A better way (IMHO) to introduce the new wine/alcohol policy

[Woobstr112G]

I would jump on a liquor package similar to the coffee card, mocktail package, etc. Unwinding, have a drink, seeing the view on my balcony is a valuable part of my cruise experience.

 

As would I. Possibly adding craft beer selection would be a godsend as well.....:):):)

 

Bob

[greenie082756]

I myself would not be surprised if Princess's next step is a cocktail drink card for purchase like the coffee card. Get certain types of drinks (nothing high end of course) and get your card punched for each cocktail. Hmmm..I could go for that and I'm not a big consumer of alchohol but lets say 10 cocktails for $60 and that includes the 15% gratuity. Hmmm?? Just supposing..;)

[iceleven]

I feel that beers should be allowed on board just as wine bottles are. I also believe that the same corkage fee should be added. A bottle of wine produces only 4 glasses of wine but a six-pack, well....6 drinks. Of course calling these corkage fees is a bit silly and all of them should be called a surcharge.

[PunkiC]

Princess took what could have been a real opportunity to include its passengers in a decision-making process and make it easy to accept, but instead turned the whole transition into a donnybrook. How simple it would have been for them to seek input from past passengers, developed a refined policy, train their staff, and then implemented the policy on a well-advertised, set date in an organized and consistent manner. Good Lord they e-mail about everything else, it would have been simple to e-mail us and ask and inform about this.

 

If properly presented and worded, I'l bet almost everyone would have owned the new program and accepted it gracefully, especially if they had gained some perks, like, for instance the ability to board specialty beers with a surcharge. It would even helped me if they would have included the price of the on board alcohol. Being primarily a wine drinker I had never checked alcohol prices and always thought it was ridiculously expensive, but upon checking, it really isn't that unreasonable. No one is questioning Princess's right to make money, but the implementation in this case, as my kids would say, sucked.

 

It's still not too late for them to back off and start over, but I'll be they don't have the courage or insight to do so. Big companies are like that. ;)

[Cruise Junky]

I feel that beers should be allowed on board just as wine bottles are. I also believe that the same corkage fee should be added. A bottle of wine produces only 4 glasses of wine but a six-pack, well....6 drinks. Of course calling these corkage fees is a bit silly and all of them should be called a surcharge.

 

Agree. I'd pay $15 tabbage ;) on beer. I would be very disappointed cruising say greece and not being able to enjoy any Mythos onboard or Efes from Turkey. If they stock better beer, this wouldn't be an issue.

[Mr DK]

Sorry, but I'm at a loss to figure out why wine is treated differently than any other type of alcoholic beverage. Maybe someone can explain, but some of us are not wine drinkers, but do enjoy a cocktail or a beer in our stateroom or on our balcony. Why not one bottle of wine or spirits, or one six pack of beer? I know, it's not our decision to make, but it really puzzles me why wine is OK, but spirits or beer is not.

[paul929207]

Sorry, but I'm at a loss to figure out why wine is treated differently than any other type of alcoholic beverage. Maybe someone can explain, but some of us are not wine drinkers, but do enjoy a cocktail or a beer in our stateroom or on our balcony. Why not one bottle of wine or spirits, or one six pack of beer? I know, it's not our decision to make, but it really puzzles me why wine is OK, but spirits or beer is not.

A bottle of wine will give you about 5 or 6 glasses. A liter of alcohol 30 or so.

[baldercash]

Dear Passengers,

 

Here is our plan:

 

1. The plan will go into force fleet wide 120 days from today--XX-XX-2013

 

2. Passengers may bring as much wine and/or champagne as they would like on board, either at embarkation or at ports of call, and pay a $15.00 corkage fee for all 750 ml bottles in excess of one per adult passenger.

 

3. The wine may be brought on in either carry-on or checked baggage.

 

4. Once the wine is boarded, it will be stamped to show that the corkage fee has been paid. Thereafter it can be consumed anywhere on the ship, so long as proper safety precautions are observed, i.e. plastic glasses are required in the pool area.

 

5. If you choose to take you "free" unstamped bottle into a public forum, such as the dining room, you will be charged a $15 corkage fee for it's consumption.

 

6. We realize that some people prefer box wine that comes in larger than 750 ml. For those passengers the corkage fee will be charged at $15.00 x 750 ml to equal the quantity of wine brought on board. Partial portions will be charged $15.00 to avoid bookkeeping nightmares.

 

Hard liquor:

 

1. Hard liquor brought on board by passengers may not be consumed on the ship.

 

2. We realize that purchasing special liquor at points of embarkation and ports of call to take back home can be very important to our customers and will allow declared liquor to be stored by the crew during the cruise, and returned on the last day. Undelcared liquor will be destroyed.

 

3. We have tried to keep our liquor prices by the bottle quite reasonable and hope that those of you who enjoy a cocktail on your balcony before dinner, will explore that option.

 

4. We are sorry that we are only able to carry a limited number of brands, but that is one of the limitations of life on a ship.

 

Beer:

 

1. We also know that some folks like special beer and are trying to figure out how to deal with this. How would a surcharge of $15.00 per 6-pack brought on board fly?

 

We have approximately four months before we implement this new plan and want to make sure we get it right and have ample time to consider all options and properly train all of our staff, fleet-wide, to avoid any unnecessary issues.

 

We also realize that no matter how carefully we plan there are bound to be some questions and confusion, so would you please be so kind as to present your questions and concerns for our consideration at your earliest convenience to give us time to evaluate them. While it will be impossible to make everyone happy, we really do want to work together with you to make this transition as smooth as possible.

 

Thank you very much for your input in trying to help us develop a win/win plan for everyone.

 

And, most of all, thank you for your business and loyalty.

 

John Smith

Princess Cruises

 

This is much simpler............

 

Dear Passengers,

 

Here is our plan: One 750ml bottle of wine per passenger no surcharge and a $15.00 overage charge on each additional 750ml to be charged at boarding.

 

No other alcoholic beverages are allowed and any alcohol or wine not declared at boarding will be confiscated.

 

Thank you very much for your respect of Princess policies.

 

And, most of all, thank you for your business and loyalty.

 

John Smith

Princess Cruises

[baldercash]

A bottle of wine will give you about 5 or 6 glasses. A liter of alcohol 30 or so.

Depends on how strong you mix them.. 2oz martini's and you get 15 plus a drop of vermouth!

[Cruise Junky]

Depends on how strong you mix them..

 

You drink 5oz drinks? Holy smokes. Average glass of wine is 5 - 6 oz. average hard liquor drink is probably around 2oz

[baldercash]

Depends on how strong you mix them.. 2oz martini's and you get 15 plus a drop of vermouth!

 

 

You drink 5oz drinks? Holy smokes. Average glass of wine is 5 - 6 oz. average hard liquor drink is probably around 2oz

 

You miss quoted me, a 2oz martini gives you 15 drinks which requires 30oz vodka. With correct ice melt you end up with a 3oz martini.

Problem with ship martini's is they use ice that is crushed and not cold enough so it all melts which gives a large pour.

I don't think they water down the alcohol. They just make bad martini's on Princess with a lot of water in them so you cannot taste them.

You still get drunk if you drink a few!

X does a better job and takes their martini's more seriously.

[Cruise Junky]

You miss quoted me , 2oz martini gives you 15 drinks which requires 30oz vodka. With correct ice melt you end up with a 3oz martini.

Problem with ship martini's they use ice that is crushed and not cold enough so it all melts which gives a large pour. I don't think they water down the alcohol they just make bad martini's on Princess with alot of water int it.

 

I didn't misquote you, you edited your post.

[baldercash]

I didn't misquote you, you edited your post.

I don't think I did change the 2oz when I edited but if I did I am pretty quick as the edit was done 2 seconds after your post!

 

Regardless Princess does make a watery martini and in truth there have been more then one occasion I have poured 5 or 6oz of Bourbon over a fist full of ice.

 

Cheers

[mr green]

This is much simpler............

 

Dear Passengers,

 

Here is our plan: One 750ml bottle of wine per passenger no surcharge and a $15.00 overage charge on each additional 750ml to be charged at boarding.

 

No other alcoholic beverages are allowed and any alcohol or wine not declared at boarding will be confiscated.

 

Thank you very much for your respect of Princess policies.

 

And, most of all, thank you for your business and loyalty.

 

John Smith

Princess Cruises

 

One little point that Princess seems to have overlooked, while all cruise lines are feeling the pinch, so are most of the cruisers.

Over the past 12 months Princess appears to have instituted far more cut backs than other lines have reported over the same period. IMO while I have not cruised with Princess for the past year, I have seen no reports of the services being improved, and from what I have read, many of our little pleasures have diminished, in an effort for the line to make a profit.

That being said, unless I see more favourable reports, it is doubtful that my wife and I will cruise with Princess again. This would be a great shame, because up to this point we have enjoyed your hospitality.

I have to add is that the one thing that do I like, is your new smoking policy.

 

john

[baldercash]

Princess does not have Sommeliers which makes their dinning room wine service a bit of a joke.

Last cruise on Emerald we sat in the "any time dinning" same time, same table each night. Over the length of the cruise we made friends with the table of 4 people next to us. One night they brought a bottle of fine wine. In conversation it was revealed it had cost them $1,500.00 a decade ago.

Our waiter was a good waiter no complaints there but he struggled to open that bottle.

His cork screw did not even have a blade to cut the heavy foil on the bottle and he then broke the cork and had to push half of it into the bottle.

 

I cringed and these people paid $15.00 for the service?

[bhopal21]

Princess does not have Sommeliers which makes their dinning room wine service a bit of a joke.

 

We had a Sommelier onboard The Golden named Christopher back in August of 2011 and he was superb!

 

Mike:)

[capriccio]

Princess does not have Sommeliers which makes their dinning room wine service a bit of a joke.

 

We had a sommelier on the Emerald Princess in October 2010, the Sapphire Princess in May 2012, and I think there was one on the Coral last August but we didn't talk to him/her - my husband was acting as sommelier for our group of 8:D.

[baldercash]

We had a sommelier on the Emerald Princess in October 2010, the Sapphire Princess in May 2012, and I think there was one on the Coral last August but we didn't talk to him/her - my husband was acting as sommelier for our group of 8:D.

Maybe they did have a Sommelier but since we never saw one and one never approached us it makes no difference.

Is there more then one in the dinning room? On X it has been our experience that all wine is purchased through a Sommelier in the dinning room. On RC I believe it is the same.

 

We were taken care of by our waiter on Emerald and it was fine and I assume he was briefed on what wine to recommend with what on a daily basis

[PunkiC]

This is much simpler............

 

Dear Passengers,

 

Here is our plan: One 750ml bottle of wine per passenger no surcharge and a $15.00 overage charge on each additional 750ml to be charged at boarding.

 

No other alcoholic beverages are allowed and any alcohol or wine not declared at boarding will be confiscated.

 

Thank you very much for your respect of Princess policies.

 

And, most of all, thank you for your business and loyalty.

 

John Smith

Princess Cruises

 

Except for the fact that it leaves many unanswered questions such as how the wine can be carried aboard (i.e. carry-on or checked bags), can champagne be brought on board, when and how will the plan be instituted, etc., etc. Actually creating exactly all of the confusion that they did in fact create. A big fat mess.

 

Worst of all, they would not gain any sense of ownership in the plan by their most loyal customers.

 

Very foolish approach.

 

Are you, by the way, the Princess employee who came up with and attempted to implement this botched plan in the first place? :p

[kendon]

You should send this to them

 

I was thinking the same thing!

 

Nice letter...good job.

[caribill]

We had a Sommelier onboard The Golden named Christopher back in August of 2011 and he was superb!

 

Mike:)

 

Princess had them, eliminated them, brought them back, and is now eliminating them again.

[dorisis]

I think that bringing wine onboard got out of hand when cases had luggage tags on and expected to bring wine to the dining room in a glass.

[Amuse Bouche]

I think your idea is workable, but they probably send everything to committee, and as most people know, committees rarely see logic.

 

the big thing I'm wondering...how many of those people who read CC and aren't that bright are going to think your letter, that you added someone's signature to, is real correspondence from Princess?

[Cauzneffct]

Agree. I'd pay $15 tabbage ;) on beer. I would be very disappointed cruising say greece and not being able to enjoy any Mythos onboard or Efes from Turkey. If they stock better beer, this wouldn't be an issue.

 

I agree. I doubt that I would travel with my beer of choice to the port, but it would be nice to pick up a bottle or two or a sixer in port or along the way.

 

As far as stocking better beer, while that would be nice, I think I'd find i would still probably be willing to pay a surcharge to pick up interesting beers along the way.

[PunkiC]

I think your idea is workable, but they probably send everything to committee, and as most people know, committees rarely see logic.

 

the big thing I'm wondering...how many of those people who read CC and aren't that bright are going to think your letter, that you added someone's signature to, is real correspondence from Princess?

 

Ya think? ;) Before I made the post I would have thought that was impossible, but after reading some of the (non)responses, I am not so sure any more. :D