John Heald: Liquor Distribution Change

[vacruisin]

Two simple reasons.

 

1. Carnival is in the service industry. When in the service industry, you serve. It would be easier for the room stewards to drop off cleaning supplies, some fresh towels and bedding and let you make your own cabin. They could also eliminate the MDRs and just go to buffet, that would be easier for the servers and even the cooks. Of course, neither would qualify as service. Eliminating service in the name of "making it easy for the employees" is something that should never be said in a service business.

 

2. Carnival caused the problem. Carnival does not need to take alcohol away from passengers when returning from port, nor do they need to hold alcohol when purchased in the Fun Shops. Carnival instead has chosen to do this to protect their onboard sales. That means it is now their responsibility to return the alcohol purchases to the guests in an acceptable manner.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself! Where is the "like" button? :)

[onlyleigh]

Okay, I am going to weigh in here. These policies are all about profits and keeping the spending on board, whether liquor or water. As you can see from below, I am a Diamond Level with Carnival. I've been cruising a long, long time, over 30 years.

 

The water price they have so generously announced is about a 100% mark up over land prices. The new water, in the blue or green bottles depending on which arrives to your cabin, quite frankly doesn't taste good. But, I am sure they are getting it as cheaply as they possibly can. We often did carry a few bottles of unopened water on board because of health issues and the hassle of having to wait hours in the terminal (yes, even as Diamond passengers) to board the ship. The last cruise we did drink their new water and found that our fingers and feet swelled which means hidden sodium somewhere in it. (There were no other changes in what we ate, so it wasn't attributable to food) There was no content information on the bottle, just a Carnival label so there was no way to tell. And, there was no recycling code on the bottle which tells me the new water is not anything available anywhere to the public. If you research the name of the water on the internet, you can't find it. So, it could be coming from anywhere and that makes me, and it should make you, very uncomfortable.

 

 

Do people smuggle liquor on board? Of course. But I wonder if Carnival ever asked themselves why the passengers feel compelled to do it and if their price point was now too high? Probably not. It always boils down to what a person is willing to pay. If their drink prices were lower, then people wouldn't bother to attempt to smuggle booze aboard. Holland America has high prices but also has happy 1/2 price hours and I can tell you that their bar is packed during happy hour, but completely vacant at other times.

 

The last time we were going to buy some booze for a wedding we are hosting to save a couple of bucks, we thought. I didn't know the ship prices because we don't normally buy it on board. The first day I went to the shop and wrote down the prices, all the while having a clerk telling me how good the prices were. I was honest and said I wanted to compare to what I could get at home at either Total Wine or BevMo. He kept pushing that his prices were way cheaper than comparable sizes on land. He was so pushy that I finally flashed my Diamond card at him and asked him to back off. I went back to the cabin and on my overpriced internet package attempted to connect to the above mentioned liquor store websites. Well, low and behold, both of those websites were blocked. Not just "couldn't connect" but "blocked." Not to be deterred, I simply emailed my daughter at home, gave her the appropriate names, sizes and prices and asked her to check online for me. Surprise, surprise. Not only were their prices not lower, but in most cases were higher. "Savings of 40% over land" is complete BS. Even their Johnny Walker at all levels was higher. So, they lost that sale. As to their wine prices, and we are very good wine drinkers, the lowest markup on any of their wines that I have see is 150% and that was on the more expensive wines. The largest markup that I have seen is 500% and that's on their cheapest wines. So, do I drink on board any more? No, I don't. Before when the prices were lower, my husband and I were known to consume about a bottle of wine a night. But, they priced us out of drinking it several years ago.

 

What I have gotten tired of is the constant really lame and stupid excuses that Carnival keeps making for limiting our vacation flexibility. They continue to take away our personal choices in the interest of picking our wallets clean.

This time they have actually (and I don't think they intended to) completely insulted the competency of their crew by alleging that this will eliminate their deliveries to the wrong cabin. If the crew can't be competent enough to deliver the booze to the proper cabin, what makes them think they will be any more competent if they are standing in a lounge handing out the booze?

 

I also find it funny that this comes on the heels of the elimination of the past guest parties. I was told by a hotel director recently that the real reason they cut that out was that, yes, some guests never got their free drinks, but it was really because aggressive guests were drinking as much as they could swallow in the short period of time. They were bleeding badly in the free drink costs and simply had to dump it for profits sake.

 

As we have just finished our 75th cruise with Carnival and under the Milestone program will be entitled to 75% of our cruise fare in onboard credit on a future voyage, we have decided that we will take that perk on our next voyage and simply move to land based vacations where we have the choice and flexibility that cruising no longer offers us. I hope someone at Carnival is reading this, because you have just lost my loyalty over your ever increasing desire to pick my wallet.

[Homosassa]

No you are not the only one. I don't know that they are employees but certainly cheerleaders....

 

I defended the policy, but I am definitely not a Carnival cheerleader.

[figdu]

I defended the policy, but I am definitely not a Carnival cheerleader.

 

You have every right to defend the policy if you believe in it. I think you are in the minority but that's okay.

[vacruisin]

Some people just can't seem to understand why some things bother others because that particular policy may not bother them. Well, it all depends on who you are and what you like.

 

For example, I am not a sunbather. I hate the idea of laying out in the sun for hours frying under those harmful rays so the whole "chair hog" thing doesn't bother me at all. However, I can see why it would bother folks who like to lay out in the sun.

 

Some people fail to look at it from the perspective of people who DO care about certain things that they may not care about. And just because you totally don't give a hoot about "such and such" policy doesn't mean that the people that DO care about said policy are in the minority.

 

A LOT of people buy booze on cruises, either in port or on the boat. I see it every cruise so this does impact A LOT of cruisers. It remains to be seen whether or not it impacts them enough to make them want to stop purchasing the booze in port or onboard. I can say that on debarkation morning MOST (not all) cruisers are trying to get off the boat and on their way as quickly as possible. This new policy doesn't help in that aspect.

[bruadhin]

Some people just can't seem to understand why some things bother others because that particular policy may not bother them. Well, it all depends on who you are and what you like.

 

For example, I am not a sunbather. I hate the idea of laying out in the sun for hours frying under those harmful rays so the whole "chair hog" thing doesn't bother me at all. However, I can see why it would bother folks who like to lay out in the sun.

 

Some people fail to look at it from the perspective of people who DO care about certain things that they may not care about. And just because you totally don't give a hoot about "such and such" policy doesn't mean that the people that DO care about said policy are in the minority.

 

A LOT of people buy booze on cruises, either in port or on the boat. I see it every cruise so this does impact A LOT of cruisers. It remains to be seen whether or not it impacts them enough to make them want to stop purchasing the booze in port or onboard. I can say that on debarkation morning MOST (not all) cruisers are trying to get off the boat and on their way as quickly as possible. This new policy doesn't help in that aspect.

 

Also very well said.

 

I strongly believe the alcohol distribution policy is going to affect significantly more cruisers than the no bottle policy. Based merely upon my own observations, I have seen several carts filled with alcohol at just one port, much less the other ports and onboard purchases.

 

And whether you support this policy or not, I think anyone should emphasis with the onboard staff once these policies go into effect. I stated earlier, Carnival is a service business and its staff is there to serve. This does not mean corporate should create make work just because. I would be shocked if tempers do not flare the night before when alcohol isn't delivered or the morning of when people are standing in line.

[nomadron]

Sounds like another terrible idea to me, I think their liquor sales will suffer.

I think this change is a mistake. I don't need more to do the last day! It will influence my liquor purchase.

[Shipbound]

Sounds like another terrible idea to me, I think their liquor sales will suffer.

 

Now that I agree with that who is going to go through all that hassle to repack your booze that was bought on the ship the day of debarkation just to save a few dollars. Ever since the TSA put restrictions on the amount of liquids that can carried on a plane I have not brought any alcohol on the Islands or a cruise ship too much of a hassle. I hope liquor sales drop like a rock.

 

Gary

Edited June 11, 2015 by Shipbound

[love my grandkids]

Okay, I am going to weigh in here. These policies are all about profits and keeping the spending on board, whether liquor or water. As you can see from below, I am a Diamond Level with Carnival. I've been cruising a long, long time, over 30 years.

 

The water price they have so generously announced is about a 100% mark up over land prices. The new water, in the blue or green bottles depending on which arrives to your cabin, quite frankly doesn't taste good. But, I am sure they are getting it as cheaply as they possibly can. We often did carry a few bottles of unopened water on board because of health issues and the hassle of having to wait hours in the terminal (yes, even as Diamond passengers) to board the ship. The last cruise we did drink their new water and found that our fingers and feet swelled which means hidden sodium somewhere in it. (There were no other changes in what we ate, so it wasn't attributable to food) There was no content information on the bottle, just a Carnival label so there was no way to tell. And, there was no recycling code on the bottle which tells me the new water is not anything available anywhere to the public. If you research the name of the water on the internet, you can't find it. So, it could be coming from anywhere and that makes me, and it should make you, very uncomfortable.

 

 

Do people smuggle liquor on board? Of course. But I wonder if Carnival ever asked themselves why the passengers feel compelled to do it and if their price point was now too high? Probably not. It always boils down to what a person is willing to pay. If their drink prices were lower, then people wouldn't bother to attempt to smuggle booze aboard. Holland America has high prices but also has happy 1/2 price hours and I can tell you that their bar is packed during happy hour, but completely vacant at other times.

 

The last time we were going to buy some booze for a wedding we are hosting to save a couple of bucks, we thought. I didn't know the ship prices because we don't normally buy it on board. The first day I went to the shop and wrote down the prices, all the while having a clerk telling me how good the prices were. I was honest and said I wanted to compare to what I could get at home at either Total Wine or BevMo. He kept pushing that his prices were way cheaper than comparable sizes on land. He was so pushy that I finally flashed my Diamond card at him and asked him to back off. I went back to the cabin and on my overpriced internet package attempted to connect to the above mentioned liquor store websites. Well, low and behold, both of those websites were blocked. Not just "couldn't connect" but "blocked." Not to be deterred, I simply emailed my daughter at home, gave her the appropriate names, sizes and prices and asked her to check online for me. Surprise, surprise. Not only were their prices not lower, but in most cases were higher. "Savings of 40% over land" is complete BS. Even their Johnny Walker at all levels was higher. So, they lost that sale. As to their wine prices, and we are very good wine drinkers, the lowest markup on any of their wines that I have see is 150% and that was on the more expensive wines. The largest markup that I have seen is 500% and that's on their cheapest wines. So, do I drink on board any more? No, I don't. Before when the prices were lower, my husband and I were known to consume about a bottle of wine a night. But, they priced us out of drinking it several years ago.

 

What I have gotten tired of is the constant really lame and stupid excuses that Carnival keeps making for limiting our vacation flexibility. They continue to take away our personal choices in the interest of picking our wallets clean.

This time they have actually (and I don't think they intended to) completely insulted the competency of their crew by alleging that this will eliminate their deliveries to the wrong cabin. If the crew can't be competent enough to deliver the booze to the proper cabin, what makes them think they will be any more competent if they are standing in a lounge handing out the booze?

 

I also find it funny that this comes on the heels of the elimination of the past guest parties. I was told by a hotel director recently that the real reason they cut that out was that, yes, some guests never got their free drinks, but it was really because aggressive guests were drinking as much as they could swallow in the short period of time. They were bleeding badly in the free drink costs and simply had to dump it for profits sake.

 

As we have just finished our 75th cruise with Carnival and under the Milestone program will be entitled to 75% of our cruise fare in onboard credit on a future voyage, we have decided that we will take that perk on our next voyage and simply move to land based vacations where we have the choice and flexibility that cruising no longer offers us. I hope someone at Carnival is reading this, because you have just lost my loyalty over your ever increasing desire to pick my wallet.

 

very well said:)

[maldenmusic]

Last year, on the Elation, we got ours the evening before. We'll see what happens when we cruise in 2 weeks. We always drive to and from the port so it won't impact us too much but I can see why people would be upset if they are flying out.

[satxdiver]

Two simple reasons.

 

1. Carnival is in the service industry. When in the service industry, you serve. It would be easier for the room stewards to drop off cleaning supplies, some fresh towels and bedding and let you make your own cabin. They could also eliminate the MDRs and just go to buffet, that would be easier for the servers and even the cooks. Of course, neither would qualify as service. Eliminating service in the name of "making it easy for the employees" is something that should never be said in a service business.

 

2. Carnival caused the problem. Carnival does not need to take alcohol away from passengers when returning from port, nor do they need to hold alcohol when purchased in the Fun Shops. Carnival instead has chosen to do this to protect their onboard sales. That means it is now their responsibility to return the alcohol purchases to the guests in an acceptable manner.

 

How well put. Wonder when Carnival will act on your first suggestion as this seems to be an accurate prediction for the future. This latest confirms why Carnival is never my first choice to sail.

[42CruiseCrazy]

Two simple reasons.

 

1. Carnival is in the service industry. When in the service industry, you serve. It would be easier for the room stewards to drop off cleaning supplies, some fresh towels and bedding and let you make your own cabin. They could also eliminate the MDRs and just go to buffet, that would be easier for the servers and even the cooks. Of course, neither would qualify as service. Eliminating service in the name of "making it easy for the employees" is something that should never be said in a service business.

 

2. Carnival caused the problem. Carnival does not need to take alcohol away from passengers when returning from port, nor do they need to hold alcohol when purchased in the Fun Shops. Carnival instead has chosen to do this to protect their onboard sales. That means it is now their responsibility to return the alcohol purchases to the guests in an acceptable manner.

 

 

I couldn't agree with you more !!!

 

 

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[Vitamin_Sea]

July 9th

 

Thanks fig... Thats what I thought it was. We are safe for upcoming cruise! :)

[figdu]

Thanks fig... Thats what I thought it was. We are safe for upcoming cruise! :)

 

Us too! This one will be the last time we buy, we debark on the 4th.

[42CruiseCrazy]

July 9th

 

 

If that's when this totally insane policy begins there still time for Carnival to change it. They should backtrack & cancel it because it's totally stupid. NCL listened to their customers and backtracked on their food takeout policy. Carnival should admit they made a mistake and do the same

[figdu]

If that's when this totally insane policy begins there still time for Carnival to change it. They should backtrack & cancel it because it's totally stupid. NCL listened to their customers and backtracked on their food takeout policy. Carnival should admit they made a mistake and do the same

 

That's what I am hoping for.....

[Vitamin_Sea]

Us too! This one will be the last time we buy, we debark on the 4th.

 

We will still buy after the new rules take effect.

The prices are 1/3 the price of my local store.

So, its a one time inconvenience but its still worth it.

[figdu]

We will still buy after the new rules take effect.

The prices are 1/3 the price of my local store.

So, its a one time inconvenience but its still worth it.

 

It's a personal choice and some will still buy. I will not because I don't want the hassle on debarkation morning.

[Vitamin_Sea]

It's a personal choice and some will still buy. I will not because I don't want the hassle on debarkation morning.

 

Of course....Hopefully they set it up so it runs smooth :rolleyes:

[Vitamin_Sea]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't usually drink on the last night because the morning is early and stressful, and I want to wake up without any lingering effects of alcohol.

 

The thing is, there are 24 ships in the fleet. Multiply that by several thousand guests and its huge money involved.

[42CruiseCrazy]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't usually drink on the last night because the morning is early and stressful, and I want to wake up without any lingering effects of alcohol.

 

 

I think you're right. Many people do not drink much or anything on the last night of the cruise because they need to be alert for the early-morning debarkation and driving etc. so there really isn't anything that Carnival can do about that, unless they offered free drinks, which they have already done (but only one, to their Gold members who've been uninvited to the party)

 

 

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[kelkel2]

Honestly I've been thinking about this, and if they are doing this because they think bar sales are dropping on the last night. Which I am sure they are, I think they are more dropping because there are so many people in their cabins packing, going to bed early, whatever else. I don't honestly think the problem is that people are getting wasted in the cabin on their booze that has been delivered to their rooms and that is keeping them from going to the bars and buying drinks from them. Although a few members have mentioned that they do this, this seems like quite the minority that actually does. So, although the "beards" seem to think that changing this distribution time may help their bar sales I really doubt it. I think it's just the nature of the last night.

I know I, just like you guys, have early flights or drive home and are stressed with travel plans. Are thinking about getting up early after a long vacation and the last thing on my mind really is going to the bar and putting back several drinks. If Carnival actually sat down and thought about it, they would see that.

[happy cruzin]

Honestly I've been thinking about this, and if they are doing this because they think bar sales are dropping on the last night. Which I am sure they are, I think they are more dropping because there are so many people in their cabins packing, going to bed early, whatever else. I don't honestly think the problem is that people are getting wasted in the cabin on their booze that has been delivered to their rooms and that is keeping them from going to the bars and buying drinks from them. Although a few members have mentioned that they do this, this seems like quite the minority that actually does. So, although the "beards" seem to think that changing this distribution time may help their bar sales I really doubt it. I think it's just the nature of the last night.

I know I, just like you guys, have early flights or drive home and are stressed with travel plans. Are thinking about getting up early after a long vacation and the last thing on my mind really is going to the bar and putting back several drinks. If Carnival actually sat down and thought about it, they would see that.

 

 

Exactly!

 

.....and their theory definitely does not apply those with CHEERS. Certainly they would NOT be drinking their purchased liquor instead of the bar services!

[cruizinisthebest]

It's a personal choice and some will still buy. I will not because I don't want the hassle on debarkation morning.

The only way we will still buy is if we don't fly and can carry the stuff in a bag. I wish I would open up suitcases and repack in the port.

 

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[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Honestly I've been thinking about this, and if they are doing this because they think bar sales are dropping on the last night. Which I am sure they are, I think they are more dropping because there are so many people in their cabins packing, going to bed early, whatever else. I don't honestly think the problem is that people are getting wasted in the cabin on their booze that has been delivered to their rooms and that is keeping them from going to the bars and buying drinks from them. Although a few members have mentioned that they do this, this seems like quite the minority that actually does. So, although the "beards" seem to think that changing this distribution time may help their bar sales I really doubt it. I think it's just the nature of the last night.

I know I, just like you guys, have early flights or drive home and are stressed with travel plans. Are thinking about getting up early after a long vacation and the last thing on my mind really is going to the bar and putting back several drinks. If Carnival actually sat down and thought about it, they would see that.

 

Please quote your source that this new policy has been instituted because Carnival is loosing drink revenue on the final night. Rumours instigated by a few disgruntled posters does not constitute fact and conspiracy theories hold no weight unless they can be proven. It may be that economics and convenience are playing a part in this decision, Carnival is a "for profit" corporation, after all, but I have yet to read an OFFICIAL statement behind their reasoning.