FAQ says no non-alcoholic bevs to be brought on board

[helpthejuggler]

I'd read that soft drinks/water were OK so many times on these boards.

I took it as the truth. There may have been a change of policy but the FAQ now say..

 

Q: Can I bring alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages (from home or from a port) on board?

 

A: Guests are not allowed to bring either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from Shops On Board will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the sailing.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/cust...36&faqType=faq

 

I'm sure this will not be good news to many people...

It may not even be news to many - but I was surprised.

[reallyitsmema]

I tried your link but it didn't work. It looks like it is from the UK site. Here is a link to the US site that doesn't have the nonalcoholic statement.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000r2nMt9xFPhNcpgCiiIf6l2z:13hldiq09?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Onboard+Policies&faqId=260&faqSubjectId=333&faqType=faq

 

The US site used to have the same language as your quote but changed it after spring break was over. I wish they would just make up their mind.:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

This should be good for a whole new round of smuggling threads.

[helpthejuggler]

I tried your link and got the .co.uk site.

[rxmurphy]

I'd read that soft drinks/water were OK so many times on these boards.

I took it as the truth. There may have been a change of policy but the FAQ now say..

 

 

Here's where you made your first mistake.

[greydog]

I'd read that soft drinks/water were OK so many times on these boards.

I took it as the truth. There may have been a change of policy but the FAQ now say..

 

Q: Can I bring alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages (from home or from a port) on board?

 

A: Guests are not allowed to bring either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from Shops On Board will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the sailing.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/cust...36&faqType=faq

 

I'm sure this will not be good news to many people...

It may not even be news to many - but I was surprised.

 

Hi,

Was on Mariner OTS last week. They had 'no alcohol' signs posted at check-in at San Pedro pier and appeared to be SERIOUSLY searching for it in screening. No more 2-wine-bottles for your stateroom. So the current ban appears real.

Happy Cruising

[RALBERT95]

I was on the Explorer last week and checked in a full case of bottled water which was promply delivered to our room with no issue whatsoever.

[bionicman97]

This is from the US website today:

 

 

< Back to Onboard Policies

Onboard Policies

 

Print This Page

 

Q: Can I bring liquor or non-alcoholic beverages (from home or from a port) onboard?

A: Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from Shops On Board will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the sailing. Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned.

 

Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

Please Note: All guests must comply with TSA guidelines for transporting liquids.

 

Different rules due to different laws I figure (in general, not necessarily in regards to liquids on board)

[helpthejuggler]

There is a difference between the two web-sites as discovered above.

 

My paper documents do not prohibit non-alcoholic drinks either.

 

I've now checked the Guest Conduct Policy from both .com and .co.uk sites and they BOTH say

 

"Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic nor non-alcoholic beverages onboard and Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage, etc.) at any time. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports-of-call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship’s personnel and delivered to the guest’s stateroom just prior to the conclusion of the cruise. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them."

 

Maybe this a change that is being made across the board.

[InsideCruiser]

Sometime between May 30th and today they changed the US website to prohibit non-alcoholic beverages as well.

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use."

 

I would love to hear any embarkation experiences going forward.

 

Looks like we're buying soda cards, $6.90 X 11 days X 10 people = $759 :eek:

[yogimax]

Sometime between May 30th and today they changed the US website to prohibit non-alcoholic beverages as well.

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use."

 

I would love to hear any embarkation experiences going forward.

 

Looks like we're buying soda cards, $6.90 X 11 days X 10 people = $759 :eek:

 

There's always free lemonade and iced tea!

[InsideCruiser]

There's always free lemonade and iced tea!

 

Yes, until the WindJammer closes.

[akcruz]

Hi,

Was on Mariner OTS last week. They had 'no alcohol' signs posted at check-in at San Pedro pier and appeared to be SERIOUSLY searching for it in screening. No more 2-wine-bottles for your stateroom. So the current ban appears real.

Happy Cruising

 

You haven't been able to bring wine on an RCI cruise for many many years. I know other lines allow it (Celebrity, Carnival, etc), but not RCI.

 

As for the potential change in policy. I would be interested to learn if anyone does get stopped in the future. We've always brought non caffeine diet coke and water on board without any issues and the porters definitely knew what it was. No smuggling involved.

[schmeed]

I understand the no ALCOHOL policy. It's a big money maker for the cruise line. But I do not understand the NON-alcoholic policy. They are just squeezing us too much.

 

And NO...I have NO, 0, zip, zilch, nada interest in trying to smuggle anything on board. I think it's pathetic to even try. :)

[rxmurphy]

I understand the no ALCOHOL policy. It's a big money maker for the cruise line. But I do not understand the NON-alcoholic policy. They are just squeezing us too much.

 

And NO...I have NO, 0, zip, zilch, nada interest in trying to smuggle anything on board. I think it's pathetic to even try. :)

 

Maybe it's a big money maker for the cruise line?

[InsideCruiser]

I understand the no ALCOHOL policy. It's a big money maker for the cruise line. But I do not understand the NON-alcoholic policy. They are just squeezing us too much.

 

I agree about the "squeezing". You can try to make safety and liability arguments about the alcohol policy, but the non-alcoholic policy is clearly financially motivated.

 

I've been one of those that "frowns" upon sharing the soda cards, but we'll be tempted to purchase 5 cards for the 10 of us. For future booking we know the non-alcohol rule and it is one of the considerations when selecting the cruise, but this booking was made when the old policy was in effect.

 

Maybe they'll grandfather it like the May 17 price drop policy. :D

[wolfcathorse]

I don't worry about it, I will always take my caffeine free diet coke on board because they don't sell it. If they tell me they have to confiscate it I will ask them which would they prefer; letting my 4 cans onboard, or diverting the ship in the middle of the night (or possibly missing a port) to get me to a hospital cuz the ship's doctor can't (doesn't want to) deal with my heart palpitations

[schmeed]

Maybe it's a big money maker for the cruise line?

Yes, it absolutely is a money maker. I understand charging for sodas and such, but to not allow a person to bring on 1 case of soda or water? That's just stupid. I understand stopping somene trying to carry on 10 cases of soda...but not one. It just makes RCI look pathetic in my mind. It's always about perception, not reality.

[elephant98]

There is a difference between the two web-sites as discovered above.

 

My paper documents do not prohibit non-alcoholic drinks either.

 

I've now checked the Guest Conduct Policy from both .com and .co.uk sites and they BOTH say

 

"Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic nor non-alcoholic beverages onboard and Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage, etc.) at any time. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports-of-call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship’s personnel and delivered to the guest’s stateroom just prior to the conclusion of the cruise. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them."

 

Maybe this a change that is being made across the board.

 

Somebody at Royal needs to proof read their site. If they are only prohibiting alcoholic beverages, then it makes sense for security to inspect water bottles and soda bottles in order to see if a passenger has tried to sneak any alcohol onboard. But, if non-alcoholic beverages are not allowed onboard either, then I don't see the point in security inspecting a water bottle or a soda bottle in the first place. If a non-alcoholic beeverage is prohibited, security would just confiscate the bottle, not inspect it.

[InsideCruiser]

Somebody at Royal needs to proof read their site. If they are only prohibiting alcoholic beverages, then it makes sense for security to inspect water bottles and soda bottles in order to see if a passenger has tried to sneak any alcohol onboard. But, if non-alcoholic beverages are not allowed onboard either, then I don't see the point in security inspecting a water bottle or a soda bottle in the first place. If a non-alcoholic beeverage is prohibited, security would just confiscate the bottle, not inspect it.

 

I find their website to be riddled with these kinds of inconsistencies. Adds so much confusion.

[LBCABob]

Unless things have changed since I worked at TSA back in 2002, the luggage X-ray machines cannot show a difference between a can of soda and a can of beer, nor a bottle of water -vs- bottle of booze (other than a distinctive shape, if any). Thus, one possible reason (other than financial) for prohibiting non-alcoholic beverages would be to make Security's job easier/faster since there would fewer bags that require additional inspection if passengers were told to not bring any beverages, period.

 

This perspective first occurred to me when the non-alcoholic ban first appeared during Spring Break when lots of beer-happy college kids were onboard and considered likely to over indulge. And seemed to be confirmed when the non-alcoholic beverage ban was dropped after Spring Break was over. Maybe it "worked" for RCI so well (money-wise and/or security-wise), RCI decided to make the non-alcoholic beverage ban permanent?

 

If RCI would provide a caffeine-free diet soda, I would be happy. (Diet Ginger Ale is my first choice but that seems very unlikely to be widely stocked in cans much less in a "fountain" version). Some postings indicate Sprite Zero is available with the Soda Card on some ships (Mariner?). Otherwise, I have to decide between the calories of regular Sprite or the caffeine of Diet Coke. Or just drink water, I guess.

[Sequim88]

Keeping it confusing and contradictory allows them to enforce (or not) things any way they want on a ship by ship and itinerary by itinerary basis. Especially for "risky" Spring Break time. Vagueness is a tool. ;)

 

Also, being able to pick on non-alcohol beverage containers can mean less checking for gin/vodka in 7-Up or water bottles or brown beverages in Ginger Ale bottles. Faster screening, just confiscate it all and point to the vague policy.

 

Chances are a smaller ship, not at Spring Break, out of somewhere besides FL, CA or TX and with an older passenger list will get a lot less scrutiny - alcohol or non-alcohol.

 

I really think they analyze the demographics and decide...

"Hmmmm.. do we confiscate everything in this ship and piss off mostly a bunch of college kids that are not likely to cruise much in the next 20 years in the name of safety (and money).... or take the soda pop, water and booze from the snow bird retirees who have time and money to cruise often and thus alienate them?"

 

Another thought.... are luggage tags color coded like SeaPass for Crown & Anchor level? Is enforcement of non-alcohol (or even alcohol) less strict for higher levels? For Diamond-Plus maybe... "I Seeee Noothinnnng!" ;)

[lady_cruiser]

...........Looks like we're buying soda cards, $6.90 X 11 days X 10 people = $759 :eek:

 

If "YOU" can afford to buy soda cards for 10 people you might as well make it 12 and buy two extra cards. One for my sister and one for me. Of course we not sailing until March 2011 so maybe you can just mail us the stickers and we'll place them on our sign and sail cards when we get on the ship. :p

[Ocean Boy]

I understand the no ALCOHOL policy. It's a big money maker for the cruise line. But I do not understand the NON-alcoholic policy. They are just squeezing us too much.

 

And NO...I have NO, 0, zip, zilch, nada interest in trying to smuggle anything on board. I think it's pathetic to even try. :)

 

How can you understand one drink policy but not the other? They both exist for exactly the same reason. You know how much you can buy soda for in a grocery store. RCI probably pays far less than that. Then the sell it at $1.75 a can. There is big money in soda and bottled water.

[Cruising89143]

There were people on my recent Oasis cruise slapping a luggage tag on a case of half liter bottles of water and sending it with their luggage. The porters had no issues with sending it on board.