John Heald: Liquor Distribution Change

[firemanbobswife]

Or better yet - Platinum and Diamonds will get room delivery the night before and Golds and below go the morning you get off. Oops I hope I didn't give them another "Brilliant" idea :(

Edited June 10, 2015 by firemanbobswife

[bruadhin]

Separating how it's doled out is even more of a mess. One purchase is dropped off. The other you pick up. I mean seriously - who is going to go through that hassle? Even if you do drive, give me a break already. We buy from both, but that's all over if this isn't fixed. And I for one did send a letter to corporate and posted numerous times on John's page today.

 

They need to reverse this with more expediency than NCL did with the "no bringing food back to your cabin" foolery.

 

That is going to be a fun conversation about why Carnival delivered the fun shop purchase, but not the in port purchase.

 

I never knew you were assigned to work guest services as a punishment.

[cruizinisthebest]

I don't see how it would be "more of a mess". Carnival surely knows which liquor you purchased in the Fun Shop vs what you brought on board in port. One purchase is handled by the Fun Shop and the other is not. Pretty easy to route them to differing storage areas.

 

I'm talking about for the passenger. Just give me all the bottles I buy at night and at once please. So I can pack them and get going the next morning. Or tell me where to get them the night before. I'll gladly take the chore off the room stewards hands.

[cruizinisthebest]

That is going to be a fun conversation about why Carnival delivered the fun shop purchase, but not the in port purchase.

 

I never knew you were assigned to work guest services as a punishment.

 

Can you imagine the confusion? Not everyone is on this and other boards discussing it. Let's confuse new cruisers more by dropping off some bottles but not the rest. Let's clog of the guest services line even more, because the people that ran up their s&s accounts need company. Good grief!

:rolleyes:

[travler27]

Pick up the night before seems like a good solution to me. Relieves Carnival of the delivery responsibility and costs and makes packing a bit easier. Anything consumed the last night will be negligible and not any different than it is now.

[nissach]

The posts about "high" drink prices on Carnival always make me smile. We went to Morton's the other night and had to wait in the bar for my daughter and her husband to show. My wife and I each had an Absolut on the rocks (just 1 each). When they brought the check it was for $42 without the tip. Carnival bar prices are actually very reasonable compared to other restaurant/resort prices. Maybe high when compared to liquor store prices and making your own drinks at home but that's an unfair comparison.

 

Not sure what type of restaurant Morton's is, but $42 for two drinks is ridiculous!!:eek:

As for Carnival bar prices, they are probably comparable to many bar/restaurant prices(not cheaper), however, the difference is at a bar/restaurant you are only buying drinks for the evening; a couple of hours. On the ship you are buying drinks daily all day, or most of the day, unless in port(where drinks are usually much cheaper). So I can see why some say the prices are high. I also understand that Carnival is in the business of making money.

[fuddrules]

That line gets backed up all the way to the casino for goodness sake! If it wasn't making money, they wouldn't do it.

As with everything else, the only way to get it to change is to vote with our wallets.

 

I've always wondered how in the world people are that hard up for a free taste. Seriously, I've looked at that line before and had to laugh. Just announce "Free" and people stampede like a they've lost their mind.

[firemanbobswife]

I've always wondered how in the world people are that hard up for a free taste. Seriously, I've looked at that line before and had to laugh. Just announce "Free" and people stampede like a they've lost their mind.

 

 

I know. Just doesn't interest me at all.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

. Carnival will happily keep serving you as long as you can sign the S&S receipt.

 

Actually that is a bit of a fallacy. Carnival has limited their cheers program and I have seen many drunks escorted to their staterooms by security. A nice drunk may be tolerated but a belligerent one is as unwelcome on a cruise ship as they are in your neighborhood bar.

[fireofficer5]

Every one knows CCL can now get rid of three employees on the ship now.:p

[SMSACE6]

Every one knows CCL can now get rid of three employees on the ship now.:p

 

It is definitely about saving money. But I still think they missed the mark on this one. I foresee this decision coming back to bite them in the $%% JMHO.

Edited June 10, 2015 by SMSACE6

[linbobky]

It is definitely about saving money. But I still think they missed the mark on this one. I foresee this decision coming back to bite them in the $%% JMHO.

 

I am with you on this one!:)

 

we usually buy 4 to 6 bottles from the fun shop to bring back home. on our cruise in October i will not buy any!:( carnival just keeps getting better and better!!:)

[buddylover]

On my cruise in April this is how it was done. We just carried it off with us and when we picked up our bags we just put them in before we got on our shuttle.

 

That is just fine if you are picking up your luggage....but what about the folks using "Luggage Express" where you don't touch your luggage it is taken the night before and sent directly to the airlines for you.....can't carry on liquids in bottles....hmmmmm....wonder if they thought their program through! :confused::confused::confused:

[nissach]

That is just fine if you are picking up your luggage....but what about the folks using "Luggage Express" where you don't touch your luggage it is taken the night before and sent directly to the airlines for you.....can't carry on liquids in bottles....hmmmmm....wonder if they thought their program through! :confused::confused::confused:

 

Good point. We never use this option, but for those who have and want to chose this option, buying alcohol becomes a non option.:(

[glentally]

I can't imagine what the lines might be like to pick up the liquor. In Charleston, when debarking, in Sept 2014 I had to stand in line for customs on board in order to declare my "extra" liquor. Just a couple of bottles. There were only about 20 or so people in line, but it took 45 minutes.

 

Maybe they will have it streamlined more than that, but as someone else said, what time do they plan on doing this on that morning?

 

My one and only time I bought a bottle I did drink a little on the last night! BAD BOY!!

 

When I got home I found the price at my local liquor store was about the same or cheaper so no more bottles bought.

[Homosassa]

Actually that is a bit of a fallacy. Carnival has limited their cheers program and I have seen many drunks escorted to their staterooms by security. A nice drunk may be tolerated but a belligerent one is as unwelcome on a cruise ship as they are in your neighborhood bar.

 

Absolutely agree. When the belligerent male drunk in the next cabin was thumping on the wall, the woman in the room was sobbing, and the toddler was crying hysterically, armed Carnival security and medical staff showed up within minutes of our call. No knocking on the door, security used a pass key and went right in.

 

We were told the man was cut off from any more alcohol on the ship, security checked on him after a port call, and we were called twice a day to ask if their was any problems next door.

[mzloolue]

I may be misremembering. but didn't this happen once before?

 

I seem to remember this being implemented and then being discontinued.

 

We do the platinum self debark.

There is barely time to get a shower and something from the buffet.

 

I will not be buying any booze that I have to wait in line to pick up.

[bobsfamily]

We mostly drive to ports so no problem... The odd occasion we do fly I just don't buy booze to bring home. If I have spent that much money that I have to fly then I will just add an extra bill and buy it at home!

[elliair]

Actually that is a bit of a fallacy. Carnival has limited their cheers program and I have seen many drunks escorted to their staterooms by security. A nice drunk may be tolerated but a belligerent one is as unwelcome on a cruise ship as they are in your neighborhood bar.

 

I guess you haven't been on the 3-day sailings out of Long Beach. Many get tanked up in Santa Catalina and then when we get to Ensenada, one does not have to walk very far to get toasted. The wheel chairs are right there waiting for the drunks. Security was there helping but not managing them too well. Once on board, they had to find their own way to their cabin once on the elevator. Saw one guy crawling on his hands and knees, groaning and moaning. He fell out of the wheelchair and couldn't get back in. He barely made it out of the elevator. These are the ones you don't have to worry waiting in line behind, they don't buy the booze to take home.:eek:

[muffin83]

I have cruised with carnival many times in the past and they have been doing this for years on some ships. I have had it both ways(having it delivered and picking up in the lounge morning of) and either way it went smoothly. They had it very organized and it took me less then 5 minutes. I just picked it up before I got dressed that morning, while my husband was getting ready. I never had a problem. And I just packed it when I picked up my luggage when i got off the ship. It really wasn't that big of a deal.

[xeroxme]

I mostly fly to port, and if they enforce this rule I will not buy liquor anymore on a Carnival ship. I can only imagine the cluster and lines trying to pick up liquor the morning of disembarkation! I pack my booze carefully in my checked suitcase the night before and I have not had it break (yet). I don't exclusively sail Carnival, so I will just buy my booze on another cruise line.

 

 

Totally agree. I have never drank my liquor since I want to pack it. I pack it carefully so I don't have to worry about breakage. The thought of an additional line day of Debarkation guarantees I won't buy any again.

[cruizinisthebest]

We mostly drive to ports so no problem... The odd occasion we do fly I just don't buy booze to bring home. If I have spent that much money that I have to fly then I will just add an extra bill and buy it at home!

 

Not really the point. It's nice to be able to save and I have gotten several types of rum, etc. that you cannot find in the states. At least not easily. I don't see how being able to afford airfare has anything to do with liking to catch bargains on liquor or anything else while on vacation.

Edited June 11, 2015 by cruizinisthebest

[r8tr_fan]

We had to do this the on our last two cruises and never had much of an issue. On our December cruise I picked up the liqour on our way off the ship about 8:30 and I only waited about 5 minutes. We just came back from our latest cruise and we picked it up at 6:30 because my son was using self assist and he had time to pack it in his suitcase before he disembarked. I carried mine as we went through customs they asked what i had and I told them four liters of alcohol they said "ok and have a great day".

[SIENA6334]

And the $16 bottle of wine you purchase at home is $40 in any restaurant in the same town where you bought it for $16. And you are saying that you want Carnival to lower all their alcohol prices to less than you would pay for the same level drink in your hometown bars and restaurants? Interesting!

 

Not true. I have found that bottle of wine at several restaurants here in town for under $30.

[Frank12]

It's seems a little over the top.

 

How many people drink that much the last night? When I have to fly or drive the last thing I need is to have had too much to drink the night before.

 

Maybe I'm in the minority:confused:

I'm right there with you.