Questions about alcohol onboard (merged)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

SO...now that RCI has clamped down on the "booze smuggling"...the corkage fee on Celebrity is going up to $25 per bottle. I guess this means if they do not confiscate the bottle and you make it to the dining room you get to pay the $25. Or...does this mean that they will confiscate the bottle and then sell it back to you for $25...LOL!!! Whatever...FULL GREED AHEAD!!!:D

 

Have you checked out the wine lists??? Not one bottle less than $30...more than a triple markup...UNBELIEVABLE...OUTRAGEOUS.:eek: I guess the new rules are really protecting us!!!...from CORPORATE GENEROSITY!!! LOL!!!:D

[atb]

This is our 1st time on RCCL. The wind package sounds like a good deal. Could someone please explain a bit more - can you purchase before you get on board. We are having a family reunion next summer - so there is NOT a problem drinking whatever we buy.

Thanks

[gsb]

nmnm

[gsb]

nmnm

[Majesty Fan]

On our cruise to Alaska this past summer my cousins 4 of them plus hubby and I did the 10 bottle plan and it came to about $100 per couple so $300 with tip.

Lexi

[SA Traveler]

You can order wine to be delivered to your stateroom prior to boarding but as far as I know you can only purchase the wine and dine package after you get on board. We haven't done it since the few wines on the list we really like aren't part of the package.

[jaxcrsr]

I also think you cannot buy the packages before you board. On the last cruise we took in April we knew exactly which package we wanted after looking through the lists and figuring how many bottles we would drink.

 

When we boarded the ship ( Jewel of the Seas ) one of the first things we saw was the table set up to sell the wine packages. It was right inside when you step foot on the ship. We walked right up - no waiting - told the staff member what we wanted and took care of it. It took maybe 2 minutes and we were done.:D

 

Patty

[cjb004]

Not specifically "package" related, but is the dining room, gifts & gear wine list the total list? Are there more wines available from speciality restuarants like Chops & Portofinos?

[TEXASMUNK]

buy onboard. If you like reds, the lower priced, 5 bottle package has some nice Merlots and Cabs

[Mugga]

The package is only available the first day. You do not have to select your wines when you buy it. You just have to buy the number of bottles and the Gold, Silver or whatever you level you decide. Then you pick out the wines as you drink them.

[jbond]

Have you checked out the wine lists??? Not one bottle less than $30...more than a triple markup...UNBELIEVABLE...OUTRAGEOUS.:eek: I guess the new rules are really protecting us!!!...from CORPORATE GENEROSITY!!! LOL!!!:D

Triple mark up, how about 10 times? RCI price for Beringer white zin...$32. Costco price for Beringer white zin....$3.15 The mandatory added gratuity is another added 150% the land based cost of the wine.

Rosemount Estate shiraz sells for around $35 on board RCI ships, it sells forn $6.99 at Trader Jo's. At only a modest 500% mark up, I guess we should consider it a bargain. :mad:

I'm sure that RCI is only doing this for our own protection and it has nothing to do with CORPORATE GREED. :rolleyes:

[nhlbd]

Hi there! I just booked my honeymoon on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas. Does anyone know how much the onboard wine package costs? We're trying to budget for our honeymoon and would love to factor in this cost ahead of time.

 

Thanks in advance!:)

 

Look up the wine list on the web page and estimate -25% per bottle and then add back 15% for tipping.

[Pisti]

I just called the "gift" department to ask about the 3 pkg.wine for a 5 day cruise. The gal didn't have any info on a 3 bottle pkg so I ordered 3 bottles as a "gift" to be in my cabin when I board. Now I'm wondering will it be tacky to show up in the dining room with my bottle or should I just use one or two bottles to drink on my balcony over the 5 days and order wine in the dining room. Any suggestions? Not that it matters, I suppose , but I'm on the EXplorer.

[katiel53]

I know this sounds strange, but I talked to someone at RCI because I read that if you get wine from Gifts N Gear and take it to the dining room, that there is a corkage fee. I was told that is true. It makes absolutely no sense to me as it is purchased from RCI. I was told this is their new policy and it is on the website. I haven't been able to find it, but that's what I was told.

 

The person I spoke to said to have it sent to the dining room if that's where we wanted to drink it and there wouldn't be a corkage fee. I called my TA who is the one who orders wine for us from Gifts N Gear and she said she was told she couldn't order it for the dining room. Seems like another thing on RCI that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

 

I guess if our wine is sent to the cabin, I will ask in the dining room if there is a corkage fee. If there is, then we will drink it in the cabin. I haven't ever had this happen before and we have been sent wine on every RCI cruise and have taken it or had our cabin steward take it to the dining room.

 

I guess it's another way for RCI to make money. I think their marketing people are turning us away.

[CruzinSuz]

I can't believe what I've just read.....Is it true that RCI expects you to pay corkage fee's on the wine that was a gift to you from your TA that you take to the dining room??????

 

That's totally absurd! Back when you were allowed to bring wine on board and took it to the dining room, you were expected to pay the fee.

 

Since RCI had decided a few years back to keep a level playing field for all TA'. TA's had to come with something to keep their clients. It seems like the offerings's are: ship board credits, free insurance, and wine package's.

 

So now, from what I've just read, you're not supposed to take said wine to the dining room without paying to open it?

 

Unbelievable.

[SA Traveler]

I think you got bad info. Our TA always sends us a bottle of wine through RCI and we have never paid a corkage fee.

[forpaws]

I know this sounds strange, but I talked to someone at RCI because I read that if you get wine from Gifts N Gear and take it to the dining room, that there is a corkage fee. I was told that is true. It makes absolutely no sense to me as it is purchased from RCI. I was told this is their new policy and it is on the website. I haven't been able to find it, but that's what I was told.

 

The person I spoke to said to have it sent to the dining room if that's where we wanted to drink it and there wouldn't be a corkage fee. I called my TA who is the one who orders wine for us from Gifts N Gear and she said she was told she couldn't order it for the dining room. Seems like another thing on RCI that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

 

I guess if our wine is sent to the cabin, I will ask in the dining room if there is a corkage fee. If there is, then we will drink it in the cabin. I haven't ever had this happen before and we have been sent wine on every RCI cruise and have taken it or had our cabin steward take it to the dining room.

 

I guess it's another way for RCI to make money. I think their marketing people are turning us away.

 

Unfortunately, other posters have reported the same thing--that they had to pay a corkage fee on wine delivered to their cabin but brought to the dining room. Doesn't seem right to do that to us, does it?

[Magicat]

Okay, we admit, we have brought our own beer on board as we find the beer selection on board not quite what we would like it to be. We are not saying that RCI should offer every beer on board, but since RCI is now enforcing their policy of not bringing alcohol on board, should they not expand their beer selection? We like to try local beers, should RCI not offer some of them? We realize that space is part of the problem, but at each port you would think that they could bring some local beers on board. What do you think?

Thanks,

Tracey & Mike

[cb at sea]

I sure would hate for them not to have my regular brand of beer available, because they've brought on some nasty "local" brew! Perhaps you could try the local beers while you're in port?!

So far, I've found the beer selections to be adequate.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

THANKS JBOND!!!

 

If Costco and Trader Joe's is selling to the public for $3.15 and $6.99 can you imagine what RCI pays for it??? OUTRAGEOUS!!! I remember a corporate big wig saying...a while back..."WE WILL CHARGE WHATEVER THE MARKET CAN BEAR"...This was said by a former Corporate Officer of RCI. My guess is that he did not charge enough to please his Board of Directors.:( This situation is just too outrageous for words. It is NAKED GREED taken to a new low.

[madforcruising]

Okay, we admit, we have brought our own beer on board as we find the beer selection on board not quite what we would like it to be. We are not saying that RCI should offer every beer on board, but since RCI is now enforcing their policy of not bringing alcohol on board, should they not expand their beer selection? We like to try local beers, should RCI not offer some of them? We realize that space is part of the problem, but at each port you would think that they could bring some local beers on board. What do you think?

Thanks,

Tracey & Mike

 

Actually I would think about that like a logistical nightmare for the F&B manager.

Bringing local beer onboard in each port, how much to buy, making contracts for delivery, delivering it to all the multiple bars onboard......

 

Just think with the many ports how many different beers they would have to offer.

 

I can´t see that happening. The whole thing would be much too costly for them I think.

[rubrrick]

Triple mark up, how about 10 times? RCI price for Beringer white zin...$32. Costco price for Beringer white zin....$3.15 The mandatory added gratuity is another added 150% the land based cost of the wine.

Rosemount Estate shiraz sells for around $35 on board RCI ships, it sells forn $6.99 at Trader Jo's. At only a modest 500% mark up, I guess we should consider it a bargain. :mad:

I'm sure that RCI is only doing this for our own protection and it has nothing to do with CORPORATE GREED. :rolleyes:

 

Is this called CATCH 22 ???

[kingsgirl]

Now the way I see it is...RCI needs to acquire more Canadian beer onboard for everyone's benefit. Why do you guys let your beer companies skimp on the alcohol?

 

*smile* ;)

[Ula]

We cruised Alaska on Radiance this year and they had Alaskan beers on board. Truthfully I was very impressed with RCI's beer inventory. Beer is about the only alcohol I can tolerate and I am not brew specific. Although I am a wimpy American who tends to prefer their beer to be on the light side.

I have found when visiting ports at lunch I try one of the local brews, I do tell the wait person I am not a hearty beer drinker, and I have always been given a nice beer to taste.

[MamaNeedsACruise]

I just got off the Mariner last week and I have noticed a couple of small strides RCI has made to improve the beer situation. First off Sam Adams and Sam Light is now widely available on the ship. Now the second thing is REALLY confusing.... RCI has come out with it's own bottled micro brew called 'Royal'...but of ALL the beer recipes in the world they chose a VERY particular complex belgium style with 7.5% alcohol. Don't get me wrong it was a very good beer ( it was available in the english pub and scooner bar) but it definately caters to a very select kind of beer drinker. It's kind of like Chimay...they should have modeled it after something like the Orval Trappist IMO, more people including myself would have enjoyed that.

 

The english pub carries some beers that you won't find on the rest of the ship

Murphy's Irish Stout

I think there is a hard cider of some sort

Boddingtons

Guiness

Bass

Newcastle

 

I would like to see them bring in a few more national big time micros like Pete's, Sierra Nevada, Abita, Pyramid...many others take your pick!

 

even alternative Coor's brands Blue Moon and Killians would be welcomed by me.