August 20, 2005 - L.A. to Port Canaveral - Eastbound Repo Cruise - The SHIP OF FOOLS Part 3

[Grumbo]

J.G.E. Brotherhood Beer Tasting Afternoon

We will be asking Brotherhood members to bring their favourite (For the Americans favorite) 6 pack of beer to Deck 7 during the second sea day. We will be merely tasting. If you deem the necessity to swallow the beer that is a personal decision. Please make sure you bring cans, as I have determined cans are not susceptible to D.C.L.'s corkage fees.
All Brotherhood members are asked to order an "All Hands on Deck" platter for 1 hour prior to this meeting.

NOTE: This is a Guys only get together. We're on holidays too!!!!

J.G.E. is also offering a tea party for the Sisterhood immediately following this affair. Please be prepared to clean up the plates and cans on arrival.

Jazz, Grumbo - J.G.E. Enterprises
Mark and Izzinmac - jr associates.

 

[kmiles]

I don't think corkscrews would be a problem. All of the bars have disposable ones that they freely give out. They even say Disney Cruise Line on them.

During our Back-to-Backs DCL sent a free bottle of wine to the room because we sailed with them two weeks in a row. They also provided one of these handy-dandy DCL corkscrews!

But, if Disney really wants to charge a corkage fee they're going to even if we do open the bottles ourselves. A corkage fee really isn't about a fee for doing anything but more of a fee so that the restaurant recoups the cost of allowing guests to bring their own wine to the establishment. As mentioned in the articles, a corkage fee is really 100% profit for the business establishment.

Here is some interesting info on corakage fees:

http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/corkage.html

http://foodandwine.netscape.com/articles/invoke.cfm?label=corkage-for-dummies

 

[kmiles]

Tracy--

When will DCL be able to provide you with a final answer on the subject?

 

[winotracy]

I'm hoping today. I have an e-mail in to the person in charge and WebmasterRegina has a call in to him as well. Will keep everyone posted.

Tracy

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

My 2 cents:

I can understand the corkage fee if we would be having the wine at a time when we might otherwise be buying it from DCL (at a meal, in the lounge, room service, etc.) then yes, DCL would be losing out. But how many of us would otherwise be drinking wine when this event will be taking place? We will not be having the event during a meal time and how many of us (ourselves included) don't really drink too often and wouldn't be ordering from a bar/room service at that time anyway?

This is just my way of looking at it - YMMV.

Tracy - we are spending upwards of $10,000 on this whole trip. Another $17.50 is not gonna break us, so if it comes down to it we will pay the corkage fee to attend. And thank you so, so very much for all the hard work getting this together for your friends.

 

[winotracy]

Nancy, in answer to some of your many, many questions

Early

It's not for you

Tracy

 

[izzinmac]

Just as a hypothetical, if DCL were to charge us for corkage at the wine tasting party would you want to:

a. Try to have the party near DL on Friday
b. Have the party at the port on Saturday morning
c. Have the party as planned and pay the $15 + gratuity per bottle charge
d. Have an informal party on deck and figure a way to get the bottles open if our corkscrews get confiscated

Again, this is just a hypothetical right now.

Man, that was quite a "hypothetical" proposal. What would the response be if DCL actually proposed a corkage fee???

 

[pampat]

Here's my opinion on the wine tasting and other things: /QUOTE]

KMiles - what a brilliant, reasoned, lucid argument! You make everything very straightforward. I have wondered for a while now how Disney are reacting to such a huge group wanting to hang together and arrange things for ourselves. We know that we are good people, easy going, happy and easily pleased, but do Disney know this? I guess they must be bracing themselves for the worst.

Pam

 

[Grumbo]

I guess they must be bracing themselves for the worst.

Pam

Hey quit picking on Mel!!! She is good people!!!

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[izzinmac]

Here is where I think our problem lies. We have to understand that we are a group of 500 people who claim to be "sailing together as a group." Realistically, I just don't see how DCL can handle this task and maintain any amount of order on the ship. Although, I do think that they are going out of their way to accommodate us on most issues.

So, perhaps DCL is watching things unfold with this group and becoming a bit nervous about being able to handle such things. Sure, it's probably fairly easy to allocate space (Studio Sea or Rockin' Bar D) and a couple of bar tenders for out meet on one day but how easy is it going to be for the cruise line to organize event after event?

Don't take this the wrong way and certainly don't change any planning because of my opinion, but I just think it may be very difficult for some of our expectations to be met. Arranging to have 100 families seated in the same area of a restaurant on the same dining rotation may be difficult at best or even impossible. Having a group of 200 show up for lunch at one of the restaurants and asking to be seated together may not work. I just think we should keep such things in mind.

Perhaps the reason that Disney didn't say up-front that there would be a corkage fee charged is because, just as we're making this up as we go along, so too are they. Perhaps they should have left this question open from the start and said that they may need to charge a fee.

Hypothetically speaking, I have to agree with my friend on the Left. I think Disney is walking a fine line with the issue of making sure they avoid this becoming a "Ship of Fools" clique cruise, while trying to recognize that the members of this group are also return, dedicated Disney cruisers. They want to make us happy, but need to make sure the other 3/4ths of the cruisers are also happy. I would imagine they are getting a little nervious about too many special events open to only a limited group. Several times we have mentioned our "clout" because of the size and enthusiasm of our group, and I'm sure they want to make sure they keep the cruise under their control. I imagine they go to bed at night having nightmares..."Oh no, the Fools are in charge of the Ship!!!" This may be one attempt to ensure control. Too bad it wasn't mentioned by DCL when the event was planned.

BTW, I think I read somewhere that Tracy agreed to have the corkage fee charged to her room...so I'm OK with the charge!

 

[izzinmac]

J.G.E. Brotherhood Beer Tasting Afternoon

Jazz, Grumbo - J.G.E. Enterprises
Mark and Izzinmac - jr associates.

Hey, Mark!!!

Is this a good sign or a bad sign??? Are we moving up in the organization or down??? I thought in our master plan we were going to be in charge by now? What happened?

 

[Mom2Belle&PeterPan]

Tracy,

Thank you for all your hard work and organization for the wine tasting party. You are a gem!!!!!!!

Whatever you decide to do as far as decisions, Brian and I support you. Please make it as least stressful for you as possible. This should remain a fun planning time for all, including you who have done so much for all of us on the Ship of Fools.

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts on this wine tasting issue - kmiles, you are a wise soul!

Now, Brian and I are off on our date to DL just the two of us. I'll let Mickey and Minnie know you and Bill will be arriving soon!

TGIF everyone!!!

's to you Tracy!

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

Nancy, in answer to some of your many, many questions

Early

It's not for you

Tracy

A-ha!! The plot thickens!! I can only think of more questions, but I will hold my tongue and wait (hard as it may be for me).

Wait - I think I know. Then again I'd have to ask to be sure, lol.

 

[Scratch42]

J.G.E. Brotherhood Beer Tasting Afternoon

We will be asking Brotherhood members to bring their favourite (For the Americans favorite) 6 pack of beer to Deck 7 during the second sea day. We will be merely tasting. If you deem the necessity to swallow the beer that is a personal decision. Please make sure you bring cans, as I have determined cans are not susceptible to D.C.L.'s corkage fees.
All Brotherhood members are asked to order an "All Hands on Deck" platter for 1 hour prior to this meeting.

NOTE: This is a Guys only get together. We're on holidays too!!!!

J.G.E. is also offering a tea party for the Sisterhood immediately following this affair. Please be prepared to clean up the plates and cans on arrival.

Jazz, Grumbo - J.G.E. Enterprises
Mark and Izzinmac - jr associates.

Oh Great!

There Goes The Neighbourhood!




Scratch

 

[kmiles]

A-ha!! The plot thickens!! I can only think of more questions, but I will hold my tongue and wait (hard as it may be for me).

Wait - I think I know. Then again I'd have to ask to be sure, lol.

Oh! Something is going on and I haven't a clue as to what it could be!

Wasn't the announcement supposed to be at noon?

 

[ivanova]

I may be in the minority but I think it is OK for Disney to charge a fee. They count on making money for alcohol and I think that is built into the price they charge for the cruise. Remember there is no casino revenue on this ship

Actually, I don't think they count on large revenues from alcohol sales - otherwsie they'd be like other cruise lines & wouldn't let us bring our own alcohol on board. JMHO.

Anyway, as to the corkage fee. Because they specifically said "no fee" when asked at the beginning, I think they should abide by that. This does feel like a bait & switch to me, and frankly, on principle I won't pay it. I'll pay the fee if I decide to take a bottle into a restaurant, but I am not willing to pay it for an event we'd already set up with them and originally no fee was going to be charged.

They are already making money off DU for the food, they won't be losing money on wine sales, and frankly I don't think this will prevent anyone from signing up for DCL's wine tasting event onboard (assuming they offer it). So I really do think they are looking at this as another "easy money" tactic.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

We will be asking Brotherhood members to bring their favourite (For the Americans favorite) 6 pack of beer to Deck 7 during the second sea day. We will be merely tasting. If you deem the necessity to swallow the beer that is a personal decision.

Jazz, Grumbo - J.G.E. Enterprises
SISTERHOOD - jr associates

Unfortunately, these statements have me imagining the poor ocean as a vast beer spitoon.

 

[Bmwdsny]

WOW!! all this discussion about the corkage fee!!!

I have my own feelings about all this but let's just wait and see what happens. Tracy, don't get yourself all stress about it...We do whatever we can to help you!!

As for J.G.E. Brotherhood Beer Tasting, perhaps you can hire some of the sisters to 'OPEN" the beer, pour in glass, and serve to the guys, as well as light the cigars too!!
That way , I will be able to make some $$$ (tips are expected) , and then be able to pay for the DCL corkage fee and still have $$ leftover in my pocket!!!!

 

[Denise W]

Tracy, we are more than willing to pay the corkage fee as well if it is implemented, and are also extremely grateful for all the work you are doing on this. We don't really drink wine either, but we wouldn't miss it!

The other cruise also has a Wine Tasting set up. Are they being told the same thing you are?

Denise

 

[kmiles]

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