Why Bring Your Own Booze?

[Ambrosia64]

I *think* they make commission on upsells. Also - if you have trip insurance - and you have to cancel and use the insurance - things that aren't 'necessary' like pre-paid tips, excursions paid in advance, supper clubs etc - aren't covered usually. Saw that post here a time or two.

 

I think with the wine package it's held in the computer - but then you can go to any bar or the dining room and get your bottle and take to your stateroom. Not sure you can just order say 6 bottles and have them delivered to your cabin.

 

So my TA got it wrong then:confused: - she said I had to order it pre-cruise to be delivered to my stateroom - are you saying I can order a couple bottles of wine whilst on board to be delivered to my stateroom on the 1st night???

[Hank99]

I think they should allow a minimum of one bottle of wine or champagne per adult to be brought onboard. That can't possibly detract from their bottom line, and when people are drunk they spend more money anyway.

 

Listen to me Richard and Adam!

 

I agree with Marci. My bold, underlined and supersized "Minimum" LOL

 

:D:D:D:D:D:D

 

What's with Cruise Critic forum allowing only a maximum of 6 images in my post eh? I wanted a long line of grins LOL!

[olemissreb]

I agree with Stones902. I sometimes want a drink in the cabin.. Last cruise, DH and I spent 2300.00 on board. Did one spa service each and the rest was .......DRINKS !!! Yes , we were with friends and on our Honeymoon . I would pay a bar surcharge to have bottles in the cabin or better yet , pay a higher fee and have a "magic" sea pass which would make it all inclusive (Bar Only - No Bottle Wine) Not having to sign reciepts would be so nice..

 

RCCL - If your listening , let us pay extra for bottles in the cabin.

 

Cheers,

 

$2300!!! I want to party with you!! Our biggest is over $1000 - only about 1/2 of yours! :D

[KuffMUp]

I'm with the "it's not about the money" crowd. RCCL gets plenty of my money via my bar bill. However, I always have sailed in at least a balcony cabin - for those who haven't, resist the temptation!!! I love to sit out on the balcony listening to the waves and having a cocktail. I only have a few a day in the room but it is a respite. A nice quiet time to gel with nature. I don't ever run back to the room to fill up during the day. Always get our drinks during "normal" times from the bar. If the cruise line would allow me to buy a bottle to keep in my room, then I wouldn't need to smuggle it on board just so I can have a drink on the balcony. And they could be making even more $$ on me then.

[nab01]

I have never smuggled any alcohol on board but as my poison is fine single malt whisky I do feel tempted as I never find any I like on board.

 

If I could buy them in the bars or by the room service that would be great and I wouldn't mind walking a bit or pay some extra for it...just to be able to enjoy a fine Ardbeg, Springbank, Port Ellen etc on my vacation.

[azvacationgirl]

We all know that after all the lawsuits, RCCL changed it's policy and you couldn't bring bottles bought on board back to your cabin. But I have never seen them put a limit on how many times they will swipe a sea pass card. On our Vision cruise in 2008, we sat at the pool on a sea day with our kids. There was a group of 4 guys (looked like 21-25) sitting next to us. The went through 12 buckets of beers and rounds and rounds of shots. They got loud and started using very fowl language. My husband and others around them asked them to tone it done since the area was filled with kids. Security came over a few times, but never were they denied drinks. These are the fools that fall overboard. Not us responsible adults who enjoy a cocktail or two in their cabin or on their balcony. If RC is going to take our privileges of having a bottle in our room, then they need to do the same with sea pass cards.

[Choozin Croozin]

Well since the can of worms has already been opended.....Are they still really strict with the confiscation? or can I smuggle that 1 bottle of wine in? Has anyone had any experience lately?

[Ambrosia64]

Lots of people smuggle - some get caught, some don't. Most get theirs back if it's confiscated, some have said they didn't. Make sure it's a bottle that you can live without if they take it and don't return it. Make sure it's padded well, in a ziplock is pretty important IMO - if it would happen to break (always a chance) it will be all over your clothes and possibly the contents of other's suitcases under yours. Don't take in carry on bag - put in packed luggage. And they are stricter around Spring Break. And no, not one person has ever reported being denied boarding or tossed from the ship for carrying it on. Fight about it with the Officers when caught and all bets are off on that one though! Good luck :)

 

Well since the can of worms has already been opended.....Are they still really strict with the confiscation? or can I smuggle that 1 bottle of wine in? Has anyone had any experience lately?

[aggie1]

We have cruised RCCL, CCL, Princess and HAL. When they start carrying Seagrman's VO then I will not have to bring my own. Plus I also enjoy a cocktail on my balcony before dinner.

[critterchick]

right - I did wait about 15 minutes for our drinks but we had just finished showering a few minutes before so it worked out. Waiting could be inconvenient in those time frames, I understand that. At one point, my boyfriend went to the bar in his pajamas to get drinks for us because we were just hanging out in the room. I think I still have the pic:

 

Perhaps if enough people went to the bars in their jammies, RCI would relent!:D

 

So my TA got it wrong then:confused: - she said I had to order it pre-cruise to be delivered to my stateroom - are you saying I can order a couple bottles of wine whilst on board to be delivered to my stateroom on the 1st night???

 

Your TA was wrong. You can order wine at any time you're onboard - on many ships you can order wine through the interactive menu on your TV. You can also get a bottle of wine at the WJ or dining room (or at bars, although the selection is very limited) to bring back to your cabin.

[Ladylouwho]

Perhaps if enough people went to the bars in their jammies, RCI would relent!:D

 

Hi Jean,

I so agree. Maybe that is why RCI supplies the robes, lol! There is definitely a convenience issue for me when my husband is up in the gym working out and I have just taken a shower, am getting ready for a late dinner seating and have my hair in a towel and a robe on. I am certainly not about to run down to the Schooner Bar for a drink in a robe and I definitely don't want to see anyone else doing that either, lol!

 

Happy Sailing,

Colleen

[luckyprincess]

Perhaps if enough people went to the bars in their jammies, RCI would relent!:D

 

Lol - he looked cute though, right? My little Hugh Heffner! He was even wearing slippers! lol :p I've come to the conclusion that we just don't have as much shame or modesty as most - so no need to smuggle, lol :D We're just doing our part to make RCI offer a bottle in cabin! Now if I went down in a nightie and a robe there may have been a different reaction....;)

Oh - and he did save me some ! lol

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Well since the can of worms has already been opended.....Are they still really strict with the confiscation? or can I smuggle that 1 bottle of wine in? Has anyone had any experience lately?

 

 

Ours were fine, we even got a bottle of lemoncello on board too, we bought a bottle of lemon soda, drank it and tipped the alcohol in the soda bottle. I dont feel bad we bought it wanted to try it so we did. Like I said before our bar bill was big too so RC never lost out.

[sailawayjack]

I hope this doesn't sound snide or with malice or anything, as its not meant to be. I'm just curious and since everyone seems to be posting about it nicely I'll venture to ask a question. I don't care who smuggles, by the way - doesn't bother me! If all they had on board were wines I detested or were priced 10x retail or something I probably would, too!:p But were you on a longer than 7 night cruise with the posting above? If you had a bottle of wine every night with dinner, 7 bottles of wine/champagne in your cabin, and also ordered many drinks throughout that seems like a healthy bit of alcohol. That's 14 bottles of wine/champagne plus other alcohol. Either I'm a total lightweight (possibly :p) or I'm a cheapskate :D but I did the three wine bottle package and maybe 5 mixed frou frou drinks on a 6 night cruise and thought that was a lot! Lol :p

 

JACK IS SAILING AGAIN---A bottle of wine will yield 4 glasses. That is 7X4=28. Seven bottles at dinner equals two glasses for my wife and I each night at dinner. Not excessive at all. I ofter order snacks for room and host bon voyage and happy hour parties because we usaully travel with other couples. RCCL used to offer these options to us--then took them away. That is the reason we smuggle. Other cruise lines offer options. It is conveinent. No other reason. Not money. Conveinence.

[luckyprincess]

JACK IS SAILING AGAIN---A bottle of wine will yield 4 glasses. That is 7X4=28. Seven bottles at dinner equals two glasses for my wife and I each night at dinner. Not excessive at all. I ofter order snacks for room and host bon voyage and happy hour parties because we usaully travel with other couples. RCCL used to offer these options to us--then took them away. That is the reason we smuggle. Other cruise lines offer options. It is conveinent. No other reason. Not money. Conveinence.

I actually have my two sommelier certificates and went to school for a diploma from the WSET for wine so I do know how many a bottle yields but for some ridiculous reason I was thinking of just one or two people imbibing in 14 bottles of wine in 7 days! :p I have to say, from one wine lover to another, I really struggle with the new health reports that wine is healthy but for women only 1 glass a day! :eek: I was just reading that having more than two glasses of wine, or I think any alcohol, can lead to certain cancers, most specifically breast cancer for women! :( Scary! Especially because I really like wine with dinner and in my opinion two glasses is norm. My bf doesn't drink as much wine as me, so he only has one glass which helps the bottle carry over for the next night. He helps me to save by being even more of a lightweight than me, lol! I guess it was thinking of that plus many mixed drinks that made me get curious of the situation - sorry for my blatant curiosity but thank you for your candid answer! I think its so nice that you host parties in your cabin! That must have been a disapointment when they stopped allowing you to buy bottles for the room!:( I wish they would just treat adults like adults and then handle a situation IF it occurs, you know?

By the way - will you be on FOS in January? I LOVE happy hour....:D

[sas80]

Er, no you are not as you would only get about 12 cruise size drinks to your bottle, and therefore even on your calculations 12 x $8.05 ($7 plus 15%grats ) = $96.6 minus your cost of $30 your saving would be $66.6. not your highly inflated $180. Or working on the basis of making a bottle last all week, I would suggest simply drinking coke and saving even more, as you will barely taste the whisky anyway.

Why do people not realise that a cruise line like other businesses are entitled to make a profit. Once you take off the taxes and other overheads, the amount pf profit drops, and that is what they use (along with base cruise costs ) to pay for everything else you get.

Sure drink prices can be reduced, and then cruise prices would raise, we cannot have it both ways.

 

"Er, no" you are actually wrong.

 

My calculations are based on what I would pay if I solely drank ship booze. I am not comparing "how many drinks" I could get from my small bottle of Makers Mark to what I would pay on board for the same drinks.

 

I typically bring a large $40 bottle of makers Mark and have some left over (unless DH decides to partake)

 

My calculations were based on what I might actually drink on a cruise. So let me adjust down the price. Instead of a $25 bottle of booze, i am now bringing a $40 bottle of booze. My $180 is now a savings of $165 per person.

 

Still very much worth it to me. Then when you factor in the convenience of being able to mix a drink in my room and the idea of being able to provide guests with a drink, it is very worth it to me.

On this same note, I would MUCH prefer to be able to purchase a bottle in the booze shop on board and take it back to my room.

[unklez]

.........Now if I went down in a nightie and a robe there may have been a different reaction....

 

Or without :D

[Barum]

Because i want to. Who cares what anyone on here thinks. I want the bottle in my room to mix my own, and that is all that matters!!!

 

I just want to be treated like a responsible adult ! This cruise line thinks it is dealing with juvenile delinqents. Whether or not you take booze on board, it should be your choice. It is not about saving money...it is about them making money. Why shouldnt you be able to have a pre dinner drink on your balcony ? They must have a special department to discuss how they can squeeze every cent out of you !

[mimimommy]

Ummmm.... A bottle of top shelf whisky is about $25 (for the small bottle) A 6 pack of diet coke is about $5, that's $30.

 

At @ about $7 per drink on board, Let's say 4 drinks per day = $28 (plus gratuity/tip == $35) multiply that by 6 days = $210

 

I'm saving $180

 

Now, if DH decides to drink too, then double that savings.

 

 

 

Yes

 

 

 

Yes, worth the hassle

 

 

 

Just a quick question, since I see that you have kids almost same age as mine...

Do you bring juice and water with you on the ship for the kids? I was planning on it, but then I read that it's not allowed and now I'm confused...Should I pack it anyway, and hope that it won't be found by security???

[unklez]

Just a quick question, since I see that you have kids almost same age as mine...

Do you bring juice and water with you on the ship for the kids? I was planning on it, but then I read that it's not allowed and now I'm confused...Should I pack it anyway, and hope that it won't be found by security???

 

You are allowed to bring juice and water.

[RetireeWannabee]

I know I'll get flamed for this but I find it hard to believe the "convenience" justification given by many.

 

It seems to me that the whole process of smuggling is totally inconvenient!

 

If you're flying - it's extra weight, less luggage space, worrying about the possibilty of breakage, extra wrapping, buying special bottles, worrying about being discovered, etc., etc..

 

Just seems that smuggling booze is one of the least convenient activities there is.

It's not that much weight, it's not that much space, worry is for those who don't pack wisely. It's not any harder than packing my toiletries.

[RetireeWannabee]

Excellent post. 99% of cruisers will never realize this, but if everybody decided to abide by the "no bringing your own alcohol" rule and did not smuggle their own on board, they would very most likely see a drop in cabin prices. Ah how some errr most people can be so short sighted. :rolleyes:

 

What makes you think cabin prices would drop?

 

Ah how some people can be so naive. :rolleyes:

[RetireeWannabee]

Across all cruises, operating costs would go down.

What operating costs decrease?

[RetireeWannabee]

also in you fly you cant bring in liquid on plane. but if get a limo service

from airport to take you to crusie ship they will stop you at liquor store

and we then pack it away before boarding. always work for us :p

Liquids are allowed in checked luggage.

[luckyprincess]

Liquids are allowed in checked luggage.

I think they meant you can't bring it 'on' the plane - as in with you on the plane in the cabin. You could probably put as many as would fit in a ziploc bag, though! lol:D