D+ Drinks Question

[teacherman]

We have not been on RCCL since April, 2019, when we did a family cruise.  We have planned another one for March, 2023 aboard the Anthem.  I and my DW are D+.  It is my understanding that we each receive 5 drink vouchers per day.  Are we allowed to have all 8 of our family go to some bar for "cocktail hour" before dinner and use those vouchers to treat each person to a cocktail before dinner?  It seems to me that I was doing something similar in the "good old days" (pre-Covid), but it also seems that a lot of things are changing on RCCL since I last cruised with them.  Anyone done this lately?  Also, what is the current number of bottles of wine allowed to be taken on at embarkation, and what is the corkage fee if you take them to dinner?  Thanks for any information you can offer.

[smokeybandit]

Yes you can use your vouchers for others.

[wolfcathorse]

yes, the vouchers can  be used for anyone. The vouchers can be used on specialty coffees, fresh squeezed juice, sodas, bottled water, virgin drinks as well as alcoholic drinks. So keep that in mind when you go for pre-dinner drinks at night, that you haven't accidentally used one during the day for water or soda.

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

Yes, you and your wife as D+ members can share your 10 drinks per day with your family members.  Two bottles of wine are permitted per stateroom.  Corkage fee is supposed to be $20 or $25 each but rarely enforced and charged in my experience.  Enjoy your family cruise!

[Starry Eyes]

Remember to put your two bottles of wine per stateroom in carryon bags.  No wine allowance for checked bags.

[teacherman]

If we have one adult and one child in a room, do they still get 2 bottles?

[rockmom]

30 minutes ago, teacherman said:

If we have one adult and one child in a room, do they still get 2 bottles?

it's per stateroom, not per person.  Whether there's just one adult in the room or five, it's still a total of two bottles for the room.  

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Yes, you and your wife as D+ members can share your 10 drinks per day with your family members.  Two bottles of wine are permitted per stateroom.  Corkage fee is supposed to be $20 or $25 each but rarely enforced and charged in my experience.  Enjoy your family cruise!

I managed to get charged a corkage free pre covid. .. on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception. 

[nelblu]

17 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I managed to get charged a corkage free pre covid. .. on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception. 

Never charged a corkage fee.  What ship did this occur.

[firefly333]

36 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Never charged a corkage fee.  What ship did this occur.

Oasis I think out of florida. Not out of texas. Never brought another bottle of wine to Mdr. 

[cruisegus]

17 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I managed to get charged a corkage free pre covid. .. on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception. 

Did you say something,  No corkage fee was ever supposed to be charged for any wine that came from Royals stock.  No corkage fee on your amenity wine or that won in an on-board contest.

[not-enough-cruising]

18 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I managed to get charged a corkage free pre covid. .. on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception. 

That bottle was certainly not subject to corkage fee; I wouldn’t have paid it. 

We take a bottle to the MDR most nights, have never paid a fee. 

[Ret MP]

18 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I managed to get charged a corkage free pre covid. .. on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception. 

The FAQ/Policy does say that a corkage fee of $15.00 will be charged for any wine and/or champagne brought on the ship by guest(s) and consumed IN PUBLIC areas:

 

"Does Royal Caribbean charge a corkage fee?

A

 

 

Yes. Guests who consume their personal wine and champagne in public areas, will incur a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. No beer or hard liquor may be brought onboard for consumption".

 

Disclaimer:  The above post is presented as a matter of fact, not what is the norm or what some folks get away with, or anything else. Nor am I agreeing with it or disagreeing with it.   

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

The FAQ/Policy does say that a corkage fee of $15.00 will be charged for any wine and/or champagne brought on the ship by guest(s) and consumed IN PUBLIC areas:

 

"Does Royal Caribbean charge a corkage fee?

A

 

 

Yes. Guests who consume their personal wine and champagne in public areas, will incur a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. No beer or hard liquor may be brought onboard for consumption".

 

Disclaimer:  The above post is presented as a matter of fact, not what is the norm or what some folks get away with, or anything else. Nor am I agreeing with it or disagreeing with it.   

But her bottle was not brought on the ship by her; it was purchased from Royal- no corkage fee applies in that instance 

[Ret MP]

14 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

But her bottle was not brought on the ship by her; it was purchased from Royal- no corkage fee applies in that instance 

I was typing my response as you posted your post.  So, my response wasn't directed towards you specifically.  

 

Having said that:  "on a bottle of wine from RCL my TA had delivered to my cabin. Took the rcl bottle to dining room and was charged. I'm always the exception".   

 

He/she says that the bottle was given to him/her by a TA.  I've never heard of a RCCL "Phone Answerer" being referred to as  TA. Possible, I guess.  And, it is possible that RCCL just put the bottle in the cabin that the TA purchased for them, in which case, I believe the Policy/FAQ applies.  Adhered to or not is a different story.  Anyway, my quoting of the FAQ/Policy was based upon the use of the term/abbreviation of TA.  If my assumption was wrong, than I was wrong with the assumption.  But, the policy/FAQ is what it is.  Again, I'm not saying that I agree with it or I don't agree with it.  Just trying to present factual information. 

 

EDITED IN:  But, I see your point.  I guess an argument could be made that "The Guest" didn't actually bring the bottle onboard. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Ret MP

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

I guess an argument could be made that "The Guest" didn't actually bring the bottle onboard. 

When the corkage fee policy was reinstated, such bottles should have had a sticker on them exempting it from the fee. The stickers went away sometime before COVID. 

[Ourusualbeach]

5 hours ago, Ret MP said:

He/she says that the bottle was given to him/her by a TA.  I've never heard of a RCCL "Phone Answerer" being referred to as  TA. Possible, I guess.  And, it is possible that RCCL just put the bottle in the cabin that the TA purchased for them, in which case, I believe the Policy/FAQ applies.

TA' s can purchase wine for their clients at discounted rates.  These bottles are exempted from any corkage fees. 

[Ret MP]

6 hours ago, Ret MP said:

The FAQ/Policy does say that a corkage fee of $15.00 will be charged for any wine and/or champagne brought on the ship by guest(s) and consumed IN PUBLIC areas:

 

"Does Royal Caribbean charge a corkage fee?

A

 

 

Yes. Guests who consume their personal wine and champagne in public areas, will incur a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. No beer or hard liquor may be brought onboard for consumption".

 

Disclaimer:  The above post is presented as a matter of fact, not what is the norm or what some folks get away with, or anything else. Nor am I agreeing with it or disagreeing with it.   

Okay folks, I'm not trying to debate or even argue what is or what was or anything like that.  I absolutely don't doubt anything you are saying or experienced.  Two or 3 of you guys, you included, are what I consider the good guys in here.  You can discuss things without bias or overheated rhetoric, even if there is disagreement with something.  And I trust in your competency and professionalism.  So, I just want to point out what I actually said.  The first part of my post I did say, in my own words, "brought on the ship by guest(s)".  When I posted the policy/FAQ, I didn't state my belief, agreement or disagreement with it.  My intent was to present the policy/FAQ for the purpose of enlightening some folks.  Then things went into the giggle weeds.  

 

Then I stated that "I believe" that if a bottle was sent in by the TA and that the bottle is subject to the corking fee.  My reasoning:  Because, I agree if the bottle is kept in the cabin, it's not subject to the corkage fee, no matter who brought it there, it can be consumed in the cabin, without worry of a corking fee, but once it is moved from the cabin, into public areas, it's subject to the corking fee.  That reasoning may be flawed, I don't know.  But, that's how I read it and what my intended response(s) were all about.  If a TA has inside information and/or exemptions from some things, so be it.  But, it's not a matter of publicly available information.  Bottom line, my intent, among many other things, was pure, just wanted to inform.

 

The following is not intended for the good guys here:  If I'm wrong so be it.  I'm not trying to sell anybody anything, convenience anybody of anything, or prove anything to anybody.  I just presented the policy/FAQ, as written, and stated what I think or how I interpret the policy/FAQ, I'm not guaranteeing anything.

[reallyitsmema]

On 12/16/2022 at 7:22 PM, firefly333 said:

Oasis I think out of florida. Not out of texas. Never brought another bottle of wine to Mdr. 

 

Definitely should not be charged a corkage fee and should have been removed at guest services.  Ask for the head waiter in the future if they are charging you incorrectly so you don't need to go have it fixed at guest services.