RCL Wine and Liquor Policies and Prices (Merged)

[caviargal]

We just came home yesterday form the mariner of the seas. After reading about the new policys with bringing alcohol on board I decided to pack my liquor in my luggage rather than my carry on. This is the first time I've done this and it was fine. We packed a small rolling piece of luggage with 2 bottles of wine, 2 8 packs of soda, 8 water bottles and a small bottle of vodka. We had our bags by 3pm with everything intact.

 

^^^^^

Thanks to poster on another thread for this current info for Mariner.

 

Let's keep collecting current info.

 

The new policies were not in effect when you sailed so I would not expect your cruise to have been impacted.

 

I will post about SOS when I return although we will not be "packing".

[happy cruzer]

Hi, Caviargal

 

Regarding the new policy, when I read the details of the new policy copied from the TA website. the only thing new I saw was the North American waiver not being allowed. I think the policy was unchanged in that no liquor to be brought on board at all, 2 bottles of wine ok with approval and corkage fee to be charged, no mention of other beverages. Of Course people have been told other things when they call cust serv.

 

So I am still trying to monitor how the enforcement is regarding bringing beverages on board. Hopefully the waiver will be tracked as well.

 

Can't wait to hear about your cruise! Have a good one!

[dongordon]

This is what Royal Caribbean's Official TA site currently has under quick reference pages. I also looked at the casino info because someone mentioned that as well. This is what it had to say just a minute ago. :)

 

Alcoholic Beverages

We apologize for any inconvenience but due to recent regulatory and licensing requirements guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty-free from the Shops On Board or at ports of call will be stored by Royal Caribbean and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the voyage. A member of our staff will be at the gangway to assist with the storage of any purchases.

For guests who wish to bring "fine" wine aboard, and Royal Caribbean is unable to accommodate their selection, we will, with prior approval from Royal Caribbean, allow a maximum of two bottles of wine to be brought by the guest or group. A corkage fee in the amount of $12.00 per bottle will be charged. This policy may not apply to every ship or itinerary depending on local laws, customs, or license requirements but Royal Caribbean will try and accommodate requests. Royal Caribbean is not responsible for fines imposed or items confiscated by local authorities.

Alcohol Policy

While a ship is at sea, Royal Caribbean International will not serve alcoholic beverages to guests under 21 years of age.

Note: An individual's age on the date of sailing determines his or her status for the entire cruise vacation.

 

 

I copied the above post so that we all know what the TAs are being told. I think we should keep collecting current beverage enforcement by ship and date. Thanks.

 

And I thought NCL was bad!!

 

Two bottles of wine....ridiculous! That won't last too long on a 9-day cruise!

 

Don

[loisgriffin]

My goodness...This has been a great thread but also quite confusing! Sounds like there is just not a "real" answer to be had regarding the policy on wine.

 

I am beginning to think that just not having wine on my 7 night cruise might be the answer. But can I handle the withdrawals of no good red wine for that long?!?! :eek: I think we are pretty spoiled in California with our wine variety and quality... This cruise just might do me in!

 

How sad would it be if I start choosing my vacations/cruises based on the wine policies on board?? :rolleyes:

 

OT - Hubby and I just got our new wine cabinet up and running. The company who built it states it operates the most efficiently at 75% full. Guess it is time for another trip to wine country....how depressing is that?! :D

[beachchick]

My goodness...This has been a great thread but also quite confusing! Sounds like there is just not a "real" answer to be had regarding the policy on wine.

 

I am beginning to think that just not having wine on my 7 night cruise might be the answer. But can I handle the withdrawals of no good red wine for that long?!?! :eek: I think we are pretty spoiled in California with our wine variety and quality... This cruise just might do me in!

 

How sad would it be if I start choosing my vacations/cruises based on the wine policies on board?? :rolleyes:

 

OT - Hubby and I just got our new wine cabinet up and running. The company who built it states it operates the most efficiently at 75% full. Guess it is time for another trip to wine country....how depressing is that?! :D

 

Nah, go ahead and bring the wine. Pack it (and you can easily bring 4; we bring 3 when it's just the two of us because my DH doesn't drink and 6 when we travel with my sister and BIL) in a wine shipper and send it as checked luggage. We have never had a problem with this. (We only bring wine, no smuggled anything else--and we never "smuggle" our wine.) We are completely underwhelmed with both the choices and the prices (300%-500% markup, please) on RCI's wine list.

 

BTW, which of our state's several premium wine regions are you planning to visit? DH and I happen to live in one of them--NOT Napa/Sonoma; not that there's anything wrong with Napa/Sonoma, we enjoy it too. I know I would just shrivel up and die if I had to give up my personal favorites on a cruise.;)

 

beachchick

[loisgriffin]

BTW, which of our state's several premium wine regions are you planning to visit? DH and I happen to live in one of them--NOT Napa/Sonoma; not that there's anything wrong with Napa/Sonoma, we enjoy it too. I know I would just shrivel up and die if I had to give up my personal favorites on a cruise.;)

 

beachchick

 

Hey beachchick ~

 

We are planning to go somewhere on Veteran's day weekend (since it is a long weekend), but have yet to decide where. Our friends want to try Murphy's and the Jackson area, but my husband would prefer the Russian River valley. I am a big Napa valley fan (I just LOVE Calistoga and St. Helena) but am willing to try the other valleys. We went to Amador County in May, which was nice, stopped at a few places in El Dorado County on our way down - awful road, but found a few great wineries. I will definitely go back there. I find that about every 3-4 months I start going through "withdrawals" and need to visit the wine country! We have a few wineries where we are, but we are definitely not a wine destination. Good thing we are relatively close to wine regions! If you don't mind me asking, which region do you live in?

 

~ loisgriffin

[beachchick]

Hey beachchick ~

 

We are planning to go somewhere on Veteran's day weekend (since it is a long weekend), but have yet to decide where. Our friends want to try Murphy's and the Jackson area, but my husband would prefer the Russian River valley. I am a big Napa valley fan (I just LOVE Calistoga and St. Helena) but am willing to try the other valleys. We went to Amador County in May, which was nice, stopped at a few places in El Dorado County on our way down - awful road, but found a few great wineries. I will definitely go back there. I find that about every 3-4 months I start going through "withdrawals" and need to visit the wine country! We have a few wineries where we are, but we are definitely not a wine destination. Good thing we are relatively close to wine regions! If you don't mind me asking, which region do you live in?

 

~ loisgriffin

 

We live on the central coast (the actual central coast area, not the "pretenders" trying to horn in on the accolates acheived by our wineries or the tourism involved). Monterey county has some excellent wineries and are as far north as we could even consider to be the central coast. The Paso Robles appellation is now huge and reknown, as is the Edna Valley appellation. The Santa Ynez area has a couple of excellent regions. Any further south then Santa Barbara and you're out of the true central coast. That's not to say that there aren't some excellent wineries; just that they really aren't part of the central coast.

 

It's as if Santa Barbara wants to be part of southern CA when it suits, but then wants to "grab" the name "central coast" when it comes to wine. Ditto with anything north of Monterey--they're northern CA until it comes to wine, then they want to be "included" with us. (Yes, we do get kind of touchy around here about that. We all pretty much loathe being considered part of southern CA when it comes to definitions of regionality. We are the central coast, not northern and not southern, but central.:D)

 

You can't go wrong wending your way through Monterey county and down into San Luis Obispo county and even into Santa Barbara county (where most of Sideways was filmed; didn't like the movie, but did enjoy the local scenery). Have fun exploring.

 

beachchick

[suzyluvs2cruise]

beachchick - we're from So Cal and recently toured the Paso Robles wine country.................especially loved two wines from Castoro Cellars..........Tango 2004 Reserve and Petite Sirah 2002 Stone's Throw. First drove through Solvang, then up to Monterey and then down route 1 to Cambria. Great wine region. And, of course, we tasted all along the way. Here in So. Cal Temecula has really grown as a wine tasting destination. Have you ever beeen there?

 

This whole wine thing with RCI is totally confusing. We're on the Radiance August 19. May pack a high end "box wine" in the suitcase. No worries about breakage and should be OK through check-in.

[Merion_Mom]

beachchick - we're from So Cal and recently toured the Paso Robles wine country.................especially loved two wines from Castoro Cellars..........Tango 2004 Reserve and Petite Sirah 2002 Stone's Throw. First drove through Solvang, then up to Monterey and then down route 1 to Cambria. Great wine region. And, of course, we tasted all along the way. Here in So. Cal Temecula has really grown as a wine tasting destination. Have you ever beeen there?

 

This whole wine thing with RCI is totally confusing. We're on the Radiance August 19. May pack a high end "box wine" in the suitcase. No worries about breakage and should be OK through check-in.

Karalun, please excuse my ignorance. We have a state-controlled system here in Pennsylvania, and I know that there is a LOT of California wine that never gets over here.

 

Is "high end box wine" an oxymoron or not?

 

Inquiring minds want to know.

[npmadsen]

Good Boxed Wine, out local liquor store, has some really nice box'ed wine, it is $26 to $29 for a box, equi to about 4 bottles.

It is a nice quailty, have had a parties and friends houses.

Now it is not your $30 dollar bottle of wine , but probally about 12 dollar a bottle wine.

Eileen

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Karalun, please excuse my ignorance. We have a state-controlled system here in Pennsylvania, and I know that there is a LOT of California wine that never gets over here.

 

Is "high end box wine" an oxymoron or not?

 

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

As I reread the post I could see how "high end box wine" might sound a bit odd. Here's a link to a review of box wine you might be interested in reading.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/home/wine/articles/0221boxwine21.html

 

Eileen's post explains what I meant by higher end "box wine". Thanks, Eileen. It's a great alternative way to take along your own wine when you're traveling. :)

[happy cruzer]

Banrock Station and Hardy's?? I just don't know. I'm more into the Sav Blancs from New Zealand and some of the good shiraz's like Footbolt. Lindemann's Chard is ok too for us. I think I will try the box just to know for sure.:)

[suzyluvs2cruise]

happy cruzer - see you're going on the Voyager TA Nov. 14. Have you signed up for the Meet and Mingle? Click on the following link. We'd like you to join us on the Roll Call thread.

.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=7377207#post7377207

 

The article I linked you to is from 2003. There are many more fine box wines available now. We have a good choice here in So. Cal. with prices up into the $25 range.

 

Hope you join us on our roll call thread. :)

[loisgriffin]

(Yes, we do get kind of touchy around here about that. We all pretty much loathe being considered part of southern CA when it comes to definitions of regionality. We are the central coast, not northern and not southern, but central.:D)

 

Isn't the Russian River Valley kind of the entrance to the central coastal region? Californians can definitely be territorial when it comes to defining where they are located. Sometimes I think it is because the other states have a tendency to define us based on how "Hollywood" is...(just my opinion!). When, in reality, the majority of the state is almost the opposite of the Hollywood stereotype (again, just my opinion). Up in northern CA, we find it funny when others say that San Francisco is in the north - sometimes it feels like people believe there is nothing beyond San Francisco other then Oregon!

 

Living in the wine region must be wonderful, beachchick!

[Travel luv]

Ok I understand that people are checking their wine bottles in. Could you explain how you are going about packing your corkscrews with the changes in security at the airports?

[TheEngineer]

Ok I understand that people are checking their wine bottles in. Could you explain how you are going about packing your corkscrews with the changes in security at the airports?

 

I don't remember if corkscrews were removed from the prohibited items list or not, but if not, just pack them in your checked luggage.

[Merion_Mom]

Corkscrews aren't permitted in your carryon, but they are ok in checked bags.

 

I lost my brand new corkscrew when I was returning from Orlando on July 19th. Since I wasn't planning on flying at all, I hadn't given a THOUGHT to what was in my various toiletry bags.

 

I lost a corkscrew, a penknife and a 10-in-1 tool. :(

[beachchick]

Isn't the Russian River Valley kind of the entrance to the central coastal region? Californians can definitely be territorial when it comes to defining where they are located. Sometimes I think it is because the other states have a tendency to define us based on how "Hollywood" is...(just my opinion!). When, in reality, the majority of the state is almost the opposite of the Hollywood stereotype (again, just my opinion). Up in northern CA, we find it funny when others say that San Francisco is in the north - sometimes it feels like people believe there is nothing beyond San Francisco other then Oregon!

 

Living in the wine region must be wonderful, beachchick!

 

The Russian River Valley is nowhere near the central coast. In fact, it's more like an entry into northern CA and the northern coast. The Russian River starts somewhere in Mendecino county and runs south and over to the coast north of Bodega Bay, a good hour north of San Francisco.

 

This is kind of what I was mentioning though. For the past several years, a bunch of the vintners' associations in Sonoma/Napa (who've always called themselves part of northern CA, and get mortally offended if someone has the nerve to call any wineries near them, but not in the exact area, "Napa" or "Sonoma") have tried to get the ENTIRE CA coast, including their inland regions (basically from northern Mendecino to Ventura) called "Central Coast CA" (or whatever). Naturally, the actual central coast appellations (Monterey to Santa Barbara) had a fit and "called" them on their hypocrisy and attempt to take over a completely different wine region.

 

We don't have the same climate, soil, etc. There is really no relations between the two regions at all, except that they're both in CA. It is partly, as you mention, the "Hollywood" syndrome. We're this huge state with every kind of climate and industry and 100 different personalities, but so many people hear "CA" and think "oh, LA." Same kind of deal. I so agree with you about northern CA kind of being ignored. We have family in Shasta, and friends from out of state have asked, "isn't that in Oregon?" Um no, it's in northern CA. LA and SF aren't the southern and northern ends of the state! Whenever someone from out of state says, "We're going to CA wine country," I now reply, "How lovely; which one of the several fine regions we have?"

 

Our northern most wineries start well over100 miles south of their southern most ones--give me a break! It's all about concern that our wineries considerable accolades (boy, misspelled that last night!) over the past 15 years or so "taking away" from their cache as THE CA wine region.

 

And it is very cool to live where we do. We have friends who are vintners and it's been an amazing process the past 20 years. The good things are accessibility and prices (oh man can we get deals when wineries want to "off load" to make room for the new vintages); the bad things are ditto--access to fine wine is too easy sometimes.:D

 

beachchick

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

Now let's muddy the water a bit more. I just spoke to the Crown & Anchor Society and was informed that wine may NOT be brought on board regardless if it is something they carry or not. they are no longer even providing corkage at a fee.

 

Can somebody please help. It would be nice to know who is on first...what's on second.....

[TheEngineer]

And the plot thickens.

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

And now it even gets better....I just spoke to Jamie at C&A and was informed YES you can bring wine on board as long as it is HOMEMADE wine. You would have to make it and have your own label on it.

 

She went on to say because of liquor licenses they you must buy from and served to you..So I asked so if I bring my own wine how is that serving to me. She said we will take it from you and you can have it served when you want...So I ask so what's the difference between a bottle of Silver Oak (which we all know RCI can't even spell on their wine list) vs. Homemade Wine...

 

I'm confused....so very confused.....:confused:

[happy cruzer]

Now let's muddy the water a bit more. I just spoke to the Crown & Anchor Society and was informed that wine may NOT be brought on board regardless if it is something they carry or not. they are no longer even providing corkage at a fee.

 

Can somebody please help. It would be nice to know who is on first...what's on second.....

 

Hi, Cust serv has been telling each of us a different thing all year long and it usually had nothing to do with the waiver policy change. You can call them twice on the same day ask the same question and get two different answers. So this thread among other things is trying to get the current enforcement by ship and date. We will only really know the policy by what gets reported IMHO What ship are you on? and I can see what was last reported?

 

Here's the info we would love to see:

 

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.

[damomom]

We sailed July 23 on HAL, The Westerdam.

We brought our own wine.

$15 corkage the first night only. This included the tip

We purchased some good wines, but were told they were out of several we tried to buy.

 

I am terribly disappointed with RCL's new policy.

[happy cruzer]

I agree RCI's wine policy is very disappointing. It's all about revenue . Apparently collecting a corkage fee is not enough or maybe they don't trust the staff to collect the fee?

 

If they wanted to provide good service for wine nuts, they could copy HAL and still make a fair profit.

 

Oh yeah reading the various alcohol threads it does seem that most bottles are getting on board except in San Juan. If I see something about wine, I'll copy it here. Thanks.

[Bobblsc]

I e-mailed RCCL Crown and Anchor on August 1, quoted the policy statement as given by happy cruzer in post 185, page 10, and asked for approval to bring on board the Jewel, for consumption, two bottles of fine French wine from Cherbourg next month. (The quote was copied from another thread, and I gave no source other than Cruise Critic.) I asked where I could get the approval if C and A could not give it. I had received no response by August 8, so I sent another email asking for a response. Yesterday I received a response stating that the new policy allowed no alcoholic beverages to be brought on board for consumption.

 

So there goes that bit of sanity in RCCL. If I can get back here in time, I'll edit, then copy and paste the exact reply.

 

Here it is, with the blank lines removed to save space.

(quote)

Dear Mr. xxxxx

Thank you for your e-mail.

Mr. xxxxx, with regard to your inquiry, please find below our updated Alcoholic Beverage Policy:

Guests shall not be allowed to bring alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from the Shops Onboard shall be stored by the ship and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the sailing. We apologize for any disappointment in this regard.

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International.

 

Maria Perez

Customer Service Representative

(End Quote)

 

Bob :(