Anyone been cut off from alcohol sales on a cruise ship?

[CWcruisers]

My DH and I were on a Princess ship recently. We are Elite card holders, 52 and 50 years old Most nights we were in our cabin by 10 pm safely tucked away. One night, we deceided to let loose and went club hopping. We were just looking for good dance music. The bar we were hanging at closed so we went to the disco where he proceeded to try to buy a drink and was told they could not sell him any more alcohol because it was determined he had enough. I went to try and buy him a drink and was told my priviledges were also suspended because I may give him a drink!

 

Needless to say we went to the purser to discuss the situation. Yes, we had been drinking, but I never knew that was a problem, especially if we weren't bothering anybody. The night purser and the night food and beverage manager met with us and told us a crew member had reported that DH was drunk and therefore, an alert was put on his card to suspend purchases for the rest of the night. There was no report on me. We asked if we had disturbed other passengers or offended anyone and they told us no, but we are suspending your alcohol purchases for the rest of the night and it is not up for discussion. So DH went back to the cabin where there was plenty of alcohol available and I went back to the disco to collect my bottle of wine (that I had purchased from the Crooner's Bar) that I had left on the table. They had confiscated my bottle and would not give it back to me until the next day!

 

Now maybe we were in such a drunken stupor that we were not thinking like reasonable people, but I would be interested to know others opinions on this situation. DH never pursued the matter because he really did not feel he had a leg to stand on, but I did go back and speak with the purser about the "theft" of the bottle of wine. My feeling was that they stepped over the boundry with that action. I already "owned" that bottle, I was not purchasing.

 

Of course this whole thing is about all those people who mysteriously fall overboard, so be warned. A crew member has the power to deceide you are drunk and that is that.

 

Anyone else had a similar experience?

[cb at sea]

No....I guess it all depends on how you behave when you've been drinking! (It's not like you're driving, or anything!!!!)

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

It reminds me of airlines where they also will cut off drinks from someone they deem to have had too much to drink. Maybe Princess just isn't taking any chances with your safety or theirs. I wonder what they consider the nightly limit to be.

[CC Help Michell]

It reminds me of airlines where they also will cut off drinks from someone they deem to have had too much to drink. Maybe Princess just isn't taking any chances with your safety or theirs. I wonder what they consider the nightly limit to be.

 

I agree with the above and the OP -- it has a lot to do with the drunken idiots who fall/jump off the ship, and the drunken passengers on airlines who endanger the flight, threaten crew, beat on the cockpit door, have to be subdued by other pax, etc. You might THINK you are "safe" getting drunk on board a ship, since nobody's driving... but enough people have proven otherwise by going for a swim (intended or otherwise), which has generated enough negative publicity, expensive searches, etc. that the cruiselines err on the side of caution.

 

Think about the RCCL honeymooner case from a couple of years ago. The news reports of that case basically said that both the new husband and wife were drunk and publicly arguing that evening.... which irrevocably complicated figuring out what the heck might actually HAVE happened that night. The only thing that has been consistently reported was that both husband and wife were drunk (the wife was found passed out on the floor in a hallway, and walked back to her cabin). Then the next day he's missing, nobody can figure out what happened, and along come the lawyers to ask which employees of the cruiseline kept serving these "obviously impaired" people alcohol.

 

To the OP, I think the cruiseline was trying to err on the side of caution, both for your well-being, and theirs, if something had happened to you.

[cathyz]

No, but we've seen it happen on Carnival. Our cruise last month was during 'spring break' and we saw a handful of college students who had had their alcohol purchasing ability cut off for the rest of the cruise because they were constantly drunk (we saw the same few guys several times, everyone else was fine). We also saw a 50+ year old man have his cut off for the rest of the cruise also, because he was drunk and extremely rude and demanding to a bartender (our favorite bartender too!).

[PhoenixCruiser]

No....I guess it all depends on how you behave when you've been drinking! (It's not like you're driving, or anything!!!!)

 

No kidding, we take advantage of the designated driver :p

 

We tip our servers very well perhaps that is why we have never experienced what the OP did, thank goodness!! :eek:

 

###

[iheartbda]

To the OP, I think the cruiseline was trying to err on the side of caution, both for your well-being, and theirs, if something had happened to you.

 

I think you've got it right...along with the rest of your post.

People have already tried to blame someone else when something happened to them by saying, i.e. YOU should have seen that I was drunk and not served me...

[Essiesmom]

Remember, a person who has been drinking is no judge of his/her own behavior. If they thought you had had enough, they were probably right. EM

[c-legs]

Hi,

Vision gets blurred about a few drinks....including the one in one's own mirror.....

 

Social privileges come with social responsabilities....

 

Cheers

:)

[CWcruisers]

I agree with what most of you have said regarding erring on the side of caution, but my complaint is in the way I was treated when there was no complaint against me and the confiscation of what I would consider personal property. I also feel that rather than some poor bartender being given the job of shutting us off, a ships officer could have come and had a chat with us.

 

In our defense, there were no complaints from fellow passengers and we are not even sure what happened to cause my DH to be shut off, especially since the crew member that reported him was from the bar where we had purchased most of the drinks that night.

 

I know about drunk college kids and out of control older people, but we were minding our own business and just dancing and having a good time. I was hoping for a little sympathy from my fellow CC'ers. Hopefully, you are not on a cruise and misjudged. It can easily happen.

[pba20493]

No. Not to me, but it needs to happen alot more in my opinion. People just seem to think everything is an excuse to drink to excess these days.

 

Besides, its their ship and they can do whatever they want to do. Remember you arent in the USA when on the ship. Things are done the way they want to do them and we basically have to go with it.

 

Sorry you were cut off, but better to be safe ya know.

 

 

Tim

[lizzy77]

You know if that happened to me I would have been so embarassed that there is no way I would have told anyone about it, never mind debating it on this forum:confused:

[carribeansol]

I think the OP just wanted to know if this is something that we see happening or it happened to you. This kind of thing can happen to people who do not deserve it. Think about if the people who scolded them on this thread were the server. They would cut many off way before maybe I would because I have a different thought of what is too much.

 

This happened to my husband on land at Ruby Tuesday's. He and I were sitting at the bar having appetizers before we met friends for a Movie. He had two beers, it was happy hour. He ordered a third and they refused to bring him the 4th free because this was too much for one person to drink. Now this was happy hour where they advertise 2 for one. We were very offended as my husband is the quietest man I have ever met. He was NOT drunk, NOT loud, NOT stumbling, nothing! I was not drinking as I only have a drink once in a while.

 

My point is don't jugde the OP. What is excess to one is not to another. I am sure they were mortified on the ship when this happens. They just wanted to know if this was something new, they got a rogue server, or if it happens after 10pm.;)

 

Becareful of juding others as you certainlty don't want to be judged by someone who has different morals or standards than you.

[saharaga]

I agree Libby. I'm reading this topic thinking the OP doesn't seem to realize that the problem is not that they were cut off. It's that they drank that much at all. I'm with the ship on this one and not because of the obvious safety reasons. General good sense and decorum should have prevailed before it got to the point of being cut off.

 

Caribbeansol,

 

No human being has the power to "judge" another. We all have the power of discernment and we are simply expressing an opinion. If you and the OP want to perceive comments as a "judgement" then so be it. If the OP were simply asking for "yes" or "no" responses, then she should have stopped at the question and not gone into the details. It seems to me like the OP is looking for validation of her opinion.

[Philip217]

What we are really discussing here is social and legal responsibility.

 

There is a law in America that holds the server and the business legally and financially responsible for any damage or injury resulting from drunks. This law applies to cruise ships that sail from US Ports, carrying US Citizens. If your fellow countrymen were not so happy to sue everyone around them, this law would not exist - and you would not have been refused alcohol.

 

Several cruise lines are very worried about their legal liability (more than their profits) and have instituted "Responsible Service of Alcohol Programs". These training programs very strictly spell out to the bar employees that they will certainly lose their jobs by serving drunks - and could go to prison if they are involved in getting someone drunk, depending on what transpires afterward.

 

On my ship we are now refusing to serve more alcohol quite a few people every night. If we need an officer to inform passengers each time we do this, we will need to hire many more staff.

[PennyAgain]

All sorts of businesses are taking the serving of alcohol more seriously. There are huge liability issues. We had a private reception on an HAL ship with about 20 people attending. There was an open bar, but we were told in advance that there would be a 2 drink limit and that was firm.

 

This was a private reception with the drinks paid for by the host and hostess not the ship. It was the ship's rule and not a cost cutting measure by the host and hostess.

 

Frankly I don't blame the ships at all for cracking down.

[goldenrod]

:D We have been on Regent 4 times and once on Silver Seas both which are all inclusive since they stock your bar in your room and drinks are free everywhere on the ship we have never seen anyone cut off :cool:,Although it has caused me to miss a couple of very early morning tours, what you drink on these ships is your business I must say though I have never seen anyone falling down drunk so I don't know what they might do in that circumstance, but we have seen some pretty loaded folks and nothing was said or done.

[nattie]

CWCruisers, I am sorry this happenned to you. Clearly, you were more offended by the treatment you have received than by the whole "cut-off" debacle.

 

The "cut-off" never happened to us on cruise but did happen on the plane. My husband being former USMC tends to get loud when he is annoyed. Long story short - flight was delayed, we knew we would miss a connection. After boarding and first drink service stewardess refused to sell him a seconddrink reasoning that he was loud and drunk. He was extremely upset, which led to him being even more loud in his complaining. Nothing happened any further, I just had a miserable flight.

 

Now, before I get ripped off to shreds by drinking policy vigilantes here. I do agree that reasonable enforcement of rules should take place, I have seen a lot of cruisers that WERE borthersome to others and WERE NOT cut off in any manner. The "suspension" is up to a crew member and they used (and should do so) their own judgement. I would be upset, probably wouldn't bother complaining though and just continue to party in our room. In the end, the person that cut me off wouldn't get any tips or business from us and that would be the end of the story.

 

I guess being from Russia I have lighter views on the whole drinking thing. It is an issue of personal choice and shouldn't be restricted unless the person is a danger to others (i.e. drinking and driving). However in our litigious society that is probably no longer possible...

 

Funny thing is that one of the reasons that attracted me to cruising in the first place was a possibility to have a night life and visiting multiple bars and shows without having to worry about how to get home when you are tipsy. Now, again before I get blasted, this happens may be once in 7 day cruise, but the possibility is there!

[blindrid]

As to the TGI Fridays (or whomever), restaurant chains typically have a limit that the servers are imposed on to cut people off after "X" number of drinks, regardless.

 

I'm not sure I'm with the ship on this one assuming they were not being obnoxious, etc. One will never know. I've been hammered plenty on cruises and have never been shut down but I'm normally not a mean, loud drunk so maybe that helps. As I get older I try not to get there as it too much work but bets are off on my next cruise!

 

As to those that are being a bit self righteous about drinking, I am speculating that the OP may have been louder than they know of, or maybe drunker than they thought but don't flame them on talking about it, blaming obvious safety reasons or ridiculing the OP for talking about it here as it's not like it's a big deal - I have yet to really see anyone "really" drunk. But it is pretty subjective per the tea-totalers etc.

[Host Dan]

I can't imagine how the OP felt after being told she and her husband had been cut off. They are fully grown adults for petes sake. This seems to be another way the cruise line is dictating the way someone enjoys their vacation. I mostly sail on Seabourn, and it being all-inclusive, you simply look away from your cocktail, and its being re-filled! Go figure..

 

Host Dan

[blindrid]

I can't imagine how the OP felt after being told she and her husband had been cut off. They are fully grown adults for petes sake. This seems to be another way the cruise line is dictating the way someone enjoys their vacation. I mostly sail on Seabourn, and it being all-inclusive, you simply look away from your cocktail, and its being re-filled! Go figure..

 

Host Dan

 

Just thinking about it, a few weeks ago on a cruise I saw a obviously underage group being the drunkest of all at a dance function near the pool with nary a word said. I would worry about underage drunks in public before I'd worry about an adult assuming they were not really bothering anybody.

[BeachBumMama]

First, I have to say that throughout my life (and I'm no spring chicken) there have been a few rare occassions I WISHED they had cut me off.:p

 

We're getting to a point where we're being 'policed' so much by businesses and government. All for our own protection :rolleyes: . For the most part we're all responsible adults and shouldn't be told how much or how little we should drink. Shouldn't that be our own decision? I graduated kindergarten a long time ago and have moved on.

 

As for the Ruby Tuesday incident above I hope you didn't have to pay for the 3rd beer. If the special was buy 1 get 1 free, when he got a 3rd one the deal was broken when they refused to give him the 4th. To make a point I would have argued that fact and also pushed the button of false advertising. If they were going to cut him off they shouldn't have given him the 3rd in the first place. Was there a sign that said there was a limit? It isn't the point of getting the money back for a $3.00 beer, it's the point of them not giving him the 4th beer. He should have been told he wouldn't get it before he ordered his 3rd.

 

As for the HAL incident, it wasn't an 'open bar' if guests were only allowed 2 drinks. It was a 2 drink party. The host and hostess could have just gone to any bar and picked up the tab for everyone. And after the get together I'm sure they all went elsewhere and had more drinks, so what was the point of THAT?

 

There was an incident recently on an NCL ship where a daredevil type decided that while docked in Roatan, he would jump into the water from the 13th deck :eek: ! Drunk... no. Stupid... YES! I guess his payback was being taken to a hospital in Roatan because of some broken bones. That in itself is a scary thought. So am I going to be 'watched' more carefully to see if I'm a stupid person because there are people like that cruising? Are we going to have to pass a test to be allowed on cruise ships to prove we aren't stupid people?

 

I don't see a point in trying to supervise responsible adults because of a few bad apples. Is it going to come to signing 'release of liability waivers' when we want to order a few drinks? And I'm not talking about situations on land where bartenders should and do moniter so people don't drink and drive. Or situations on cruises where there are people who are obviously drunk, loud, obnoxious, etc. Should they be cut off? Yes. But the rest of us shouldn't be punished for those who don't act like responsible adults. Can't they give the rest of us the benefit of the doubt? Can't they treat us like adults are supposed to be treated? Shouldn't it be my decision, as long as I'm not bothering anyone, on whether I want to possibly suffer a hangover in the morning? And if they don't cut me off and I have a hangover in the morning, can I blame THEM for it because they didn't cut me off? :confused:

 

Is the cruise line protecting itself? Yes. Is it going to far when responsible adults are being told what they can and can not do when they are within the rules and regulations? Yes. It's infringing on my personal rights to be told what is too much to drink for me when I'm in no way infringing on another person as in being loud, obnoxious, etc. How much I drink is a decision I have to make for myself. For the most part we are responsible adults and should be treated as such. I don't think that's too much to ask.

 

As for the OP, the next time you cruise pack your suitcase with whatever booze you want and explain that since they aren't going to sell it to you, you have to provide your own.:p

 

Okay... off my soapbox now.:D

[Northshorecruisers]

How funny! When we sailed on the Grand Princess last November, they didn't have a problem with allowing my 16 y/o & his 18 y/o friend drink. They even watched a lady buy them a bucket of beers and give it to them in front of the bartender.

[CWcruisers]

I can't imagine how the OP felt after being told she and her husband had been cut off. They are fully grown adults for petes sake. This seems to be another way the cruise line is dictating the way someone enjoys their vacation. I mostly sail on Seabourn, and it being all-inclusive, you simply look away from your cocktail, and its being re-filled! Go figure..

 

Host Dan

 

Thank you for your support host Dan and others. The reason I posted this and am not embarassed by the incident is because we were repeatly told we were not bothering anyone and we had done nothing wrong, but that they felt that my husband, not me, had had enough.

 

We did get the ultimate revenge by never going back to that bar for the rest of the cruise. Those poor bar waiters, who were going to be rewarded handsomely with additional tips missed out. So who won in that situation.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I feel bad that the OP lost their bottle of wine.

 

But I am on the side of the cruise line. None of us really know how much the OP's had to drink - we only have what they said and what a crew member reported.

 

Maybe they should be thankful that a crew member was concerned enough about them that he reported them and didn't want anything bad to happen to them.[/b