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Missing Alcohol on Harmony


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Has anyone else ever had this happen?

 

 

We were on the Harmony of the Seas for the last couple of weeks. It was a pretty good cruise so this is not a rant about the cruise line or the cruise, but more about a policy that RCI has when you purchase alcohol on shore excursions. They say the policy is to keep us safe, but, personal opinion, I think it also has something to do with wanting us to buy their booze instead of bringing our own. Regardless, we have never broken any of their rules and tried to sneak anything past them. We just pay their significantly inflated prices and the gratuity that adds to it.

 

 

What happened: I bought a bottle of really nice tequila while on a ship excursion on the first week of our B2B cruise and they took it from me while boarding the ship. I know this is standard practice. I told them I was not going to drink it, but just take it home and that it was special and could only be purchased in Mexico. They said not to worry and that they would return it on the last day. So, I gave it to them. We very seldom purchase alcohol while traveling. With the new air travel restrictions, it just isn't worth the price savings anymore (if there is any). Anything we can buy at home, we buy at home. This tequila isn't available where we live.

 

On the last day, our cabin attendant met me in the hall and said that he had our alcohol on the list, but couldn't find it and asked if I would call the person in charge. I did and they said that they didn't know what happened to it. They told me, "We don't have it here, are you sure you left it with us?" Then, when I mentioned it was on their manifest they said, "We have no idea what happened to it... are you sure it's not in your cabin?"

 

 

A little while later a guy in a uniform came to our room and he offered me a bottle of another brand of sold-on-board tequila (Jose Cuervo) that is cheap and can be purchased anywhere. He also had a plastic bag with about 4 other bottles of, what I assumed was, other people's lost liquor and he offered me any of those if I wanted. I told him what I had was a 12-year-old Anejo Gold that we bought at a tasting. Fortunately, I had kept a receipt because I got the impression he didn't believe me. He took my receipt and we waited for 1 1/2 hours (11:30 pm on last night), but he didn't call back.

 

 

So, I went down to the Guest Services desk to stand in the substantial line. They told me that, and I quote, "it is your bad luck sir, but we can only reimburse you..." which they did, less the conversion fee. The next morning my wife stood in line and complained about the conversion fee and they gave her that back as well saying they didn't really have to but would in this case. It wasn't about the $$$ at that point... of course.

 

So, bottom line, they took what I purchased so they could keep me, and it safe, then they had "no idea" what happened to it. Then, in return, all they could offer was the receipt price or a cheap replacement brand. Yeah, I know that if they didn't have it they didn't have it and they weren't going to turn the ship around and go back to Mexico. I don't know what I expected. I was more upset that they didn't know what happened to it. If they said, "One of our crew dropped it and it broke..." I would have understood... accidents happen. Shouldn't they have records?

 

I told the person at guest services that, ironically, if I'd lost one of the cheap beach towels I'd have to pay RCI 5x the cost. She just laughed. I was kind of trying to make a serious point.

 

My feeling: If RCI is going to have a policy that forces people to surrender their valuable souvenirs they should make sure they are willing to know what they are doing with them. Telling someone, "we don't know" and "it's your bad luck sir" seems very condescending.

 

 

This was not a good ending to our vacation. We felt very insignificant to RCI and ending on a stressful note is never appreciated. I wrote this information on our survey, but I'm writing here because I was wondering if this is an experience anyone else has had. Does this happen often?

 

 

Otherwise, like I said, it was a pretty good cruise.

 

 

Tom

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Just a thought from totally unrelated things I've dealt with -

Often, employees of businesses are told not to admit fault to guests, customers, etc. when something happens. For example, if they dropped the bottle, they might be instructed not to tell you. This seems to be because most people (you don't seem like this type) will take the admission of fault and use it to get more than they should in return. It stinks that this are like this, but people are selfish, and businesses will do what they need to protect themselves.

 

Sorry this happened to you :(

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Wonder why they even bother taking alcohol off people.

 

A lot of people are on packages, so if they're drinking their own booze it's saving the ships (which they've already paid for)

 

I know people aren't on packages, but 6 of one....

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We take a photo that includes the person who took it of anything we are forced to surrender. That and a receipt should be helpful. I agree that it would leave a bad taste if the scenario unfolded as you described and I absolutely agree with the pool towel comparison!

 

 

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I suspect that some lucky dog is enjoying your nice tequila and thinking what a score they got. Yes, they gave it to the wrong person, that person also kept quiet and walked off with your bottle instead of doing the right thing.

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They did you wrong, OP. Wrong. That needs to be completely compensated, but if that concession was open to me about the cheap tequila and he said "you can take any of these four" I'd be taking all four.

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They did you wrong, OP. Wrong. That needs to be completely compensated, but if that concession was open to me about the cheap tequila and he said "you can take any of these four" I'd be taking all four.
Isn't that what they did?
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That's a really great idea! I'm going to do the picture thing in the future. My DW always has her phone with her for picture taking.

 

Tom

 

We take a photo that includes the person who took it of anything we are forced to surrender. That and a receipt should be helpful. I agree that it would leave a bad taste if the scenario unfolded as you described and I absolutely agree with the pool towel comparison!

 

 

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They didn't want to give me a receipt... they just put it on a list with the room number. However, I doubt it would have made any difference if I had a ship receipt or not in this instance.

 

Tom

 

of course they give you a receipt. How would they know who it belonged to?
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We considered that as the most likely thing that happened. You'd think they'd know where they delivered what, but they probably just grab stuff and take it to rooms. I know of people who sneak booze onto the ships using all kinds of things like rum runners and shampoo bottles so it isn't unlikely that they'd feel, as you say, "score!" if someone dropped this off in their room. It's unfortunate, but not unlikely.

 

Or, someone on the ship could have taken it. It was wrapped in cardboard and tape, but I made the mistake of pointing out that it was really special and expensive so maybe that clues the security guys into knowing what to accidentally lose. That's a totally contrived scenario, on my part, but ... next time I'll say it is swamp water.

 

Tom

 

I suspect that some lucky dog is enjoying your nice tequila and thinking what a score they got. Yes, they gave it to the wrong person, that person also kept quiet and walked off with your bottle instead of doing the right thing.
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That stinks OP. We bought Tequila in Mexico but just cheap stuff. This was Friday afternoon and they delivered it to us Saturday afternoon so I don't know why either. But they all do it. If they are going to take it they should keep better track

 

 

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I suspect that some lucky dog is enjoying your nice tequila and thinking what a score they got. Yes, they gave it to the wrong person, that person also kept quiet and walked off with your bottle instead of doing the right thing.

 

That's what I think too! Or a crew member is enjoying it.

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They did reimburse us after a lot of complaining and waiting in line. They didn't want to at first. Then they only wanted to reimburse the receipt price sans the conversion fee. They finally consented to that (it was only a few $$$) after my DW got upset with them, but, even then, the woman had to go to the back room and get permission (for $3 more) and came out and said they were only doing it to be nice.

 

I understand that "things happen". I think I'm mostly upset at how they handled it. If they'd owned it and said something like, "It's totally our fault and we're really sorry..." that would have helped, but just saying they didn't know what happened and trying to imply that it might have been delivered (our cabin guy said that he couldn't find it) and then saying I just had bad luck was not that nice.

 

The thing that bothers me the most is I feel like I can't buy interesting things on a cruise any longer because it's really risky. I also wonder about their security since they clearly don't have any idea what is happening with the things they confiscate.

 

Tom

 

Isn't that what they did?
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Of course, it's unfair to accuse anyone directly since they clearly said they didn't know what happened to it, but my mind did wander a bit about possibilities.

 

That said, they wouldn't likely want to do this on purpose since they end up with a really ticked off, but otherwise loyal, cruiser.

 

:confused:

 

Tom

 

That's what I think too! Or a crew member is enjoying it.
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I know that you would never do this, OP, but if Royal admitted that they had lost or accidentally broken your bottle, SOME guests would have been demanding OBC for their next cruise or something completely unreasonable. In the long run, unfortunately, they are probably better off trying to minimize their culpability and liability. Hopefully, this happens rarely. Actually, I've never heard of it happening before so maybe it's very rare.

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OP, sorry you didn't get you bottle back. It was sure wrong of them to lose it.

 

What we have found, excluding something one off or having a special meaning, the booze is much cheaper here in the States. In every instance, Total Wine had it cheaper.

 

Some items are only offered on the cruise ship. Like Hennsey White, and a few others. Those are made to order for the cruise lines to make you think you are getting something elite. Cruisers should check before buying.

 

We got hooked once on Tequila as well in Cozumel. We later found better and smoother Tequila here.

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I know that you would never do this, OP, but if Royal admitted that they had lost or accidentally broken your bottle, SOME guests would have been demanding OBC for their next cruise or something completely unreasonable. In the long run, unfortunately, they are probably better off trying to minimize their culpability and liability. Hopefully, this happens rarely. Actually, I've never heard of it happening before so maybe it's very rare.

 

Completely agree.

 

 

Besides stuff happen. Also, I know when I'm upsets and someone is not as passionate as me, I tend to feel as if they are marginalizing my issue. I may say to my wife, "I can't believe they said that". She will inform me that I am just overreacting. But that's just me.

 

I've been on over 40 cruises (mostly inside cabins) and I have never heard anyone say, "That's my problem", with any issue. Except from other cruisers. :)

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