Wine policy, again...

[Cobra427SC]

I know that this has been asked, answered and cursed at many times, but I couldn't easily find the answer. Under the new Princess wine policy, how and when do they assess the $15 corkage fee? It used to be that they charged you, when they did, at the time you brought the bottle into the MDR. I've heard that now you get two bottles "free" (of corkage fees) but they must be consumed in your room. I'd really like a detailed answer from someone who's actually done this, not hearsay and I don't need to know about bringing wine in from ports we visit. Only wine brought on at the time of embarkation. thanx steve

[dotty52]

My understanding is that you each get to bring on 1 bottle of wine at embarkation which you pay no corkage but must be consumed in your room any extra bottles brought onboard will be charged the corkage fee

[Mississippian]

We paid our corkage fee at the time we went through security at the time we boarded. We asked how they knew whether or not people had wine and were told that the security cameras could see it. I wasn't trying to cheat, but was just interested. Personally I have a problem with security services being used to screen for liquor, but that's just me.

 

We did not have a boarding pass because I could never get to a printer. This through them into a tizzy, because without a boarding pass we could have just lied about what our cabin number was (we got the boarding pass while checking in, which came after security). I have Dropbox on my phone and was able to access and show a copy of my boarding pass, but I'm not sure what they do when you don't have a boarding pass.

 

Although I preferred the old system of unlimited wine, I can live with paying the cork fee. In the past I've brought on a lot of wine later taken much of it off the ship. With the new system you pretty much have to drink anything you bring on board.

 

Some of the Princess wine prices are quite reasonable. However, most waiters refuse to serve pre-dinner glasses of wine, particularly if you are with a large group. They believe pre-dinner wine or cocktails should only be served after everyone has eaten their appetizers. So you really do need to arrive at the dining room with a fresh glass of wine or cocktail in hand, because they simply will not serve you.

[trbarton]

I know that this has been asked, answered and cursed at many times, but I couldn't easily find the answer. Under the new Princess wine policy, how and when do they assess the $15 corkage fee? It used to be that they charged you, when they did, at the time you brought the bottle into the MDR. I've heard that now you get two bottles "free" (of corkage fees) but they must be consumed in your room. I'd really like a detailed answer from someone who's actually done this, not hearsay and I don't need to know about bringing wine in from ports we visit. Only wine brought on at the time of embarkation. thanx steve

 

You're allowed one bottle of wine per person. On my last cruise in May in San Francisco I was directed to a special table where they took my stateroom number and the $15 corkage fee was added to my stateroom account on my extra bottle. A special sticker was attached on my bottle so I could take it anywhere on the ship.

 

Some people have reported nobody saying anything about the extra bottles.

 

Tom:)

[MGnut]

....

 

Some of the Princess wine prices are quite reasonable. However, most waiters refuse to serve pre-dinner glasses of wine, particularly if you are with a large group. They believe pre-dinner wine or cocktails should only be served after everyone has eaten their appetizers. So you really do need to arrive at the dining room with a fresh glass of wine or cocktail in hand, because they simply will not serve you.

 

That's interesting. We normally order a bottle of wine before we even place our dinner order. The assistant waiter usually goes very quickly after we order the wine to bring it to our table. We nearly always have our wine within a few minutes of being seated. It sounds like you've had some pretty poor servers. :(

[IECalCruiser]

You're allowed one bottle of wine per person. On my last cruise in May in San Francisco I was directed to a special table where they took my stateroom number and the $15 corkage fee was added to my stateroom account on my extra bottle. A special sticker was attached on my bottle so I could take it anywhere on the ship.

 

Some people have reported nobody saying anything about the extra bottles.

 

Tom:)

trbarton's experience was the same as ours in both San Pedro and San Francisco. In those ports you go through security after you have your cruise card and you can charge the corkage on your cruise card. Don't know what they do in ports like Ft. Lauderdale and Copenhagen where you go through security before you have checked in and have a cruise card.

 

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Edited August 28, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[IECalCruiser]

...Some of the Princess wine prices are quite reasonable. However, most waiters refuse to serve pre-dinner glasses of wine, particularly if you are with a large group. They believe pre-dinner wine or cocktails should only be served after everyone has eaten their appetizers. So you really do need to arrive at the dining room with a fresh glass of wine or cocktail in hand, because they simply will not serve you.

We haven't had problems ordering a bottle or having our bottle poured when we are seated.

 

 

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[M4dC0w]

trbarton's experience was the same as ours in both San Pedro and San Francisco. In those ports you go through security after you have your cruise card and you can charge the corkage on your cruise card. Don't know what they do in ports like Ft. Lauderdale and Copenhagen where you go through security before you have checked in and have a cruise card.

 

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Guess you are on the honor system then, I noticed it was like that in vancouver too.

 

Princess and rccl used the same security and cbp before going left to rccl, and right to pcl.

 

Security wasn't checking for any bottles, and by the time you got your cruise cards they had no way of finding anything

Edited August 28, 2014 by M4dC0w

[Cobra427SC]

thanx for the input. i'm still trying to understand how they determine how many bottles you have, especially if they're packed in a suitcase, and sent on board with the rest of the luggage. I've taken so many bottles on board in the past, without charge, that I really don't mind kickin' a few bucks into their coffers, I just want to know what to expect. Princess's wine prices are fair tho' no steal. They used to be a good deal. Don't forget when you buy a bottle on board, you get to pay another 15% gratuity. steve

[azbirdmom]

In Ft. Lauderdale we were pointed towards the security table after going through the security scanners. We had two bottles total so no charge.

[Mississippian]

That's interesting. We normally order a bottle of wine before we even place our dinner order. The assistant waiter usually goes very quickly after we order the wine to bring it to our table. We nearly always have our wine within a few minutes of being seated. It sounds like you've had some pretty poor servers. :(

On the past three cruises, I've felt the assistant waiter was pretty awful, and it's his job to serve the drinks. We have been seated at large tables, but everybody in the world is supposed to know that the drink order is taken the very second the butt hits the seat.

 

Our next cruise is going to be Anytime Dining. I've found the waiters to be better in Anytime, so looking forward to it.

[Colo Cruiser]

thanx for the input. i'm still trying to understand how they determine how many bottles you have, especially if they're packed in a suitcase, and sent on board with the rest of the luggage. I've taken so many bottles on board in the past, without charge, that I really don't mind kickin' a few bucks into their coffers, I just want to know what to expect. Princess's wine prices are fair tho' no steal. They used to be a good deal. Don't forget when you buy a bottle on board, you get to pay another 15% gratuity. steve

 

You can expect it to be different all over and from week to week and ship to ship.

You just have to plan on paying and if you don't thats great. ;)

[Mississippian]

thanx for the input. i'm still trying to understand how they determine how many bottles you have, especially if they're packed in a suitcase, and sent on board with the rest of the luggage. I've taken so many bottles on board in the past, without charge, that I really don't mind kickin' a few bucks into their coffers, I just want to know what to expect. Princess's wine prices are fair tho' no steal. They used to be a good deal. Don't forget when you buy a bottle on board, you get to pay another 15% gratuity. steve

Cobra, they ask you. They also apparently x-ray your luggage, and your carry-on bags will have gone through an x-ray machine about 30 seconds before you are asked to "declare" your wine. They can and will ask to look through your carry-on. They put a stamp or sticker on the bottles that you have paid corkage on, and you can carry these anywhere on the ship and consume them.

 

Sometimes when they are in a hurry they may let people through without paying or without looking in their carry-on. But there is a guy looking at the x-ray machine and then reporting bags with bottles of wine. It's all kind of confused, and you absolutely might get away with "cheating." You also might get caught.

 

You "pay" just like you do for a drink on board, by signing a ticket with your name and stateroom number, which then goes onto your onboard account.

[iceleven]

If you are told to go to the table they will put a stamp only your bottles that are OVER YOUR one person per bottle limit. It is then that they will charge your card with the $15 per bottle. You are NOT supposed to bring your wine through you checked baggage but if they do find it, they will charge you the $15 per bottle and then stamp your bottle. These stamped bottles will not be charged an additional corkage if you bring them to the dining room. However, if you bring your "allowed" bottled to the dining room, you will be charged the corkage fee.

[trbarton]

One thought....If you have people doing the BVE with you have each one of then carry one one bottle. Anyone done this before? I plan to try it in my next cruise.

 

Tom:)

[Cobra427SC]

OK, that's clear as mud...actually it is...sounds somewhat arbitrary (OK with me, as I don't mind paying, and expected to do so) and confusing. We'll just be prepared to pay and see how it unfolds. Glad to pay $15 to drink some of my stock without having to do the dishes! steve

[IECalCruiser]

At least in San Pedro and San Francisco, the wine bottles in our carry on bags showed up on the scanner and we were directed to the wine check in table. We have not brought wine on board in our checked bags but others have posted that if wine shows up on the scanners, they will open unlocked bags or have you go to open your bags if they are locked. The inspection is supposed to be video recorded.

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

One thought....If you have people doing the BVE with you have each one of then carry one one bottle. Anyone done this before? I plan to try it in my next cruise.

 

Tom:)

 

Its not worth the hassle.

Just buy the darn wine onboard. :rolleyes:

[caribill]

I know that this has been asked, answered and cursed at many times, but I couldn't easily find the answer. Under the new Princess wine policy, how and when do they assess the $15 corkage fee? It used to be that they charged you, when they did, at the time you brought the bottle into the MDR. I've heard that now you get two bottles "free" (of corkage fees) but they must be consumed in your room.

 

They do not have to be consumed in your cabin, but if you bring them to the dining room there will be the corkage fee as in the past.

 

thanx for the input. i'm still trying to understand how they determine how many bottles you have, especially if they're packed in a suitcase, and sent on board with the rest of the luggage.

 

The policy now is all wine must be carried onto the ship with none being in checked luggage. If they detect any in checked luggage, you will be asked to pay the corkage fees.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

They do not have to be consumed in your cabin, but if you bring them to the dining room there will be the corkage fee as in the past.

 

 

Not if you only bring in a glass at a time. ;)

[PunkiC]

Honestly, they could care less if you carry your wine on board or put it in your checked luggage.

 

You should be prepared to the $15 per bottle in excess of your one free bottle pp, but that may or may not happen.

 

Since the new rules went into effect, we have checked a case of wine on three different occasions. Twice it was delivered to our cabin with a request that we sign a chit to be charged corkage on 10 of the bottles and those bottles were stamped with a Princess logo so we could take them into the dining room or anywhere else on the ship with no additional charges. Once it was just delivered to our room with no charges applied. It didn't much matter one way or the other as we ended up taking the wine to dinner and paying the corkage fee anyway.

 

Boarding wine at ports is also pretty hit and miss--sometimes they mention it and sometimes they don't. Even though we have been directed to the wine table at ports, I don't think we have actually been charged a corkage fee on anything we declared at the wine table. Maybe they just thought it was our first two bottles.

 

Once I was boarding in a wheelchair in SFO. I had a bottle of wine in my carry-on and another in my tote. DH had two bottles of wine in his backpack. He was directed to the wine table and declared his two bottles at no charge. When they asked my wheelchair attendant if I had any wine, she said, "No, she doesn't drink wine". Then she asked me if she had lied and I told her to come up to the cabin for a glass of wine. LOL

 

Their liberal wine policy is one of the reasons we have begun to lean more toward Cunard--well that and their lovely dance floors--and HAL's more strict and and more expensive wine policy is the reason we quit sailing HAL.

[jammen]

I know that this has been asked, answered and cursed at many times, but I couldn't easily find the answer. Under the new Princess wine policy, how and when do they assess the $15 corkage fee? It used to be that they charged you, when they did, at the time you brought the bottle into the MDR. I've heard that now you get two bottles "free" (of corkage fees) but they must be consumed in your room. I'd really like a detailed answer from someone who's actually done this, not hearsay and I don't need to know about bringing wine in from ports we visit. Only wine brought on at the time of embarkation. thanx steve[/QUOT

 

Only 1 bottle P.P, or two to a cabin. when corking it yourself there will be no charge. I have never been charged.

[Cobra427SC]

Thanx again to all of you. We love Princess's liberal attitude toward wine and that's what's put us on 28 Princess cruises. Even this recent edict and its spotty application is consistent with what keeps us comin' back. steve

[Wehwalt]

I am planning to bring, on an upcoming cruise, two or three of the small one-pint cardboard carton wines. I know some turn up their noses at them but I find them inexpensive and good. I wonder if security will send me to the table?

[Colo Cruiser]

I am planning to bring, on an upcoming cruise, two or three of the small one-pint cardboard carton wines. I know some turn up their noses at them but I find them inexpensive and good. I wonder if security will send me to the table?

 

Yes its still wine.

 

Probably won't see them though.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Colo Cruiser