Alcohol now being destroyed

[bdjam]

You need to read or re-read this.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5291

 

Hee hee :D - just read it - the article is pretty much what we know (except I think the suspect bottle of champagne was larger than 750 ml and that's why it was taken), but the comments are knee slappers...!

[Princess Chatterer]

From a safety/insurance standpoint at least with this package all alcohol is monitored by the serving staff which theoretically could cut someone off if they felt they were a risk..

 

It's a good thing that passengers, teenagers included, never get drunk, under the ever watchful eyes of the serving staff, and then proceed to fall overboard.

[bhopal21]

Hee hee :D - just read it - the article is pretty much what we know (except I think the suspect bottle of champagne was larger than 750 ml and that's why it was taken), but the comments are knee slappers...!

 

 

It is truly sad that the right hand of the corporation has no clue what the left hand is doing or saying.

 

What was that about a de-merger of Princess?:rolleyes:

 

Mike:)

[Princess Chatterer]

Being required to disembark for "ALL passengers" during a B2B transition is not always the situation. In Copenhagen during the transition day we only had to go to the Vista Lounge to get a new cruise card and photo & were not required to disembark.

 

I stand humbly corrected. I was going by my Princess experience in Ft Lauderdale. FWIW: There were no Princess embarkation photo takers around when the B2B people like us did the walk down to the terminal, have passports checked, then walk back onto the ship routine.

[Loonbeam]

Oh it happens, but from an insurance standpoint at least liability is clear as to when to pay claims against the line.

 

It's a good thing that passengers, teenagers included, never get drunk, under the ever watchful eyes of the serving staff, and then proceed to fall overboard.

[pablo222]

What I liked:

"Other alcohol is not allowed to be brought onboard and will be confiscated. It won't be returned because the logistics of storing the contraband, then returning it to passengers is too challenging, she added."

 

Somehow Princess is able to collect, hold and deliver alcohol that passengers

purchase in places like St. Thomas. Perhaps they should simply ask themselves

how to do it.

[IECalCruiser]

On B2B's ALL passengers are required to disembark then re-embark on the B2B transition.

I believe that is a US requirement and possibly some other countries but I don't think the rule. We ended up staying on the Star for an impromptu B2B after the Chilean earthquake. We were give new cruise cards in our cabins. The Chilean government didn't care.

[Shoalwater]

Seems logical. They obviously have the soft wear to track purchase all over the ship so it should be pretty easy to just add the number of bottles you bring on board to your account and charge for all but the first for each adult.

 

and from another post:

 

" Princess i'm currently on the Dawn Princess and i have the latest patter and it still states that only one bottle of wine per person to be brought on at emabarkment and any other alcohol purchased ashore will be returned at the end of the cruise but no mention of the $15 corkage fee

 

To which they replied:

 

We regret the miscommunication about our new alcohol policy. We will be in touch with ships management."

 

Does anyone really think they can walk, talk and smile all at the same time? As for tracking wine bottles per cabin...fogetta bout it! The Passenger Service Desk has a hard enough time keeping your ship charges correct, what makes anyone think they can keep a running count of who brought what aboard for which cabin? Lash-up.

[IECalCruiser]

... Does anyone really think they can walk, talk and smile all at the same time? As for tracking wine bottles per cabin...fogetta bout it! The Passenger Service Desk has a hard enough time keeping your ship charges correct, what makes anyone think they can keep a running count of who brought what aboard for which cabin? Lash-up.

Well they are certainly going to try :rolleyes: Check post #471.

[capriccio]

As for tracking wine bottles per cabin...fogetta bout it! The Passenger Service Desk has a hard enough time keeping your ship charges correct, what makes anyone think they can keep a running count of who brought what aboard for which cabin? Lash-up.

 

They could charge you for everything and then just credit the first bottle on each folio....

[MandE-UK]

They could charge you for everything and then just credit the first bottle on each folio....

It is really hard to believe that experienced business executives of a large corporation, such as Princess could make such a huge cockup and antagonise so many people (Customers) without sitting down first and seriously thinking through the problem, the action and its repercussions. Somewhere I once read that the customer was king and always right.

[Pstcrik]

It is really hard to believe that experienced business executives of a large corporation, such as Princess could make such a huge cockup and antagonise so many people (Customers) without sitting down first and seriously thinking through the problem, the action and its repercussions. Somewhere I once read that the customer was king and always right.

 

Well MandE-UK you just gave me a good chuckle. There is nothing like the Queens English "cockup and antagonise so many people" I am from the colonies and have no idea why we did not learn these verbs in School. Good on you.

 

This only gets worse reading all these postings. I think I may start saving all my old liquor bottles and putting them in a case to have delivered to the ship just to watch the action it produced.

 

Why Why Why can Princess not put an end to this by writing each of its passengers with clear and concise information covering all these questions that they have created. Now back to emptying another bottle.

[81Zoomie]

I took a suggestion from a previous post to get everything in writing and carry it with you and emailed Princess asking:

- What wine packages would be available on our sailing?

- what is the current BYOB alcohol policy?

Because Princess has demonstrated poor standardization and unequal enforcement I prefer to have their words in my hand. If Princess is perceptive they will get the hint that:

1. Many of their passengers are passionate about wine.

2. The current Princess wine selection should be enhanced at a reasonable mark up.

3. There might be large interest in wine immersion cruises.

4. Excursions to vineyards are likely to suffer because folks won't want to buy their favorites only to have Princess charge them to bring it aboard.

5. Passengers enjoy relaxing on their balconies with their favorite beverage.

6. Several wine packages should be available for purchase prior to sailing.

 

Surely there is middle ground :-)

[Bushycomm]

In Australia we cannot take a 750ml bottle of wine on board a plane, either leaving the country or returning.

Is this rule enforced on Princess ships departing Australia?

Will I be able to get my supply of wine on board at Fremantle?

[PunkiC]

81Zoomie, they also need to come up with a way to store hard liquor brought on board at embarkation or purchased in ports of call for their passengers. Everybody else can do it, why not Princess. Well heck, even Princess can do it when they want to. There are too many legitimate reasons why folks want to buy liquor to take home and Princess needs to recognize that.

[PescadoAmarillo]

If Princess is perceptive they will get the hint that:

1. Many of their passengers are passionate about wine.

2. The current Princess wine selection should be enhanced at a reasonable mark up.

3. There might be large interest in wine immersion cruises.

4. Excursions to vineyards are likely to suffer because folks won't want to buy their favorites only to have Princess charge them to bring it aboard.

5. Passengers enjoy relaxing on their balconies with their favorite beverage.

6. Several wine packages should be available for purchase prior to sailing.

 

Surely there is middle ground :-)

Unfortunately, simultaneous with policy adherence being rolled out, Princess is doing away with the sommelier position on board its ships. It's certainly seems like a missed opportunity.

 

And don't get me started on why they need a tea sommelier but not a wine sommelier....

[NSWP]

As I have said on here before: Princess Alcohol policy, inc wine, has nothing to do with 'responsible service of alcohol.' All about them wanting us to buy their wine at exorbitant prices. Put your wine prices down Princess and we will purchase more of yours on board, then we would not complain about the booze cops at the gangway.

[tanzer22pilot]

It's a good thing that passengers, teenagers included, never get drunk, under the ever watchful eyes of the serving staff, and then proceed to fall overboard.

 

And into the Sea of Darwin.

[rdsqrl]

As I have said on here before: Princess Alcohol policy, inc wine, has nothing to do with 'responsible service of alcohol.' All about them wanting us to buy their wine at exorbitant prices. Put your wine prices down Princess and we will purchase more of yours on board, then we would not complain about the booze cops at the gangway.

For only the 8 millionth time, the prices are not exorbitant. Unless they're giving wine away where you live. The prices on Princess are comparable, if not in many cases below, the standard mark-up charged in most restaurants. And I'm not even in a high-cost-living city. But on visits back home to DC, I've paid far more for a middling Kendall-Jackson or a bottom-tier C-du-Pape than Princess charges.

[Shoalwater]

Unfortunately, simultaneous with policy adherence being rolled out, Princess is doing away with the sommelier position on board its ships. It's certainly seems like a missed opportunity.

 

And don't get me started on why they need a tea sommelier but not a wine sommelier....

 

Well, I did ask several DR staff on our recent cruise about the sommelier job and what he/she actually did, and was met with mostly smirks. I suppose the F&B manager will lead the wine tasting from now on (LOL).

[Loonbeam]

Up until now, they have rarely if ever actually done this, which is kind of the point of the thread, so they've never really needed the facilities to do so (and it would not be a stretch to therefore assume that one factor in the lack of prior enforcement would be the lack of facilities).

 

What I liked:

"Other alcohol is not allowed to be brought onboard and will be confiscated. It won't be returned because the logistics of storing the contraband, then returning it to passengers is too challenging, she added."

 

Somehow Princess is able to collect, hold and deliver alcohol that passengers

purchase in places like St. Thomas. Perhaps they should simply ask themselves

how to do it.

[Loonbeam]

Bear in mind that a very large portion of cruisers, especially first timers, will not know or be aware of the difference. The CC population is a very small but vocal portion of overall cruise passengers.

 

It is really hard to believe that experienced business executives of a large corporation, such as Princess could make such a huge cockup and antagonise so many people (Customers) without sitting down first and seriously thinking through the problem, the action and its repercussions. Somewhere I once read that the customer was king and always right.

[Loonbeam]

And as I have said on here, reliable sources have indicated that insurance changes were at least one impetus to the enforcement changes. Now, is Princess going to try to maneuver into the most favorable position, of course. But to say it is strictly profit based is disingenious. After all, if it was strictly about onboard sales and profit, they could ban all carryon alcohol.

 

As I have said on here before: Princess Alcohol policy, inc wine, has nothing to do with 'responsible service of alcohol.' All about them wanting us to buy their wine at exorbitant prices. Put your wine prices down Princess and we will purchase more of yours on board, then we would not complain about the booze cops at the gangway.

[Aus Traveller]

And as I have said on here, reliable sources have indicated that insurance changes were at least one impetus to the enforcement changes. Now, is Princess going to try to maneuver into the most favorable position, of course. But to say it is strictly profit based is disingenious. After all, if it was strictly about onboard sales and profit, they could ban all carryon alcohol.

I rather doubt that insurance issues played much of a part in this decision. I think it is a convenient excuse.

 

On another part of this forum a poster was enquiring about drinks packages because on their last cruise they averaged 26 drinks a day. They seemed to think this was reasonable, but in my opinion that is irresponsible drinking. I do realise that cruise ships stop serving people when they are obviously intoxicated, but they probably have to be virtually fall-down drunk before that happens. I doubt that anyone would get that drunk on wine that they take aboard. They would have to drink several bottles a day each.

[IECalCruiser]

Well, I did ask several DR staff on our recent cruise about the sommelier job and what he/she actually did, and was met with mostly smirks. I suppose the F&B manager will lead the wine tasting from now on (LOL).

It will be the Maitre d'. It is the Maitre d'/Sommelier Wine Tasting after all :rolleyes: