Jump to content

Purchasing liquor to bring to cabin


Recommended Posts

My husband and i will be sailing on the Rhapsody of the Seas tomorrow. Past posts have lead me to believe that we can purchase liquor on board and bring it to our cabin. Has anyone done this recently?

THANKS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They usually charge a fee of $9.50 to allow you to take it back to your room. Normally this fee is per bottle but some have reported first night sales in which the fee is per purchase, so if you bought more than one bottle, you'd only be charge one fee instead of $9.50/bottle.

 

Keep in mind that most bottle's sold onboard are 1000ml rather than the 750ml bottles normally sold in liquor stores.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They usually charge a fee of $9.50 to allow you to take it back to your room. Normally this fee is per bottle but some have reported first night sales in which the fee is per purchase, so if you bought more than one bottle, you'd only be charge one fee instead of $9.50/bottle.

 

Keep in mind that most bottle's sold onboard are 1000ml rather than the 750ml bottles normally sold in liquor stores.

 

I have found that the liquor prices on board to be lower than I can purchase at home, depending on the type of liquor and brand. A $9.50 surcharge on top of the price is a fairly small amount compared to having drinks at any bar or lounge on board.

If you have a suite, JS and above, ask the assistant purser to have the charge waived. Sometimes they will do this, and then just give your cabin number and name to the manager, and the charge will not appear. This is not a guarantee, but worth the try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have a suite, JS and above, ask the assistant purser to have the charge waived. Sometimes they will do this, and then just give your cabin number and name to the manager, and the charge will not appear. This is not a guarantee, but worth the try.
Rubrrick, PLEASE, tell me more about this...........

 

 

Carol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes please...

We have only been on Carnival and if you buy liquor on board it is held until the last night when it is brought to your room.

You can actually buy Jack Daniels, or anything else in the on board liquor shop, and take it back to your room? For a nominal fee.

Just want to clarify.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cannot tell you about Carnival since I have never sailed aboard their ships. RCCL has the policy that if you want to purchase liquor aboard, they will hold it till the last night, but selling it to you at duty free prices. If you want to take it to your cabin, they have a "surcharge". As someone before me mentioned that the surcharge is $9.50, that's added to the duty free price, still making the purchase to take to your cabin reasonable, compared to buying a drink of the same liquor brand in a lounge. My DW reminded me that many want to enjoy a cocktail in a lounge, and, as on shore, a drink will cost more in a bar, than in your home (stateroom).

 

Lets see, if you serve just 10 drinks from a bottle purchased from the ships store, with a $9.50 service fee, that's $.95 per drink. Add that to the fee of the bottle and it's still less than "the drink of the day".

 

I don't think that RCCL cares whether you purchase a bottle (with the surcharge) or enjoy your cocktail in one of the lounges. I believe that they make out with approximatly the same amount of profit.

 

Whichever way you decide, RCCL makes money.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more expensive the liquor, the greater that savings is what I've found. On those cheap vodka's and rum's it's almost a push on price BUT, they're 1000 ml bottles instead of the standard 750 ml, so you're getting 25% more.

 

On trips of 7 nights or longer I generally get a bottle of some sort of the trip. Usually an Irish Creme of something else to sip on. For the mixed drinks I'll purchase them in the lounges since I don't drink all that much. Since I rarely drink at home, I prefer to buy something I'm relatively sure I'll consume before the end of the cruise.

 

The only time I've heard about having the fee waived if you're in a JS or above has been on this thread. So if it's true, it's something new that's recently been stumbled across. I suspect we'll find it's like getting charge the consumption fee per bottle vs per purchase. It will probably be hit or miss as to getting it but, it never hurts to ask.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, no, no, Rubrrick! The part that I quoted! About getting the in-cabin consumption fee WAIVED if you are in a suite!

 

TELL ME ABOUT THAT! ;)

 

Carol

 

As someone else said, it's a hit or miss sometimes. However if you invite the right staff member to your cabin for a cocktail, and ask if, in the future the consumption fee be waived. It has happened for me, but I must say that I have never tried it on anything less than a 10 day or longer trip.

 

On RCCL we have never sailed in anything smaller than an OS.

 

Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard some people say on these boards that they bring liquor in their checked luggage. Sailing on my first cruise next week, so any info would be appreciated.

 

Wrap well with clothes so that they won't break!;)

 

Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrap well with clothes so that they won't break!;)

 

Rick

 

 

Good point...But I have seen that they sell rum in plastic bottles :)

 

Wasn't sure, tho, with all the security now, if your checked luggage is gone through and if it would be confiscated. :confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alcohol in checked bags will not be confiscated by airline security just because it's. Please note however that there is a limit to the # of bottles of alcohol you can bring on the plane. It was 10 liters when we flew back from Miami after purchasing a "case" of rum. They confiscated our 2 extra bottles.

 

Also, 151 proof Rum, etc has been confiscated from checkin bags as the higher alcohol content is considered more dangerous by the current security standards. Haven't tried it, but have had security check our bottles for alcohol level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard some people say on these boards that they bring liquor in their checked luggage. Sailing on my first cruise next week, so any info would be appreciated.

 

It's cheap enough on the ship, even with the consumption fee, that it's really not worth taking up the suitcase space or the added weight in the luggage IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's cheap enough on the ship, even with the consumption fee, that it's really not worth taking up the suitcase space or the added weight in the luggage IMO.

 

 

Thanks for the info. I will need all the baggage space I can use!:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On our previous cruises we brought onboard a couple (plastic) bottles of rum and a 12 pk of coke. We had no problems. Our steward never said anything or complained. For those who think that we're being cheap in doing this, we also had a shipboard bar tab of about $400 for each seven day cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I chuckle ever time I read that ALL liquor is cheaper on the ship even if you have to pay the in room consumption fee. On the Brilliance we did take a bottle with us for in room consumption only and then DH ran out of his brand which is Jim Beam. Bourbon is considered an imported liquor for RCL and you pay alot more than you would at home. That is ok, as he like his particular brand of bourbon. We paid a high price for the bottle plus the fee, and he was as happy as a clam. Just a note for anyone purchasing liquor at a port, RCL lost my liquor that was taken from me when we reboarded the Brilliance at three ports on our last cruise. They give you a receipt for the bottles that they keep, telling you that they will deliver it on your last night aboard ship. Well, they lost three of mine and I had to prove the number of bottles by the receipt and what I had bought. Just a suggestion I would keep my reciepts from the liquor store, and make sure that you don't lose the receipt for your checked liquor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On our previous cruises we brought onboard a couple (plastic) bottles of rum and a 12 pk of coke. We had no problems. Our steward never said anything or complained. For those who think that we're being cheap in doing this, we also had a shipboard bar tab of about $400 for each seven day cruise.

 

I don't think you're cheap. I'm just wondering what the cost comparison is vs buying it from the store on the ship. When I ran the prices down, even on the cheaper stuff it just didn't work out to be worth it to try to sneak it onboard taking up valuable packing space. So I decided just to buy it onboard and save the room and weight in the suitcases for other stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

keep in mind that you must finish the bottle before getting off the ship. You can't bring an open bottle off the ship. We knew we couldn't do this on our 3 day.

 

I didn't know this. My dad used to travel with a little case that held a couple of fiths with him but, that was back in the '60's. I don't drink that much and don't like lugging liquor boxes through the airports. I have enough other junk to take with me in most cases. Therefore, I only buy what I think I'll consume on the cruise anyway. Last trip they gave me a cheap bottle of vodka with my first night purchase. Since I don't drink the really cheap stuff, I just told the cabin steward I'd leave it in the room and he could do whatever he wanted with it. He said he was pretty sure he could find some usage for it. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW!! I didn't realize there would be so many view points. That's what I love about the Cruise Critic boards. My DW and I enjoy having others into our cabin for sail aways and other occasions, and have a tendency to have a fairly well stocked bar. We have also thrown one grand party per cruise, where senior officers attend, as well as other invited passengers. Maybe that's why we don't pay any surcharge onboard.

In the long run, if we were to pay an additional $9.50 consumption fee, on top of the bar bills, and other charges that we incur, the total is inconsequential. I think this thread was started as to the pros and cons of bringing liquor aboard vs purchasing, and I am getting the feeling that either will work, and probably be within a few dollars of the other by the end of the cruise.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

Rick

 

PS Carol, after reading your posts, I KNOW you will make this cruise and ENJOY!!:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rick, so you usually cruise in suites? This is our first (I think that I mentioned that :D), and it's a GS. Is the bar stocked as part of the "perks" of the suite? I sort of remembered that only RS has that. Or is that a lovely EMPTY bar that the GUEST is welcome to stock? What, if anything, is in that bar when I arrive, or on request?

 

Thanks for the good vibes!

 

Carol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want to know how someone brings a 12 pack of coke on board?? The way the luggage is thrown all over the place, I would be VERY worried that I would have coke stained clothes for the rest of my trip!! How does one do this safely?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*I* would do it in my carry-on, and avoid that luggage-tossing that you mentioned. Others say that they wrap them really really well in bubble wrap and plastic bags, and they survive.

 

I wouldn't risk my clothes, either, ciship, OR the clothes of OTHER people in surrounding bags. :mad:

 

Carol :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*I* would do it in my carry-on, and avoid that luggage-tossing that you mentioned. Others say that they wrap them really really well in bubble wrap and plastic bags, and they survive.

 

I wouldn't risk my clothes, either, ciship, OR the clothes of OTHER people in surrounding bags. :mad:

 

Carol :)

 

Thanks for the info.......sooooooo, soda is ok to bring on board in your carry-on with RCCL? I could never carry on soda with Carnival.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...