Friday, January 21, 2011

92 DAYS TO GO . . .

     FRIDAY JANUARY 21, 2011

     NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST OF WAYS TO SAVE IS ALCOHOL, SO TODAY I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT LIE AHEAD.  (THIS IS DCL's ALCOHOL POLICY: WWW.CRUISECRITIC.COM/ARTICLES.CFM?ID=143.  MOST COMMON IS WINE.  I'M NOT REALLY A WINE DRINKER, SO THAT'S NOT REALLY A CONCERN OF MINE, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S REALLY BIG ON CRUISES AND NOT JUST SOME, BUT MOST, DRINK IT AT MEALS.  DISNEY IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHO ALLOWS YOU TO BRING YOUR OWN UNOPENED BOTTLES ON BOARD.  THIS CAN SAVE YOU A TON OF MONEY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE CRUISING 5, 6, OR 7 DAYS OR MORE.  YOU CAN GET ICE BROUGHT TO YOUR ROOM FOR YOU BY YOUR STATEROOM HOST A COUPLE TIMES A DAY, REQUEST GLASSES, AND EVEN GET OR BORROW A CORKSCREW.
     YOU CAN BRING A BOTTLE OF UNOPENED HARD LIQUOR AS WELL.  THIS CAN BE A BIT TRICKY IF YOU'RE FLYING IN ON THE SAME DAY.  THE BOTTLE WOULD HAVE TO BE PACKED IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE TO FLY WITH IT, BUT IT CAN'T BE IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE TO BRING IT ON-BOARD.  IT HAS TO BE IN YOUR CARRY ON.  SO IF DISNEY IS HANDLING YOUR BAGS AT THE AIRPORT, YOU'D HAVE TO GET YOUR BAG INSTEAD AND MAKE THE SWITCH YOURSELF.  BUT I GOT A TIP FROM ANOTHER CRUISER.  FILL A MOUTHWASH BOTTLE WITH YOUR LIQUOR OF CHOICE AND PACK IT IN WITH YOUR TOILETRIES.  YES YOU CAN BUY DUTY FREE LIQUOR ON-BOARD A DISNEY SHIP, BUT THEY WON'T GIVE IT TO YOU UNTIL YOUR LAST NIGHT OF THE CRUISE.  I DON'T REALLY GET THAT ONE, BUT I'M SURE THEY HAVE THEIR REASONS.  SO BY PACKING ONE NIGHTS WORTH, THAT'LL HOLD YOU TIL THE NEXT MORNING WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN THE BAHAMAS OR CARIBBEAN OR THE LIKE, WHERE YOU CAN BUY A BOTTLE OF ANYTHING WAY CHEAPER.  SEE "DUTY FREE" MEANS THAT YOU AREN'T PAYING ANY OF THE MANY TAXES AND FEES THAT GET TACKED ON TO AN ITEM BEFORE YOU BUY IT.  LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, IMPORT, SHIPPING, HANDLING, ETC.  THIS CAN BE 50% OR MORE ON SOME ITEMS WITHOUT YOUR EVER HAVING KNOWN IT.  RUM IN THE BAHAMAS CAN BE RIDICULOUSLY CHEAP BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE FEES ATTACHED AND IT'S MADE LOCALLY.  SINCE I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE ISLANDS, I ASKED ABOUT LIQUOR STORES AND THEIR AVAILABILITY, AND BASICALLY I WAS TOLD I'LL RUN INTO ABOUT A DOZEN AS SOON AS I GET OFF THE SHIP.  BUT AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT SEALED TO COME ON WITH IT, AND FINISH IT OR LEAVE IT FOR THE STAFF IF YOU OPEN IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE AN OPEN BOTTLE OFF EITHER.
       SO KNOWING YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN BOTTLE OR BOTTLES OPENS UP OTHER POSSIBILITIES AS WELL SINCE DISNEY HAS DRINK STATIONS WITH CERTAIN FREE DRINKS AVAILABLE 24 HRS.  YOU CAN PAY A LOT FOR A FANCY IRISH COFFEE OR SOMETHING SIMILAR, OR GET A FREE COFFEE AND MAKE YOUR OWN.  SAME THING WITH VODKA OR GIN AND JUICES, RUM PUNCHES AND SODAS, CHAMPAGNE AND ORANGE JUICE AND SO ON.  YOU CAN ALWAYS REQUEST EXTRA GLASSES, OR KEEP THE ONE YOU'RE DRINKING OUT OF FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.  IT'S NOT LIKE A REGULAR BAR.  YOU'RE AT SEA.  YOU CAN GENERALLY WANDER WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE BECAUSE DISNEY ASSUMES YOU'RE NOT LEAVING WITH IT.  THERE ALSO PLASTIC CUPS, LIDS AND STRAWS LOCATED AT THE BEVERAGE STATIONS.
      LIKE SO MANY OTHER THINGS, IT COMES DOWN TO PERSONAL PREFERENCE, BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW THERE ARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU TO SAVE SOME MONEY ON WHAT IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST REPETITIVE COST ON-BOARD YOUR CRUISE SHIP.  IF YOU CAN TAKE A VACATION WITHOUT AN ALCOHOLIC DRINK, BIG SAVINGS.  ME?  IT'S A VACATION.  FORGET IT.  HEY BARTENDER.  ANOTHER SCREWDRIVER PLEASE. 
     TOMORROW WE'LL GET INTO NUMBER TWO ON THE LIST.  SEE YA REAL SOON!  ºOº

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