Smuggling/stealing alcohol bad. Smuggling/stealing soda and water OK

[LoveyHowell]

I've read RCI policies. No drink package sharing. No bringing alcohol except for 2 bottles of wine at embarkation onboard. No soda or water permitted to be brought on.

 

But two different posts on front page, one for alcohol, one for water.

 

Alcohol post filled with vitriol, "that's stealing", etc.

 

Water post "Oh, they let you are this port." "They will tag it here", etc.

 

Why the double standard? Is it a money issue?

[Langley Cruisers]

Is it a money issue?

 

Yes.

[ksuds]

 

Why the double standard? Is it a money issue?

 

Good point. Yes, I think it's a money issue.

[ryano]

Ha ha! What a wonderful point! I cant wait to see the justifications for this one!

[sealeggs]

Been one of my hot buttons also. Just can't figure out how people justify dragging the alcohol smugglers over the coals. Then do no criticizing of the ones that drag water and soda on board. Those are also a revenue streams for RCCL.

 

There I will get off of my soap box now.

[m32446]

Because there's little to no examples of the authorities allowing alcohol to be brought aboard, but there are plenty of examples of water or soda not only allowed, but practically encouraged. You have to actually smuggle the booze, they'll tag your water for you.

[LoveyHowell]

Because there's little to no examples of the authorities allowing alcohol to be brought aboard, but there are plenty of examples of water or soda not only allowed, but practically encouraged. You have to actually smuggle the booze, they'll tag your water for you.

 

 

 

It just seems a little backwards to me for some people to say breaking this policy is okay, but breaking that one isn't. Well...which is it?

[RBAlbany]

What about screw top wine bottles that have been refilled? Do they check that closely?

Edited May 22, 2015 by RBAlbany

[Ourusualbeach]

It just seems a little backwards to me for some people to say breaking this policy is okay, but breaking that one isn't. Well...which is it?

 

The difference is that Royal is choosing not to enforce the carrying on of water and soda. You are not smuggling or stealing by openly carrying it on and having RCI's employees deliver it to your room. to appears that they just have not gotten around to updating their website and leaving enforcement as an option if they choose to start enforcing it.

[Deptacon]

Welcome to cruise critic. Most of the posters, like the finger pointers at the smugglers, are snot nosed judgmental trolls. They justify their postion 1 of 2 ways: steal is wrong, you are the devil.... And i am better than you for point it out.

 

2. Your smuggling makes my prices go up. Its my cruise, my ship, and you are making it go up 2 dollars.... You are an awful person.

[Paulxyz2004]

I've read RCI policies. No drink package sharing. No bringing alcohol except for 2 bottles of wine at embarkation onboard. No soda or water permitted to be brought on.

 

But two different posts on front page, one for alcohol, one for water.

 

Alcohol post filled with vitriol, "that's stealing", etc.

 

Water post "Oh, they let you are this port." "They will tag it here", etc.

 

Why the double standard? Is it a money issue?

 

There is no double Standard at all, because the rule is pretty clear cut. You are not allowed to bring any alcohol onboard, except the allowance of two bottles of wine or champagne. However you can bring non-alcoholic Drinks.

 

This is from my current cruise docs:

 

 

As you can see they even explicitly say you can bring stuff like water and Soda, etc.

They are subject to inspection and might be disposed if they contain alcohol.

 

So in reality only alcohol is prohibited.

 

The no Drinks at all rule was in effect years ago and I guess many Folks still repeat this on the boards, however it´s not true at this time.

 

It´s a Problem with message boards where many People will repeat some information over and over even if it´s not accurate anymore, sometimes just because they didn´t realize and sometimes because there´s People on here who might have never stepped onboard a cruiseship, but still Claim themselves as the biggest experts just by repeating from other Posters.

[Deptacon]

I smuggle booze. And i laugh when you guys pay 400+ for a package or pay 13 bucks bucks a drink when i bring 3 full bottles of liquor on board costing less than 100 bucks. They let me carry the cokes on so a 12 pack cost 4 dollars for mixers for approximately 24 drinks. Dont like it? Too bad....

[ryano]

 

As you can see they even explicitly say you can bring stuff like water and Soda, etc.

.

 

I dont think so. The very first sentence in the rule you posted clearly states "Guests are not allowed to bring beer, hard liquor, or non alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use"

 

Its just they dont enforce it most of the time.

 

So that does begs the question. If sharing a drink package is NOT enforced, does that make it ok?

Edited May 22, 2015 by ryano

[Paulxyz2004]

And from the FAQ on their Website:

 

 

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 beer, hard liquor, fortified wines or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use on boarding day or while in port. Alcoholic beverages seized on boarding day will not be returned.

 

Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. Additional bottles of wine beyond two (2) bottles that are brought onboard or any alcoholic beverages 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.

 

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.

[StolidCruiser]

Because they want to keep the cheap sloppy drunks where they belong - on land.

 

Interesting how the misinformation about non-alcoholic beverages gets twisted for yet another pot-stirring thread by the muckrakers. Some people must be really, really bored.

[LoveyHowell]

I guess the first line of the policy doesn't count.

 

For the record. I have no issues with someone that takes the stance that both are OK, or both are not OK. It's more when people get choosy about it that it makes no sense

[ryano]

And from the FAQ on their Website:

 

 

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 beer, hard liquor, fortified wines or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use on boarding day or while in port. Alcoholic beverages seized on boarding day will not be returned.

 

Guests wishing to bring personal wine and champagne onboard may do so only on boarding day, limited to two (2) 750 ml bottles per stateroom. Additional bottles of wine beyond two (2) bottles that are brought onboard or any alcoholic beverages 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.

 

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.

 

Again, highlighted in red :) To me that says no water or soda allowed. Period. They just dont enforce it most of the time.

[Paulxyz2004]

I dont think so. The very first sentence in the rule you posted clearly states "Guests are not allowed to bring beer, hard liquor, or non alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use"

 

Its just they dont enforce it most of the time.

 

So that does begs the question. If sharing a drink package is NOT enforced, does that make it ok?

 

While that´s true, they still state further down, that security will inspect water bottles, Soda, etc. and only will dispose those if they contain alcohol. so while contractiding themselves they still state it´s ok to bring it onboard. Now one can debate that you can bring but not consume or use in any form.;)

[Paulxyz2004]

Again, highlighted in red :) To me that says no water or soda allowed. Period. They just dont enforce it most of the time.

 

Nope re-read it.

 

Guests are not allowed to bring beer, hard liquor, fortified wines or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use on boarding day or while in port.

 

 

You are allowed to bring it onboard, just not for consumption or any other use on Boarding day or while in port.

 

So at sea you can use or consume it:D:p:p

[DirtyDawg]

Nope re-read it.

 

Guests are not allowed to bring beer, hard liquor, fortified wines or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use on boarding day or while in port.

 

 

You are allowed to bring it onboard, just not for consumption or any other use on Boarding day or while in port.

 

So at sea you can use or consume it:D:p:p

 

I swear these cruise contracts must have been written by the Law firm of Larry, Curly and Moe.:p:D

Edited May 22, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[cb at sea]

Water is entirely free onboard...you can get it anywhere, at any time. It's the same water that's in those plastic bottles!

[splash_in_the_water]

I smuggle booze. And i laugh when you guys pay 400+ for a package or pay 13 bucks bucks a drink when i bring 3 full bottles of liquor on board costing less than 100 bucks. They let me carry the cokes on so a 12 pack cost 4 dollars for mixers for approximately 24 drinks. Dont like it? Too bad....

 

lol...I don't mind. You not buying booze isn't stealing, etc....You not buying booze doesn't cost me anything...does anyone really think that RCL would say "look at these people buying drink packages! we're making so much , we should cut prices!!" It's more like "hey look, they'll pay XX.XX for a package, now let's see if they pay this much"

 

but good on ya, I don't care. IF you get caught, it makes no difference to me, only your cruise...

[StolidCruiser]

I smuggle booze. And i laugh when you guys pay 400+ for a package or pay 13 bucks bucks a drink when i bring 3 full bottles of liquor on board costing less than 100 bucks. They let me carry the cokes on so a 12 pack cost 4 dollars for mixers for approximately 24 drinks. Dont like it? Too bad....

 

After those 24 are consumed, what do you do for the other 6 days of the cruise?

[SnorkelAway]

Water is entirely free onboard...you can get it anywhere, at any time. It's the same water that's in those plastic bottles!

 

I was thinking the same thing. If someone wants to "smuggle" water on board a modern cruise ship on which you can get perfectly fine drinkable water free from the tap in your cabin among other places, go for it. I would agree that ideally they would just publish a limit on how much soda you can bring on and then enforce whatever that rule is.

[Paul65]

Ha ha! What a wonderful point! I cant wait to see the justifications for this one!

 

I think the OP nailed it with the question "is it a money issue." I think that's the main reason RCCL is somewhat strict on alcohol policies, but not so much on things like bringing water or soda aboard.

 

There are some other potential reasons, but I think it's mostly money. And, for the most part, if you can do it openly, and RCCL doesn't care, then most of the posters here don't care, either.