How many bottles of wine can you bring onboard?

[Fuzzy55]

Leaving in the Equinox on June 26 this year. Website says can only bring two bottles of wine per stateroom. Have read it is two per person. Has it recently changed?

[davekathy]

It is two 750 ml bottles of wine per stateroom, not per person. 🍷

[HskrCrsr]

The current FAQ (https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/before-you-board) says this under

What is Celebrity Cruises’ Alcohol Policy?:

 

Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when each guests are permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guest. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. 

[canderson]

7 minutes ago, davekathy said:

It is two 750 ml bottles of wine per stateroom, not per person. 🍷

See above.  Rules recently changed on site.

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, canderson said:

See above.  Rules recently changed on site.

I stand corrected. Knock me over with a feather. Nice change. Good to know. Bummer we have the AI for our September cruise. Maybe the next cruise we won't need the CBP knowing we can take 4 bottles of wine onboard and along with our unlimited CC drinks from 5 to 7 PM. 

[canderson]

6 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I stand corrected. Knock me over with a feather. Nice change. Good to know. Bummer we have the AI for our September cruise. Maybe the next cruise we won't need the CBP knowing we can take 4 bottles of wine onboard and along with our unlimited CC drinks from 5 to 7 PM. 

No kidding.  Was very surprised to see this as well.  Someone posted it here somewhere a couple of weeks ago.

 

Since we're landlocked here, it's a bit of a pain to pack 4 bottles in checked luggage, and bringing them carefully as carry-on blew up for us back in 2001, not to mention the weight issues.  We only take wine now if the cruise is long enough or stretched as a B2whatever and I have something special I'd like to take along.  Example: dessert wines aboard are pretty dreadful as they are in many venues - just grape syrup - no acidity to back up the sugar.  It's a rare climate that produces both in a grape, and then not every season.  Have been known to bring something like that along, but not more than 2 bottles, even for a longish cruise.

[Whinenowine]

I think it's a great change, and one I'll likely be taking advantage of on my August cruise.  I have to wonder if the policy change (which seems to be very recent) has something to do with all the posts about low supply of wine on X ships.  Members has posted a whole bunch of recent examples (myself included) where good wines were scarce onboard.

[kathynorth]

In the past there was language about corkage fees applying to dining rooms. I’m wondering if passengers who don’t have AI will be charged corkage at check in. Has anyone reading this who didn’t have AI recently board a Celebrity ship with wine? Can you let us know about your experience with boarding?

[Alakegirl]

You dont get charged corkage at boarding. 
 

You would only get charged if you bring the bottle to a bar or restaurant.

 

if you enjoy the wine in your stateroom, or even if you bring a glass out of your stateroom, no corkage

[Guppy99]

19 hours ago, HskrCrsr said:

The current FAQ (https://www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/before-you-board) says this under

What is Celebrity Cruises’ Alcohol Policy?:

 

Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when each guests are permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guest. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. 

The Celebrity website states this as per cabin in some places, and as a per person in others.

I have always understood it to be per cabin.

[Guppy99]

18 hours ago, Whinenowine said:

I think it's a great change, and one I'll likely be taking advantage of on my August cruise.  I have to wonder if the policy change (which seems to be very recent) has something to do with all the posts about low supply of wine on X ships.  Members has posted a whole bunch of recent examples (myself included) where good wines were scarce onboard.

i don't believe there is a change. I think the copy writer has it wrong.  there are other noticeable contradictions on the website.  Having experience in an online environment, it is not uncommon to have someone write and publish copy without anyone double checking that it's right or going back to clean up and correct old copy.

[canderson]

Take a printed copy of a 2/passenger page with a timestamp on it supplied by your browser and be prepared to stand your ground.  You're not responsible for X's external communications.

[jelayne]

The change makes sense to me for 2 reasons

1.  If you have AI and bring on 4 bottles that is 4 less bottles that Celebrity buys.

2.  With the supply issues the # of folks complaining about their favorite wine not being available is probably reduced.  

[George C]

Love the new rule of two bottles per person and no corkage if you have drink package. Nice to have a new rule that favors the passengers. 

[cruisestitch]

What is very odd on the FAQ is that the very next one where prohibited items are listed, it’s back to the original wording of two bottles per state room not two bottles per person. 
 

port side and starboard side hands continue to fail to monitor each other 🤪

 

[Guppy99]

Exactly. No way to know what the actual current rule is. And I would not want to start off my vacation by printing a copy of the preferred rule and priming myself for an argument upon boarding. 

[kathynorth]

This discussion is why I'm wondering if anyone has recently gone onboard with 2 bottles per person,  so 4 for the room. If they didn't have AI were they charged corkage at check in? We typically keep the wine in our cabin, but leave for dinner with a full glass. We've had drink packages on our last 5 or so cruises, but our next cruise is a cruise only rate. 

[LGW59]

Each guest may bring 2 bottles on board, corkage fee is not paid until consumption 

[kathynorth]

I just received our Guest Ticket Booklet for our cruise that leaves in 3 weeks. The statement listed there is a much clearer explanation than what is posted on the website. It says:

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them embarkation day may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with a Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package."

Edited June 6, 2022 by kathynorth

[LGW59]

5 minutes ago, kathynorth said:

I just received our Guest Ticket Booklet for our cruise that leaves in 3 weeks. The statement listed there is a much clearer explanation than what is posted on the website. It says:

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them embarkation day may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with a Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package."

And if you just plan to drink it in your room, you can request a corkscrew and there is no corkage fee

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

And if you just plan to drink it in your room, you can request a corkscrew and there is no corkage fee

You can also pour your wine in your stateroom and carry the glass of wine to any venue with no issues. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

It's an incredible rare win-win move for both X and the passenger.  For X, a big benefit should be AI passengers will bring some wine on and then X can save money by serving them fewer drinks.  For the passenger they can bring on any wine they want and even with AI, if they're wanting wine outside their packages price range, it'll save them money vs buying it an inflated price.

[markeb]

30 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

It's an incredible rare win-win move for both X and the passenger.  For X, a big benefit should be AI passengers will bring some wine on and then X can save money by serving them fewer drinks.  For the passenger they can bring on any wine they want and even with AI, if they're wanting wine outside their packages price range, it'll save them money vs buying it an inflated price.

 

Yeah. You can bring on better wine without paying a 200-300% upcharge over retail. And Celebrity saves on providing wine in the packages. I'm somewhat amazed it took them this long to realize that!

[Arizona Wildcat]

15 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

You dont get charged corkage at boarding. 
 

You would only get charged if you bring the bottle to a bar or restaurant.

 

if you enjoy the wine in your stateroom, or even if you bring a glass out of your stateroom, no corkage

Looks like that changed as well.  Corkage unless you have a beverage package just like Princess.

[HskrCrsr]

15 hours ago, Guppy99 said:

The Celebrity website states this as per cabin in some places, and as a per person in others.

I have always understood it to be per cabin.

Yes, their website contradicts itself frequently. Once we know the actual policy, here's an article to be updated:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=31