Can I Request To Have MiniBar Emptied in Advance?

[sivyaleah]

I always forget about if this is possible, but can I request that the rooms mini-bar be emptied in advance of our arrival?

 

We don't really drink (if we do, it's silly cocktails from the bar), and I ordered the juice package so we'll need room in the fridge to store those. Don't want whatever over-priced snacks they are stocking inside either.

 

Thanks.

 

Laurie

[flowers44]

When you arrive at your stateroom and your attendant introduces himself, just ask that it be clear out. He will be glad to do that. It is part of their room setup to make sure everything is in the mini-bar. I don't think you can request it not be filled at all before you board. Sometimes they take it out of the room, other times I have seen them just sit the stuff up on a high shelf over the fridge.

[Big_G]

If you're in a suite, email the concierge. If not, you'll have to wait and ask the cabin attendant.

[AF-1]

If you have the stateroom attendant remove everything from the frig, check your account the next day to ensure u were not charged.

[sredish]

As others have said, you have to wait for the attendant to do it. But don't do it yourself...you may be charged. If the attendant isn't available when you check in, ring them on the phone and they will come.

[RCcruisinfamily]

On our last cruise, we asked the sr attendant. He said he would ask bar service. Then he said, "they said no" We asked the customer service and they said NO too. We just avoid it. It isn't cold enough anyway.

 

Kelly

[sharonlacey]

We have never had alchol in our frig:rolleyes: Wish they would, lol. Even in the suite. Will they stock it if you ask?

[hal2008]

Based on suggestions here on CC, this was the first thing I asked my room attendent on allure last week to do. He refused. He suggested I take stuff out myself and but have to put it in visible form otherwise I would be charged. We wanted to use freeze to store some sandwiches and fruit cups from Park Cafe due to food situation in MDR and early closing of Windjammer for late night use (Promonade cafe and Sorrento were also alternatives).

[sivyaleah]

Thanks everyone. I just couldn't remember what we did on our last cruise (NCL) but I know we did have it cleared out because my sisters had a birthday cake ready for me when we boarded.

 

BTW, that cake lasted us the entire cruise and then some lol. We couldn't possibly finish it with everything else we were eating :P

[Kesstral]

I'm curious, what do they normally put in the mini-fridge anyway?

[NorbertsNiece]

I have always asked for the 'fridge' to be emptied so I can store water and room service items therein. Last year on Navigator the room steward asked the crew member responsible for checking the contents to do it. There is no way I want the items on show. GS will be very fed up with me if I were to be continually charged and then present myself to have the charge removed.

[gcvt]

When we were on FOS earlier this year, we emptied the fridge and put everything on one of the shelves next to the fridge. We put a post-it note on the door of the fridge saying nothing was consumed with an arrow pointing toward the shelf. Never had any problem and were never charged for anything.

[sivyaleah]

I'm curious, what do they normally put in the mini-fridge anyway?

 

On NCL there were beverages like soda, bottles of water, Starbucks frappacinos, and some snacks like canned Pringles.

 

I actually took a photo, which I forgot about. I guess we didn't totally have it cleared as you can see - I remember that we didn't even have room on the counters with all of our stuff to do so, but the room porter probably took out most of it now that I think about it (there may have been some alcoholic beverages there too).

 

Hopefully you can either see the attached file or click on it. All the leftover cake is in there too :D Let me tell you, finding saran wrap was NOT easy. I had to go to the buffet to get it and they were not very pleasant about giving it out for some reason.

[Cruisin'Kim]

We usually ask the room Stewart and he puts it in the cabinet above on RC, when we asked on our one NCL cruise, the Stewart said that we could do it ourselves....we did, and was not charged for anything.

[besberry]

On the Indy last September, I just asked the room attendant to clear the fridge. She looked a bit surprised, but when I came back later it was empty. I used it to store milk for the tea that I made in the room. :)

[Langley Cruisers]

...can I request that the rooms mini-bar be emptied in advance of our arrival? We don't really drink...

 

There is no alcohol provided in the room anyway. And no, it won't be emptied prior to your arrival.

 

When you arrive at your stateroom and your attendant introduces himself, just ask that it be clear out. He will be glad to do that....

 

Actually, s/he won't be glad to do it. ;) That's not part of their job anymore. It is now a bar service situation.

 

I'm curious, what do they normally put in the mini-fridge anyway?

 

On RCI, the fridge contains several cans of soda, some nuts, some chocolate bars, and some bottled waters, all for a cost which is listed.

[Tam Tam]

If you have the stateroom attendant remove everything from the frig, check your account the next day to ensure u were not charged.

 

That is exactly what happened to us. We requested the frig to be emptied (it never was after several requests) and we were charged three different times for items never purchased. Although we were able to have the charges reversed each time, it took time from our cruise and was very annoying. I too would appreciate an option to request before sailing that it be emptied.

[tactic]

back from indy two weeks ago. asked stateroom attendant and he got the bar servicer to do it. the emptied the fridge and put the contents in a bag under the bed.

[sharonlacey]

Will they put the little airport bottles if frig if you request? Vodka, rum, etc..?

[Cruising89143]

The room stewards no longer handle the mini bars. They are handled by the bar staff who enter your stateroom daily to replinish. You may ask your room steward to help in getting the items removed but don't expect them to do it.

[donaldsc]

On our last cruise, we asked the sr attendant. He said he would ask bar service. Then he said, "they said no" We asked the customer service and they said NO too. We just avoid it. It isn't cold enough anyway.

 

Kelly

 

Did you escalate to the customer service manager or the hotel manager. I will bet that the stuff would have been gone with an apology. Another approach would be to demand that one of them stand in your cabin and watch you flush the stuff down the toilet.

 

DON

[HokiePoq]

Thanks everyone. I just couldn't remember what we did on our last cruise (NCL) but I know we did have it cleared out because my sisters had a birthday cake ready for me when we boarded.

 

BTW, that cake lasted us the entire cruise and then some lol. We couldn't possibly finish it with everything else we were eating :P

 

I have both cleaned out my own on NCL and had them do it (they put it in cabinet. Both ways worked. Does this mean we can't use the fridge for our own use on RC?

[publicpersona]

I used it to store milk for the tea that I made in the room. :)

Careful. Mini-bars are not refrigerators. Maybe 50-60 degrees F .. which is fine for chilling a soda or chardonnay, but not for keeping diary products or medication that requires refrigerator temperatures.

[Guest maddycat]

At one time the cabin attendant when asked would empty the refrig. They are no longer allowed. The bar staff is in charge of refrig.

 

On our last Explorer cruise I asked the cabin attendant to empty the refrig. He said that he couldn't. He told me to put a note on the refrig. I did. It was never emptied. I went to guest relations and asked that the refrig. be emptied. It was emptied very quickly.

 

I think that the refig. should be used for whatever the guest wants. If I want the refrig. emptied so that I can use it for water or snacks that I bring back to the cabin, it should be my choice. I definitely should not be told to empty it myself. I definitely do not want my cabin cluttered with the contents of the refrig. It would be nice if you could request an empty refrig. before boarding.

[05mak05]

When we first meet our stateroom attendant, we ask him to tell the bar service attendant that we have emptied our refrigerator. We've never been charged. Leaving a note is a great suggestion and we'll do so from now on. Did you know that the bar attendant enters your room on a daily basis? Twice when we've been on the balcony, he's walked in and was startled to see us. Items in the 'frig are one of my very minor pet peeves. Hotels no longer stock their refrigerators because of health hazard concerns. I'm surprised that cruise ships continue to do so. How long has that stuff been in there? Does anyone check expiration dates? Usually when soft drinks are cooled, then warmed and then cooled again, they tend to get bad. Yuk yuk yuk.