Proposition: RC will now let you buy a bottle & take it back to your cabin: how much?

[negc]

Hey I am just telling you what was told to me by a guy that I have seen in that shop for years. I have been cruising on the Rhapsody for awhile. Ill be on there again in a couple weeks, if I get down there, Ill ask again. I dont always get in that store while on board.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like I was doubting you, just the person who gave you that explanation. All too often people get creative when they try to explain situations and I think that the store employee was one of those people. My point was that RCI would have made sure when it contracted out the liquor store operation to include language in the agreement that allowed them to retain all or a portion of that fee.:)

[Nitra]

Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like I was doubting you, just the person who gave you that explanation. All too often people get creative when they try to explain situations and I think that the store employee was one of those people. My point was that RCI would have made sure when it contracted out the liquor store operation to include language in the agreement that allowed them to retain all or a portion of that fee.:)

 

hey I agree with you! You would think they could work something out. There is always more to the story than we know.. For those that like to have a cocktail in their cabin it is a raw deal. For myself, no big deal, but I do understand.

 

Maybe they will come up with a compromise one day and start selling the packages for in cabin set up or something.

[ccletzgo]

You don't have a low enough choice. I would pay $9-$12 plus the cost of the liquor to take it back to my room.

 

 

I agree. $10 I would do it. I thought 9.00 was ok, but you didnt put a low enough figure so I said I wouldnt do it at all.

[ccletzgo]

I would definitely pay $20-$25 to be able to take a bottle back to my room. SERIOUSLY people! The prices you pay at the onboard shops are CHEAP......add $20-25 and you'd be paying about what you pay back home! I've bought in port to take back home.......I buy unique tequila bottles because I enjoy the pretty bottles as much as I do the tequila! lol Yeah...the port authorities made fun of me last week when I told them just that! ;)

 

I didn't realize they EVER let you....I've only cruised twiced though, and that was in the past 2 years!

 

 

I used to buy and take 3 differant bottles to our cabin. $9 a bottle to do that was enough.

[NAVIG8ER]

Not having to worry about smuggling or paying delivery service markup on retail price and delivery charge.... $30 easy at duty free prices. And you can bet RCI or any company would keep their finger in the pie with some control and a percentage.

[winncove]

$10 first nite special for multiple bottles is my choice! I don't want the same drink every time & would never drink a whole fifth anyway. Like most we'd still be buying from the bars most of the time. Sorry Carol, I don't agree $15 per bottle is acceptable! Even tho. they say they'll match island prices and have once for me, that's a hassle too & generally islands, esp. St. Maarten is cheaper! Somebody's making a profit w/their bulk buying & I doubt RCCL gave that up! :eek:

[Merion_Mom]

$10 first nite special for multiple bottles is my choice! I don't want the same drink every time & would never drink a whole fifth anyway. Like most we'd still be buying from the bars most of the time. Sorry Carol, I don't agree $15 per bottle is acceptable! Even tho. they say they'll match island prices and have once for me, that's a hassle too & generally islands, esp. St. Maarten is cheaper! Somebody's making a profit w/their bulk buying & I doubt RCCL gave that up!

Del, but if the choice is duty-free price plus $15 - $20, you are still doing better than if you bought every drink from the bar.

 

That's basically my point.

 

People who smuggle to get a free ride are the reason that RC clamped down.

 

A reasonable compromise is the only way out. I don't think that we are going to see RC relenting on the issue of carrying your own on board.

[skandls]

Just let me bring my wine and pay reasonable corkage. We will buy our cocktails on board but I do not like paying 5 times markup on mediocre wine. I would be happy to bring wine to the dining room and pay corkage.

 

Paying $35 for a $9 (at the Vons) makes me an unhappy sailor. Charge fairly for your wines and corkage. I will happily pay for my martinis and other foo-foo drinks. No need to smuggle hard liquor on board.

 

So charge $100 per bottle for the hard stuff just give me my wine at dinner.

[Happy ks]

It was great when they charged the room delivery fee and you could have your own bottle available. I'm not a big drinker, but my husband enjoys a drink waiting for me to finish getting ready for dinner.

 

I have to agree with the opinion it is more a liability issue than anything else. Although I do think the cruise line had to take a stand I also think their total cut-off was overkill.

 

I voted $15, I think that is a reasonable amount. Perhaps if they required a pre-purchase and a limit of one bottle per cabin.

 

I also have to agree with skandls about the wine. We gladly paid the corkage for years, it was rude for them to take that priviledge away. Our last cruise we bought all our wine from them on a wine and dine package, the choices were limited and we really only found one bottle to our liking. Takes the fun out of trying new wines, or enjoying old favorites. If they have to be so strict with eliminating personal wine, the least they could do is make better choices available.

[winncove]

Del, but if the choice is duty-free price plus $15 - $20, you are still doing better than if you bought every drink from the bar.

 

A reasonable compromise is the only way out. I don't think that we are going to see RC relenting on the issue of carrying your own on board.

 

 

That still doesn't make it right that we have to carry a drink from a bar to the rm. 2-3 Xs a day/night! Ice melts, slops over on the floor or your clothes plus the bother of going to the bar. If the casino is on the way back, then it gets d***ed expensive! :rolleyes: Yes, duty free is cheaper than @ home but not $15-20 less, just more conveient than packing. Back to the old argument that we're paying $200/night or more & they're not going broke if we bring a cpl. small bottles of our choice to our rm. :p

[isujim]

Whatever they want to charge...........it's their cruiseline..........hard to say until I know the price:D

[isujim]

Seriously I don't know what I would pay.............I really don't know.........even when you could do this.......I never did it anyway:)

[Schplinky]

See, people, this is the problem. You are all too cheap. You want something for nothing.

 

Look at Shelley's prices. She marks up liquor store prices more than many of you say that you are willing to pay - but you are willing to use JBOY.

 

If it's not worth RC's while to do this again, they have no incentive.

 

Seriously reconsider your position.

 

If you really wouldn't pay AT LEAST $20 on top of the DUTY FREE CHEAP PRICES in the onboard store, you don't deserve to have the privilege restored!

 

You've hit the nail on the head. I was looking at some of the prices at these gift basket services and for some wines, ti was cheaper just to buy them onboard. Why would anyone do that?

[roadnut]

Why pay any surcharge? Do you purchase a shirt and pay extra to wear it that day? Do you pay extra for souvenirs? For too long people have gotten used to paying a surcharge for liquor that now it's not only common practice, but we're now even saying "let us pay more!"

 

It's kinda like healthcare in the US. Most people never used to pay anything. Then they started adding co-pays and paycheck deductions...now it's barely given a second thought when fees go up every year.

 

If the liquor is too cheap, then raise the price for each bottle, or put in a bottle limit per seapass (say, 2 bottles) that will limit the number than can be purchased per person.

[vickiw0318]

As I understand it, if you had the store hold your purchases to the end of the cruise, you didn't pay a surcharge. That was only paid if you wanted the bottle for immediate consumption.

 

I don't know of any venue in the Dallas area that allows liquor to be brought in for immediate consumption. I am going to see Rod Stewart (guess he could serve on the good old Mustard of the Seas, right? :)) tonight and I guarantee the folks at the American Airlines Center will be checking every bag that comes into the place.) Now, that is a strictly economic move - they do want you to pay their prices.

 

Since RCI did at one time charge an extra fee for immediate comsumption and did away with the practice - instead of just raising it - I still feel like that there is a liability issue at hand here. An underage drinker could easily get someone over age 21 to buy them a bottle. Back in my college days, we would have so done that! (Okay, we did that. The 21 year olds in my boyfriend's fraternity were always making liquor runs for the older ones.) We would have gladly paid a $25 surcharge for the privilege of being able to party.

 

I know nothing about the issue of who owns or doesn't own the onboard liquor store. I can't imagine that if it is owned by someone other than RCI, that they (RCI) hasn't set this up to reap a good percentage of the sales and former surcharges and would, if the surcharge was increased, get a higher percentage. They would have had to do something like this to offset lost bar sale revenue. So, I am once again back to the liability issue.

 

As to the wine and paying the corkage fee, I think, from the comments, that some people would play by those rules. However, I think a lot of people would be sitting on their balconies drinking wine. If I could still partake, that's where I would be.

 

It's a shame that here (like in so many areas) that the behavior of a few has had an effect of creating a less pleasurable cruise for many.

[Schplinky]

Vivki: well written piece. So many people write on here that unless they agree witht he price, they will bring their own. Can you do this at the Olive Garden? If I don't like the price the NHL Arena charges for beer, can I bring it in under my arm?

[DCPIV]

See, people, this is the problem. You are all too cheap. You want something for nothing.

 

Look at Shelley's prices. She marks up liquor store prices more than many of you say that you are willing to pay - but you are willing to use JBOY.

 

If it's not worth RC's while to do this again, they have no incentive.

 

Seriously reconsider your position.

 

If you really wouldn't pay AT LEAST $20 on top of the DUTY FREE CHEAP PRICES in the onboard store, you don't deserve to have the privilege restored!

 

Part of Shelley's markup is the fee she pays to RCCL to deliver the basket onboard and her higher overhead related to the actual delivery. RCCL does not need to pay itself that fee and does not have to deal with delivery logistics (i.e., we carry the bottle out of the store). Just because I'm willing to pay a higher price to someone with a higher overhead (when they are the only game in town) doesn't mean I let someone else off the hook when they can charge a lower price and do just fine. I work for the best deal I can get.

 

By the same token, duty free prices are cheap because they are duty free, not because RCCL or whatever contractor is sacrificing so that we can have such a great price.

 

I'm also willing to pay $10-12 and no more. However, I also don't need to see a first night, all you can carry special. One or two bottles is plenty for me, also, if they want to set a limit. If RCCL feels that $12 isn't enough to make up for whatever they feel they may lose in the bars, then we don't have a deal. The irony is that, if I'm in my room and would like a drink, chances are good I'll just pass on the drink. If I had a bottle available in my room, I may have indulged myself, but it's not usually worth it to bring one back from the bar or order one through room service. I would like to see the program reinstated, but it's no more important to me than $12 are.

 

Nitra, I'd like to hear more about what sort of deal the line has with the liquor store operator. I'm sure they could work something out that both sides could agree on. The store certainly would increase sales if passengers could bring bottles back to their rooms. Thanks for all the insider insights. :)

 

 

D

[marci22]

I would have picked $10 but it wasnt listed so I chose $15.

[vickiw0318]

"I'm also willing to pay $10-12 and no more. However, I also don't need to see a first night, all you can carry special. One or two bottles is plenty for me, also, if they want to set a limit. If RCCL feels that $12 isn't enough to make up for whatever they feel they may lose in the bars, then we don't have a deal. The irony is that, if I'm in my room and would like a drink, chances are good I'll just pass on the drink. If I had a bottle available in my room, I may have indulged myself, but it's not usually worth it to bring one back from the bar or order one through room service. I would like to see the program reinstated, but it's no more important to me than $12 are."

 

These words just emphasize the point made in my last paragraph. Most people would use such a privilege responsibly. The others that would not, whether it be by onboard purchases or smuggling, have created a liability situation that has caused RCI to do away with the program. I don't think it's a question of revenue anymore.

[Nitra]

I have been thinking on this and I wonder about something. If you are in a suite, and I would assume they do it for other cabins too, you can have a cocktail party, they will do a bar setup for you, yes you have to pay for it. So I wonder if you can do this just so you have drinks in your cabin? I have not done it but know others that have.

 

I have bought bottles of wine in the bar and taken them back to my cabin. I wonder if you can still do this. I found the prices in the bar to be less than ordering it via room service. Not sure this is still the case but just some thoughts I had...

[crock921]

my opinion is that i would only buy booze on board because it is so cheap, and it is not worth paying morth than the bottle is worth at home just to be able to take it to my room. If I want to drink in my room, I will find a way to get the booze on board when I embark.

[Merion_Mom]

Any more opinions? ;)

[FlyingPhotog]

It is the FEE to take the bottle with you, of course. :)

 

Bottles in the shop can cost anywhere from $8-ish up to $150!

 

Why's $15 the minimum? I wouldn't pay $15 to take any price bottle back to the room. Unless perhaps it was champagne for a major celebration.

[dachshunddoglover]

I think it should be a percentage of the cost of whatever you are buying. All I would want would be a bottle of Baileys or Amarula which is maybe $14.00 in the gift shop on the ship. I can get that at home for $20. It does not seem fair to spend a $15.00 fee to use it in my cabin when someone else may buy a $60.00 lplus bottle of something and still get the same $15. user fee. It should be a percentage! That is the only fair way. Now - what percentage do I think is fair? probably 25%, somewhere around that. Just my two cents. E-Beth:D

[bermudashorts]

Usually sneak stuff onboard and we had no problem in Sept.

But this next cruise is out of San Juan so i don't know if I can use my way to smuggle.

 

A few years ago we did the $9 fee and bought 4-5 different bottles for our cabin.

First balcony and wanted to have a group meeting place before dinner

 

 

If they reinstalled this program, I'm sure we wouldn't smuggle.

It is a hassle to do it but we will continue if the policy doesn't change.

I voted $15, I think that is a good enough markup for RCCL.

We don't use the service like Shelly's so i can't comment on that part or even know the cost.

 

I think...

-If you can't buy it the first night onboard.

-They should make it so you can order online and then allow pickup with ID at the store the first night.

-If they want to set a limit, thats fine.

2 bottles of the hard stuff is ok with me.