Pre-buying alcohol to be delivered to room

[ray98]

I got my bottle sizes wrong. "Big bottle" - "small bottle" here it's $22 for the 750ml (big bottle)

 

 

Ummmm......a 750ml is the small bottle. 1 liter is the 'big bottle'.

[crzndeb]

People like to compare their local Bevmo, Costco price with the cruise ship price. Apples and oranges. A cruise ship is a resort, more comparable to bottle service at a club in Vegas. That’s the nice thing with choice. Some buy Cheers and some will just purchase their drinks at the bar.

 

The price has gone up over the years. Long before the bottles were offered online, it was a secret not many knew about it, a bottle of vodka was $50, plus usually a $4 tax. Then the word got out, the Fun Shops started offering bottles,and the demand pushed the prices up.

[ChicoCA]

Ummmm......a 750ml is the small bottle. 1 liter is the 'big bottle'.

Ummmmm.....since you're playing along the "big bottle" is 1.75 liters.

[Djptcp]

We used to always buy a bottle of liquor for our cabin after we got caught bringing some on board after years of not getting caught. However, once they jacked the prices way up we stopped. Ordered DH a 4-pack of Corona for the cabin 2 weeks ago on the Paradise and did the same for our Paradise cruise that sails tomorrow. We also sail on Holland America and their prices are still half the cost of Carnival, so we still buy a bottle for our cabins on HAL.

[phinfan63]

Have your TA. order it for you. They get 20% discount.

 

My TA had never heard of this but she is checking - might save me a little money :-) Thanks!

[ParrotRob]

Ummmmm.....since you're playing along the "big bottle" is 1.75 liters.

 

Well if you REALLY want to play, the "big bottle" is the 4.5L bottle.

[Pyrate13]

I'm was willing to pay the newest price of $95 for a bottle of Crown, I know it's cheaper than ordering by the drink at the bars, but I find it ridiculous for them to charge $14.25 additional just to walk the bottle to my cabin. I won't order anymore and I will just limit how much I drink on board. I suspect others may do the same. JMHO/YMMV

[quickrate]

Total cost $97.75

 

 

Port Surcharges:TBD

 

Subtotal:$85.00Tax:TBD

 

Delivery Fees Total:$12.75

 

That's a tough pill to swallow on a $12 bottle.

You can't compare it to what you pay at home for a bottle. You have to compare it to how much a drink on the ship cost and how many comparable drinks you will get from that bottle. It still cost about half of what buying drinks at the bar will cost. We take a Yeti with us, mix our drinks in room, and take it to the pool dinner etc.

[quickrate]

I'm was willing to pay the newest price of $95 for a bottle of Crown, I know it's cheaper than ordering by the drink at the bars, but I find it ridiculous for them to charge $14.25 additional just to walk the bottle to my cabin. I won't order anymore and I will just limit how much I drink on board. I suspect others may do the same. JMHO/YMMV

I am feeling much the same way about the delivery fee. A question I have not been able to get answered is I know you can also get bottles delivered from room service. Will they also tack service charge on room service as well? They didn't in the past but suspect they will now.

Pat

[cruisinglady65]

This charge is something new that Carnival just implemented....I had ordered two six packs of coca cola, and eight Budweiser Beers in the aluminum bottles....I had ordered these items before the new charge was added....I had called up Carnival when i found out about this new charge, to make sure i wasn't charged this, as i had put my order in for these items before the new charge came in affect...They had told me that i will not be charged for this charge....

[phinfan63]

My TA had never heard of this but she is checking - might save me a little money :-) Thanks!

 

It took a few days for her to figure it out but she did get the discount so the $75 bottle ended up being $60.00 (no tax).

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Cheers!

[sbnuggie]

God Bless Rum Runners another justification for their use

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Pyrate13]

I am feeling much the same way about the delivery fee. A question I have not been able to get answered is I know you can also get bottles delivered from room service. Will they also tack service charge on room service as well? They didn't in the past but suspect they will now.

Pat

 

I can't say for sure but I have read that they do add the fee if you order the bottle from room service. Hopefully someone that has done it recently will come on and report.

[MURCOTT]

It took a few days for her to figure it out but she did get the discount so the $75 bottle ended up being $60.00 (no tax).

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Cheers!

Are you talking about a Carnival TA? My PVP said she gets no discount and in fact pays the same price as we do when she cruises.:confused:

[tallyho8]

If you order a bottle before cruising you pay a 15% "delivery fee". If you order it from room service you pay a 15% "gratuity". The amount is the same only the name changes.

 

But now Carnival is charging local tax if you request the bottle to be delivered the first day in port. If you request delivery the 2nd day there is no charge for sales tax.

[rnr4thatsme]

Following... to get the reduced price are people using a private TA or the Carnival TA?

[chunkymonkey2]

My husband and I have been on 10 cruises, we always buy a bottle of vodka for our room, this is the first time carnival has charged a delivery fee. If Carnival is that desperate why not hike up the price of the cruise, but a delivery fee to delivery on a bottle of alcohol that is already marked up 100% what a slap in the face. They must not value there cruisers, we canceled our bottle. We don’t need the vodka that bad. Don’t get me wrong I’m not worried about the 12.00, it’s the principle, what’s next?

[tallyho8]

My husband and I have been on 10 cruises, we always buy a bottle of vodka for our room, this is the first time carnival has charged a delivery fee. If Carnival is that desperate why not hike up the price of the cruise, but a delivery fee to delivery on a bottle of alcohol that is already marked up 100% what a slap in the face. They must not value there cruisers, we canceled our bottle. We don’t need the vodka that bad. Don’t get me wrong I’m not worried about the 12.00, it’s the principle, what’s next?

 

If you don't want to pay the $12 delivery fee, just order a bottle from room service. There is no $12 delivery fee but then there will be a $12 gratuity fee. Same fee, just different verbiage.

[bethshebas]

I pre-order wine mostly for the convenience of having a glass while I dress for dinner. I always get the riesling Funf, which I can only find on the carnival ships

[Pyrate13]

My husband and I have been on 10 cruises, we always buy a bottle of vodka for our room, this is the first time carnival has charged a delivery fee. If Carnival is that desperate why not hike up the price of the cruise, but a delivery fee to delivery on a bottle of alcohol that is already marked up 100% what a slap in the face. They must not value there cruisers, we canceled our bottle. We don’t need the vodka that bad. Don’t get me wrong I’m not worried about the 12.00, it’s the principle, what’s next?

 

Exactly why I will no longer order either, it's ridiculous to charge (in my case $14.25) for them to take a 5 minute walk to deliver the bottle after the huge mark up (more than 100%) that is already on it. Yes, I know it's still cheaper than buying individual drinks from the bar but as you say, it's the principle. It's a want, not a need, so I will just drink less on the ship.

 

As for ordering it from room service, call it a gratuity if you want but it's the same thing and the same objection applies.

[razorback39]

My gf just bought a pack of 4 large rum runners off amazon for $7. That’s more than enough room for 4 liters of liquor of my choice for the cheap price from home. Slip them in my suitcase and save myself the high drink prices all the way around. Crisis averted. And I have more money for cheap mexican souvenirs!

[rnr4thatsme]

Just to confirm, if I don’t pre-order, I can order a bottle to be delivered once I’m on board?

[NavarreCruiser]

Well if you REALLY want to play, the "big bottle" is the 4.5L bottle.

 

Now that is a BIG bottle. LOL

[phinfan63]

Following... to get the reduced price are people using a private TA or the Carnival TA?

 

I was using a private TA.

[phinfan63]

Are you talking about a Carnival TA? My PVP said she gets no discount and in fact pays the same price as we do when she cruises.:confused:

 

No, it was a private TA, not Carnival. It took her several days to get it straightened out. This is the last email she sent to me before finally talking to someone who knew about it:

 

Carnivalres knew nothing about a discount... I just emailed my Business DevelopmentManager

I do not know who the Business Development Manager is but apparently they knew :-)

And I did not see anything that said that I was charged a fee for delivery - my total cost thru Carnival was $120.00 (60 per bottle, no tax and no delivery fee).