Pride "Liqour Pick-Up Policy" Stinks!

[traveling1969]

Just returned from a back-to-back on the Pride. Ran into the WORST policy regarding liquor purchased on board and in ports. I don't know if this is a new fleet-wide policy or unique to the Pride but in my opinion it is the most inconvenient, cumbersome and ill-advised method for distributing held liquor I have ever encountered.

 

Here is what occurred. When purchasing liquor on board or when we had liquor that we had purchased off-ship held at the gangway, we were informed that we could pick up our held liquor on the morning of disembarkation between 6:30 and 8:00 am in the Butterflies lounge forward. I couldn't believe it! How were we to pack it securely and re-weigh our checked luggage prior to arrival at the airport? We were FORCED to either do self-embarkation (so we could pack and weigh on board) or try to do it in the arrival lounge or at the airport. What a nightmare and what a crappy note upon which to end our cruise.

 

We had 3 large bags and a medium carry-on and we knew walk-off would be difficult but we wanted to make sure that the liquor was packed securely so we decided to try the walk-off. The thought of trying to re-pack and re-weigh our bags in the terminal or at the airport was a definite no-go.

 

We arrived at the pick-up lounge at 6:25 am and the line was HUGE! Once they opened, the line moved at less than a snails pace. The pick-up lounge was obviously understaffed and the scene was chaotic with lots of angry exchanges and comments from those in the endless line. From the time we arrived until we received our liquor, well over an hour had passed. Others were complaining openly about this mess and we ran into another couple who were returning to the lounge as they had been given the wrong items. Since we knew we had to be out of our stateroom by 9:30 am we hurried back to repack. By the time we were finished, we were being hounded to get out of our cabin. So much for a leisurely breakfast and an easy stroll off the ship,

 

Of course it was another marathon wait trying to get an elevator but we finally got to deck 2 to walk off. Despite my crappy knees and DW's less than elastic back, we made it.

 

I'll never understand the rationale behind this absurd procedure. I much prefer the method employed by Royal Caribbean and Princess: liquor is delivered to your stateroom the afternoon or early evening on the day before disembarkation day and it works quite well. Plenty of time to pack and weigh and still put luggage out for pick-up. I seem to remember this as the procedure on previous Carnival cruises. Does anyone know if this is a fleet-wide policy/procedure or just an ill-advised improvisation on the Pride?

 

Is this a deal breaker? Pretty darn close. It changed the end of our cruise from a relatively stress-free waltz into a frenzied last-minute jittterbug. Since we were pressed for time, we couldn't go to guest services to make a formal complaint but I included a lengthy critique of the entire debacle in my survey. I will be sure to forward a copy of this post to Carnival in the hope that something can be done so others won't have to put up with this ill-conceived and ill-advised policy.

[sanmarcosman]

This is not new policy and there are many discussion threads here on Cruise Critic on the subject. We stopped buying alcohol to take home on cruises. Carnival's loss.

[firemanbobswife]

This is a fleet wide policy that was adopted last year. I don't remember the exact date.

 

Because if this no one in my family will be purchasing any liquor either onboard or on shore. I have also forewarned my friends who I have helped book on upcoming cruises not to purchase as well.

 

It is way too much hassle. I don't care if it has gone well for others, it's not worth me stressing about. Debarkation day is hectic enough.

[HamSammie]

It is fleet-wide.

[traveling1969]

Sounds like a fleet-wide fumble to me. This has been going on for a year? This is about more than a bad policy. This is about a cruise line that doesn't care about its customers. If there is an upside to this policy, I sure don't see it.

Edited February 14, 2016 by traveling1969

[crookedhalo]

Ran into this on Pride in December. We waited until around 7:30am to go down and it was easy as pie ;) - in fact they accidentally tried to give us too much, but we were nice and gave it back!:p

 

But, as you can see we were driving and the 8 bottles we bought were no problem. However, we also sail on RCCL and have run into this several times over the years with them. It's pretty easy to take a few minutes after claiming your luggage to redistribute things and add the alcohol. I always carry a travel scale to avoid overweight and have never had to worry.

 

It is what it is, and you make your own decision. I save enough on the alcohol that a few extra minutes in the terminal are more than offset. JMHO YMMV

Edited February 14, 2016 by crookedhalo

[Sparky2]

Sounds like a fleet-wide fumble to me. This has been going on for a year? This is about more than a bad policy. This is about a cruise line that doesn't care about its customers. If there is an upside to this policy, I sure don't see it.

 

Carnival is afraid people will get drunk on their purchased booze on the last night. Ridiculous! I'd love to see the numbers of alcohol sales from before they started this to what is being purchased now. I know we'll never again purchase any alcohol if we have to pick it up the last morning.

[Frank12]

I always bought liquor on board...until this policy began. Have not bought on-board liquor since.

[LaCal]

We just don't buy booze anymore. Carnivals loss as it doesn't bother me that much

[elliair]

We had the same experience on a back-2-back. On the first leg I went to pick up our alcohol and they wouldn't give it to me due to the back-2-back. Others who were on the bck-2-bck picked theirs up. I got ticked off and told Carnival to refund my money, I won't be purchasing any alcohol at all. On the last night of the cruise B2B, they delivered the booze to us and did not charge us.:D

[Micahs Grandad]

No more purchasing booze on a cruise for us anymore. Extra hassle of pickup not worth the few dollars we would save.

[richstowe]

I'll never understand the rationale behind this absurd procedure.

 

Carnival is afraid people will get drunk on their purchased booze on the last night. Ridiculous! I'd love to see the numbers of alcohol sales from before they started this to what is being purchased now. I know we'll never again purchase any alcohol if we have to pick it up the last morning.

Why do you say "ridiculous" ? I am not sure about getting drunk bit but I know many consumed their purchases on that last night . I did so myself .

 

Was it a smart idea to change this policy ? Probably not . They angered their customers and lost sales on bottles which was unlikely to be offset by more drink sales on the last night .

[smokesmom]

Used to buy several bottles on board every cruise because we drive to port and don't worry about packing them. But after long line and chaotic morning of the last cruise of them trying to find the order, never again unless they go back to delivering the night before. Not worth the hassle.

[ShakyBeef]

OP, Thanks for the alert. I wasn't aware of this new policy (new to me because I haven't cruised since 2014). You're right: this STINKS. DH and I always bought liqour onboard - several bottles each cruise (no, we're not drunks, most of them were gifts:o). Like so many others here, we will now no longer be doing this.

 

Dumb move, Carnival.:rolleyes::mad:

[StolidCruiser]

Best of luck getting them to reverse the policy because it inconvenienced you.

 

If you are giving up Carnival because of how you pick up and pack your booze, perhaps there are bigger issues to worry about. Like your knees and your wife's back.

 

If I had physical limitations that caused challenges in debarkation, the safety of my liquor would be pretty low on the priority scale.

[wickedhangover]

I tend to agree that Carnival lost out from me too. My last S&S total for an 11 day cruise was $320 (gratuities were prepaid). I only bought a premium wine packaged had dinner in the steakhouse. The rest went to a couple cocktails.

 

In the past it would have been $600 after I went on a shopping spree in the liquor shop after too much wine at dinner. If not more after I forgot what I bought and went back on a sea day.

 

As for drinking it on the last night. I never did but I remember a small group a few cabins away having a little last-night party. It was pretty funny because the next morning they were so hungover and they forgot to put the luggage out so they had to also carry everything off with some serious Absolute hangovers.

[tobyjr10]

We just came off the Glory. Our liquor was delivered the night before to our cabin boxed up.

Edited February 15, 2016 by tobyjr10

[coevan]

They lost at least a couple of hundred on us. The clerk says he hears it all the time and liquor sales are definitely less. Are you listening CCL?

[pohlerbear]

We were able to pick up our liquor on Pride last year without any problems. I sent DH down while I was finishing packing. He was gone 15 minutes top.

 

I always do self assist anyway. Plus we drive to the port so the new policy doesn't bother me at all.

[wickedhangover]

We just came off the Glory. Our liquor was delivered the night before to our cabin boxed up.

 

I think this part of the policy is inconsistent fleet-wide and annoying that it is.

[Nic6318]

Hi there

 

I don't go through this, not because of the policy, but because I wouldn't consider trying to pack bottles in my luggage that is going into a cargo hold just to save a few dollars. Now if I were driving, I would consider it an option.

 

For the op this inconvenience was more frustrating because they weren't aware ahead of time. This isn't a new policy. Most complaints from cruisers arise because they don't know the company policy on any given issue.

 

Without having experienced this, it may be like any other situation where lines are involved. The way to avoid them is to try and not go when everyone else is there. Maybe just try to be last.

 

If enough people stop buying and bringing alcohol onboard, the lines will get shorter by themselves. If not maybe Carnival will find a way to charge passengers to deliver the bottles to cabins the night before.

 

It's like everything else. Is this going to make you stop buying the product(cruising with Carnival), if not, they likely won't change.

 

have a great cruise

[ShakyBeef]

I drive to the port as well. But I will buy no more liqour bottles from Carnival if this operation remains. For me, it's not about possibly missing a flight or having to hurry off the ship for some other reason. It's about them making me get up and go down there (all the way from my aft suite to the very fore of the ship:mad:) to pick up something that should be delivered to me the night before. It takes away from my relaxing debarkation day experience (and might even make my traditional MDR breakfast impossible) and makes me work for something that I shouldn't have to. And then schlep it all the way back.:mad: I buy hundreds of dollars worth of liquor from the FunShops every cruise. No more.

 

Nice move, Carnival, you great gaggle of vacuous twits.:rolleyes:

[CnCsMom]

My husband was planning on buying liquor on our cruise like we normally do until I told him about this new policy. We also drive to port so that's not an issue. The hassle of waiting in the lines early in the morning just doesn't seem worth the savings. I guess everyone just has to figure out of it's worth it for them.

Edited February 15, 2016 by CnCsMom

[lablover61]

We stopped buying bottles of liquor from the Carnival shops because of thus policy. Then we were able to have the bottles delivered the last night of our cruise. So we went back to buying liquor on board. Now that they're doing this again, I will not be buying any liquor anywhere on the cruise. Not worth the hassle.

 

 

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[Sweet Dutch Girl]

I drive to the port as well. But I will buy no more liqour bottles from Carnival if this operation remains. For me, it's not about possibly missing a flight or having to hurry off the ship for some other reason. It's about them making me get up and go down there (all the way from my aft suite to the very fore of the ship:mad:) to pick up something that should be delivered to me the night before. It takes away from my relaxing debarkation day experience (and might even make my traditional MDR breakfast impossible) and makes me work for something that I shouldn't have to. And then schlep it all the way back.:mad: I buy hundreds of dollars worth of liquor from the FunShops every cruise. No more.

 

Nice move, Carnival, you great gaggle of vacuous twits.:rolleyes:

 

You stay in a suite and then buy "cheap" liquor to take home with you. :D

 

I can buy anything that Carnival sells for half the price if I watch the sales here at home.

 

I'd bet that 75% if the liquor distributed by Carnival on the last day is purchased on shore where Carnival makes no profit and is doing their passengers a favor by storing and distributing it on the final day. Besides, don't you have to pay tax and or duty on excess bottles.