DCL carry-on alcohol policy changing Sept. 30 2015

[turtle27]

I spent my lunch hour looking for cruises on other non-smoking lines for next summer, due to this rule change. Bummed that the B2B is a pretty unique itinerary, otherwise, I would be trying out one of the other lines. Still may. I can get a suite at concierge level for what I am paying for a verandah on DCL. The alcohol policy and the "mickey mail" were 2 of my favorite perks, and now they are gone. This being said, I was already in the market for a new cruise line, DCL, to me, has too many tired itineraries and not enough unique ones, so I was looking elsewhere, just finding cruise lines that don't allow smoking inside the ships is hard to do.

I am taking more issue with the fact that it is well past my PIF date, they could/should have made the date such that no one was past their PIF date, at a minimum.

 

[apocalyps3]

I would hope that some of the cost of my cruise goes towards paying the bar tender people who aren't making a few extra bucks because I wanted to have a mixed liquor drink in my room and read on the verandah instead of going to the bar and buying one while I listen to music or play trivia or bingo. But apparently not.

Yes, of course. They are also getting a portion your money. Do you think they work for free? I'm not sure I understand your point. You're trying to make us feel guilty for previously doing something that Disney openly advertised as a perk for their cruise line? Or you were just being snarky?

Should I feel bad for my table server not getting an extra tip because I ate a ham sandwich during an excursion? Or what about the Applebee's waitress down the street who isn't going to get a tip because I'll be on vacation for a week?

 

[eskimoinparadise]

After reading all of these posts, IMO the reality is that at the end of the day, this just represents one less thing people can use to rationalize the exorbitant prices Disney charges for its cruises.

 

[MunFam]

"This type of alcohol beverage policy is not unusual in the cruise industry." is what DCL's canned reply is...what they are forgetting to say is...we don't really want you to do a side by side comparison with other cruise lines because we will fail in comparison. While our alcohol beverage policy is aligned with others (see lookie, lookie, we're not awful, we're normal, just like them!), please do not compare the fact that our:
a) prices are much higher than all of our competitors
b) our dining options are fewer and inferior to our competitors
c) our fleet is much older than many of our competitors
d) our itineraries are less exciting than our competitors
e) while our rooms are larger than our competitors, per square foot, you will pay way more.
f) We have some characters in costumes, so do other lines...but they have way more entertainment options...but we have thee mouse...but now you have to stand in a line if you want his autograph...because we took away the Mickey Mail perk too.
g) we have a private island! Oh wait...so do the competitors

That is what they are forgetting. They used to offer perks and incentives that put them in a class that really prevented them from being compared side by side to other cruise lines because you really could not place a value on emotions or certain perks that were unique to DCL...start taking those away and people will see less gray and more black and white and the line item comparisons will be much easier. Its not just about the new policy, its the direction the organization is moving that is alarming to me. More and more cuts with price hikes that are not just keeping up with inflation or demand...its nuts!

 

[godde8ss]

This is VERY upsetting. We planned our cruise almost a year ago, now its paid in FULL and NOW they change their policy? We factored this in to our budget!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

"This type of alcohol beverage policy is not unusual in the cruise industry." is what DCL's canned reply is...what they are forgetting to say is...we don't really want you to do a side by side comparison with other cruise lines because we will fail in comparison. While our alcohol beverage policy is aligned with others, our
a) prices are much higher than all of our competitors
b) our dining options are fewer and inferior to our competitors
c) our fleet is much older than many of our competitors
d) our itineraries are less exciting than our competitors
e) while our rooms are larger than our competitors, per square foot, you will pay way more.
f) We have some characters in costumes, so do other lines...but they have way more entertainment options...but we have thee mouse...but now you have to stand in a line if you want his autograph...because we took away the Mickey Mail perk too.
g) we have a private island! Oh wait...so do the competitors

That is what they are forgetting. They used to offer perks and incentives that put them in a class that really prevented them from being compared side by side to other cruise lines because you really could not place a value on emotions or certain perks that were unique to DCL...start taking those away and people will see less gray and more black and white and the line item comparisons will be much easier. Its not just about the new policy, its the direction the organization is moving that is alarming to me. More and more cuts with price hikes that are not just keeping up with inflation or demand...its nuts!

My biggest point! Disney should strive to set themselves apart from their competitors. It's the only way they can justify the gross price difference. If they're succumbing to the industry standard there's no reason to pay the premium.

Disney has fireworks whereas other cruise lines do not. NCL stopped doing them. But, really, are we all going to chomp at the bit to pay double for 10 minutes of actual fireworks? Um, no. For that kind of money I can buy a whole boat-load of fireworks and my teenagers can have several nights of pyro-fun.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

This is VERY upsetting. We planned our cruise almost a year ago, now its paid in FULL and NOW they change their policy? We factored this in to our budget!

That stinks. I hate that they're doing this to people already PIF. Make sure you contact Disney and let them know how you feel. It's important.

 

[godde8ss]

That stinks. I hate that they're doing this to people already PIF. Make sure you contact Disney and let them know how you feel. It's important.

I just logged an email with them. It is certainly a bait in switch in my opinion because this policy existed when we paid in full, and now it is different. Some of the men on board within our party, that has reserved 5 cabins mind you, only agreed because they save money on the alcohol. We have some family members that enjoy a drink on vacation - go figure - and when faced with a higher cruise fare, bringing it on made that more reasonable...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That stinks. I hate that they're doing this to people already PIF. Make sure you contact Disney and let them know how you feel. It's important.

Yes, this is very important.

I have no dog in this fight, but I think those who are past their PIF date (when pentalties kick in) are really getting the short straw here.

Although, it's entirely within DCL's purview to change any policies they have at any time. I just think it's bad timing to do it this way.

 

[MunFam]

I just logged an email with them. It is certainly a bait in switch in my opinion because this policy existed when we paid in full, and now it is different. Some of the men on board within our party, that has reserved 5 cabins mind you, only agreed because they save money on the alcohol. We have some family members that enjoy a drink on vacation - go figure - and when faced with a higher cruise fare, bringing it on made that more reasonable...

I am a corporate travel agent, but I would be LIVID if I had "sold" this concept to clients and then whoops, sorry...not available any more. It would make me look so bad to my clients...it would make me look like I did not know my product and even if I had no prior knowledge of the change, shouldn't suppliers keep their sales agents in the loop? Well, they never gave advance notice. (I am still a Disney certified agent for the discounts). I would be afraid of losing a client because they thought I lied to them just to get the commission.

 

[katellynne]

I just finished my email to DCL.
While I couldn't care any less about the wine beer limits (although I can understand how some people could be balistic over the change) my concern is over the exclusion of spirits. I don't understand how a 200 ml bottle of spirits (4 - 5 drinks) is somehow more dangerous than 1.5 L of wine. (8 - 10 drinks). I also have concerns about my ability to bring home liquor as a purchase from a port of call. On my first cruise I brought home a bottle of guava rum that I CAN NOT buy in Ontario. Now it looks like I can't do this any more. I wonder if they would let me have it stored until disembarkation.

YES!!! this is exactly my concern! My ability to buy unique rums/vodkas/etc at ports to bring home as souvenirs or gifts. We have occasionally brought on board a bottle to make mojitos in our room with or so, and I can live with out that. My husband likes the fridge stocked with beer but we have always just bought the beer package on board. But I know others feel differently, and it is the hard liquor exclusion that is most troubling to me.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

But Disney doesn't nickel and dime you right!?

I'd have no problem if these cruises weren't overpriced as it is, and the drinks weren't watered down and expensive.

Doesn't matter I'm not an excessive drinker but it was a nice perk to have on a Disney cruise.

Many benefits not there anymore

 

[Saamh]

On the bright side, between those who now won't cruise DCL because they can't drop off items to be signed and those who won't sail DCL because they can't bring liquor onboard, maybe we'll start seeing special rates pop up again (more military, Florida Resident, *GT and/or Kids Sail Free!)

 

[Ofinn]

I just logged an email with them. It is certainly a bait in switch in my opinion because this policy existed when we paid in full, and now it is different. Some of the men on board within our party, that has reserved 5 cabins mind you, only agreed because they save money on the alcohol. We have some family members that enjoy a drink on vacation - go figure - and when faced with a higher cruise fare, bringing it on made that more reasonable...

I think 6 months notice should have been given.

 

[yorkieteacher]

I agree with numerous previous posters. I wanted to justify the cost of a Disney Cruise to reluctant family members by parading out all the extras. If some people are abusing policies, like the Mickey Mail signings and now the BYOB, why make us all suffer? We are about to take out first Disney Cruise. Yes, for the extra money you pay at WDW and DCL you DO expect some pixie dust. That is how it is marketed. So that is what should be delivered. We will still enjoy our cruise, I am sure, but I am also sure we would enjoy one on several other cruise lines. I love the Mouse, and Disney should know that taking away something others previous received makes it seem like punishment to those of us who were not offenders.

 

[Ofinn]

On the bright side, between those who now won't cruise DCL because they can't drop off items to be signed and those who won't sail DCL because they can't bring liquor onboard, maybe we'll start seeing special rates pop up again (more military, Florida Resident, *GT and/or Kids Sail Free!)

Lets hope. Drop the prices 30%. You can ban all alcohol brought on board and nobody will complain.

 

[bumbershoot]

What is worse, it appears all of us that wrote in are getting the same response.... Now that just ticks me off. I loathe canned responses. Have a human with a WORKING brain read and respond thoughtfully, not patronizingly, not to pacify me, but with some thought. **edited out a comment about Disney taking customer service lessons from the IRS.

Well, having worked CS for a different company, they've told their CS reps to ONLY send that email. If it's being done correctly, the number of times that email is sent out is being tallied up. Once it hits a certain level it will be looked at. No doubt that's what happened the last time; it hit some magical number and they changed it. Might not change now. But the canned reply is part of metrics, and metrics are how things are quantified.

They canNOT have a CM go running off at the mouth right now. Those CMs need to send out those emails. And hopefully they are coding the contact correctly.

I just finished my email to DCL.
While I couldn't care any less about the wine beer limits (although I can understand how some people could be balistic over the change) my concern is over the exclusion of spirits. I don't understand how a 200 ml bottle of spirits (4 - 5 drinks) is somehow more dangerous than 1.5 L of wine. (8 - 10 drinks). I also have concerns about my ability to bring home liquor as a purchase from a port of call. On my first cruise I brought home a bottle of guava rum that I CAN NOT buy in Ontario. Now it looks like I can't do this any more. I wonder if they would let me have it stored until disembarkation.

On other lines it's marked and held for you. Your'e going to St Maarten I take it? On Royal, which doesn't allow liquor or even beer, you tell them you have it (and they know it from the bag and the xray machine), they marked it and staple it etc, and it's returned to you before dismbarkation. Easy. I'm going there twice next year (excited!) and getting more. Now if only I can find a decent recipe for it by then. Straight it tastes like the Robitussin of my childhood LOL.

Is there a rule against having your non drinking friend bring it on and then giving it to you?

Bring the bottles of wine on? How would they know? If I needed 4 bottles of wine on a cruise I'd just have DH bring some.



The big bummer for me is that I can't bring on craft beer which is often bottled in 22oz bottles. Perhaps the organic Orlando brewery can get on their case for this.


But we don't have a Disney cruise booked anyway. Happy with our Royal plans!

 

[AliceIn]

This won't be a terribly popular opinion, but I'm glad that they are limiting the type and quantity of alcohol brought on board. I wasn't happy with the idea of booze in the fish extenders, nor the idea of large amounts of alcohol available in the cabins. I saw large numbers of teens roaming around the ship, and I feel more comfortable for my own kids knowing that other rooms don't have huge stashes of hard liquor available. Kids do dumb things, I know I did as a teenager. As a cruise line catering mainly to families, I'd think limiting people to wine and beer in lower quantities will reduce liability for everyone.

I know most people are responsible with their booze. I also know that teens sneak booze pretty frequently. Not a great thing on a ship.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Yes, this is very important.

I have no dog in this fight, but I think those who are past their PIF date (when pentalties kick in) are really getting the short straw here.

Although, it's entirely within DCL's purview to change any policies they have at any time. I just think it's bad timing to do it this way.

I completely agree. It's one thing to change the rules. I can accept that. But, come on, give the PIF people a chance to make informed decisions.

 

[perditax]

I spent my lunch hour looking for cruises on other non-smoking lines for next summer, due to this rule change. Bummed that the B2B is a pretty unique itinerary, otherwise, I would be trying out one of the other lines. Still may. I can get a suite at concierge level for what I am paying for a verandah on DCL. The alcohol policy and the "mickey mail" were 2 of my favorite perks, and now they are gone. This being said, I was already in the market for a new cruise line, DCL, to me, has too many tired itineraries and not enough unique ones, so I was looking elsewhere, just finding cruise lines that don't allow smoking inside the ships is hard to do.

I am taking more issue with the fact that it is well past my PIF date, they could/should have made the date such that no one was past their PIF date, at a minimum.

Celebrity maybe, for non smoking? I believe even their casinos are non-smoking.