Wine

The last Princess cruise we took we brought on two of the Black Boxes of wine and they were not confiscated.

Wow! Did you have these 2 Black Box wines in your carry-on or in your checked baggage? We once put a 5L box in our checked bag on an RCCI cruise. They did not confiscate it but did leave a "naughty, naughty" letter in our suitcase.

The last Princess cruise we took we brought on two of the Black Boxes of wine and they were not confiscated.

Wow! Did you have these 2 Black Box wines in your carry-on or in your checked baggage? We put a 5L box in our checked baggage one time on a RCCI cruise. They did not confiscate it but did leave us a "naughty, naughty" letter in our suitcase.

Sorry about my triplicate posting. Each time I tried to post I was getting an error message from the server.:o:o:o

The wine you're "allowed" to bring on has NO "corkage" fee. You can drink it anywhere.

That's incorrect. If you take the bottle to the dinning room or a specialty restaurant you may be charged a corkage fee. Now, I've had times in the main DR when I wasn't charged a fee and plenty of times where I was. Last month on the Royal the head waiter in Crown Grill waived the fee, but we were charged the fee plus 15% gratuity in Sabatini's.

I have seen a lot of glasses of wine taken into MDR in what is obviously a glass from the cabin. The staff know it wasn't purchased in a bar or at Vines. They just don't say anything.

Wow! Did you have these 2 Black Box wines in your carry-on or in your checked baggage? We put a 5L box in our checked baggage one time on a RCCI cruise. They did not confiscate it but did leave us a "naughty, naughty" letter in our suitcase.

I don't remember it was a few years ago. I know our friends had two boxes and we had two boxes. I think we only consumed two of the four and brought the rest home. This time I am buying the AIB so we can have 40% off the wine in the dining room.

I don't remember it was a few years ago. I know our friends had two boxes and we had two boxes. I think we only consumed two of the four and brought the rest home. This time I am buying the AIB so we can have 40% off the wine in the dining room.

Or you can have 100% off wine by the glass.

Can the 15$ initial fee for bringing a bottle on board be paid with on board credit??

Can the 15$ initial fee for bringing a bottle on board be paid with on board credit??

I don't drink wine so I don't know the answer to your question. I just think the answer is going to be no.

Tony

Can the 15$ initial fee for bringing a bottle on board be paid with on board credit??

Yes. The fee is put on your on-board account, so if you have available OBC, that can cover it.

Wow! Did you have these two Black Box wines in your carry-on or checked luggage? We put a 5L box in our checked bag one time on a RCCI cruise. They did not confiscate it but did leave a "naughty, naughty" letter inside our suitcase.

They should have just carried it on. The chances of it being rejected are much better.

Our current cruise I've met 2 people that boarded with full bottles of liquor without a word being said.

Does port qualify as wine so I can bring on a "free" bottle at embarkation?

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Yes, you can - but you'll likely be charged corkage (was AU$15 on our trip last year, as far as I know it's still the same). I'm not sure what the procedure is - we brought on a whole case - which was one free bottle for each of us, and corkage on the rest - so we mostly had bottles with the stickers to show we'd paid. Though as I said, we were not charged corkage on our "free" bottles (and asking the question, were told by our waiter not to worry about it) but that is against their official policy and I'm guessing is luck of the draw.

What port was that? And did you carry on your case of wine or check it?

What port was that? And did you carry on your case of wine or check it?

Sydney OPT - and we carried it on. They had a wee table set up just before we boarded - next step after checking in & getting our cruise cards ...they just checked the cruise card and corkage was added to the account as they do when you buy a drink on board, handed over - strip of stickers, and eventually came out of our OBC. We'll be doing the same again this year as it even paying the corkage on each bottle it works out cheaper...I don't really drink, rest of the family do - and they can quite easily pick up wine they like for round the $10/bottle mark ... whereas I think the cheapest stuff onboard started at around the $35/bottle mark.

Sydney OPT - and we carried it on. They had a wee table set up just before we boarded - next step after checking in & getting our cruise cards ...they just checked the cruise card and corkage was added to the account as they do when you buy a drink on board, handed over - strip of stickers, and eventually came out of our OBC. We'll be doing the same again this year as it even paying the corkage on each bottle it works out cheaper...I don't really drink, rest of the family do - and they can quite easily pick up wine they like for round the $10/bottle mark ... whereas I think the cheapest stuff onboard started at around the $35/bottle mark.

We have taken wine onboard in Fort Lauderdale....we checked a case! Easier than carrying it on, but not sure if they let you check it any longer since they want to charge the corkage up front now.

Hmmm I was under the impression it is to be consumed in your cabin.

If taken to the DR or anywhere else you will incur a $15 corkage fee. :confused:

That's what I thought too

We've brought our 1 bottle each and taken it to the crown grill and gotten charged a corkage fee.

If they don't charge you, tip them well [emoji4] the corkage fee gets gratuity added

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We have taken wine onboard in Fort Lauderdale....we checked a case! Easier than carrying it on, but not sure if they let you check it any longer since they want to charge the corkage up front now.

Luggage tags and boarding passes now say you need to carry it on.

OK... please bear with me ...

2 adults can bring 2 bottle of 750ml wine...(1 bottle each )

If we buy this at duty free it's OK to bring onboard.

We drink that and then get off at a port a few days time... can we bring another bottle on board please?

OK... please bear with me ...

2 adults can bring 2 bottle of 750ml wine...(1 bottle each )

If we buy this at duty free it's OK to bring onboard.

 

We drink that and then get off at a port a few days time... can we bring another bottle on board please?

It's complicated. First of all, 2 adults can bring on as many bottles as they wish. 2. 12. 20. The first two bottles (one per adult) will not be charged a fee as long as they are consumed in the stateroom. Those bottles can be brought to public venues such as restaurants or lounges, but if they are, they will be assessed a $15 per bottle fee at the time of consumption. All bottles after the first two will be assessed a $15 per bottle fee at the time of boarding, after which payment those bottles can be consumed anywhere, at any time, for no additional cost. If a bottle is paid for at the time of boarding, it gets stamped to show that no more payment is due. The first two bottles, (the free ones) do not get a stamp, and when handled by a crew member, they will know to charge for those. Which is why they remain free if they stay in your cabin.

Those are the rules for boarding at the port of embarkation. At ports of call, there are no easy or consistent answers. It can range from confiscation until departure, (not in a mean, "we caught you cheating" way, but in a "all alcohol brought on board must be checked here and held until departure day" way). Or you might waltz right past security without payment (at which point the bottle remains free as long as it stays in your room. If you bring it to a public venue, the crew member will see that it does not have a stamp on it and therefore needs to be assessed the fee.) And a third possibility is that there might be a collection table at the boarding area where the wine you bought at the port of call is assessed a fee as you go through security. The inconsistency is a bid maddening, but I suppose it has something to do with staffing and the perceived need to follow a set protocol.

The easiest way to supply yourself with the amount and quality of wines that you most desire is to bring all of it on board at the time of departure. Relying on wine shops at ports of call can be dicey unless you are in a noted wine region. In the Caribbean or Mexico, not so much.

OK... please bear with me ...

2 adults can bring 2 bottle of 750ml wine...(1 bottle each )

If we buy this at duty free it's OK to bring onboard.

 

We drink that and then get off at a port a few days time... can we bring another bottle on board please?

Yes, yes and no (yes, to the last question if you pay the surcharge). You get one bottle of wine per segment p.p., you can bring more at the intitial port if you pay the $15.00 per, surcharge. Same goes for any intermediate port, you have to pay, you only get the free bottles once per cruise segment.

Whether you buy the wine at a duty free shop on shore or some other liquor retailer for consumption on board, makes no difference you have to pay the surcharge unless it counts as your free bottle. If you buy it from the ship's duty free, wine or any liquor, they hold it for you until the day of disembarkation.

We bring a lot of wine on board for consumption on our balcony or in the cabin. I don't take it to the MDR, I usually order a bottle there. But friends who have paid the surcharge tell me the stickers for each bottle allows one to avoid the surcharge in dining and bar venues. As for the free ones, it is my understanding that if you take them to the MDR you have to pay the corkage.

As for bringing wine on board in hand carries vs. checked luggage, they do ask you to hand carry it. That is in the FAQs as well as printed on the luggage tags. However, careful reading of that policy leaves some wiggle room as to whether or not it is an absolute no-no to put wine in your checked luggage. For instance, I often put our free bottles in the checked luggage as it is a pain to stuff it into my small hand carry. Not too long ago the checked bag in which I did that was opened, inside was a note. It said, "we opened your bag to check, you are in compliance with our liquor policy".

Whether you buy the wine at a duty free shop on shore or some other liquor retailer for consumption on board, makes no difference you have to pay the surcharge unless it counts as your free bottle. If you buy it from the ship's duty free, wine or any liquor, they hold it for you until the day of disembarkation.

Actually, it is delivered to your cabin the last full day of your cruise so you can pack it in your luggage if you want.

Actually, it is delivered to your cabin the last full day of your cruise so you can pack it in your luggage if you want.

Good point, thanks. Since we haven't purchased from duty free, I wasn't certain. I recall a discussion regarding this some time back. There was confusion because some contended the ship doesn't like you to put bottles in your checked luggage, which had to be wrong--plus, some indicated they had a crew member at the gangway to help disembarking guests stow their liquor purchases?

Good point, thanks. Since we haven't purchased from duty free, I wasn't certain. I recall a discussion regarding this some time back. There was confusion because some contended the ship doesn't like you to put bottles in your checked luggage, which had to be wrong--plus, some indicated they had a crew member at the gangway to help disembarking guests stow their liquor purchases?

I would think that would mean bottles in luggage on embarkation.

They could care less how you take them off the ship.

Thanks for all the info. I am taking my first cruise in May. My hubby drinks bourbon so I get the 2 free bottles for the cabin! It may be cheaper for me to take a few extra bottles than to purchase by the glass. If I carry my $15 fee bottle to the MDR & only drink 2 glasses, can I take what is leftover back to the room or do they keep it for me for the next night? Do you tip the waiter for pouring or is that included in the $15?

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Thanks for all the info. I am taking my first cruise in May. My hubby drinks bourbon so I get the 2 free bottles for the cabin! It may be cheaper for me to take a few extra bottles than to purchase by the glass. If I carry my $15 fee bottle to the MDR & only drink 2 glasses, can I take what is leftover back to the room or do they keep it for me for the next night? Do you tip the waiter for pouring or is that included in the $15?

What 2 free bottles?

They will keep it for the next night or you can take it with you. No tip necessary at that time.