cruise on Anthem had a total of 4 extra charges to my credit card totaling over $100. This did get removed but is very unsettling to come home and find these extra charges after having a zero balance on disembarkation

Mark..

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Just on board Radiance and there is no mini bar. Just a notice with a number to call if you want it available in your cabin. Seems a good idea. You opt in and then they only need to check those which wish to have the facility.

 

Is the fridge in there just empty? Or did they remove the fridge all together?

 

Disney has the fridges in the cabins, but other than soda and water in the concierge-level fridges, they are empty and you can put whatever in them on your own.

[L454S]

This happened to us on our last RCI Allure sailing. We moved the items from the fridge to a storage cubby, and told the room steward about it. No problem he says.

 

The next day we have charges of $12 for 2 bottles of water showing on the folio screen on the TV. Called guest services and the charges were removed. Guest services says someone else handles the mini bar.

 

Question is, how many of these charges get by? Pretty sleazy..............

 

Another question. How many different people are going in and out of my room while we are away?

Edited November 17, 2015 by L454S

[Cabansail]

Is the fridge in there just empty? Or did they remove the fridge all together?

 

Disney has the fridges in the cabins, but other than soda and water in the concierge-level fridges, they are empty and you can put whatever in them on your own.

 

Fridge is here, just empty. Filled on request.

[island lady]

Fridge is here, just empty. Filled on request.

 

Fantastic idea!! Would love to see all ships do this now. No more stale snacks or beverages, no more need for checking every day. :D

 

Of course the inventory would go way down too.

Edited November 17, 2015 by island lady

[poncho1973]

Impulse buys are probably about 99.99% of their revenue. Not being there kills that.

 

I've only bought from the mini bar two times in my entire life.

 

The first I was younger and had limited options for booze, but was rooming with older friends, so I just paid them a fortune for crappy vodka.

 

The second was a hotel that had bottles of water for $1 each. That's still not as cheap as running to a store, but it was so convenient and reasonable (they had mentioned it at check-in and I was like "What??? Not like $12 a bottle?") that we bought like 6-8 of them during our stay.

[LA_CA_GAL]

We have them remove stuff too. I need room for my beers.

 

You must be OK with warm beers.

 

I always bring a cooler and my beer goes on ice.

[island lady]

You must be OK with warm beers.

 

I always bring a cooler and my beer goes on ice.

 

Agree....the fridge is barely cool at all. We used to put stuff in there years ago, but it is just

not that cold.

 

Having to chase down ice can be a pain also. It is not like a hotel where you have

an ice machine on each floor. We make sure our cabin attendant keeps our ice

bucket filled, as I like a lot of ice water, but not enough ice to fill an additional

cooler.

[mollyeilis]

You must be OK with warm beers.

 

So odd. On Freedom and Vision our plugged-in beverage coolers (what I call Fridges when I'm not typing it out here) have been perfectly cold. No problems at all. Water and beer, just fine!

Edited November 18, 2015 by mollyeilis

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Fridge is here, just empty. Filled on request.

 

Awesome news! Hopefully this happens across the board!

[borcherk]

If this helps - every cruise I call my Room Steward on the first day to have him/her empty the mini-fridge completely. They do it gladly and with no fuss. I've never gotten a room charge post-cruise after that.

 

I have never thought of doing this but thank you for posting the suggestion. We leave in just a few days and I have two kids in a connecting room so I'm going to use your suggestion.

[iheartbda]

I was thinking of bringing "crime scene tape" and putting it on the fridge door the first day and removing it the last day.

Loving this idea. Never had a use for duct tape but just might have to pack crime scene tape.:D

 

.............

Also, last time I was in Vegas, if you so much as moved anything in the fridge, they have sensors and charge goes on your account as soon as you move anything.

HA, doesn't even have to be in the fridge. The tray of snacks is also sensitized and if you just pick them up....BINGO. Found out a couple of weeks ago at the Palazzo when I curiously picked up a $40 box of "adult romance items". :eek::o Fortunately, I didn't have to pay up.

[cruising grandma]

I received the Visa statement today with the final charges for b2b2b cruises on Freedom........and they were all RIGHT! No extra charges! Yay!!!:)

[Smitty815]

I am obviously in the minority, but wonder why people need the cooler in the first place - technically you are not supposed to bring drinks on board and I use an ice bucket to cool my wine that I carried on. True refrigerators are provided if you need to refrigerate meds. So what goes in the cooler that necessitates emptying?

 

Every night myself and my girlfriend have to go to the Café and fill up 8 glasses of water. We then carry them upstairs (we typically get a few funny looks) and put them in the cooler. My gf has a bladder condition in which she needs to drink a lot more water than the average person. Those 8 glasses will be consumed that night right before bed and the morning before we head down for breakfast.

 

With that being said, I have never been overcharged. I put everything back in the cooler at the end of the cruise.

[temple1]

We've never had a mini bar charge on any of our cruises. We also just leave the stuff in the refrigerator. We've never had that much stuff to go into the refrigerator other than bottled water. Instead of loading the fridge up with our water, I just will add a fresh bottle when I take one out.

 

As for the folks who cry scam at every thing, I think they thought they mini bar stuff would be a convenience to people. Unfortunately, most people would rather complain about it. I can't imagine they sell enough stuff for it to be considered a profit center. If they are now leaving the refrigerators empty, that will no longer be a convenience for the passengers who choose to use it.

Edited November 18, 2015 by temple1

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Every night myself and my girlfriend have to go to the Café and fill up 8 glasses of water. We then carry them upstairs (we typically get a few funny looks) and put them in the cooler. My gf has a bladder condition in which she needs to drink a lot more water than the average person. Those 8 glasses will be consumed that night right before bed and the morning before we head down for breakfast.

 

With that being said, I have never been overcharged. I put everything back in the cooler at the end of the cruise.

 

Not sure if you know, but the tap water in the cabin is the same water as in the café. Your girlfriend could get one of those really big bottles and fill it using the glasses in the cabin. Just if you wanted to avoid having to carry 8 glasses of water around the ship.

[Cabansail]

If they are now leaving the refrigerators empty, that will no longer be a convenience for the passengers who choose to use it.

 

Those who choose to use it have to make just one call to have it available for the rest of the cruise.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Those who choose to use it have to make just one call to have it available for the rest of the cruise.

 

Definitely seems like the easier option for the crew. I suspect there will be far fewer people calling to have the stuff put in the fridge than there will be people calling to have it removed.

[island lady]

Every night myself and my girlfriend have to go to the Café and fill up 8 glasses of water. We then carry them upstairs (we typically get a few funny looks) and put them in the cooler. My gf has a bladder condition in which she needs to drink a lot more water than the average person. Those 8 glasses will be consumed that night right before bed and the morning before we head down for breakfast.

 

With that being said, I have never been overcharged. I put everything back in the cooler at the end of the cruise.

 

Wow! Sound like myself, as I drink a lot of water at night. Rather than carry water to the room however, I keep bottles of water I bring on board on the counter (I detest the ship's Evian). With the ice bucket kept full by request, I simply put ice in the provided glasses and fill with my own bottled water.

[wolfcathorse]

Just on board Radiance and there is no mini bar. Just a notice with a number to call if you want it available in your cabin. Seems a good idea. You opt in and then they only need to check those which wish to have the facility.

 

Hallelujah! A solution to the problem that makes everyone happy. RCI will save on manpower and inventory and the cruiser will be spared erroneous charges.

[island lady]

Hallelujah! A solution to the problem that makes everyone happy. RCI will save on manpower and inventory and the cruiser will be spared erroneous charges.

 

Ditto to that!! :D

[travelbuddies]

Hallelujah! A solution to the problem that makes everyone happy. RCI will save on manpower and inventory and the cruiser will be spared erroneous charges.

 

Hitting the like button!

[WupperAV]

My Dad was a mail carrier and he said, "Blame the mailman!" Never been charged so don't have a problem with any cruise line. Got what I paid for and didn't use the bar, Don't drink and we carry Katadyn filter bottles so water is good anywhere and free after the $30 for one. I drink 4-6 bottles a day when its warm so at $1 apiece that pays for itself the first week.