Royal Caribbean Reinstates Corkage Fee for Wine Brought Onboard

[RFerrington]

our experience also.

 

+1

.

[gerif]

I'm going to be honest. I'm super mad about this change in policy. First they did it without warning, which is super sleazy. It seems to me that Royal is turning into the Spirit airlines of the cruise industry. It is bad enough they did the room service charge, lowered the food quality, and now the corkage fee? Before you know it they will charge you to bring bags on boards. Everyone who has Twitter or Facebook should message them expressing their disappointment in this policy. If we don't complain, they will only add more charges knowing they can get away with it.

When they removed the original $25 corkage fee did you express your appreciation to them? Bet not.

[Milwaukee Eight]

I'm going to be honest. I'm super mad about this change in policy. First they did it without warning, which is super sleazy. It seems to me that Royal is turning into the Spirit airlines of the cruise industry. It is bad enough they did the room service charge, lowered the food quality, and now the corkage fee? Before you know it they will charge you to bring bags on boards. Everyone who has Twitter or Facebook should message them expressing their disappointment in this policy. If we don't complain, they will only add more charges knowing they can get away with it.

 

 

 

Please define the difference between mad and super mad?

 

Why do currently cruise with Royal if you are super mad? Is it because of your current tier status? What draws you to Royal?

 

 

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[Gloworm2]

Dasnyde4. The most someone will incur is $30 per cabin. And only if you take a BOTTLE of wine to a restaurant or dining room. You can pour a glass in your cabin and no problem. Walk with it anywhere. Just pack a corkscrew. Think of the vodka and rum drinkers. They cannot bring anything aboard. RC will get no complaint from me. Not on this. The only thing I want them to do is improve their wine list. We need more of the good stuff on the lists.

 

 

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[johnjen]

I'm going to be honest. I'm super mad about this change in policy. First they did it without warning, which is super sleazy. It seems to me that Royal is turning into the Spirit airlines of the cruise industry. It is bad enough they did the room service charge, lowered the food quality, and now the corkage fee? Before you know it they will charge you to bring bags on boards. Everyone who has Twitter or Facebook should message them expressing their disappointment in this policy. If we don't complain, they will only add more charges knowing they can get away with it.

 

Your best method to voice complaint, and more direct, is to email mycruise@rccl.com. But try and be tactful, ESPECIALLY if you have an upcoming cruise. More or less, I said this:

 

We've taken note of the unexpected return of the $15 per bottle corkage fee. A disappointment. It comes at us three weeks prior to our upcoming cruise, which we've fully paid for. While I understand that fees are subject to change, this "change" was not exactly a "WoW" factor for us, and it's more likely to have us reconsider other vacation options for 2018.

 

Our reservation ID is xxxxxxx, sail date on Brilliance.

 

Sincerely,

John & Jennifer

"Customers of the best cruise line ever"

 

Of course, that sounds a bit hammy - but you never know. Might get something nice in return.

[johnjen]

...and not to change topic - has anyone ever "successfully" managed to sneak a third bottle on board?

[Wine-O]

...and not to change topic - has anyone ever "successfully" managed to sneak a third bottle on board?

Yeah, I brought eight bottles on board for my last cruise. You have to use your imagination - use your Navy ingenuity. ;)

[John&LaLa]

Please define the difference between mad and super mad?

 

Why do currently cruise with Royal if you are super mad? Is it because of your current tier status? What draws you to Royal?

 

 

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I'm just slightly irritated.

 

We bring lounge wine to dinner so no problem there.

 

We get three gift bottles on a 7 day cruise, so I have plenty.

 

Bringing two bottles for in room usage will work fine for us.

 

If I want to bring a "nice" bottle to dinner I can afford $15. Heck, it's better than $25

 

Oh, and for those thinking of moving the sticker, make sure it's a brand they carry onboard. [emoji6]

 

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[island lady]

On our last two cruises we were encouraged to take our wine from the Diamond Lounge. In fact they filled our glasses before we left for dinner.

 

 

Me too, in fact on our very first cruise as brand new shiny diamonds, we were shocked

when the bartender asked if we were leaving for dinner and offered to top off our wine

glasses. Nice! :D

 

Have only been on two ships that did not allow us to do that (following the stated rules as such). But it is really silly, since all we have to do is hit any bar and use our 3 drink vouchers now. In fact since those vouchers came out...I have not experienced the "don't take your drinks out" rule being enforced.

[Milwaukee Eight]

I'm just slightly irritated.

 

We bring lounge wine to dinner so no problem there.

 

We get three gift bottles on a 7 day cruise, so I have plenty.

 

Bringing two bottles for in room usage will work fine for us.

 

If I want to bring a "nice" bottle to dinner I can afford $15. Heck, it's better than $25

 

Oh, and for those thinking of moving the sticker, make sure it's a brand they carry onboard. [emoji6]

 

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So is that less than mad?

 

 

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[island lady]

I'm just slightly irritated.

 

We bring lounge wine to dinner so no problem there.

 

We get three gift bottles on a 7 day cruise, so I have plenty.

 

Bringing two bottles for in room usage will work fine for us.

 

If I want to bring a "nice" bottle to dinner I can afford $15. Heck, it's better than $25

 

Oh, and for those thinking of moving the sticker, make sure it's a brand they carry onboard. [emoji6]

 

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Funny thing is once again we carried two bottles back OFF the ship at disembarkation. We also get three gift bottles of wine of our choice, brought on two bottles, were awarded a bottle of bubbly at upper tier, and of course when you add in drink vouchers, DL/CL drinks/wine...pretty much floating without the need of a ship. ;)

 

And yes, we do the exact thing that you do. Our brought on bottles are for consuming on our balcony, and the glass of wine in hand from DL/CL gets ushered into dinner.

[island lady]

So is that less than mad?

 

 

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John doesn't get mad. Belle would bark at him if he did. ;)

[cruisegirl1]

Yeah, I brought eight bottles on board for my last cruise. You have to use your imagination - use your Navy ingenuity. ;)

 

If you did bring 8 bottles ( for one cabin) please keep that info to yourself, and not on a message board read by RCCL. I would be upset if they disallow wine to be brought on at all. We rarely drink the CL/DL wine, even if it is free The RCCL wine list is fair at best, and with the exception of a few higher end wines, the markup is obscene. We enjoy the bottles we bring. If we have to pay a corkage - so be it.

 

If one plays by the rules, it is $30 at most.

M

[John&LaLa]

So is that less than mad?

 

 

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Correct, I rarely get mad

 

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[cruisegirl1]

Your best method to voice complaint, and more direct, is to email mycruise@rccl.com. But try and be tactful, ESPECIALLY if you have an upcoming cruise. More or less, I said this:

 

We've taken note of the unexpected return of the $15 per bottle corkage fee. A disappointment. It comes at us three weeks prior to our upcoming cruise, which we've fully paid for. While I understand that fees are subject to change, this "change" was not exactly a "WoW" factor for us, and it's more likely to have us reconsider other vacation options for 2018.

 

Our reservation ID is xxxxxxx, sail date on Brilliance.

 

Sincerely,

John & Jennifer

"Customers of the best cruise line ever"

 

Of course, that sounds a bit hammy - but you never know. Might get something nice in return.

 

Johnjen - my first thought....... they will give you a bottle of cheap wine ( worth $7 at best) and then charge you the $15 corkage. Be careful what you wish for.:eek:

 

I hope your letter brings positive results.

 

cheers M

[johnjen]

Yeah, I brought eight bottles on board for my last cruise. You have to use your imagination - use your Navy ingenuity. ;)

 

You are the wind beneath my wings. Especially when I read your forum name. :'):'):')

[johnjen]

Johnjen - my first thought....... they will give you a bottle of cheap wine ( worth $7 at best) and then charge you the $15 corkage. Be careful what you wish for.:eek:

 

I hope your letter brings positive results.

 

cheers M

 

AHAHAHAHA! So true!!!

 

But WOW! I was looking at the "gifts" section on the site. They're charging a particular bottle of wine delivered to your cabin for $75 - but it's $19.99 online!:o

[gerif]

Yeah, I brought eight bottles on board for my last cruise. You have to use your imagination - use your Navy ingenuity. ;)

And that kind of brag on these boards is why we may see this privilege disappearing one day.

[johnjen]

And that kind of brag on these boards is why we may see this privilege disappearing one day.

 

Yeah.....but it was done by Wine-O!

[John&LaLa]

And that kind of brag on these boards is why we may see this privilege disappearing one day.

Folks have been bragging on here since the beginning. Nothing changes

 

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[Hooley]

We've taken wine on board and kept it on ice in our cabin. The room steward always keeps the ice bucket full. The steward is always willing since he (or she) is working for a better tip. You can pick up glasses at any of the bars. Just ask for red, or white, wine glasses. Fill the glasses in your room and take them to any of the public areas. We've never taken them to a restaurant, though.

[rkkunk]

AHAHAHAHA! So true!!!

 

 

 

But WOW! I was looking at the "gifts" section on the site. They're charging a particular bottle of wine delivered to your cabin for $75 - but it's $19.99 online!:o

 

 

The bottle we had was $60.00 plus a $10.00 "service fee" (gratuity) so $70 for a $20 bottle of wine from Bev Mo! Highway robbery. We only got it because we had a nice OBC. Next time we bring our own.

 

 

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[island lady]

AHAHAHAHA! So true!!!

 

But WOW! I was looking at the "gifts" section on the site. They're charging a particular bottle of wine delivered to your cabin for $75 - but it's $19.99 online!:o

 

Not uncommon with wine up charging. When I was in the wine business as a restaurant supplier, it was the

normal average mark up of 3.5 - 4 times what they bought the wine for. Biggest income producer was the

by the glass. $$$$ Big profit for the restaurants.

[island lady]

We've taken wine on board and kept it on ice in our cabin. The room steward always keeps the ice bucket full. The steward is always willing since he (or she) is working for a better tip. You can pick up glasses at any of the bars. Just ask for red, or white, wine glasses. Fill the glasses in your room and take them to any of the public areas. We've never taken them to a restaurant, though.

 

Ours always does the same thing, and makes sure we have clean wine glasses to use every day. Nice to

have that glass of wine on the balcony before getting ready for dinner, or to enjoy a sea day afternoon. :)

 

You don't have to ask for glasses at the bar...just ask your cabin attendant ....if they did not supply them.

 

And we always enjoy walking into dinner with a glass of wine. Never a problem.

[CntPAcruiser]

We've taken wine on board and kept it on ice in our cabin. The room steward always keeps the ice bucket full. The steward is always willing since he (or she) is working for a better tip. You can pick up glasses at any of the bars. Just ask for red, or white, wine glasses. Fill the glasses in your room and take them to any of the public areas. We've never taken them to a restaurant, though.

 

Ours always does the same thing, and makes sure we have clean wine glasses to use every day. Nice to

have that glass of wine on the balcony before getting ready for dinner, or to enjoy a sea day afternoon. :)

 

You don't have to ask for glasses at the bar...just ask your cabin attendant ....if they did not supply them.

 

And we always enjoy walking into dinner with a glass of wine. Never a problem.

 

This is basically what we've done, but more often it's bringing a glass of our wine for lunch in the MDR on sea days. Our experience with getting wine glasses from our cabin attendant has been spotty--literally. They haven't always provided a red/white glass as requested (just brought whatever they had), and sometimes the glasses weren't very clean or were spotty and required a rinse and polish. We had better luck getting glasses from a bar or the main dining room, and we'd often keep them in the minibar so the room attendant wouldn't take our clean glasses away.