Why do people cheat to save money

[spacetraveler]

I have been reading this forum and just can't believe some of the suggestions such as sneaking booze and stealing food.

 

When you go to restaurants, do you sneak your own booze so that you can save money? Do you order only one drink from the restaurant and pour your own booze for the second, third, and so on? Do you take restaurant's glasses home so that you can mix your own drink, and when you finish your bottle, resturn the glasses to the restaurant?

 

The cruise companies charge you a fare price for drinks. That's how they make money. If you don't agree with the price, you don't have to order it. If you have to drink vodka on ship but don't want to pay the price, then don't go.

 

When you go to all you can eat restaurant, do you stuff food in your own container so that you can have lunch at beach? Yet some posters suggested to order room service and pack the food into the container and bring to shore in order to save money. I have witnessed passengers fill juice, pop, coffee in bottles to save a few dollars on shore.

 

Cheating the system or stealing food, juice, etc. should not be encouraged.

[claroquesi]

I have to tell you, that while excessive abuse of the system should not be tolerated, this is a very small thing to be up in arms about.

 

First, the people on this board are people who cruise, but want/need to save money and are not willing to do so by

a. Reducing staff tip.

b. Compromising in putting tourism dollars in the hands of islanders who make a living off their support.

These could be ligitimate ways people could save comprable amounts of money on a cruise. Legitimate, but for some reason unsavory to the people on this board. Perhaps you need to reflect on why that might be before you decide to dress down some good people for sneaking a sixer on board.

 

Second, these people do buy drinks at the bars and at dinners as well, but to defray the cost might bring a small amount of personal booze aboard. They do not completely avoid the bar in favor of what they smuggle. It`s like going to a hotel and buying your kids doughnuts to eat in the room as opposed to room service breakfast. And I`m not underexaggerating, that is about the most accurate price anaology I could give. Do you feel the obligation to eat out of the mini bar at a hotel when you could buy a snack around the corner?

 

Finally, yes, I DO order a sandwich at a restaurant and eat half for my dinner and take half home/to the beach/feed it to the dog/whatever. I paid for it, so I think that is O.K. Maybe I`m wrong in doing so, but you asked the question in your post so I will answer you. Yes, off a cruise ship, I do get things wrapped to go.

 

Please don`t think of this as a flame. I just think that this is kind of small in the big picture of the cruise.

 

Respectfully submitted.

[kstmommy]

When you dine at a restaurant and spend $100 on a nice dinner, do YOU take home your leftovers??? Same difference.

 

Bringing some booze onboard may be cheating a little, but who cares. I certainly don't, and sure am planning on smuggling some myself. Do I care if anyone else does? Uhh NO. Why would I waste my time, thoughts, and whatever else, worrying what OTHER people do. I couldn't care less what you do on your cruise, so please don't worry about what I do. I would think you'd have better things to do.

[spacetraveler]

If you go to ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT restaurant, or in this case, on a cruise ship, you cannot take food out of the ship even though you have paid for the per person charge. When you order a sandwich or have $100 meal, you can do whatever you want since you have paid for that particular item. This is a different analogy. When you go to Wal-Mart, because it has earned so much money from everybody, therefore taking a piece of bubble gum is OK?

 

I just joined this board several weeks ago. I don’t know if these topics have been discussed. Please don’t tell me since many people are doing it, it is all right for me to do it too. If the ships don’t care the booze, why do they check the carry-on. My concern is that when you give advise to other cruisers, do you tell them how to cheat the system? If my comment offended someone, please accept my apology.

[spookwife]

Honestly, I have only been a member myself for a few days, but this is my take:

 

It's the ATTITUDE some people are taking about their smuggling. Like it's thier god give right and they are proud of it. I think that rankles a few people who believe that rules are in place for a reason, and flaunting your blatant disregarding of said rules is..well.. uncooth. And let's face it, we tend to judge people based on our own set of values. Some people just would never do such a thing, and cannot fathom why anyone else would not only want to, but boast of the fact as well.

 

me, I am torn.. I plan on bringing the allowed amount of wine on board, but since neither one of us drink the hard stuff or soda, the rest of the contention is a moot point. I am not the one who has to worry that their bag will be flagged for inspection, or the bottle leaks or whatever.

[Jane110]

Spacetraveler,

 

I can agree with some of your points but then disagree with others.

 

First off, the cruiselines that I've been on Oceania, Princess and HAL, have no rules against bringing alcohol on board with us, so I'm not sneaking anything. In fact, Princess has the best policy - we pre-order it as a "gift" and it's waiting in our room - and the Princess prices are just about the same as duty free and we don't have to add the weight into our luggage! They make some money - we save some money - Win Win! We also bring some wine with us, or buy wine in port when in Europe and we pay a corkage fee to bring our wine to the dining room with us. What I do think is tacky, though is pouring a glass of wine in one's cabin and then pretending that it was bought at one of the bars and walking into the dining room with it. But that's just my opinion. While some people do that, I can't imagine bragging about it or recommending it to others here on the CC board.

 

I agree with the sentiment that it's like going to a hotel and bringing in your own doughnuts or a bag of chips so as to not buy things from the mini-bar or order an expensive room service breakfast pastry. It's okay to consume it in your room, but don't go to a hotel restaurant and bring your own croissant because you can buy it at the grocery store for a $1.00 when the restaurant charges $3.00 for it. That's just tacky, as well as against the rules.

[prairie_fox]

I do take some things to drink with me...yes I do, but we only drink that is the room, and we also do get drinks in the bar and at the show. So I do spend my $$$ on the ship also. I just hate to sit on hold while someone has to brink me a drink (pop or other) in my room while I get ready at night. I also take flavor water with us. We drink more of that then anything else. The ship has water in its shops not flavored water. I do also take some things to shore with us to eat, and we do also have lunch at shore. So I do take and spend there also. Some days the things I took were to feed birds or fish--shame on me I guess. Now if I never spent a dine with the ship for one thing I think that would be different, but I do spend money on drinks and other things there so I really dont see the issue the OP is making over it all. Sorta makes me think its more a way to get some flame flying going on.:eek:

[Cotton]

Since most of the cruiselines allow passengers to bring wine on board, that's what I do. I have it for my cabin, but I purchase a bottle or three:) in the dining room, as well. Nothing wrong with that. No cheating. It's allowed.

 

As far as food - I'm in total agreement about NOT taking food ashore. One thing, it's against most country/island laws. Any fruit or vegetables could (and should) be confiscated. These folks have their laws, and we should respect them. We are the visitors.

 

Besides - I don't understand WHY folks want to take food off the ship...? To me, part of the great adventure of traveling is trying the cuisine of other cultures. I always look forward to having local food at each port.

[lougee1043]

i dont mind people bringing booze on board if they can get it past the screeners --some people pack it in their checked luggage and if the bottle breaks they will be sucking their shirt sleeves all cruise long -- if its for in room consumption i dont have a problem --what frosts me is when they carry it into a public area with a traveler and keep refilling their glass in front of everyone or they keep getting up from the dinner table to go back to their room for a refill

[PaulMedik]

I have been reading this forum and just can't believe some of the suggestions such as sneaking booze and stealing food.

 

When you go to restaurants, do you sneak your own booze so that you can save money? Do you order only one drink from the restaurant and pour your own booze for the second, third, and so on? Do you take restaurant's glasses home so that you can mix your own drink, and when you finish your bottle, resturn the glasses to the restaurant?

 

The cruise companies charge you a fare price for drinks. That's how they make money. If you don't agree with the price, you don't have to order it. If you have to drink vodka on ship but don't want to pay the price, then don't go.

 

When you go to all you can eat restaurant, do you stuff food in your own container so that you can have lunch at beach? Yet some posters suggested to order room service and pack the food into the container and bring to shore in order to save money. I have witnessed passengers fill juice, pop, coffee in bottles to save a few dollars on shore.

 

Cheating the system or stealing food, juice, etc. should not be encouraged.

 

 

Spacedtraveler:

 

I've never brought, nor likely will bring, booze on board a ship for consumption on the ship. I have and will bring Diet Coke on board and I have and will bring items back to my room and on shore for consumption. When I stay at a hotel, and I've stayed in hotels over one thousand times, I'll bring Diet Cokes and snacks to my room and not think twice about it. I look at a cruise ship stateroom no different than a hotel room and I'll treat it as such.

 

Cruise ships are NOT entitled to 100% of my food/drink purchases while on board. Why do you think they are?

 

Along the same lines, they sell clothing on board too. I assume you arrive in your underwear and obtain all of your attire while on board?:eek: You don't? How cheap of you to arrive with a suitcase full of clothing when you know they have all you'd ever need. So I guess you are just like the rest of us cheapskates eh? :D

[cwc]

To me... bring booze is ok up to certain amount (a case of 12 bottle is a little much!). But what really gets me upset are those people/kids sharing softdrink card or in some cases bring their "old" mug from previous cruise to reuse...:mad: Some people think that is "money saving". I think that is just plain illegal!

[jcanino]

When you dine at a restaurant and spend $100 on a nice dinner, do YOU take home your leftovers??? Same difference.

 

But when you dine at that restaurant and spend $100 on that nice dinner, do you carry in your own bottle of vodka and ask the server for a glass so you can make your own martini?

[Jane110]

 

As far as food - I'm in total agreement about NOT taking food ashore. One thing, it's against most country/island laws. Any fruit or vegetables could (and should) be confiscated. These folks have their laws, and we should respect them. We are the visitors.

 

Absolutely agree!

 

Besides - I don't understand WHY folks want to take food off the ship...? To me, part of the great adventure of traveling is trying the cuisine of other cultures. I always look forward to having local food at each port.

 

 

Right again! We just love it if the ship either ovenights in a port or stays late so we can enjoy a dinner off the ship. Having a different cuisine is part of the fun of travel. People that are cheap and have a "I paid for food on the ship, so we'll eat there" seems nuts. (unless you really can't afford it or are in a place where you're really frightened of getting sick) I mean, you're paying your monthly mortgage/rent right? So why travel and pay for a hotel room or a cruise.....it means you're paying "twice" for a night's lodgings! Same logic! :D

[Jane110]

To me... bring booze is ok up to certain amount (a case of 12 bottle is a little much!). But what really gets me upset are those people/kids sharing softdrink card or in some cases bring their "old" mug from previous cruise to reuse...:mad: Some people think that is "money saving". I think that is just plain illegal!

 

Bringing their old mug? I've never seen a mug, only the soda cards. But geez, bringing an old mug to steal some soda? What's a mug cost for an entire cruise....about $30.??? Sheesh! That's a new one on me! Brings cheapness to an all new low!

[Jane110]

When you dine at a restaurant and spend $100 on a nice dinner, do YOU take home your leftovers??? Same difference.

 

 

Not the same thing at all. When you pay for a dinner, it's yours and whatever is leftover the restaurant is legally bound to throw out or you can take it home with you.

 

What the OP is referring to would be like going to a restaurant, ordering a glass of orange juice and then pouring in your own vodka. Or buying yourself dinner, ordering a coffee afterwards and pulling out some cookies from your purse so you don't have to order dessert from them.

Years ago, before restauarants carried herbal tea, I use to carry my own teabag with me. I would order and pay for a cup of tea and tell them not to put the bag in, then use my own, but I was still paying them for theirs.

[PaulMedik]

................

Years ago, before restauarants carried herbal tea, I use to carry my own teabag with me. I would order and pay for a cup of tea and tell them not to put the bag in, then use my own, but I was still paying them for theirs.

 

Jane110:

 

So it would be OK to buy a drink and add your own flavoring? Buy hot water and flavor it with tea; Buy cola and flavor it with vodka. You are rationalizing your actions. What's more, I'm sure the wait staff got a kick out of the woman who paid for hot water. :rolleyes:

 

Again, I do not bring booze on board but I do NOT think it's wrong. Those of you who do state that it's wrong need to really examine your feelings before your sermon instead of after. :cool: Thou must practice what you preacheth. :)

[PaulMedik]

[/b]

 

Absolutely agree!

 

 

 

 

Right again! We just love it if the ship either ovenights in a port or stays late so we can enjoy a dinner off the ship. Having a different cuisine is part of the fun of travel. People that are cheap and have a "I paid for food on the ship, so we'll eat there" seems nuts. (unless you really can't afford it or are in a place where you're really frightened of getting sick) I mean, you're paying your monthly mortgage/rent right? So why travel and pay for a hotel room or a cruise.....it means you're paying "twice" for a night's lodgings! Same logic! :D

 

 

Jane110:

 

Your logic is mistaken. The logic applied is that if you were on board, and you could still be on board instead of on shore, you could go to the Lido or call room service and eat the food at the same time that you'll be eating on shore. Your illogical method involves paying for food and, instead of eating it, buying additional food to eat at the same time you would be eating the food that you paid for. Their logic is sound, yours is flawed.

[SueSea]

Besides - I don't understand WHY folks want to take food off the ship...? To me, part of the great adventure of traveling is trying the cuisine of other cultures. I always look forward to having local food at each port.

 

I, too, enjoy having local cuisine when in port, but I understand why some folks want to take food off the ship. My mother worries about eating in some foreign ports. She feels that some of them do not have proper food handling regulations or that they are not policed.

 

On occasion I have taken shore tours that have resulted in missing lunch. When the tour does not provide lunch and there is little opportunity to purchase something (like on a river boat), I have not hesitated to take a sandwich off the ship. I've already paid for my lunch on the ship, so I would not feel like I was cheating the cruise line. And if I bought the tour through the ship, they get a commission as well.

 

One case in point: We took food off the ship when we went to Fanning Island on NCL Wind. Our ship had been delayed, so we had a short day in port. The ship was to provide a barbeque on the island, but cancelled the barbeque because of the reduced time in port. My friend and I wrapped some sandwiches up and took them with us. Otherwise, we would have had to tender back to the ship for lunch since there is no food for purchase at Fanning Island. With so little time in port, we were not willing to waste any time tendering a second time.

[emilyrose]

Spacedtraveler:

 

Along the same lines, they sell clothing on board too. I assume you arrive in your underwear and obtain all of your attire while on board?:eek: You don't? How cheap of you to arrive with a suitcase full of clothing when you know they have all you'd ever need. So I guess you are just like the rest of us cheapskates eh? :D

 

I won't comment on threads like this anymore.. they are the same 'ole argument... i've learned a few things in my long two months as a member. ;) I just thought this was extremely funny and deserved a quote.

[westernmom]

As I read this thread, I find it kind of amusing as to why someone would worry so much about what other people do! I do what I feel right about doing and hopefully others will let their conscience be their guide also.

 

We only take one major trip a year and so my dh thinks that spending $ on drinks, food, etc. is why we are on the trip! So we budget for it. I used to try to keep him to a budget by buying pop and snacks to take with us, but he says if I want to save money, do it at home and enjoy splurging while on vacation. Sometimes it's hard to leave my frugal nature at home, but decided that part of the fun of being away for us is spending a bunch of money recklessly!

 

I understand those who travel alot can do it by saving on the little things. It all adds up a bunch. Heck when we travel we could pay for a couple of cruises a year just with the $ we blow on dinners, etc. but we can only get away once a year right now.

 

We all do what we can and it's really none of my business what the next guy does to get by!:)

 

Triumph 5/20/06

[Jane110]

Jane110:

 

So it would be OK to buy a drink and add your own flavoring? Buy hot water and flavor it with tea; Buy cola and flavor it with vodka. You are rationalizing your actions. What's more, I'm sure the wait staff got a kick out of the woman who paid for hot water. :rolleyes:

 

Again, I do not bring booze on board but I do NOT think it's wrong. Those of you who do state that it's wrong need to really examine your feelings before your sermon instead of after. :cool: Thou must practice what you preacheth. :)

 

 

First of all, I never said it's wrong to bring booze on board. The cruiselines I go on have no policy against it at all. We always bring some to drink in our cabin. I just wouldn't pour a drink in my cabin and then go to the bar and join my pals and not buy one. I hope you can differentiate between the two.

 

Rationalizing my own actions??? What are you talking about? I can't have caffeine at night so I would order a cup of tea and pay for it, then use my own tea bag. What would I possibly have to rationalize? What do you see that I have done wrong?

Now, if I ordered a cup of hot water, used my own tea bag and then expected not to be charged for it......I think that would need some rationalizing. And if the waitstaff got a chuckle because I wasn't trying to nickle & dime a free cup of hot water from the restaurant, so be it.

All restaurants now have herbal and/or decaffinated tea, so I no longer have to do it.

 

I don't preach, but I do practice honesty. Again, I've never said it was wrong to bring booze aboard a ship. I think thou hath confused my opinion on that with someone elses.:)

[CJC]

Bringing their old mug? I've never seen a mug, only the soda cards. But geez, bringing an old mug to steal some soda? What's a mug cost for an entire cruise....about $30.??? Sheesh! That's a new one on me! Brings cheapness to an all new low!

I bring my own insulated mug but not because I am cheap. I buy the beer, drink or soda. I just don't like it warm drinks and I don't spill it that way. It has nothing about being cheap with me.

[Jane110]

I bring my own insulated mug but not because I am cheap. I buy the beer, drink or soda. I just don't like it warm drinks and I don't spill it that way. It has nothing about being cheap with me.

 

No, of course it doesn't.

 

What was being referred to was people who buy a big mug which entitles them to get free refills. Then saving the mug for another cruise, bring it with them (i guess hoping the ship hasn't changed mug colors!) and using it again on a different cruise to avoid paying for the initial drink again.

 

What you do is completely different.

[PaulMedik]

First of all, I never said it's wrong to bring booze on board. The cruiselines I go on have no policy against it at all. We always bring some to drink in our cabin. I just wouldn't pour a drink in my cabin and then go to the bar and join my pals and not buy one. I hope you can differentiate between the two.

 

 

I'm glad you wouldn't. I wouldn't either. I wouldn't have an opinion one way or the other if others would choose to do so.

 

Ratonalizing my own actions??? What are you talking about? I can't have caffeine at night so I would order a cup of tea and pay for it, then use my own tea bag. What would I possibly have to rationalize? What do you see that I have done wrong?

 

Not a thing. You are the epitome of all that a diner should strive to be.

 

Now, if I ordered a cup of hot water, used my own tea bag and then expected not to be charged for it......I think that would need some rationalizing. And if the waitstaff got a chuckle because I wasn't trying to nickle & dime a free cup of hot water from the restaurant, so be it.

All restaurants now have herbal and/or decaffinated tea, so I no longer have to do it.

 

I'm glad the restaurants now provide you with herb water.

 

I don't preach, but I do practice honesty. Again, I've never said it was wrong to bring booze aboard a ship. I think thou hath confused my opinion on that with someone elses.:)

 

Perhaps I have. I don't think it is wrong or 'stealing' for people to bring their own booze on a cruise. Nor do I think it's wrong or 'stealing' to consume food from the ship or shore in your cabin or on a port stop. I read the original post and your post seemed to be along the same lines so some topics may have been errantly directed at you. For that I apologize and if I raised your shackles a little bit in the process....It's good for your circulation to get a little adrenaline flowing now and then. ;)

[Cotton]

My mother worries about eating in some foreign ports. She feels that some of them do not have proper food handling regulations or that they are not policed.

 

Sue, I'm sure my mother would feel the same way about foreign ports.;) I would then gently remind her that in any restaurant back home she should have the same worries. I'm a retired F&B director for hotels, as well as a chef....I constantly stayed on my employees to "WASH YOUR HANDS!", and making sure foods were kept at the right temp, etc. You just never know what goes on in the kitchens of any restaurant.