Brought wine onboard Star

[ar1950]

.....They inspected each bottle closely - my guess is that they were making sure each bottle was wine and not scotch, rum, vodka, etc.

 

You have got me curious. How did they "closely inspect" it? They don't open it do they?:confused:

[scanditaly]

It doesn't matter if you check it or take it with you. The only difference is that, if you check it, you will have to go down and claim it, which might be kind of interesting.

 

We plan to check a case in our "Wine Check" bag and take two bottle in our carry-on so we can enjoy a glass of wine with our friends at sail away.

 

hey PunkiC; I have seen many of your posts. did not realize how much you enjoyed wine. anyway, yes, we frequently use the wine check bag and just send it through. However, we have never done this on Princess. Do you have the expectation that they (Princess) will just add the correct amount to your onboard account? Or perhaps you expect to have to go to "security" to pick up the wine box?

 

My personal hope is that the correct amount is just added to my account. I do not think that will happen. I have packed a six-bottle handled carrier in case I decide to actually carry it, and will transfer before we board. BTW: this next sailing is with my DD, and I will be drinking solo. :(. I do plan to share what I have brought, though.:D

 

Cheers, lisa

[PunkiC]

I am assuming that we will have to go to some version of a "naughty room" for our "wine check" bag, but that's cool. I am very curious about the new procedures and will be interested to see how they do things and will surely report back. ;)

 

We will be sharing adjoining balconies with some dear friends and plan to spend a reasonable amount of time sharing wine with them as we watch the world go by.

[dunbawn]

We just returned from our Alaskan Island Princess cruise. Although we didn't bring wine on board our steward told us that some bags had been soaked by someone's wine that was in the checked luggage. It seems 4 bottles had broken inside the luggage. I was just happy none of it seeped into mine.

[PunkiC]

We have frequently packed (carefully packed) wine in checked bags, for travel on both planes and ships. and have never had a problem. The "Wine Check" bag is a heavy canvas bag, over a cardboard box that contains a foam filler that holds 12 bottles of wine. It is certified for checking on airplanes so I think it will be fine for the ship.

 

It may turn out to be more trouble than it is worth for long trips, but for cruises out of Seattle, it is perfect for us, not that there are that many cruises one can take out of Seattle. :)

[DebInTN]

You have got me curious. How did they "closely inspect" it? They don't open it do they?:confused:

 

They didn't open the bottles, but took all the bottles out of the box and looked at each one. Not sure what would have happened if one of them had already been opened.

[Dorset Cruiser]

What now happens when you take on a box or bag of wine which is typically 3+ bottles?

[JimmyVWine]

What now happens when you take on a box or bag of wine which is typically 3+ bottles?

 

There are no reports yet as to what has happened on ships that are enforcing the new policy when they encounter a box or magnum. The luggage tag clearly says that passengers are allowed to bring on 750ml bottles. Given that Princess is allowing people to bring on 750ml per person and charging $15 per 750ml bottle above that limit, it would seem that they would either have to pro-rate the charge, giving you 750ml for free and then charge you $45 for the other 2250ml, or simply disallow the box since they don't want to do the math. But it certainly would be unfair if passenger "A" gets charged $45 for bringing on board 4 bottles, but passenger "B" gets to waltz on with a 3L box for no charge.

[lucky99]

A question please...Can you take a larger bottle(larger than 750ml0 and just pay the 15.00 per bottle upon boarding?

We each put 1.5 in our carryon and no one stopped us. I believe the people scanning the luggage are looking for weapons not the size of the bottle of wine you bring. We opened it in our cabin and my DH even took a glass to dinner with him each night and again, no one said anything. Some cruise lines are really nit picky about it. RCL has a "naughty room" where they put suitcases scanned and have booze in them.

[JimmyVWine]

We each put 1.5 in our carryon and no one stopped us.

Was this on a ship that was enforcing the new policy, (i.e., allowing one free bottle per person and stamping and charging extra bottles?)

[Teris50]

Get this! We were on the Golden in December to Hawaii and two of my friends won bottle of champagne at various games during the 2 weeks. The last night on the cruise we ate at the Crown Grill and they wanted to charge us the corkage fee!! We were shocked! We had to argue and get the head waiter agree to not charge us. I think the bottles probably cost Princess $5.00 each and they were going to charge us the corkage fee!! GOOD GRIEF.

[antsp]

There are no reports yet as to what has happened on ships that are enforcing the new policy when they encounter a box or magnum. The luggage tag clearly says that passengers are allowed to bring on 750ml bottles. Given that Princess is allowing people to bring on 750ml per person and charging $15 per 750ml bottle above that limit, it would seem that they would either have to pro-rate the charge, giving you 750ml for free and then charge you $45 for the other 2250ml, or simply disallow the box since they don't want to do the math. But it certainly would be unfair if passenger "A" gets charged $45 for bringing on board 4 bottles, but passenger "B" gets to waltz on with a 3L box for no charge.

 

they destroyed our magnum of champagne ( sparkling wine )

[eandj]

We'll be on the Carib. out of Southampton in a couple weeks. With a stay in London pre cruise. I was planning on purchaseing four bottles of wine before boarding. Figured that wouldn't be a problem as Dh and I each would carry on two.

After reading all these posts, I am totally turned off. So if we would carry on two each they actually keep track some way of what we are bringing on board? This sounds crazy and I'd think we won't be the only ones who are grumbling. The idea of paying corkage for wine we will drink in our room, is... :rolleyes:

 

If we have a gift of wine delivered to our room from our daughter, are we expected to pay corkage on it in the dining room?

[JimmyVWine]

After reading all these posts, I am totally turned off. So if we would carry on two each they actually keep track some way of what we are bringing on board? This sounds crazy and I'd think we won't be the only ones who are grumbling. The idea of paying corkage for wine we will drink in our room, is... :rolleyes:

 

It's all a matter of perspective. Princess is competing headlong with X, RCL, NCL. Ask the passengers over there if they would love to have Princess' Draconian wine rules and I am betting that they would rejoice. Granted, HAL has a more liberal wine policy in this price range. But name me another cruise line in this "large ship, mass market" class that allows you to bring on as much wine as you would like. Is the new policy as good as the old unenforced policy? No. Does it beat the alternative? Yes. So grumble if you must, but where are you going to go?

[Dorset Cruiser]

We'll be on the Carib. out of Southampton in a couple weeks. With a stay in London pre cruise. I was planning on purchaseing four bottles of wine before boarding. Figured that wouldn't be a problem as Dh and I each would carry on two.

After reading all these posts, I am totally turned off. So if we would carry on two each they actually keep track some way of what we are bringing on board? This sounds crazy and I'd think we won't be the only ones who are grumbling. The idea of paying corkage for wine we will drink in our room, is... :rolleyes:

 

If we have a gift of wine delivered to our room from our daughter, are we expected to pay corkage on it in the dining room?

 

Think they might be a bit less strict in Southampton. Someone just off Crown Princess took on a winebox for consumption in their cabin and no mention was made about stamping it or charging corkage and a winebox typically contains 3+ bottles.

[Dorset Cruiser]

it's all a matter of perspective. Princess is competing headlong with x, rcl, ncl. Ask the passengers over there if they would love to have princess' draconian wine rules and i am betting that they would rejoice. Granted, hal has a more liberal wine policy in this price range. But name me another cruise line in this "large ship, mass market" class that allows you to bring on as much wine as you would like. Is the new policy as good as the old unenforced policy? No. Does it beat the alternative? Yes. So grumble if you must, but where are you going to go?

 

p&o :)

[eandj]

It's all a matter of perspective. Princess is competing headlong with X, RCL, NCL. Ask the passengers over there if they would love to have Princess' Draconian wine rules and I am betting that they would rejoice. Granted, HAL has a more liberal wine policy in this price range. But name me another cruise line in this "large ship, mass market" class that allows you to bring on as much wine as you would like. Is the new policy as good as the old unenforced policy? No. Does it beat the alternative? Yes. So grumble if you must, but where are you going to go?

 

We are very frequent X cruisers. Only one previous Princess cruise. One HAL. We have always managed openly to each carry a couple bottles of wine onboard the X ships. No lists to be checked off,:rolleyes: special lines to go thru for that number of bottles. We aren't carrying on a case. We still buy in the bars and dining room.

Especially when cruising on 12 or more days, the idea of allowinig just one bottle is pretty darn skimpy. Perhaps not jumping from pretty liberal to draconian would indeed make it easier to swallow. Excuse the pun.;)

 

We enjoy HAL just like Princess and Celebrity. So with the right itinerary, the more liberal wine policy might steer us more often to HAL.

[eandj]

If we have a gift of wine delivered to our room from our daughter, are we expected to pay corkage on it in the dining room? The gratuity is already added in the cost.

 

 

 

Can someone answer this, please????

[lucky99]

Was this on a ship that was enforcing the new policy, (i.e., allowing one free bottle per person and stamping and charging extra bottles?)

 

 

Ruby Princess and we just got home May 25. It was a 26 day TA cruise. They never looked at what we had in our carry on. We each had a 1.5 bottle of wine in our carry ons. He also bought a bottle in almost every port stop and took it through the scanner and up to the cabin I believe those were smaller bottles but it was almost every port stop.

[lucky99]

Can someone answer this, please????

 

 

We always carry an corkscrew and open it in the cabin. He then takes a glass to the MDR with him and drinks it. No one has ever said anything. Lots of times if we go through a travel agent she will give us a bottle of wine and again, no one has ever charged us. I think the key is opening it in your cabin and taking one glass to dinner. How do they know you weren't at a ship's bar before you came to dinner.

[moonhunter]

On our last trip this May we smuggled a few extra bottles of wine onboard with our luggage. Then during one stop we bought a couple of bottles on board. We were stopped and told we needed to have any liquor checked. When we went to the check point we were told that wine was OK - no corkage fees.

[GweninTX]

On the Golden I asked if I could bring one larger bottle in lieu of 2 regular and I was told NO. They are strictly enforcing the policy as it is written!

[Cruise Junky]

Is the new policy as good as the old unenforced policy? No. Does it beat the alternative? Yes. So grumble if you must, but where are you going to go?

 

Well two trips to Hawaii, a trip to Paris and a cruise on a line that gave me unlimited drinks is where I'm going :)

[pris993]

It will be interesting to see if Princess consistently enforces this new policy or it is hit and miss like a lot of other policies.

 

We cruised on NCL on the Jade earlier this year in the Eastern Mediterranean. NCL has a similar policy, you can bring on as much wine but each bottle is subject to a $15 fee. No 2 free bottles. We flew in to Rome to board the ship, did not get a chance to buy wine on the way to the ship, next port was in Turkey... did not see any wine we wanted to buy near the port. By that time we had a few days experience with the NCL "freestyle approach to dining" which we really did not care for very much, so we decided to skip the MDR the entire cruise after the first night, so we did not really need any wine anyway. We happily had beer with lunch each day and let it go at that... my point here is Princess may find this new policy has its draw backs. We actually spent less on NCL then we typically spend on an 11 day cruise since we did not bother with wine.

[JimmyVWine]

We are very frequent X cruisers. Only one previous Princess cruise. One HAL. We have always managed openly to each carry a couple bottles of wine onboard the X ships.

 

But what is the official policy of X? You have to compare apples to apples. On Princess, there is a policy that absolutely allows unlimited wine and spotty enforcement of the collection of fees. On X, there is a prohibition against bringing any wine with spotty enforcement of the prohibition. How is the latter better? If the former elects to enforce its rules, all it costs you is cash. If the latter elects to enforce its rules, it costs you your wine plus the expense of buying replacements on board. Simple logic is in play here. If both lines ignore their rules, you get all your wine on for free. That is a constant and they cancel each other out. But if both lines enforce their rules, you are better off on Princess. But relying on the notion that X will continue to ignore its rules is dubious.