6 Beers Confiscated Despite Compliance With Policy

[the_dylaness]

We just returned on our 7, no, make that 8-night sailing of the Disney Fantasy out of Port Canaveral. I plan to write an extended review when I have the chance, and overall we were pleased, but this one thing has just really made me upset.

 

We travelled as three adults and three children. We actually booked prior to the alcohol carrying changes, but of course complied with the new rules. My husband and I each hand carried on two bottles of wine. My mother brought a six pack of beer.

 

Here's what happened (some of which certainly our fault)

1. Mom packs her bags at home and travels to our hometown for the flight. When I arrive at airport I see that mom has already attached Disney tags to luggage. I told her I think she was supposed to wait. The skycap at Southwest (that part, I think, is important) says "no, no, no, it's fine, they will just take it to the ship for you." I am a little confused by that, thinking that luggage transfer is probably a paid service and also I think they don't participate with SW, plus he seems more interested in rushing the 6 of us out of there than answering our questions, so, before dawn with 3 very little kids, we just let it slide.

 

2. We collect luggage at MCO-- everyone else's luggage is there but mom's. What can we do? So we go to the ship.

 

3. We arrive at ship looking for luggage collection area. No such thing. I see the signs reminding me that all alcohol must be HAND CARRIED (which I somehow failed to realize prior?)

 

4. I notify our Disney check in person of the luggage snafu and explain that my mom has brought a six pack of beer in her luggage. At this point we are a) Unsure if mom's luggage ACTUALLY made it here and b) would like to collect the six pack and hand carry it on.

 

5. DCL person says OH no problem I'm sure it's here (how does she know?) and don't worry about the beer they'll just let it through.

 

6. 530 rolls around and finally my mom's 2nd piece of luggage shows up, sans beer and with a ticket to the naughty room (I learned that word here!)

 

7. Mom contacts guests services, explains all of the above circumstances, and politely asks if she may collect her beer, allow them to inspect it and determine whatever they need to determine, and resume possession of same?

 

8. Mom is told that the actual problem is not that she did not hand carry on the beer but rather that it is in bottles and not cans. (?) When we got off the ship in our first port I double checked alcohol sign, not mentioned there, wine can come in bottles so why not beer, and now that I am home I rechecked alcohol policy online and see no mention of this whatsoever. Huh?

 

9. A couple days later we get a bag of popcorn and coloring books with a generic "hope you are enjoying your cruise" statement from guest services, presumably related to this? The same guy calls her a day or so later to ask if she is enjoying her cruise. She told him she was still frustrated with the situation but otherwise, yes. He then sends her a couple's pass to the thermal spa. A nice gesture for sure but not particularly appreciated by a woman of a certain age, with hot flashes galore and her only "couple" traveling companions in her room two elementary school aged girls. It was never used. I would have liked it but I think it was non-transferable.

 

Now, I realize that mom made an apparently fatal flaw by putting the DCL luggage tags on too early. But the series of confusion and events that followed seemed silly. Also, what's up with the cans thing?

 

And, FWIW, no she did NOT collect them in the naughty room at the end of the cruise. Said the line was through the roof and her luggage was close to weight limit due to items bought on the cruise anyway.

[moki'smommy]

While Princess and some other lines have a "naughty room" where you can collect approved items prior to sailing, DCL does not. Those items removed are left in the terminal when the ship sails for reclaiming after the cruise. Thus, it is likely your mother's beer never made it onto the ship. Of course this policy may have changed, but this was in effect about a year ago. If it wasn't on the ship, it couldn't be reclaimed regardless of situation. After the cruise, the "reclaim" line is those items removed from luggage as well as lost and found from the ship.

 

The can thing--I've never heard it and I think it was crap. There is a problem with bottles IN LUGGAGE. The issue is breakage given the way the luggage is handled. I've been the victim of some jerk who put a bottle of white wine in his luggage; it broke and leaked all over my stuff. Fortunately I covered most of my stuff in plastic inside the suitcase (a garment bag inside the suitcase for the dressy clothing.)

 

Sorry that you and/or your mother didn't understand the rules and how the luggage service works. FYI, there is no charge for the luggage service IF you are using DCL transfers to get to the port--it is part of the transfer service. There is no such thing as a "participating" airline on the way to the port. Disney collects luggage from all airlines. The "participating" concept only involves on board check in on the way home. Thus, if you were on the DCL bus, you could have had Disney handle all the bags except those with alcohol in them (which you needed to claim in order to remove the alcohol.)

 

Yes, you got a lot of mis-information from DCL employees (not unusual). But there are enough errors in this situation to cover all involved.

[nikita]

So my question is this - can we bring beer in bottles?? As long as it's in our carry on luggage? Thanks!

[Shmoo here]

So my question is this - can we bring beer in bottles?? As long as it's in our carry on luggage? Thanks!

 

Yes. Maximum of 6 cans/bottles of no more than 12 oz each. Are there many bottles that are 12 oz size? Maybe that was the issue.

[nikita]

Yes. Maximum of 6 cans/bottles of no more than 12 oz each. Are there many bottles that are 12 oz size? Maybe that was the issue.

 

I think most are 12 oz unless they are aluminum...thank you!

[moki'smommy]

Yes, you can bring beer in 12 ounce or smaller cans or bottles in your carry on luggage.

 

OP's title is misleading because they were not in compliance with the policy that requires all alcoholic beverages to be in carry on luggage only,

Edited October 10, 2016 by moki'smommy

[the_dylaness]

All bottles were of the standard size. Maybe the ticket was it to the naughty room, I did not look at it very closely, it was just some type of a claim check perhaps it was to the terminal?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[the_dylaness]

Attempted compliance… Meaning we weren't trying to smuggle on gallons of tequila or something. We would've happily hand carried to the beer on if we were able to get the luggage. We were not on DCL transfers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[moki'smommy]

Attempted compliance… Meaning we weren't trying to smuggle on gallons of tequila or something. We would've happily hand carried to the beer on if we were able to get the luggage. We were not on DCL transfers.

 

 

Totally understand that it was a mistake and not intentional and that you received incorrect information from the skycap.

 

You are very lucky that they didn't catch the fact that the tagged bag did not correspond to a guest who had paid for transfers. If they catch it, you are charged for the transfer.

 

Just to be complete. it is possible to pay for luggage transfers when the people are using another method--obviously not relevant to this situation.

[MCC retired]

Good a bottle did not break in the checked luggage . It happens .

All this to do for a six pack of beer ? Plenty of beer onboard.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[moki'smommy]

My other thought was the hassle of flying with the bottles in the luggage and hoping it would arrive intact? If you weren't using DCL transportation, you'd likely have the option of stopping at a store to purchase your beverages after arriving in Florida.

[the_dylaness]

It was a special beer that my mom really likes and I can guarantee not available on ship. I'm not sure how she packed it but when I travel with any type of liquid in my suitcase I pack it in my dry bag so if it does leak, it's just in the dry bag (and have never had this happen.)

 

Just a frustrating situation and then to be told a lie about the cans... I want my mom to continue to cruise with us in the future and I hate it that this seemed to sour her a bit on DCL. (She's travelled a lot with me in the past but first time cruising/vacationing with DH/DD/DS... she and I are more HAL or X cruisers together.)

[Ex techie]

It was a special beer that my mom really likes and I can guarantee not available on ship. I'm not sure how she packed it but when I travel with any type of liquid in my suitcase I pack it in my dry bag so if it does leak, it's just in the dry bag (and have never had this happen.)

 

Just a frustrating situation and then to be told a lie about the cans... I want my mom to continue to cruise with us in the future and I hate it that this seemed to sour her a bit on DCL. (She's travelled a lot with me in the past but first time cruising/vacationing with DH/DD/DS... she and I are more HAL or X cruisers together.)

 

Respectfully, it is only 6 beers we are discussing, and as special as they are to your mom and her favorite, it is still only 6 beers.

If your mom had read the booklet with the tags, it clearly would have told her to not put them on until at the port as you were not using DCL transfers.

 

As for bottles and not cans, that is not as per DCL policy stated on the website and the ship, but as stated above as they were removed in the terminal when the baggage was scanned, (obviously deemed a breakage hazard and removed) the ship could not have returned them to her when you were sailing regardless.

 

If this little incident of your mom not reading or understanding the policy regarding the tags is enough to sour her from sailing on DCL again, then so be it.

DCL obviously tried to make amends with your group with the popcorn and colouring books, also the spa couples pass (which you could have asked if you and your partner could use instead) but let them go unused.

 

If I were you, I would let this drop, remind your mom to read cruise line documents throughly so she understands them in future, and move on chalking this up to a mistake that had consequences out of DCL's control.

 

After all, what kind of resolution are you seeking now?

 

ex techie

[amscene1]

You let an 8 dollar six pack ruin your cruise?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[bcakes]

The initial post says that the OP was overall very happy with the cruise, so I don't think it's fair to suggest that she let this issue spoil her cruise.

 

I can see why the experience was frustrating given the misinformation received from a crew member re the reason for the beers not making it to mom's room. Hopefully this thread will help others who are trying to carry alcohol aboard in compliance with the policy.

[luddite]

Life is short and has real problems.

Move on.

[moki'smommy]

Life is short and has real problems.

Move on.

 

We need a "like" button.

[the_dylaness]

Wow... just sharing my experience. Cruise not ruined. Yes, life is short and has real problems, but seems like we are all on here discussing cruiseship minutiae... very few of which are actually any sort of real problem.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[luddite]

We have learned that there is a policy in place for bringing beer onto the ship and that's always a good thing.

It would be a shame to find out that the agita is over a sixer of Bud Light.

[the_dylaness]

Nope, a really nice local brew my mom is super fond of.

[luddite]

Nope, a really nice local brew my mom is super fond of.

 

Ah.

:)

In that case......I feel your pain.

[AdoraBelle]

Wow... just sharing my experience. Cruise not ruined. Yes, life is short and has real problems, but seems like we are all on here discussing cruiseship minutiae... very few of which are actually any sort of real problem.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Unfortunately this site isn't good for conversation--anything that can remotely be viewed as a complaint or a slight against a given cruise line is immediately dogpiled.

 

And yes, people love the "first world problems" escalations, even though we're on a site to discuss cruising.

 

The internet turns into a nastier, colder place by the day.

[PopFla]

A side note - - Although it didn't happen in this case....

 

As someone who worked in the baggage handling area of Orlando International for 13 years, I can't even begin to count the number of times we encountered bags with smashed bottles of beer, liquor, toiletries, etc that have thoroughly soaked the contents of not only that bag but several others that it has come into contact with, not to mention the broken glass among the clothing in the original bag. If you must transport glass containers, make sure they are thoroughly padded - top, bottom and sides - and ask your airline to tag the bag as FRAGILE.

[luddite]

A side note - - Although it didn't happen in this case....

 

As someone who worked in the baggage handling area of Orlando International for 13 years, I can't even begin to count the number of times we encountered bags with smashed bottles of beer, liquor, toiletries, etc that have thoroughly soaked the contents of not only that bag but several others that it has come into contact with, not to mention the broken glass among the clothing in the original bag. If you must transport glass containers, make sure they are thoroughly padded - top, bottom and sides - and ask your airline to tag the bag as FRAGILE.

 

I witnessed a horrible shrew berating the customer service desk girl when the shrew's luggage was soaked by someone else's broken tequila bottle. The shrew had no untainted clothing for a while. Seeing the way she treated the ship's personnel kinda made me want to spill a beer onto her.

[moki'smommy]

My luggage became soaked in white wine somewhere between the time I put it outside my cabin on the last night and the time I collected it in the terminal the following morning. I did report it to DCL, not because I expected anything but because I thought it important that they be aware of the situation. Fortunately most of my things were washable and my formalwear was in plastic inside the suitcase.

 

If a glass container is broken on the way onto a cruise and the offending piece of luggage can be identified, the owner of the bag is charged for the laundry and/or dry cleaning of any damaged articles belonging to another guest.

 

Just follow the rules and use your brain and you'll be fine.

 

And abusing a CM is never OK.

Edited October 14, 2016 by moki'smommy