Holding beer?

Hi everyone.

My wife and I will be vacationing in Belgium prior to our April 2019 Scandinavian cruise. I plan on purchasing the equivalent of a case of beer while there, filling up at the various breweries that are more difficult to source back home.

Does anyone have any experience with Princess holding on to a case of beer and/or wine for the duration of the cruise? In theory, they will hold on to alcohol you purchase in port but I've never made them hold on to something I brought on day 1.

I imagine this situation is common on Mediterranean cruises, so I'm hoping to source some first hand experience from you folks and not just theory.

Thanks for the insight!

Hi everyone.

 

My wife and I will be vacationing in Belgium prior to our April 2019 Scandinavian cruise. I plan on purchasing the equivalent of a case of beer while there, filling up at the various breweries that are more difficult to source back home.

 

Does anyone have any experience with Princess holding on to a case of beer and/or wine for the duration of the cruise? In theory, they will hold on to alcohol you purchase in port but I've never made them hold on to something I brought on day 1.

 

I imagine this situation is common on Mediterranean cruises, so I'm hoping to source some first hand experience from you folks and not just theory.

 

Thanks for the insight!

From the Princess website:

"As provided in the Passage Contract, guests agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption, except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per voyage, which will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles are welcome, but will incur a $15 corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. Liquor, spirits or beers are not permitted. Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded.*

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship's gift shop, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the guest's stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship's staff will be at the gangway to assist guests with the storage of their shoreside alcoholic purchases while our Boutiques staff will assist guests with shipboard alcoholic purchases.

*Princess Cruises is not responsible for any alcoholic beverages removed and discarded by shoreside security staff.

Such items are not eligible for monetary refund or replacement."

The passage contract wording refers to port of embarkation. We recently did a 14 day Circle Caribbean and people bought Rum, Curacao, etc. in the ports. When re-boarding they were instructed to take their bottles to the "booze table" where staff were making entries in a ledger and taking the liquor to hold until the end of the cruise. Princess has no desire to confiscate and discard items you have purchased in port. It would be extremely bad for business.

I would just like to reiterate that I'm not talking about bottles bought in ports of call, but bottles purchased during our prior vacation and brought onboard on embarkation day with no intention of consuming them when brought onboard. I thank you for your replies but it seems like they concern alcohol purchased in ports of call.

I would just like to reiterate that I'm not talking about bottles bought in ports of call, but bottles purchased during our prior vacation and brought onboard on embarkation day with no intention of consuming them when brought onboard. I thank you for your replies but it seems like they concern alcohol purchased in ports of call.

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I would just like to reiterate that I'm not talking about bottles bought in ports of call, but bottles purchased during our prior vacation and brought onboard on embarkation day with no intention of consuming them when brought onboard. I thank you for your replies but it seems like they concern alcohol purchased in ports of call.

Ahhh... Sorry for misunderstanding. Obviously I didn't read your original post properly. D'Oh!

I know I've seen posts in the past regarding this subject when someone was traveling and, for example, purchased fine Scotch they wanted to give as a gift and then needed to board ship with it. They obviously had concerns as to whether or not Princess would allow the items.

As it has been asked in the past there will hopefully be some folks reading here who remember the threads and the answers given. Have you tried calling Princess directly? If you do call and don't like the answer you get try calling again in half an hour and you may well get someone else who is more knowledgeable. I've had it happen. Of course you could always ship the beer via another carrier prior to sailing but I understand that isn't what you are hoping to do.

The Passage Contract treats the embarkation port differently than ports of call. If they follow the Passage Contract, your beer will be confiscated and discarded. With everything else going on at Embarkation, staff really doesn’t have time to check in alcohol for storage. You might try calling Princess but you probably can’t rely on their answer.

I would find it unlikely that they just discard the items.

As it has been asked in the past there will hopefully be some folks reading here who remember the threads and the answers given. Have you tried calling Princess directly? If you do call and don't like the answer you get try calling again in half an hour and you may well get someone else who is more knowledgeable. I've had it happen. Of course you could always ship the beer via another carrier prior to sailing but I understand that isn't what you are hoping to do.

It's illegal to ship alcohol into the country (I'm from Canada), so shipping it in wouldn't be a possibility. I haven't tried calling Princess yet, was just wondering if anyone had any prior experience as this doesn't seem like it would be an uncommon thing in cruises departing from Italy, as an example.

I would find it unlikely that they just discard the items.

If you read the post with their alcohol policy that’s what happens so it’s very likely they’ll be discarded:

“Liquor, spirits or beers are not permitted. Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded.*

Thus during embarkation beer would either be not accepted or even if accepted by the shoreside porters as checked luggage it’ll be discarded.

Okay, folks. I appreciate all of your responses, but this isn't a question about what official policy is. I've read the passage contract, I know what it says. I'm asking for people who've had an actual experience doing this to chime in, because I remember reading about it in the past on here but I don't recall what the outcome was, and can't seem to find the post.

We had a wine liquor dumped by princess a few years ago, it’s bought for someone at home but it was removed and discarded

We had a wine liquor dumped by princess a few years ago, it’s bought for someone at home but it was removed and discarded

Finally! Thanks for your reply.

past performance does not mean..:rolleyes:

Belgium beer has a cork! IF they will not hold it for you Pay the corkage fee for every bottle over the limit. Buy the right beer and you could recop your costs easily once you get home. AND you could open some on the ship! just make sure they have the right glass!

See if you can store it at the port of embarkation and pick it up upon disembarkation. maybe your hotel will hold it. worse case store it at the airport in a locker.

See if you can store it at the port of embarkation and pick it up upon disembarkation. maybe your hotel will hold it. worse case store it at the airport in a locker.

Since the OP appears to be sailing from Belgium to Canada that really doesn't work. I'm hoping more people with actual experience (especially very recent experience) will chime in. I'd like a definitive answer myself.

past performance does not mean..:rolleyes:

It definitely does not, but if the experience is overwhelmingy positive, I may take the chance on 50$ of beer.

Since the OP appears to be sailing from Belgium to Canada that really doesn't work. I'm hoping more people with actual experience (especially very recent experience) will chime in. I'd like a definitive answer myself.

Now Thrak, you, if anyone, should know that 'Princess' and 'definitive' have no business being in the same sentence...;p

See if you can store it at the port of embarkation and pick it up upon disembarkation. maybe your hotel will hold it. worse case store it at the airport in a locker.

That's just way too many logistics. I think I'll live without the beer. :P

"live without the beer" now you must be crazy. the logistics will make that beer even better once you get home! . you bet your a@@ I am going to bring some truly unique beers onto the ship. I am more worried about the TSA.

My recent experience with Princess has shown that actual policy on the ship is much more liberal than the written policy. My recommendation would be not to stow it in your suitcase, but to carry it on when you board. If you are questioned at that point, tell the security or wine steward person that this is special, collector quality Belgium beer and that you want them to store it for you until you disembark if they don't want you to take it to your room. I would guess that the odds are better than 90% that you will not have a problem.

While not in the same part of the world, we have done something similar while on a California Coastal. My husband purchased a bottle of Scotch that we couldn't get at home. When we boarded the cruise in San Pedro, we asked if they would hold it for us and return it on the last night of the cruise. They did so, no problem.

Hope it turns out well for you!

I contacted my assigned Princess rep.

She said that if you are upfront about it whilst boarding (at security) they will hold on to it for you. What they do not want, and what they will throw away without appeal, is anything you try to smuggle in.

I contacted my assigned Princess rep.

 

She said that if you are upfront about it whilst boarding (at security) they will hold on to it for you. What they do not want, and what they will throw away without appeal, is anything you try to smuggle in.

That would be great to work that way for you.

Hopefully that’s accurate information because it’s been my experience that too often their land-based representatives are unaware of procedures used on ships. Enforcement can also vary based on whether the ship’s alcohol checker decides to waive the policy. You’re not smuggling beer to drink during the cruise & wanting it stored to take home.

Hopefully it works for you but as you previously wrote either way it’s a chance you’re willing to take.

Now Thrak, you, if anyone, should know that 'Princess' and 'definitive' have no business being in the same sentence...;p

Sorry. You are, of course, correct. :o

I contacted my assigned Princess rep.

 

She said that if you are upfront about it whilst boarding (at security) they will hold on to it for you. What they do not want, and what they will throw away without appeal, is anything you try to smuggle in.

You should have her e-mail that information to you so you have it in writing in case there is any problem when you board.