I believe adding gratuities to bar drinks is a standard feature within the cruise industry (all-inclusive lines the exception). I believe we paid $13-$14 for a decent martini on Crystal last year. We're sailing Celebrity in a few weeks and I know from recent experience their cocktail prices are roughly the same. The shipboard credit promotion on Crystal did, however, cover all the costs of our bar & wine consumption with $250 in unused credits refunded back to us at the end of the cruise. That was a first for us! As to bringing aboard liquor, we have never had any problem with that on Crystal before (6 cruises). We have openly brought aboard bottles of Crown Royal, etc, and placed them out in our stateroom with never a peep from anyone. On our last cruise, we bought a couple of bottles of wine in Portugal before we boarded and enjoyed them in the dining room for a $15 corkage fee.

As to Cruise Critic, we sail everything from NCL to Crystal, RCCL to Disney (and everything in between)! So we're literally 'all over the map' on the Cruise Critic boards and find the intense loyalty to be a common denominator no matter which forum you visit.