New teeth in liqour policy?

[CoupleFromKY]

Nope. Sorry. they are NOT hurting themselves because people like me will cruise with NCL BECAUSE of their "stricter" rules on alcohol AND their pricier bar drinks.

 

I for one HATE being around a bunch of drunk, unruly, over-confident, belligerent, DRUNKS that *HAVE* to have their drink on in order to have a good time.

 

If you HAVE to have your booze your way, then cruise on a line where drinking is EASY and CHEAP. Go cruise Carnival.

 

I'll take my vacations with sober, fun, intelligent, witty, engaging people thank you.

 

And - the disrespect for cruise line policy is just down right disgusting. If you came to my home where I forbid smoking and shoes in the house - - and decided that they weren't really "that important" and smoked and walked all over with your shoes on - - then I'd have to throw you out.

 

It's the cruise line's ships, their rules. You don't like it - DON'T CRUISE WITH THEM.

 

My goodness grief!

 

GROW UP PEOPLE.

 

Carnival drinks are not cheap unless you consider 7.50 a drink cheap. They have strict alcohol rules also. Last cruise from New Orleans they had a huge Dumpster full of broken liquor bottles from Luggage.

[mag]

All I know is I enjoy having a few on the balcony every day ( thats right , every day ) and ordering a few ounces of booze from room service every time the mood strikes is just plain silly. I was content ordering my bar-setup until they removed Bourbon (Wild Turkey )from the list ( which is what I drink ). Sooo I guess its back to the old evil ways. To those that think " smuggling " is some moral offense , get a hobby you need one .

 

side bar: I would bet the majority of people that want to have a bottle in thier room are also in a balcony or higher. Point being , they spend a little more time in thier room ..

 

 

 

mpk

 

 

LOL...Can't you tell from the above posts???? Blah blah blah blah blah...their "hobby" is to be the moral high and mighty alcohol police...

[m steve]

and have no intention of sailing again on NCL. Princess and HAL are better lines and don't have a bad boy room to insult you in. There are too many drunks on Carnival for them to do that and get repeat cruisers.I don't believe that Carnival will take liquor and destroy it. I think the writer saw the remnents of a previous cruise being hauled away.

[mag]

and have no intention of sailing again on NCL. Princess and HAL are better lines and don't have a bad boy room to insult you in. There are too many drunks on Carnival for them to do that and get repeat cruisers.I don't believe that Carnival will take liquor and destroy it. I think the writer saw the remnents of a previous cruise being hauled away.

 

 

 

Mr. Steve, the "bad boy room" does not "insult you"...LOL...those people just got CAUGHT!! Yes, I have seen Carnival take away and destroy liquor. And IMHO there are drunks on every cruiseline. Personally, my worst "drunks bothering me experience" was on Princess...but it could happen on any cruiseline.

[CruisnGram]

Princess and HAL are better lines and don't have a bad boy room to insult you in.

 

Uh, where'd you get that info? They most certainly do have a naughty room. You've just been lucky that you haven't been called there.

 

I've heard lots of reasons as to why NCL is inferior to other lines, but I think that this one is the funniest yet. All mass market cruise lines have a strict liquor policy and if you get caught, they will remove the liquor from your possession. That INCLUDES Princess and HAL.

[melthemadhatter]

I just have to say that this entire thread has made my morning. I haven't laughed like this at 9 am in a very long time.

 

Thanks guys!!!

[newmexicoNita]

Uh, where'd you get that info? They most certainly do have a naughty room. You've just been lucky that you haven't been called there.

 

I've heard lots of reasons as to why NCL is inferior to other lines, but I think that this one is the funniest yet. All mass market cruise lines have a strict liquor policy and if you get caught, they will remove the liquor from your possession. That INCLUDES Princess and HAL.

you are so right about that: actaully the one time we had to surrender ours was on Celebrity and this has been about 4 years ago,even before NCL started cracking down. Now, it was an usual situation: We were boarding in San Juan, for those who have done this, you know there is a duty free shop right at the port. I am sure that is why the not so nice little man was sitting at the table as we approached the ship. He knew there would be any number of people shopping duty free before boarding. We just blew it off, but were pretty upset when it took us and several others a few hours the last night to track our booze down.

 

Nita

[G'ma]

and have no intention of sailing again on NCL. Princess and HAL are better lines and don't have a bad boy room to insult you in. There are too many drunks on Carnival for them to do that and get repeat cruisers.I don't believe that Carnival will take liquor and destroy it. I think the writer saw the remnents of a previous cruise being hauled away.

 

Well, yes, Carnival destroys the booze.....with no compensation. Here, from their website:

 

Liquor and Beverage Policy

 

Bringing Alcohol On Board - Embarkation

 

Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages onboard. However, guests 21 years of age and older only may bring one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, on board only during embarkation at the beginning of the cruise. A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you wish to consume this wine in the main dining room; $14 corkage fee per bottle in the Supper Club. Guests may bring a small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages. All prohibited alcohol, additional quantities of wine/champagne or excessive quantities of non-alcoholic beverages will be confiscated and discarded without compensation.

Booze purchased in ports will be held by Carnival until the last day of the cruise.

[G'ma]

I am becoming confused

 

On the one hand we read that Cruise Ships have made poor business moves and damaged their profitability with the policy to prohibit customers consuming their own spirits on board. If they changed their policy business would boom

 

On the other hand we read that the evil cruise companies have the policy because bottom line they are greedy and interested in their profits.

 

So far as I am concerned it makes no difference the whole subject has been beaten to death and cry all they might the unhappy are not going to get their way and they had better prepare for increased steps by the cruise lines.

 

I agree. What most "smugglers" don't understand is that THEY are in the minority. MOST cruise passengers don't try to bring alcohol onboard by smuggling. MOST passengers know the rules....all of them that govern the ship....and follow them.

 

Smugglers and others are simply those who believe the rules don't apply to them. They will use any excuse, drag up any issue, whine, complain, stamp their feet and throw temper tantrums to support their activity and point of view.

 

What it comes down to is they can't afford to buy their massive quantities of consumed booze one at a time like most do. They simply don't have the bucks to pay for a week of semi-comatose drinking....so they bring it on themselves. It would never occur to many of them to drink moderately, 1 or 2 a day - and enjoy the entire cruise experience with a clear head and a sober demeanor. Too many think a fine vacation is being semi-smashed for a week....and annoying those around them.

 

My opinion, folks. I've watched these people for 32 years of cruising and they are the same on every ship. Drunk, disorderly and many end up causing problems for everyone.

[m steve]

After 12+ cruises and going to CC meet and Greets I find almost everyone bnrought a bottle or 2 in their luggage. Just because you bring a bottle onto the ship doesn't mean that you are a falling down drunk. It seems those are the people who buy buckets of beer from the ship's bars and run to Carlos and Charlie's as soon as trhe ship docks. If Disney doesn't care if you bring a bottle onboard I don't know why the other cruise lines should care unless it's about $$$$.

I also don't know why most of the lines incl. HAL have very few choices of RUM on Caribbean cruises. It seems that unless you want Bacardi or Capt. Morgan you are out of luck.

[newmexicoNita]

After 12+ cruises and going to CC meet and Greets I find almost everyone bnrought a bottle or 2 in their luggage. Just because you bring a bottle onto the ship doesn't mean that you are a falling down drunk. It seems those are the people who buy buckets of beer from the ship's bars and run to Carlos and Charlie's as soon as trhe ship docks. If Disney doesn't care if you bring a bottle onboard I don't know why the other cruise lines should care unless it's about $$$$.

I also don't know why most of the lines incl. HAL have very few choices of RUM on Caribbean cruises. It seems that unless you want Bacardi or Capt. Morgan you are out of luck.

Why would you say, If Disney doesn't care, why should other lines? As for choices, I do understand that one, same with soda, some people really have a strong preferance, but you have to see the other side of the coin: For Bar set ups the cruise lines can not offer every brand thus they will go with the most popular. I also don't buy what you say about most people smuggling booze in luggage; sure, there are a lot that do, but not most...

 

Nita

[98Charlie]

Have to say, after following this thread over the past few days of soap opera digest, that I think cruise ships should start offering more special group meetings onboard, like a Friends of Smuggling.

 

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.

 

Dianne

[time2cruise1]

It is funny this thread has not yet run it's course and new one has started. I guess from the little I have seen there must always be an active thread on booze and smuggling.

Like so many topics you are never going to get people to change their mind. I think this problem was once again the result of a few spoiling it for the rest. No question drink sales are a major onboard profit center. I don't think that is the only reason for the rules. If we had just carried on a modest amount and enjoyed it in our cabins there would have been no change in the rules.

The fact is some passengers were bringing on massive amounts of beverages, drinking them all over the ship, and smuggling was the primary source for underage drinking onboard. Drunks young and old were falling off ship across the industry. So liability does play a roll.

If you are going to have rules then they have to try and enforce them. Like the DWI ads being run on TV - take a run at BYOB but expect to be caught and drink it responsibly in your cabin

[salty dingo]

My opinion' date=' folks. I've watched these people for 32 years of cruising and they are the same on every ship. Drunk, disorderly and many end up causing problems for everyone.[/quote']

I have over-indluged on occasion, but never have been out-of-control on a cruise ship. And what does that have to do with smuggling, anyway? I think most people can afford to buy cruise ship liquor in enough volume to be semi-comatose if they want.

 

Here's one reason I like to bring my own booze: when you go to the bar, your drink pays for more than the alcohol and mixer. It pays for the bartender, the insurance, the fixtures, furniture, music, and profit for the owner.

 

If you drink at home, you just pay the cost of what you consume. So, if I smuggle and drink in my cabin, should I be charged bar prices? If I drink in the bar, absolutely! If I drink in my cabin, no sir!

[time2cruise1]

If you drink at home, you just pay the cost of what you consume. So, if I smuggle and drink in my cabin, should I be charged bar prices? If I drink in the bar, absolutely! If I drink in my cabin, no sir!

 

I just wanted to point out when you are in your cabin you are not at home and they still need to cover that same overhead.

[MrLee]

I have over-indluged on occasion, but never have been out-of-control on a cruise ship. And what does that have to do with smuggling, anyway? I think most people can afford to buy cruise ship liquor in enough volume to be semi-comatose if they want.

 

Here's one reason I like to bring my own booze: when you go to the bar, your drink pays for more than the alcohol and mixer. It pays for the bartender, the insurance, the fixtures, furniture, music, and profit for the owner.

 

If you drink at home, you just pay the cost of what you consume. So, if I smuggle and drink in my cabin, should I be charged bar prices? If I drink in the bar, absolutely! If I drink in my cabin, no sir!

 

If you drink in your cabin the cost is still there. The cruiseline has to pay for fuel for the ship, wages, wear and tear, etc. :rolleyes:

 

 

EDIT: I see Time2cruise1 is saying pretty much the same thing! :D

[mag]

I agree. What most "smugglers" don't understand is that THEY are in the minority. MOST cruise passengers don't try to bring alcohol onboard by smuggling. MOST passengers know the rules....all of them that govern the ship....and follow them.

 

Smugglers and others are simply those who believe the rules don't apply to them. They will use any excuse' date=' drag up any issue, whine, complain, stamp their feet and throw temper tantrums to support their activity and point of view.

 

What it comes down to is they can't afford to buy their massive quantities of consumed booze one at a time like most do. They simply don't have the bucks to pay for a week of semi-comatose drinking....so they bring it on themselves. It would never occur to many of them to drink moderately, 1 or 2 a day - and enjoy the entire cruise experience with a clear head and a sober demeanor. Too many think a fine vacation is being semi-smashed for a week....and annoying those around them.

 

My opinion, folks. I've watched these people for 32 years of cruising and they are the same on every ship. Drunk, disorderly and many end up causing problems for everyone.[/quote']

 

 

 

Wow...you are certainly entitled to your opinion and I really do respect your opinion but that is a huge generalization. Do you really think that everyone that smuggles alcohol is semi-smashed and semi-comatose all week?

[GDAC]

If you drink in your cabin the cost is still there. The cruiseline has to pay for fuel for the ship, wages, wear and tear, etc. :rolleyes:

 

 

EDIT: I see Time2cruise1 is saying pretty much the same thing! :D

 

Isn't the cost of your room covered in the price you pay for the cruise?

[MrLee]

Isn't the cost of your room covered in the price you pay for the cruise?

 

Like everything else on board, some of the expense is your fare, some of it is covered by extra cost items (Booze, Casino, etc.) that you pay for on board.

[mpk218]

I thought no more Trays in the Buffet was going to cover that extra lost revenue ... Whats next ??

[MrLee]

 I thought no more Trays in the Buffet was going to cover that extra lost revenue ... Whats next ??__________________
" When you come to a fork in 
the road , Take it]
< Yogi Berra >

 

Hmmm...I see you believe Yogi too...:D

[m steve]

on a cruise I was on. Noone ever set fire to the ship by smoking a cigarette. Where are all these passengers who are endangering our lives by drinking in their cabin and smoking on the balcony. Perhaps in the mind of the rule lovers.

[vjmatty]

It is absolutely your right to criticise me on a personal basis and inform me I am not reading carefully. Please forgive me and feel free to continue if it gives you personal satisfaction. Maybe I was wrong when I thought I read "your cant compare a week on a cruise ship with a few hours in a cocktail bar" and also "Those few drinks"

Personally I am amazed at the big deal you are making over one glass of whatever whilst dressing for dinner each evening.

 

May I respectfully ask you to read the following observations on my part even if you decide they are all "flawed" .

 

1. My original comments were not aimed at you personally nor you alone which it appears you assume

2, I am not sure how you decided every other passengers behaves the same as you. Many will behave very differently .

3. There is a distinct difference between wine and spirits.

4. My comments are not for those who bring wine on board and pay a corkage which is absolutely in accordance with Contract conditions

5. To make a genuine "cocktail" normally involves several spirits -- so do you suggest people be allowed to bring as many bottles as a cocktail they claim is the only one they drink requires? For instance a Long Island Ice Tea requires tequila, rum, gin, vodka..

6. Although it is unimportant (and I mention it only since you believe I am not reading carefully) you have in your second post changed your reasons for deciding my analogy is flawed. First it was a question of the difference between 7days ,and a few hours spent in a bar and in your own words "I have never had a bedroom or private balcony in any cocktail lounge I have gone to, so I think your analogy is flawed".

Now In your later post NCL has become a "Resort" and cocktails are not its sole source of income.

Maybe Resort is one way to describe your cruise ship but it is a Resort with Contract conditions and Policies it has the right to expect guests to honour. It is a resort which taking into account accommodation, food, travel, service, entertainment, etct provides value far outstripping land based resorts and has every right to expect to make a profit on liquor sales.

Sorry but I still believe what is unacceptable in a cocktail bar must be unacceptable in a "resort" if prohibited.

A cocktail bar might well have to derive income from cocktails alone but it will also have considerably fewer costs/overheads/wastage's than a resort. The business plan of the resort could well include bar profits in its expectations and has the right to prevent people damaging that.

7. If you have never encountered passengers out in the public rooms/decks with a container of some kind with their smuggled spirits mixed in perhaps cola or orange juice you are lucky. Some even boast about how clever they are and that they have not paid for a single drink whole cruise..

8. Congratulations you are indeed fortunate and I am impressed. A 3 floor residence with so many facilities particularly in the bedroom is far superior to my humble one bedroom apartment with combined living/dining room and a very small balcony off the kitchen. . Despite that I am willing to honour the requirements of the cruise company and pay for spirits or wine I might drink on board.. I budget and have only what I can afford.

9. You are showing us your 4 upcoming cruises all within a matter of months and again congratulations you are far luckier than me who now I am a pensioner can only afford one main holiday per year. However you should be aware that the other 3 companies (for general passengers) operate Contractual Conditions no different to NCL some might not even offer a "wine corkage" fee.

10. You are right most do not offer a "bar set up" to save clients money so why beat up on NCL who try to treat passengers as responsible adults?

11. I only learned about the "Bar Set Up" by carefully reading the forums and I am grateful for the knowledge gained.

12. On a very personal basis I have been advised by my Cardiologist to have 1 or 2 glasses of red wine per night. Because of my one medication (warfarin) it is most important that I follow the same regime each night. From here

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/pdfs/locale-us/wine_list.pdf

I will pre-order my few bottles of wine and hopefully they will be there waiting for me at boarding and I will have no need of carrying it, or corkage charges and all costs built in to my holiday budget..

13. Not so long ago I read a topic here concerning NCLs financial stability. At that time it seemed to be the general consensus that they were not making the profits you and others believe. Quite the reverse in fact.

14. fyfisticts show that the easier spirits are to obtain, or the cheaper the price of the spirits so there is an increase in drunken behaviour.

Perhaps there is an unacknowledged reason in the NCL policy which has nothing to do with profits but is of benefit to many passengers.

15. Every cruise line is going to toughen up their policy on spirits and maybe even wine being brought on board. People better get used to that. It is ridiculous for some passengers to constantly complain and attempt to justify their smuggling (something done secretly or against rules/laws) with pathetic excuses. They know the situation accept it or take the business elsewhere...

 

May I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy and safe NCL Spirit (and wine:) ) cruise now only days away for you.

 

Yikes! This is more writing than I do for work, however since I need a break from everything that is cropping up the office as it always does right before I leave, I will indulge in some feedback....

 

1. Sorry if I assumed that a post with my screen name proceeding it was directed at me.

 

2. I do not assume everyone is like me, nor would I hope so for their sakes.

 

3. While there is a difference between wine and spirits, I think those who want to get wasted will do so regardless of their poison. I lived with an alcoholic whose drink of choice was beer, with a lower % than wine.

 

4. When you directed your comments at me by using my screen name after I had said I have no problem paying the corkage fee, it appeared that you were accusing me of violating the policy.

 

5. Some cocktails involve several spirits, others involve NA mixes. And let's face it, do you think martini drinkers would really bother bringing any vermouth? (sorry, bartender's joke)

 

6. I am sorry I was not clear the first time I mentioned that your analogy was flawed. Comparing a few hours in a cocktail bar to a week on a cruise ship I think misses the mark because the sole purpose of going to a cocktail lounge is to have a drink. A cruise is more like an entire resort, where you don't go just to drink but engage in a variety of other activities where alcohol is merely an accoutrement. Additionally, the lounge is making all of their revenue from alcohol whereas the cruise ship or resort has a multitude of profit-generating sources.

 

7. Call me lucky then.

 

8. The third floor is a refinished attic and you can get a mini-fridge at Lowe's for under $80.

 

9. I am aware of the alcohol policies regarding the other cruise lines and I have no problem following them. Perhaps I wrongly assumed that since Cunard doesn't search bags for alcohol yet never has any issues with rowdy behavior, even with a drinking age of only 18, that other ships could trust people to drink in their rooms responsibly. I can live with having made that incorrect assumption.

 

10. I do not recall beating up on NCL.

 

11. I agree it is helpful except that they no longer offer Baileys Irish Cream and have replaced it with a knockoff.

 

12. I think if you provide the cruise line with a doctor's note you may get an exception to the one-bottle rule.

 

13. If I were to get into the whole debacle of NCL and the demise of its American-flagged ships it would take the rest of the evening to explain why that became a financial disaster pulling down the rest of the company. You may wish to do a search, or check out the Passenger Vessel Services Act thread in the Ask a Cruise Question forum.

 

14. If that is the case then why does Cunard, with its lax beverage policy and 18 year drinking age not have these drunken behavioral problems.

 

15. I wasn't justifying smuggling, I was saying that I think the policies can be relaxed a bit. I have yet to see rowdy drunken behavior whether on Carnival or Cunard, but as you alluded to earlier, maybe I am just lucky. ;)

[vjmatty]

I note that you have an MSC cruise booked over Christmas.

Living in Europe I have sailed the Med with them a few times. It might interest you to learn that it was in 2004 they changed their policy.

No longer could customers bring their own spirits aboard. No longer could customers buy spirits at the on board store and take it back to their cabin.

 

MSC is a Family owned company a family who have a very hands on approach and directly involved with the company. I am quite sure that they are astute enough to reakise if they had made a poor business decision and to reverse it.

 

Going off topic a bit and being personal. Unless you have done considerable pre cruise research or cruised with MSC before you possibly have made a bad decision. I hope not.

MSC are not and have no desire to be like Cunard, Princess, RCI, Costa/Carnival etc etc. They cater to a truly international passenger base. The family have their own very definite ideas on how a true Italian ship should be and have built a loyal passenger base amongst Europeans .

Just to give a few examples of what you might find -

few people who talk english,

large family groups who will have little respect for buffet queues..and have children running everywhere unchecked and this even late at night.

There will be very few if any "death by chocolate" style desserts.

Dining times of an evening will be later.

Different cultures/nationalities will have different behaviour.

That said I believe there is no real reason why you cannot have a truly wonderful if different cruise experience.

 

I am a Greek citizen by birth and speak three languages. Many of my summers growing up were spent in Europe with my father who lived there, in fact both my parents were born in Greece.

 

We are taking this MSC cruise with a hope that it will be different than the mainstream lines, that is why we cruise Cunard also. Not saying Cunard and MSC are the same nor do I expect them to be, but I like to cruise outside the box.

 

People warned me about the Carnival Destiny and we loved it.... they warned us about Martinique and we loved it there... we tend to have a rather eclectic palette when it comes to, well, just about everything. Something European-based with no American influence is perfectly fine with me, in fact I look forward to it.

 

And don't worry, two of the unruly children will be ours. ;)

[mag]

I am a Greek citizen by birth and speak three languages. Many of my summers growing up were spent in Europe with my father who lived there, in fact both my parents were born in Greece.

 

We are taking this MSC cruise with a hope that it will be different than the mainstream lines, that is why we cruise Cunard also. Not saying Cunard and MSC are the same nor do I expect them to be, but I like to cruise outside the box.

 

People warned me about the Carnival Destiny and we loved it.... they warned us about Martinique and we loved it there... we tend to have a rather eclectic palette when it comes to, well, just about everything. Something European-based with no American influence is perfectly fine with me, in fact I look forward to it.

 

And don't worry, two of the unruly children will be ours. ;)

 

 

 

 

You go girl!!!

 

You gets points from me for just being able to READ the whole thing...I couldn't even get thru it!