How to stop alcohol smuggling

[kidless]

I am afraid of getting caught smuggling :D my luck I'd be the one they'd make the example of and make me walk the plank :mad: So I'll just keep sending DH down to the bar to get my before dinner drink I think he looks cute in his slippers and terry cloth bathrobe :p

 

And it is funny how everyone says the drinks are watered down :o I always ask for a tall class not a double :)

 

I heard Carnival now lets you have a bottle sent to your cabin before sailing they dont' show it on line you have to call the Bon Voyage Department. It is a little more expensive then the local liqour store but I'd pay. I don't know how long they have been doing this but maybe RCCL will follow suit. :D

[SonOFaSailor561]

If I were CEO I'd be announcing that our onboard alcohol sales are down because of 'smuggling'. Therefore we add a $30 per stateroom security fee, hire as many luggage people I can and go through as many of luggages as I can. :D

 

To top it off, I would create a database of people who were caught 'smuggling', share it with every cruise line and have them banned from cruising with anybody.

 

:D

 

I think that would tremendously reduce the 'alcohol smuggle'.

 

Oh, in addition to that I would create a reward program. If you know someone who 'smuggled' alcohol and you tell us we'll refund the 'security fee'.

 

;)

 

Database? Neighborhood Watch Program? Banned from ever cruising again? LOL after 15 years the ships would be empty because the younger generation would all be banned from when they were in their 20's and 30's trying to smuggle. Don't you think they should be worried about bombs, knives and guns...pedophiles and such? I would much rather pay and extra $30 for them to hire extra security for that.

 

While we're at it, we should put cameras in all the rooms and hallways and have security do routine sweeps to make sure noone is having a good time. We should also reverse the 21st amendment and write a new constitution. You should be in charge of rewriting it.

 

Here's my opinion: The cruises ships should sell one bottle per day delivered to your room with mixers per person per day if wanted. 350-500ml. Not everyone wants to hang out at the bar after being on a ship with 3000+ people all day. They also don't want to have to go to a bar and bring back a drink to their room everytime they want a drink. THE CRUISELINES CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE MORE MONEY SELLING BOTTLES THAN INDIVIDUAL DRINKS. NIGHTCLUBS DO IT. THEY JUST HAVE TO DO IT IN MODERATION. It's not about moderating how much a person can drink. I've seen people off their asses on a ship and the bartenders continue to serve them. I've also seen underage teenagers getting served on ships...CONFIRMED. If the RCI was so concerned with moderation, they would address these two issues first. It's all about profit. They should hire someone from the NIGHTCLUB or DISTRIBUTION business to show them how they can profit while at the same time allowing people to have a bottle in their room.

 

IE you call an hour before and the tray is delivered to your room. You get one tray with mixers for every person in your room over 21 if you want. Each bottle can make 3-5 drinks or 5 beers. If you want more then that, you have to go to the bar because you have a drinking problem.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Database? Neighborhood Watch Program? Banned from ever cruising again? LOL after 15 years the ships would be empty because the younger generation would all be banned from when they were in their 20's and 30's trying to smuggle. Don't you think they should be worried about bombs, knives and guns...pedophiles and such? I would much rather pay and extra $30 for them to hire extra security for that.

 

While we're at it, we should put cameras in all the rooms and hallways and have security do routine sweeps to make sure noone is having a good time. We should also reverse the 21st amendment and write a new constitution. You should be in charge of rewriting it.

 

Here's my opinion: The cruises ships should sell one bottle per day delivered to your room with mixers per person per day if wanted. 350-500ml. Not everyone wants to hang out at the bar after being on a ship with 3000+ people all day. They also don't want to have to go to a bar and bring back a drink to their room everytime they want a drink. THE CRUISELINES CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE MORE MONEY SELLING BOTTLES THAN INDIVIDUAL DRINKS. NIGHTCLUBS DO IT. THEY JUST HAVE TO DO IT IN MODERATION. It's not about moderating how much a person can drink. I've seen people off their asses on a ship and the bartenders continue to serve them. I've also seen underage teenagers getting served on ships...CONFIRMED. If the RCI was so concerned with moderation, they would address these two issues first. It's all about profit. They should hire someone from the NIGHTCLUB or DISTRIBUTION business to show them how they can profit while at the same time allowing people to have a bottle in their room.

 

IE you call an hour before and the tray is delivered to your room. You get one tray with mixers for every person in your room over 21 if you want. Each bottle can make 3-5 drinks or 5 beers. If you want more then that, you have to go to the bar because you have a drinking problem.

 

you do realize my post was dripping with sarcasm.

[cruzinnluvinit]

I think allowing limited duty free alcohol sales on board for in cabin use would discourage smuggling. From what I read on these boards it seems that the majority of cruisers do purchase drinks at the bars but would like to have their own bottle for in room consumption.

Perfect solution. They would still be able to make money but people wouldn't feel the need to sneak it onboard. A drink at night in your room would be so nice. I know they can be bought at a bar and walked back to the room but I drink it before I get to the room and then I don't get to relax and enjoy one just sitting with my DH.

 

Linda

[Host Star]

no need for smuggling.. you can bring a whole case of wine on board, just consume it in your cabin, not about the ship or in the dining room!...

[MakinGold]

no need for smuggling.. you can bring a whole case of wine on board, just consume it in your cabin, not about the ship or in the dining room!...

 

:confused: Where have you been???

[shipshape sam]

Given the creativity of the human mind, it seems to me that it is impossible to prevent smuggling of alcohol onto ships.

 

If you were CEO of RCI what would you do to make smuggling a less attractive option for those cruisers who are inclined to do it.

 

For instance, would you hire more personnel so that every piece of luggage could be meticulously hand searched?

 

Would you hand search all arriving passengers to make sure they weren't concealing any alcohol on their person?

 

Would you lower drink prices?

 

Make package goods available on the ship?

 

What would YOU do?

 

Jimmers:)

 

 

Free drinks/ open bar! Absent that, make drinks reasonably price and for me have a decent beer selection. Bud,Bud light,miller light, and all the other mass marketed cheap beers are a sad excuse for a beer, IMHO.

 

For Hard liquor/wine, upscale cruise lines do offer liquor/wine/beer packages. REASON, IMHO, is that 99.9% of people sailing those lines drink responsibily. Hate to say it, but Carnival, RCL are promoted more to younger groups (plus families) and younger groups tend to get out of control more often and cave into 'peer' pressure. In my younger years, I can remember 'Be a Man' drink it down' then another drink shows up with another challenge.

 

English ales would be a nice start! :)

 

I finally would suggest that as cruise lines treat their passengers more like thieves at every turn, it lessens the cruise experience. Guess targeting new cruisers, young groups, etc has its downside too.

[going2cruz]

That is just so weird. Not more than a half hour ago I came across that video on another forum for the first time. Absolutely blown away by it. Hope everyone takes the time to view it.

 

Jimmers

 

 

Can we have a link?

[going2cruz]

I think the only way that alcohol smuggling will stop, is if RCI denied boarding to passengers who attempted to bring alcohol onboard.

 

Other than that, people don't care if it's confiscated, they don't care if they get their hand slapped. Unless they are denied boarding, or (gasp!) charged more if alcohol is found, they will ALWAYS do it.

 

That said, I'm not against smuggling. We're sailing on Enchantment in 10 days, and will NOT be smuggling, but we have smuggled in the past, and enjoyed our smuggled beverages very much.

They've probably given that a thought ............it would send a third of cruisers over to do the all inclusive vacations.

[Married on Enchantment]

I think the right solution is allow a bottle purchased to be brought to the room for a surcharge. I remember on my first cruise in 99 when you could bring it to your room for no extra charge. Why the change hmmm. Well why would they stop there. Dont be suprised if 5 years from now they stop letting men take on tuxedo's. They do rent them and I am sure they would make money if you had to rent them week after week. I know that the issue isnt about people drinking too much in their rooms and lawsuits. I have seen many bartenders serve people that very drunk. I have also seen them serve people that were underage. It is all about money, RCCL is a business, that is the only reason.

[MakinGold]

I know that the issue isnt about people drinking too much in their rooms and lawsuits. I have seen many bartenders serve people that very drunk. I have also seen them serve people that were underage. It is all about money, RCCL is a business, that is the only reason.

 

Sorry, but I highly doubt that. I think it has a lot to do with people drinking too much in their rooms and lawsuits. I have seen bartenders refuse to serve people who were very drunk. I have alse seen them refuse to serve people who were underage. It is all about money; RCCL is a business, and it is bad business to have to deal with damages and lawsuits.

[rudeney]

To answer the original question of how I would stop smuggling…

I would sell a “booze card” similar to the “soda card”. There are many possible variations, such as a tie-in to the Wine & Dine package, or even a higher priced plan that includes top-shelf brands or specialty drinks. To prevent concerns over passengers becoming drunk, it could have limits on the number of drinks per passenger per day, or maybe it could simply be a discount card where per-drink charges ($2?) are still assessed. The plan would need to be priced so that the cruise line still makes a nice profit, but that the passengers perceive it as having a better value than paying by the glass or risking losing their own smuggled booze.

Having said that, I believe RCCL’s no BYOB and no bottles in the room policies are strictly for the purposes of generating profit. I saw plenty of people on FoS that were so drunk they could hardly hand over their seapass cards yet the waiters and bar tenders still took them. There was one poor guy at the blackjack table that couldn’t even hold his head up, but they were still taking his money (for drinks and chips). If you BYOB, then obviously RCCL loses out on all of that revenue. If they sold by the bottle, they’d end up charging around $50 for a 375ml bottle to equal the revenue generated in the bars. I would bet few passengers would pay that, so smuggling would continue.

My opinion is that RCCL’s *cocktail* prices are not bad. I was paying $5.75 each (tip included) for a Johnnie Walker Red with club soda. The drink was mixed sufficiently “stiff”. It’s not a bad adeal at all compared to the same drink (carefully measured at 1.2oz of alcohol) for $8 plus tip at our local “after work” watering hole, TGI Friday’s. I never purchased any beer, so I have no clue what those prices were. My wife had some daiquiris, and they were in the $7-$8 range, and also generously measured, which is a good comparative deal also. Where I draw the line is on wine. I live in Alabama with some of the highest alcohol taxes in the nation. For example, Liberty School Chardonnay sells for around $8 in most places. Here in Alabama, it’s $12 at Sam’s/Costco. On the ship, it was over $40. That level of markup for a good but very cheap and plentiful “grocery store” wine is ludicrous. This definitely promotes smuggling.

Finally, I consider that RCCL doesn’t allow BYOB, and they don’t allow in-room bottles at all, but Disney does. Of course many people will say Disney makes up for it on their higher prices, but then again, DCL’s staterooms offer more than RCCL (split bathrooms, suites with two bathrooms, larger rooms, etc.) I have a lot of experience with Disney as a company and I can tell you that the hand of The Mouse can dig deeper into a pocket than the best crook in town. So, what’s the difference? Why can Disney allow BYOB and not lose money or have drunk teens running around and guests falling overboard? My hypothesis is that it’s all about the casino.

Yes, you read that right – it’s the casino, not the bars! If you are wandering around the ship in search of a drink, (and in search of something to do while enjoying that drink), there’s a good chance you might end up in the casino. If you are sitting in your room enjoying your own drinks, then there’s very little chance you’d wander into the casino. Disney has no casino, so they really don’t care where you drink. They charge a little more for the cruise to make up for not having the casino, but in return, they let you BYOB.

[Narragansett Mike]

There is no way to stop smuggling. When a company such as RCI has a license to steal why would anybody not try to take from them. $5 for a beer that cost them 25 cents. Charging for soft drinks that cost pennies a cup. Food that that is a little better than prison issue. Employees that work over 15 hours a day and make $200 a week. Remember these words. LICENSE TO STEAL!

[Dalmar]

First I would wonder what makes people so interested in what other people are doing. Seriously, why does anyone care if someone sneaks a bottle of booze onto the ship?

 

Second, I would offer passengers an alternative to buying a $15 bottle of booze for the low low price of $60- $80. IF the cruise lines weren't so hell bent on bleeding every dime they could out of their passengers, they wouldn't be sneaking a bottle of booze on board in the first place.

[Scorpiorose]

for us it's simple.....lower drink prices to reasonable and we'll comply!;)

[MrsPete]

They've figured it out....it just doesn't pay as well.

This is it exactly! The cruise lines COULD stop all the alcohol smuggling; however, the cost involved would overwhelm the savings. They'd need more personnel, and it'd slow up the boarding process. They know perfectly well that SOME alcohol gets by, but it's a calculated choice on their part.

 

Speaking only for myself, I would like to see the cruise lines offer a drink card that's worth 10 drinks -- you know, the bartenders could punch the card each time they serve one drink. Also, since the purchase would only have to be made once, it'd cut down on paperwork through the computer. I suspect people'd be more likely to drink more since the drinks were "already paid". Maybe a ten-beer card would go for $40 (a small savings over buying them individually) and a ten-fru-fru drink card would go for $55. I'd buy that.

[Dalmar]

$1000.00 for a week? Looks like you have a drinking problem. Now we know why you smuggle!

 

Some people like to "buy a round" for the table. Even if they didn't, that's 4 or 5 drinks a day each and a few bottles of wine.

[shipshape sam]

To answer the original question of how I would stop smuggling…

 

I would sell a “booze card” similar to the “soda card”. There are many possible variations, such as a tie-in to the Wine & Dine package, or even a higher priced plan that includes top-shelf brands or specialty drinks. To prevent concerns over passengers becoming drunk, it could have limits on the number of drinks per passenger per day, or maybe it could simply be a discount card where per-drink charges ($2?) are still assessed. The plan would need to be priced so that the cruise line still makes a nice profit, but that the passengers perceive it as having a better value than paying by the glass or risking losing their own smuggled booze.

 

Having said that, I believe RCCL’s no BYOB and no bottles in the room policies are strictly for the purposes of generating profit. I saw plenty of people on FoS that were so drunk they could hardly hand over their seapass cards yet the waiters and bar tenders still took them. There was one poor guy at the blackjack table that couldn’t even hold his head up, but they were still taking his money (for drinks and chips). If you BYOB, then obviously RCCL loses out on all of that revenue. If they sold by the bottle, they’d end up charging around $50 for a 375ml bottle to equal the revenue generated in the bars. I would bet few passengers would pay that, so smuggling would continue.

 

My opinion is that RCCL’s *cocktail* prices are not bad. I was paying $5.75 each (tip included) for a Johnnie Walker Red with club soda. The drink was mixed sufficiently “stiff”. It’s not a bad adeal at all compared to the same drink (carefully measured at 1.2oz of alcohol) for $8 plus tip at our local “after work” watering hole, TGI Friday’s. I never purchased any beer, so I have no clue what those prices were. My wife had some daiquiris, and they were in the $7-$8 range, and also generously measured, which is a good comparative deal also. Where I draw the line is on wine. I live in Alabama with some of the highest alcohol taxes in the nation. For example, Liberty School Chardonnay sells for around $8 in most places. Here in Alabama, it’s $12 at Sam’s/Costco. On the ship, it was over $40. That level of markup for a good but very cheap and plentiful “grocery store” wine is ludicrous. This definitely promotes smuggling.

 

Finally, I consider that RCCL doesn’t allow BYOB, and they don’t allow in-room bottles at all, but Disney does. Of course many people will say Disney makes up for it on their higher prices, but then again, DCL’s staterooms offer more than RCCL (split bathrooms, suites with two bathrooms, larger rooms, etc.) I have a lot of experience with Disney as a company and I can tell you that the hand of The Mouse can dig deeper into a pocket than the best crook in town. So, what’s the difference? Why can Disney allow BYOB and not lose money or have drunk teens running around and guests falling overboard? My hypothesis is that it’s all about the casino.

 

Yes, you read that right – it’s the casino, not the bars! If you are wandering around the ship in search of a drink, (and in search of something to do while enjoying that drink), there’s a good chance you might end up in the casino. If you are sitting in your room enjoying your own drinks, then there’s very little chance you’d wander into the casino. Disney has no casino, so they really don’t care where you drink. They charge a little more for the cruise to make up for not having the casino, but in return, they let you BYOB.

 

I would agree that the end result is that RCL makes more money, but remember they used to allow wine, etc to be brought on board and used to sell liquor to be consumed in passengers cabins. They started changing their policy when there were the 'public' (media fueled) stories about deaths, etc. on ships and that the excessive alcohol brought on board by passengers 'could' have been a large contributing cause of the death or whatever.

 

It does sound ridiculous to suggest that by stopping the bringing on board of alcohol by passengers and then not controlling the consumption/sale of alcohol by RCL itself solves the problem.

 

To be fair, when on Freedom in 2006, we did not see the drunkeness we saw on the Carnival Glory in 2005. Nor on Sovereign this past March and May.

 

I tend to now sail on cruise lines that at least will sell alcohol to you for in cabin consumption. :)

[corkpopr]

the per drink prices are fine. the thing is i wouldn't care if the drinks were a dollar each. We want the brands we like in our cabin. we always pack a fifth of vodka, brandy (not cognac), vermouth, colossal ollives stuffed with onions, port, and 3-5 bottles of champagne.

 

when we are out and about on the ship we buy from the bars. when we are in the dining room we reluctantly purchase from the less than stellar wine list they have.

 

If they want to put a 50 dollar surcharge on in cabin consumption that's fine with me.

[RevSmith]

I think one of the major reasons the cruise ship does not want you to smuggle liquor on board and buy it by the bottle, once on board (besides the extra money they make...because we all know that is number one) is the fact that drunken passengers are dangerous. They can be obnoxious, silly, cause fights, and fall over board...

I know most of us drink responsibly...but some who smuggle liquor tend to over do it...

that's my opinion on the matter.

To answer the question...it would be too cost prohibited to do much, but make the rules and do a spot search.

[Leafpeeper]

We had scheduled our final cruise payment for Nov 21--just a few days after RCCL's fuel surcharge was implemented.

 

You betta believe we'll be bringing stuff onboard--at least enough to offset our $120 fuel surcharge.

[Leafpeeper]

We had scheduled our final cruise payment for Nov 21--just a few days after RCCL's fuel surcharge was implemented.

 

You betta believe people will be bringing stuff onboard--at least enough to offset the fuel surcharges.

[twirlgirl]

It is strange that some lines like Crystal allow you to bring on board anything you would like to drink. You don't have to resort to smuggle. The word is class. Wish the other line would change their position. It is degrading to watch people in port poring their booze into water and soda bottles. Lower the prices on board. Years ago it was cheap to have a drink on board. Not worth the trouble of bringing anthing on board.

[MakinGold]

It is strange that some lines like Crystal allow you to bring on board anything you would like to drink. You don't have to resort to smuggle. The word is class. Wish the other line would change their position. It is degrading to watch people in port poring their booze into water and soda bottles. Lower the prices on board. Years ago it was cheap to have a drink on board. Not worth the trouble of bringing anthing on board.

 

I'm sorry, but comparing to Crystal is about as meaningless as it gets. You could sail on RC, buy 15-20 drinks per day, and still come out cheaper than most Crystal cruises. They're not competing for the same clientele.

[shipshape sam]

It is strange that some lines like Crystal allow you to bring on board anything you would like to drink. You don't have to resort to smuggle. The word is class. Wish the other line would change their position. It is degrading to watch people in port poring their booze into water and soda bottles. Lower the prices on board. Years ago it was cheap to have a drink on board. Not worth the trouble of bringing anthing on board.

 

 

A major reason Crystal allows passengers to bring things on board is that the cliente of Crystal is mature and does not tend to get drunk and out of control.

 

RCL promotes/markets to people who do! They market to families and to people who are responsible also, but when you also market to irresponsible people, everyone gets thrown in together. (Hard to identify the jerks).

 

As much as I like RCL, I look to travel on more upscale lines where I am not treated as a thief, a criminal. (Not that is RCL's intention. What RCL has found is that passengers violate the rules. Then when there is a problem if RCL hasn't taken appropriate precautions, gets sued!)

 

Passengers can't have it both ways and when you have multiple group types, everyone gives up some flexibility.