Alcohol Policy Experience, 10/4 to Cabo

[marxthespot]

Returned from the Disney Wonder, 10/4 to Cabo, with a few experiences/tips (after complaining and getting the same crap response as everyone else).
-Tried to take a bottle of vodka on with my wine carry on. No go. Got a receipt and was told to pick up after debarking at a confiscated items booth in port. The confiscated items were actually on the boat though and you are not allowed to get back on after debarking to pick up your items. With the receipt I demanded that one of the workers go get my bottle and bring it to me. They did.
-Each port you ARE allowed to bring on a six pack or 2 bottles of wine. They were pretty lenient with this. I saw a couple with 2x12 packs and wine that got on without a problem in Ensenada.
-When going to dinner (Palo and MDR) we had just corked our bottle of wine in the room and sat it on the table at dinner. Our servers did not charge us the corking fee as the work had already been done. Once our glasses were getting low, they refilled. We did this at 3 dinners and saved us $75, which was helpful.
-Coming back from Cabo we returned to our room to find a bottle of champagne and a plush Gonzo doll for the kid. I'm guessing they had a note on account of me complaining about the policy as I don't see any other reason why they would do this.

 

[lillygator]

thanks for sharing!

 

[MUN]

Returned from the Disney Wonder, 10/4 to Cabo, with a few experiences/tips (after complaining and getting the same crap response as everyone else).
-Tried to take a bottle of vodka on with my wine carry on. No go. Got a receipt and was told to pick up after debarking at a confiscated items booth in port. The confiscated items were actually on the boat though and you are not allowed to get back on after debarking to pick up your items. With the receipt I demanded that one of the workers go get my bottle and bring it to me. They did.
-Each port you ARE allowed to bring on a six pack or 2 bottles of wine. They were pretty lenient with this. I saw a couple with 2x12 packs and wine that got on without a problem in Ensenada.
-When going to dinner (Palo and MDR) we had just corked our bottle of wine in the room and sat it on the table at dinner. Our servers did not charge us the corking fee as the work had already been done. Once our glasses were getting low, they refilled. We did this at 3 dinners and saved us $75, which was helpful.
-Coming back from Cabo we returned to our room to find a bottle of champagne and a plush Gonzo doll for the kid. I'm guessing they had a note on account of me complaining about the policy as I don't see any other reason why they would do this.

Thanks for sharing! I'm glad you got some free stuff out of DCL.

MUN

 

[bethy]

Thanks for sharing this is helpful!

 

[TheLanes]

-When going to dinner (Palo and MDR) we had just corked our bottle of wine in the room and sat it on the table at dinner. Our servers did not charge us the corking fee as the work had already been done. Once our glasses were getting low, they refilled. We did this at 3 dinners and saved us $75, which was helpful.

The corkage fee is not about the work involved to uncork and pour wine (I think that's what you thought it was about), it's about them not profiting from you buying their wine.

 

[bumbershoot]

Got a receipt and was told to pick up after debarking at a confiscated items booth in port. The confiscated items were actually on the boat though and you are not allowed to get back on after debarking to pick up your items. With the receipt I demanded that one of the workers go get my bottle and bring it to me. They did.


-When going to dinner (Palo and MDR) we had just corked our bottle of wine in the room and sat it on the table at dinner. Our servers did not charge us the corking fee as the work had already been done.

Good for you for demanding your property. Do tell, was there info on the receipt as to where to go? People told someone else that there was and she shouldn't have listened to what she was verbally told.


Corking/corkage fee has nothing really to do with the acting of uncorking or reforming g throttle. So you got lucky. Because it's really simply a fee for bringing your own wine.

 

[mmouse37]

You were lucky you were not charged the corkage fee and it has NOTHING to do with the bottle already being opened. They chose not to charge you for whatever reason.

MJ

 

[Quellman]

Are you sure that Gonzo was for your kid?

 

[happyrebster]

I'm mostly just excited to hear that they have muppet plushies on board now! Cool!

 

[Weedy]

Returned from the Disney Wonder, 10/4 to Cabo, with a few experiences/tips (after complaining and getting the same crap response as everyone else).
-Tried to take a bottle of vodka on with my wine carry on. No go. Got a receipt and was told to pick up after debarking at a confiscated items booth in port. The confiscated items were actually on the boat though and you are not allowed to get back on after debarking to pick up your items. With the receipt I demanded that one of the workers go get my bottle and bring it to me. They did.
-Each port you ARE allowed to bring on a six pack or 2 bottles of wine. They were pretty lenient with this. I saw a couple with 2x12 packs and wine that got on without a problem in Ensenada.
-When going to dinner (Palo and MDR) we hadr. just corked our bottle of wine in the room and sat it on the table at dinne Our servers did not charge us the corking fee as the work had already been done. Once our glasses were getting low, they refilled. We did this at 3 dinners and saved us $75, which was helpful.
-Coming back from Cabo we returned to our room to find a bottle of champagne and a plush Gonzo doll for the kid. I'm guessing they had a note on account of me complaining about the policy as I don't see any other reason why they would do this.

Sounds like you were a "joy" to deal with.

 

[skylynx]

We boarded the 10/4 cruise with a single bottle of wine in a travel wine sleeve and it was examined twice going through security. Then, in Ensenada, we visited the Santo Tomas winery on a port adventure and carried back one bottle in a souvenir wooden box. Going through security at Ensenada before boarding, a DCL crew member in a Palo vest standing by the immigration folks said he'd have to take my liquor away. I said it was wine. He said "really"? and opened the wine box, took the wine out, and scrutinized it, even holding it up to the light. Then as I boarded the ship, the crew members at on-board security said "is that wine?" and I was able to assure them, once again, it was wine. So I'd say in at least my experience, an awful lot of energy is going into police the alcohol going on board.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

We boarded the 10/4 cruise with a single bottle of wine in a travel wine sleeve and it was examined twice going through security. Then, in Ensenada, we visited the Santo Tomas winery on a port adventure and carried back one bottle in a souvenir wooden box. Going through security at Ensenada before boarding, a DCL crew member in a Palo vest standing by the immigration folks said he'd have to take my liquor away. I said it was wine. He said "really"? and opened the wine box, took the wine out, and scrutinized it, even holding it up to the light. Then as I boarded the ship, the crew members at on-board security said "is that wine?" and I was able to assure them, once again, it was wine. So I'd say in at least my experience, an awful lot of energy is going into police the alcohol going on board.

Sounds like a pain in the behind.

I wonder about other methods of getting alcohol on board that are sneakier? It will be interesting to hear from the first "smugglers" about if DCL caught the stuff in the checked luggage.

 

[gumbypee]

Good for you for demanding your property. Do tell, was there info on the receipt as to where to go? People told someone else that there was and she shouldn't have listened to what she was verbally told.


Corking/corkage fee has nothing really to do with the acting of uncorking or reforming g throttle. So you got lucky. Because it's really simply a fee for bringing your own wine.

I disagree. I was one that questioned about the receipt and I do not recall anyone saying "she shouldn't have listened to what she was verbally told"; some of us questioned if it was indeed on the receipt why she didn't read it. Still think the CMs should have correct answer but that wasn't the question.

 

[tinkerone]

Sounds like a pain in the behind.

I wonder about other methods of getting alcohol on board that are sneakier? It will be interesting to hear from the first "smugglers" about if DCL caught the stuff in the checked luggage.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/ne...t-at-embarkation.3452251/page-6#post-54571387 post #107

 

[bumbershoot]

Sounds like you were a "joy" to deal with.

It was their property, though. If I'm getting off the ship and suddenly remember I've left something onboard, I expect to be helped out. They were told to get their property in one place, it was not there, so someone needed to help them retrieve it.

I disagree. I was one that questioned about the receipt and I do not recall anyone saying "she shouldn't have listened to what she was verbally told"; some of us questioned if it was indeed on the receipt why she didn't read it. Still think the CMs should have correct answer but that wasn't the question.

I wasn't saying that WE here had said that to her. I meant the people there at the disembarkation (or maybe the call center people when she complained after the fact?) had said she should have looked at the receipt, not listened to their colleagues. The employees, not us.

I'm asking this second person if there was info on the receipt. I don't remember getting an answer from the other person. I'm curious.


But I'm actually not sure what you disagree with. I think I just didn't use all my words in describing who said those things to the person. Let me know if there's something I'm missing.

 

[Saamh]

-Tried to take a bottle of vodka on with my wine carry on. No go.

Were you not aware of the new alcohol policy or just seeing if you could get away with it?

I hope you tipped your servers the extra $75 you saved in corkage fees.

The policy still states that all carried on beverages cannot be consumed in public areas (unless consumed in dining room with the corkage fee) however I saw more people than usual on the 10/4 San Diego sailing with wine bottles and glass beer bottles around the pool and they were not trying to be discreet about it.

 

[kiapepito]

So they confiscate your liquor if you buy them in port and you receive a receipt for pick up?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So they confiscate your liquor if you buy them in port and you receive a receipt for pick up?

That seems to be the procedure.

 

[Mark D.]

The receipt I received on the Fantasy last week did have the pickup location (lobby atrium on deck 3) and a general time (the morning of debarkation). They kept it when I retrieved my purchase, otherwise I'd upload a picture of it. Also, the location and specific hours (7am to 9am) were listed in the debarkation procedure paper they give you toward the end of the cruise.

 

[gumbypee]

It was their property, though. If I'm getting off the ship and suddenly remember I've left something onboard, I expect to be helped out. They were told to get their property in one place, it was not there, so someone needed to help them retrieve it.



I wasn't saying that WE here had said that to her. I meant the people there at the disembarkation (or maybe the call center people when she complained after the fact?) had said she should have looked at the receipt, not listened to their colleagues. The employees, not us.

I'm asking this second person if there was info on the receipt. I don't remember getting an answer from the other person. I'm curious.


But I'm actually not sure what you disagree with. I think I just didn't use all my words in describing who said those things to the person. Let me know if there's something I'm missing.

Oops. Misunderstood you! Sorry!