Did you send a letter to DCL regarding the new carry-on beverage policy?

[FergusBC]

So you* (*general you) are telling me that you would be okay with saving up for your dream vacation, booking and paying for an Alaska Cruise and then after your paid in full date, DCL sends you a message stating that they will not be sailing to Alaska, but heading South down the Western US Coast instead. When you get upset..." Its in the terms and conditions that you agreed to when you booked your cruise, ports are not guaranteed". Im calling bologna!

Just out of curiousity, has anyone with a reservation actually received notification directly from Disney about the change? I did get an email from my TA with a link to the new policy, but not sure if it's because DCL had her notify me or whether she was just being proactive...

 

[tinkerone]

Just out of curiousity, has anyone with a reservation actually received notification directly from Disney about the change? I did get an email from my TA with a link to the new policy, but not sure if it's because DCL had her notify me or whether she was just being proactive...

nope, nothing. not even from my t.a.
also, the email i did receive about my upcoming cruise said nothing about it while someone posted the next day that their's did mention it. they would have had to change their emails over night.

 

[gunka]

I wood but Im tooo slllllooshed

 

[LSUfan4444]

Lots of folks complaining about the new “beverage policy” so I am curious, have you sent an email expressing your feelings?

Years ago DVC tried to put paper cups in the studios and there was such a outpouring of emails complaining about it that they revised their policy. Please do speak up in an official email and let the policy makers know how you feel.

When I sent my email I tried to be polite but also mentioned the unreasonableness of one blanket policy for maximum number of bottles/cans allowed without regard for length of trip and without regard for non-wine/beer drinkers who also would like to be able to bring their beverage of choice in their carry-on. Also in my email I discussed our future plans for a transatlantic cruise and a Panama Canal cruise and how we will need to rethink which cruise line we now should use. I ended my letter with, “I sincerely hope Disney will reconsider this new policy and revise it to make it more reasonable. “

This is the address I used. Perhaps if others have different addresses that should be utilized they will post them in this forum.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contact-us/

Many thanks!
Kate

I did not send a letter, but I will wait until we see any beverage packages and what their pricing is. If I don't like what I see, I will cancel my ressie.

 

[JimmyV]

To each his own what he/she chooses to drink.

Well, apparently not any more. It is up to Disney to tell us what brands of Scotch, Gin and/or Vodka we want to drink, even if it is for that "one, teeny, weeny drink that I have while my snowflake is snug in his bunk".

 

[funfam]

I emailed yesterday and received a phone call today to discuss my email. The rep said they have no plan to change the policy but they did want to get customer feedback. She took notes on my comments and said she would send them to the appropriate departments. I was very surprised.

 

[JimmyV]

People pay more for DCL because it's Disney.

At some point, people are going to wise up. Yes, I get that WDW is not a Six Flags. But you know what? When DCL tenders in to Grand Cayman and RCCL does too, and the people on DCL book an excursion to Stingray City and the people on RCCL book an excursion to Stingray City, they all end up at the same place. And a day at Magen's Bay is just as sweet if one walks off of a PCL ship as if they walked off a DCL ship. And St. Maarten is St Maarten irrespective of what ship you got off of. The point being that WDW gives one an immersive vacation that isn't really replicated by any other company. DCL likes to think that their product is equally unique and cost-worthy. They are wrong.

I have a friend who is naked wasted after ONE GLASS of wine. ONE GLASS.

Let me know when she is ready to take her next cruise.

 

[jetskigrl]

Just out of curiousity, has anyone with a reservation actually received notification directly from Disney about the change? I did get an email from my TA with a link to the new policy, but not sure if it's because DCL had her notify me or whether she was just being proactive...

I received an email from my TA letting me know about the change, but nothing from DCL. I'm guessing that she did it as a courtesy for her clients.

 

[stitchlovestink]

At some point, people are going to wise up. Yes, I get that WDW is not a Six Flags. But you know what? When DCL tenders in to Grand Cayman and RCCL does too, and the people on DCL book an excursion to Stingray City and the people on RCCL book an excursion to Stingray City, they all end up at the same place. And a day at Magen's Bay is just as sweet if one walks off of a PCL ship as if they walked off a DCL ship. And St. Maarten is St Maarten irrespective of what ship you got off of. The point being that WDW gives one an immersive vacation that isn't really replicated by any other company. DCL likes to think that their product is equally unique and cost-worthy. They are wrong.

This is your opinion to which you are most certainly entitled. But there are many who will disagree and say the product is unique and cost worthy. And until they can't fill their ships, I willsay they will be proving you wrong.

 

[JimmyV]

And until they can't fill their ships, I willsay they will be proving you wrong.

This logic doesn't really hold. All of the other cruise lines are also sailing with full ships. So if sailing with full ships is the litmus test for doing well, the other cruise lines (with 5 times as many ships in their fleets), are proving me right.

I would simply refer you to these two wonderfully written posts:

I will chime in here. I regularly read this board and over the years have experienced multiple Disney, RCL, and Princess cruises. I find that there are merits to each and am happy to discuss the respective strengths and weaknesses. As this is a Disney board I certainly expect that most people here would select Disney over other lines. However, there is a strong contingent that refuses to concede that any other lines can put out a good product. It seems that they take personally any attempt to show that another cruise line can match Disney.

We have fallen into a pattern of booking cruises in late fall for a mid-January sailing. In 2013 we went with a 7 day Disney Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy. In 2015 we went with a 7 day Eastern Caribbean on the Regal Princess (brand new ship.) Similar itinerary (except for Princess Cays versus Castaway Cay), same week, same basic room category (balcony.) These were adult-only cruises. We lucked out on the Princess fare and booked for under $800 per person. I thought we got a good deal on the Disney fare at $1,300 per person.

From an adult only perspective we liked the Princess cruise better. We paid $1,000 more for the Disney cruise. The food on Princess was far superior. The service on Princess was very good (perhaps not as good as Disney.) We enjoyed the entertainment on Princess much more - the Disney shows were not good. I understand that entertainment is a personal preference. We spent some time in the casino on Princess. The Regal is a beautiful new ship. Princess Cays matches up very well with Castaway Cay.

Princess had a much older crowd - i.e. almost no children which seems right for mid-January. When our children were younger Disney was the right choice. In their early teens RCL Oasis was the right choice. For adults only, Princess is the right choice.

For you to infer that other lines are universally inferior is simply incorrect. Disney is doing just fine and there is no reason to continuously attempt to convince others of Disney's (perceived) superiority.

For those considering other lines, I thought I would share some thoughts. We are avid cruisers and try to cruise at least once or twice a year. I am platinum on NCL (and gold on DCL fwiw) and we are just starting to get into RCCI more as well. NCL does a great job. They have made some changes that have caused some heart burn to many. You have to look at the bigger picture though. The changes to ala cart restaurants means you can actually spend less if you chose wisely. If you just want appetizers or a salad at one restaurant, then bounce over to another for entree and dessert, you can do that now and not have to pay the flat fee. You can still buy a dining package like before, but now you can cover just a couple of days or the entire cruise. They hadn't raised the DSC in like 4-5 years, so it was not unexpected. If you haven't sailed in the Haven or even a suite on NCL you should try it at least once. I've sailed concierge on DCL and while it is great, it comes up just a bit behind the NCL offering (sorry). Our last trip was to Bermuda. One of the best cruises we've ever done, having almost 3 days to explore the island was awesome. We were able to sail to Alaska on NCL in a suite with a butler and concierge for the same price as a standard veranda room on DCL, with basically the same itinerary.

All lines are out to make money. DCL is not immune to this fact. Sailing costs big bucks and I think while DCL sat the industry standard for a while the mass market lines are catching up quickly in terms of ships, food, entertainment and service. DCLs formula for success is tried and true, but it doesn't mean it can't get better.

NCL did not communicate their changes well, but as I see DCL roll out its new liquor policy, it seems that any way the spin it, it won't be well received. NCL did listen to their customers and rescind the silly no food in the cabin policy. They could have done a better job with this, and even their COO has admitted as much.

DCL is a very fine line and does many things well. I will never forget my kids faces when they were little and got a hug from Cinderella. It truly is a place to make magical memories. But it is difficult to compare it to others. DCL has 4 ships so they can be a bit more discriminate in their hiring and tighter in their customer service policies. Disney in general has written and published textbooks on customer service. They have cultivated a culture of outstanding service that is going to appeal to a wide audience. That said, on our last NCL cruise to Bermuda, we had the absolute best cabin steward that we have ever had on any cruise; on any line. I even borrowed some cash from the kids to up his tip, he was that good.

Food is always subjective and honestly I find DCL's offerings a bit on the boring side, so being able to go to different restaurants during a cruise, is a plus. Not every NCL or RCCI meal is going to be a hit, but neither is DCLs. You have to do a bit of research and figure out what you like and don't like. Expecting to go into any MDR and get blown away with 5 star cuisine every night is setting the bar too high. I also like the fact that I can grab a burger or wings at 2:00am after a few hands of black jack or some spins in the casino. I'm on vacation too so it is great to have these options readily available. On DCL one of the hardest things to do is find something interesting to do late night. Many nights I found my self up at the smokers bar above the pool (I don't smoke), because there were people there and the bar was still open.

NCL, CCL and RCCI are mass market lines. They offer a good time at a reasonably decent price. The cruise, as they say, is what you make of it. While I've had great times on DCL, but quite frankly they have priced me out of the market. My kids are 16 yo now. The ports of call and the adventures there mean more to them than what happens on board. In a recent comparison of Western Carib cruises, I found that RCCI has the best prices going. I had a 7 day sail booked on NCL, but changed over to RCCI because it sailed out of Port Canaveral, vs Miami (drive vs. air) and offered almost the same suite perks (but won't be the Haven). Shop around mousers you might find something out there that you like! Thanks for letting me ramble.

 

[Cruise]

I did and I mentioned not only this change, but other things that have dimmed the glow of DCL for me in recent years. There is always the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I ended my email with a plea to prove me wrong that DCL wasn't losing its customer service by sending any sort of reply that proved they had actually read my email all the way through and not just hit a cut and paste standard reply. I said that if that happened, I would consider cruising Disney again, but that if it did not, they were off my list for good. To their credit, I did get a "personalize" reply in the sense that the person responding went through each of my points and said "Sorry that ABC. Sorry you felt that DEF was not up to our usual standards. We regret that HIJ happened. We will be sure to address XYZ." It was almost patronizing in the way that it listed every point and just said "sorry." It did not sound sincere at all. However, true to my word, I will actually consider DCL again. But only if their currently revised (and I'm sure to be future) changes suit the type of cruise I want to have for that vacation. And it will be only one of several lines I consider now instead of being the one I always have booked in the past.

 

[EvieBug]

I really need to write in regarding this. We paid a goodly deposit on what will be our first cruise at the end of 2016. I'm not much of a drinker, nor is DH really - but it doesn't seem right to "go with industry standards" when it's Disney, nor do I care for the restriction on type. I'd like to see liquor - even if the amount is quite restrictive - be in there. The notion of having a drink on the verandah when the kids are down/winding down or when we are preparing for dinner etc is appealing - I for one don't want to have to walk to a bar, get my drink and return to the cabin.

So I will be digging up the email addresses and writing in!

 

[Mrsvstol]

There's no cruise line out there that charges for water. Soda, yes. But water? People are taking this completely out of proportion.

The cost difference between DCL and other cruise lines is still more even if you factor in the free soda and carry-on alcohol of DCL. Doing some quick google searching even pulls up prices of drinks on DCL and they're not much more than what you'd pay anywhere else.

People pay more for DCL because it's Disney.

I can pay $45 for a day pass and go to a pretty kick-*** water/amusement park in Kansas City...or I can pay three times as much to go to Disney. I'm willing to pay the difference because it's Disney and I know I'm getting a certain level of quality for that.

Totally missed my point, but hey, enjoy your first cruise with DCL.

 

[aprincessatlast]

...quoted from earlier in thread... I have food allergies and cannot drink beer. I don't particularly like wine. DCL has taken away all of my options. Just because I drink something different does not mean that I get "sloshed". .[/QUOTE]

Honestly we did not send a letter but I was thinking the same thing. That was the first thing I thought of when I had seen the policy change. Why the restrict the type of acohol? Dh is allergic to beer and honestly liqueurs seem to be ok with him ironically, yet those were what were banned. I do not understand the whole you can bring wine but not this, beer but not this... It should just be a set limit like 2 bottles etc. I don't get it.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I am saying I understand they DO have a right to change the terms and conditions and If I wasn't willing to accept that, I would NOT book a cruise. You can call bologna all you want, but it is what it is.

Yes, they have a right to do so, but it is terrible customer service. In my family, we put a premium on customer service, and its one of the reasons we usually go with Disney. DCL has been a severe disappointment in this regard. Perhaps Disney will continue to fill its boats at the rate it has in the past. Perhaps people will be dumb enough to keep paying their inflated prices for minimal gain in amenities. I will not be one of those people.

I find it amusing that so many of you are offended by what is merely my opinion. I didn't say YOU were getting sloshed or YOU were irresponsible but it does happen. And while my hub has his beer it's when we're in bed with our child asleep next to us in his bunk! I didn't say everyone that brings on liquor or whatever is getting sloshed but I've sailed enough of these to know that it happens so maybe that's why Disney made changes. It's gotten out of control. If I've noticed it on the few I've been on then can you imagine the impact of all the cruises they do in a year? I'm not "judging" you. I merely stated facts I've seen/experienced myself. If you're taking it personal perhaps there's a reason for it. I'm not a psychologist/psychiatrist nor a slush. Just saying! To each his own what he/she chooses to drink. Again, I've seen adults getting irresponsible with it on these cruises like anywhere else in life. Bars, home, etc. Don't take it so personal and I'm not being judgemental. Obviously a nerve was hit with a few of you and that nerve involves alcohol. *shrug* Touchy nerve some folks have. Done.

You said something judgmental about people on Disney cruises, in a posting Board full of people who take Disney cruises, and are then surprised that some people take offense? Then you attempt to backpedal with a post which manages to again imply that everyone in the thread is an alcoholic (as well as oversensitive)? You may not be a psychologist, but it happens to be one of my majors. I shall leave my interpretations of your postings to myself. Take a lesson from Thumper, "If you can't say something nice...."

 

[diznymom]

...quoted from earlier in thread... I have food allergies and cannot drink beer. I don't particularly like wine. DCL has taken away all of my options. Just because I drink something different does not mean that I get "sloshed". .

Honestly we did not send a letter but I was thinking the same thing. That was the first thing I thought of when I had seen the policy change. Why the restrict the type of acohol? Dh is allergic to beer and honestly liqueurs seem to be ok with him ironically, yet those were what were banned. I do not understand the whole you can bring wine but not this, beer but not this... It should just be a set limit like 2 bottles etc. I don't get it.[/QUOTE]

I'm allergic to barley. That is what is in the beer and in high concentrations. I'm also allergic to corn - so no whiskeys for me either.

 

[Ofinn]

DCL has always retained the right to change ANYTHING it wants to about any cruise all the way up to the time of sailing. It's in the terms and agreements that *YOU* agreed to when you booked your cruise. If you don't like those terms, then don't book with them. It's really that simple. They call the shots. If *you* don't want to agree to that, don't book.
*you* = general you

DCL isn't going to have a problem filling its ships. People whine and complain about the price increases at the park gates and hotels but still they come!! Yes, a few will stop, but other new guests will fill those spots. Disney is not a stupid company.

It's yet to be seen if Disney will fill their ships with the price increases and policy changes. Do you work for Disney? I swear Disney has spies on this board or just some really blind loyal customers. I've been on few half empty ships over the last year so it can't be going all that well.

 

[steves100]

No.

People complained about the change in smoking policy a year or do back...still there.

This one there going to ride it out.

If you THINK more people smoke compared to drinking your INSANE

 

[steves100]

I wouldn't even consider this. We don't go to get sloshed. We go to have a "family" vacation. I've seen pics of people who take a LOT of alcohol. Who's watching the kids? I've been on enough of these cruises to tell you that sometimes, no one. I've seen kids running amuck, being rude, often hitting other kids, pushing them around in the pools and the parents are busy having their "drinks" to either notice or care.

We take enough for my husband to have beer at night after our DS has gone to bed. I might have a glass of wine. If your drinking enough liquor to get sloshed, who's watching the kids? If kids aren't supervised, perhaps that's part of society's problem! Regardless of how much I might like to drink, at the end of the day, I still have to be a parent. So with that said, there's only so much I can drink and enjoy where I can still be a responsible parent.

A lot of cruise lines don't let you bring anything on at all! So I have NO problem with the no liquor and limited beer. At least you can openly bring it and not try to "hide" it. So no, I don't have a problem with it and won't be writing anyone.

To each his own. If you want to drink and booze it up, go to Carnival! Or better yet, stay home.

OR PAY DISNEY MISS POMPOUS

 

[kid-at-heart]

OP here, Just wanted to jump in and say that I received a phone call today from a Disney Cruise Line representative. He said that Disney is listening to the comments and will take them into consideration for future changes. Please do speak up and let DCL know how you feel. Silence does not promote change.