Alcohol Confiscated - Caught !!

[pablo222]

The people "bragging" about wheeling on a case were not "bending" any rules, let alone getting away with murder. The alcohol restrictions (and this thread) pertain to bringing hard liquor on board.

 

The previous policy was one bottle of wine. (for the pedants

-- one bottle of wine for each pax of legal drinking age, which

may vary depending on the embarcation port)

 

The new policy is being as many bottles as you wish, but pay

corkage at embarcation.

 

So, if you were bringing a case on board previously, you were not

following the policy.

[JimmyVWine]

From my reading of the cruise ticket contract, bringing a case of wine is not permitted. It does not say that any bottles of wine in addition to "one-per-person" are simply charged a $15 corkage fee:

 

The current policy is clearly stated in the FAQ section of the website and more importantly, printed on the luggage tags.

[JimmyVWine]

The previous policy was one bottle of wine. (for the pedants

-- one bottle of wine for each pax of legal drinking age, which

may vary depending on the embarcation port)

 

The new policy is being as many bottles as you wish, but pay

corkage at embarcation.

 

So, if you were bringing a case on board previously, you were not

following the policy.

This is subject to debate. Admittedly, you could find that more restrictive policy in print prior to the "new" rule. (And indeed, you can still find the "old" rule in print in the out-dated contract). But if you called Princess, they would tell you that there was no restriction. I know because I did. So in essence, the "new" rule is really nothing more than a codification of how the old rule was being applied. Confusing, to be sure. Bottom line is that last December, Princess was following an approach that is identical to the "new rule". So whether it was de factor or de jure, the rule doesn't seem to have changed.

Edited October 6, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[JimmyVWine]

My post was specifically responding to one sentence that I had highlighted from poster Cruise Junky.

The sentence from Cruise Junky's post that you highlighted applied to "booze" not wine.

Edited October 6, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[Cruise Junky]

The previous policy was one bottle of wine. (for the pedants

-- one bottle of wine for each pax of legal drinking age, which

may vary depending on the embarcation port)

 

The new policy is being as many bottles as you wish, but pay

corkage at embarcation.

 

So, if you were bringing a case on board previously, you were not

following the policy.

 

Depends on what you take as policy. Their marketing material or their cruise contract. Cruise contract which governs the cruise had no limit on wine

[Mary Ellen]

Food for thought:

 

I have managed many ships for several different cruise lines. Occasionally in the past we experimented with confiscating alcohol one crusie and then allowing it onboard the next cruise.

 

We were quite surprised to learn that onboard revenues were rarely affected by these actions. We made as much bar revenue while confiscating alcohol as we did when we allowed passengers to bring it onboard.

 

But there were other issues that were affected by our actions.

When we confiscated alcohol, we had far fewer complaints from passengers that their neighbors were partying in their cabins and keeping everyone awake.

We also had far fewer accidents where drunk passengers were falling down and breaking bones.

We had fewer fights where drunks were punching each other over really silly things.

We had fewer cabins trashed by drunk partiers.

We had fewer drunk people falling overboard.

 

And most importantly, we had far fewer lawsuits from people who brought their own alcohol onboard, got drunk in their cabins, got into some sort of trouble, and then sued the cruise line for millions for getting them drunk.

 

Most of these were frivolous lawsuits that were thrown out of court. But the cruise lines still had to pay big legal fees to defend themselves until the charges were thrown out. At one point, the cruise line I worked for had over $500 Million in frivolous lawsuits to defend.

 

The US Courts ruled that they would be more willing to dismiss the bulk of these charges if the cruise lines could demonstrate that we had a relatively tight control of alcohol consumption on our vessels.

 

By limiting and controlling what is brought onboard, establishing Responsible Service of Alcohol Training for all servers, making regulations for refusing to serve drunks, and keeping prices comparable to those on shore, the cruise lines convinced the courts that we are making a serious effort to control drunkenness on our ships. The courts in turn have been very cooperative in refusing to entertain frivolous lawsuits from those who still manage to get themselves drunk on ships.

 

Unfortunately when you deal with the masses on a mass market ship, the bad behaviour of a few has unfortunate consequences for all of us.

 

The directive to confiscate alcohol did not come from our Revenue Department, but from our Legal Department.

[cothulio]

Hey Thrak, I too understood the S-mart reference. :D

 

Guess I'm slow but don't have a clue.....what does it refer to?

[pablo222]

Admittedly, you could find that more restrictive policy in print prior to the "new" rule.

 

There you go.

 

The confusion was because it was never enforced.

[KathieKata]

Any of you long time cruisers with Princess line know when Traditional Dining HOURS start? I can't find anything regarding that anywhere.

 

Excuse the Off Topic question. Sorry to interrupt your discussion.;)

[chrysalis]

Any of you long time cruisers with Princess line know when Traditional Dining HOURS start? I can't find anything regarding that anywhere.

 

Excuse the Off Topic question. Sorry to interrupt your discussion.;)

 

The Princess website lists it ship by ship and dining room by dining room.

[redtogo]

The current policy is clearly stated in the FAQ section of the website and more importantly, printed on the luggage tags.

 

There is nothing about alcohol on my luggage tags. Mine has my name, date of cruise, stateroom, and name of ship.

[redtogo]

Any of you long time cruisers with Princess line know when Traditional Dining HOURS start? I can't find anything regarding that anywhere.

 

Excuse the Off Topic question. Sorry to interrupt your discussion.;)

 

Early is usually 5:30. We never have the late seating.

Edited October 6, 2013 by redtogo

[JimmyVWine]

There is nothing about alcohol on my luggage tags. Mine has my name, date of cruise, stateroom, and name of ship.

 

It's been on the luggage tags all summer. Not sure if they stopped. I haven't heard tha they did.

[Bogof1]

Trad dining is 6.00 for early and 8.15 for late dining

[Saruman]

It's been on the luggage tags all summer. Not sure if they stopped. I haven't heard tha they did.

 

Nope. Still printed on the current luggage tags AND the boarding pass!

Other than hiring someone to yell it in my ear as I board, I don't know what else they can do to make the policy clear!:)

[shootingstar07]

I can live with the policy. However I wish Princess would carry some top shelf single malt. Would not bother me to purchase bottle from them so I could sit on balcony at sail-a-way. Beats me putting it in my suitcase, bubble-wrapped and taking space where another pair of shoes could be!!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[remydiva]

There is nothing about alcohol on my luggage tags. Mine has my name, date of cruise, stateroom, and name of ship.

 

Look underneath Step 4 in the instructions how to fold the paper into a luggage tag...it is there plain and simple...just checked mine from last week's cruise

 

Step 4

Board the ship and escape

completely.

FOLD (DO NOT CUT) FOLD

ELITE

NAME

XXXXXXXXX

EMBARKATION DATE / PORT

September 28, 2013 - NYC

7R8TVDCB

STATEROOM

CXXX

SHIP

CARIBBEAN PRINCESS

F S

STAPLE HERE

FOLD (DO NOT CUT) FOLD

Bringing Alcohol

Onboard?

Please remember our

carry-on alcohol policy:

• One 750ml bottle of wine

or champagne per adult 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 per bottle,

irrespective of where they are

intended to be consumed.

• Other liquors, spirits or beers

are prohibited. Luggage is

subject to search.

NOTE:

You can print additional copies

[Wehwalt]

Nope. Still printed on the current luggage tags AND the boarding pass!

Other than hiring someone to yell it in my ear as I board, I don't know what else they can do to make the policy clear!:)

 

I'd just assume the person was hard of hearing. But I gather a lot of the people affected by the policy are hard of listening ...

[RumbLine]

Guess I'm slow but don't have a clue.....what does it refer to?

 

could it be Smart?

[Dorset Cruiser]

Nonsense. All of the bags that you check on a plane are subject to search without you present. That is why they ask you when you drop your bags off at the screening area if your bags are unlocked. That is why travel stores sell TSA approved locks for which the TSA has a key. How do you think that piece of paper gets into your suitcase informing you that the bag has been searched? Fairies? Osmosis? Have you ever been present when that piece of paper was placed into your bag? If the TSA found contraband items in your luggage, they would be confiscated outside of your presence.

 

When we picked up our suitcases at Heathrow on Sunday after our flight from Newark, I noticed that a lock was missing off one. Opened it and found the slip of paper saying it had been searched. Well, they must have magic hands as NOTHING had been moved to search the suitcase. I know because I am almost ocd about my packing and I could see that nothing had been moved. It was a nice lock as well :(. Will be investing in some TSA locks (or cable ties) if we fly in or out of the US in future, although this is not likely as it is just too stressful.

 

Anyway, for a country's national security I would understand and accept them going through my luggage in my absence, if they required to do so, but I would NEVER accept that a cruiseline should have the same access to the contents of my suitcases just to check if I have a bottle of alcohol secreted therein. No problem with them asking me to go to a 'naughty room' to open the suitcase in their presence :(

[Dorset Cruiser]

Trad dining is 6.00 for early and 8.15 for late dining

 

It was 5.45 pm on Caribbean Princess last week.

[pablo222]

...but I would NEVER accept that a cruiseline should have the same access to the contents of my suitcases just to check if I have a bottle of alcohol secreted therein.

The cruise contract gives princess the right to search your cabin. Why be concerned about JUST your suitcase?

[Jim Avery]

Last week on the Star, we could have taken pretty much full RRs as the inspection at LA was minimal. In fact we had 6 miniatures from the plane in our quart zip lock bags and they went right through. We also bought $129 worth of booze from Princess for in the cabin and the rest we drank at the bars. We were satisfied with our bar tab at the end of the cruise and don't know if we would bother trying to smuggle in the future. In San Francisco, there was virtually no inspection for booze. In San Diego, it would have been found. Hit or miss. Since you have to go to the liquor store and buy the booze to smuggle, the savings are just not all that much in the big scheme of things. Do I wish I could carry on the brands I prefer? Yes. Do I wish they would sell the in cabin booze in liters at a more reasonable price? Double yes. Still had a great cruise.:D

[Mara4166]

Anyway, for a country's national security I would understand and accept them going through my luggage in my absence, if they required to do so, but I would NEVER accept that a cruiseline should have the same access to the contents of my suitcases just to check if I have a bottle of alcohol secreted therein. No problem with them asking me to go to a 'naughty room' to open the suitcase in their presence :(

 

You may want to stop cruising. The cruise contract give cruise lines the right to search not only your baggage, but also you cabin - any your person.

 

Since the cruise line is not registered in the USA or the UK, your rights are diminished. I doubt the cruise line would abuse the rights since they want to keep customers hsppy, but if you break the rules, they have a LOT of rights to make sure you follow them.

[parks & rec]

Look underneath Step 4 in the instructions how to fold the paper into a luggage tag...it is there plain and simple...just checked mine from last week's cruise

 

Step 4

Board the ship and escape

completely.

FOLD (DO NOT CUT) FOLD

ELITE

NAME

XXXXXXXXX

EMBARKATION DATE / PORT

September 28, 2013 - NYC

7R8TVDCB

STATEROOM

CXXX

SHIP

CARIBBEAN PRINCESS

F S

STAPLE HERE

FOLD (DO NOT CUT) FOLD

Bringing Alcohol

Onboard?

Please remember our

carry-on alcohol policy:

• One 750ml bottle of wine

or champagne per adult 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 per bottle,

irrespective of where they are

intended to be consumed.

• Other liquors, spirits or beers

are prohibited. Luggage is

subject to search.

NOTE:

You can print additional copies

 

Question about the bullet point "Additional wine . . .". The wording in this bullet point does not specify the size of the bottle, as it does in the bullet point preceeding. Can one argue that there should be no restriction on the size of bottles being charged the $15 corkage fee?