Bringing Wine on at Each Port?

Are you limited to two bottles the entire trip, or at one of the ports can we buy two additional bottles (we plan to carry on two bottles at embarkation) and bring them back through security? This is not really clear on the website.

Thanks!

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Are you limited to two bottles the entire trip, or at one of the ports can we buy two additional bottles (we plan to carry on two bottles at embarkation) and bring them back through security? This is not really clear on the website.

 

Thanks!

While it's not stated on their website on the Princess Facebook site they've said bringing wine from ports is allowed which has been my experience on each cruise.

It's subject to a $15 per bottle fee which allows you to drink it in the dining room because you've already paid a corkage fee when brought on the ship. They understand that their wine list is limited & that passengers want to enjoy great wines purchased in ports of call. The only comment by security has been nice bottle of wine. :)

They can store bottles you're taking home without a fee which is returned on the last night of the cruise. I've done that with Tuscan wines that are not readily available at home.

I've never been prevented from bringing on wine from ports or during embarkation. Being charged the fee has varied & many times has not been required. However I'm always prepared to pay the fee & since we drink most of our wine in a dining room we either pay the $15 fee sooner or later. ;)

If you're not aware of it, on cruises longer than 7 days they usually offer wine packages. There are several types with the best discount getting $45 bottles of wine for $28. If you're interested in the wine packages I could post the information for you. I usually purchase a wine package when flying to the ship however I'm less likely to buy it when driving to the port with wine from home.

We were in port in Asia and a passenger was touting his good fortune at finding $5 bottle of a French Bordeaux. He show us the bottle which had a photocopied label. It was counterfeit. He discovered that fact when he open the first bottle of colored water. Buyer beware

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We were in port in Asia and a passenger was touting his good fortune at finding $5 bottle of a French Bordeaux. He show us the bottle which had a photocopied label. It was counterfeit. He discovered that fact when he open the first bottle of colored water. Buyer beware

True but If anything is too good to be true, then it's very likely to be false or is stolen merchandise. :eek:

I've never purchased wine in Asia but haven't experienced any knockoff wines in Europe, South or North America.

I presume you are referring to the non-corkage charge wine. Officially 1 bottle a person at each embarkation port so at each part of B2B or each part of a Round the World cruise.

But people have said that have done it at other ports too.

Brought a bottle back on from Santa Barbara last month with no problem.

We were in port in Asia and a passenger was touting his good fortune at finding $5 bottle of a French Bordeaux. He show us the bottle which had a photocopied label. It was counterfeit. He discovered that fact when he open the first bottle of colored water. Buyer beware

 

 

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Nothing has changed from my days in the Army in Korea. Those $10 Rolex watches aren't really Rolex. Those $25 suits will disintegrate after one or two cleanings.

While it's not stated on their website on the Princess Facebook site they've said bringing wine from ports is allowed which has been my experience on each cruise.

 

It's subject to a $15 per bottle fee which allows you to drink it in the dining room because you've already paid a corkage fee when brought on the ship. They understand that their wine list is limited & that passengers want to enjoy great wines purchased in ports of call. The only comment by security has been nice bottle of wine. :)

 

They can store bottles you're taking home without a fee which is returned on the last night of the cruise. I've done that with Tuscan wines that are not readily available at home.

 

I've never been prevented from bringing on wine from ports or during embarkation. Being charged the fee has varied & many times has not been required. However I'm always prepared to pay the fee & since we drink most of our wine in a dining room we either pay the $15 fee sooner or later. ;)

 

If you're not aware of it, on cruises longer than 7 days they usually offer wine packages. There are several types with the best discount getting $45 bottles of wine for $28. If you're interested in the wine packages I could post the information for you. I usually purchase a wine package when flying to the ship however I'm less likely to buy it when driving to the port with wine from home.

Actually, you are getting a bottle of wine that you can purchase on land for $20 which the ship marks up to $45 for only $28. If they do not have a really good deal on a wine package, you are better off buying the wine on shore for $20 or even less if you buy several bottles and then paying the $15 corkage fee which makes the total $35 or less instead of paying the cruise line $48.

That is what we do. For most ports in the US, there is a Total Wine or a similar store nearby where you can preorder wine for pickup and it will be boxed and ready for you when you get to the port.

DON

Actually, you are getting a bottle of wine that you can purchase on land for $20 which the ship marks up to $45 for only $28. If they do not have a really good deal on a wine package, you are better off buying the wine on shore for $20 or even less if you buy several bottles and then paying the $15 corkage fee which makes the total $35 or less instead of paying the cruise line $48.

That is what we do. For most ports in the US, there is a Total Wine or a similar store nearby where you can preorder wine for pickup and it will be boxed and ready for you when you get to the port.

 

DON

I agree & this comparison Excel spreadsheet created by CC participant 'Steelers36' compares ship & off ship total prices.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=372485&d=1451797733

However sometimes convenience is my top priority particularly when I have enough complimentary OBC to pay for my wine package.

Another benefit for me is discovering new types of wine by purchasing the wine package. For us it's a cruise long wine tasting to discover new types of wine we'd like to enjoy at home. I've never been greatly disappointed by wine from the Princess wine list but have been very disappointed with some of the unfamiliar types of wine we've purchased from ports outside of the US. So sometimes we prefer to not gamble with that type of wine purchased & to possibly be disappointed.

EDIT: The CC site split your reply into two posts & despite eliminating their added items creating this problem it remains as 2 posts. :confused:

We did the two winery tour in Ensenada (beat staying on the ship which is about the only other reasonable alternative...) and returned to the ship with the two bottles of wind (one each) that were included. No corkage fee applied. Much of the time they don't bother about wine purchased in a port but it isn't consistent.

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this is very helpful!

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What about Liquor, can I buy a Liqueur in port and bring back onboard? Will they keep til last night?

What about Liquor, can I buy a Liqueur in port and bring back onboard? Will they keep til last night?

Yes, they'll hold it till the last day when it'll be delivered to your room.

But a lot of people just bypass the liquor check in desk & bring it back to their rooms when boarding so they can enjoy it while on the cruise. ;)

Where can I find information on the wine package? I've been over to the Princess website and my booking and the only options I see for more information are the all inclusives and the coffee card.

We'll be taking a long cruise in the Fall and was thinking about getting this. The alternative is to bring wine on a board at a POC or two. Which, even with the $15 corkage fee, might still be the way to go price wise.

BTW, how does the dining room know you've paid the corkage fee so we can bring the bottle to the dining room? Or can any bottle we manage to get on board be taken to the dining room?

BTW, how does the dining room know you've paid the corkage fee so we can bring the bottle to the dining room? Or can any bottle we manage to get on board be taken to the dining room?

They're stamped. :(

They're stamped. :(

Thanks. Guess we'll be drinking our wine in our cabin :)

Thanks. Guess we'll be drinking our wine in our cabin :)

Corkage is $18 per bottle. There are five glasses in a bottle. That's $3.6 corkage per glass. Almost all wines in the MDR are eight dollars per glass.

On out next cruise, we will bring aboard six bottles. Unless we have dinner on our balcony, we will pay corkage on all the bottles.

Where can I find information on the wine package? I've been over to the Princess website and my booking and the only options I see for more information are the all inclusives and the coffee card.

 

We'll be taking a long cruise in the Fall and was thinking about getting this. The alternative is to bring wine on a board at a POC or two. Which, even with the $15 corkage fee, might still be the way to go price wise.

 

BTW, how does the dining room know you've paid the corkage fee so we can bring the bottle to the dining room? Or can any bottle we manage to get on board be taken to the dining room?

Here are the wine package options:

Note: A 15% gratuity is added to all package prices (like any other bar purchase).

 

Silver Package (wines up to $29 per bottle list price)

7 bottles -- $161 (average of $23 per bottle)

10 bottles -- $210 (average of $21 per bottle)

12 bottles -- $240 (average of $20 per bottle)

 

Gold Package (wines up to $45 per bottle list price)

7 bottles -- $217 (average of $31 per bottle)

10 bottles -- $290 (average of $29 per bottle)

12 bottles -- $336 (average of $28 per bottle)

 

You get a punch card which can be used at any of the dining locations.

 

You may choose any wine on on the regular wine menu. If you want to buy a wine that costs more than what the package covers, you just pay the difference. For example, if you have a Gold package and buy a wine that costs $46, the charge for $46 will appear on your stateroom account, followed by a $45 credit. When wine packages began they didn't add the 15% fee on the extra amount but recently they did add it. Thus in this example $0.15 is added to the $1 cost.

Corkage is $18 per bottle. There are five glasses in a bottle. That's $3.6 corkage per glass. Almost all wines in the MDR are eight dollars per glass.

 

On out next cruise, we will bring aboard six bottles. Unless we have dinner on our balcony, we will pay corkage on all the bottles.

Corkage is $15 per bottle on Princess.

Corkage is $18 per bottle. There are five glasses in a bottle. That's $3.6 corkage per glass. Almost all wines in the MDR are eight dollars per glass.

 

On out next cruise, we will bring aboard six bottles. Unless we have dinner on our balcony, we will pay corkage on all the bottles.

Good point. Thanks for the math :)

Here are the wine package options:

Thank you. :)

Good point. Thanks for the math :)

I was confused. Princess corkage is $15. I used the HAL corkage of $18. Need to deduct $3 from those numbers.

Yes, they'll hold it till the last day when it'll be delivered to your room.

But a lot of people just bypass the liquor check in desk & bring it back to their rooms when boarding so they can enjoy it while on the cruise. ;)

It is surprisingly easy to bypass the liquor check in desk!

As with every past cruise including the one we just got off we were able to bring on wine at embarkation as well as ports during the cruise. Nothing was said when boarding with wine in Santorini.

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My experience is that it depends on who is doing the security. If you are screened on the ship they will take liquor from you till the last day or direct you to check in your wine. If the screening is done in the port you can usually just indiscreetly carry it onboard.