Corkage Fee - Has it returned?

[Ocean Boy]

The ONLY reason to do this is to boost revenues. What other logical explanation exists? And how exactly were people "taking advantage of the situation in absurd ways"? RCI's policy was 2 bottles per cabin allowed at embarkation, and no corkage charged onboard. Please explain your statement.

We both know that RCI's stated reasoning behind every instituted extra charge has always been to enhance the customers' cruise experience. Some people buy into that explanation more than others.

[gerif]

If you open your bottle on your cabin, pour a glass, and then take it and the open bottle into, say, a speciality restaurant, how do they know you did, or didn't, pay the corkage fee in another bar?

Because they don't know if you purchased that glass from a bar, took it from the CL, DL or SL or poured it from your own cabin.

[Clarea]

We both know that RCI's stated reasoning behind every instituted extra charge has always been to enhance the customers' cruise experience. Some people buy into that explanation more than others.

I don't think I need any more enhancing.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

From reading this thread, I can tell the $15 for a corkage fee is not going over too well. This will appear as a small detail when they begin renting premium located pool chairs for $10 /hr.

[brookmill18]

With only allowing 2 bottles per cabin regardless of cruise length, I just don't see how this is really saving them any money anyway.

 

Disney also has a corkage fee, but they also allow you to take on 2 six-packs of beer per adult. That gives much more flexility. Of course the cruise fare is also a lot more!

[Don Pedro]

States the corkage fee is on the bottles brought onboard. I guess if the wine is on one of the lists there isn't a fee?!? Gonna cause some problems.

 

 

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Carolyn, I like your interpretation but I'm still not sure. It seems the operative phrase was personal wine and after it is given to you it may well be considered your personal wine. As I recall years ago when there was a corkage fee the fee was not charged on wines delivered to the MDR but if it was delivered to your cabin abd you took it to the MDR they charged the fee.

[mooseman52b]

The ONLY reason to do this is to boost revenues. What other logical explanation exists? And how exactly were people "taking advantage of the situation in absurd ways"? RCI's policy was 2 bottles per cabin allowed at embarkation, and no corkage charged onboard. Please explain your statement.

It's definitely about boosting revenue.

 

Taking advantage = Some cruisers were bringing on more than the 2 allowed bottles per stateroom :(, and bragging about it to boot :mad:

 

Many places that charge corkage fees don't have liquor licenses. These business chose not to purchase the license (they are usually quite expensive). They should charge a fee for opening the bottles, serving the wine, providing glasses, and disposing of the empty bottles. There's no direct affect on revenue, but there are costs involved.

 

However, it's not the same case on a cruise ship or a restaurant that is licensed to sell wine . Allowing us to bring our own wine on board and drink it in the dining areas directly affects their revenue and has the same costs involved as listed above. They are losing both the markup on the wine, and the servers are not receiving the added service gratuities.

 

In either case it's our choice as consumers if the fee is too high.

 

I'm not happy about the change, but I can understand it.

[widallas]

Someone mentioned the lack of outrage on the boards.... that's the thing. Many people don't bring wine onboard, and it's only two bottles per cabin. It's an easy way to nudge your "loyal" base into buying a package...it was actually the first think we talked about. But we just don't drink that much; it's a waste of money for us. I wish they would have made more of an announcement; if I had been cruising this week it would have irritated me not to know ahead of time.

 

 

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[Merly]

Because they don't know if you purchased that glass from a bar, took it from the CL, DL or SL or poured it from your own cabin.

I understand that about a glass of wine. But what about the open bottle? I could have paid the corkage fee in another public area, they don't know, or do they? Will they try and charge it again?

[Clarea]

I understand that about a glass of wine. But what about the open bottle? I could have paid the corkage fee in another public area, they don't know, or do they? Will they try and charge it again?

I doubt they would know, or even ask to see you receipt.

[richstowe]

This is in no way a defense of another cash grab BUT the bottles we bring aboard never get to the dining room .

They are always wonderfully consumed on our balcony. Possible on the top deck enjoying the view . :)

[LMaxwell]

Taking advantage = Some cruisers were bringing on more than the 2 allowed bottles per stateroom :(, and bragging about it to boot :mad:

 

To me that's a red herring. If you are going to keep the bottle in your room, you never were charged corkage anyways. People were sneaking on additional quantity when corkage was higher. I guess the flip side though is if you are bringing a fresh bottle to dinner everynight (what is leftover wine???) they lose revenue on each night.

[LMaxwell]

This is in no way a defense of another cash grab BUT the bottles we bring aboard never get to the dining room .

They are always wonderfully consumed on our balcony. Possible on the top deck enjoying the view . :)

 

Same here.

 

Eventually they'll probably let people bring as much as they wish, but charge corkage on each bottle at embarkation.

[gerif]

I understand that about a glass of wine. But what about the open bottle? I could have paid the corkage fee in another public area, they don't know, or do they? Will they try and charge it again?

You would have a receipt to show if asked.

[widallas]

Same here.

 

 

 

Eventually they'll probably let people bring as much as they wish, but charge corkage on each bottle at embarkation.

 

 

Let's just hope it stays at $15 and doesn't go back to $25...

 

 

 

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[CruiseMelissa]

You would have a receipt to show if asked.

 

Same with a glass? If you poured yourself a glass of wine in your room and then walked into the MDR with it?

[rukkian]

It doesn't seem there is a limit on bringing wine glasses onboard, what is to stop somebody from bringing a glass big enough for 1/2 or a full bottle, and bringing that to dinner? I can't see them charging a corkage fee on a glass of wine.

[Don Pedro]

Unless you are bringing $3 a gallon wine on board the $15 corkage fee is still better than the typical RCCL per bottle markup and much better than the per glass price.

[starrcards]

This is in no way a defense of another cash grab BUT the bottles we bring aboard never get to the dining room .

They are always wonderfully consumed on our balcony. Possible on the top deck enjoying the view . :)

 

Normally we have ours on the balcony pre- or post-dinner. Last cruise we ate dinner with friends one night and brought a bottle of wine to the MDR. Guess that's the one and only time for that.

 

With the reinstatement of the corkage fee and a charge for all room service, instead of buying a RCCL cruise, it might be better to buy RCCL stock.

[LMaxwell]

You would have a receipt to show if asked.

 

The service throughout the ship better be mind-blowing phenomenal out of this world if they can dedicate personnel to checking your papers as you transit a deck. Which it isn't. I never believe any of this shakedown the guest stuff.

[Clarea]

Same with a glass? If you poured yourself a glass of wine in your room and then walked into the MDR with it?

They don't care about glasses of wine brought into the dining room.

[OTownNick]

Like every other rule there are always ways around it. If you have an open bottle at the dining room table (and the bottle Isn't completely full) or lounge and just say you were already charged a corkage fee "earlier" or "yesterday", I'm pretty sure whoever is asking won't question you.

 

This charge isn't going to move the needle whatsoever on the RCL balance sheets. It's not about revenue. That's my opinion. It's got to be more

about the way the minority of the people were taking liberties with the consumption of bottles of wine in public spaces. Again, the rule breakers of the few ruin it for the majority. But we are also talking only $15 so it could be worse.

 

Who knows? RCI has been know to flip-flop in the past so maybe this will be reversed. ??

[Ocean Dancer]

Like every other rule there are always ways around it. If you have an open bottle at the dining room table (and the bottle Isn't completely full) or lounge and just say you were already charged a corkage fee "earlier" or "yesterday", I'm pretty sure whoever is asking won't question you.

 

This charge isn't going to move the needle whatsoever on the RCL balance sheets. It's not about revenue. That's my opinion. It's got to be more

about the way the minority of the people were taking liberties with the consumption of bottles of wine in public spaces. Again, the rule breakers of the few ruin it for the majority. But we are also talking only $15 so it could be worse.

 

Who knows? RCI has been know to flip-flop in the past so maybe this will be reversed. ??

If you were allowed to drink your bottle of wine in any public place, can you please explain or give an example of being a rule breaker and ruining it for the majority?

[OTownNick]

If you were allowed to drink your bottle of wine in any public place, can you please explain or give an example of being a rule breaker and ruining it for the majority?

 

People bringing onboard more than 2 bottles of wine per stateroom. The group of people sitting in Schooner bar with 3-4 bottles of wine camped out there drinking their own wine, making a party of it. Maybe the $15 corkage fee will deter the instances of this happening.

[bUU]

This charge isn't going to move the needle whatsoever on the RCL balance sheets. It's not about revenue. That's my opinion.

I don't believe that. I think it is very much about revenue, and it hinges on the same thing that so many other things we see cruise lines, hotels, restaurants, and all other kinds of service provider rely on: that most customers won't try to evade such fees in "creative" ways. In other words, there is a strong reliance on voluntary compliance, that such things do "move the needle" on the balance sheets, and only the small minority of evasion doesn't "move the needle".