Taking wine onboard

Am I correct that you can take on a bottle of wine each?

We did this on celebrity, packing them well in the suitcase as we didn't want to carry them around all day (pre cruise stay).

Our luggage was held by security who examined both bottles. They checked the seal and seemed to be looking for alcohol rather than wine. They let us take them onboard, but it was extra hassle we could do without.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Am I correct that you can take on a bottle of wine each?

 

We did this on celebrity, packing them well in the suitcase as we didn't want to carry them around all day (pre cruise stay).

 

Our luggage was held by security who examined both bottles. They checked the seal and seemed to be looking for alcohol rather than wine. They let us take them onboard, but it was extra hassle we could do without.

 

Has anyone else had this experience?

Yes 1 bottle per. Best to carry it on. But you can put them in your luggage too. Any extra you could be charged a corkage fee of $15 at security screening. Sometimes they never even bat an eye and you walk right on.

Stated most clearly, there is no limit to the amount of wine you can take on board. Take as much as you want. The first bottle per person is free of charge. All other bottles will cost you $15 per bottle. It is easier to think of it this way so as not to trip over words like "allowed" or "limits".

It is best to carry on that way your luggage is not held and you don't risk breakage. The wine is for use in your cabin. If you bring it to a bar or DR you will be charged corkage.

We will be on the 28 day round-trip LA to Tahiti next October. I am guessing that the one bottle per person is still valid on a trip of this length. Princess should allow some leeway in long cruises;)

what about 1/2 btls are you allowed 2 to make up for the 750ml?

what about 1/2 btls are you allowed 2 to make up for the 750ml?

Nope - 2 bottles of 750 or less (according to policy). That said, you will see lots of folks taking more, boxes of wine, going through scan separately, ... This seems to vary a lot by port as well.

Can a BVE guest bring aboard wine for a passenger? Does it could against the passenger's 2 free bottle allotment? Thanks

We will be on the 28 day round-trip LA to Tahiti next October. I am guessing that the one bottle per person is still valid on a trip of this length. Princess should allow some leeway in long cruises;)

You can take on as much as you want, but you will be (usually) charged a $15 corkage fee.

Can you take wine on board from ports? We will be in Malaga and Madiera, and would like to bring some home. Also, does anyone know how much you can bring through US customs?

Can you take wine on board from ports? We will be in Malaga and Madiera, and would like to bring some home. Also, does anyone know how much you can bring through US customs?

On my Med cruise last December, they were completely uninterested in wine being brought onboard from ports. I brought one bottle on in nearly every port; two from Gibraltar or maybe it was Madeira? In any case, I had no trouble and I think that's the usual state of affairs on European cruises. They seem to crack-down more in the U.S./Caribbean itineraries.

As for customs, google "Know Before You Go": that's the title of the CBP brochure which gives you all the limits and prohibitions for bringing in alcohol and anything else from abroad.

It is best to carry on that way your luggage is not held and you don't risk breakage. The wine is for use in your cabin. If you bring it to a bar or DR you will be charged corkage.

We took 4 bottles on the Emerald a week ago. We pretty much self identified by going up to the desk to pay for the extra wine - not sure they would have known otherwise. They didn't put anything on the bottles - so I'm not sure how they would have known which was which if we had taken one to the dining room (we drink them in the cabin).

One of the reasons Celebrity fell to third place in our choice of cruise lines was the way they enforced the wine policy on our last cruise with them (with Security taking at embarkation with the promise that we'd receive it later in our cabin. We did not get it until the second night after I went to passenger services twice.) I like the way Princess and HAL treat their passengers with wine better.

They didn't put anything on the bottles - so I'm not sure how they would have known which was which if we had taken one to the dining room.

They are supposed to stamp the ones the corkage was paid for.

I am guessing that the one bottle per person is still valid on a trip of this length.

I am guessing that the one bottle per person is still valid on a trip of this length.

No guessing. One bottle per adult without a corkage charge at boarding time for cruises of any length. However, if you take that bottle to the dining room, there will be a corking charge at that time.

Additional bottles may be brought aboard with a corkage charge paid when boarding.

They are supposed to stamp the ones the corkage was paid for.

The inmates have already discussed decanting additional bottles

into the stamped bottle, when it is empty.

The inmates have already discussed decanting additional bottles

into the stamped bottle, when it is empty.

You're so right. Never dispose of empty wine bottles at home since they always come in handy for refilling & boarding the ship - stamped or unstamped. ;)

In my experience, I've never been charged the corkage fee until we brought the wine to the dining room. I guess there's always the chance that could change in the future.

Can a BVE guest bring aboard wine

Yes

Am I correct that you can take on a bottle of wine each?

 

We did this on celebrity, packing them well in the suitcase as we didn't want to carry them around all day (pre cruise stay).

 

Our luggage was held by security who examined both bottles. They checked the seal and seemed to be looking for alcohol rather than wine. They let us take them onboard, but it was extra hassle we could do without.

 

Has anyone else had this experience?

Can you take wine on board from ports? We will be in Malaga and Madiera, and would like to bring some home. Also, does anyone know how much you can bring through US customs?

Just about every rule/procedure we encounter in life is born from somebody else’s abuse.

It is due to the abuse of others, bottles brought aboard at embarkation in checked luggage are assumed to be smuggled liquor. As others have already indicated, it is best to bring your wine aboard as a carry-on to avoid conflict with the anti-booze smuggling staff.

You are allowed to bring as much wine aboard at the port of embarkation as you want. Any bottles beyond 1 per passenger MAY be subject to a $15 per bottle corkage fee. This is Princess policy.

As with all policies, it seems enforcement varies from port-to-port, is dependent on the staff member on duty and is more vigorously enforced at the port of embarkation.

It has been our experience that you can bring just about any amount of wine or liquor aboard at the ports of call. What varies is what happens at the head of the gangway when you return to the ship. They will have a table where you turn in your wine/liquor purchases for safe keeping and they are returned to your cabin on the last night. It is also our experience that people with just a bottle or two in a bag/backpack can bypass the collection table.

Similar to Princess policy, US Customs allows 1 liter of wine/liquor to be brought back into the US per adult duty free. (different if purchased in the USVI). Any additional bottles of wine/liquor are subject to tax/duty. (We have brought back a case of mixed wine/liquor without additional duty being collected in the past. You're experience may differ.)

Enjoy!!!

Can a BVE guest bring aboard wine for a passenger? Does it could against the passenger's 2 free bottle allotment? Thanks

Yes

I'm surprised that Princess hasn't closed that loophole yet.

Yes 1 bottle per. Best to carry it on. But you can put them in your luggage too. Any extra you could be charged a corkage fee of $15 at security screening. Sometimes they never even bat an eye and you walk right on.

Everyone flips out re the $15 corkage fee. Nobody actually bothers to do the math or they would realize that bringing as much wine as you want and paying the $15 per bottle is a great deal.

Say you usually drink wine that costs $20 per bottle. This wine will cost you at least $40 per bottle on the ship. However, if you buy a half case of wine on land, you can usually save 10% so 6 bottles of $20 wine will cost you not $120 but $108. Add to this the $15 corkage so your total cost for 6 bottles of wine will be $198.

Now say you buy the same stuff on board @ $40 per bottle plus the 15% extra or $55 per bottle. Your six bottles bought on board will coast a total of $330.

Therefore, you save $132 by bringing your wine on board even with the corkage fee.

If you buy cheaper wine, your savings will be less and it is a trivial matter to calculate the break even point. If you buy more expensive wine, you savings will be more.

I always find it interesting that people ignore this when worrying about the $15 corkage fee.

DON

I'm surprised that Princess hasn't closed that loophole yet.

What loophole. BVE pays for boarding privileges and they say you can bring wine. Why not have a whole bottle with friends during lunch instead of the glass of house wine they give you? Am saving Princess money not drinking their wine and bringing my own. Please explain why a BVE guest should not be allowed to bring wine on?

Please explain why a BVE guest should not be allowed to bring wine on?

Operational reasons.

But seriously, it is princess' play pen. They can make what ever

rules they wish. They could easily add a clause somewhere that

BVE guests cannot bring wine.

Other things are different between BVE and regular guests.

Particularly BVE guests get to board first. Obviously,

princess can make what ever rules they wish.

If everything is supposed to be 'fair', regular passengers should

be complaining about not being able to board early, too.