Beer mug issue

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We have bought 2 beer mugs through our cruises. We brought one home to keep home and kept a token for future cruises. We brought our token on our cruise last month. The first day he handed it over at the bar and got a beer.

During the course of the cruise I checked our account balance and we were charged, not for the refill but for the mug. I explained that we did not buy a mug, that we had brought our token from a previous cruise.

A manager came over and said you cannot reuse the token and we need to purchase a new mug each cruise.

1. It DOES NOT say this on the token anywhere
2. We have been on 4 cruises. I DO NOT need 4 giant beer mugs at home

I was perturbed to say the least and finally the manager agreed to credit the charge.

Anyone else run into this? Thoughts?

 

[niccikatie]

We were told directly by the bartender to do exactly what you did. I wonder if this is a recent change or something?

 

[Smeece]

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[phinz]

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I've not heard of this issue. I've been using the same mug/token for 2.5 years. I'm very interested to see what happens in the future. If this is another nickel and dime thing that Disney has started (They can't be "losing" that much money selling an extra 5 ounces of beer to the few people who buy the mug) then it's another sign of their monetary incrementalism, and they can't blame this one on "safety concerns".

 

[Simba]

I'm assuming the "mug" is still the same so the issue is if you have the token? We have always brought our mugs home and used them to remember our trips then just take them with us every time we cruise. I know not the most convenient but we live close to port so it works for us.

 

[WDWChloe]

Interesting... I'm wondering if they check accounts to make sure the mug was paid for the current sailing? I didn't think a bartender would take the time to check that, regardless of a possible new policy

 

[apathetic]

I used my token (at least 3 years old) just a couple of months ago. I always worried about this crackdown. If they put something in the system that won't allow you to purchase a refill without a mug purchase on your current account, then a lot of people (including me) will be mad. Would be a serious annoyance to a lot of people. For people who kept the token, would you even be able to exchange it for the mug you already purchased?

 

[SteveMP]

Sounds similar to the new coffee card conspiracy. Apparently thousands of dollars in charges isn't enough to let you get a few more cents worth of beer.

 

[apathetic]

Sounds similar to the new coffee card conspiracy. Apparently thousands of dollars in charges isn't enough to let you get a few more cents worth of beer.

I had a hard time paying $8-8.50 for a beer in the mug. There is no way I'm paying that for a pint. The sad part is the coffee card and beer mug are small perks for those who repeatedly cruise on DCL. Taking this away is pretty lame considering how much cruise fares have risen the past couple of years. By the time they bring 3 new ships online, many gold and platinum cruisers will be ready to jump to other cruise lines because of the pettiness.

 

[SteveMP]

I had a hard time paying $8-8.50 for a beer in the mug. There is no way I'm paying that for a pint. The sad part is the coffee card and beer mug are small perks for those who repeatedly cruise on DCL. Taking this away is pretty lame considering how much cruise fares have risen the past couple of years. By the time they bring 3 new ships online, many gold and platinum cruisers will be ready to jump to other cruise lines because of the pettiness.

Yeah the greed has gotten completely out of control, in parks and dcl. Especially when drinks are the least expensive things with the highest markup. Last cruise i only had the free beer on the reception night, and just drank beers in port. $1 coronas in cozumel taste much better than a $9 beer on ship.

 

[speicher46]

My family has been on eleven cruises and I always assumed you bought a new mug for each cruise. It is sort of like free refills at a restaurant. Just because you save your drink cup at McDonalds does not mean you get free refills for life. The purpose of buying the mug is that you get 22oz for the price of 16oz.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My family has been on eleven cruises and I always assumed you bought a new mug for each cruise. It is sort of like free refills at a restaurant. Just because you save your drink cup at McDonalds does not mean you get free refills for life. The purpose of buying the mug is that you get 22oz for the price of 16oz.

Yes, that would be the theory. But the practice hasn't been that.

 

[DLgal]

You are supposed to bring the mug home and then bring the MUG back on the next cruise. The tokens are not supposed to leave the ship. That is what the bartender told us on our first cruise in 2012.

 

[adg06]

$1 coronas in cozumel taste much better than a $9 beer on ship.

Ok, I'll be on a port stop in Cozumel in less than two months... I need to know where you get the $1 Coronas!

 

[apathetic]

My family has been on eleven cruises and I always assumed you bought a new mug for each cruise. It is sort of like free refills at a restaurant. Just because you save your drink cup at McDonalds does not mean you get free refills for life. The purpose of buying the mug is that you get 22oz for the price of 16oz.

That may have been the policy. But when I got mine, the bartender told us you can bring them home and back for each cruise. I was skeptical but used my token on several cruises. It makes sense because if you go on 10 cruises would you really want 10 mugs? I guess they should start posting the policy so everyone knows, especially if people on the ship are telling you the wrong info. Plus, if you still have the token, will you even be able to exchange it for a mug now?

Personally, I got my money's worth and don't really care if I get the mug. But, it definitely changes my habits going forward. At $7-9 per beer, it was somewhat tolerable at 22oz. At 16oz, there is no way I'm paying that price. That's nearly double when you go anywhere else and get a beer. I suspect more people will just carry beer on. If they bring their mug with them they can walk around and nobody would know the difference.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I could be wrong, but I've always assumed the spirit of the policy was to purchase a new mug on each cruise and never considered trying to reuse it. It makes the beer cheaper for the cruise you are one and you have a nice souvenir at the end. Win/win IMHO.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I could be wrong, but I've always assumed the spirit of the policy was to purchase a new mug on each cruise and never considered trying to reuse it. It makes the beer cheaper for the cruise you are one and you have a nice souvenir at the end. Win/win IMHO.

As I said, I believe that was the spirit of the program. In practice, however, it didn't work like that.

 

[mich723]

I was told when purchasing the mug, that I bring it back anytime and can get the discount. I purposely asked about future cruises and they told me I could bring back my mug or beer token and it would work; I believe I heard this at O'Gills. I have a beer token and didn't exchange it for a new, clean mug before I left. I plan to do that come January, and I hope it works. If not, I guess all I can say is oh well.

 

[SteveMP]

. It is sort of like free refills at a restaurant. Just because you save your drink cup at McDonalds does not mean you get free refills for life. The purpose of buying the mug is that you get 22oz for the price of 16oz.

Thats a bad analogy, as you even mention in your last sentence. A better analogy would be one of those convenience store special cups like AM/PM Thirsty-two ouncer, where you bring it back to get a 32 oz drink for the price of a 24 oz drink etc.

 

[jrg]

I bought the beer mug 12 years ago and have brought it with me for each of my last 9 cruises. Last year in the promenade lounge on the Magic the bartender and a manager were telling a guest next to me the advantages of the mug including bringing it back on his next cruise. I am sailing in 1 1/2 months so I guess I will find out if this was an isolated incident or the start to a new policy.