Beating the bar tab

[superstein61]

[quote name='wdblake']I would like to respond to the negative attitude towards those who bring their own alcohol on a cruise ship.
First of all I fail to understand the need to make personal slanders towards those who do this. Calling people peasants, smugglers, low class, cheap etc is a very small thing to do. It's a sad statement that a point can't be made without trying to make yourselves feel better at another persons expense.
That being said here is my take on the issue.

Smuggling is the transportation of "illegal" goods. Since the boat sells alcohol onboard it is not an illegal substance. Why then the no personal alcohol rule? One word...money. One of the biggest ways for a cruise ship to make money is through the sale of alcohol. Since bringing your own cuts into their profits it naturally benefits them to try to make a rule against it. They figure those who don't drink won't have a problem with it and those that do will suck it up and pay them. I personally don't believe I should be forced to buy ship only products. This rule is not established to protect passengers or provide safety its done merely to squeeze as much dime out of you thay can get. How would you like it if they told you you couldn't bring you own sun tan lotion but instead had to buy cruise ship lotion for $20 a bottle?

I have yet to see anyone flaunting their alcohol by the pool. My wife and I have brought our own to the pool. We keep it in a water bottle and mix our own drinks discretely. You may find this hard to believe but we don't stumble around with lamp shades on our heads, slurring our words, "ruining" others experience. If my quietly mixing myself a drink at my chair offends you then you have serious issues that extend well beyond this experience.

I also believe that trying to save money is not something to be ashamed of. My wife and I are quite frugal and it's because of this we are able to scrimp and save so we can cruise once and awhile. If you want to be some elitist then you should be sailing Crystal or Silver Seas so you truely can brag to your friends about how much money you spent on your cruise and how great your butler was and how you threw money around without a care.

Someone brought up not allowing someone to smoke in their office as a rule. But could you imagine if you charged someone five hundred dollars to sit in your office than told them they could smoke but only if they bought a pack from you for $10. How "moral" would that be.

Now about searching bags. Do you really believe that with 1000+ passengers they are going through everyones luggage looking for bottles? The reason it takes so long to get your luggage is that they have to deliver thousands of bags to their right rooms. This takes time. Also since 9/11 they have to check for items that might pose a security risk. People who bring their own on board are in no way affecting this process.

In closing I would like to say that if someone is not directly interfering with your cruise enjoyment what do you care what they do. The cruise ships don't need or want you to be their champion. They are not your hosts or your friends. They are in fact a business plain and simple and they will take anyones money as long as it is green. So sit back, relax, feel the warm ocean breeze and let the cruise ship people worry about who is doing what.
Just my two cents.[/QUOTE]

Wdblake - BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!

Very well said indeed.

I could see someone getting a little upset if I brought my blender and bottle of Rum poolside, asked HAL for an extension cord so I could plug it in, and whipped up my own libations but . . . .

Hmmm, come to think of it, I do have an extra extension cord at home. Lets see, throw that in the luggage as well and :) :) :) :)

[superstein61]

[quote name='stillfrantic']Have any of you non "riff raff" posters ever taken a roll of breath mints into the movie theatre? What about forgotten gum in your purse or even cough drops? Please kindly deposit all items from your pockets and purses in the trash bin at the front door as the sign clearly says "NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED."[/QUOTE]

Oh the horror ;) the non riff-raff breaking a rule. Please, tell me you jest. And don't forget the Tic-Tacs, M&Ms, after dinner mints, etc, etc. :) :)

[stillfrantic]

Superstein...if we ever end up on the same cruise, I'll share my Lifesavers if you'll mix me a drink poolside.

Seriously folks....is enjoying your favorite brand in your cabin really treason?

[superstein61]

[quote name='stillfrantic']Superstein...if we ever end up on the same cruise, I'll share my Lifesavers if you'll mix me a drink poolside.

[/QUOTE]

You have a deal Stillfrantic !!! I'd be happy to :)

[NYteacher]

[quote name='stillfrantic']I just found this on the HAL website:

IMPORTANT: Do not pack your passport, medications, cruise documents or airline tickets. Keep them close at hand in your purse or jacket pocket. We also strongly suggest that you carry or otherwise keep with you important items such as perishables, medicine, [b][u]liquor[/u][/b], cash, ....

In the cruise documents I received this past week they had actually whited out the word "Liquor." My DH used to work in printing and we were stunned at the thought of the cost of paying people to open the booklet and white out the word.

Interesting that they haven't thought to go to their own website.

[assam]

This discussion is fascinating to me. I find that these discussions about smuggling alcohol eventually parallel dress code discussions. Someone asks a rather basic question, others weigh in on the pros and cons, eventually someone invokes rules and regulations, others decry them. It culminates in denunciations of character and finally, the essential thesis emerges. Are you PLU? meaning, people like us... So, one is told to "[i]get off home to ___________ cruise line where you belong[/i]." Or, "[i]who do you think you are, shouldn't you be sailing on ___________________ cruise line where the nobs/snobs are[/i]?"

So, to save time, perhaps the next time anyone asks a question regarding smuggling alcohol, if one is against smuggling alcohol, simply say "[i]Get thee to Carnival![/i]" And if one is in favour of smuggling alcohol, simply say "[i]If you disagree, scram over to Silversea where you belong![/i]"

In the interest of self-disclosure, I have openly carried a bottle of champagne onboard. It was given to us by family in the UK, just before we boarded QE2, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. When we decided a few days later that we wanted to enjoy the champagne, we left a note for our steward asking him to have it on ice that evening at 7pm. So, that's my only experience with bringing alcohol on board.

Everyone else? I say, "[i]get thee to Carnival![/i]" ;) :p :)

[GAndie]

I'm sorry so many people think that it's okay to break rules and laws. Have I ever gone over the speed limit? YES...did I set out to go on a drive and break the speed limit deliberately? NO!

If people don't like the words "riff-raff" or "peasant" then the best thing to do would be to not ACT like "riff-raff" or 3rd class people or lower. It's your choice and using the excuse that EVERYONE does it doesn't make it right to do it.

I do NOT deliberately or consciously go about my life breaking laws or breaking rules because I want to save a couple bucks or "just because I could".

Maybe I am smug, I'm also proud that my children and family don't have to be ashamed of me if I get caught deliberately breaking laws.

Do what you want to do, I and other people have a right to our opinion about it though.

[staufj22]

[quote name='GAndie']
Maybe I am smug, I'm also proud that my children and family don't have to be ashamed of me if I get caught deliberately breaking laws.

Do what you want to do, I and other people have a right to our opinion about it though.[/QUOTE]

They might be ashamed of your smugness... =) but I digress.

[superstein61]

[quote name='GAndie']I'm sorry so many people think that it's okay to break rules and laws. Have I ever gone over the speed limit? YES...did I set out to go on a drive and break the speed limit deliberately? NO! [/quote]

Ahhh - the old I broke the rule but really didn't mean to syndrome. Sounds like a few children I know.

So tell me, after your speeding transgression, did you ever go over the speed limit again? WHoops, of course you did - but I am sure you really didn't mean to

[quote]
Maybe I am smug, I'm also proud that my children and family don't have to be ashamed of me if I get caught deliberately breaking laws.

[/QUOTE]

SMUG isn't the word I would choose :)

[stillfrantic]

[quote name='GAndie']If people don't like the words "riff-raff" or "peasant" then the best thing to do would be to not ACT like "riff-raff" or 3rd class people or lower. [/QUOTE]
I was always taught the word class was used by people who had none.

[helenp2]

[quote name='GAndie']I'm just wondering what's wrong with abiding by the rules? You sign a contract with the cruise line and the contract has certain rules and policies that you agree to.

I find it dishonest and frankly I think people who think it's cool or their right to break the contract are acting like peasants and those people were relegated to the bowels of the ship back when cruising had classes.

I think HAL is probably one of the classiest lines around and that's why I choose to sail with HAL. I'd hope the other passengers had at least some self respect.

Why not just sail on one of the happy holiday cruise lines where the other riff-raff sail where people blatently break their contract?

I've never read about this type of behavior on Seabourne or Crystal Cruise lines. Maybe in the last 10 years HAL has taken on too much of Carnival's flavor.[/QUOTE]

Did you notice anything wrong with the "old policy"? It is very clear and simple, this entire "new policy" was put in place for 1 reason and 1 reason only - $$$$$$$. Just like the new prices for the cabanas on HMC, a $$$$$ decision. Many ask "how come HAL allows wine and champagne"? Easy answer, $$$$$$ $17.25 to open a bottle of wine. Will they change this policy? Never!!!! Do they care if someone brings a case of wine on board?
NO!!!! They will make $207 for the privledge of you to open those bottles.
When it was posted to message boards that you could pre-order wines @ $14 per bottle, what did HAL do? Raise the price almost 25%!!!! Goughing??
Yes!!! Does this type of "customer service" help or hinder their bottom line? As long as people can continue to pack liquor in their checked luggage, and until HAL realizes they are "NOT customer friendly", this will go on for many, many years.

[GAndie]

My, my...so many people flame ME for my opinion! LOL
Can you spell "hypocrite"?

Bringing liquor onboard is against the rules, those who deliberately break the rules are...well...you fill in the blank. Inconsiderate of HAL's policy?, people who like to "live on the edge"?, People who have no respect for rules and laws?

I'm sure everyone has an excuse for breaking the rules...they usually do.

One can always tell when one hits a nerve. I suppose these same people who break the rules have their excuses for breaking many other rules too.

I'd rather be called "smug"...than "smuggler". I won't get kicked off the ship for being "smug". <G>

[ryansmemom]

Good Morning,

Wdblake, I agree with you. Name calling weakens any argument. No one has the right to judge anyone else. An argument that Superstein and many other make all the time on this board and rightly so.

I also agree, that as long as someone is minding their own business and not bothering anyone, no one should bother them. What they do is their own business and no one has the right to tell adults what they can and cannot do in their own private space, [COLOR=DarkOrchid]even if that space is in a public place, as long as no one else can see what they are doing.[/COLOR]It's private. If you are in your cabin that you paid for, you should be able to do what ever you want to do as long as it does not harm anyone else. If you are at the pool and are having a drink it is no one's business what you are drinking.

However, if I do not allow smoking in my house and my son smokes in his room, he is smuggling the cigarettes into my house.

Also, HAL owns the ship, therefore, they get to make the rules. It doen't matter if you paid to be there or not, it's their turf.

With that said. I also beleive that [B][COLOR=Black]was [/COLOR][/B] HAL' policy until a few month's ago. And then something happened to cause them to change that. They had the most liberal liquir policy of all of the mainstream cruise lines.In my opinion, they treated us like guests. like adults. Then the gate came crashing down.

Some think it was about money. Perhaps. On my last cruise in December, the Shore Excursion Manager said on board spending was low on Vista class ships. And cabin rates were low as well. Yet, they continue to spend money on other things. Hugh amounts of money. If it's money that caused them to do this, they are poor businees people and I don't think they are. But could be.

Some think it's people pushing the limits and bringing cases of beverages of all sorts on board. Drunken, unruly behavior, teenage drinking and other problems that were causing problems for security and disturbing to passengers and crew alike. This same Shore Excursion Manager told me about this problem. They did not like having to put people off the ship. That is not good for business either.

These are just two hypotheses. We don't know. We have a good discussion going here. Let's keep it going. I think we all agree more than we disagree.Can we just try to understand what seem to be two opposing points of view?

Let's keep it civil. No flaming. No name calling. We can do this.

Linda

[GAndie]

I apologize for my part in this.

[superstein61]

[quote name='ryansmemom']Good Morning,

Wdblake, I agree with you. Name calling weakens any argument. No one has the right to judge anyone else. An argument that Superstein and many other make all the time on this board and rightly so.

. . . . .. .


These are just two hypotheses. We don't know. We have a good discussion going here. Let's keep it going. I think we all agree more than we disagree.Can we just try to understand what seem to be two opposing points of view?

Let's keep it civil. No flaming. No name calling. We can do this.

Linda[/QUOTE]

Thanks Linda, I agree. Even though we disagree, we can disagree in a civil manner.

Yes, HALs old policy was very good - and if I had to hypothesize, I certainly believe the change came down to the almighty $$$ for HAL. Unlike a few other lines, I never read or saw large numbers of folks packing and sending coolers and cases full of beer and liquor onboard. Perhaps there were an isolated few per sailing, but I believe they were quite limited. So I believe it firmly came down to HAL just wanting to make more $. But thats just my opinion.

And as I said, and I think you agree, as long as I am drinking my drink in my cabin, or discretely bringing a glass of it to the pool, what other passenger is harmed?

Some may not want to bring their own drinks on board. Thats fine with me - I don't criticize them for it. But folks shouldn't criticize those with an opposing opinion who for whatever reason do like to bring their preferred beverage aboard

[wdblake]

I believe it was the rather uncivil posts that began this thread that started the heated debate. There are always going to be things about cruises and passengers that annoy us. I am annoyed by screaming children at poolside but I don't lump their parents into a group and refer to them as second class citizens. I have also ran into my share of obnoxious drunks onboard and have left it up to security to deal with them. It serves no purpose to try to belittle or lecture them even though I believe what they do is wrong.
A cruise to me is probably the most enjoyable vacation a person can take and it seems a waste of time worrying about what other people are doing.
A little tolerance goes a long way.

[Bry]

I have an interesting story that may or may not be on point. A few years ago my wife and I were set to go on another cruise line (one that did not allow alcohol brought on board--full discolure, RCI) and I happened to find out that they had a limited selection of bourbons available. I like a glass of bourbon after dinner.

So what was I to do, well I asked our TA who asked the line and somehow it was arranged that we would pay for a bottle to be delivered to our room. The cost was in line with market prices (I'm assuming it was market price with a small premium).

The point is that if you want dark beer or a particular brand of liqour or soda, it might be worth seeing if you can buy it through the line or otherwise get it delivered as a "bon voyage" gift. It may mean paying a premium but it gets you what you want. My impression is that most lines would participate in this kind of arrangement--it makes guests happy and they still get revenue off of the drinks.

As for wine, I've been told explicitly by the good folks at HAL that they have no intention to go into the aged or trophy-bottle business and (like any good land-based restaraunt) are happy to accomodate folks who want to bring wines aboard.

These are, I think, very different issues from smuggling liqour onboard that could otherwise be bought at the bars. I think all lines are going to frown on that. Not only does it deprive them of revenue, it also is a potential safety hazard (I have seen people refused further drinks on a cruise--meaningless if they've got another couple of fifths back in the cabin).

[Sailure]

[quote name='stillfrantic'] Have any of you gone 26 in a 25 MPH zone? [/QUOTE]

DEFLECTION ALERT! ;)

What does that have to do with breaking HAL's or any other cruiseline's rules?

[lddam]

"And as I said, and I think you agree, as long as I am drinking my drink in my cabin, or discretely bringing a glass of it to the pool, what other passenger is harmed?"


I agree in that no other passenger is being harmed. But, that's not the point. The point is that HAL is being harmed. Of course the new policy is to generate additional $$$$$ for HAL. They are, after all, a profit-making corporation and the goal of the enterprise is to make a profit. If you diminish their rightful opportunity to do so by "smuggling" contraband onboard, then your activities in this regard is immoral and unethical. If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

Dave of ...

[Sailure]

Hot dog! What a subject! Shall we start a thread on bringing irons onboard? Whoooeeeee!:eek:

[stillfrantic]

[quote name='Bry']The point is that if you want dark beer or a particular brand of liqour or soda, it might be worth seeing if you can buy it through the line or otherwise get it delivered as a "bon voyage" gift. It may mean paying a premium but it gets you what you want. My impression is that most lines would participate in this kind of arrangement--it makes guests happy and they still get revenue off of the drinks.[/QUOTE]
Finally! Someone offering a real, viable alternative instead of instead of name calling. I loved your suggestion and have since faxed off my order! I thank you so much for providing help and not insults.:)

[KSCnCA]

What is the purpose of the CC Boards? To exchange ideas and hopefully give help to those who ask for it. If the question regards advice on "smuggling" something onboard that is not dangerous or harmful then either give some advice or not. Nobody ever asked if others should judge the actions. If that is the case we can start another thread on rude and obnxious behavior to be judged and see how much serious participation you get. Cruising is fun, anticipating cruising is fun, and in my opinion that is what most CC participants are looking for here: fun. Lighten up!!!:)

[ryansmemom]

[quote name='KSCnCA']What is the purpose of the CC Boards? To exchange ideas and hopefully give help to those who ask for it. If the question regards advice on "smuggling" something onboard that is not dangerous or harmful then either give some advice or not. Nobody ever asked if others should judge the actions. If that is the case we can start another thread on rude and obnxious behavior to be judged and see how much serious participation you get. Cruising is fun, anticipating cruising is fun, and in my opinion that is what most CC participants are looking for here: fun. Lighten up!!!:)[/QUOTE]

Hi and welcome.

I don't know if you have read through all of this thread, but this has been a very hot topic on this board. We have been having a very good conversation here for a couple of days now and we have been learning a lot.

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]No judging. no flaming, keep it civil.[/COLOR]

We are learning a lot. People are sharing their point of view and ideas. In my opinion, it's far from dull. I've noticed that some new people have joined in. It's great.

Why don't you join us.

I love this. We are talking and learning and it is fun! No fireworks. Let's save them for our 4th of July celebrations.

Linda

[Sailure]

[quote name='superstein61']And people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Unless you can tell me you have never, ever broken a single rule in your life, then please keep your holier than thou comments to yourself.

I have no problem with folks disagreeing with my stance - but you can do so without these types of comments - because I am sure you have broken your fair share of rules in your lifetime.[/QUOTE]
Hmmm, I don't particularly care what anyone does as long as it doesn't affect me and the vacation I paid for. I don't see the excuse that "everybody does it" is a valid excuse either. My students used to try that one on me! It didn't work then and it doesn't work now! LOL

Let's be honest we bring our own booze against the rules because we think we're going to be drinking much more than what we want to pay for on the ship. We're cheating the cruiseline. We get pretty darned good rates for a vacation that includes a lot of food, entertainment and downright fun, but we feel we get a thrill from cheating the big bad company out of something that is rightfully theirs...no?

As far as saying that we do it because they don't have our brand of gin or vodka is a crock. When we're invited to a party where the booze is supplied, we drink what they have. When we go to a restaurant and we order drinks we don't bring our own bottle if they don't have our favorite. Do we?

[superstein61]

[quote name='lddam']"And as I said, and I think you agree, as long as I am drinking my drink in my cabin, or discretely bringing a glass of it to the pool, what other passenger is harmed?"


I agree in that no other passenger is being harmed. But, that's not the point. The point is that HAL is being harmed. Of course the new policy is to generate additional $$$$$ for HAL. They are, after all, a profit-making corporation and the goal of the enterprise is to make a profit. If you diminish their rightful opportunity to do so by "smuggling" contraband onboard, then your activities in this regard is immoral and unethical. If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

Dave of ...[/QUOTE]


UMMMMMMMMMMM, wrong.

You missed the point by a mile. There are several reasons why people bring their own beverage aboard.

1. HAL doesn't stock it (ie Mountain Dew or my favorite brand of RUM)
2. Convenience
3. To save a few bucks

FOr me - to save a few bucks is actually last on the list. Is it a factor - YES, if HAL would charge reasonable prices, maybe I would buy more drinks from them but since they want to price gouge, its their loss.

But my main reason is I bring what I like to drink - Because they do not have it !!!!!

And the point is why are some folks like yourself so judgemental about others who carry their favorite beverage aboard? Jealousy? A belief you are better than others? Surely you have broken NUMEROUS rules in your life - so please drop the "immoral and unethical " holier than though attitude.