Royal Caribbean removes corkage fee for bottles of wine

http://www.******************.com/2014/10/11/royal-caribbean-removes-corkage-fee-bottles-of-wine

so does this mean when you go through security in Boston they wont take it away. :):)

You are still only allowed to bring on board 2 bottles of wine at your embarkation port.

Any wine brought on board at a port of call will be held by RCI until the end of your cruise.

All this new policy means is you can now take your bottle of wine to the dining room and not be charged the $25 corkage fee.

Still don't see mention of this on Royal's website.

This

Royal Caribbean removes corkage fee for bottles of wine

IN: Royal Caribbean

11

Oct

2014

Royal Caribbean has quietly removed the $25 corkage fee it previously charged to open a bottle of wine in its restaurants and lounges. The removal of the corkage fee is effective immediately.

Royal Caribbean first started letting guests bring up to two bottles of wine (up to 750ml) per stateroom but included a $25 corkage fee to open the bottles in its restaurants, bars and lounges.

In practice, the corkage fee was infrequently charged and now the policy has been completely removed.

There's no official word from Royal Caribbean why the policy changed but it has been confirmed via Royal Caribbean's official ****b**k page.

Royal Website still has corkage fee on it

Family that boarded a ship today asked and was told there is a corkage fee still.

So either someone fabricated this (for what gain?) or RCI did change the policy and just didn't communicate to staff on ship or change their website (not beyond the realm of possibility)

Royal Website still has corkage fee on it

 

Family that boarded a ship today asked and was told there is a corkage fee still.

 

So either someone fabricated this (for what gain?) or RCI did change the policy and just didn't communicate to staff on ship or change their website (not beyond the realm of possibility)

I suspect the latter.:rolleyes:

I suspect the latter.:rolleyes:

I wouldn't doubt it, but until Royal makes an announcement (which someone claimed was made on Facebook; all I saw was a screen capture of a chat dialog from a TA to someone at Royal; one text box at that) and removed it from the website, AND tells onboard staff, I wouldn't consider it a done deal yet.

Edit: I see no announcement whatsoever on Royals official FB page to indicate a policy change. Besides, that's hardly a first line means of communicating to the public about policy changed.

It actually makes sense. Now that they load 3 drinks onto the seapass card of D and above and suite guests it saves them from giving free wine to those that bring their own on board.

It actually makes sense. Now that they load 3 drinks onto the seapass card of D and above and suite guests it saves them from giving free wine to those that bring their own on board.

What has that got to do with corkage fee for bringing wine to the dining room? I don't see the connection.

If it is true it certainly would not be the first time RCI has had issues communicating policy changes to the ships' staff. They didn't do so well with the role out of the drink packages as I remember it. RCI has twenty one ships in the fleet. That means that corporate has to communicate with 21 people who are in charge of the department that is affected by a policy change. Why is that so hard to do?

If it is true it certainly would not be the first time RCI has had issues communicating policy changes to the ships' staff. They didn't do so well with the role out of the drink packages as I remember it. RCI has twenty one ships in the fleet. That means that corporate has to communicate with 21 people who are in charge of the department that is affected by a policy change. Why is that so hard to do?

Good question. It's been a consistent issue with the company for as long as I can remember. I can't explain it, but it's as if they like it this way.

It actually makes sense. Now that they load 3 drinks onto the seapass card of D and above and suite guests it saves them from giving free wine to those that bring their own on board.

I don't believe that Suite Guests get the 3 complimentary drinks added to their SeaPass Card unless, of course, they are a D/D+/PC C&A Member.

I just called RCI on another topic and asked about corkage and was told basically the policy on the website.

So we have customer service, the website, and onboard staff going with the old / current policy versus a blog post referencing a travel agents site which references a private Facebook message that the policy was changed.

BIWISI status.

I just called RCI on another topic and asked about corkage and was told basically the policy on the website.

 

So we have customer service, the website, and onboard staff going with the old / current policy versus a blog post referencing a travel agents site which references a private Facebook message that the policy was changed.

 

BIWISI status.

Oh! :eek:

I just called RCI on another topic and asked about corkage and was told basically the policy on the website.

 

So we have customer service, the website, and onboard staff going with the old / current policy versus a blog post referencing a travel agents site which references a private Facebook message that the policy was changed.

 

BIWISI status.

???:confused:

???:confused:

Believe it when I see it!

I sent a note back to family members on FOS now for them to ask the head waiter and they will ask and update me. Will see what pans out.

Believe it when I see it!

 

I sent a note back to family members on FOS now for them to ask the head waiter and they will ask and update me. Will see what pans out.

I'm a little slow, thanks for the explanation.:)

This is just an FYI:

http://www.******************.com/2014/10/11/royal-caribbean-removes-corkage-fee-bottles-of-wine

But AGAIN it is just a blog, referring to a facebook status. Until there is an official policy change it's a crap shoot!

I'm a little slow, thanks for the explanation.:)

Nah, not slow at all; throwing new acronyms out there deserved an explanation.

I agree it would be nice if the fee was removed. I also agree that enforcement / collection was sporadic at best so I could see why guests would be upset to be charged one time and not another, or to be charged but find out others weren't. So we will see.

So I can bring 2 bottles of wine at no charge? Can I bring it back to my room or do the bottles stay in the mdr?

So I can bring 2 bottles of wine at no charge? Can I bring it back to my room or do the bottles stay in the mdr?

Yes, two bottles per stateroom are allowed, no charge.

You can bring the bottles to your stateroom. However, if you bring the bottles to a public veue, you may be charged a corkage fee of $25 per bottle. The status of the corkage fee is unclear at this time.

It's just been announced on the Facebook page of one of the leading cruise Travel Agents in the UK that corkage fee is being scrapped. Beginning to think it may be true :D

It's just been announced on the Facebook page of one of the leading cruise Travel Agents in the UK that corkage fee is being scrapped. Beginning to think it may be true :D

Thanks for the report.:) I sure wish Royal would confirm by changing their own website.

This is nice to hear, of course I don't see myself carrying a bottle into the dining room but my SIL will I am sure.

Nice Avatar!

I sent a tweet to @royalcaribbean this morning asking about this and I just received a reply confirming that they have dropped the corkage fee.:)