DCL carry-on alcohol policy changing Sept. 30 2015

[bumbershoot]

The long and short of the message was: the only thing that is on par with the other cruise lines is the new alcohol policy. the rest is still premium...and it sounds like you know that. we hope you enjoying your upcoming cruise in october, but no considerations will be made. (considerations = obc or ability to cancel) and feel free to call him anytime.

I would rather have NO response than that response. That response from them makes me angry, and I was simply SAD before. It also makes me start wondering WHAT on earth they think they have that's premium? Service is just the same, if possible worse (and in one case, incredibly condescending), as Royal. I don't care a bit about soda, we don't drink it, so that's not premium and I dislike subsidizing it for others. So you have dark woods and deep colors on your ships; I personally LOVE the bright whites and tons of glass of Royal. They have Mickey; well Po on Freedom of the Seas got one of the ONLY smiles a (scary big freaky person in a suit) character has EVER gotten out of me. Other lines have ice skating! etc etc. What that response from them has done has turned me off MORE from them.

Whoops.

You're removing a competitive advantage that the competition doesn't have; ask your strategy executives again if this is really the route that DCL should go.

Nice statement, Bzy!

 

[ZephyrHawk]

As I've said before, I don't drink much, but before this whole thing came about, I had sort of planned to drink a little of DCL's offerings. A glass of wine at dinner, perhaps several at Remy, and maybe an actual tropical drink during sail away. I'm wondering if now I should forego all these options just to make a point? Will it really matter at all to DCL if every time I'm offered a drink I say, "No, thanks. I'm protesting the poor implementation of you onboard alcohol policy changes." Will the complaints filter through to anyone who matters? And if they did, would it make any sort of difference? Is it worth me foregoing wine with my Remy meal (a travesty in my mind) to stand on principle?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As I've said before, I don't drink much, but before this whole thing came about, I had sort of planned to drink a little of DCL's offerings. A glass of wine at dinner, perhaps several at Remy, and maybe an actual tropical drink during sail away. I'm wondering if now I should forego all these options just to make a point? Will it really matter at all to DCL if every time I'm offered a drink I say, "No, thanks. I'm protesting the poor implementation of you onboard alcohol policy changes." Will the complaints filter through to anyone who matters? And if they did, would it make any sort of difference? Is it worth me foregoing wine with my Remy meal (a travesty in my mind) to stand on principle?

AFAIK, comments such as this would most likely make it at least to the supervisor level onboard. Probably much further, if the supervisors were hearing it a lot.

 

[AquaDame]

FWIW I did finally cancel our cruise on the Wonder in January a little bit ago. I let my TA know the reason was entirely DCLs handling of the situation - namely that they still can't seem to answer even basic questions about how they will be handling alcohol we purchase in ports for enjoyment at home. I told her we have chosen to go with another cruise line for the sailing - TBH it was a no brainer when I saw they were having a sale and upgraded us to a verandah for LESS money than I had booked with that line for an oceanview to start a few days ago. If anyone is interested, it is 60% the cost of sailing DCL.

It likely won't make a difference at all, but for all of your sakes I hope it does. As for me, a load has been lightened.

 

[JimmyV]

It also makes me start wondering WHAT on earth they think they have that's premium?

If I had to guess, I would say that the response was directed solely to the new alcohol policy, and while they recognize that their new liquor policy aligned DCL with all the other mass market cruise lines, their wine allowance is still "premium". And to be fair, they are right about that. The revised policy as applied to wine is still more generous than Carnival, NCL, RCCL, and X. It falls below the generosity of Princess, which is the cruise line that people should look into if bringing wines from their personal cellars is important to them. We are serious wine collectors and have many bottles set aside for special occasions. For us, cruises are special occasions and we like to pull out the "big guns" when we cruise. Up until now, Princess and DCL have gotten all of our business over the past 17 years as we can drink our properly aged wines that simply cannot be sourced on board or in ports at any price. So we stick with cruise lines that allow us to enjoy the fruits of our hobby without judgment. Even after this recent change, DCL is still ahead of the industry curve. But is now well below Princess.

 

[goNDmay9]

I totally agree @bumbershoot. When I heard that part of the message I was taken a back. I immediately called my parents and said ummm - I know we are DCL's biggest cheerleaders - but can we start listing off the reasons why?? And honestly - one of the biggest reasons (for us) is the level of guest service. To me, the largest issue isn't the perks they are scaling back on (not to say I am a huge fan of that either) - but the WAY that they are doing it.

I will go back and listen to it tonight or tomorrow when I have calmed down. Here is to hoping I heard it wrong.

 

[goNDmay9]

i just had that same conversation with DH. we buy the premium wine package and the drink of the day. we also purchase on CC and around the ship. at the very least - i don't want their alcohol sales to drastically INCREASE!!

 

[goNDmay9]

If I had to guess, I would say that the response was directed solely to the new alcohol policy, and while they recognize that their new liquor policy aligned DCL with all the other mass market cruise lines, their wine allowance is still "premium". And to be fair, they are right about that. The revised policy as applied to wine is still more generous than Carnival, NCL, RCCL, and X. It falls below the generosity of Princess, which is the cruise line that people should look into if bringing wines from their personal cellars is important to them. We are serious wine collectors and have many bottles set aside for special occasions. For us, cruises are special occasions and we like to pull out the "big guns" when we cruise. Up until now, Princess and DCL have gotten all of our business over the past 17 years as we can drink our properly aged wines that simply cannot be sourced on board or in ports at any price. So we stick with cruise lines that allow us to enjoy the fruits of our hobby without judgment. Even after this recent change, DCL is still ahead of the industry curve. But is now well below Princess.

ahhh - maybe that is what he was referring to.

 

[mom2mizmous]

Princess is another great option!

Would love to try them, but unfortunately they don't have sailings we would want at the times we need (I'm a teacher so can only sail July and first week or so of August.) So we are now looking more closely at RCCL and possibly NCL. Really love DCL, but with all the recent changes , feel since we are not a family with young children, they don't really care that much about families like ours anymore!

 

[Ofinn]

I don't think she intended lower gratuity amounts to be used as a voice of displeasure. Some (My family included, who are taking the East Bound Panama Canal cruise in Oct-Nov) are simply stretching our budgets as is. I had intended on taking a bottle of liquor onboard, but now I won't be. I also won't be buying any drinks at the bar simply because I don't want the additional cost. This policy change has made me make choices about what I will and won't be doing on our cruise because we're just not a well off enough family and even $100 on a cruise like this would be pushing things for us. This will most likely be our second and last Disney Cruise.

I understand. We like to vacation 3 times a year so I budget carefully. I've taken some cruises with almost no extra money spent.

 

[bumbershoot]

Will it really matter at all to DCL if every time I'm offered a drink I say, "No, thanks. I'm protesting the poor implementation of you onboard alcohol policy changes." Will the complaints filter through to anyone who matters?

I would think it would, but only if we went to guest services each time and told them. The normal servers and bartenders aren't going to have the time to take it further, I would think.

TBH it was a no brainer when I saw they were having a sale and upgraded us to a verandah for LESS money than I had booked with that line for an oceanview to start a few days ago. If anyone is interested, it is 60% the cost of sailing DCL.

Ooh nice.

their wine allowance is still "premium". And to be fair, they are right about that. The revised policy as applied to wine is still more generous than Carnival, NCL, RCCL, and X.

Huh. Possible. But...more does not always mean better. And as we can see from MANY replies here, there are MANY people who aren't wine or beer drinkers. I like beer, but the beers I like only come in 22oz from local craft breweries. I like wine, but my palate is such that I literally just bought a 3.99 Malbec from Trader Joe's and (once we find the corkscrew at my brother's new place) I expect I will like it. (sad that I was raised by a mom who worked at Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino CA, which was/is a decent winery, but I like a 3.99 wine LOL) And others don't like either; they want their *specific* spirits that DCL has let them bring in the past. It isn't about volume for many, it's about CHOICES.

We just switched from AT&T to T-Mobile. We hadn't realized that no one gives "free" phones anymore; now no one does. But AT&T did such a horrible job at describing it to us, and Best Buy's cellphone guy was nearly offensive in the way HE explained it, that we said "forget it" and switched. AT&T since they were Cingular, since 2002, GONE because of *the way something was explained*. T-Mobile? We're paying for phones. Just the same as AT&T. No one does the free phone thing anymore. But the explanation and implementation was the nail in their coffin for us.

Many will be find moving on to lines that give fewer choices, simply because they haven't' been let down by them. They haven't been, well, betrayed, really, by them.

Calling "more" a "premium", when you've eliminated so much (all spirits, many craft beers, and enjoyment for few-port longer cruises), is still pretty rude.

Would love to try them, but unfortunately they don't have sailings we would want at the times we need (I'm a teacher so can only sail July and first week or so of August.) So we are now looking more closely at RCCL and possibly NCL. Really love DCL, but with all the recent changes , feel since we are not a family with young children, they don't really care that much about families like ours anymore!

Look at Celebrity, too. I've heard good things about them!

 

[JimmyV]

And others don't like either; they want their *specific* spirits that DCL has let them bring in the past. It isn't about volume for many, it's about CHOICES.

I agree that this is the biggest issue. Not all Single Malts are created equal. Or Bourbons. Or Gins. And on and on. Telling people to "buy it on board" demonstrates a complete lack of understanding as to the differences that exist among various brands. And I can't for the life of me understand why a person can bring on "X" number of 12 ounce cans of beer but cannot bring on "1/2 X" cans of 22 ounce craft beers. It's the same volume. And if volume is really their concern, then this is an easy fix. But back to the message that Disney is giving it's customers. It is lining up with the other cruise lines on beer and spirits. The question is...is this something that they should be striving to achieve and something that they should be proud to trumpet? Not at the prices they command.

 

[Bella29]

FWIW I did finally cancel our cruise on the Wonder in January a little bit ago. I let my TA know the reason was entirely DCLs handling of the situation - namely that they still can't seem to answer even basic questions about how they will be handling alcohol we purchase in ports for enjoyment at home. I told her we have chosen to go with another cruise line for the sailing - TBH it was a no brainer when I saw they were having a sale and upgraded us to a verandah for LESS money than I had booked with that line for an oceanview to start a few days ago. If anyone is interested, it is 60% the cost of sailing DCL.

It likely won't make a difference at all, but for all of your sakes I hope it does. As for me, a load has been lightened.

What line/ship are you referring to? I have 2 January cruises booked on the Magic for our family (b2b) and I am going to look around.

 

[tidefan]

Well, we had looked at the Fantasy out of PC or the Wonder out of Galveston for Thanksgiving. We had also looked at a couple options, but DCL has always been our go-to. Well, with this policy, we just decided to go with the Carnival Sunshine out of PC. It was less than half of the price of the Fantasy or Wonder, and that's a Verandah on the Sunshine vs. an inside on either DCL ship. This just kind of pushed us over to CCL for this one...

 

[dittymau]

Somewhere in a big office or conference room somewhere overpaid executives are sitting there with a report from Guest Services on the number of complaints, social media data, shrug their shoulders and say " this too shall pass..."

As will my future cruise fares, pass on to a different line that values my business!

Cheers

 

[TeenaS]

What line/ship are you referring to? I have 2 January cruises booked on the Magic for our family (b2b) and I am going to look around.

Just MY personal opinion: If you love Disney cruising, you will not enjoy Carnival or Norwegian or Holland. Been there, done that and holy cow ... let's just say, again my opinion only, it was like comparing a new Mercedes to an old Rambler or Volkswagen Beetle. However RCCL, if you have children, is really similar (food, entertainment and on most ships loads of things Disney doesn't have... ice skating, surfing, etc.). If it's adults only, we prefer Celebrity. Same quality food and service. However, we do not enjoy their shows as much as Disney. We instead go to the Casino after dinner every night.

The regular (not suites) cabin sizes and bathrooms on all other cruise lines are not as wonderful as Disney. On Celebrity and Royal, we usually book a small suite for the same price as a Disney regular cabin and then we get a really super cabin (and with extra benefits). However, if you go for a regular stateroom on ships other than Disney, you will find them smaller and you will miss the split bathrooms. Is the cabin (where let's face it ... you only sleep and change clothes) a good enough reason to pay double for Disney now that their other things are the same as other cruise lines, only you can decide. The cabin now is the only thing that we prefer on Disney. Disney entertainment is wonderful but I've seen each show at least a dozen times so I don't even go to them anymore. The alcohol policy was a big plus. Disney food has declined in our opinion during the last two years and I hate to say it, but I noticed the service on our European cruise in June was not as good as usual. So for us, it is hard to pay double for just a larger bathroom and cabin. I wish Celebrity cruised from Port Canaveral but another few hours in the car going to Lauderdale or Miami will be happening now.

We will also do RCCL when we go with our granddaughter. We can get two cabins for the price of one on Disney and although she loves the Disney characters, she can get them at WDW!! Not standing in lines on the ship for the character meet and greets will be a plus!!!! The children programs on Disney ... unbelievable for sure but RCCL is a close second.

 

[Grumpy_74]

I don't think so. There really aren't that many people complaining. If you look at this thread and the official DCL Facebook page, it's a small number of people making most of the noise.

The 'noise' is being deleted from the DCL page. As quickly as people are commenting, CM are deleting the comments that shed any light on how people feel about this policy. At least Disney cannot delete the comments from the petition that has been started. It may not change anything, but at least people are trying.

#DCLprohibitiongate2015

 

[goNDmay9]

I second the above posters on trying Celebrity. My parents have sailed DCL, Celebrity, RCCL and CCL. DCL and Celebrity are their go to's and they are empty nesters. We have been meaning to try Celebrity with them but we like that we can drive to Port Canaveral. After I told my mom about the phone call she said. Really? Guess we will be on Celebrity from now on!

I think we will try out the other lines though based on what I have been seeing here - maybe even some of the new CCL ships. I think Celebrity will be first on our list though.

 

[FloridaBabe]

We will probably look at Celebrity next then maybe Princess, down side being they sail from further south but I can live with that.

 

[littleblackegg]

I was trying to find my photo I secretly took of this woman, because I thought this was so incredibly crazy, but no luck. Will keep looking. A few cruises back we saw a lady in a bathing suit dropping off a large, clear plastic bag full of Disney Christmas ornaments (presumably with the Mickey Mail people). At the time, I did not know this wasn't an advertised service, nor did I know they didn't charge for it. This was a giant bag of ornaments! When I explained to my husband that DCL had staff to "sign" items as the various characters for kids he did not believe me. At the time, I thought this was a service families paid for. I didn't know you could just drop off 50 Christmas ornaments and they would personalize them for free. I can see how DCL would need to cease this service unless they could find a way to break even.