Rccl testing new alcohol program

[1948buddy]

I read a post some where that RCCL was experimenting with a progam on some ships where you are allowded to purchase liquor duty free and consume in your cabin. I cannot find anything regarding this. Anyone heard of this ? I e-mailed them about 2 years ago and suggested this, and their answer was they would submit it to management.

[Sequim88]

Only experimental program I'm aware of is the pre-paid drinks packages on a ship or two operating in Europe. Being able to purchase bottle onboard and take to cabin has been something I've long advocated and would have drawn my attention quckly if there were posts about it but I have not seen any. It would greatly reduce smuggling by those who just want the convenience of drinks in cabin (besides wine) without depending on room service delivery.

[1948buddy]

Only experimental program I'm aware of is the pre-paid drinks packages on a ship or two operating in Europe. Being able to purchase bottle onboard and take to cabin has been something I've long advocated and would have drawn my attention quckly if there were posts about it but I have not seen any. It would greatly reduce smuggling by those who just want the convenience of drinks in cabin (besides wine) without depending on room service delivery.

Do you think they make so much off the bars, that they do not consider doing this? We buy drinks , but we spend a lot of time on our balcony, and it sure would be nice. I myself have not heard anything either. It just sounded like the poster knew.

[ChipLondon]

Unfortunately whatever you read was wrong.

[Langley Cruisers]

This will never happen.

[1948buddy]

I think above 2 posters are correct..Wish I could afford Seaborn.

[Ashland]

Another person just falling off Allure into the waters of Mexico..may make cruiselines rethink that move, if they were ever even considering it ;)

[1948buddy]

Another person just falling off Allure into the waters of Mexico..may make cruiselines rethink that move, if they were ever even considering it ;)

I guess they will have to high fence the decks. Where did you hear this?

[PantherFan]

right here

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=32267118#post32267118

[ChipLondon]

Question: Why?

 

I think above 2 posters are correct..Wish I could afford Seaborn.

[dasmonkey]

Do you think they make so much off the bars, that they do not consider doing this?

 

Yes.

Not going to happen.

Exactly ZERO incentive for RCCL to do this.

[Sequim88]

I don't see why it could not be revenue neutral for RCI. Like a corkage fee they could offer "take out" (or "off sale" as we say in MN) bottles at the price of X drinks at the bar. The convenience would still be worth it. Actually it could be a revenue enhancer for them if it reduced smuggling for convenience sake.

[1948buddy]

Question: Why?

 

I thought all your drinks were included with them, could be wrong, but some do.

[1948buddy]

I pulled up a Seaborn Quest cruise, and all drinks and gratuities are included, but I don't think I can afford the cruise.LOL

[laurenbogh]

Oh Rhapsody of the Seas, December 2003 they allowed people the first evening of the cruise to purchase liquor and take it back to their room. I knew several that did it. I had never seen that happen before and haven't since. I have no idea why they allowed it that time but it sure was awesome. I don't know if it was an expirement just for that week or if they did it the entire month but it happened on that cruise sailing out of Galveston! We sailed away on Dec. 14, 2003 and I met my husband on Dec. 15, 2003 in the middle of the ocean! :)

[gerif]

This was once a common practice. You could buy a bottle in the duty free shop and pay a $9 fee to take it to your cabin. Didn't have to be the first night as I recall. After the Smith incident, that was discontinued. I think it was stopped in 2005.

[jobowl]

We order two bottles of wine at dinner and take one back to our room no problem.

[RumRunner01]

I remember my first cruise or two you could pay the fee in the onboard store and take a bottle of liquor back to the cabin on that first night. It was great. We'd still have a $500-$800 bar bill too, so they are making money off us both ways. I'd pay even $20 fee today just to take it back to the cabin so I could enjoy a cocktail in the cabin and not wait forever for room service or have to worry about going to a bar to bring it back.

 

I know you can buy wine at dinner and take to your cabin back what you don't finish but we live in wine country so I get "wined" out easily and don't typically drink wine on a cruise. It would be great if you could buy liquor and do the same. LOL

[mjsshipboy]

Contrary to popular belief, the driver behind the "No Bottles in the Room" rule is NOT that they want you to spend in the bars, as someone stated, there used to be a "Take to Cabin Surcharge".

 

Unfortunately, in the lawsuit day and age, people go buy liquor, get wasted, do something stupid and then blame the cruise line.

 

I am sure the lines are happy to have you spend your money in the bars, but they would also get money from selling you bottles of liquor.

[Boytjie]

I have never sailed on RC; is it so that you cannot order a bottle of liquor for your cabin (not duty free). Most of out cruise have been on HAL and you can order just anything for the cabin. Duty free purchases are kept till the last night of the cruise.

[ryano]

We order two bottles of wine at dinner and take one back to our room no problem.

 

I think the OP is talking about hard liquor though.

 

Seems Carnival, at the time I sailed with them, would let passengers purchase bottles of liquor, at a greatly marked up price, from their department that is like Gifts and Gear and it was delivered to their cabin on embarkation day.

 

Maybe I am just imagining that though?

[ChipLondon]

Yes, but the cost of your Royal Cruises plus all your drinks and grats are still cheaper than Seaborn, unfortunately nothing is free these days, just some things are included. Although always at a higher price, Royal are doing the same with free flights. It is just that the cruise with free flights just happens to cost much more than those without.

 

I pulled up a Seaborn Quest cruise, and all drinks and gratuities are included, but I don't think I can afford the cruise.LOL

[1948buddy]

They still do that, but you must call, and it's not cheap

I think the OP is talking about hard liquor though.

 

Seems Carnival, at the time I sailed with them, would let passengers purchase bottles of liquor, at a greatly marked up price, from their department that is like Gifts and Gear and it was delivered to their cabin on embarkation day.

 

Maybe I am just imagining that though?

[1948buddy]

That's a neat story. I like that. Congratulations.

Oh Rhapsody of the Seas, December 2003 they allowed people the first evening of the cruise to purchase liquor and take it back to their room. I knew several that did it. I had never seen that happen before and haven't since. I have no idea why they allowed it that time but it sure was awesome. I don't know if it was an expirement just for that week or if they did it the entire month but it happened on that cruise sailing out of Galveston! We sailed away on Dec. 14, 2003 and I met my husband on Dec. 15, 2003 in the middle of the ocean! :)

[slvrbllt]

I think the OP is talking about hard liquor though.

 

Seems Carnival, at the time I sailed with them, would let passengers purchase bottles of liquor, at a greatly marked up price, from their department that is like Gifts and Gear and it was delivered to their cabin on embarkation day.

 

Maybe I am just imagining that though?

 

No, you're not imagining it, we did that on our June 2008 cruise on Carnival. You could call up the Bon Voyage department and have a bottle of liquor waiting for you in your room.

 

The price for the bottle was like the wine markup... 2-3x, but they still made money on our bar bill and we went home with half a bottle.