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Booze Smuggling = Higher Cost?


rajntra

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Okay, I didn't have any Jim Beam in the house so I had to settle for some 7 and 7, but I'm now primed and ready.

 

Here's my thought......

 

How much money do you think Carnival looses from peeps smuggling their own booze on board the ships and could it be enough per ship, per week, per month, per year to make an impact on rates and other charges. Alcohol is a huge profit center for any business, and economics would tell us that increased profit margins give businesses more flexibility in their pricing structure.

 

What do you think? :confused:

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Not as much as the non smugglers will try to leade you to believe...

I personally take a small bottle with me but still buy Booze on deck and in the casino ... But I'm not going on a cruise to be drunk for a week....

 

It's actually helps the bottom line on other purchases which might have a higher profit margin.....

 

Remember it's harder to carry a bottle of booze on deck to make your own, so running back and forth does not work....

 

John

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Okay, I didn't have any Jim Beam in the house so I had to settle for some 7 and 7, but I'm now primed and ready.

 

Here's my thought......

 

How much money do you think Carnival looses from peeps smuggling their own booze on board the ships and could it be enough per ship, per week, per month, per year to make an impact on rates and other charges. Alcohol is a huge profit center for any business, and economics would tell us that increased profit margins give businesses more flexibility in their pricing structure.

 

What do you think? :confused:

 

 

So are you saying that people who don't drink or ( in my case, don't gamble) should not be allowed to cruise, because we are causing your rate to be higher???

 

Personally, I think the folks that eat 20 times their body weight every hour (as opposed to someone who eats very little) has more of an impact than a bottle of liquor.

 

On that note, perhaps people who don't buy photos or use the spa services should be banned as well???

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Okay, I didn't have any Jim Beam in the house so I had to settle for some 7 and 7, but I'm now primed and ready.

 

Here's my thought......

 

How much money do you think Carnival looses from peeps smuggling their own booze on board the ships and could it be enough per ship, per week, per month, per year to make an impact on rates and other charges. Alcohol is a huge profit center for any business, and economics would tell us that increased profit margins give businesses more flexibility in their pricing structure.

 

What do you think? :confused:

In just talking to non-Cruise Critic cruisers, the majority(yeah its a rather small sampling) dont smuggle on any liquor. Many even think they would get kicked off the ship if they tried. I think the whole smuggling issue seems bigger than it probably truly is on most sailings.

 

 

 

I think they "lose" just about as much from people who dont drink anything at all.

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So are you saying that people who don't drink or ( in my case, don't gamble) should not be allowed to cruise, because we are causing your rate to be higher???

 

Personally, I think the folks that eat 20 times their body weight every hour (as opposed to someone who eats very little) has more of an impact than a bottle of liquor.

 

Perhaps you should read my post again. I made no mention of people that don't drink, I made no mention of gambling at all. Sensitivity button is on the right, turn it down just a little.:rolleyes:

 

Possible double post, sorry if it is.

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Cruisers can't smuggle enough booze to make an impact. It's not like every one is bringing their own kegger. LOL!

 

 

How about just one couple, they bring the fixins for say margaritas. They drink three a piece in their cabin per day over a 7 day cruise.

 

$6 a drink +/- X 6 = $36 per day X 7 = $252.00 per week X 21 (# of ships in Carnivals Fleet) = $5,292.00 X 52 weeks in a year = $275,184.00. Now we know that not "everyone" does it, but we know that more than one couple probably does, so lets say 10 couples out of a soul list of 1000+ or <1% do so....10 X $275,184.00 = $2,751,840.00.

 

Does it make any difference to look at it that way?

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If I didn't "smuggle" booze on board, I just wouldn't drink as much, PERIOD. I would probably still have the same amount alotted for the trip, and still spend the same amount on Booze on board as I would even if I had my own.

 

Just because I may smuggle some, doesn't mean I don't spend a fair share on board! I may take a bottle or 2 of tequila, and you think those 2 fifths will suit? C'mon now!!! That's just something extra. I still spend $50/day on beer/scotch and the drinks of the day in between...No one loses anything in my case.

 

Maybe that's just me though, I cannot allow myself to spend anymore on drinks regardless....if they wanna make more money, make the on board drinks cheaper and I will then buy more....maybe even increase my daily allowance.

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I cruised with a couple that smuggled, if they could not have smuggled, they would not have purchased anything from Carnival, so the net is ZERO. They don't feel like paying retail for booze, they never go out to bars either...

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How about just one couple, they bring the fixins for say margaritas. They drink three a piece in their cabin per day over a 7 day cruise.

 

$6 a drink +/- X 6 = $36 per day X 7 = $252.00 per week X 21 (# of ships in Carnivals Fleet) = $5,292.00 X 52 weeks in a year = $275,184.00. Now we know that not "everyone" does it, but we know that more than one couple probably does, so lets say 10 couples out of a soul list of 1000+ or <1% do so....10 X $275,184.00 = $2,751,840.00.

 

Does it make any difference to look at it that way?

 

That couple would probably do the same as me, and survive off of water, or whatever allowed drinks they brought with them on board instead. On a ship, I don't buy dirnks to drink in the cabin, I get them for when I am wandering the boat, either in the disco, on lido, etc...I don't think drinks in cabin hurt the cruise line at all. $6/drink is the total you work with, but the person didn't PAY anything close to $6/drink.

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How about just one couple, they bring the fixins for say margaritas. They drink three a piece in their cabin per day over a 7 day cruise.

 

$6 a drink +/- X 6 = $36 per day X 7 = $252.00 per week X 21 (# of ships in Carnivals Fleet) = $5,292.00 X 52 weeks in a year = $275,184.00. Now we know that not "everyone" does it, but we know that more than one couple probably does, so lets say 10 couples out of a soul list of 1000+ or <1% do so....10 X $275,184.00 = $2,751,840.00.

 

Does it make any difference to look at it that way?

 

Nope......cause after those 3 drinks a piece you are just starting to get primed......ready to party.......off to the bar for a drink....to the casino for more drinks.....to the comedy show for more drinks.....to the disco for more drinks......back to the balcony more drinks.......into bed.....well you know....

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I would ban all the whiners and criers from these boards, since they can not possibly know how to have a great let alone a good time.

 

That said, the cruise line states that you can not bring alcohol aboard for in room consumption except for your odd bottle of "Fine" (read SNOB) wine.

 

Why would you want to break the rules.

 

Is this the example you want to set for your children?

 

And please lay off the stop sign 55mph lane change signalers, etc analogies they are irrelevant to the discussion since 2 wrongs do not make a right, ever!

 

Guess I should just go ahead and bring my LB on board and smoke it up as well? What the hell right, rules are made to be broken.:rolleyes:

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I would ban all the whiners and criers from these boards, since they can not possibly know how to have a great let alone a good time.

 

...consider yourself banned...:p

 

Why would you want to break the rules.

 

...because it is so easy!!! ...and as soon as the cruise line enforces all of the rules about not saving chairs, no kids in the adult pools and hot tubs, etc. etc. -- then I will stop smuggling booze:)

 

Is this the example you want to set for your children?

 

...or maybe the example of being a big whiner like you...

 

Pick a cause that will change the world, like fighting disease and hunger, rather than worry about this one :rolleyes:

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3 Lobster tails. Hundreds of shrimp, 5 loaded pizzas, running their ice cream machine in the ground. Using tons of electricity and water. More food other places. I dont smuggle booze, I have a drink at the show whoopie do. Prices on drinks are freggin rediculous.

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rajntra,

 

Difficult question to answer. Simply because you don't have any accurate numbers. Also you're assuming that those who do bring on booze would instead buy the same amount (according to your percentages) as if they had smuggled it. Sounds like the Church of the Presumptuous Assumption. I am sure that there is an effect on the bottom line. IF they wanted to increase sales then they would have a better marketing plan to sell drinks. e.g. a cigar and liquor tasting. Also if the number were as significant as you had presented I should expect that their diligence in detecting alcohol brought on board would be much more stringent.

 

 

FF

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How about just one couple, they bring the fixins for say margaritas. They drink three a piece in their cabin per day over a 7 day cruise.

 

$6 a drink +/- X 6 = $36 per day X 7 = $252.00 per week X 21 (# of ships in Carnivals Fleet) = $5,292.00 X 52 weeks in a year = $275,184.00. Now we know that not "everyone" does it, but we know that more than one couple probably does, so lets say 10 couples out of a soul list of 1000+ or <1% do so....10 X $275,184.00 = $2,751,840.00.

 

Does it make any difference to look at it that way?

 

Your math is based on the idea that the couple would have purchased those in room drinks had they not had the stuff in their room.

 

Even with 1% of the passengers smuggling on alcohol I doubt it effects them that strongly. Most of the alcohol suggled on is consumed in room, where there is no convenient bar. While some people I'm sure do consume less purchased alcohol because of their in room drinks it's hard to say if those same people would actually pay more or drink less if they didn't have that in room alcohol.

This is still not going to have as strong of an impact as those who don't drink alcohol at all, which represents a sizable percentage of Carnival's passenger list (children), which Carnival even caters to.

 

Say the average adult passenger buys 8 drinks a day at $6 each.

 

8 x $6 = $48/day x 7 days = $336/week x 52 weeks = $17,472/year. Say they have a profit margin of 65% on alcohol sales (low I know), that's $11,356 of profit per bunk per year.

 

Every child Carnival allows on is an automatic loss of $11,356 in profit per year.

 

This does not even take into consideration other losses.

 

Children generally do not tip. With soda cards or not if they have their own spending allowance they don't generally tip, so while it is not a loss to the cruise line it is a loss to the crewmember's salaries when they serve an order for children.

 

Families do not gamble as much as adults without children. Las Vegas discovered this when they tried to become family friendly and have not gone back to trying to discourage families by bringing back more adult oriented venues. As a result Carnival looses potential income from the casino.

 

Most parents as going to drink less with their children around (not all I know, but most parents really do care about their kids), as a result even the adults will lower their alcohol purchases, yet a further loss to Carnival.

 

Far more people bring children than alcohol.

 

 

 

Now, before I get flamed, while I would love adults only cruising I have nothing against well behaved children. And to be honest on our last two cruises I really didn't have any more problems with the children on board than I would have at the local mall. So I am not advocating a no children policy on Carnival.

 

I also don't drink alcohol, so I'm a total loss for Carnival's alcohol sales.

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Children generally do not tip. With soda cards or not if they have their own spending allowance they don't generally tip, so while it is not a loss to the cruise line it is a loss to the crewmember's salaries when they serve an order for children.

 

Families do not gamble as much as adults without children. Las Vegas discovered this when they tried to become family friendly and have not gone back to trying to discourage families by bringing back more adult oriented venues. As a result Carnival looses potential income from the casino.

 

Most parents as going to drink less with their children around (not all I know, but most parents really do care about their kids), as a result even the adults will lower their alcohol purchases, yet a further loss to Carnival.

 

Far more people bring children than alcohol.

Actually Carnival makes money with kids because of the 3rd and 4th passenger rates. That is a huge part of their business model. Familes spend more money on photos and shore excursions than the typical couple sailing w/o kids. I think with the huge numbers of passengers allows Carnival to maximize profits on every level.

Celebrity tried to do an all adults cruise and had to discontinue it because it just didnt attract enough people, they couldnt sellout the ship without deeply discounting the fare. On paper it sounds like adults would spend more money, but it appears that in reality cruise lines find the family spends more money in the long run.

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Actually Carnival makes money with kids because of the 3rd and 4th passenger rates. That is a huge part of their business model. Familes spend more money on photos and shore excursions than the typical couple sailing w/o kids. I think with the huge numbers of passengers allows Carnival to maximize profits on every level.

Celebrity tried to do an all adults cruise and had to discontinue it because it just didnt attract enough people, they couldnt sellout the ship without deeply discounting the fare. On paper it sounds like adults would spend more money, but it appears that in reality cruise lines find the family spends more money in the long run.

 

Ahh, but we are discussing alcohol here :)

But I do agree about pictures, far more money spent there. But I did do the rating per bunk, not per person.

 

And most adults with children don't take seperate vacations without their children anymore. Not having children I can take on vacation (Carnival probaly wouldn't believe the greyhouds are handicap assistance dogs) I have no answer as to why the change in trends.

 

Although, I suppose the model also works for single cruisers. While they do pay more than a single bunk price, the second bunk is discounted and the empty second bunk doesn't buy anything. But the single may also buy more alcohol, at least on average.

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I cruised for years where you could bring alcohol on board freely. Unfortunately, it was at the time that I did not book balcony cabins.

 

When I'm in my cabin, I don't need the hassle of going somewhere to get a drink and bring it back to the cabin (BTW, I sailed with a friend that thought he was doing good, bringing back a bunch of pina coladas (8) to our attached balcony cabins....he dropped them all in the elevator:eek: ).

 

Which is why we are drinkless in this picture:

166659838XtoJOU_th.jpg

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I cruised for years where you could bring alcohol on board freely. Unfortunately, it was at the time that I did not book balcony cabins.

 

When I'm in my cabin, I don't need the hassle of going somewhere to get a drink and bring it back to the cabin (BTW, I sailed with a friend that thought he was doing good, bringing back a bunch of pina coladas (8) to our attached balcony cabins....he dropped them all in the elevator:eek: ).

 

Which is why we are drinkless in this picture:

166659838XtoJOU_th.jpg

 

Great story!!! LOL :D

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