Questions about alcohol onboard (merged)

[chargap]

Has anyone had any experience with packed wine in luggage when they have boarded in European ports like Barcelona or Rome? This is our first Royal Caribbean cruise so not sure of their routines especially in Europe.

[bajathree]

This is such a dissappointment...this was always our little ritual...and we never had a problem before. We cruised in April on QM2 and brought our own champagne and last Oct. on Carnival and brought our own. I agree, we would buy onboard too, if the selection was better. :(

I agree with some of the other posters, that I will look at other cruise lines first, the next time we cruise.

I was so excited for this cruise...this has put a damper on it. Not that we are lushes or anything :rolleyes: we just like what we buy better than what we can get on the ship. ;)

 

I feel the same way. My wife and I love wine and were very disapointed also that we could not bring our own. We were more disapointed after I looked at RCCL wine list....it is TERRIBLE:eek: No allowing hard liquor is one thing but let's be serious here. Wine is not something someone is going to bring on-board to sit and just get wasted on. I cruised Carnival and they were also fine with wine. You just don't allow anyone to come on with like 3-4 jugs....use your heads, but don't just cut everyone off. You can even specify 750ml bottles ONLY.

We are booked on a spring 07 cruise on Freedom and were very seriously considering switching to the new NCL Pearl. NCL allows you to bring as much wine as you like on-board for a fee of $15/bottle and also has quite an impressive wine list. You can download it here to see http://www.ncl.com/more/wine_list.htm

 

It kills me that we are spending good $ on a OS and are offered such a poor wine selection. The only reason we are not switching is due to my 2 DD, 8 &12. I know they will enjoy Freedom more with all the activities. If it were just my wife and I however I would have been over to NCL in a heart-beat. RCCL wine offerings are not only terrible they are crazily overpriced. I don't mind paying a premium for wine during dining but $40 for a $9.99 bottle of crappy wine is just stupid. I have also compared every red wine off RCCL wine list against Wine Spectator ratings. Only 1 scored an 86 out of a possible 100 score. 90% of there wines scored in the 70's.

You would think that with the addition of a "wine bar" to RCCL new ships they would have up-graded their wine list. What is the purpose of a wine bar on-board if it just has crappy wine.

[Momeof3]

We meet folks that brought their own booze and packed it in their check in luggage....none was taken by RCCL.

 

If you want to use a delivery service....check out:

Because of You-Bon Voyage Gifts:

 

PO Box 770473, Coral Springs, Fl 33077-0473

1991 NW 55th Avenue, Margate, Fl 33063

954-582-0811 voice / 954-582-0523 fax

800-882-9707 voice/ 800-424-9706 fax

 

 

justbecausecorp@aol.com

 

http://justbecause.addictscay.com/

 

 

They have a contract with RCCL and are allowed to deliver gift packages.

 

If you only want wine/champagne or liquor in the gift packages....they can make it up that way. There is a $5.00 charge that is paid to RCCL included in the price of each gift package. They are only allowed to include in each gift package 3-4 bottles. However, you can order multiple packages to be delivered to your cabin.

 

There is NO automatic $15.00 corkage fee if you DO NOT bring any of the bottles of wine to the main dinning room. However, some pax have brought bottles of wine to the dinning room and were not charged this fee. It depends on the head waiter I guess. Also, make sure to bring your own wine-bottle opener in your check in luggage.

 

We tried to use their service during our cruise on 9-10-06, but due to uncontrollable circumstances, they were unable to fill any orders during that sailing.

 

:) Happy Cruising!:)

 

Just Because of You will NOT fill orders of liquor anymore due to changes. Shelley does a wonderful job will filling order and is great at adding that personal touch. I have used JBOY previously and will continue to use them. Shelley is such a funny person and I now consider her a friend.

[luv2cruz_74]

This is such a dissappointment...this was always our little ritual...and we never had a problem before. We cruised in April on QM2 and brought our own champagne and last Oct. on Carnival and brought our own. I agree, we would buy onboard too, if the selection was better. :(

I agree with some of the other posters, that I will look at other cruise lines first, the next time we cruise.

I was so excited for this cruise...this has put a damper on it. Not that we are lushes or anything :rolleyes: we just like what we buy better than what we can get on the ship. ;)

 

Don't let it ruin your ritual. Wrap it up in bubblewrap and bring it aboard in your checked luggage. No worries! You'll have a great time either way. It's better than a week at work, right? ;)

[sanbmet]

The bottle from Jameson's was in a round box and was in a shopping bag with the other stuff we had bought. We wouldn't have had a problem handing it over because we didn't plan to open it anyway......but we didn't even see anyone there to give it to. On the British Isle trip, they were waiting right at the security station....you're right....inconsistency with the rules.

[bajathree]

Just Because of You will NOT fill orders of liquor anymore due to changes. Shelley does a wonderful job will filling order and is great at adding that personal touch. I have used JBOY previously and will continue to use them. Shelley is such a funny person and I now consider her a friend.

 

By "liquor" do you also mean wine?

[royalcaribbeanfan]

I have a very simple question regarding bringing alcohol onboard.... Has anyone ever had alcohol confiscated from their checked baggage? I'm not talking about the luggage that you take onto the ship, but what the porters deliver. Thanks for any responses.

[envy4u]

Never heard this happen and certainly not to us .

[Firefighterhoop]

There is a review, I believe from the Explorer where they did open luggage an pull someones out after they detected it in xray. THis was posted about a month ago or so...

[Cruzn Chuck & Susan]

We have never had anything confiscated and we always bring several bottles of Champagne. We have cruised on Carnival, Cunard and Royal Caribbean...and RC is the only one that expressly prohibits bringing alcohol on at embarkation...so ridiculous! Well, I guess they figure that is the only way to make sure our pockets are totally empty when we disembark!

[ccxnola]

GEEEEZE - Let it die!! STOP talking about smuggling, hidden booze, ways to get around the rules, etc. etc. etc!!!

 

RCCL has clearly published their rules - NO ALCOHOL to be brought on-board!!! What do you not understand???

 

My personal view is that they should permit bringing personal favorite wines that are not on their mediocre and overpriced wine list and charging an appropriate 'corkage' fee. But trying to get a few bottles of booze on-board just to avoid their overpriced drinks is not within the rules. If you cannot afford the TOTAL cost of the cruise, do something else! Of course, you could avoid buying their overpriced booze just for the duration of the cruise - and give your liver a rest! :D

 

Do what you want to do, but stop posting about it here!! - Yes, 'they' are watching!!!

[royalcaribbeanfan]

Oh. By the way, thank you to those of you who answered my question. I will enjoy my cruise much more now. In case any of you are wondering, we can afford the WHOLE price of the cruise and then some. I just have limits; oh and my liver does not need a rest as it doesn't get that much of a workout on a normal basis.

[Cruzn Chuck & Susan]

No need to get so angry ccx..people are just curious. Some people are just not willing to spend their hard earned money on swill at inflated prices. There is nothing wrong with enjoying fine wine and paying a corkage fee to have to opened at dinner...many very fine resturants permit patrons to do likewise.

Let's just all relax and enjoy our upcoming cruises!! Bon Voyage!

[wraithe]

FWIW, not that it will stop the madness, but if you look at post #2 in this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=413675&highlight=grandeur+nowhere, the author very specifically points out that they were confiscating smuggled alcohol in checked luggage.

 

So, the answer is, it depends totally on the luck of the draw. Your chances of getting smuggled alcohol onboard are pretty good, but ain't perfect. So if you're willing to live with the consequences, let your conscience be your guide, shipmate.

 

Happy cruising.

[ccxnola]

Cruzn Chuck & Susan,

I agree 100%!! I'm not angry or hostile - just concerned that as we may devise ways around unreasonable rules, those strategies are foiled by those in power - because we post it here!. Yes, I have smuggled in the past - and may do so in the future when I am with a company other than RCCL - which now seems a VERY likely prospect. After our next cruise, we should be entitled to some extra benefits with RCCL, but I do not think we will select RCCL in the future due to this one extremely biased regulation by the company. I do agree - a cruise is a time to relax and enjoy.

 

As I stated in a prior post:

I do enjoy the RCCL experience - you can see we have tried others and are back to RCCL - BUT....

it is one thing to have a stated policy regarding bringing preferences in wine on board with the corkage fee (which most are quite happy to pay, given the mediocre wine selection on-board) vs an enforced TOTAL Prohibition regarding bringing one's favorite wine on-board for enjoyment on the balcony or with dinner. Believe me, a glass of late picked Verdello on the balcony after dinner with the moon rising over the wake - DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER!! Yes, RCCL now wishes to deny me this enjoyment!

 

OK - yes, the folks that want to smuggle 3 or 4 bottles of booze onto the ship to avoid the cost of drinks - it's not a good thing. However, there needs to be some middle ground of what is aceptable and what is not, rather than a total prohibition. Just a personal view.

 

I'm now looking at all the various options for our cruise next year - rather than just RCCL!!

[goodml]

:D I always wonder why people click on threads that they know are going to upset them.

[royalcaribbeanfan]

ccx, in answer to your question, the drinks are watered down and there is a limit as to how much I want to spend for a drink; not how much I can spend.

[cyscopup]

"Why can't we all just get along?" -- Rodney King I think that says it all.

[Cruzn Chuck & Susan]

We will just have to forgo taking our own bubbly on board ...and order off the wine list at dinner. A bit dissappointing and next time we plan a cruise, we will take RCCL's policies as well as the other cruise lines policies into consideration when booking.

But...In any case...we WILL have a blast! We are sooo looking forward to this cruise!

[everyotheryear]

Hi my name is Everyotheryear and I am a smuggler. I have come here to these boards for help. My last smuggle was in 2005 aboard the AOS. Yes I am ashamed of my behavior but on the other hand I had a blast. I really don't think I have a problem, but denial is one of the signs. Then again I only do it "everyotheryear".

 

This is how I look at it...If I want to do body shots, off my betrothed, in the privacy of our room with "Boones Farm" or a "Château Yquem 1787" who's business is it? I think just ours. Not RCCL's or anyone else's. If I were going to a hotel on vacation they wouldn't care what I took in the room. If I were going on an "All Inclusive" they would not care, so why should a cruise ship?

 

Honestly we just enjoy a drink in our room before dinner. It is very nice to have it there waiting for you, instead of having to go to a bar. When the ships allowed us to buy it in their liquor store and take it to our room that is what we did, but now they won't even allow that. Besides I will have to admit smuggling adds a little adventure.

Happy sailing!

[aqhacruiser]

Hi Ray.... sent you an email re: the Jewel trip.. but this fits here....

 

We went to the Jameson distillery in Dublin, bought a personalized bottle of their 12 yr old ( nice novelty item!) and some small gift bottles, and didn't have anything taken when we came onboard. They didn't seem concerned about confiscating anything on this trip.

We heard that some folks purchased wine in France and kept it too.

Must depend on the ship and the itinerary.

 

From what I've read of RCCL's alcohol policy is you can still purchase wine/ liquor in ports and bring it on board where they store it for you until the last night of the cruise. You cannot bring any kind of alcohol at all on board when you embark. Buying it in ports you visit and bringing it on board is still ok and it's stated in RCCL's policy so it has nothing to do with what ship you are on. ;)

[cb at sea]

As far as the drinks being "watered down"--are you sure you were on RCI??? I've NEVER had a weak drink--usually they're so strong, I take a swallow and ask for more tonic! Maybe the bartenders just like me!

[Cruise-Nut]

GEEEEZE - Let it die!! STOP talking about smuggling, hidden booze, ways to get around the rules, etc. etc. etc!!!

 

RCCL has clearly published their rules - NO ALCOHOL to be brought on-board!!! What do you not understand???

 

My personal view is that they should permit bringing personal favorite wines that are not on their mediocre and overpriced wine list and charging an appropriate 'corkage' fee. But trying to get a few bottles of booze on-board just to avoid their overpriced drinks is not within the rules. If you cannot afford the TOTAL cost of the cruise, do something else! Of course, you could avoid buying their overpriced booze just for the duration of the cruise - and give your liver a rest! :D

 

Do what you want to do, but stop posting about it here!! - Yes, 'they' are watching!!!

 

AMEN - You feel exactly as I do. Some people don't like rules - They think they are above the law and the rest of us. It is not hard to follow the rules. I bet they would be really mad if thier children made up the rules and didn't do waht they wanted them to do.

[Magicat]

Hear hear cb at sea....we have never found the drinks watered down on any RCI ship we have been on. It really helps if you find a bartender and buy all your drinks from him. He gets all the grats and your drinks are very good!

[Jhawktx]

It's always so funny to read posts from people who get their undies in a bunch because other people bring alcohol on board. Save getting your undies in a bunch for topics where other passengers consider doing something that actually interferes with your enjoyment of a cruise.

 

Surely no one believes their enjoyment of a cruise is harmed if someone else smuggles booze on board.