DCL carry-on alcohol policy changing Sept. 30 2015

[RedHatDisney]

peritax, perditax.....so sorry mea culpa

 

[perditax]

I liked this assuming it was sarcasm. Now I see others taking it seriously.... <-- 4 dots

Assuming sarcasm was the right call.

'Ellipses' with arbitrary numbers of dots make me stabby, so well done there. I tried reading Stephanie Meyer once. Good grief.

 

[lanejudy]

Don't shoot me, but if you are going to use acronyms, you may want to at least let the rest of us in on what they mean. (Maybe everyone else already knows) but I could not follow your post.... TIA!

I think most people familiar with Disney parks recognize these, but if you are primarily interested in cruising some may not be very common:

GAC = Guest Assistance Card, former program offered in the U.S. parks for those with disabilities
DAS = Disability Access Service, current program offered in the U.S. parks for those with disabilities
CMs = Cast Members (Disney's term for staff), on DCL it may also be translated Crew Member
FOTL = front of the line
WDW = Walt Disney World, generally referring to the entire Florida destination of parks/resorts/etc.
LOL = laugh out loud
M.O. = modus operandi, or more commonly translates to mode [or method] of operation

Here's a link to a list with several of the most commonly seen acronyms on the DIS. Definitely not a complete list, but pretty good. Feel free to ask if you come across something you don't recognize, most people are willing to help define it.


OK - back to the discussion about DCL's new alcohol policy...

 

[starvenger]

How about a "Moo" point
"It's like a cow opinion, you know, it just doesn't matter. It's moo." - Joey Tribbiani

You beat me to this.

 

[jlynch924]

I'm still back in the powdered alcohol.
So, if you add alcohol to powdered alcohol...

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

Just fired off an email to DCL registering my objection.
CAN'T WAIT for the canned response.

What email addy are you using, as I would like to send one myself. Thanks!

 

[MousseauMob]

Shall we start a new debate on the Oxford comma?

You can have my Oxford comma when you pry it from my cold, dead, and ink-stained fingers!

 

[FLVacationGirl]

I'll start by saying it's easy to be snarky when it doesn't effect you.
Lots of people are complaining that it was changed after their PIF date and they can't cancel. But I have yet to see ( doesn't mean their aren't) anyone who is not past their PIF date say they are going to cancel. And really your going to tell your kids sorry guys we aren't going on the Disney cruise because We can't bring a bottle of Rum.

Yes we have cruised Disney a lot and yes we carry on our own wine and yes we have a cruise booked in December that this will effect. But luckily it's a 4 day so 4 bottles of wine and we should be ok. Lol.

I priced out the NCL Getaway, sailing out of the same port on the same day as my DCL cruise, and it was the same price but included 2 extra nights and the alcohol package for 1/2 of the 14 adults in our group. (Those with children were able to book their children for free, and those without children received their alcohol for free... based on the promos I selected for each of the 8 mini-suites.)

And I mentioned it to my children and then we watched videos of the mini-suites and the pool area on NCL and they said either cruise was cool with them. No crying for us to stay loyal to our DCL booking.

We have until mid-October to decide. I would like to keep our booking, but I can't say that it's not tempting to book a longer cruise or a trip to Hawaii or something along those lines instead.

 

[GWS]

I can see how this policy change would affect some DCL cruisers outlook. For me and my family this policy change has no impact on us. We never were the type of people to bring anything but our luggage on the ship with us, no extra/unnecessary items to carry. We like to use the "KISS" philosophy (Keep It Simple St....), to travel as light as possible. DW and I both like to have an alcoholic drink or more (more please) and we are never really concerned with the price at the end of the day or trip. We are on vacation and this our time to relax and have fun without worrying about anything including the cost. We save that frustration for back at home "the real world".
I know that not everyone can or will vacation with that same attitude. I am all for save a few bucks but at the end of the day it is a vacation so enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff. Just don’t buy one Disney souvenir and that could be the cost of one days’ worth of drinking (depending on what you like to drink and how much you like to drink).

Off my soap box...

 

[WestFamily]

I'm still back in the powdered alcohol.
So, if you add alcohol to powdered alcohol...

Hahaha! I believe it's like crossing the streams in Ghostbusters. "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.Total protonic reversal". Or so I hear.

 

[WestFamily]

I can see how this policy change would affect some DCL cruisers outlook. For me and my family this policy change has no impact on us. We never were the type of people to bring anything but our luggage on the ship with us, no extra/unnecessary items to carry. We like to use the "KISS" philosophy (Keep It Simple St....), to travel as light as possible. DW and I both like to have an alcoholic drink or more (more please) and we are never really concerned with the price at the end of the day or trip. We are on vacation and this our time to relax and have fun without worrying about anything including the cost. We save that frustration for back at home "the real world".
I know that not everyone can or will vacation with that same attitude. I am all for save a few bucks but at the end of the day it is a vacation so enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff. Just don’t buy one Disney souvenir and that could be the cost of one days’ worth of drinking (depending on what you like to drink and how much you like to drink).

Off my soap box...

This is a message I can drink to!

 

[Pleglech]

What email addy are you using, as I would like to send one myself. Thanks!

DCL.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

Someone here also suggested CCing the DCL higher-ups, which certainly can't hurt

 

[AquaDame]

"Again, I am so sorry for any disappointment and hope these concerns will not affect your regard for Disney, as there is magic in the Disney name"

To quote Kristoff... "I'm gonna tell him..."

I can see how this policy change would affect some DCL cruisers outlook. For me and my family this policy change has no impact on us. We never were the type of people to bring anything but our luggage on the ship with us, no extra/unnecessary items to carry. We like to use the "KISS" philosophy (Keep It Simple St....), to travel as light as possible. DW and I both like to have an alcoholic drink or more (more please) and we are never really concerned with the price at the end of the day or trip. We are on vacation and this our time to relax and have fun without worrying about anything including the cost. We save that frustration for back at home "the real world".
I know that not everyone can or will vacation with that same attitude. I am all for save a few bucks but at the end of the day it is a vacation so enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff. Just don’t buy one Disney souvenir and that could be the cost of one days’ worth of drinking (depending on what you like to drink and how much you like to drink).

Off my soap box...

If it were just the money I could see what you are saying, but lets face it. Much like if you aren't a Coke person you'll probably pack on Pepsi we want the ability to bring on better than bottom shelf goods. I literally can't get a lot of what I like to drink on the ship. Its a little from the column A of having to shell out more money, B having to go to a bar when I'd rather not have to and C not being able to get what I want even if I do. THEN there is also the issue of them not making it the way I like it, or not knowing how to make the drinks I do. Trust me, they won't even listen or try (and honestly even if they did how would they know what to charge? I don't blame the CMs at all!)

 

[declansdad]

And lastly, a wild thought. A word. A country.



Cuba.



Any thoughts on Cuba being some behind the scenes reason for all this? Cruises going there in the future...they make rum...maybe Disney has some weird twisted end game here.

I'm remembering the mystery building on Castaway, then the mystery increase in the cabana rental prices and the weird increase in cost of excursions on Castaway...then one day, aha, Bahamas now has a VAT. It was all done because of and for that tax, without explanations beforehand.

And I was thinking "what is changing, what is sudden and new and different, that could be causing a change in the way Disney does things on their cruiseline?"

And "Cuba" is what popped into my head.


Feel free to discuss how wrong I am.

Don't think so. Most of the best distilleries left Cuba decades ago and would be producing on other islands DCL has stopped at for years. This is about two things - stopping abuse of their present rules and to increase the alcohol revenue stream.

 

[RebelHawk]

I just emailed my official complaint to DCL Shoreside Concierge regarding this policy change. I'll update this thread with what they respond and see if there are any differences with the canned response others have received.

I received my reply from Shoreside Concierge. Other than a personalized salutation the email was the same canned response others have received.

 

[GWS]

To quote Kristoff... "I'm gonna tell him..."



If it were just the money I could see what you are saying, but lets face it. Much like if you aren't a Coke person you'll probably pack on Pepsi we want the ability to bring on better than bottom shelf goods. I literally can't get a lot of what I like to drink on the ship. Its a little from the column A of having to shell out more money, B having to go to a bar when I'd rather not have to and C not being able to get what I want even if I do. THEN there is also the issue of them not making it the way I like it, or not knowing how to make the drinks I do. Trust me, they won't even listen or try (and honestly even if they did how would they know what to charge? I don't blame the CMs at all!)

Hahaha!, I know what you mean about not making them they way you like (aka; as strong as you like) However you run that same risk with anywhere that you go.

Hopefully you still can have a delicious cocktail or two and enjoy it, Cheers!

 

[jetskigrl]

Well got my canned reply from Disney and these two things disappointed me even more....

"This type of alcohol beverage policy is not unusual in the cruise industry."

That's my problem Disney...I'm a HUGE Disney fan because Disney has always (to me anyway) been ABOVE the usual industry. Now with the DCL alcohol policy being the standard, prices for cruises and excursions steadily rising and the itineraries lacking in comparison to other cruise lines for some of the longer cruises along with your park ticket prices rising and dining prices rising, your statement of "Again, I am so sorry for any disappointment and hope these concerns will not affect your regard for Disney, as there is magic in the Disney name" has me wondering is there REALLY any magic left in the Disney name???

Until this change was posted my family as well as my sister and close friend were trying to figure out how we could add another Disney cruise in 2016/2017 on the Magic because I've made my family mad at the fact I have booked a NCL for 2016 and a RCL for 2017. However, this was one time I couldn't justify Disney's high prices (well for 2016 at least at the moment) because Disney didn't have the same itinerary we were looking at and the 7 day DCL cruise that they did have the same week for 3 cabins totaled $22,059 for 7 adults and 3 kids whereas NCL totaled $9,410 for 3 inside cabins for all 10 of us. Not to mention that's just my family...my friend that's going also has 3 cabins. As for our plans for 2017, I'm not confident that even when Disney itineraries & prices comes out that they can beat the pricing we have with RCL at the moment and based on 2014-2016 itineraries I doubt they will have too many Southern Caribbean sailings. I say all this to basically say yes some of us LOVE Disney however if Disney continues to become 'standard' and offer less it's pretty easy for folks like me to pick Disney far and few and venture out to other cruise lines.

I received the same canned response also. I made sure to reply back one more time and included the sentences in bold. The first one just shows they no longer strive to be better than the other lines, merely the same The second one I find condescending to Disney Fans. As if we will just continue to accept reduced service and higher prices because hey, it has the Disney Name and that should be enough for us

 

[steves100]

Nothing like a polarizing policy change to bring out both extremes in position.

I am of the opinion I looked at the Disney's alcohol policy as an offset in part to the higher cost of their cruises. They allowing alcohol to be brought on board I saw as offering a free excursion of $150 to each adult (likely what we saved per adult) in bringing on-board our own alcohol. We still have bought wine packages and drinks on-board but what we saved in having a drink late evening in our own room / veranda (specialty spirits / liqueurs) I saw as Disney offering to differentiate themselves. Their policy change has essentially taken away that $150 "excursion" with they now wanting us to pay for such.

To me the policy change is simply a $ grab and if anyone had any doubt to try and spin around the safety of all, then why increase their corkage fee at the same time.

To those talking about people drunk on-board which I have never seen to be an issue at large; those with true drinking problems will just look for their alcohol from Disney or try and smuggle on-board if wanting more or different than what is offered on-board or allowed under the new policy (can already see an increase in large bottles of shampoo being packed).

Personally the only time I have ever remotely been tipsy on-board is after a DCL "drink" session / class, but because Disney made a $ off such from me, this must be deemed being acceptably drunk to Disney.

I agree, only time for me was after a tequila tasting class, before dinner : )

 

[BooToYou7]

I can see how this policy change would affect some DCL cruisers outlook. For me and my family this policy change has no impact on us. We never were the type of people to bring anything but our luggage on the ship with us, no extra/unnecessary items to carry. We like to use the "KISS" philosophy (Keep It Simple St....), to travel as light as possible. DW and I both like to have an alcoholic drink or more (more please) and we are never really concerned with the price at the end of the day or trip. We are on vacation and this our time to relax and have fun without worrying about anything including the cost. We save that frustration for back at home "the real world".
I know that not everyone can or will vacation with that same attitude. I am all for save a few bucks but at the end of the day it is a vacation so enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff. Just don’t buy one Disney souvenir and that could be the cost of one days’ worth of drinking (depending on what you like to drink and how much you like to drink).

Off my soap box...

Good for you that you don't have to worry about a budget while on vacation. Most people aren't so lucky.

In just the past few months DCL has gotten rid of dropping things off for characters to sign, significantly limited what drinks you can bring on board, and raised the corkage fee on wine. Not to mention all the changes they made with onboard booking and Palo prices in the last year or two. Yet, the price stays the same or continues to go up. If you think they're gong to stop there, I'd like to point you to all the perks DVC and AP holders have lost and continue to lose in a continuous slow progression over the years.

So the change in alcohol policy doesn't affect you. What if the next change does? What if they start charging for room service? Or meet and greets? Or kids clubs? Are you going to have the same laissez-faire attitude that "relax, it's just vacation?" At what point does Disney get rid of enough perks that it's worthy of being commented on?

For a lot of people, we're not talking about the price of a souvenir. We could be talking about $500-$1000 extra on an already expensive vacation.

 

[steves100]

With your avatar, everything you type I hear in an angry voice! lol.

: )