DCL carry-on alcohol policy changing Sept. 30 2015

[Grumpy_74]

As you can all see, I'm new here ... I just booked my first cruise on DCL earlier this year (for next spring) and have grumbled with the masses as some more recent changes have been announced or made. I am most upset with the latest change regarding the prohibition of alcohol. It's not even necessarily that they've banned the alcohol - I'm far enough in the future that I can cancel my cruise with no penalties at all (no hotel locked in or airfare as of yet) - it's more the implementation of the policy and what seems to be the overall silencing of anyone that speaks ill of Disney that is more upsetting to me.

I know we are all over the board with opinions - I'll give you mine - I feel we should be allowed to carry on alcohol as not everyone drinks wine, beer, or champagne and I do feel it's in poor form to not allow other spirits to be brought on. What about some that can only drink hard cider due to celiacs disease? I know that cider is available onboard, but why should they have to pay for them when I am allowed to carry on 6 beers? Outside that is personal preference, etc. And no - enjoying a drink on the verandah after my child is in bed does not make me an alcoholic - I know from personal experience what an alcoholic is - and I am not one Regardless, I'm a peon in the big sea of fish, and at the end of the day, my one single opinion doesn't really matter.

With all of this said, and my rambling, why does it appear that everyone wants this quieted down for the masses? I know there are petitions and polls out there for people to sign and comment their opinion, but it seems that even the mention of them is not allowed. I would think that Disney would want to see what is being said. I know not everyone wants to sign it, nor should they. But - aren't the comments valid feedback? A more true picture of people's thoughts and opinions than DCL having to peruse the threads on here? Or - do you think it is maybe something crazy like travel agents that don't want their Customers to be notified like this since it may truly cause some people to bail on their trips? I'm just a very curious individual and always like to know / read all facts and opinions before making my final decision, so wonder how everyone else feels on this. Is something such as a poll or petition valid - understanding fully that Disney may not give a squat at the end of the day as their chance for profit far exceeds the people that may cancel?

Also - it's very surprising to me how quiet this all truly is. Yes, it is loud here, but how many people are here or on other online venues? I know there are far more that are totally unawares of any online 'group' / presence. I have to say I'm super glad I'm not sailing immediately following this going into effect as I am envisioning a complete and total nightmare as Customers arrive unknowing and think they can carry on their alcohol. I cannot begin to imagine what a mess this will create.

#dclprohibitiongate2015

 

[littleblackegg]

actually I had same servers each night. we were a large dance group and had our own section at set time every night. I guess "awful" was too strong a word, sorry! I shouldn't have compared them to the amazing service I had on my one DCL cruise, but they were just slow, not caring, indifferent, i felt like i was a nuisance to them if that makes sense.

there were other problems with the cruise in addition to food but that is a subject for another topic

Thanks! I'd like to take a Celebrity cruise.

 

[littleblackegg]

This statement comes after alot of discussion and consideration of our thoughts. People do change their views after considering other arguments....My in-laws do not want to cancel because they have made travel arrangements to Miami. So, I cannot say, kids, we aren't going with MeeMaw and Poppa anymore, but going on a different vacation. The other 2 cabins are in limbo on this. So, my decision is not purely spite, but it does make sense to me to look at it this way. I have not even received the offer to cancel. I'm merely thinking about what I would do if it were offered. So, I did put it to the rest of our traveling party. I simply want someone to speak to me like a long standing customer, with respect for my PIF date, not as a dollar sign.

I totally understand.

 

[aggiedog]

You're late to the party. This topic generated several heated threads. Then people moved on. I'm guessing because there is only so much re-hashing of angst that is productive. And only so much feedback anyone is going to get from DCL regardless.

 

[JimmyV]

Yes, it is loud here, but how many people are here or on other online venues? I know there are far more that are totally unawares of any online 'group' / presence.

I'm honestly not sure what sort of other online group you think is or should be out there. The two most active places to discuss all things related to DCL are here and Cruise Critic. And it has been anything but quiet here. The Facebook echo chamber has been muffled by Disney, so you can't get any momentum going there. What else should there be?

 

[Grumpy_74]

I'm honestly not sure what sort of other online group you think is or should be out there. The two most active places to discuss all things related to DCL are here and Cruise Critic. And it has been anything but quiet here. The Facebook echo chamber has been muffled by Disney, so you can't get any momentum going there. What else should there be?

Maybe I have it worded wrong - I'm saying that this is one of if not the largest online presence, and even with what I am seeing for existing posts, comments, etc. it doesn't begin to cover the amount of people that are going to be on a cruise with DCL. So yes - there are all of us here on the board discussing, but what percentage of DCL Customer is this?

 

[JimmyV]

So yes - there are all of us here on the board discussing, but what percentage of DCL Customer is this?

Negligible. What percentage of DCL guests even knew that they could bring liquor on board to begin with? It is verboten on all other mass market cruise lines, so most don't even think about it. And of the percentage that know you can, how many do? Bringing wine on board is a big deal for us. Cruises are one of the times that we like to open the great bottles that we have been "saving for a special occasion", and if a cruise line won't let me bring my good bottles with me, then I don't want to cruise with them. And I know many oenophiles who are like-minded. But we are by no means a measurable percentage of the population. And the same is true for craft beer drinkers. Disney is betting that the percentage of people who bring on their favorite Scotch, Gin or Vodka is so small that their lost revenue won't matter, or that most of those people will flex their internet muscles, but ultimately vote with their family's wallet and the family will still insist on DCL. Time will tell, but they are probably right.

 

[El Cid 94]

Many of us were initially "rioting in the cyberspace streets" because we remember the great alcohol policy reversal of 2011. I'm sure that in some tiny corner of our mind, we felt we could do it again. Didn't seem likely but... it was worth a shot.

So now it's put up or shut up. Do we take our business elsewhere, or do we get back in line like good little mouseketeers. I honestly don't know what we are going to do.

 

[turtle27]

I am taking my business elsewhere. After my next sailings. We will most likely not sail Disney again and I will say as much. But then, this gives DCL NO incentive to make me happy, whereas if I say, hey DCL, I'm upset, make it right, they have a chance to make it right. I think DCL thinks it is lots better than what it is. *dodges people throwing things at me

I love DCL, but don't love this policy and the lack of customer service on this one issue really has made me look 5 times at the cost I am paying. My upcoming Panama cruise cost similar to a Princess cruise and was less expensive than others, plus it is at the right time of year for me, I have to plan around all sorts of deadlines. Then, the cruises we have booked for next summer, well, I cannot find any other line (non-smoking) that does what we want, we are doing a b2b, so that complicates things, but makes a unique itinerary. Plus, we really did not see ourselves bringing on much alcohol in Europe. Last time we cruised in Europe, we barely had enough time to sleep, between excursions, shower, show, dinner, it was our bed time. But, the chances of me booking another Disney cruise, after this, those chances are pretty minuscule. I don't ever want to say that I will never, but I will certainly look at the suite I can get on Celebrity for the same cost of a veranda on DCL with Celebrity getting the edge. We will probably do a place holder, as I would hate to not have that 10% discount, but I am betting it gets refunded.

 

[bumbershoot]

And no - enjoying a drink on the verandah after my child is in bed does not make me an alcoholic - I know from personal experience what an alcoholic is - and I am not one

It's so fun saying things like that, because even in the back of your own mind you hear "denial is the first sign of a problem" LOL.

One time I had a massive reaction to 4 beers over the course of over 4 hours, back in my 20s when I felt like doing things like that. The reaction caused me to stop drinking for nearly a year, and I went to an AA meeting just to see. And when I said "no, I actually don't think I have a problem", woo that was fun. (still never figured out what caused the reaction but it's never happened again)

why does it appear that everyone wants this quieted down for the masses?

Why do you feel people (other than DCL) want it quited down? There's a nearly 70 page thread about it, a 13ish page poll, just here. That's not quiet.

I know there are petitions and polls out there for people to sign and comment their opinion, but it seems that even the mention of them is not allowed.

So as I came to the DCL page about 10 minutes ago I saw about 15 threads about signing a petition. Spamming the boards will ALWAYS get things taken down. If the actual link isn't allowed, well there are lots of URLs that aren't allowed for various reasons. If that particular one isn't allowed, it isn't allowed.

So yes - there are all of us here on the board discussing, but what percentage of DCL Customer is this?

Who knows? How could we know? Can we do anything about it?

I think DCL thinks it is lots better than what it is.

Definitely with you there. I think all of Disney thinks its better than it is, even while making themselves worse and worse...

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

In comparison to DCL, how is the food on the Celebrity. Also, in comparison to DCL, how are the servers?

Thanks!
Kate

I love Celebrity! its my mass market cruise line of choice! I enjoy the styling and use of space on the ships.

That being said, I think cruise food is generally all the same. You get a high volume of mediocre food.

I also think that on any given ship with any given crew (within any line) you can have from higher than average food and service to food and service that makes you go "what the?"

Disney IMO is not immune to this. I really think that Disney have given people a form of Stockholm Syndrome where they believe in the superiority of the product/service based on marketing and reputation from a different era.

I sometimes wonder how many people who say Disney is unsurpassed in customer service have really explored other options. I find they have successes and flubs like every other line.

 

[Prose]

I think sometimes we overestimate the number of people who pay attention and post on message boards. Take the total number of adults who cruise DCL. Subtract out those who just don't go to any of the top 3 or 4 online forums. Out of that number, remove those who simply haven't been around lately and aren't aware that things have changed. So now you have the online users+aware of the policy. Remove from that group those who just really don't care one way or the other (this is where you lose me). That gives you online+aware+concerned. From that group, take away those who aren't concerned enough to go online and vent, or who don't have a cruise planned and are waiting to see if things change. So you're left with the online users who have checked recently, are aware of the change, care about it, feel personally affected and are comfortable/are steamed enough to go online and discuss. That's pretty much the folks on this thread and the ones on the other boards.

Now, once the unaware folks book a cruise, come online and see the policy change (after the 2017 first quarter sailings come out), I'll be you see a bump in interest.

Count me as one who never brought on alcohol and just won't be affected/don't care about the change.

 

[kid-at-heart]

I am taking my business elsewhere. After my next sailings. We will most likely not sail Disney again and I will say as much. But then, this gives DCL NO incentive to make me happy, whereas if I say, hey DCL, I'm upset, make it right, they have a chance to make it right. I think DCL thinks it is lots better than what it is. *dodges people throwing things at me

I love DCL, but don't love this policy and the lack of customer service on this one issue really has made me look 5 times at the cost I am paying. My upcoming Panama cruise cost similar to a Princess cruise and was less expensive than others, plus it is at the right time of year for me, I have to plan around all sorts of deadlines. Then, the cruises we have booked for next summer, well, I cannot find any other line (non-smoking) that does what we want, we are doing a b2b, so that complicates things, but makes a unique itinerary. Plus, we really did not see ourselves bringing on much alcohol in Europe. Last time we cruised in Europe, we barely had enough time to sleep, between excursions, shower, show, dinner, it was our bed time. But, the chances of me booking another Disney cruise, after this, those chances are pretty minuscule. I don't ever want to say that I will never, but I will certainly look at the suite I can get on Celebrity for the same cost of a veranda on DCL with Celebrity getting the edge. We will probably do a place holder, as I would hate to not have that 10% discount, but I am betting it gets refunded.

I am taking my business elsewhere. After my next sailings. We will most likely not sail Disney again and I will say as much. But then, this gives DCL NO incentive to make me happy, whereas if I say, hey DCL, I'm upset, make it right, they have a chance to make it right. I think DCL thinks it is lots better than what it is. *dodges people throwing things at me

I love DCL, but don't love this policy and the lack of customer service on this one issue really has made me look 5 times at the cost I am paying. My upcoming Panama cruise cost similar to a Princess cruise and was less expensive than others, plus it is at the right time of year for me, I have to plan around all sorts of deadlines. Then, the cruises we have booked for next summer, well, I cannot find any other line (non-smoking) that does what we want, we are doing a b2b, so that complicates things, but makes a unique itinerary. Plus, we really did not see ourselves bringing on much alcohol in Europe. Last time we cruised in Europe, we barely had enough time to sleep, between excursions, shower, show, dinner, it was our bed time. But, the chances of me booking another Disney cruise, after this, those chances are pretty minuscule. I don't ever want to say that I will never, but I will certainly look at the suite I can get on Celebrity for the same cost of a veranda on DCL with Celebrity getting the edge. We will probably do a place holder, as I would hate to not have that 10% discount, but I am betting it gets refunded.

Perhaps you and others who are not pleased with the new policy could send a letter/email to DCL and tell them how you feel. Many of us have and even if it does not make a difference, it lets the policy-makers know that their customers are not happy.

 

[mmouse37]

I'll admit I am mouseketeer. I just booked a cruise today. The change in the booze policy will not keep me from cruising DCL. I often brought booze on with me. I guess I like the product too much to not cruise DCL again because of it. We were on the Maiden voyage of the Magic back when they first started the cruise line so I have seen many, many changes over the years but I feel the product keeps getting better. I also have a deep emotional attachment to the cruise line. I do take issue with the implementation of it. I feel it should have been rolled out while people still had a chance to cancel if they wanted to before their PIF.

I also think it is only a small portion of DCL's guests that frequent this forum. I am sure there are about 90% of the guests each week who do not even know you were allowed to bring on booze so I doubt that DCL will even notice the few who say they are never cruising with them again. That's just my opinion.

MJ

 

[Grumpy_74]

I am taking my business elsewhere. After my next sailings. We will most likely not sail Disney again and I will say as much. But then, this gives DCL NO incentive to make me happy, whereas if I say, hey DCL, I'm upset, make it right, they have a chance to make it right. I think DCL thinks it is lots better than what it is. *dodges people throwing things at me

I love DCL, but don't love this policy and the lack of customer service on this one issue really has made me look 5 times at the cost I am paying. My upcoming Panama cruise cost similar to a Princess cruise and was less expensive than others, plus it is at the right time of year for me, I have to plan around all sorts of deadlines. Then, the cruises we have booked for next summer, well, I cannot find any other line (non-smoking) that does what we want, we are doing a b2b, so that complicates things, but makes a unique itinerary. Plus, we really did not see ourselves bringing on much alcohol in Europe. Last time we cruised in Europe, we barely had enough time to sleep, between excursions, shower, show, dinner, it was our bed time. But, the chances of me booking another Disney cruise, after this, those chances are pretty minuscule. I don't ever want to say that I will never, but I will certainly look at the suite I can get on Celebrity for the same cost of a veranda on DCL with Celebrity getting the edge. We will probably do a place holder, as I would hate to not have that 10% discount, but I am betting it gets refunded.

I know everyone says it's in angst and not worth it, but I personally hope you've emailed / written / called / and or signed the petition. I am a firm believer that unless we all speak up, nothing can ever change

#dclprohibitiongate2015

 

[godde8ss]

I know everyone says it's in angst and not worth it, but I personally hope you've emailed / written / called / and or signed the petition. I am a firm believer that unless we all speak up, nothing can ever change

#‎DCLprohibitiongate2015‬

Agreed that we have to take some action. It may not affect change, but, we know we tried right?

 

[Grumpy_74]

I'll admit I am mouseketeer. I just booked a cruise today. The change in the booze policy will not keep me from cruising DCL. I often brought booze on with me. I guess I like the product too much to not cruise DCL again because of it. We were on the Maiden voyage of the Magic back when they first started the cruise line so I have seen many, many changes over the years but I feel the product keeps getting better. I also have a deep emotional attachment to the cruise line. I do take issue with the implementation of it. I feel it should have been rolled out while people still had a chance to cancel if they wanted to before their PIF.

I also think it is only a small portion of DCL's guests that frequent this forum. I am sure there are about 90% of the guests each week who do not even know you were allowed to bring on booze so I doubt that DCL will even notice the few who say they are never cruising with them again. That's just my opinion.

MJ

I understand the loyalty, I myself have loved Disney since my first trip as a toddler. Again though, I've yet to be on a cruise - my first is booked for next spring, so I'm only going off what I've read online and not personal experience in any fashion regarding DCL. What do you feel is getting better and better, since that's not the majority of what I've read?

Or is it just that those that are seeing all of the new and improved DCL features aren't speaking up as loudly as those that have issues with options being removed?

#dclprohibitiongate2015

 

[bumbershoot]

I am sure there are about 90% of the guests each week who do not even know you were allowed to bring on booze so I doubt that DCL will even notice the few who say they are never cruising with them again.

Why do you think they changed their minds back in 2011, then?

 

[Berger]

I would guess a ton of folks are lurking the various forums before they take their 1st cruise. People talk to family, friends and coworkers about their cruise experience. We did a lot of research before booking our 1st cruise. Yep we went with DCL even though it was 3k ( which included the ultimate drink package on RCCL) more than RCCL. We based it on that magic which WAS Disney. Does Disney still have magic, sadly a lot less than 2 short years ago. What other cost surprises are we going to endure before our cruise next spring. Will I cancell thie next cruise, no. Will I book another on the ship, no. Disney's race to have policy or perks which are industry norms, will further dilute the brand. This new alcohol policy is just another policy change that makes Disney just another mass cruise line. The kids are getting older so we are looking at other lines. Will my children take their kids ( I'm in no rush for that) on a Disney cruise, at this point doubtful at best. We will hold judgement ,to see how this is handled. Looking for a compromise of the old and new policy.

 

[mmouse37]

I find the service getting better, the food getting better, more activities being introduced, refurbishments, etc. Yes, they took some things away but OVERALL they are a great product. Any business is going to evolve over the years or they would be stuck in a rut. Disney has such a loyal following that I think some feel any change is sacrilegious. I am not trying to convince anyone on the merits of DCL but I know I enjoy the cruises VERY much and you may feel that way too once you get to cruise with them.

I also can't wait to take my grandchildren (just had 2 in 2 months!!!) on their first DCL cruise next year and see it all anew through their eyes as I did when my kids were first onboard!!

MJ