Wine Bottles

[parkey]

Can you buy wine before noon on Sundays in Fort Lauderdale?

[chaka7969]

if we bring a bottle of wine onboard & wish to drink it in the MDR, do they charge the $25 corkage fee?

 

Yes, you will be charged. I have tipped the wait staff $20 in specialty dining and they waived the corkage fee on future dinners. This of course is hit-or-miss.

[snowwmax]

if we bring a bottle of wine onboard & wish to drink it in the MDR, do they charge the $25 corkage fee?

 

Yup $25 beans!

 

Or... you could just bring a wine opener and open it in your room.... Fill your glasses and bring them to dinner.. Have your Steward bring glasses and even a chiller (if it is white wine) to your stateroom.

 

But if you trully want your whole bottle of wine at Dinner then it will cost you $25. But then again $25 to drink your $25 dollar bottle of wine is still cheaper than $60-$70 for the $25 bottle of wine you buy from them :D

[Sailor Gal]

Thanks for all this feedback everybody. We've sailed on Princess a lot because they are one of the few lines to allow bringing a limited amount of wine onboard. I'm happy that Celebrity allows this as well. An important part of our vacation is enjoying our cocktails on our own veranda prior to dinner. This is the most relaxing part of the day for us. We relax and talk about the day we had and don't have to do this in a bar. We still spend plenty on drinks onboard throughout the cruise. If we had to purchase all alcohol at the bars we probably wouldn't buy any more because we like to sit on our balcony. All is right with the world! hee hee

[eandj]

Thanks for all this feedback everybody. We've sailed on Princess a lot because they are one of the few lines to allow bringing a limited amount of wine onboard. I'm happy that Celebrity allows this as well. An important part of our vacation is enjoying our cocktails on our own veranda prior to dinner. This is the most relaxing part of the day for us. We relax and talk about the day we had and don't have to do this in a bar. We still spend plenty on drinks onboard throughout the cruise. If we had to purchase all alcohol at the bars we probably wouldn't buy any more because we like to sit on our balcony. All is right with the world! hee hee

 

 

You can also order wine pre cruise on the X site. It's not a broad menu to choose from, but there is no gratuity added and you can have them delivered to your room or any dining room on any particular day. There is of course no corkage fee either if you have the steward deliver it to the dining room or you carry it to a bar to finish.

[ylimaster]

The cruise contract says we can bring on two bottles of wine per stateroom. Does anyone know if they can be large bottles? It doesn't specify but I dont' want to have them confiscated either............

 

I called the C X C help line before our trip, and it confirmed that only 750ML x 2 wines are allowed, no liquors. So I brought two bottles of red wines into the stateroom, the attendant even brought me an Celebrity X wine opener.

 

In Grand Cayman, I purchased a bottle of local rum, which was delivered to my stateroom the last day of the cruise, it was packaged quite well.

 

It was a 7-day western carribean cruise from Miami in Dec. 2010.

[Tandoorii]

Does anyone know of any place to buy decent wines in San Juan??? Are they sold in stores or do you have to find a liquor store???

 

Sue

 

There's a great deal of hearsay going around on these boards about bringing alcohol on board. Let me tell you real experiences after 30+ cruises...

First' date=' wine is not alcohol, it is wine! Alcohol refers to the hard stuff. So in your contract, you may find a distinction otherwise but if you count on this definition, you'll be able to dodge any doubt.

 

[b']Celebrity[/b]: as recently as October, 2010 leaving San Juan. Get this! AFTER we went through the carry-on scanning devices, BEFORE we checked-in and got our boarding passes ( we also could have purchased after we checked in as it was all in the same large room) , there was a duty-free store to purchase wine/liquor/cigarettes. We bought two bottles of champagne, did not go through another bag check and walked on board. Some other pax bought more than we did, including the hard stuff, and not a question was asked or a check point seen.

 

We also had two bottles of champagne and red wine in each checked luggage. No one checked or even cared.

 

We brought one of the reds to our dining room table and no corkage was even suggested.

 

Princess: out of FLL. Several of our group travelers had wine and alcohol in their checked luggage. No one checked.

 

Many of us had champagne and wine in our carry on and all went through scanner without incident.

 

Our experience with Princess and Celebrity is that they really dont care enough to jeopardise your vacation and piss you off. NOT SO on RCL where they practically do a blood test to see if you've consumed alcohol in the last 60 minutes, in which case I believe they would charge you a corkage fee:D:D

 

Carnival is like Princess and Celebrity. I cannot answer for Holland America or others.

 

The WORST that could happen is ( as with us on RCL) that they confiscate it and return to you on the last night. Then, you either chug it or pack in your checked luggage...or just leave it. If you're traveling with the cheap stuff to begin with, you didnt miss anything. If it was the good stuff, chug it;)

 

Now I realize that my observations may not be consistent with others. But the " I heard" variety of information is not going to cut it with me. I need real life experiences. These I have shared here.

 

PS We have specifically decided to never go on an RCL soley because of their alcohol policy!

 

Please feel free to email me questions...

 

Bon "hic" Voyage...:p

[jdvmd]

Can you buy wine before noon on Sundays in Fort Lauderdale?

 

 

No you cannot.

[atlgators]

We had an interesting experience earlier this month while boarding in San Diego with our usual 2 standard sized bottles of wine. We were challenged by security who claimed we were not allowed to bring on any alcohol. Luckily they conceded when we strongly asserted that we were allowed those 2 bottles. We've never had a problem in other ports.

[snowwmax]

So I am sure this has been asked / done:

 

on Celebrity Can you put the 2 bottles of wine in your carry-on? and have 2 bottles in your check in :D ??

 

What is the worst case that happens?? They keep 2 of them? and if so do you get them back?

[perrpis]

Why is everyone on here so frugal? Just buy on board or buy a package and you can have all you want. No sneakiness needed.

[Lsimon]

So I am sure this has been asked / done:

 

on Celebrity Can you put the 2 bottles of wine in your carry-on? and have 2 bottles in your check in :D ??

 

What is the worst case that happens?? They keep 2 of them? and if so do you get them back?

 

Why is everyone on here so frugal? Just buy on board or buy a package and you can have all you want. No sneakiness needed.

 

I guess the two quotes above show the opposite extreames of opinions on the subject. But neither of them address, Sailor Gal, the original poster's question which was if two large bottles or boxes were allowed. The simple answer to that is that the policy doesn't address size and in practice it has been interpreted by the ship's staff inconsistently. Not a great answer but it is the best one available.

[Wine-O]

The only time I have ever been questioned by Port Security concerning wine of any shape or amount was in Vancouver this past September. Millennium was embarking with an RCL ship that was heading to Hawaii. I was asked which ship when they discovered my wine going thru the X-ray. When I told him I was on Millennium, he questioned no further, and my 5 bottles in two carry-ons were allowed to pass. My wife went thru a separate X-ray security, and was not questioned about her 2 bottles of wine at all.

[TomCruises]

Box wine is over 4 bottles.I don't dare take one of these to the dining room!Does Celebrity document anywhere that box wine is allowed?

[Lsimon]

Box wine is over 4 bottles.I don't dare take one of these to the dining room!Does Celebrity document anywhere that box wine is allowed?

See post #11 above - it has the information you're asking for.

[Canary50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabu17

.........and you can take two with you in your carry on and put two more in your checked luggage...............................

 

---------------------------------------

answered by Eandj: Just don't scream and kick if asked to remove the bottles from your "checked" luggage after it is scanned. ;) You'll get it back at the end of the cruise or you can choose to be charged the $25 per bottle corkage fee.

 

Take your chances if you choose.:rolleyes:

----

 

Just curious: How would they know whether you have 2 bottles in your checked luggage as well as 2 bottles in your carry-on? Aren't they 2 different port of entries?

[beachbuddy]

Why is everyone on here so frugal? Just buy on board or buy a package and you can have all you want. No sneakiness needed.

 

I don't think anyone is being sneaky here..........2 bottles ARE allowed so they are not doing anything sneaky! Before dinner, we like to sit out on the balcony and have something to drink as well so glad wine is allowed.

 

It would take me and DH a year to drink all the drinks in those packages so they would not be worth it to me.......we're not big drinkers, 1 or 2 a day is pretty much our limit and some days we don't even drink. Actually, the more we cruise, the less we drink. It was a novelty when we started cruising but now we don't really drink like that anymore.

[snowwmax]

I don't think anyone is being sneaky here..........2 bottles ARE allowed so they are not doing anything sneaky! Before dinner, we like to sit out on the balcony and have something to drink as well so glad wine is allowed.

 

Perrpis was referring to my post directly when I asked if I could put 2 bottles in my checked bag and with my "Sneakiness" put 2 additional bottles in my Carry-on bags. That is what led to his comments about being Frugal. I do not call it frugal - I call it being creative and while I agree it is a gamble, it is one I am happy to take. Considering that the reason for attempting to take another 2 bottles onboard is that we like certain White wines (pinot grigio, pinot gris, sauvignon blancs' ) and feel that Celebrity has an "OK" White wine selection.

[beachbuddy]

Perrpis was referring to my post directly when I asked if I could put 2 bottles in my checked bag and with my "Sneakiness" put 2 additional bottles in my Carry-on bags. That is what led to his comments about being Frugal. I do not call it frugal - I call it being creative and while I agree it is a gamble, it is one I am happy to take. Considering that the reason for attempting to take another 2 bottles onboard is that we like certain White wines (pinot grigio, pinot gris, sauvignon blancs' ) and feel that Celebrity has an "OK" White wine selection.

 

I understand......I'm a wine drinker but DH is not.....he only likes it with his meals but he's not big on wine. Honestly, if you and your wife go thru security separately, how would they even know that you have 2 bottles. You don't have a seapass when you go thru security, at least in Bayonne you don't. You walk in, show your seapass and ID and get in line to go thru security....there is usually 2 lines and they only check your ID at the door. They wouldn't even know that the 2 of you were together - get in separate lines.....LOL

[ibwig]

Just returned from 14 days on the Mercury -- we took one box (Black Box) and a bottle of Champagne. Enjoyed both without any issues from Celebrity. Room service provided us with a bucket and glasses for the bubbly without any problem.

 

Last year when we took the Mercury out of Baltimore we had one bottle of a favorite white and one bottle of champagne (small c) in our carry-ons....the champagne was confiscated. I don't remember the specific explanation (from what I do recall, no one could tell me exactly why), but I was told that Champagne was not allowed to be brought on board. It was returned at the end of the cruise, but it was VERY annoying. It was, however, a battle that I didn't feel like fighting.

 

I'm not sure if I want to even bother bringing it again, I don't want to start my cruise that way this year.

[Lsimon]

Last year when we took the Mercury out of Baltimore we had one bottle of a favorite white and one bottle of champagne (small c) in our carry-ons....the champagne was confiscated. I don't remember the specific explanation (from what I do recall, no one could tell me exactly why), but I was told that Champagne was not allowed to be brought on board. It was returned at the end of the cruise, but it was VERY annoying. It was, however, a battle that I didn't feel like fighting.

 

I'm not sure if I want to even bother bringing it again, I don't want to start my cruise that way this year.

 

Some of the security people are very strict and overly diligent with the written rules they get and, unfortunately, do not know that champagne is wine. This is the second time I've heard of this happening but we've taken 2 bottles of champagne, or cava, on every cruise we've taken for years and have never had an issue even when security actually checks the bottles. If they took my champagne away I'd bring it up with management who I hope would resolve the matter. If the policy is two bottles of wine then champagne should be just as good as a merlot or a chardonnay - they are all just different types of wine.

[ibwig]

Some of the security people are very strict and overly diligent with the written rules they get and, unfortunately, do not know that champagne is wine. This is the second time I've heard of this happening but we've taken 2 bottles of champagne, or cava, on every cruise we've taken for years and have never had an issue even when security actually checks the bottles. If they took my champagne away I'd bring it up with management who I hope would resolve the matter. If the policy is two bottles of wine then champagne should be just as good as a merlot or a chardonnay - they are all just different types of wine.

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The security person's supervisor backed him up on the champagne issue, but in retrospect I should have continued to pursue the issue. I realized at the time that I could not make them understand that champagne is wine. After reading here of others who have had no issues with bringing champagne I may just attempt to bring a bottle again this year.

[snowwmax]

Perrpis was referring to my post directly when I asked if I could put 2 bottles in my checked bag and with my "Sneakiness" put 2 additional bottles in my Carry-on bags. That is what led to his comments about being Frugal. I do not call it frugal - I call it being creative and while I agree it is a gamble, it is one I am happy to take. Considering that the reason for attempting to take another 2 bottles onboard is that we like certain White wines (pinot grigio, pinot gris, sauvignon blancs' ) and feel that Celebrity has an "OK" White wine selection.

 

So my efforts paid off... We did indeed enjoy 4 bottles of wine on our very last cruise :D (Just got in today) However - at the Port of Miami (POM) the security people take the 2 hand-carried bottles from you - provide you with a reciept and you got the bottles after the ship left port. So about 6pm that night - our 2 hand carried bottles arrived in the stateroom.

[watermusic101]

Just my experience. Last March out of Charleston DH and I brought two 1.5 liter bottles onto the Mercury. When we went through security, the woman scanning pulled over my carry on with the wine aside and I thought she was going to tell me the bottles were too big. When I asked she waived the wine on and said she didn't care about that BUT I had the dreaded pair of nail scissors in my bag which she took and then allowed me to board with my wine.:D