Liquor in Room (Smuggling)

[charlielinda]

We have taken many Celebrity cruises and my husband always bring along a bottle of bourbon for the room. He throughly enjoys making himself a drink while we get ready for dinner in our room. He doesn't make a drink and then take it out of the room he just enjoys the drink in the room before we go down to dinner. He stills purchases wine and drinks throughout the ship when he wants. I will be interested to see how Celebrity enforces this new policy; I do know that if he isn't allowed to have a drink in his room before dinner it will diminish his crusing experience. Yes, I know he could go to a bar and purchase a drink and bring it back to the room but that seems so stupid.

[bububr]

You can pre order a bottle of bourbon for your room. Check out their website:)

 

This way you don't have to worry about sneaking it, packing it, or breakage.

 

The rule isn't about NO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, its about responsibility of the cruiseline and the passenger as well.

 

Dave:eek:

 

BTW: I think room service does deliver if you don't want to leave the room.

[debjac]

how is this about the cruiseline's and passenger's responsibility? If you can buy bottles of bourbon for your room there would be no "big brother" keeping an eye on over consumption if that's what you mean.

I am not at all trying to be argumentative but honestly do not see that this is anything other than a way to put more dollars in Celebrity's pockets.

Not that it matters but for the record I have brought a bottle of wine and beer onboard at times - not concealed but actually in a bag that goes through the scanners when you check in. Never a problem.

[Allis154]

how is this about the cruiseline's and passenger's responsibility? If you can buy bottles of bourbon for your room there would be no "big brother" keeping an eye on over consumption if that's what you mean.

I am not at all trying to be argumentative but honestly do not see that this is anything other than a way to put more dollars in Celebrity's pockets.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Are they actually going to say 'no' if someone wanted to buy a couple (or more) bottles for the cabin? Nothing but a cash grab, as far as I am concerned.

[bububr]

so the bartender can cut you off if he feels the need , and I highly doubt you could order more than a couple of bottles of liquor per stateroom. I would think they have a right to put limits on that also...

 

Dave:eek:

[DancerOT]

The bartenders have always had the right to cut people off. However, I have never seen one do that. The same way I have never seen a bartender in the states cut someone off, even though they are legally bound to do so.

 

I also dont understand how selling someone a bottle as part of the welcome aboard packages is monitoring alcohol consumption. But I could be missing something.

 

And yes, I do know that Celebrity has always said you cannot bring a bottle of liquor on board. And yes, I have brought my own liquor on board. As I will continue to do so. This does not stop me from buying while onboard at all. Due to financial constraints, I buy what I can onboard and otherwise drink my own. This new clearly outlined policy will not stop me from attempting to bring my own on board. My feeling is and always has been that they have their policy, therefore they have the right to enforce it. So if they take the alcohol from me - fine, I understand I am running that risk and I CANNOT under any circumstances get angry at them for enforcing a policy they make clear.

[tbelian]

I will be interested to see how Celebrity enforces this new policy;

 

Well, technically, it is not a new policy. BYOB has always been contrary to policy, other than, perhaps wine, because of the associated corkage thing.

 

But, look at it this way. Instead of a 'cash grab', perhaps it is preventative 'medicine'. I'm sure the thought has crossed someone's mind that if a passenger has a few too many, and the cruise line did nothing to restrict it, then, heaven forbid, something bad happens to that passenger, the lawyers might line up to claim it was the cruise line's 'fault' since they did nothing about it?

[bravemom]

somehow i see this whole issue evolving into creative smuggling ala concert venues of my youth.

 

i can see celeb and other lines checking out certain types of containers brought on board via carry on or checked luggage-but when it comes to push and shove, the person truly intent on bringing on board their prefered top shelf item that is not offered on board will find ways to get around it such that it becomes far to labor intensive for the line to pursue.

 

i look back on the 'day on the greens' that were popular in the 70's and 80's in the san francisco bay area-saavy attenders knew that thermal containers were searched as well as 'big gulp' containers and the like. as a result attendees resorted to bringing sterilized sun screen, tanning lotion and bug spray containers filled with their 'drink of choice'-security never questioned these and as a result they were a perfect means of transportation.

[raymac46]

I suppose I'll revel my naivite here, but I cannot understand why anyone would go to such great lengths to violate a policy that is clearly Celebrity's right to make and enforce.

If it is so difficult for a guest to accept, why not simply book a cruise on a line which does NOT have a policy like this on its books (if there is one.)

We aren't talking about Prohibition here, in my view at least.

[beauxdammit]

Put whatever face you want to on it, it still seems to me to be strictly an issue of econcomics. If you want to drink, you will drink their overpriced alcohol.

 

This has been the norm for most lines for some time.

[charlielinda]

We booked this cruise over a year ago and we always have brought liquor to our room and I don't even drink -- I'm a friend of Bill W's! My husband enjoys his drink before dinner and it's insane to pay $60 for a bottle on the ship. Believe me we spend lots of $$ on drinks throughout the cruise so we don't feel bad about that. We buy wine for the table at dinner throughout the cruise and drinks in the various lounges -- we spend lots of $$ but that's not the point. When will Celebrity going to tell us what we can and can't do in our cabin. I'm assuming that the liquor police will mark a bottle that is purchased in the liqour package so we'll have to hide our liquor -- hmmm, now I'll have to find a hiding place -- do you think the butler will look in an empty suitcase?

 

We always adhere to the dress code, we don't hog chairs, we are nice to fellow passengers and crew and we tip well -- but yes I guess we will be breaking the rules when we take our cruise in November. In fact I'm thinking we'll probably bring more than the usual one bottle in our checked baggage to make sure that at least one bottle gets through the liquor police. I wonder if they are going to take my ginger ale that I normally bring on board to enjoy in my room or is that allowed?

 

Maybe next Celebrity will "require" everyone to play bingo at least twice so they can get an extra $60 per person per cruise!

 

I have no idea why this issue is "bugging" me. We pay a fortune to sail with Celebrity and it would only cost me $60 to legally purchase a bottle for my husband but this hits a nerve with me -- I spend $60 some days on Bingo!

[lambcom]

Raymac46 raises an interesting question. Does anyone know of a mainstream cruise line that has no objection to passengers bringing hard liquor (rum, scotch, gin, vodka, etc. etc.) on board at the start of the cruise for consumption in their cabin?

 

George+

[WooKeef]

charlielinda,

I agree, it rubs me the wrong way too. I see it as another scheme to get more money out of us when we have all paid high dollar just to be there.

 

We are going to spend quite alot of money on alcoholic beverages, but we want to be able to bring our favorite wine on board...we don't all want to pay insane prices for a bottle of wine:mad: .

 

A previous poster said that it shouldn't be to difficult to follow the rules. Yes rules are there for a reason, but they need a good reason.

As for the bartenders cutting someone off. I have seen people get cut off on shore. But, don't know about on board. I think to enforce the drinking and control things with minors is a good idea.

But, hey let's face it. We are on vacation and are trying to get away from impracticle rules. This only serves to put more money in X pocket.

[cdbaum]

Land based bars and restaurants can, do, and are required by law to, cut-off patrons who in the estimation of the owner (bartender) have reached their limit. I have told customers that they could no longer be served. And if I had not I could have been fired.

 

You're right, it's all economics. The bar could lose their liquor license if they serve somebody who they believe is intoxicated (a very grey area) and that would be very expensive. And don't think for a minute that the person who just got him or her self drunk wouldn't turn around and sue the bar that let them get that way and then have an accident of some sort.

 

The cruise line is obviously not going to turn away the extra income from passengers buying their pricey bottles but they are also looking at this from a loss prevention point of view and trying to limit their exposure.

 

I doubt if they really care that some passengers will take their cruise dollars elsewhere. The ships are sailing pretty full and there will always be more passengers that don't have an issue with the policy.

[tbelian]

I doubt if they really care that some passengers will take their cruise dollars elsewhere. The ships are sailing pretty full and there will always be more passengers that don't have an issue with the policy.

 

How true ..

[WooKeef]

cdbaum, I love your avator. It rocks! Just makes me laugh. Wanted to thank you!

Woo

[Bengoshi]

Is it not the case (pardon the pun) that checked baggage, before it goes aboard at a US port, is inspected by Transportation Security Agency inspectors, as is done at airports? Do the TSA inspectors give a hoot about bottles of wine? They are there to screen for weapons and explosives, not to enforce a cruise line's alcohol policy. Or is there a second, and time-consuming, inspection for alcohol by cruise line personnel?

[chicagolass]

Put whatever face you want to on it, it still seems to me to be strictly an issue of econcomics. If you want to drink, you will drink their overpriced alcohol.

 

This has been the norm for most lines for some time.

Or perhaps the overpriced booze is more a deliberate means to

deter cruisers from drinking over and above their limit.

It certainly stops me and I'm sure that it also works for many

others. Of course, that's unless I'm on champagne.

[jcrandle]

Raymac46 raises an interesting question. Does anyone know of a mainstream cruise line that has no objection to passengers bringing hard liquor (rum, scotch, gin, vodka, etc. etc.) on board at the start of the cruise for consumption in their cabin?

 

George+

If by "mainstream" you mean lower price point, no. However, I'm willing to bet that the cruise lines that include booze in the cruise price have NO restrictions about bringing your own.

 

That should give a strong clue to those who say that the issue is responsibility and control versus PROFIT.

[DancerOT]

Hate to tell you all, they havent changed the policy about bringing alcohol on board. They have always been you are not allowed - they are just being a bit more specific. The only thing that changed was the age limit. When you were bringing your alcohol on before it was against the policy.

[Pecoraro]

This was actually posted earlier but seems to have been lost with all of the exitement:

 

 

All you people hell bent on breaking the rules and sneaking liquor on board - do you realize you are breaking a rule!!!!

 

I sure hope none of you are the ones so concerned that no rules were broken by not dressing up on formal or informal night. Would be very hypocritical if you were.

[WooKeef]

This was actually posted earlier but seems to have been lost with all of the exitement:

 

 

All you people hell bent on breaking the rules and sneaking liquor on board - do you realize you are breaking a rule!!!!

 

I sure hope none of you are the ones so concerned that no rules were broken by not dressing up on formal or informal night. Would be very hypocritical if you were.

 

:eek: :eek: Don't break the rules. The alcohol police will come and get you!:p

If it causes no harm to the public and hopefully there is enough control to not cause harm to yourself what harm is there? X is getting the $$ out of you regardless.

Of course there is the argument that maybe if people didn't "smuggle" the booze on-board that there would be lower prices on alcohol. I say no-way. The ocassional person bringing alcohol on board does no harm economically to X; but they should enforce the age requirment for drinking alcohol!

[sal7202]

For all of you who think that this policy is in anyway related to responsibility or preventing drunkenness, or any other noble motivation, I say dream on. This is about profits and nothing else. The bean counters at Celeb see more cash flow and get all excited. It doesn't matter that it’s an insignificant amount, it doesn't matter that it annoys and insults the paying customers who keep them afloat, (no pun intended) they see an extra penny and they need to grab it no matter what the ultimate cost is in terms of passenger dissatisfaction.

 

This same mentality causes Celebrity to ignore maintenance of their ships until it's too late. They know that they have an ongoing problem with the propulsion systems on their "M' class vessels, they know, or should know, just about how many hours of operation it will be before they have to replace the bearings. Do they act responsibly and schedule maintenance to address the problem before the bearings fail so as not to inconvenience passengers? Hell no! They try to squeeze every last penny out of those bearings inconveniencing and aggravating not only the passengers who have their cruise disrupted when the bearings fail, but all those who have their cruise canceled / delayed while the ship is dry-docked for repairs. Then they further disrespect their paying customers with their "compensation" offer, as if money is what's important to someone who just had a vacation pulled out from under them which they had looked forward to an planned for so long.

 

Of course none of this would make sense to Celebrity. They are only interested in money and despite their "Be treated famously" advertising, don't even know how to treat people decently. If they did, they would show some respect for their customers by building regular maintenance periods into their schedules instead of trying to squeeze every last penny out of the bearings. Unfortunately, greed is the order of the day up at corporate, as a frequent cruiser, and a frequent customer of Celebrity, I for one am becoming quite tired of it.

[tbelian]

This same mentality causes Celebrity to ignore maintenance of their ships until it's too late. They know that they have an ongoing problem with the propulsion systems on their "M' class vessels, they know, or should know, just about how many hours of operation it will be before they have to replace the bearings.

 

Perhaps you misunderstood the topic.

 

Liquor in room (smuggling)

[oldmovieguy]

Getting Booze on board, simple. Get a note from your Doctor stating that the five bottles of Brandy in your luggage are for your heart condition and are for medicinal puposes ONLY. If anyone on board questions the amount, tell'em you have a big heart!