Alcohol information (nice surprise)

[lrcruising]

We just got back from the Ruby Princess Mediterranean cruise. Unfortunately we don't drink wine, just vodka, so we knew Europe would be interesting for non wine drinkers. We brought our own from the US. We bought a liter in Istanbul and another later in the week from the gift shop. No one ever said a word. We left it out in our cabin, brought drinks to the pool area in insulated cups and enjoyed our nightly cocktail on our balcony.

 

We didn't feel that we shorted Princess. We prepurchased 21 diet sprites and the liter from the gift shop. We also ordered drinks at dinner and at Crooners martini bar.

 

So if you are considering bringing some from home, go ahead it was nothing like Caribbean cruises where they confiscate it and give it back at the end of the cruise.

 

FYI.....

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

We just got back from the Ruby Princess Mediterranean cruise. Unfortunately we don't drink wine, just vodka, so we knew Europe would be interesting for non wine drinkers.

 

Not flaming ;) but just curious as to what you mean by the highlighted sentence? We drink lots of different alcohol in Europe, not just wine :confused:

[Coracii]

Not flaming ;) but just curious as to what you mean by the highlighted sentence? We drink lots of different alcohol in Europe, not just wine :confused:

 

That struck me as a bit unusual also. My wife and I combined may have 8-10 alcoholic drinks during the course of a year but we've enjoyed every bit of our past travels to Europe.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

My wife and I combined may have 8-10 alcoholic drinks during the course of a year but we've enjoyed every bit of our past travels to Europe.

 

My husband and I combined have that many drinks in the course of a week :eek: AND MY DH DOESN'T DRINK ALCOHOL :eek: :eek: :p

[lrcruising]

What I meant was when we stopped by "some" cafes in Barcelona, Venice and Kusadasi and asked for Vodka, some said they only had wine while others had to check and then provided a non label kind of vodka. My husband is a vodka snob and believes that only the "good" vodka prevents a headache the next morning??? I always suggest a few less drinks would probably do the same:).

 

As far as the soda card.....you can only get fountain drinks not cans and they only had diet sprite in cans.

[Clutterlady]

Just a quick question. What gift shop did you by alcohol from? Was it the ship or on shore??

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

What I meant was when we stopped by "some" cafes in Barcelona, Venice and Kusadasi and asked for Vodka, some said they only had wine while others had to check and then provided a non label kind of vodka. My husband is a vodka snob and believes that only the "good" vodka prevents a headache the next morning??? I always suggest a few less drinks would probably do the same:).

 

As far as the soda card.....you can only get fountain drinks not cans and they only had diet sprite in cans.

 

 

OK. So you took your own vodka off the ship when you went around the ports? Sounds like you were "risking" the "alcohol police" each time you got on and off then :eek: :D

[lrcruising]

No we didn't take it off with us at any port. We brought it on originally and then bought a bottle at the gift shop on the ship and also a bottle at the duty free shop in Istanbul.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

No we didn't take it off with us at any port. We brought it on originally and then bought a bottle at the gift shop on the ship and also a bottle at the duty free shop in Istanbul.

 

Sorry, I was getting a bit confused about the reference to cafes not stocking vodka :confused: Thought you took your own to have there.

 

Anyways, as long as you had a great time, that is all that matters :D Enjoy your vodka and I will enjoy my red wine! :p It is mostly what I drink, despite what I said earlier :D

 

But, for future reference, although cafes might not stock top brand vodkas, there are many other places in Europe that do (any supermarket), so you probably do not need to schlep your own all the way across the Atlantic, what with weight restrictions and all that ;)

[Iamcruzin]

So if you are considering bringing some from home, go ahead it was nothing like Caribbean cruises where they confiscate it and give it back at the end of the cruise.

FYI.....

 

FYI ..... They don't confiscate in the Caribbean either. As a matter of fact there is a liquor store inside the terminal in San Juan. Many purchase wine and hard liquor to bring onboard.

[Toto2Kansas]

I am still confused. I have never seen Princess allow purchases of alcohol to be brought back to your stateroom during the cruise from the gift shop, they are delivered the final night onboard unless purchased on the final night. Either you did get VERY lucky that they allowed you to do this, or you had a shop clerk that didn't realize that Princess will not allow you to just take it back to your cabin (I would guess it was the last guess). Either way, I wouldn't count on this happening often, as it is the first time I have seen or heard of this on a Princess ship in all my years on these boards.

Glad you enjoy your drinking cruise. ;)

[Toddy709]

I am still confused. I have never seen Princess allow purchases of alcohol to be brought back to your stateroom during the cruise from the gift shop, they are delivered the final night onboard unless purchased on the final night. Either you did get VERY lucky that they allowed you to do this, or you had a shop clerk that didn't realize that Princess will not allow you to just take it back to your cabin (I would guess it was the last guess). Either way, I wouldn't count on this happening often, as it is the first time I have seen or heard of this on a Princess ship in all my years on these boards.

Glad you enjoy your drinking cruise. ;)

 

I agree. I specifically asked on the Golden if I could purchase a bottle of Bailey's and take to my room and was told no. Strangely, though, I could have purchased a bottle while in port to take to my room with no problem;)!

 

I like to think that Princess has a liberal alcohol policy because they consider the majority of their cruisers responsible and "upstanding" adults. The wine I bring on board is for in-room consumption only. If I am out and about on the ship or in the dining room, I purchase my wine from Princess.

[Toto2Kansas]

I agree. I specifically asked on the Golden if I could purchase a bottle of Bailey's and take to my room and was told no. Strangely, though, I could have purchased a bottle while in port to take to my room with no problem;)!

 

I like to think that Princess has a liberal alcohol policy because they consider the majority of their cruisers responsible and "upstanding" adults. The wine I bring on board is for in-room consumption only. If I am out and about on the ship or in the dining room, I purchase my wine from Princess.

 

They still sell the small 375 ML bottles of liquor through room service. But I am going to guess that far too many passengers were filling their cups to take to the pool when they allowed you to purchase liters for your stateroom (as the OP has admittedly done) and that was not it's intent. Alcohol was/is sold for in cabin consumption...................and we all know what happened with that rule. lol

But I agree, they do not allow you to take your liquor purchases back to your stateroom from the gift ship. I think the OP just ran into a new staff member that didn't realize the rules. ;)

[ColoCruze]

My husband and I combined have that many drinks in the course of a week :eek: AND MY DH DOESN'T DRINK ALCOHOL :eek: :eek: :p

 

You must be my long lost twin.:D

[lrcruising]

You know, now that I think of it.....the guy who sold us the vodka in the gift shop was working the register for his co-worker. When my husband asked if we could bring it back to our room, he said "why not?". So we just may have lucked out. I'd be interested if anyone else has tried lately.

[ONT-CA]

...But I agree, they do not allow you to take your liquor purchases back to your stateroom from the gift ship. I think the OP just ran into a new staff member that didn't realize the rules. ;)

 

When booked on a b2b you can purchase all your hear's content at the end of the first cruise for consumption on the latter. So what then is the point? Likewise with the Suites and Elite passenger bar set-ups. They are a gift from the line. Can you not consume them wherever you like?

[Toto2Kansas]

When booked on a b2b you can purchase all your hear's content at the end of the first cruise for consumption on the latter. So what then is the point? Likewise with the Suites and Elite passenger bar set-ups. They are a gift from the line. Can you not consume them wherever you like?

 

We have tried that twice now on the last night of the first cruise, and when they rang up our purchase, we were told that it would be delivered the night before we DISMEBARKED the ship. I think getting away with that one all depends on what ship and who is working. Didn't work for us either time. :(

[Toto2Kansas]

Can you not consume them wherever you like?

Can you or are you supposed to? Mini bar and liquor purchases from room service are supposed to be for in cabin consumption only. Even with wine, you can take it to the dining room and pay the corkage fee or consume it in your stateroom, but Princess asks you not take it to any of the lounges or other areas onboard. And please, don't ask me to go search for those rules on the Princess site, I don't have time right now, but if you want to see it in writing it is stated there.

But since wine is all that is allowed by them to be carried on (even though they usually don't enforce the rules), the statement on the website pertains only to wine you have carried onboard. Since alcoholic beverages except wine and champagne are actually not allowed, of course they don't have anything stated there about what you can do with what you smuggled or carried onboard illegally. ;)

[Toto2Kansas]

You know, now that I think of it.....the guy who sold us the vodka in the gift shop was working the register for his co-worker. When my husband asked if we could bring it back to our room, he said "why not?". So we just may have lucked out. I'd be interested if anyone else has tried lately.

 

I agree, I am sure that is the answer to why you were allowed to take this back to your stateroom. Guess you got very lucky! But keep in mind this is not going to happen very often. ;)

[caber]

At home I have some little bottles left from the elite minibar set up.

 

If I brought them with me on the next cruise (my friends will drink them), would I have a good argument for bringing them onboard if I questioned about them?

 

After all Princess provided them in the first place.:)

[ONT-CA]

At home I have some little bottles left from the elite minibar set up.

If I brought them with me on the next cruise (my friends will drink them), would I have a good argument for bringing them onboard if I questioned about them?

After all Princess provided them in the first place.:)

 

This really is the crux of the contradiction. Is it not a case of do not get caught bringing aboard any personal alcohol? Likewise the duty free shop sales must be an important contribution to their bottom line. The b2b has always worked for us but when unsure, we had friends we had met on the first part of the b2b purchase the beverages for us before they disembarked and transferred them to us after our payment. There is multiple hypocrisy in the policy of "no personal alcohol".

[janina]

We are elite and get the free mini bar set up, and I usually take a drink with me to dinner. I have walked into the dinningroom with my drink and have never been question. Of course drinking in the pool areas is a given.:D:D:D