Princess alcohol policy

[judithann423]

Hi all, on the Princess forum there is a discussion happening on the Princess alcohol policy.

 

Apparently they are beginning to enforce quite strictly their one bottle only per person of wine/champagne which must be in your carry-on luggage.

 

If any alcohol is found in your suitcases you are summoned to the 'naughty' room for it to be taken out, it is then poured out and the empty bottle/s is/are returned to your room 30 minutes or so later. It is not being held and returned to you at the end of your cruise.

 

Is this now happening on Princess Australia cruises. Anyone with current experience/knowledge of this???

 

Bob, I think you are Kay are off shortly on your next cruise, perhaps you can report back on what is happening on board to those who try to do a little 'smuggling' - have a great holiday you guys.

[rkmw]

Hi all, on the Princess forum there is a discussion happening on the Princess alcohol policy.

 

Apparently they are beginning to enforce quite strictly their one bottle only per person of wine/champagne which must be in your carry-on luggage.

 

If any alcohol is found in your suitcases you are summoned to the 'naughty' room for it to be taken out, it is then poured out and the empty bottle/s is/are returned to your room 30 minutes or so later. It is not being held and returned to you at the end of your cruise.

 

Is this now happening on Princess Australia cruises. Anyone with current experience/knowledge of this???

 

Bob, I think you are Kay are off shortly on your next cruise, perhaps you can report back on what is happening on board to those who try to do a little 'smuggling' - have a great holiday you guys.

 

yes i read on the princess board what is happening and also what happened on the Sea Princess on the Cherry Blossom cruise wanting to charge the passengers twice for corkage fees

 

is your name Judi

[judithann423]

Hi Bob,

 

Yes Chris and I met you and Kay on the Australia/New Zealand cruise last October on Sea Princess.

 

What happened on the Cherry Blossom cruise, I must have missed that one???

 

Regards to you both

[rkmw]

Hi Bob,

 

Yes Chris and I met you and Kay on the Australia/New Zealand cruise last October on Sea Princess.

 

What happened on the Cherry Blossom cruise, I must have missed that one???

 

Regards to you both

 

yes Judy i know you now and give our regards to Chris

 

someone posted on facebook and this is what they said

 

Another " saga " on the Sea Princess ; following our purchase of 4 bottles of wine in HK & paying the $60.00 ( $15.00 corkage fee ) on boarding , when I presented a bottle in the dining room , a corkage fee was required . The left hand has again stepped in-front of the right hand !! Princess , when will you fix this calamity onboard this vessel . I have had meetings with the Customer relations officer ( Antonio ) & the customer service manager . Again , my wife & I have questioned with our honesty ?? This has now become an absolute joke aboard with other passengers , but the worst part is , Princess is allowing , unbeknown to them , passengers aboard with wine & spirits !! What a shame a great day ashore is spoilt when we arrive in the dining room to relax after a long day

[NSWP]

As has been said below.. over on the Princess CC boards, a lot of chatter about enforcement of the byo wine policy. Suffice to say 'The natives are not happy.'

 

If the cruise lines woke up to themselves and reduced the price of their overpriced wines, they might sell more. On Celebrity Solstice the other week a bottle of Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz was $45 in the MDR. I can buy it by the dozen from Dan Murphys/Macs Liquor for $9.45 per bottle in a 6 bottle flat pack. (Just checked special price.) Even at my golf club bistro I can get it for $18 per bottle. The cruise lines are marking up wines by 400% - Outrageous !!!

[Sutho]

As has been said below.. over on the Princess CC boards, a lot of chatter about enforcement of the byo wine policy. Suffice to say 'The natives are not happy.'

 

If the cruise lines woke up to themselves and reduced the price of their overpriced wines, they might sell more. On Celebrity Solstice the other week a bottle of Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz was $45 in the MDR. I can buy it by the dozen from Dan Murphys/Macs Liquor for $9.45 per bottle in a 6 bottle flat pack. (Just checked special price.) Even at my golf club bistro I can get it for $18 per bottle. The cruise lines are marking up wines by 400% - Outrageous !!!

 

Not only that they purchase the wine free of taxes.

 

Did you note they were selling bottles of wine on that ship up to $4000 a bottle!

 

I predict in the future cruise lines are going to start cashing in. People are cheap. They are often selling cruises at $100 a day. Then the people who buy them BYO liquor and arrange private shore excursions. I am not saying I agree with policies and cheap prices but compared to 10 years ago cruising has turned into a total mess.

[suey]

Our group took five bottles of wine on board the Sun Princess on our last cruise, took them all to dinner on various nights and were never charged any corkage.:)

[NSWP]

Our group took five bottles of wine on board the Sun Princess on our last cruise, took them all to dinner on various nights and were never charged any corkage.:)

Reading on Princess section of CC about enforcement of alcohol/wine policy. I think the days of wine and roses are over on Princess, anywhere in the world. It will be interesting to see how the pax go on Sea Princess world cruise starting in May from Sydney, some dramas no doubt at the gangway re byo. I have a wine drinking golfing friend on that trip. I will await his E mails. I suppose someone will be doing a blog of the cruise, as they do.

[newfarmers]

the issue is that nowhere does it say your one bottle each must be in your carry on.

 

We've just got back from Sun Princess cruise and some wine made it through, some saw people we met in the naughty room. No-one mentioned the booze being poured out. We had two bottles of champagne in the one carry on (for the two of us) and they didn't mention it.

 

We were with a couple who bought a bottle of Fijian rum in Port Denarau as a gift for friends back in the US. They were all ready for it to be taken and locked away until last night but it went through the scanner and not a question was asked.

 

By the way SP was great, the crew especially so.

 

cheers Pete

[rkmw]

we are currently on the Dawn Princess and some passengers bought wine in Brisbane yesterday and it was taken off them by security and they will get it back at the end of the cruise and no mention of the $15 corkage fee

[GHDPeter]

The recent issue regarding the amended Alcohol/Wine policy on Princess Cruises on the Sun, Sea and Dawn made me wonder if Princess Cruises and their Principal Carnival PLC are in breach of Australian Consumer Law.

 

Under the Terms and Conditions on the Princess website it states

"Terms & Conditions

Introduction

These are the terms and conditions under which you book your cruise holiday and travel on any Princess Cruises® product we sell you. You are bound by these terms and conditions, so it is important that you read them carefully.

We/Our/Us means Carnival plc, trading as Princess Cruises® and, where the context permits, includes the Carrier. PCL means Princess Cruise Lines Ltd, a Bermudan company. Carrier means PCL, except for bookings on Sun Princess® and Dawn Princess® where Carrier means Carnival plc. In selling you cruises and issuing you tickets, Carnival plc acts as a sales agent for PCL, except for bookings on Sun Princess® and Dawn Princess® where Carnival plc acts as principal. For bookings on Sea Princess® cruises departing and returning to Australia, Carrier means Carnival plc and Carnival plc acts as principal in selling and issuing your tickets.

You are entering into this contract with Carnival plc trading as Princess Cruises®, ARBN 107 998 443.

Certain laws such as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) and any applicable state based consumer legislation (from here known as 'consumer laws'), are in place for your protection. They are designed to ensure the services provided by us (and, where applicable, the Carrier), are provided with due care and skill and are reasonably fit for a cruise holiday. These 'Terms & Conditions' do not alter any protection given to you by consumer laws."

 

Is their failure to honour and advertised offer/invitation "Thank you for observing our carry-on alcohol policy. As a reminder, adult passengers are permitted to bring one 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne onboard per voyage, which will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles are welcome, but will incur a $15 corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. 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." in breach of Australian Consumer Law?

 

Under Australian Consumer Law False or misleading claims are a breach of the law.

"Creating a false or misleading impression

 

Businesses are not allowed to make statements that are incorrect or likely to create a false impression.

 

This rule applies to their advertising, their product packaging, and any information provided to you by their staff or online shopping services.It also applies to any statements made by businesses in the media or online, such as testimonials on their websites or social media pages.

 

For example, businesses cannot make false claims about:

 

the quality, style, model or history of a product or service

whether the goods are new

the sponsorship, performance characteristics, accessories, benefits or use of products and services

the availability of repair facilities or spare parts

the need for the goods or services

any exclusions on the goods and services.

It makes no difference whether the business intended to mislead you or not. If the overall impression left by a business’s advertisement, promotion, quotation, statement or other representation creates a misleading impression in your mind—such as to the price, value or the quality of any goods and services—then the behaviour is likely to breach the law."

Any thoughts?

[bobhsv]

We are about to leave shortly for the USA. One of our cruises is the Californian Coastal Cruise, also advertised as the Wine Country cruise. Lots of unhappy campers on the roll call re the enforced policy. ie It is a wine country cruise, lots of excursions are to wineries in San Francisco area, Santa Barbara area and other ports further north. Some have cancelled because of this. Last year this particular cruise was booked out waay before time. This year, there are still most categories available.

The new wine policy (which doesn't bother me btw as I am not a big drinker) is plastered all over our boarding passes and luggage tags. My only qualm is that I had intended on purchasing 2 nice Californian wines to bring back home for my brother. Now I will have to pay an extra $15 per bottle. Apparently they will not hold it for you. Hardly worth the effort. May as well purchase it at LAX on the way home. btw this wine excursion is costing us $300 for the day, visiting a few wineries. DH intends on making the most of the offshore tastings. I bet no-one purchases any at the wineries...we will see.

Ooooh, said my piece, feels good!

Jen

[Aus Traveller]

we are currently on the Dawn Princess and some passengers bought wine in Brisbane yesterday and it was taken off them by security and they will get it back at the end of the cruise and no mention of the $15 corkage fee

 

Hi Bob, I hope you and Kay are enjoying your cruise. :)

 

It is difficult for passengers when the implementation of this policy is not consistent across the Princess fleet.

[Mr Princess]

 

It is difficult for passengers when the implementation of this policy is not consistent across the Princess fleet.

Just off the Diamond P. (Syd/Beijing).

Brought in Darwin 6 bottles of wine (2 bubblies, 4 whites - 750 ml), plus 1 doz cans of beer in Liquorland. Walked on board with grog in 3 red Liquorland bags. Went thru' scanner - no-one blinked an eye.

In Honkers, the same story - 2 red, 1 white and a 6 pack of beer!

IMHO this is all a CC beatup! :D

MP.

[GHDPeter]

The Diamond is not an AU ship, its US based and seems to have the freer US application of the wine policy.