Alochol [bottles] bought on board/ ashore

[Robin"D"]

When you purchase Alcohol on board or ashore, and you turn the bottles in, are they still delivery the bottles the night prior so you can pack them for the flight home?
Rumor is that you have to pick up the alcohol the morning of debarkation.

Please advise

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[diznymom]

Not sure.
Everything I've read says you pick it up morning of debarkation.

I see a logistical problem w/ flights and luggage w/ that scenario.

 

[Empress Room]

All alcohol is available on the morning of debarkation only. Our friends begged with Guest Services at 9:30 pm the last night of the cruise so they could pack it (they did airline check-in on board). Did not matter. They were told that it was under lock and key.

Worst part is that they had to pay twice to Delta for the one bag they held back to pack it on debarkation morning.

Bad system indeed.

 

[Robin"D"]

WOW....DCL....Lets get smart on at least one thing with your new policy...
And this is not smart at all..

This is one thing that we should write to DCL about....

The logistics just isn't in the DCL guest favor on this one at all

Talking about pack / repack/ and repack...

This could be embarrassing/ humiliating/ and awkwardness where and when you have to repack.

Your thoughts....

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[PrincessShmoo]

WOW....DCL....Lets get smart on at least one thing with your new policy...
And this is not smart at all..

This is one thing that we should write to DCL about....

The logistics just isn't in the DCL guest favor on this one at all

Talking about pack / repack/ and repack...

This could be embarrassing/ humiliating/ and awkwardness where and when you have to repack.

Your thoughts....

Robin & Angel "D"

I'm fairly certain that DCL reviewed their options before choosing to return the alcohol on debarkation morning vs. the last night. They revised their Onboard Airline Check In policy and now state that if you're purchasing beverages that will require pick up the last morning, you may not wish to participate.

But, you'd only have to hold back one bag for repacking, so it's still do-able.

 

[bumbershoot]

Worst part is that they had to pay twice to Delta for the one bag they held back to pack it on debarkation morning.

They needed to get the cms to cancel the payment for that bag; I assume they were doing on onboard airline checkin? They need to follow up.

If doing onboard checkin, hold back a bag to be checked at the airport. Carry the booze off, pack it, check it at the airport.

If not doing that, carry the booze off and pack it in a checked bag once reunited with the bags.

 

[Robin"D"]

I'm fairly certain that DCL reviewed their options before choosing to return the alcohol on debarkation morning vs. the last night. They revised their Onboard Airline Check In policy and now state that if you're purchasing beverages that will require pick up the last morning, you may not wish to participate.

But, you'd only have to hold back one bag for repacking, so it's still do-able.

DISAGREE!

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[bumbershoot]

DISAGREE!

With what part?

 

[Robin"D"]

With what part?

with this part:

"But, you'd only have to hold back one bag for repacking, so it's still do-able."

if you are traveling by plane, what a hasle

Robin & Ange; "D"

 

[bumbershoot]

with this part:

"But, you'd only have to hold back one bag for repacking, so it's still do-able."

if you are traveling by plane, what a hasle

Robin & Ange; "D"

So how is that a hassle? We've used onboard airline checkin, and we have not used it. We've done express walkoff on another line. We've done disembarkation a few different ways. And I'm not seeing how holding back one bag from onboard airline checkin is that big of a hassle.

Don't get me wrong, I hate this new policy even though it barely affects me. The only time I've bought liquor is on Royal, where we don't participate in their luggage valet b/c it costs extra beyond any airline fees (we get free bags thanks to DH's status most times, so Disney's doesn't cost a dime for us). Royal does give you the liquor on that last night, so we could pack it ahead of time, but we literally carried it off in the handled bag anyway, and put it in checked luggage after customs, because that seemed more right, than having to dig it out from a checked bag to show them if they wanted to see it.

When one person doesn't see it as being a big deal, it can be mystifying to find that others do, and I'm trying to find out what part of it is a hassle to you. AS easy as just saying goodbye to bags? No. But I'm more bothered by the utter lack of trust DCL suddenly has in its guests, as shown by not giving the liquor on the last night vs in the morning, than having to hold back a bag...

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It seems to me a solution would be to have everyone designate when they drop off bottles to be stored whether they are doing onboard airline check-in or not. Those who are can come pick up their bottle(s) the night before debarkation with the bag it will be packed in. Pick up the bottle, pack it, then hand the luggage to a DCL employee to be stored overnight with the other luggage that will be transported to the airport the next day. It will be extra work for DCL but if they want it to be their policy that you can't have the bottle in your stateroom the last night of the cruise, then that's the concession they should make.

 

[Subi WRX]

If DCL wants be inline with industry standard, they need to consider allowing alcohol pick up just prior to the bags being required to be outside your room for pick up.

On NCL, our butler delivered our port-purchased alcohol around 6pm the night prior to disembarkation. Perfect. One of the many reasons we'll be sticking with Norwegian Haven, especially after our last lackluster Fantasy cruise.

 

[littleblackegg]

with this part:

"But, you'd only have to hold back one bag for repacking, so it's still do-able."

if you are traveling by plane, what a hasle

Robin & Ange; "D"

If it's going to be that much of a huge hassle, why travel with the alcohol at all?

 

[littleblackegg]

It seems to me a solution would be to have everyone designate when they drop off bottles to be stored whether they are doing onboard airline check-in or not. Those who are can come pick up their bottle(s) the night before debarkation with the bag it will be packed in. Pick up the bottle, pack it, then hand the luggage to a DCL employee to be stored overnight with the other luggage that will be transported to the airport the next day. It will be extra work for DCL but if they want it to be their policy that you can't have the bottle in your stateroom the last night of the cruise, then that's the concession they should make.

That seems like it would work well. These are new policies and protocols, so there must be room to develop as the crew determines what works well and what doesn't.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

It seems to me a solution would be to have everyone designate when they drop off bottles to be stored whether they are doing onboard airline check-in or not. Those who are can come pick up their bottle(s) the night before debarkation with the bag it will be packed in. Pick up the bottle, pack it, then hand the luggage to a DCL employee to be stored overnight with the other luggage that will be transported to the airport the next day. It will be extra work for DCL but if they want it to be their policy that you can't have the bottle in your stateroom the last night of the cruise, then that's the concession they should make.

It could work.....

....but, geez, do ya get the feeling that you're a non-trustworthy teenager who might do something naughty so you need an authority figure hovering over you with an eagle eye and a big stick? You know, vs being an adult? I'm glad Disney gets to parent me now. What would I do if I could run amuck??? Wait a minute? How have I managed the past 22 years unsupervised???? LOL!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

but, geez, do ya get the feeling that you're a non-trustworthy teenager who might do something naughty so you need an authority figure hovering over you with an eagle eye and a big stick?

Well, based on your recent post:

I don't smuggle on other lines because I have prepaid unlimited adult beverage packages. But on Disney I will. The way I see it: game on. If I get my stash taken its all good. Fair enough. They gotta find it first! Bwaaahahaahaaaaaa!!!!!

I'd say that your feeling of being "a non-trustworthy teenager who might do something naughty" is a fair description.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Well, based on your recent post:



I'd say that your feeling of being "a non-trustworthy teenager who might do something naughty" is a fair description.

True. True. And I'm not a "might". It happens especially when my little pirate itch needs a scratch.



So, if you buy alcohol from the duty-free onboard the ship, when & where do you pick up those purchases? I've never bought anything onboard but I'm pretty sure I've seen those packages set aside in the duty-free for pickup when I've passed thru making my final onboard souvenir purchases the last night of the cruise. I don't think I've ever seen the duty-free open to hand out the onboard purchases on debarkation day. I truly don't know, though. However, if *those* can be picked up the night before to be packed, why not other port-checked bottles? I'm envisioning my debarkation mornings. I'm never one to put luggage out for pickup the night before. I've only done it once and I will always avoid it if I can. So, thinking through going down to pick up bottles....knowing how crowded and busy I've always found the atrium to be.....and the gangway....and the luggage area in the terminal....and the customs area....etc etc, I don't see how having people stopped with families & other bags standing about with open suitcases to rearrange on the floor anywhere would be a good thing with all the people trying to make their way out. Wouldn't that create more problems? Having to send someone down to fetch bottles to bring back to the room on debarkation morning to incorporate into suitcases will slow people leaving their rooms which will delay the turnovers. Wouldn't it be better to get these things done more efficiently when packing the night before? Isn't the goal to get the guests funneled off the ship smooth and efficient?

 

[Empress Room]

They needed to get the cms to cancel the payment for that bag; I assume they were doing on onboard airline checkin? They need to follow up.

If doing onboard checkin, hold back a bag to be checked at the airport. Carry the booze off, pack it, check it at the airport.

If not doing that, carry the booze off and pack it in a checked bag once reunited with the bags.

The problem they had was that they prepaid for a certain number of checked bags. When they removed one to pack the alcohol, DCL told them that it was impossible to refund the prepayment as it is coordinated through the airlines. Similarly, when they got to the airport and needed to check it again, Delta charged them a second time and said that prepayments through DCL do not count. A real mess.

The other mess, of course, is bringing alcohol onboard. Part of the "magic" of a DCL cruise is checking your bag in your airport of origin and not seeing it until it magically arrives at your stateroom. DCL's policy is that all alcohol must be in carry-on, not checked luggage, notwithstanding TSA rules that do not allow alcohol in carry-ons. So we packed one (and only one) special bottle of wine in our checked baggage in our airport of origin. DCL collected our checked bags in Orlando (we couldn't have gotten them if we wanted to). The bags appeared in our stateroom but DCL confiscated the checked bottle of wine and held it all cruise until debarkation morning. Pretty ridiculous when we had no other choice. I did let Guest Services know exactly how ludicrous and short-sighted such a policy was, they said that they are always "reviewing" their policies and practices and, although they would not give me our confiscated bottle of wine (which was a very special one), they did give us another one for free as an "apology."

Hard to see the logic there. I understand a) banning spirits and liquor and b) limiting the amount of beer or wine that one can bring on board if DCL sees this as a problem. But what does it matter whether it is brought in a carry-on or in checked luggage? They can still police it to make sure guests don't exceed the limits since they a) clearly check all carry-ons and b) apparently check all checked luggage. Pretty easy to see if anyone is bringing on more than allotted. The current policy, as practiced, only works for locals who drive to the port or guests who stop at a wine shop on the way to the port and can pack it in their carry ons. If you're taking Magical Express or DCL transfers, that doesn't work for air travelers.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The other mess, of course, is bringing alcohol onboard. Part of the "magic" of a DCL cruise is checking your bag in your airport of origin and not seeing it until it magically arrives at your stateroom. DCL's policy is that all alcohol must be in carry-on, not checked luggage, notwithstanding TSA rules that do not allow alcohol in carry-ons. So we packed one (and only one) special bottle of wine in our checked baggage in our airport of origin. DCL collected our checked bags in Orlando (we couldn't have gotten them if we wanted to). The bags appeared in our stateroom but DCL confiscated the checked bottle of wine and held it all cruise until debarkation morning. Pretty ridiculous when we had no other choice. I did let Guest Services know exactly how ludicrous and short-sighted such a policy was, they said that they are always "reviewing" their policies and practices and, although they would not give me our confiscated bottle of wine (which was a very special one), they did give us another one for free as an "apology."

Hard to see the logic there. I understand a) banning spirits and liquor and b) limiting the amount of beer or wine that one can bring on board if DCL sees this as a problem. But what does it matter whether it is brought in a carry-on or in checked luggage? They can still police it to make sure guests don't exceed the limits since they a) clearly check all carry-ons and b) apparently check all checked luggage. Pretty easy to see if anyone is bringing on more than allotted. The current policy, as practiced, only works for locals who drive to the port or guests who stop at a wine shop on the way to the port and can pack it in their carry ons. If you're taking Magical Express or DCL transfers, that doesn't work for air travelers.

The first issue here has always been the way it was (well, since TSA banned large liquids in carry ons). It's always been suggested here to not place your DCL luggage tag on the one bag that contains the alcohol, claim it at the airport, remove alcohol to your carry on. Then place the DCL tag on to turn in when you check in for the DCL transportation. That bag will show up at your room like the ones you check straight through.

Next, "what does it matter whether it is brought in a carry-on or in checked luggage?". The handling of bags from the airport to your room is less than gentle. And, if your bottle breaks during such handling and damages others belongings it can be a mess (for which you are responsible). This is one of the locations where bags are sorted onboard the Fantasy. Yes, some of the bags there were just tossed into the pile.


Here's another one on the Dream, stacked over 6 feet high. Do you want your bag (with a breakable bottle) buried in there?

 

[hubbard53]

If it's going to be that much of a huge hassle, why travel with the alcohol at all?

that is exactly what i think. . . which is sad, b/c i used to buy my import limit of rum from St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Guess those local economies will suffer...