??? Logic of Rum Runners

[Jack McHammocklashing]

You pay $1200 for a cruise

then pay £22 for a rum runner to smugle onboard a $10 bottle of rum? that otherwise may have cost you $22 onboard

 

I really just can not see the point

 

Other than to get one over the cruise line and save $10 on a $1200 cruise

 

Jack McHammocklashing

[StillPooh]

You pay $1200 for a cruise

then pay £22 for a rum runner to smugle onboard a $10 bottle of rum? that otherwise may have cost you $22 onboard

It's my understanding that you cannot purchase bottles of liquor for consumption on board. At least not on Carnival, the line I am sailing.

[StillPooh]

Carnival's policy:

 

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 steakhouse. 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.

 

Alcoholic beverages of any kind purchased in the ship's gift shop will be stored on board and be retained by Carnival until the end of the voyage.

Rum runners are cheap; rum and cokes on board, not so much. :p

[cb at sea]

I don't get it, either. Same with buying "cheap" liquor and then having to haul it all home! It's just never made sense to me!

 

However, I do feel that you should be allowed to openly bring whatever liquor you want...after all, you can do it in a hotel, and they serve drinks/food there, too! It's simply a way to get more money out of the customer's pockets!

[StillPooh]

I don't drink cheap liquor; life's too short for that. ;)

 

I've never bought a ten dollar bottle of rum in my life.

[simplelife]

Liquor bought in the gift shops (duty free) is held until disembarkation, However, you can order a bottle of liquor or wine and have it delivered to your cabin. Of course you pay the higher on-board price.:(

I understanhd this is still a savings over by-the-drink.

[travelntreats]

I don't get it, either. Same with buying "cheap" liquor and then having to haul it all home! It's just never made sense to me!

 

However, I do feel that you should be allowed to openly bring whatever liquor you want...after all, you can do it in a hotel, and they serve drinks/food there, too! It's simply a way to get more money out of the customer's pockets!

Thank you... I whole heartedly agree with you on every point !

[upstate_italian]

For me I paid $250pp/ov for my 5 day cruise so I don't want to run up a bar tab equal to what I paid for the cruise.

[tada]

Not that I like to admit to huge bar tabs, but I ran up a bar tab of over $800 on a 12 day cruise. In the end, that came out to about 4 bottles of Barcardi 8 rum (the best that Carnival carries). Those bottles can be purchased in a US liquor store for around $20 per bottle. So $80 for the run + $25 for the Rum Runners comes out to $105 dollars, quite less than the bar bill. Now you can have the rum delivered to your room in some areas of the world for around $35 per bottle, still far less than the $800 bar bill.

[sun~]

I buy bottles of rum (mount gay or a premium appletons - I have yet to see a decent rum for $10) and rye (crown royal) in port and fill the rum runners. Not all cruise lines do a bar set up for the cabin (they do on NCL, but not on my recent Carnival & Princess cruises). DH will have a drink on the balcony before dinner or mid afternoon, I want to be able to make a drink in my cabin when I feel like it, without having to go to a bar or order room service. I can do that in any hotel room. I also bring coke zero as well, since they don't have it on board. No, it isn't heavy or cumbersome.

 

Our bar tab is still quite high with DODs and drinks in lounges.

 

We have also brought on many bottles of wine (yes we pay corkage) and bring on significantly better wine than is offered on board. No, it isn't heavy or cumbersome, it gets packed in a roll on suitcase.

[julieanne]

Rumrunners = $22

Bottle of Absolut onboard NCL for in cabin consumption: $80

I totally agree with CB.....

[smrtypnts]

And let's not forget, you'll take your rum runners home with you so that after that first purchase, there's no fee in relation to the rum runners. I don't even feel like I cheat the cruiseline because as for me, it's strictly for consumption in my room while I get ready for dinner, etc. I still manage to run up a bar tab of $500+ for DH and myself.

[MrsPete]

You pay $1200 for a cruise

then pay £22 for a rum runner to smugle onboard a $10 bottle of rum? that otherwise may have cost you $22 onboard

 

I really just can not see the point

 

Other than to get one over the cruise line and save $10 on a $1200 cruise

 

Jack McHammocklashing

Liquor onboard is VERY expensive. At home it is cheap. The £22 vs $22 isn't a realistic comparison at all.

 

Also, I see no connection between the cost of the cruise and whether I am willing to pay big bucks for a drink. Whether the vacation was very expensive or almost free, I don't want to over-pay for drinks.

 

I do agree, however, that the rum runners are unnecessary. You can buy your liquor in a plastic bottle (sometimes called a travel bottle) at the liquor store, and that eliminates the need for buying the product and transferring the liquid.

[NutsAboutGolf]

I'll stick with USD pricing. First I'll say that the cruise kit holds 3.6 total liters or 120oz; my state isn't charged taxed and the kit shipped to my door with a coupon is $23.45. For other people it may be more due to shipping and tax. Most popular liquors come in 1.75 bottles or 59oz, meaning two bottles will fit in the rum runners. Where I live for about $20 I can get 1.75 liters of capt morgan. A rum and coke contains roughly 2oz of rum. Your two summgled bottles of 1.75l rum contains 118oz, most bartenders use 2oz of rum for a rum and coke thus 118oz of rum equal enough rum for 59 rum and cokes. On the low end on the ship at $4.95 x .15 tip is $5.70 per rum and coke, x 59 = $336.30 on the ship. On the high end $6.95 x .15 tip = $8 per rum and coke, x 59 rum and cokes $472.00 on the ship.

 

This is just one example of the cost saving and I didn't factor in the soda for the rum runners, but no matter if you bring your soda, pay the $2 can or get the unlimited soda card, you'll still make out. Best bang for your buck is bring strong liquor. 118oz Bacardi 151 should be enough to keep a couple constantly intoxicated during an one week cruise ;)

[StillPooh]

I just ordered my cruise kit. 49 minutes after getting my order confirmation, I got my shipping confirmation! :eek:

 

Wish all the companies I shop online with were that good.

[MrsPete]

. . . the kit shipped to my door with a coupon is $23.45 . . . for about $20 I can get 1.75 liters of capt morgan . . . $336.30 on the ship . . . [or] $472.00 on the ship.

$43.45 vs. $336.30 or $472.00 . . . that's a more realistic comparison than the OP's.

[NutsAboutGolf]

$43.45 vs. $336.30 or $472.00 . . . that's a more realistic comparison than the OP's.

 

I'll go with a complete apples to apples comparison:

 

On ship 59 rum and cokes $336.30-$472.00.

Bring your own RR, 2 bottles of rum and your own 2 litters of soda $74.50 (almost $400 saved)

Bring your own RR, 2 bottles of rum and buy the unlimited soda deal $181.30; remember you get all the soda you want!

[G'ma]

It's my understanding that you cannot purchase bottles of liquor for consumption on board. At least not on Carnival, the line I am sailing.

 

Yes you can order....through the Bon Voyage department prior to your cruise......

 

Everything is brought in and waiting for you.

 

Just call them.

[G'ma]

I hate paying for those overpriced drinks at my favorite restaurant. So, I strap rum-runners full of my favorite booze around my stomach, under my shirt and, using duct tape, make sure it's nice and tight. If I wear a large jacket or blouse, nobody knows.....they might think I'm overweight..but what the heck.

 

I order a couple of cokes for me and my companion, drink that down a bit and, secretly turning away, I carefully unscrew the lid on my stash and quicky fill the glass with rum...or whatever I've brought. Nobody knows and I don't have to pay for those high-priced drinks......

 

Sometimes my companion brings wine squirreled away so we can enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner without having to pay high prices, too.

 

After all, who in their right mind would ever pay 6.00 for a glass of cheap chianti or 7/8.00 for a mixed drink. I tell ya, it's anti-American!!! They are just out to take your money......

 

Heck, even a decent beer is almost 4/5.00 at the local bowling alley. I always bring my own and leave it in the car. I'll order a beer in a glass and when the glass is empty, I pretend I have to go to the bathroom but secretly sneak out to my car to fill the glass with my cheaper beer. You can also do this with the hard stuff, if you are clever enough.

 

They are just out to get your money there, too. They don't care that you bowl there every week and spend a lot of money....they are just ripping you off to make a profit.:cool::cool:

[NutsAboutGolf]

I saw a financial show on Business NBC talking about cruising and profits...Most of the show revolved around a NCL ship...What stood out was the fact that in order to survive, they divided the $$$ in operations costs over the days of the cruise. So if it overall cost $10M in taxes, wages, port fees/taxes, the "brass" would divide the $10M by the number of days of the cruise, like 7 days. Going by these numbers, $1.42M would be needed. The show basically said it would offer deals on spa services, fee-restaurants and most importantly ALCOHOL specials... :)

[satxdiver]

Not only have I never seen a $10 bottle of rum, I would never buy one. I buy the better rums, bourbon, vodka, etc. I do take some rum aboard but mostly bourbon, gin and vodka. I will assure you that none are cheap liquor. Life is simply too short!

 

I use the RR and as pointed out the kit holds a lot more than a single bottle of liquor and it is reusable. Mine have seen quite a few cruises and have been used a few times locally. If one chooses to pay the ship price for mixed drinks, more power to them. I for one will have my RR filled with the brands I like.

 

[leeanninfla]

On NCL, you can buy Captain Morgan Parrot Bay for $10, as well as Jim Beam. I do know this because I get a couple of bottles on every cruise. And yes, i do bring my rum on board with me, as well as caffine free diet coke.

[leeanninfla]

On NCL, you can buy Captain Morgan Parrot Bay for $10, as well as Jim Beam. I do know this because I get a couple of bottles on every cruise. And yes, i do bring my rum on board with me, as well as caffine free diet coke.

[StillPooh]

On NCL, you can buy Captain Morgan Parrot Bay for $10, as well as Jim Beam. I do know this because I get a couple of bottles on every cruise.

I don't believe that. Even on (my local military) base (with no state tax to pay) it's more than that for a 750 ml bottle of Parrot Bay.

 

Unless you're buying teeny bottles? :confused:

[PennyAgain]

It isn't just the money, it is having the liquor of your own choice. I have traveled with Rum Runners for years, not just on cruises. I use them very often when staying in hotels. Saved a fortune!

 

I also use the partner product for shampoos and conditioners.

 

Yes, their customer service is amazing!