New Alcohol Policy - How is it playing out at Embarkation?

[jollycacklefarm]

View attachment 126883

HELLO BEER MUG/ CARD!
DON'T CRUISE WITHOUT IT!

what is the beer card, and how does one get one?

 

[MargaretJ]

We were on the Oct 10th Fantasy & my husband & I carried on 4 bottles of wine for our 3 kids. I had all the bottles in a Publix Wine Carry Bag & they stopped me, at scanning, to ask if I was with anyone else as I could only have 2 bottles.

 

[Ariel484]

Just got off the Fantasy today. I can't really say too much about the embarkation process since we were some of the last people in the terminal due to travel delays, and didn't carry anything on with us. But, we did purchase liquor on the islands. The process went about as well as you would expect. They saw it, and directed us to a table to have it tagged and stored until the end of the cruise. We were given a receipt listing each item. At the end of the cruise, we picked it up the morning of debarkation, just like if we had purchased it onboard the ship.

Incidentally, as the CM was collecting our purchase, I politely said "I hope you haven't heard too many complaints about the new policy." Her response indicated that most of the complaints have come from the staff because of the extra work. A couple other passengers in line had no clue that the policy had even changed -- they were just checking in their liquor like they were told to do.

I also heard two CMs state how it was for the safety of the kids. One even mentioned the policy was partly because Guest Services had been receiving calls from kids saying "mom and dad had passed out on the floor" and he led me to believe that the cutoff policy has gotten a little stricter for bartenders as well. I'm not a big drinker, so I never got close to testing that. I'm not trying to revive the debate by mentioning this -- I'm just letting people know what's being said on the ship.

Just disembarked on Saturday. This was our experience as well.

Are you talking about hard liquor, or wine?

The question some of us have is the wine/beer allotment (2 bottles of wine, or 6 beers) being allowed to be brought onboard at port stops and taken to private rooms?

My brother bought rum and Bud Light in St Maarten. DCL kept the rum until the end of the cruise, the beer made it into the stateroom.

Big sandwich board on the dock near the hand sanitizing station at each port stating the new policy. It seemed to be running smoothly to me.

 

[bumbershoot]

what is the beer card, and how does one get one?

You buy the beer mug (glass). You then get refills of it (lets say it's a 16 oz mug) for the cost of a 12 oz beer. (estimating the size...the point is that you get something for the cost of a smaller something, after paying for the mug)

You can ask for the card/token at the bar when you're done drinking from the mug, so you don't have to carry the mug around. Show your card/token next time you want a beer, they bring out a mug and fill it for you and charge for the smaller amount. You can even show the card/token on *future* cruises and still partake of the same deal.

This is all terrific IF you like the draft beer on the ship!

 

[summerskye]

We got off the Fantasy on Saturday and were one of the many people who were PIF when they announced the change of policy. There is now a huge sign outside the security area at Port Canaveral stating the new alcohol policy. Pretty hard to miss.

We took our beer allotment and a case of water - no one opened our suitcase to look at the beer or the waters. The one security woman even said to me, "is that wine or beer?" and when I said it was beer, she just handed me my suitcase. We *may* have also brought a small bottle of rum on board with our toiletries...and that small bottle of rum may have made it safely to our stateroom. We bought a bottle of rum in St Thomas, and they checked it in when we reboarded. Simple and easy and then when we were kicked off the ship on Saturday morning, the alcohol table was to the right of the Deck 3 midship gangway. Easy peasy.

The suspense is killing me... Is the small bottle of rum safe? I am so worried.

 

[wajones2]

We are cruising next week for the first time under the new policy. We typically only bring beer, and only consume in the room. We plan to put a 12 pack (6 each) in our carrying on, and also a 12 pack of Diet Mt. Dew. Hoping the 2 12 packs don't get us flagged or slow down the line. But without a visual inspection, I'm not sure how they will be able to tell the beer cans from the Diet Mt. Dew.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We are cruising next week for the first time under the new policy. We typically only bring beer, and only consume in the room. We plan to put a 12 pack (6 each) in our carrying on, and also a 12 pack of Diet Mt. Dew. Hoping the 2 12 packs don't get us flagged or slow down the line. But without a visual inspection, I'm not sure how they will be able to tell the beer cans from the Diet Mt. Dew.

Let us know if they check each can. This is an interesting idea......

 

[ffdmom]

Let us know if they check each can. This is an interesting idea......

I did this on a Carnival cruise 5 years ago but I had the "Mt.Dew" 12 pack in my checked bag...it made it through. Question, did you put your 2 12 packs in checked bags or did you openly carry the boxes through security with your carry ons?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I did this on a Carnival cruise 5 years ago but I had the "Mt.Dew" 12 pack in my checked bag...it made it through. Question, did you put your 2 12 packs in checked bags or did you openly carry the boxes through security with your carry ons?

On DCL, beverages must be carried on. Beverages found in checked bags will be confiscated.

 

[ffdmom]

We are DCL gold cc members so I knew that. Just wondering, since the new alcohol policy, have you taken cases of "MT.Dew" with you through security as well as your carry on luggage.

 

[tinkerone]

Just completed our first cruise on our b2b. The alcohol purchased was not allowed to be picked up. They did not tell us until I tried to pick up this morning. So long story short, you will not get any liquor until all crises are complete. I'll report more when I get home......in a week or so.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just completed our first cruise on our b2b. The alcohol purchased was not allowed to be picked up. They did not tell us until I tried to pick up this morning. So long story short, you will not get any liquor until all crises are complete. I'll report more when I get home......in a week or so.

Thanks for the report.

 

[ffdmom]

Would you give a little more detail? We typically carry on a box of wine and a case and a half of beer that we consume in our stateroom. It really saves us money. We are sailing soon and I'm just wondering if we should attempt bringing on what we usually do since the new policy. TIA.

 

[haynay]

Super easy smuggling here. No questions asked. I definitely over-worried for how easy it was. They didn't even ask us to take the bottles out of our bags.

How did you smuggle? What did you smuggle? Leave next Thursday, trying to figure out how and if we should smuggle.

 

[NerosFamily]

Yes, any information on how to do this would be extremely helpful!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

nm

 

[dittymau]

It changed back within a couple weeks. It was fast. This one isn't expected to be rescinded. I wish but I don't think so.

And that is why I believe this to be our last DCL cruise...

 

[TimeAndTide]

Really if I'd booked under certain conditions and the rules were changed midstream, I'd smuggle, too.

In fact I might do it anyway because it brings out my inner college student. Lol.

 

[tinkerone]

Just completed our first cruise on our b2b. The alcohol purchased was not allowed to be picked up. They did not tell us until I tried to pick up this morning. So long story short, you will not get any liquor until all crises are complete. I'll report more when I get home......in a week or so.

i am now home so i will follow up on this.
i purchased alcohol in Cozumel. it was a really really rainy day so after the purchase we returned to the ship, about 10:30. the person who was recording the liquor being brought on and giving receipts was at the end of the conveyor belt that you put your items on and they xray them. it caused a line up to occur as you had to wait till she wrote it all in her book and gave you the copy. there were five people who were lined up waiting. when she was recording my items one of the people from the xray machine came over and whispered something in her ear. at the time i thought he was telling her to hurry up but thinking about it it was more probable that he was telling her i was b2b, otherwise she would not have known and it was written on my copy. we went back out later that afternoon and the drop off table had been moved up and out of the way. made much more sense.

the receipt clearly has a note at the bottom that states if you don't pick up your items at the end of the cruise then they will be destroyed and no compensation will be given. to me that said i should pick it up on the first Saturday, which i attempted to do. they have print outs from each port that show cabin numbers, names and what the items are being held. i waited in line (it was a table set up on the opposite side of the departure doors, not the customer service side). when i gave him my copy he went behind a screen that hides the liquor from view and attempted to find it. it was minutes later and he came out, appoligized for the wait, said he was still looking for it and off he went again. people were coming and going but i was still waiting. after waiting for a few more minutes i finally took the sheets for Cozumel and opened it to my cabin number where it clearly read i was b2b and was greyed out. i showed this to one of the other people gi9ving back items and asked that he please get the cm who was looking after me. they both came out with more sorrys, cant find it, so i pointed out the print out. they talked to each other and agreed that i could not have it which made sense as the pages were kind of clear. they told me i could pick it up on my debarkation. so i left.

the next Tuesday night at just after 8 p.m. i received a call in our cabin from someone in that department. he said he was sorry but my bottles had smashed. he was able to tell me what the bottles held and verify that it was what they were holding for me. he did sound a little afraid to tell me and he thanked me for taking it so well. I'm not sure exactly what he expected but it was done so its not like yelling would do anything to fix it. i asked him what would i should expect to happen now. he said the manager wasn't in so he did not know but probably an obc. what amount he didn't know but assured me the manager would look into it and call me the next day. guess what, no call the next day. Thursday morning i went down to customer service and explained what had happened to them. said i was supposed to get a call back but it never came and i really wanted to clear the matter up. i needed to know if i should repurchase or if they were going to replace it. i should tell you that it was jose cuervo tequila, nothing major, purchased for my sister. they sell it in their duty free shop so they could have just replaced it and i would never have know. anyways the cm called but the manager was still out. the cm assured me he would make sure i had it cleared up that day. i did receive messages from both him and the manager of that department before noon.
the message from the manager said he wasn't at all sure what was happening as he could not find out who the person was who called me. he said since it had happened and they were not prompt in calling me back they would apply a $100 obc to my account. i then went down to the duty free store and bought two more bottles for $35.90 (same tequila as i had) and was ahead $64. bonus!

while the cm who had originally called me said the bottles were broke he did not tell me how it happened, kind of skirted around the question. i feel they were destroyed as part of the not picked up bunch. the glass on those bottles are so thick that i just cant see how they could break but who knows. i think they have a lot more experimenting to do before they get it right. the procedures are a bit of a mess imo.

if i can find time i may write up a few of my observations in another post and put this information in it. i just thought i should follow up here.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

i am now home so i will follow up on this.
i purchased alcohol in Cozumel. it was a really really rainy day so after the purchase we returned to the ship, about 10:30. the person who was recording the liquor being brought on and giving receipts was at the end of the conveyor belt that you put your items on and they xray them. it caused a line up to occur as you had to wait till she wrote it all in her book and gave you the copy. there were five people who were lined up waiting. when she was recording my items one of the people from the xray machine came over and whispered something in her ear. at the time i thought he was telling her to hurry up but thinking about it it was more probable that he was telling her i was b2b, otherwise she would not have known and it was written on my copy. we went back out later that afternoon and the drop off table had been moved up and out of the way. made much more sense.

the receipt clearly has a note at the bottom that states if you don't pick up your items at the end of the cruise then they will be destroyed and no compensation will be given. to me that said i should pick it up on the first Saturday, which i attempted to do. they have print outs from each port that show cabin numbers, names and what the items are being held. i waited in line (it was a table set up on the opposite side of the departure doors, not the customer service side). when i gave him my copy he went behind a screen that hides the liquor from view and attempted to find it. it was minutes later and he came out, appoligized for the wait, said he was still looking for it and off he went again. people were coming and going but i was still waiting. after waiting for a few more minutes i finally took the sheets for Cozumel and opened it to my cabin number where it clearly read i was b2b and was greyed out. i showed this to one of the other people gi9ving back items and asked that he please get the cm who was looking after me. they both came out with more sorrys, cant find it, so i pointed out the print out. they talked to each other and agreed that i could not have it which made sense as the pages were kind of clear. they told me i could pick it up on my debarkation. so i left.

the next Tuesday night at just after 8 p.m. i received a call in our cabin from someone in that department. he said he was sorry but my bottles had smashed. he was able to tell me what the bottles held and verify that it was what they were holding for me. he did sound a little afraid to tell me and he thanked me for taking it so well. I'm not sure exactly what he expected but it was done so its not like yelling would do anything to fix it. i asked him what would i should expect to happen now. he said the manager wasn't in so he did not know but probably an obc. what amount he didn't know but assured me the manager would look into it and call me the next day. guess what, no call the next day. Thursday morning i went down to customer service and explained what had happened to them. said i was supposed to get a call back but it never came and i really wanted to clear the matter up. i needed to know if i should repurchase or if they were going to replace it. i should tell you that it was jose cuervo tequila, nothing major, purchased for my sister. they sell it in their duty free shop so they could have just replaced it and i would never have know. anyways the cm called but the manager was still out. the cm assured me he would make sure i had it cleared up that day. i did receive messages from both him and the manager of that department before noon.
the message from the manager said he wasn't at all sure what was happening as he could not find out who the person was who called me. he said since it had happened and they were not prompt in calling me back they would apply a $100 obc to my account. i then went down to the duty free store and bought two more bottles for $35.90 (same tequila as i had) and was ahead $64. bonus!

while the cm who had originally called me said the bottles were broke he did not tell me how it happened, kind of skirted around the question. i feel they were destroyed as part of the not picked up bunch. the glass on those bottles are so think that i just cant see how they could break but who knows. i think they have a lot more experimenting to do before they get it right. the procedures are a bit of a mess imo.

if i can find time i may write up a few of my observations in another post and put this information in it. i just thought i should follow up here.

Perfect. Thank you.