Informal Survey: have you had your booze "collected for safe keeping"?

[sez809]

Grand Princess August 2012

 

We took on board, not smuggled, a box of red wine for the cabin and a magnum for the table as well as some soft drinks. Nothing was said. At a couple of ports we bought both spirits and wine (to take home, eventually), it went through the security scanner and was handed back immediately. We were charged corkage for the wine at the table, and nothing more.

[JEA_Portland]

Just got back from Ruby on Feb 3. Got a bottle of Johnny Blue taken away on boarding from St. Marteen. Returned to me Saturday afternoon. No worries.

[johnmik1]

Just got back from Ruby on Feb 3. Got a bottle of Johnny Blue taken away on boarding from St. Marteen. Returned to me Saturday afternoon. No worries.

 

Was it taken away or did you walk up to the table and surrender it?

[caribill]

Was it taken away or did you walk up to the table and surrender it?

 

Reminds me of an experience some co-workers had when going through customs in Moscow. One of the customs agents picked out an issue of "Playboy", spoke to another agent in Russian, and then put the magazine back in the luggage.

 

One of the co-workers understood Russian and knew what the first agent had asked the second agent: "Do we have this issue yet?"

[MJC]

Yes. As cece1 said before, in Australia the wine rule is being strictly enforced. November 2012, Dawn Princess, Brisbane, at security they took us and put us in the naughty line, where we along with several others had our wine taken away and put into storage. We got it back the afternoon before disembarkation.

 

As per policy, we took one bottle per person upon embarkation in Sydney, no problem.

[nsw104]

Coral Princess, October,2012. No, Cartegena,Columbia brought to room liquer.

[Carolyn R]

Bright ideas anyone?

 

Yes everyone. post all your bright ideas here so Princess can be aware of all your suggestions on how to smuggle your liquor on board! Geeze! :mad:

[Fairport]

On a TA in September there were so many people bringing a lot of Scotch back onboard in Scotland that they weren't even checking for liquor.

[TwoCruisers]

I have a question for the people who have had their bottle(s) taken away from them and returned the last night of the cruise. If you are flying home the next day, what do you do with the bottles? You can’t take them aboard the plane with your carry-on luggage and I can’t imagine putting them through with the checked luggage either. Can anyone help me with this question?

[pablo222]

If you've taken a Princess Cruise since the summer of 2012, you were sailing under a new alcohol policy where all your alcohol purchased in ports of call was "collected for safe keeping" (I love that phrase) and returned to you at the end of the cruise.

 

This very common in the carribbean. I have seen it in (at least)

St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Kitts and Aruba.

 

In Grand Turk, as the stores are owned by Carnival, they send your

purchases to the ship for you.

[cee cee1]

So for those here who DID have their alcohol "taken for safe keeping", did you willingl admit that you had alcohol when boarding the ship or did they do a bag search and find it?

 

I'm of the don't ask, don't tell mentality so if they don't come out and ask me, I'm not telling ;)

On Australian Princess sailings (especially Dawn Princess for some obscure reason but I have also experienced it on Sun Princess) EVERY bag brought back on board at ports is put through the scanners. If you have ANY alcohol (wine included) you are directed to a table. There is a crew member there with a list. He writes down your name and stateroom number and takes ALL alcohol off you. It is "kept for safekeeping" until the last night of the cruise. There is no "admitting" or "don't ask don't tell" - they just take it all. This table is immediately near the scanners too so there is no opportunity to walk into a lift or around a corner to avoid handing it over. The table is also in full view of everyone sitting having a coffee in the patisserie so it's like being reprimanded by the teacher at the front of the room for some crime. A very unsettling experience for me.

IMO this change is an improvement to what we in Oz have at the moment (and have had for at least 18 months on Dawn Princess). At least we CAN now bring wine aboard at ports - if we pay- if staff of Dawn Princess take notice of this change (and for me and that's a big if) as they seem to make up their own rules on Dawn Princess regarding alcohol.:mad:

[misi]

on Ruby Oct 2012, I bought 2 bottles of Absolut in St Maarten- no table set up upon return- no questions asked- took it to cabin- poured it into 3 ounce travel size bottles (26 total=, allow room for expansion on plane)- labeled and taped them shut- all made it home- easier to pack small plastic bottles- bought them at Dollar Store / also local Marcs for .88 each-

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

on Ruby Oct 2012, I bought 2 bottles of Absolut in St Maarten- no table set up upon return- no questions asked- took it to cabin- poured it into 3 ounce travel size bottles (26 total=, allow room for expansion on plane)- labeled and taped them shut- all made it home- easier to pack small plastic bottles- bought them at Dollar Store / also local Marcs for .88 each-

 

You must have saved a LOT on those 2 bottles of Absolut to make it worth buying 26 three oz bottles and going to all that trouble. Was your luggage scanned with these inside? It would look really curious to me if I was a TSA agent and saw something like that in a checked bag.

 

We are big time penny-pinchers but I don't think we would do it.

[PunkiC]

On Australian Princess sailings (especially Dawn Princess for some obscure reason but I have also experienced it on Sun Princess) EVERY bag brought back on board at ports is put through the scanners. If you have ANY alcohol (wine included) you are directed to a table. There is a crew member there with a list. He writes down your name and stateroom number and takes ALL alcohol off you. It is "kept for safekeeping" until the last night of the cruise. There is no "admitting" or "don't ask don't tell" - they just take it all. This table is immediately near the scanners too so there is no opportunity to walk into a lift or around a corner to avoid handing it over. The table is also in full view of everyone sitting having a coffee in the patisserie so it's like being reprimanded by the teacher at the front of the room for some crime. A very unsettling experience for me.

IMO this change is an improvement to what we in Oz have at the moment (and have had for at least 18 months on Dawn Princess). At least we CAN now bring wine aboard at ports - if we pay- if staff of Dawn Princess take notice of this change (and for me and that's a big if) as they seem to make up their own rules on Dawn Princess regarding alcohol.:mad:[/QUOTe]

 

When did you see this happen? I am trying to establish a time frame.

[caribill]

You must have saved a LOT on those 2 bottles of Absolut to make it worth buying 26 three oz bottles and going to all that trouble. Was your luggage scanned with these inside? It would look really curious to me if I was a TSA agent and saw something like that in a checked bag.

 

We are big time penny-pinchers but I don't think we would do it.

 

I think the reason for the 3 oz bottles was so they could be in the carryon luggage, assuming they would fit into the single one quart bag each person is allowed.

 

If the Absolut was to go into the checked luggage, the original bottles could have been packed.

[partybarbie]

I'm not sure if this has been addressed yet, but the wording on my boarding pass has changed in regards to liquor and beer.

 

"Liquor, spirits, or beers are not permitted. Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded."

 

I'm taking this to mean, that if I want to bring a bottle of Skye Ginger Vodka (which Princess doesn't sell) or a six pack of beer for hubby, that it will be thrown in the trashcan. I have seen this happen on Royal Caribbean.

 

As I have previously posted, Princess is hardly losing money on us. I can see them cracking down on flagrant violators, but really this is too much.

[Travels with Lisa]

so if you bring a bottle larger than 750ml will they confiscate it or charge you more than $15? the whole thing is ridiculous!

[spirit28]

Just reading the Australian version of the Passage Contract for next months NZ trip on Dawn Princess, and noticed that corkage will be charged at AUD$20 per bottle on Dawn & Sun and USD$15 for all other ships!! Just a continued form of price discrimination from Princess that Australians continue to endure - especially as the AUD is better than the USD!!

 

What the contract is silent on is in what luggage the alcohol should be packed - I mean if you have your entitlement in your checked luggage and another couple in carry on, they hardly going to reconcile and keept track of your luggage among the 1,000's pieces of luggage they process to determine if you were sneaking more than you are allowed (or will they?).

 

Might try it & see what happens - nothing like living on the edge!!

[cee cee1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cee cee1

On Australian Princess sailings (especially Dawn Princess for some obscure reason but I have also experienced it on Sun Princess) EVERY bag brought back on board at ports is put through the scanners. If you have ANY alcohol (wine included) you are directed to a table. There is a crew member there with a list. He writes down your name and stateroom number and takes ALL alcohol off you. It is "kept for safekeeping" until the last night of the cruise. There is no "admitting" or "don't ask don't tell" - they just take it all. This table is immediately near the scanners too so there is no opportunity to walk into a lift or around a corner to avoid handing it over. The table is also in full view of everyone sitting having a coffee in the patisserie so it's like being reprimanded by the teacher at the front of the room for some crime. A very unsettling experience for me.

IMO this change is an improvement to what we in Oz have at the moment (and have had for at least 18 months on Dawn Princess). At least we CAN now bring wine aboard at ports - if we pay- if staff of Dawn Princess take notice of this change (and for me and that's a big if) as they seem to make up their own rules on Dawn Princess regarding alcohol.:mad:

 

When did you see this happen? I am trying to establish a time frame.

Dawn Princess Sydney roundtrip New Zealand 19/10/11 and Dawn Princess Sydney roundtrip New Zealand 30/11/12 ; Sun Princess- not sure approx March 2011? This is not second hand information - I was there. It happened. So you see? This is not something new for Dawn Princess.

[PunkiC]

I had heard that they were crazy on the Dawn and that is the exact reason that we have never cruised in Australia. We have been fortunate to travel a fair bit in Australia and New Zealand so it didn't much bother me. Then I heard that things had loosened up in Australia and was considering booking a cruise.

 

The whole silly business is just annoying. Annoying enough that I am seriously rethinking my commitment to Princess. :( Oh well, it was great fun while it lasted.

[misi]

i bought the absolut as it was a great deal- 2 for $22 compared to $34 for 1 back homw- very pricey to drink in clev ohio- we not only have the high cost of the liquir but we also have 3 taxes- 1- county tax, 2-sin tax (all alcohol / tobacco products no matter if consumed in restaurats/taverns or purchased in stores- all to help pay for the professional football & baseball stadiums) and i believe either a state or city tax- so add on almost 11% or more to the $34!!! i've gotten to the point where i order my wine on line to avoid the taxes (also get free shipping) as i've never been to the stadiums and probably won't bother to go in the future.

[school nurse]

This disclaimer has more to do with our litigious, entitled society, than anything being discussed here. Princess is saying they RESERVE the RIGHT too.... I can't count the number of times I have seen people boarding cases of wine, liquor and beer. Princess is not interested in people with a bottle or two, the same as the Border Guards are interested in you bring a bottle or 2 over your limit. By plainly stating this policy anyone who is stopped knows the consequences. their will be no argument. Too man the Gangways and verify each and every bag that comes on board would cost more than Princess would make. Princess is not about to stop anyone bringing Duty Free liquor on board, to take home. If you are caught bringing it on board they will impound it until the night before your disembark, they are not going to charge you anything for that.

3 cruise since Aug no problems.

 

Hi Chuck, I see you have a link to the Ruby Feb 24th roll call, I am School Nurse. Can you add the names Ellen and Peter to your list? Also Nathan and Sarah and Lee and Laura as our son and daughter and their spouses are traveling with us.

[iwantsomesun]

I have a question for the people who have had their bottle(s) taken away from them and returned the last night of the cruise. If you are flying home the next day, what do you do with the bottles? You can’t take them aboard the plane with your carry-on luggage and I can’t imagine putting them through with the checked luggage either. Can anyone help me with this question?

 

In St. Thomas the liquor store at the port charged $1 to put your bottle into a special inflatable bag. They inflated it and I put it into my checked bag with no problem. Works well if you have the space.

[kenzie]

Firstly in Jan 13 I boarded the Caribbean at Port Everglades with 6 bottles wine carry on, there were 6 adults so no rules broken if they had asked, but they didnt ask when scanning.

Next cruise is Royal Princess B2B, does this constitute 2 voyages and can we carry 2 bottles each without charge?

[Shake]

i bought the absolut as it was a great deal- 2 for $22 compared to $34 for 1 back homw- very pricey to drink in clev ohio- we not only have the high cost of the liquir but we also have 3 taxes- 1- county tax, 2-sin tax (all alcohol / tobacco products no matter if consumed in restaurats/taverns or purchased in stores- all to help pay for the professional football & baseball stadiums) and i believe either a state or city tax- so add on almost 11% or more to the $34!!! i've gotten to the point where i order my wine on line to avoid the taxes (also get free shipping) as i've never been to the stadiums and probably won't bother to go in the future.

 

Instead of going through all of that, wouldn't you rather just move to a reasonable State? ;)