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Stopping $9.50 fee for alcohol to cabin--none allowed


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This may be old news by now, but thought I'd post..........

 

 

I was on the Rhapsody last week (7/24-7/31). I bought a bottle of Rum on board and paid the fee ($9.50) to have it brought to the cabin. I was told that they will be stopping this in the next few months and not letting people bring alcohol back to their cabins. Thought I'd let you know.........

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From another CC poster on another thread:

 

 

FYI - RCCI Duty Free Store, Liquor Consumption Fee

 

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My wife & I are going on the Rhapsody in a few weeks, and I read a variety of stories here about buying liquor in the duty free store, paying the consumption fee, and having it in your room.

 

There are a variety of stories on these boards, so I called RCCI to be sure..

 

The service rep gave me the name of the company that operates their duty free stores and on-board shops 'Starboard Cruise Services'.. I went to their website and sent an email.. They sent this response:

 

 

"As of the beginning of August there will no longer be the option of consuming in your room. The liquor will be delivered on your last day. However our rule was $9.50 per bottle to consume in your room. We do not have a listing of our assortment to give out. Thank you."

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I don't like "booze smugglers". **HOWEVER** if they initiate THAT stupid policy, I guess I'll just have to start hating MYSELF, because I WILL become one!

One (and only one) of the joys of cruising is mixing up a tall, frosty adult beverage and enjoying it with my Sweetie-Pie in the privacy and comfort of our balcony while enjoying the sunset, and I will NOT be denied that pleasure!

Wow, I can't believe how upset I'm getting over this! Sheesh...

--Tom

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I agree with Tom, there will be a lot more smuggling going on. I for one will be sneaking booze aboard. This will cost the line plenty as I always bought several bottles aboard, paid the corkage fees and didn't complain. They'll have a lot of complaints on this issue, I suspect it will be changed before we sail on 9/24/05, time will tell.

Bill

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Horror! Nightmare! Tragedy! (Figured I'd add some drama ;))

 

Definitely not good news. Too many people getting wasted and flinging themselves overboard, or what? I enjoyed having a nice bottle of rum or gin in the room for cocktails while getting ready for dinner, and will be quite disappointed if this change goes into effect. I will just have to light my candles and do my ironing while sober now!! (j/k - these boards are starting to get to me, I guess!!)

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I haven't been posting much in the last year, but this drove me over the edge & I don't even drink. It's like the execs at RCL sit around & say what else can we do to make our guests unhappy or totally run them off.

Give me a @#** break, are they going to go broke because people want to have a drink in their room. I guess the option is to call room service for drinks or throw on clothes, go to the bar & shlepp your drinks back to the room.

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I haven't been posting much in the last year, but this drove me over the edge & I don't even drink. It's like the execs at RCL sit around & say what else can we do to make our guests unhappy or totally run them off.

Give me a @#** break, are they going to go broke because people want to have a drink in their room. I guess the option is to call room service for drinks or throw on clothes, go to the bar & shlepp your drinks back to the room.

 

they will have to make mixed drinks available through room service - I will order MARTINIS STRAIGHT UP and if a drop gets spilled (can you picture this in rough seas?) I will demand compensation (at LEAST a free cruise!! ;))

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It seems to me that Starboard Cruise Services is only hurting themselves with this endeavor, because if this is the case, the prices seem to be better in port... So what is the incentive to purchase their alcohol, if not to consume it onboard??? JMHO...

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The incintive is not for Starboard, it is for RCCL to make a bit more money from folks with no option but to buy their premixed call liquor.

I agree with terri23, lets all bring irons and candles and we will have a mutany rally in front of the duty free liquor store.

Think this means all the bags will really be search now too? Save up those shampoo, mouthwash, and water bottles to start your smuggle stash.

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I just pulled the following from the RCCL site tonite under the frequently asked questions section. It still refers to the onboard consumption fee. If in doubt, print this out and bring it with you:

Life Onboard

 

Can I bring my own liquor onboard?

 

We apologize for any inconvenience but due to our regulatory and licensing requirements guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption or any other use.

 

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty-free from the Shops On Board or at ports of call will be stored by us and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of your voyage. A member of our staff will be at the gangway to assist with the storage of your purchases. Should you choose to consume alcoholic beverages purchased from the Shops On Board, a consumption fee will apply at the time of purchase. Note that no open liquor bottles will be permitted to be brought into dining areas or public areas.

 

This policy may not apply to every ship or itinerary depending on local laws, customs, or license requirements. Royal Caribbean is not responsible for fines imposed or items confiscated by local authorities.

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I see it as a privilige provided by RCCL to get booze at such a small cost (even with 9.50 added to each bottle)

Other cruise lines do not even offer this privilige. If policies change ,it is just the way things are going.

 

...soon it will be , come as you are to fine dining and chlorine lined swimmies sold at the gift shop.

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I, too, have paid my premium on RCCL in the past, but I have also learned from experiences on other cruise lines (Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity, and NCL)

 

1. On more than one occasion, I have had well-meaning relatives press a gift bottle of wine or liquor upon us when my wife and I are leaving for the cruise terminal or the airport. I have just thrown it in the suitcase and have never been questioned or challenged about anything that is packed in my suitcases when boarding.

 

2. Since I had the beverage with us anyway, I left bottles out on more than one occasion and have never been challenged by the room steward.

 

3. I once bought a bottle of rum and bottled juices to make Planter's Punch and hired a taxi to take us to a secluded strand in Mexico. Most of the liquor was left over at the end of the day. I emptied it into an empty screw top water bottle and was never questioned when the bottle and our other accoutrements went through the x-ray machine.

 

4. While I would never commit the travesty of pouring a bottle of fine wine into a plastic water bottle, experience has taught me that there is no discernable difference between port or dessert sherry stored for a week in a plastic, rather than a cut-glass, decanter.

 

5. As a souvenir, I like to collect a bottle of locally-made rum or tequila from each island/country. For her part, my wife invariably waits until the last minute to find the store with just the perfect postcard (it must be 4" x 6", no bent edges, no curling up from humidity, with a map and the name of the island/region). Consequently, I have extensive experience with mad dashes burdened with towels, souvenirs, and beach toys to a docked ship that is down to a single gangplank twenty-five minutes before the scheduled departure time and five minutes after "last call." My invariable experience has been that the people deputized to lock up the liquor have already departed by the time we stragglers (both guests and those crew members who are stretching out that last phone call home) are aboard. When making such a last-minute entry, no one has ever asked me to deposit my bottle(s). Once, on RCCL in St. Thomas, I arrived with a "four pack" case emblazoned with the name of the local liqour store. The crew just ran it through the x-ray machine and waved me through.

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I just sent RCCL an email sharing my disappointment as well as pointing out that's encouraging people to sneak liqour onboard. I was all too happy to pay the corkage fee and bring the discounted liqour to my room. :o

 

Now I'll probably be one of the "sneakers"!:(

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smuggling:

 

 

makes it undesirable because

 

1. Overwieght at airport (costly and hard on the ol' back)

 

2. breakage/leakage (oh , what a mess)

 

3. it is against RCCL's rules

 

4. not condusive to a guilt free cruise (IMO)\

 

5. less room for other wanted items to put in suitcase.

 

makes it desireable to smuggle

 

1. drinky poo awaits you in suite when luggage arrives

 

2. cost factor much lower

 

3. convenient (open suitcase tada ...your good to go)

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1. If St. Thomas was your last port - that is usually when the booze gets delivered to your room anyhow.

 

2. While I am sure there is definitely a profit motive here some where along the line - it is just possible that like with the TSA and lighters it is easier to say NO than try to figure out the myriad of laws in each country.

 

3. We're not big drinkers and we have maybe a drink or two per day - not enough to waste luggage space to bring from home. We will bring back however and it depends on what port you are bring in from. We brought Guavaberry from St.Maarten and no one said anything - brought Rum from PR

and they held it - go figure.

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smuggling:

 

 

makes it undesirable because

 

1. Overwieght at airport (costly and hard on the ol' back)

 

2. breakage/leakage (oh , what a mess)

 

3. it is against RCCL's rules

 

4. not condusive to a guilt free cruise (IMO)

 

5. less room for other wanted items to put in suitcase.

 

Folgy I agree with you on alot of things, but I just had to "edit" a little...:p

 

1. Fly in a day early, and buy at emarkation port (saves the back)

2. Plastic "travel" bottles (like Windsor)

3. So are is chair saving...

4. I can live with it...

5. Bring less clothes, and let them do the laundry...

 

:D

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