Wine Question

[Arlenedow]

We are sailing on the Century out of Miami April 26. Is there any place in the port where we can buy wine? When we sailed out of Barcelona there were shops selling wine inside the port terminal.

 

We are flying from Orlando to Miami so really don't want to carry it on the airplane and then we go directly to the port.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Arlenedow

[jerseygirl3]

Just a head's up. We were on Century last week and they confiscated our wine. It was in our checked luggage and they took all of it (even though we had 5 Sky Suites booked and we were told we were allowed 2 bottles per cabin). I would suggest you put it in your carry-on and if they give you any grief, remind them that 2 bottles per cabin are allowed. Once you are onboard and they scan your checked luggage and remove it, there's no getting it back until after the cruise.

[Hlitner]

That 2 bottle per cabin rule seems to depend on the day of the week, the name of the ship, the security guy on duty, etc etc. When we recently cruised on the Infinity we were told (in pre-cruise documents) that absolutely no alcohol would be permitted to be brought on the ship. The rule on the ship was also no alcohol (it was to be held until the end of the cruise) but in the event you did manage to get a bottle on--board there was a $25 corkage free (outrageous) in the dining room. We brought several bottles of wine on board (for use in our cabin) and the X-ray guy at ship entrance would see the wine and tell us to please turn it in at the table (which was about 10 feet beyond the x-ray. Of course we never did turn-in the bottles and it was almost like they didn't care. Celebrity is doing their best to go low class..and its a shame. They treat us like children...because they prefer to sell you a bottle of overpriced wine (you can order all you want for your cabin) rather than let passengers bring aboard their own selection. This is particularly troublesome when cruising in places like Argentina, Italy and France where Oenophiles want to sample and enjoy local wines.

 

Hank

[Kane]

Arlenedow,

 

If you are flying commercial or plan to carry-on 3 oz. bottles of wine, you should be aware that TSA won't return their confiscation at the end of your flight.

[Wilcoam]

Carries excellant higher level rated wines. Bought a case from them for our recent Princess Star Cruise, very close to FLL port, where by the way, on Princess (a lowe rated line than X-lol) no-one could have cared less about bringing on 18 bottles of vino.

 

IMO, I was more than happy to pay $15.00 corkage to sip 94-96 rated french and italieno vino

 

As someone who has cruised more with X than any other line, and as someone who does not drink 'alcohol', just wine, having my wine 'confiscated' from the like of ports in Spain and Italy, is a very valid reason NOT to cruise with X, or for that matter, any other line, period.

 

Just my opinion...

 

But reminding yall that you the consumer have many choices how to travel, including many cruise line(s) and ship to choose from.

 

jc

toronto

Xpedition Sept 30-07

[jerseygirl3]

Arlenedow,

 

If you are flying commercial or plan to carry-on 3 oz. bottles of wine, you should be aware that TSA won't return their confiscation at the end of your flight.

 

What are 3 oz. bottles of wine? Do you mean the little "sample size" bottles of liquor/wine? My sister flew with ten 750 ml bottles of wine and they were in her checked luggage with no problem. TSA saw them and just made her purchase bubble wrap wine bags to place them in so if they broke they wouldn't damage anybody else's property.

[Kane]

I didn't even read my (dumb) reply. The OP mentioned carrying bottles aboard which TSA would confiscate because they are more than 3 oz.

 

I believe some airports permit duty free when it is delivered at the aircraft door, but this would not be possible on a domestic Orlando/Miami flight.

[bububr]

They were confiscating all liquor due to aniticpation of problems with spring break, especially out of Miami, and depending on the amount of kids on board. They didn't want Century to be a booze cruise. While I don't agree with them changing thier policy for spring break and not publicizing it, I understand their concerns.

 

I was on the Zenith at the same time and we not only CARRIED on 2 bottles each which our stateroom attendant provide a corkscrew, and the proper red and white glasses, but our neighbor in the cabin next door smuggled on a gallon of vodka in its original bottle, and on the other side the neighbor packed a liter of scotch which was not confiscated. While I don't agree with them doing this, I turned down an invite for the vodka, but couldn't resist a glass of scotch before formal night.:cool:

 

Arlene: there are plenty of places to stop on the way from the airport to the ship terminal to pick up a few bottles of wine. You can put them in your carryon and just bring them through, or print out the 2 bottle limit rules on the X website and carry the bag you bought it in right on board. If you are questioned ( which I highly doubt) pull out the sheet.

 

Kane: with the new airport restrictions, ligour and wine has to be in bubblewrap plastic bags for transportaion in your checked luggage. It makes no sense as your clothing would absorb the moisture if they broke, but I think it may have to do with a 'handling' issue if your bags are inspected.

 

Dave:eek:

[SheilaNC]

Dave,

Did you carry-on 2 bottles each or 2 bottles/per cabin? We'll be boarding our down under cruise in Sydney and would love to bring on 2 bottle each for sipping on our balcony before dinner!

[UB & AS]

X's Guest Conduct Policy (page 2) states that two bottles of wine per Guest may be brought aboard at embarkation day. Corkage applies if they are consumed in a public area. We are soon to take our third X cruise and will bring two bottles of wine each.

 

My suggestion is that if the bottles are seized I will show the security person the Guest Conduct Policy and request the bottles back. If this fails I plan to meet with the hotel director to request their return and suggest that we will not pay any gratuities if the wine is not returned. I would then tell the stateroom attendants, waiters and Maitre d' that gratuities will not be given unless the wine is returned.

 

Our next cruise is promoted as a Wine Cruise and Cruise Critic shipmates are bringing bottles of wine from their region to share at on-board parties. I have some fine British Columbia wine that I am anxious to share - obviously it is not sold on Celebrity ships. If a large number of us withhold gratuities the hotel director will get the message from unhappy staff members. Since the ship's destination is British Columbia, wine that is returned to me will be subject to Canadian Customs regulations even though it was purchased in Canada. I could lose twice:mad:

 

Let's give X a message that they will understand! Our next cruise is booked on Oceania which has a liquor policy which treats guests as adults and allows alcohol to be brought on in ports of call.

 

Keep your spirits up:D

 

Bill

[DaveFr]

X's Guest Conduct Policy (page 2) states that two bottles of wine per Guest may be brought aboard at embarkation day. Corkage applies if they are consumed in a public area. We are soon to take our third X cruise and will bring two bottles of wine each.

 

My suggestion is that if the bottles are seized I will show the security person the Guest Conduct Policy and request the bottles back. If this fails I plan to meet with the hotel director to request their return and suggest that we will not pay any gratuities if the wine is not returned. I would then tell the stateroom attendants, waiters and Maitre d' that gratuities will not be given unless the wine is returned.

 

Our next cruise is promoted as a Wine Cruise and Cruise Critic shipmates are bringing bottles of wine from their region to share at on-board parties. I have some fine British Columbia wine that I am anxious to share - obviously it is not sold on Celebrity ships. If a large number of us withhold gratuities the hotel director will get the message from unhappy staff members. Since the ship's destination is British Columbia, wine that is returned to me will be subject to Canadian Customs regulations even though it was purchased in Canada. I could lose twice:mad:

 

Let's give X a message that they will understand! Our next cruise is booked on Oceania which has a liquor policy which treats guests as adults and allows alcohol to be brought on in ports of call.

 

Keep your spirits up:D

 

Bill

Bill,

 

Good catch re the Guest Conduct Policy. I agree that the policy as written allows each guest to bring two bottles of wine aboard at embarkation. Of course the Guest Conduct Policy conflicts with the Alcohol Policy found elsewhere on the web site but that's nothing new for Celebrity (i.e., the various formulations of the dress code). :D I've printed out the Guest Conduct Policy and will take it with me.

 

We part ways though over the tactic of withholding gratuities if bottles of wine are confiscated. First, you would be punishing innocent staff who had nothing to do with confiscating your bottles and who work their tails off to make your stay enjoyable. Second, since gratuities are normally given at the end of the cruise, Celebrity might well decide you're bluffing and decide to call what they perceive as a bluff. Third, I doubt that more than a few people will join you in withholding gratuities, so your boycott will have little in the way of support. Fourth, I think that telling staff at the beginning of a cruise that you will stiff them because of Celebrity's actions is not the wisest course of action. Staff retaliation is a definite possibility. :eek:

 

I think a better approach is to inform the hotel and restaurant directors that unless bottles confiscated in violation of Celebrity's policies are returned, you will not purchase any alcohol during the cruise. (Except for a martini now and then. :D) Since, I believe the limits on bringing wine aboard are for revenue enhancement as well as some legal CYA, not purchasing wine hurts Celebrity in a small way by decreasing revenues. Such a threat is more credible IMHO and is more likely to produce the return of your confiscated wine. Of course the hotel director could tell you to pound sand but the tactic is worth a try.

[UB & AS]

Dave,

 

I agree with you but am frustrated with X. On our last cruise in addition to taking alcohol bought in Ports of Call, security also seized two carved totems as they had small obsidion blades and were "weapons", but did not take my Leatherman tool which has sharp blades.

 

Hotel department is run like a hotel but is the only "hotel" I have ever stayed in that did not let you take a bottle to your room. This month's cruise is promoted by X as a West Coast Wine Cruise featuring wine education (tastings, food pairings, etc). IMO part of this education and enjoyments should include sharing of regional wines among wine fanciers. X's wine list has no B.C. products and I do not recall any wines from Oregon or Washington. Each of these areas produce some fine wines. Another shipmate wants to promote wines from Colorado.

 

I would like to hear some other ideas for getting some action from X. It is bizarre to have two contradictory, written alcohol policies and then a third which says that they charge a $25 corkage fee for wine that your can't possess! Somehow I want to put some pressure on security and the hotel department to change an unreasonable situation. Withholding gratuities is a bit of a knee jerk reaction. Probably the four bottles of wine will go through security with no problem. Celebrity also doesn't sell my usual Scotch (The Famous Grouse), but that's another issue.:p

 

We have cruised exclusively on X but this fall's cruise will be on Oceania. Of course X does not sail between Rome and Singapore.

 

Regards, Bill

[Kane]

There are what appear to be conflicting statements on the X site.

 

Go to the site and search on "Alcohol Waiver" - this yields a .pdf document with the policy clearly stated.

 

It specifies two bottles of wine PER STATEROOM, not per person, on embarkation day.

 

It's my opinion that this is the policy and not the general write-up in "Guest conduct policy".

[jerseygirl3]

They were confiscating all liquor due to aniticpation of problems with spring break, especially out of Miami, and depending on the amount of kids on board. They didn't want Century to be a booze cruise. While I don't agree with them changing thier policy for spring break and not publicizing it, I understand their concerns.

 

I was on the Zenith at the same time and we not only CARRIED on 2 bottles each which our stateroom attendant provide a corkscrew, and the proper red and white glasses, but our neighbor in the cabin next door smuggled on a gallon of vodka in its original bottle, and on the other side the neighbor packed a liter of scotch which was not confiscated. While I don't agree with them doing this, I turned down an invite for the vodka, but couldn't resist a glass of scotch before formal night.:cool:

 

Arlene: there are plenty of places to stop on the way from the airport to the ship terminal to pick up a few bottles of wine. You can put them in your carryon and just bring them through, or print out the 2 bottle limit rules on the X website and carry the bag you bought it in right on board. If you are questioned ( which I highly doubt) pull out the sheet.

 

Kane: with the new airport restrictions, ligour and wine has to be in bubblewrap plastic bags for transportaion in your checked luggage. It makes no sense as your clothing would absorb the moisture if they broke, but I think it may have to do with a 'handling' issue if your bags are inspected.

 

Dave:eek:

 

I know they were taking liquor. We were onboard the Century April 2 and we had 5 Sky Suites booked, so my sister was in charge of packing the wine and she had 2 per cabin, as was specified by Celebrity. Well, all of her wine was confiscated by the cruiseline (it was in her checked luggage and she didn't find out until after we sailed, as her luggage arrived very late).

 

Anyway, I know all about Celebrity taking the wine, but I thought the OP was inquiring about getting on an airplane with the wine? My sister had no problem with that, they just asked her to purchase (at $5.00/bag) bubble wrap bags to wrap them in. The annoying thing is that when Celebrity returnd her wine at the end of the cruise, they had removed every bottle from the bubble wrap bag and they didn't know where they were. Not only was she out $50 worth of bubble wrap bags, but since she couldn't travel to the airport with 10 bottles in a tote bag, she was handing out wine to anybody at the port who was driving or had room in their suitcase.

 

I think it's ridiculous the Celebrity chose not to allow the wine on because it was Spring Break. It should be up to the parents to monitor thier children's behavior; not Celebrity.

[bigwally]

X's Guest Conduct Policy (page 2) states that two bottles of wine per Guest

 

Like Kane, I was under the impression that it was two bottles per cabin and have X documentation to that effect. Could you tell me where I could get a print out that says two bottles per guest? Taking 4 bottles on board would mean twice as much fun than when taking 2. Hic! :)

[UB & AS]

This is a dog's breakfast. Ticket docs say no alcohol to be brought aboard; Website Guest Alcohol Policy says two (2) bottles of wine per stateroom; Guest Conduct Policy says two bottles of wine per guest.

 

I called X today and was told that two bottles per stateroom is today's policy but, WINE BROUGHT ABOARD MUST NOT BE ONE WHICH IS ON X'S WINE LIST! Otherwise somebody who wants to cut into X's profits might bring on a wine list wine and bring it to the restaurant and avoid the $25 corkage fee. I am sorry that I was not able to memorize the complete wine list on our January Summit cruise. Also the list on Summit was different that the wine list on Mercury last year as Michel Roux wines disappeared from the wine list when Chef Roux's connection with Celebrity was severed.

 

Bottom line is X wants to make every dollar it can from its alcohol policies. Next time we sail on Oceania.

 

Bring two bottles per guest and make whatever protest you can think of if any are seized.

 

Cheers, Bill, MBA

[Cruise Arizona]

I believe that the new policy is that in order to bring the two bottles aboard you must be able to recite the ship's wine list in its entirety backwards and while walking a straight line and touching your finger to your nose....otherwise, that wine gets confiscated.

 

We always bring some of our local Arizona wine with us.... we know that they don't have any of that on list, much less even heard of it!!!!

[Karynanne]

This is a dog's breakfast. Ticket docs say no alcohol to be brought aboard; Website Guest Alcohol Policy says two (2) bottles of wine per stateroom; Guest Conduct Policy says two bottles of wine per guest.

 

I called X today and was told that two bottles per stateroom is today's policy but, WINE BROUGHT ABOARD MUST NOT BE ONE WHICH IS ON X'S WINE LIST! Otherwise somebody who wants to cut into X's profits might bring on a wine list wine and bring it to the restaurant and avoid the $25 corkage fee. I am sorry that I was not able to memorize the complete wine list on our January Summit cruise. Also the list on Summit was different that the wine list on Mercury last year as Michel Roux wines disappeared from the wine list when Chef Roux's connection with Celebrity was severed.

 

Bottom line is X wants to make every dollar it can from its alcohol policies. Next time we sail on Oceania.

 

Bring two bottles per guest and make whatever protest you can think of if any are seized.

 

Cheers, Bill, MBA

 

Protesting is not quite my style. If our wine is confiscated, then so be it. But I won't put any additional attention on it. My intention is to have a great cruise, and enjoy time with our friends.

 

Karyn

[FinelyCruising]

We brought two selections of wine. But that was at the same timeline that idots in their 20's decided to try walking through glass and treading aqua on another line complicating idots who went overbpard and were not found before them...

 

So the moral is, be silent about what you plan and understand it may not be part of the contents that make it to your cabin if it is contraband of the day.

 

Othewise...do you need help with the lounge drink or other venue wine lists as back-up? :)

[katscruise]

We sailed on the Century on March 19th. My husband and I in one cabin my mother in another. I carried on 2 bottles and my husband carried on two bottles for my mother they did not question what cabin we were all in. I think the rule is do not pack it then they think you are carrying on wine and packing it. Just do not hide it and carry it on board. No problems:)

[Norcal Cruiser]

Could somebody please post a link to Celebrities guest conduct policies.We are sailing on Friday and I would love to have it in writing that we can bring on two bottles per person.Our cruise is a Pacific Northwest cruise and our roll call has planned an onboard wine tasting as we are from different areas of California and want to share and compare the wines of our areas.Thanks in advance!:)

[Lsimon]

Could somebody please post a link to Celebrities guest conduct policies.We are sailing on Friday and I would love to have it in writing that we can bring on two bottles per person....

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000Kc6M7S_kwijb_rcrYmysx2t:1051tg0lk?faqSubjectName=Food+and+Beverage&faqId=505&pagename=faq_answers

 

 

Also this site discusses their alcohol policy, with a reference to another link on the policy.

http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/faq/Guest_Vacation_policy_021207.pdf

 

That second link shows a PDF which recites the policy in full, but isn't dated or anything, but does mention the two bottles as follows:

 

http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/faq/Guest_Vacation_policy_021207.pdf

[DaveFr]

Could somebody please post a link to Celebrities guest conduct policies.We are sailing on Friday and I would love to have it in writing that we can bring on two bottles per person.Our cruise is a Pacific Northwest cruise and our roll call has planned an onboard wine tasting as we are from different areas of California and want to share and compare the wines of our areas.Thanks in advance!:)

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=0000NuirYR_dQmupio2mrNzRl5U:1051tg34t?pagename=guest_conduct_policy&cS=SIDENAV.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Norcal Cruiser]

Thanks for that link!Now someone said they found a place that Celebrity said two bottles per person.If I could find that as well I will arrive with both policies printed out and argue our case.I'm not being cheap I just think Celebrity needs to get their policies clear.This is our 6th Celebrity cruise and my parents 16th.(They're sailing with us.)We don't get drunk and stupid we're just trying to organize a private wine tasting between people we've met on these boards.We will all I assume have bar bills to pay at the end of this cruise.Our son is a winemaker at an established winery here in Livermore and some of the people cruising with us have other winery connections.Please no angry posts about my trying to get around the system.I just want to know what the actual policies are at this point.In the past it seemed to be if you were responsible with your consumption a little bit in your carryon was O.K.

[DaveFr]

Thanks for that link!Now someone said they found a place that Celebrity said two bottles per person.If I could find that as well I will arrive with both policies printed out and argue our case.I'm not being cheap I just think Celebrity needs to get their policies clear.This is our 6th Celebrity cruise and my parents 16th.(They're sailing with us.)We don't get drunk and stupid we're just trying to organize a private wine tasting between people we've met on these boards.We will all I assume have bar bills to pay at the end of this cruise.Our son is a winemaker at an established winery here in Livermore and some of the people cruising with us have other winery connections.Please no angry posts about my trying to get around the system.I just want to know what the actual policies are at this point.In the past it seemed to be if you were responsible with your consumption a little bit in your carryon was O.K.

Norcal Cruiser,

 

We were referring to the language in the Guest Conduct Policy which says that at embarkation, "Guests are permitted to bring on board with them two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee), . . ." That language does not restrict guests to bringing on two bottles of wine per stateroom as other documents do. Thus, there is a conflict between several Celebrity documents that can be used to argue that you should be allowed to bring aboard two bottles per person. Now, of course the missing language in the Guest Conduct Policy could be simply a mistaken omission but, on the other hand it could be a deliberate ambiguity. Until Celebrity tells me otherwise, I'll assume the language in the Guest Conduct Policy is correct.