I wish Carnival would charge a fee and let me bring my own booze!

[grumpyjr88]

I find it crazy that DCL, out of all the cruise lines, is the one that lets you bring your own booze on board. The family line. LOL.

 

with all yhose kids on board, how can they not allow it?! LOL

[Taters]

And I'll bet the companies that sell rum runners appreciate your business.;) I wonder if Carnival sells rum runners, but under a different company name? It wouldn't surprise me.

 

I've never used a rum runner. I just toss a bottle of Bacardi in my suitcase and have never had a problem.

[elainmir]

My thing is beer selection...I'd just buy it if they'd have something worth drinking. Some of the beer selection is so horrible I can't even utter the brand name..it's like water..no flavor..ugh... I like to try new ones...but right now am in love with the Sam Adams Hopology Collection...I can't get good beer so I'll be forced to smuggle..I'd pay a fee to bring my own ...

[mousey]

You must remember that years ago when they allowed you to bring liquor back to your room that you purchased, cruise prices were much higher... They have lowered the cruise price, but started charging more for drinks, specialty rest. etc.... Drinks used to be cheap on a cruise, but you paid a higher fare then you do today... The people who dont drink ( or dont drink much) and dont eat at the specialty restuarants make out under this system..

 

That would be us! LOL!;) We often don't even finish drinking the two bottles of wine we bring on board. I'll often buy maybe 7 drinks (martinis and a couple of DODs) on a 7-day cruise...if that. The DH will usually only have a glass of wine at dinner. We will maybe go to a specialty restaurant only once on our cruise, if that. The last 3 cruises, we haven't gone to one at all. So, I'm one for keeping the fare cheap and not paying extra for alcoholic drinks.

 

Okay, am I getting this right...you would bring on your own bottle of booze and Carnival would charge you $40 to do that? Why would Carnival do that if it costs $60-$80 dollars for a bottle of whatever booze they sell? Wouldn't that be a financial disadvantage for them? Or am I misunderstanding what you guys are proposing?

Edited May 9, 2014 by mousey

[atate75]

I agree with OP.

 

Try finding a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue on a cruise ship.

[meatloafsfan]

I find it crazy that DCL, out of all the cruise lines, is the one that lets you bring your own booze on board. The family line. LOL.

 

One of the reasons why DCL prices are out of line with the rest of the industry (that an no casino). I hate that when I cruise DCL, I'm basically subsidizing all of the people who are bringing cases of beer or multiple bottles onboard to drink.

[jimbo5544]

It used to be that you could purchase liquor in the duty free shops during the cruise and take it directly to your room.

 

Later they offered something like a bottle of Bacardi to be waiting in your room for around $30.

 

Now, that same bottle of Bacardi for your room is $70! Are you kidding me? They charge the same for Bacardi as they do Gran Marnier. Sheesh!

 

I think it's greed, pure and simple, but that's just me.

 

I smuggle and will continue to smuggle. We still purchase lots and lots of drinks from the bars, but come on - I like to have a cocktail in my room once in a while. One 5th of rum lasts two of us a week on board, and our bar bills are well over $1000 for a week. They get our money. We gladly give it to them! But I'll be damned if I'm going to spend $70 on a bottle of rum. So there! LOL

 

You might call it greed, I think it is just business. They want you to buy your drinks one at at a time. To put it perspective, they might call you smuggling booze on board greed as well.... Its all in how you view it. BTW. if your bar bill is $1,000 then $70 looks pretty darn good from my viewpoint.:cool:

[Ontario_Cruiser]

I think it's greed, pure and simple, but that's just me.

 

It is not greed, it is capitalism! They are just charging what the market will bear. Sure they know that some like yourselves will be tempted to smuggle, but overall they must be making money on the program.

 

As to the OP's wish, if they were to allow this, the price would be much higher!

[Tutontow]

I have no problem with what Carnival charges for drinks at the bar or through Bon Voyage. Their prices are right in line with what most hotels charge for booze. Check out the room service charges for a bottle of booze in any Las Vegas hotel the next time you cringe at the Bon Voyage prices.

 

My Bombay Sapphire cost $85.00. If I ordered that a drink at a time it would run $210.00 before tips.

 

Someone asked why would they only charge a $40.00 - $60.00 fee when they charge already charge $60.00 - $85.00 for BV. The reason is because we are providing the booze we are just trying cover the profit they would make on that bottle of booze if they sold it through BV.

 

To put it another way, myself and several others don't have heartburn with the BV prices, they just don't carry what we like to drink. If they had a liter of Woodford Reserve through BV I would pay $100.00 for that bottle. It is worth it in the long run to be able to drink it on my balcony for the seven days I am on the ship.

 

Let's do some math. 39 ounces in a liter. 39, one ounces shots. Premium bourbon most likely would cost $10.00 a drink with tip.

 

Even if they poured 1.5 ounces the BV bottle is still a bargain.

 

My OP wasn't about trying to cut into Carnivals profits. I am amazed at what a bargain Carnival is. I am just trying to come up with a solution for Carnival and the passengers so that we can have our poison of choice and Carnival can still make money on it.

 

That $100.00 bottle is a bargain at that rate.

[Kristi Williamson]

I bet this would cut down on most smuggling, too. Lots of posters say the only reason they bother smuggling is Carnival doesn't carry what they like to drink and when they're on vacation they want to drink what they like.

 

This actually sounds like a good a way to meet in the middle. Pay a set price and bring the liquor you enjoy. Most drinkers...even those that smuggle...buy drinks at the bars, anyway, so it's a win-win.

[lastinga]

Correct, BV purchase won't show up on your booking. Also don't be too worried if it isn't waiting for you in your room since you're FTFF.

 

In January I ordered a bottle via BV and had only email confirmations. Bottle showed up while we were out for the muster drill if I remember correctly.

 

Do bring the printed out email though just in case you get checked by Customs. I'd think you needn't declare the BV liquor if any were left since it was purchased in the US, and the email order confirmation should serve as your proof. Just conjecture though, haven't been searched yet.

 

Thank you for the info!

[maldenmusic]

I would pay the up front liquor fee. 7 cruises now and I've smuggled my own each time with no problems. But it always makes me nervous :D

[dd2355]

Let's do some math. 39 ounces in a liter.

 

FYI, 1.0 liter is 33.814 US fl oz or 35.195 Imperial fl oz.

 

An Imperial quart is 38.4 US fl oz or 1.14 liter

 

Apparently some liquor through BV shows up in 1.14L bottles, apparently more of a Canadian thing. Florida departures I've ordered BV on have always had 1.0L bottles.

[WindsorFred]

FYI, 1.0 liter is 33.814 US fl oz or 35.195 Imperial fl oz.

 

An Imperial quart is 38.4 US fl oz or 1.14 liter

 

Apparently some liquor through BV shows up in 1.14L bottles, apparently more of a Canadian thing. Florida departures I've ordered BV on have always had 1.0L bottles.

 

Same in California. 1.0 Ltr.

[jimbo5544]

I bet this would cut down on most smuggling, too. Lots of posters say the only reason they bother smuggling is Carnival doesn't carry what they like to drink and when they're on vacation they want to drink what they like.

 

This actually sounds like a good a way to meet in the middle. Pay a set price and bring the liquor you enjoy. Most drinkers...even those that smuggle...buy drinks at the bars, anyway, so it's a win-win.

 

My guess the vast majority of people who smuggle is because it is significantly cheaper. The point is mute because it will never happen anyway. They have raised BV prices two times in the last 18 months. They clearly want to steer customer to per drink buying vs bottle or brought on.

Edited May 9, 2014 by jimbo5544

[Kristi Williamson]

My guess the vast majority of people who smuggle is because it is significantly cheaper. The point is mute because it will never happen anyway. They have raised BV prices two times in the last 18 months. They clearly want to steer customer to per drink buying vs bottle or brought on.

 

 

You're probably right. I've just seen a good many people on CC (which is a tiny percentage of overall cruisers) say they wouldn't smuggle if they could get what they wanted to drink from BV. We don't drink enough to bother with either. Two drinks a day isn't worth smuggling or buying from BV to us. :)

[Retired_to_Cruise]

Sorry but that's never going to happen. That $10 bottle of vodka that they make $100 off of passengers is the main reason. But I like your thinking and that would be nice considering most people do not like wine!!

 

 

"most people do not like wine"? What world do you live in?

[brenjmull2]

I think it is worth paying 60-70 for a bottle of rum.. We get it the first night in the room and we get juice from the juice station in the morning to make some nice drinks.. Usually with dinner we order wine..

[n6uqqq]

I have no problem with what Carnival charges for drinks at the bar or through Bon Voyage. Their prices are right in line with what most hotels charge for booze. Check out the room service charges for a bottle of booze in any Las Vegas hotel the next time you cringe at the Bon Voyage prices.

 

My Bombay Sapphire cost $85.00. If I ordered that a drink at a time it would run $210.00 before tips.

 

Someone asked why would they only charge a $40.00 - $60.00 fee when they charge already charge $60.00 - $85.00 for BV. The reason is because we are providing the booze we are just trying cover the profit they would make on that bottle of booze if they sold it through BV.

 

To put it another way, myself and several others don't have heartburn with the BV prices, they just don't carry what we like to drink. If they had a liter of Woodford Reserve through BV I would pay $100.00 for that bottle. It is worth it in the long run to be able to drink it on my balcony for the seven days I am on the ship.

 

Let's do some math. 39 ounces in a liter. 39, one ounces shots. Premium bourbon most likely would cost $10.00 a drink with tip.

 

Even if they poured 1.5 ounces the BV bottle is still a bargain.

 

My OP wasn't about trying to cut into Carnivals profits. I am amazed at what a bargain Carnival is. I am just trying to come up with a solution for Carnival and the passengers so that we can have our poison of choice and Carnival can still make money on it.

 

That $100.00 bottle is a bargain at that rate.

 

My math looks like this: 1 liter (33.8 ounces) divided by 1.5 ounces ( Standard shot size in US ) = yields 22.533 shots of alcohol per bottle.

[Tutontow]

My math looks like this: 1 liter (33.8 ounces) divided by 1.5 ounces ( Standard shot size in US ) = yields 22.533 shots of alcohol per bottle.

 

I have my doubts that Carnival pours 1.5 ounces.

[OCruisers]

Seriously doubt Carnival will ever allow bringing own booze for a fee.

LuLu

[fishtaco]

"most people do not like wine"? What world do you live in?

 

And allowing wine is just tradition! A cruise line cannot carry every wine and as wines are paired with meals on a"personal preference" you are allowed to bring that wine that the cruise does not carry.

 

Same for a restaurant and the reason for cork-age charge.

 

Most just bring a couple of bottles of cheap old plonk to swill in the cabin though:D

 

So the OP,s situation should also apply re a specific Spirit they do not carry on-board.

 

It will never happen though as everyone would become a Liquor connoisseur over night proffering the cheapest sold to man and not available onboard:D

[OCruisers]

I have my doubts that Carnival pours 1.5 ounces.

 

It's not. It's 1 oz.

LuLu

[jakzak10]

It would be nice if the cruise lines allowed you to purchase 1 bottle per person from the duty free shop to be delivered to your cabin. But on that 1 bottle they charge a 25% premimum. THis could be a fair compromise

[fireofficer5]

You must remember that years ago when they allowed you to bring liquor back to your room that you purchased, cruise prices were much higher... They have lowered the cruise price, but started charging more for drinks, specialty rest. etc.... Drinks used to be cheap on a cruise, but you paid a higher fare then you do today... The people who dont drink ( or dont drink much) and dont eat at the specialty restuarants make out under this system..

 

I agree, charge more for the cruise and let us bring our special beverages.