The Psychology Of Being Told By RCCL NO Taking Wine On-Board

[kooljamming]

Sorry everyone, but I don't understand how RCCL NOT allowing us to bring wine onboard lowers your bar bill? Or how it affects having a pre-dinner drink in your room? We just order drinks from room service, or run to the bar and bring them back. No problem - and adds to the alcohol tab as RCCL expects. If anything, our bill would be less if we could bring a bottle or 2 of wine onboard, because I would not be buying as many bottles of wine with dinner. :p

 

With Psychology , things don't always make sense. Speaking from experience, our bar tab was higher on Princess, even though we were allowed to take wine, than on RCCL. Maybe after the first few, you really don't care where the next ones come from. We had an aft cabin so there was no running anywhere and room service was not always on the ball. Princess gave us a break with taking wine on-board and we didn't hold back on enjoying an extra one or two at the bar. Even with a cheap fare (not necessarily on RCCL), people don't like feeling $crewed, at least in this sense:D

[ChevyCruiser]

With Psychology , things don't always make sense. Speaking from experience, our bar tab was higher on Princess, even though we were allowed to take wine, than on RCCL. Maybe after the first few, you really don't care where the next ones come from. We had an aft cabin so there was no running anywhere and room service was not always on the ball. Princess gave us a break with taking wine on-board and we didn't hold back on enjoying an extra one or two at the bar. Even with a cheap fare (not necessarily on RCCL), people don't like feeling $crewed, at least in this sense:D

 

You're right. It doesn't have to make sense and it wasn't until we started comparing cruise notes that we noticed the pattern - Bring Wine On-Board = Bigger Bar Tab, the inverse of which was NO Wine Brought On-Board = Lower Bar Tab.:confused:

[pvfunlover]

Having just returned from a week on the Mariner I can say that most of the bartenders I encountered were pretty busy.

[ehfl]

I just order wine delivered to the cabin. No big deal. I haven't needed to see a psychiatrist yet, but I guess some people don't have the coping skills to deal with room service, or ordering online?

[Mademypoint]

We ordered and brought baileys, vodka, 2 bottles of champagne and 4 bottles of wine on Caribbean Princess. We ordered it from a great place in Ft Lauderdale and they delivered it to our hotel where it was waiting for us when we checked in. That extra wine/champagne did not result in a reduction in our on board consumption as most were used in our cabin in the late afternoon when we sailed away from our ports or used for coffee. We had leftovers that we left for our steward.

 

I would not reject RCI because of their policy but if I had the option of a Princess cruise from NY to places I want to go I'd be likely to go back to them.

[Little Elm]

People can buy wine on board so I don't see a problem. Some people will never be happy no matter what. There will always be some rules/policy you don't like and some you do like, we learn deal with it.

I for one don't mind buying the wine on board. It is easier than packing it. But they really need to get a better selection. Some of their wine I could dye Easter eggs with.

[cruisegirl06]

Interesting points. We sailed HAL last summer (BYOB) and had wine before dinner (ours), wine with dinner nearly every night (HAL's) and frequently had drinks at the show/dance clubs (HAL's).

 

We just got off Voyager, and were rule followers, our total beverage consumption for the week was 1 bottle of wine, 2 glasses of wine, and 4 drinks (with the bogo), between the two of us. Buying the wine made me cringe as it was a mediocre-to-decent bottle but was $30 (well under $10 at the grocer)... I think HAL/Princess/nearly everyone else's policies are a lot better, and they let you drink the wine you WANT to drink instead of the 2-3 bottles/varietal that the cruise line chooses to stock.

 

HAL also includes cappacino at dinner, which we had every night; but we also bought about one fancy coffee drink a day... On RCL there was only coffee with dinner, and we didn't bother to buy any fancy coffee drinks (maybe because we hadn't been "spoiled" by cappacino at dinner?)

[VillaHappy]

I agree with the OP. A well lubed cruiser is likely to spend more on drinks :D

[Drew B]

We ordered and brought baileys, vodka, 2 bottles of champagne and 4 bottles of wine on Caribbean Princess. We ordered it from a great place in Ft Lauderdale and they delivered it to our hotel where it was waiting for us when we checked in. That extra wine/champagne did not result in a reduction in our on board consumption as most were used in our cabin in the late afternoon when we sailed away from our ports or used for coffee. We had leftovers that we left for our steward.

 

I would not reject RCI because of their policy but if I had the option of a Princess cruise from NY to places I want to go I'd be likely to go back to them.

 

 

Princess doesn't allow all that stuff, either. You had to smuggle it on. The point of this thread is the OP's assertion that the small amount of wine they DO allow actually stimulates the desire to purchase more...

[cassieroll]

Interesting theory. I generally have a few drinks a week at home after work but while on a cruise, I rarely drink. Isn't that funny? I'd never thought of it the way you did. Hmmm...

[ALEX122495]

My dh and I sailed on Carnival Miracle last year and preordered a bottle of JD and one of Gin to be delivered the day we boarded. Even though it was much more expensive then at the local liquor store , we didn't mind paying the price for the convenience of having what he wanted in the room. He was able to have a cocktail in the room and relax whenever he felt like it. They made a nice profit and he was happy. When we asked RCL if we could order in advance , they said they only have wine packages. I wish they would change the policy. I think a lot of people wouldn't mind trading the cost for the convenience

[Cruise Junky]

A couple of people brought up that if you want wine, just order it. That might work well cruising the caribbean, but for the poster who was cruising NZ/AU or cruising the Med.... you really want to enjoy the wines of the region. If RCL actually cared, they'd at least increase what they carry depending on the regions that they cruise.

[beachchick]

How much is the corkage fee on Celebrity??

 

We have taken wine on NCL - they allow two bottles - I beleive the corkage fee is $15 still cheaper than what we would have paid for the same bottle on board.

 

Have they changed the number of bottles? On our last NCL cruise, there was no stated limit. I'm sure that someone trying to bring four cases would have had a problem, but we saw many people bringing four to six bottles, paying the $15/bottle corkage fee, and taking their wine to their cabins.

 

Celebrity's corkage fee is $25 per bottle. $10 is fair... $15 is questionable. $25 is highway robbery when you are talking about table wine.

 

Hm, $25 is pretty steep. OTOH, the wine markup on RCI (and probably Celebrity too) is often 300% to 400%. In our area, corkage fees range from $5 to $15. We live in a mostly rural wine region, and many restaurants either waive or reduce the corkage fee if you bring local wine. I know in the larger cities that corkage fees are higher.

 

A couple of people brought up that if you want wine, just order it. That might work well cruising the caribbean, but for the poster who was cruising NZ/AU or cruising the Med.... you really want to enjoy the wines of the region. If RCL actually cared, they'd at least increase what they carry depending on the regions that they cruise.

 

True. We love to sample the local fare, including the wines and other special beverages. I still have part of a bottle of Nassau Royal Liqueur that we bought solely because we'd heard it's good (it is, especially a small splash in coffee with a touch of whipped cream) and it's the loyal "brew" (as it were). With wine and beer, my sister, BIL, and I are especially apt to want to sample and bring home something we enjoyed. We also like being able to enjoy it while we're still on the cruise. (I will admit that on one cruise we did "sneak" beer. I am not much of a beer drinker, but love Scandinavian pale ales. Caribe is very similar to one of the Norwegian ones I like. My BIL bought several on St. Thomas. We figured that they'd be held until the end of the cruise, but we were waived right on through with his bag going right through the screening and not a word said. Well, we were hardly going to say, "Hey, don't you want to take our beer away?" Instead, we took it to our cabins and enjoyed ice cold Caribes on the balcony during sailaway. Nice. And we felt not the least bit guilty. OTOH, my sister forgot and took one to one of the bars. Another pax in the bar told the waitress, "I'd a Caribe." Of course, the waitress said, "We don't have that onboard." And naturally, it led to, "But she's got one." Oops. My sister was so embarrassed and very careful not to do that again.)

 

The argument of ordering wine doesn't address those who would like to be able to fix themselves a cocktail in their cabin. We liked when you could buy a bottle at the onboard shop, pay a consumption fee, and take it back to your cabin. We would only do that with one bottle, so we had to be creative with our in-cabin drink concoctions so they didn't get boring. (Dang but didn't I learn that my baby sister, who is an artist, is terribly creative in that department too. We even named drinks after her.):D

 

Anyway, the whole "just go to a bar or order room service" argument is, IMO, immaterial. It's not the same thing when you have to either schlep to a bar or wait for delivery. Not that we're big lushes...We're not and my DH doesn't drink at all; our bar bill, including soda package for each of us for the plain seltzer, runs around $200 to $250 for a 7-night cruise. But I do (make that "did" because we do not sneak alcohol onboard) enjoy the option of fixing a drink in our cabin late at night before bed and sitting quietly on the balcony enjoying it. Oh well.

 

The bottom line is that it's the bottom line. The answer to the question of "why do they..." is almost always "money" (regardless of the subject or company). But, their ships, their rules.

 

beachchick

[threeofus]

I agree with the OP. A well lubed cruiser is likely to spend more on drinks :D

 

And spend more in the casino... in the shops....book the next cruise.....etc.

 

Silly and Shortshighted.

By the way, nobody took the wine we purchased at a winery outside of rome when we boarded ;) and our room attendant gave us a corkscrew - no problem.

[brenderlou]

Personally, I don't get it. Celebrity which is owned by RCCI allows you to bring 2 bottles of wine on board. I would think that cruise lines owned by the same co. would have similar rules but nope.

Do we bring (smuggle) alcohol on? Yes.... Have we every been caught....no. Hubby brings a small bottle of vodka for and I'll pack a bottle of wine.

[pierces]

[quote name='ALEX122495']My dh and I sailed on Carnival Miracle last year and preordered a bottle of JD and one of Gin to be delivered the day we boarded. Even though it was much more expensive then at the local liquor store , we didn't mind paying the price for the convenience of having what he wanted in the room. He was able to have a cocktail in the room and relax whenever he felt like it. They made a nice profit and he was happy. When we asked RCL if we could order in advance , they said they only have wine packages. I wish they would change the policy. I think a lot of people wouldn't mind trading the cost for the convenience[/QUOTE]

You used to be able to order liquor packages from the Bon Voyage gifts site or purchase a bottle at the on-board store and pay a fee to take it with you to your cabin.

After the George Allen Smith debacle on the Brilliance they started clamping down on all hard liquor in the cabins, from any source. I realize that they were responding to all of the negative publicity and were trying to limit the number of commando drinkers to protect passengers from themselves but their sincerity would have been more believable if the bar drinks hadn't rocketed up 25% or more at the same time. I had hoped that the prices might settle down after the increase had covered the reported $1M settlement with the Smith family. Oh, well.

When life hands you a lemon...make lemonade (and raise the price on it!)

Dave

[slotaddict]

[quote name='Ephraim']Celebrity's corkage fee is $25 per bottle. $10 is fair... $15 is questionable. $25 is highway robbery when you are talking about table wine.[/quote]


YIKES I would never pay a $ 25 corkage fee - I to believe that $ 10.00 is fair.

[dutchess43]

It was the excuse that RCI was looking for & the Smith's handed it to them on silver platter & we are left with the consequenses. We share a bottle of wine with our traveling companions on Princess & order a bottle with dinner. My bar tab is higher on Princess then RCI. It's almost I boycott a pre drink on RCI & only order a bottle of wine with dinner due to the restrictions. I have sailed on X & we are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin. I guess RCI figures we are not adult enough to drink on their ships but when we grow up we are responsible drinkers on X!

[smoosh21]

[quote name='BoyntonBeth']There's another issue with bringing wine on board.

I just came back from RH OZ/NZ circumnavigation.

There were several ship's tours which included wineries and wine tastings. The literature specifically said there was time to buy wine to bring back. It did not, however, mention that the wine would be held until final disembarkation. Many people were unhappy.

Furthermore, wine that was returned to you when you got off the ship couldn't easily be taken on a plane if you were going directly to the airport. Limited liquids in carry on and no chance to repack to put the wine in checked luggage. Never mind the possibility of breakage.

I know of several people who did not buy any wine when their winery purchase was confiscated (even if it was only temporary). So they lost out and so did the cruise line.

Beth[/quote]

I thought that they gave it back to you the night before. If they don't that is worse than just short sighted, it is really bad customer service. If I am going to buy something in a foreign port, I want time to actually pack is safely.

I have finally convinced a friend of ours to come sailing this November. he was not aware of the No alcohol rules and was very dissappointed. I am trying to get him to not let it affect his vacation, but he already had in his mind about drinks on his balcony before dinner.

[G'ma]

I never really considered taking or not taking alcohol onboard a cruise ship as being in anyway psychological.......

Booze is booze......whether bought onboard or smuggled.

Someone who is a casual drinker will continue to be casual....those who drink to oblivion will continue to do so.....

[ChevyCruiser]

[quote=G'ma;18984649]I never really considered taking or not taking alcohol onboard a cruise ship as being in anyway psychological.......

Booze is booze......whether bought onboard or smuggled.

Someone who is a casual drinker will continue to be casual....those who drink to oblivion will continue to do so.....[/quote]

I was thinking of the psychological effect of being told [B]NO[/B] to bringing on a couple of bottles of wine at embarkation and the resulting bar tab. What the small group of cruise friends discovered was that our bar tabs were smaller on RCCL where we were told [B]NO[/B], but higher on Princess where we were welcome to bring on some of our own wine.:eek:

[Host Mick]

[quote name='BoyntonBeth']There's another issue with bringing wine on board.

I just came back from RH OZ/NZ circumnavigation.

There were several ship's tours which included wineries and wine tastings. The literature specifically said there was time to buy wine to bring back. It did not, however, mention that the wine would be held until final disembarkation. Many people were unhappy.

Furthermore, wine that was returned to you when you got off the ship couldn't easily be taken on a plane if you were going directly to the airport. Limited liquids in carry on and no chance to repack to put the wine in checked luggage. Never mind the possibility of breakage.

I know of several people who did not buy any wine when their winery purchase was confiscated (even if it was only temporary). So they lost out and so did the cruise line.

Beth[/quote]

Don't you have to present yourselves and your baggage to Customs? There's your chance to stash the booze into the checked bags.

[BoyntonBeth]

[quote name='smoosh21']I thought that they gave it back to you the night before. If they don't that is worse than just short sighted, it is really bad customer service. If I am going to buy something in a foreign port, I want time to actually pack is safely.[/quote]

Yes, sorry, they do give it back the night before, but they can't promise when. I would have to change my packing habits to leave enough room in the middle of each bag to allow for padding.

Most people don't want to bring it home - they want to have local wines where they are - on the ship, not caring if it's in their cabin or at dinner, but while they are away.

[BoyntonBeth]

[quote name='Host Mick']Don't you have to present yourselves and your baggage to Customs? There's your chance to stash the booze into the checked bags.[/quote]

Yes, but I'm not sure I want to publicly re-pack all the dirty laundry (literally!:eek:) and I'm not sure I want to open my luggage when Customs has not asked me to do so.

Besides, I would want to drink the wine while on the ship rather than risk breakage in travel.