Why so much Alcohol???

[DEBnGAB]

Ummmm... because you signed a contract? Quite honestly I don't give a damn what people do. But instead of trying to justify the behaviour with nonsensical reasoning, please just say "Yes, I signed a contract that said I could not do this but I choose to ignore it, my word means nothing, and do as I please".

 

Ok fine Ill say it! ........whew, I feel better! :rolleyes:

[arush5268d]

jesus already died for my sins, so it's all good.;)

 

 

lmao!

[Texaslandshark]

my response to the non-drinkers: why so much food?

 

bingo!!!!

[mom2two2]

Why so much alcohol? Because people like to drink...a lot..when they're on vacation, apparently, and indeed the prices in the bars on a cruise ship are pretty high, compared to what they can find at home.

 

My husband and I like to drink, too -- in public, at a social gathering, at a bar or in a restaurant, with friends, at dinner. We don't consider it a solitary activity. We have a full liquor cabinet at home that we don't use unless friends come over, at which time we have a drink or two with them. I can count on one hand..maybe now after 42 years, both hands..the number of times that we've actually opened the liquor cabinet and had a drink at home, alone.

 

We do go to our local pub. In fact, we go several times a week, and have a couple of drinks with friends, catch up on the local gossip, have a burger. And at $2 for a rail drink or a beer, we could, if we wanted to, drink a lot. 2 drinks each is probably more than we usually have.

 

We would never think about drinking in the cabin..or in one of those "fancy hotel rooms" people talk about. When we get to the cabin..or the fancy room...the refrigerator is emptied out (with the help of the hotel staff) so we have room in there for an occasional soda, which we've bought at the fancy hotel from one of their over-priced soda machines.

 

We don't need a drink or two while we dress for dinner. We don't need a nightcap. We don't need a bloody mary to start our morning. We don't need a froo-froo drink to get us through lunch. We don't need to "get a buzz on" to have fun on the cruise ship. We don't need to get drunk to prove..I don't know why folks feel the need to get drunk......

 

We DO go to one (or sometimes more) of the bars on a cruise ship for a drink before dinner..after we're dressed, and out and about the ship. And perhaps a couple after dinner. Very occasionally we'll order a glass of wine with dinner, usually if we're eating in a specialty restaurant. Very occasionally my husband will get into a conversation with someone at one of the bars on the ship and stay longer. But that's it.

 

We don't NEED alcohol to have fun on a cruise. We don't cruise so we can get drunk, or cruise so we can be gluttons (that's another thread). Apparently a lot of other people do. So they smuggle it, rather than pay for it.

 

Wow. No one here said they "need" drinks to get through lunch or "need" it for anything. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a few drinks on vacation. And face it, a cruise is a great place to do it. No one has to worry about driving or calling cabs, you just head back to your cabin when you are ready to turn in for the night. And by the way, I LOVE a nice drink while I am getting ready to go out for dinner. Nothing wrong with that.

[ckekjhaze]

We aren't the smuggling type- and I'm speaking from inexpperience since we only cruised once. Booze is EXPENSIVE!!!:p

We always did all-inclusives, and while not many stock top shelf brands, we aren't that discerning and it's ALL INCLUDED!

I didn't realize how much we drank on vacation, but cruising cut it waaay down.

At a typical all-inclusive, I would have a mimosa around 11a, then maybe a beer or 2 with lunch, then something fruity in the afternoon- a gin and tonic or 2 for hubby. Then a cocktail while getting ready for dinner, a shared bottle of wine with dinner and an after-dinner shot with espresso. Maybe one more with the evening entertainment if they were walking around with a tray of something that looked good.

 

Wow- that's a lot of drinks- and yet never really get buzzed because they are so spaced out throughout the day, would have much less if we do an excursion off the resort. At home we have an occasional beer and some drinks around the holidays, we really stepped it up a few notches on vacation but the cruise prices were prohibitive- rather spend the money in the ports. On the cruise- one DOD and wine with dinner, that's it. I asked the room steward to leave a few heinekens in the fridge, take out the rest of the booze and fill it up with soda and vitamin waters for the kids. We aren't cheap and are big tippers, but again, the all-inclusives had us spoiled with drinks. I can understand why people would want to sneak booze on the ship, we just chose to drink less from what Carnival offered.

[Autonoz]

Honestly? I drink to get drunk on a cruise... I like to drink and I like how it makes me feel. Besides, I am an alcoholic... I smuggle booze because it cost way to much on the ship... I do not mind dropping 100.00 bones at the local club before driving home, because, 100.00 in one day is fine, but 1000.00 over seven days is a bit excessive... I find it less expensive, because I drink so much in my cave, to make wine out of the grapes I steal...What the hell is a metre? And praise Jesus.:D

[barracudas_two_bee]

on my last cruises I drank myself silly each day and my bar tab was under $200

 

Barracudas drunken math class:D Enjoy:D

A.1Red Bull and 2 shots of vodka two glasses of ice makes 2 drinks at $15.

 

B.1 red bull and 1 shot of vodka 1 glass of ice $10. So if you buy 2 it will cost you $20

 

so if I buy

1 of A= $15 silly :)

2 of A and one of B that = $40 this will have me drunk:D

3 of A= 6 shots of vodka with Red Bull O MY :eek: $45

 

At home I pay $30 dollars for 6 so its only a $15 dollar difference to be sitting on a cruise ship on vacation shoot defiantly worth the extra $15 TO

 

Sooooo

 

Now I have $45 X 7nights=$315

 

then you figure in

 

7 glass wine with dinner $70 + dollars

7 fruity drinks $70+ dollars

$140

 

 

315+140=$455

 

at most because I know I will NOT be drinking 6 shots for 7 nights or I will be leaving the ship on a gurney going to the morgue.

 

So realistically I cut that in half and I will spend about $230

 

I do not think that is bad at all:D

[Kurbanfan]

So what. Most bars have over a 100% mark-up on liquor. It is their company and they can make what ever rules and prices that they want. But comprimising your integrity by ageeing to their rules and then reneging on it isn't very ethical although it does make for a good politician.

 

So what if people in your mind are unethical? It is their conscious and they can make up their own minds how they roll:rolleyes:

[jason534]

It never ceases to amaze, but should, how unethical people can find so many reasons to justify their behaviour. It's too expensive, not the brand I want etc. Tough boobies. There aren’t nearly enough crutches in the world for all the lame excuses you use.

 

You simply do not understand right vs. wrong. If if conflicts with what you think the rules should be you just choose to ignore them. Would it be ok to bring your own booze into a land based bar or nightclub? Well I guess for many of you it would.

 

A sad bunch of entitled tripe.

 

We are dealing with Carnival here. Just ask the folks on the Holiday and Destiny last year how honest Carnival is. Carnival knew those ships couldn't sail the route that was sold, but they let everyone board and then announced the change.

 

I know right vs. wrong and so does Carnival. Seems that each of us does what suits our needs.

 

Finally, let's make one ship alcohol free and see how the drinking bashers like paying $200-$300 a day for an inside room. The drinkers are helping keep the price down, let us get started on our own booze so we are just buzzed enough to pay $6.61 for beers. Then when we are drunk, you buy us a shot to help get our second wind and we'll buy even more drinks:)

[Kurbanfan]

It never ceases to amaze, but should, how unethical people can find so many reasons to justify their behaviour. It's too expensive, not the brand I want etc. Tough boobies. There aren’t nearly enough crutches in the world for all the lame excuses you use.

 

You simply do not understand right vs. wrong. If if conflicts with what you think the rules should be you just choose to ignore them. Would it be ok to bring your own booze into a land based bar or nightclub? Well I guess for many of you it would.

 

A sad bunch of entitled tripe.

 

Hotel room and cruise cabins are comparable........bars/nightclubs and cruise cabins:confused: Talk about lame:rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

Ummmm... because you signed a contract? Quite honestly I don't give a damn what people do. But instead of trying to justify the behaviour with nonsensical reasoning, please just say "Yes, I signed a contract that said I could not do this but I choose to ignore it, my word means nothing, and do as I please".

 

Isn't that evident by our smuggling:confused: But of course you don't give a damn........

[mlzangel78]

WHOOOOHOOOO! well said!!! love it

[Margarita Mom]

Ummmm... because you signed a contract? Quite honestly I don't give a damn what people do. But instead of trying to justify the behaviour with nonsensical reasoning, please just say "Yes, I signed a contract that said I could not do this but I choose to ignore it, my word means nothing, and do as I please".

 

I agree with you. We did sign a contract and by smuggling we are breaking the rules we said we would abide by.

 

That being said. I am a smuggler as well and I don't feel the need to justify my behaviour. I didn't justify my behavior when I was a rebellious teenager and broke my curfew. I just suffered the consequences when I got caught. If Carnival confiscates my liqour then I will suffer the consequences.

 

When I go on a cruise I have a budget. I only have a certain amount of discretionary income to spend. If I bring on my own liquor then I tend to spend more in the casino, on excursions and pictures. If they take away my liquor I will spend less on those other things and more on drinks. At the end of the day I will still spend the same amount. I don't think Carnival has considered this angle and I'm not sure cracking down on smuggling will necessarily lead to increased profits.

[tnincy]

but the smugglers either live in caves, frequent dive bars or are just being CHEAP. Claiming its because Carnival's prices are too high just is not a fact.

 

 

 

 

i like my cave, it's very cozy! and the dive bars, they are usually the best because you are not paying for all the atmosphere and decor of upscale places. you are actually paying for a drink, not where you are.

on carnival a shot of patron tequila was $11.00. i can walk in any bar here of any kind and get a shot much cheaper than that.

call smugglers cheap if you want, but in today's economy i watch my $$.

carnival makes plenty of money aside from the alcohol sales, contrary to what some believe.

[jcgold]

Many of the people on this board who are anti-smuggling have claimed that smuggling alcohol on the boat raises the prices for everyone else, and that a crackdown on smuggling would result in lower room prices for everyone. However, this idea is just not correct.

 

Room prices on the cruise are not set by some random profit target on an income statement, but are based on consumer demand for the product. If Carnival allowed people to bring more liquor on board, or allowed people to smuggle, the price of the cruise might go up, but because demand for the product increased. Carnival charges as much as the market allows them to to fill the profit maximizing number of rooms at the profit maximizing price.

 

I understand most of the people on this board would cruise at almost any price, so you may not fully understand this argument, but remember that cruise prices aren't made for you: they are made to get Joe Middle Class with one vacation a year to consider taking his family on a cruise as opposed to the all-inclusive. As long as Carnival has to compete with other cruise lines and other vacation types, booze smuggling will do absolutely nothing to your cruise fare. Nothing.

[kcroxyoursox]

...

Every ounce of smuggled booze you pour down your throat is money out of your fellow cruiser's pockets. That's right folks, you are stealing from your fellow cruisers.

 

WRONG. You assume that drinking is a constant, when actually it is a variable. Yes, I smuggle, and yes, I buy from the bar. But you are disillusioned to think that should my smuggled liquor be confiscated, that I'd saunter right on up to the bar and buy that liter back a la carte.

I don't make any value judgment on your choice to smuggle.

 

And I won't make any judgment on you. I will just pass you a towel to wipe off all that disdain that's dripping from every outlet in your body.

[airlink diva]

I'm not a big drinker and mainly do so on my cruises.

I love my Kiss on the Lips and Miami Vices and Lemon Drops :D!

Normally I drink the first two days on board (the excitement of finally being on the ship) and after that, I might drink one more.

I budget about $70 to $80 for drinks. I don't want to drag a mini blender,alcohol and mixtures on board to make drinks.

But I can understand those who drink alot who want to cut cost. I know that alcohol is a big money maker for the cruiselines (admit it, on every cruise that I've sailed on, there was always a group of cruisers that you noticed at the same bar every time you pass it),but some of the pricing is very high. If the pricing was brought down some, I see fewer people sneaking alcohol and buying on board

[Ottawadad]

And I won't make any judgment on you. I will just pass you a towel to wipe off all that disdain that's dripping from every outlet in your body.

 

Not disdain. I'm Canadian. We prefer explanations to excuses.

[Kurbanfan]

Not disdain. I'm Canadian. We prefer explanations to excuses.

 

What is there to explain:confused: It's pretty self explanatory:rolleyes:

[cruisercrash]

I won't judge anyone here. But I will state I am an expert at drinking and at traveling for a living.

 

Prices for cruise drinks are not outragious, period. They are in line with drinks served to me by a person at a nice locale anywhere. I love sitting at a Carnival bar, talking with the bartenders and learning a little something about their lives. But that's just me. My bar bill at the end of a cruise still touches the floor when I stand on the bed and hold it against the ceiling.

 

Point is, it's the same everywhere. Don't judge the hockey moms and dads who travel with their kids and bring coolers for hotel rooms to drink with the grown ups. I think it's the same on a cruise. Sure there are rules . . . and the risk is that your stash will be removed from your luggage. You are consenting to taking that chance already.

 

My best memories are being SERVED drinks, and I'm willing to pay for it. When I sneak a drink brought by one of my cruise mates, I kind of feel like Aqualung from the Jethro Tull album, kind of low-down. That's just me though.

 

Stop looking at each other like this issue is black and white. However if Carnival decides to crack down, you certainly can take your business elsewhere . . . good luck. Carnival has every right, and you give up your "rights" when you accept the cruise contract. That issue is totally black and white, no dispute.

[frankhouse]

The marked error in your post is this :

"why would everyone bring so much alcohol? Is it because you don't want to pay the incredible high prices of the drinks on the ship? (which I totally understand)"

 

Any hotel in the USA of Holiday Inn or better quality has bar prices as high or higher than Carnival. And medium upscale restaurants or lounges also have prices in the same range or much higher than Carnival's. The prices are NOT high for a quality bar or lounge. You shouldn't know that being a non-drinker but the smugglers either live in caves, frequent dive bars or are just being CHEAP. Claiming its because Carnival's prices are too high just is not a fact.

 

And smuggling does happen on all mass market lines.

 

A part of that marked error is "everyone" and also that they are just cheap.

Not "everyone" that drinks smuggles, and not all that do, do it because they're cheap. I like to sometimes just sit on my balcony and veg out without having to go out to get a drink or be bothered calling for room service. It's the same as if you're staying at an all inclusive resort. Even though booze may be included, it's an inconvenience to go out and get a drink every time you want one. It's way more convenient to be able to have a supply just for your room. I do sometimes order a bucket or two for sitting out on the balcony but I don't always feel like drinking beer. Also, when I'm out and about, which is most of the time, I always order my drinks. I always have a hefty end of cruise bar bill. They are without a doubt making plenty of money on me. My S&S bill even on short cruises are $700.00 plus and up to over $1600.00 on 7 day cruises.:eek: They are not loosing any money on me from the little I smuggle. :)

[Mrs. Squirrel]

My response to the non-drinkers: Why so much food?

 

ROLFL, because we have to fill our tummies with something! :D In my previous life, when I was a heavy drinker, I didn't eat much, because there was no room!

[Destiniiii]

Thank you to all of you who posted on my thread. I now have a better understanding why some cruisers smuggle alcohol on board cruise ships. I also see the passion and moral delimma that some other cruisers have about the smuggling.

Again, thank you for posting. I can see that this debate will never end.

HAPPY CRUISING TO EVERYONE!!!!! MAY YOUR GLASS NEVER BE EMPTY AND YOUR PLATE ALWAYS FULL.:D

[hankandteri]

Ethics, economics, morality and cave dwelling aside, I'm just too lazy to smuggle a bunch of booze. It's a lot easier on vacation to have someone bring me what I want when I want it.

 

Well, that's not quite true.

 

I do like a G&T on the verandah in the late afternoons before getting ready for dinner, and my DW enjoys a glass of wine at that time. In the past, I've brought a small bottle of gin on board with me (Viking, Orient Lines, Celebrity, and, yes, Carnival) without any acts of subterfuge on my part, and my wife would buy a few bottles of wine for the cabin along the way. But I guess those days are gone. I never thought of it as smuggling, though.

[aggie1]

There is nothing better on a cruise than sitting on your balcony with a VO & 7 watching a beautiful sunset or just the water. If cruise lines carried Seagrams VO then I wouldn't have to bring it with me.