"Naughty room" for 2 airplane bottles of rum!

[Badlands99]

Lighten up, Francis from... the movie 'Stripes' come to mind.

 

Mitch

 

"And I don't like nobody touching my stuff. So just keep your meat-hooks off. If I catch any of you guys in my stuff, I'll kill you."

 

Easily among the top ten moments in cinematic history.

 

I award you one hundred internets for that reference, and a bonus high five since it applies so beautifully to this thread.

 

Bravo!

[princessangi]

Here's my question. I have read more of these threads than I can count, and I have weighed in on a few of them. Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

[PrincesScuba]

Here's my question. I have read more of these threads than I can count, and I have weighed in on a few of them. Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

So, exactly which of the prices for which drinks do you think are unfairly or overpriced?

[Aquahound]

Considering a beer is $7 and a martini is $12 where I live, I think the prices on board are pretty reasonable.

[crcossel]

I have no doubt you are three times better--probably more. I suspect you spend a little more time with your clients getting a good photograph and developing them and probably printing them on much better quality paper.

 

Photographs rank third or fourth in ship's revenue after alcohol sales, casino, and ship's excursions.

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Why thankyou!

[crcossel]

Here's my question. I have read more of these threads than I can count, and I have weighed in on a few of them. Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

 

 

I am also wondering what is so overpriced. Just in a regular restaurant here I would pay 7-10 for a regular sized margarita. Nothing less than $5 unless its a "special".

[Cahroozer]

I agree that it's good to follow rules, but we are not supposed to check in our brains out of blind fear of being accused of unethical conduct. The rule against irons is a safety rule, and anyone intentionally breaking it is endangering us all. Doing 150 mph on the highway is blatantly dangerous. Driving the speed limit on I-55 in Chicago is suicide. We have to use judgment.

 

The rule against bringing alcohol on board is economic and the ethics are a little different here. Are you a moral leper for bringing a candy bar to the movie theater? ("Security we need a full pat-down in Theater 3, dogs detect chocolate on the kid in the green sweater")

 

Busting someone for two miniatures is simply petty. They should be embarrassed that they made a big deal out of that. I can imagine they wouldn't want many of their passengers bringing cases of beer and suitcases full of liquor onboard, but this says they are willing to embarrass a customer over a trifle. They owe her an apology.

 

I don't mind the prices of drinks - I've certainly paid plenty to RCCL and I will in the future. But they DO take advantage of our captive status to maximize alcohol sales. If I buy something in a hotel store I can consume it on the premises, as well as order in a pizza rather than eat in their restaurant.

 

I respect the company's need to turn a profit, and I willingly - no, happily - buy their drinks, gamble in their casino, buy their wine in advance, eat in the specialty restaurant and take their excursions. But they show themselves to be small and money-grubbing when they pull a stunt like this.

[hylasgirl]

My mother, who is 76, just got off the Grandeur. She went to the naughty room to retrieve her bag over 2 miniature (ie. 2oz) bottles of rum. Now that's getting petty.

 

 

That is terrible! And STUPID! What a waste of time...

[Nano]

i would have opened both minis in the naughty room and chugged them, then handed them the empties and burped.

 

Perfect!! You made my night!! :-D

[bearandbee]

You're exactly right. They're going to give the bags a quick search, and they're going to find SOME alcohol. Judging from these posts, the majority of it gets through.

 

I've brought a small amount of alcohol on every cruise. I'm going to continue bringing a small amount of alcohol. If it's ever found, I won't be upset, and I won't be a bit embarassed to go pick up my suitcase. There's really no downside; you're going to get it back at the end of the cruise.

 

I thought I read in the cruise contract that Royal Caribbean can deny you boarding for trying to smuggle booze on board. If true, that would be one heck of a "downside"!:eek:

 

Does anyone know if this is true (I am too lazy to read the contract again) and if so, do you know if they have ever enforced this rule? Just curious...I have no plans to smuggle.

[wayne_trisha]

Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

 

The price of drinks will not affect whether or not I smuggle. The ability to purchase alcohol for in room consumption would though. I don't think the prices are unreasonable.

[curley23]

Here's my question. I have read more of these threads than I can count, and I have weighed in on a few of them. Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

 

First of all what is over priced, and compared to what?? They could cut the price of the drinks in half and people will still bring their own, and still try and justify it with the same lame excuses for doing so. Even with X coming out with a drinks package, mostly all I have read about it here on CC is people complaining about that price.

Something else most of the complainers forget is that when you buy liquor on RC, 99% of the time you get a drink well worth what you pay. Most drinks, with the exception of some foo-foos have penty of alcohol in them for 2 or more drinks to start with, and once you get to know a bartender or 2 with a few extra bucks it gets even better.

[Tucker in Texas]

I thought I read in the cruise contract that Royal Caribbean can deny you boarding for trying to smuggle booze on board. If true, that would be one heck of a "downside"!:eek:

 

Does anyone know if this is true (I am too lazy to read the contract again) and if so, do you know if they have ever enforced this rule? Just curious...I have no plans to smuggle.

 

As far as I know, no one has been denied boarding. It is much more financially beneficial to take up the booze forcing you to buy it on the ship than to have an empty cabin for a week. While they can pocket your fare, the room stewards and servers would lose their income and would not be happy campers. From what I have read, they aren't taking it from a dozen or so passengers but a good number of them. In addition, they would lose potential on-board revenue which is the Holy Grail to them right now.

 

Now if you got ugly to them when they take up your booze, then they are covered to leave you on the dock waving bye bye to the ship without having to go into details about "he said, we said" to justify denying them boarding when the law suit is filed (lol). There would be no "judgment" on whether they were right or wrong in interpreting whatever was being said as threatening, nasty, etc. to cause to deny boarding. Clearly states sneak booze, then no sail. Done.

 

If they catch you, just smile and say "busted" and go about your business.

 

Tucker in Texas

[mtchg]

I agree that it's good to follow rules, but we are not supposed to check in our brains out of blind fear of being accused of unethical conduct. The rule against irons is a safety rule, and anyone intentionally breaking it is endangering us all. Doing 150 mph on the highway is blatantly dangerous. Driving the speed limit on I-55 in Chicago is suicide. We have to use judgment.

 

The rule against bringing alcohol on board is economic and the ethics are a little different here. Are you a moral leper for bringing a candy bar to the movie theater? ("Security we need a full pat-down in Theater 3, dogs detect chocolate on the kid in the green sweater")

 

Busting someone for two miniatures is simply petty. They should be embarrassed that they made a big deal out of that. I can imagine they wouldn't want many of their passengers bringing cases of beer and suitcases full of liquor onboard, but this says they are willing to embarrass a customer over a trifle. They owe her an apology.

 

I don't mind the prices of drinks - I've certainly paid plenty to RCCL and I will in the future. But they DO take advantage of our captive status to maximize alcohol sales. If I buy something in a hotel store I can consume it on the premises, as well as order in a pizza rather than eat in their restaurant.

 

I respect the company's need to turn a profit, and I willingly - no, happily - buy their drinks, gamble in their casino, buy their wine in advance, eat in the specialty restaurant and take their excursions. But they show themselves to be small and money-grubbing when they pull a stunt like this.

 

Wow..other than MY last post in this thread maybe (I had the "Stripes" reference) THIS

should end the thread. Expresses the REALITY of the issue; the moralists on this thread

are so two dimensional in their thinking. By the way, I grew up in Chi town, and the poster is correct; trying to drive the posted speed limit on I-55 will get you run over.

 

Mitch

[madforcruising]

...

 

Busting someone for two miniatures is simply petty. They should be embarrassed that they made a big deal out of that. I can imagine they wouldn't want many of their passengers bringing cases of beer and suitcases full of liquor onboard, but this says they are willing to embarrass a customer over a trifle. They owe her an apology.

...

 

 

Interesting how different one can think about this. I´d thought she owes them an apology for breaking the rules and causing them the trouble of enforcing the rules. :rolleyes:

[G'ma]

Here's my question. I have read more of these threads than I can count, and I have weighed in on a few of them. Most of the posts I read that support "smuggling" are also backed by the claim that if the cruise lines charged a more appropriate price for their drinks, that the cruise line passengers would be less likely to smuggle, and more likely to buy from the cruise line. I am firmly in this camp. It is a pain to trip down to my cabin to make a cocktail, when I want to sit and visit with friends or family. So...why doesn't the cruise industry just adjust their prices and charge a more fair price for their cocktails? They obviously can purchase the alcoohol outside of the US, and probably and a very cheap price.

 

I've been cruising for over 30 years. There was a time when drinks onboard were cheap. Soft drinks were free. Mixed drinks in the 2.00-3.00 range and DOD's were 1.00. Still, folks brought their own alcoholic beverages.

 

Each ship has target revenues for different venues onboard. If bar revenues aren't met over the long haul, there is only one thing to do; raise prices.

 

They have slowly crept up higher and higher over the years to where they are now almost in the "big city, bar and lounge" category.

 

So, don't blame them for raising prices. Smugglers affect us all and affect prices - always have - always will.

[mtchg]

..if ONLY those (relatively few compared to entire passenger list mind you) wascully

alcohol smugglers would cease and desist;

 

the cruise lines would LOWER their prices? Gma...you sound intelligent; you don't really buy that? Smugglers or not, the cruiselines will always charge a premium for their booze; to help make up for cruise rates that don't cover the cost of the sailing.

 

Please don't use that guilt trip; it's not based on reality.

 

 

Mitch

[Ocean Boy]

I've been cruising for over 30 years. There was a time when drinks onboard were cheap. Soft drinks were free. Mixed drinks in the 2.00-3.00 range and DOD's were 1.00. Still' date=' folks brought their own alcoholic beverages.

 

Each ship has target revenues for different venues onboard. If bar revenues aren't met over the long haul, there is only one thing to do; raise prices.

 

They have slowly crept up higher and higher over the years to where they are now almost in the "big city, bar and lounge" category.

 

So, don't blame them for raising prices. Smugglers affect us all and affect prices - always have - always will.

No, it is not even close to that simple. Sometimes prices have to be lowered and increased sales will produce higher profits. The object is to find the price point that optimizes volume sold and maximizes profits at the same time. If you raise the price too much you make more profit on the individual item but overall profits suffer from less volume moved.

[TravelerThom]

Each ship has target revenues for different venues onboard. If bar revenues aren't met over the long haul' date=' there is only one thing to do; raise prices.[/quote']Basic economics does not agree that raising prices always increases revenue. Giving out beer for free results in zero revenue, but it is also quite likely that attempting to sell it for US$ 1000 per bottle will result in zero revenue. Revenue is maximized at some point in the middle, and the maximum revenue point is not the same as the point at which profit margins are maximized. I personally think that RCI would increase their revenue [but decrease their profit margin (which is carefully monitored by Wall Street)] by LOWERING their drink prices. [bUT this would also probably lead to more people over imbibing, which also has to be at least some concern of the cruise line; none of this happens in a vacuum.]

 

Thom

[Tucker in Texas]

Wow..other than MY last post in this thread maybe (I had the "Stripes" reference) THIS

should end the thread. Expresses the REALITY of the issue; the moralists on this thread

are so two dimensional in their thinking. By the way, I grew up in Chi town, and the poster is correct; trying to drive the posted speed limit on I-55 will get you run over.

 

Mitch

 

I wish they would apply some "basic economics" to the photos. There are photos I like but not $25 worth of like. They have already put their overhead costs into them, why not lower the price and sell more rather than throw them out?

 

I've seen people take their digital cameras and take pictures of their pictures. Why don't the anti-smugglers accusing people of "cheating, depriving the cruise line of deserved revenue, breaking rules, etc." get on that bandwagon?

 

Tucker in Texas

[Cahroozer]

Interesting how different one can think about this. I´d thought she owes them an apology for breaking the rules and causing them the trouble of enforcing the rules. :rolleyes:

 

If the rule is just there to feed someone's need to see the world in stark black-and-white terms then have at it. But if the rule has a rationale to it, then discretionary judgment is called for. This was poor judgment.

 

Not only should this person not be hassled for an immaterial transgression, but I don't think the many cabin stewards who have looked the other way should be fired simply for breaking this rule.

 

There are two kinds of people in the world, those who see things in black and white, and those who don't :rolleyes:

[renech]

I agree that it's good to follow rules, but we are not supposed to check in our brains out of blind fear of being accused of unethical conduct. The rule against irons is a safety rule, and anyone intentionally breaking it is endangering us all. Doing 150 mph on the highway is blatantly dangerous. Driving the speed limit on I-55 in Chicago is suicide. We have to use judgment.

 

The rule against bringing alcohol on board is economic and the ethics are a little different here. Are you a moral leper for bringing a candy bar to the movie theater? ("Security we need a full pat-down in Theater 3, dogs detect chocolate on the kid in the green sweater")

 

Busting someone for two miniatures is simply petty. They should be embarrassed that they made a big deal out of that. I can imagine they wouldn't want many of their passengers bringing cases of beer and suitcases full of liquor onboard, but this says they are willing to embarrass a customer over a trifle. They owe her an apology.

 

I don't mind the prices of drinks - I've certainly paid plenty to RCCL and I will in the future. But they DO take advantage of our captive status to maximize alcohol sales. If I buy something in a hotel store I can consume it on the premises, as well as order in a pizza rather than eat in their restaurant.

 

I respect the company's need to turn a profit, and I willingly - no, happily - buy their drinks, gamble in their casino, buy their wine in advance, eat in the specialty restaurant and take their excursions. But they show themselves to be small and money-grubbing when they pull a stunt like this.

 

 

ITA. I very happily spend my money on drinks, gambling, etc. having factored that into taking a vacation. I have yet to smuggle any booze onto any cruise, but I do think RCCL's reaction over 2 airplane bottles is over-the-top. Where the limit should be, I don't know, but clearly 2 little bottles is under it.

 

And LOL at the 55 comment. So true. :D

[madforcruising]

If the rule is just there to feed someone's need to see the world in stark black-and-white terms then have at it. But if the rule has a rationale to it, then discretionary judgment is called for. This was poor judgment.

 

Not only should this person not be hassled for an immaterial transgression, but I don't think the many cabin stewards who have looked the other way should be fired simply for breaking this rule.

 

There are two kinds of people in the world, those who see things in black and white, and those who don't :rolleyes:

 

 

Black and white will never get out of fashion and will always be a classic. Obviously security onboard felt like seeing it b&w as well and they are the ones that run the procedure and it looks like they are backed up by their bosses and their bosses sem to be backed up by those running the company.;) Happy color cruising to you:p

[John Henry on CC]

My mother, who is 76, just got off the Grandeur. She went to the naughty room to retrieve her bag over 2 miniature (ie. 2oz) bottles of rum. Now that's getting petty.

 

All of you over-the-top protesters have overlooked one simple thing.

 

The OP merely said that she had to go to the holding area to retrieve her bag.

 

No one said anything about her being berated, beaten, bloodied or besmirched.

 

She broke a rule, they took her "two miniature (ie. <sic> 2oz) bottles of rum".

 

Big whoop.

[temple1]

I've been cruising for over 30 years. There was a time when drinks onboard were cheap. Soft drinks were free. Mixed drinks in the 2.00-3.00 range and DOD's were 1.00. Still' date=' folks brought their own alcoholic beverages.

 

Each ship has target revenues for different venues onboard. If bar revenues aren't met over the long haul, there is only one thing to do; raise prices.

 

They have slowly crept up higher and higher over the years to where they are now almost in the "big city, bar and lounge" category.

 

So, don't blame them for raising prices. Smugglers affect us all and affect prices - always have - always will.[/quote']

 

While the price for drinks, photos, etc have continued to increase, the price for the cruise itself has decreased. So the question is, how much were you really paying for the "free" soft drink? (also known to the purists as the no additional charge soft drink)