Best Way To Carry On Wine

[mdmc]

We are cruising soon for 15 days. I want to take my own wine. I do plan to tell them I have 4 extra bottles. I live in the city in which the ship leaves from, so no flying. What is the best way to carry 6 bottles of wine on board? I know most say carry on ( and I do plan on carrying it on) but is there a box or something else that you have used so I don't have to put it in my carryon luggage?

[mllewis48]

We are cruising soon for 15 days. I want to take my own wine. I do plan to tell them I have 4 extra bottles. I live in the city in which the ship leaves from, so no flying. What is the best way to carry 6 bottles of wine on board? I know most say carry on ( and I do plan on carrying it on) but is there a box or something else that you have used so I don't have to put it in my carryon luggage?

 

 

 

We have carriers that we bought at Total Wine that carry four bottles and also have a two bottle carrier. Your choice but carrying six in one container is a bit much. I attach ours to our carryon luggage so I do not have to slept them.

[satxdiver]

We have carriers that we bought at Total Wine that carry four bottles and also have a two bottle carrier. Your choice but carrying six in one container is a bit much. I attach ours to our carryon luggage so I do not have to slept them.

 

You "slept" your wine? Did you do this while boarding? :rolleyes:

 

We use a six bottle carrier that we bought from a wine store. It works great and the six bottles are not that heavy.

[jshyshka]

Just use the 6 bottle carriers you get in the supermarket - the 10% discount wine carriers - we took 12 bottles on with them last time. Then you just throw them out when you get on board.

[mllewis48]

You "slept" your wine? Did you do this while boarding? :rolleyes:

 

 

 

We use a six bottle carrier that we bought from a wine store. It works great and the six bottles are not that heavy.

 

 

 

Whoops I meant "schlep", sorry!

[KevintheIrishDJ]

We bring it on by the case and check it with our other luggage. Never had a problem.

 

Pax et bonum,

Kevin Westley T.M.R.F.

[greenie082756]

From Total wine & more I purchased some bubble wrap wine carriers for our 2 bottles we schlepped on our last cruise.

 

They worked just fine. Gonna use them again :D

[Cobraman]

We use a 6 bottle carrier on wheels with an extending handle. It comes in handy at the end of the cruise, once emptied its roomy enough to hold our clothes from the last night and any items we didn't pack into our main bags which were put out before we went to dinner.

[RocketMan275]

Google Wine Carry Luggage and you'll find all sorts of things with wheels to carry wine on board.

 

On our last cruise, we each used a small 'rolly-polly' carry-on. That was all the luggage we used. I took a small backpack and put six bottles in that. I extended the handle, placed the backpack on top of the carry-on, and used a couple of bunggie cords to hold it in place. Worked rather well.

[elliair]

I wrap them in bubble wrap and put them in my suit case that's on rollers. DH carries 2 in his back pack and I have the rest.

[mdmc]

Thanks everyone. I am heading to Total Wine today!

[elliair]

Thanks everyone. I am heading to Total Wine today!

 

If you have a Costco in your area, I would try them first as Total Wine I have found is more expensive than Costco. I was at Costco yesterday and the prices can't be beat. Good luck!

[floridalover5623]

Carry two bottles & put the rest in your checked luggage. If they find it you'll have to pay the extra charge. I not, you've ahead of the game.;)

[XBGuy]

I have a lot of wine shipped to my door directly from various makers. So, I always have a collection of various size shippers available. On Apr. 23 we are leaving on a 7-dayer out of San Pedro. I plan on filling a six-bottle shipper and dragging it on board with some folding wheels. The two best features of my idea are that the styrofoam inserts (1) prevent the bottles from rattling around amongst each other, and (2) they provide thermal insulation. So, chilled bottles will stay chilled, and I don't have to rely on the in-room fridge to chill down anything that we might want to sip as we are leaving port. I'll just leave the empty shipper when we return to San Pedro,

 

A lot of my friends swear by the Wine Check. (http://shop.thewinecheck.com/) It will hold 12 bottles. The nice thing about this is that you can check it on an airline.

 

The Total Wine 6-bottle tote that has been mentioned several times or the cardboard 6-packs that various supermarket have are both good ideas. The only problem I have with either of those, and this is really a nit, is that you have to secure it somehow in whatever vehicle you are using to travel to the port. I get very nervous when I hear bottles rattling around in the trunk or on the floor.

 

I really get frustrated by posters who insist there is no downside to trying to smuggle in wine in your checked baggage. Yes, the enforcement policy seems to vary from port to port. However, there is no guarantee that "if you're caught you just pay the corkage fee, and if not, then you've saved the $." There have been reports here on CC that wine found in checked baggage has been confiscated--consistent with Princess' stated policy. So, yes, you are risking your wine. The question is, "Do you feel lucky at your port?"

[KevintheIrishDJ]

I have a lot of wine shipped to my door directly from various makers. So, I always have a collection of various size shippers available. On Apr. 23 we are leaving on a 7-dayer out of San Pedro. I plan on filling a six-bottle shipper and dragging it on board with some folding wheels. The two best features of my idea are that the styrofoam inserts (1) prevent the bottles from rattling around amongst each other, and (2) they provide thermal insulation. So, chilled bottles will stay chilled, and I don't have to rely on the in-room fridge to chill down anything that we might want to sip as we are leaving port. I'll just leave the empty shipper when we return to San Pedro,

 

A lot of my friends swear by the Wine Check. (http://shop.thewinecheck.com/) It will hold 12 bottles. The nice thing about this is that you can check it on an airline.

 

The Total Wine 6-bottle tote that has been mentioned several times or the cardboard 6-packs that various supermarket have are both good ideas. The only problem I have with either of those, and this is really a nit, is that you have to secure it somehow in whatever vehicle you are using to travel to the port. I get very nervous when I hear bottles rattling around in the trunk or on the floor.

 

I really get frustrated by posters who insist there is no downside to trying to smuggle in wine in your checked baggage. Yes, the enforcement policy seems to vary from port to port. However, there is no guarantee that "if you're caught you just pay the corkage fee, and if not, then you've saved the $." There have been reports here on CC that wine found in checked baggage has been confiscated--consistent with Princess' stated policy. So, yes, you are risking your wine. The question is, "Do you feel lucky at your port?"

 

They will take away booze, not wine.

[mllewis48]

They will take away booze, not wine.

 

 

 

JMO if you smuggle against the rules, and hiding in your luggage IS smuggling, the cruise line should confiscate everything, period!

[Papa Yoda]

I put a regular 12 bottle case box on a collapsible roller cart, put my carry-on on top and likewise bungeed it down. Worked great. 15 days, SF-HI roundtrip and the 12 bottles almost lasted the cruise - almost 10 full sea days.

[eandj]

JMO if you smuggle against the rules, and hiding in your luggage IS smuggling, the cruise line should confiscate everything, period!

 

Some people fly with their two bottles in their checked bag and come straight from the airport. Not smuggling, just convenient for them. If they are called in to claim their bag, the wine won't be confiscated. (Sorry;)) Two bottles of rum or the like WILL be taken.

[mdmc]

Thanks again for all the replies I found something on

Amazon that I think will work well for us. As I said in my original post, I do plan to tell them about the extra wine I plan to bring. It's not that much money and I really feel better about letting them know. Happy cruising!

[Cabogirl13]

Yep, as others have said, we just carried them in our 6 bottle bag we have from Trader Joes, worked great. As you are going through security you will walk over to a table where they will check your wine and Mark you accordingly for the extra bottle. Easy Peasy.

PS reminder ... Don't dorget to bring your wine opener if not screw tops. Our room steward brought is wine glasses when he saw we had wine. If they don't just ask for some and enjoy!!!!

[mdmc]

Yes. I packed a wine opener. Last cruise our steward brought one but also took it back with him. Had to go looking for him when I wanted to open another bottle. Don't want to do that again.

[XBGuy]

They will take away booze, not wine.

Kevin, I went back to the "Alcohol Policy" in the FAQs at the Princess site, and it appears to me that they have re-written their policy regarding wine:

 

As provided in the Passage Contract,

guests agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption, except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) 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.*

 

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship's gift shop, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the guest's stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship's staff will be at the gangway to assist guests with the storage of their shoreside alcoholic purchases while our Boutiques staff will assist guests with shipboard alcoholic purchases.

The section that discusses wine in the first paragraph no longer says that it has to be carried on. Based on this, I am inclined to agree with you. I'm not sure that I would want to pack multiple bottles of wine in my luggage with my clothes. but checking a box of wine bottles with a porter at the dock sure sounds like a convenient solution.

 

HOWEVER,

 

If you notice at the end of the first paragraph, there is an asterisk. This is the footnote associated with the asterisk:

 

*Princess Cruises is not responsible for any alcoholic beverages removed and discarded by shoreside security staff.

Such items are not eligible for monetary refund or replacement

 

What the heck does that mean? If, in between your dropping off your luggage at the pier and delivery of that luggage to your room, somebody finds a bottle of DRC and decides they want it, then that is tough for you?

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Kevin, I went back to the "Alcohol Policy" in the FAQs at the Princess site, and it appears to me that they have re-written their policy regarding wine:

 

As provided in the Passage Contract,

guests agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption, except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) 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.*

 

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship's gift shop, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the guest's stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship's staff will be at the gangway to assist guests with the storage of their shoreside alcoholic purchases while our Boutiques staff will assist guests with shipboard alcoholic purchases.

The section that discusses wine in the first paragraph no longer says that it has to be carried on. Based on this, I am inclined to agree with you. I'm not sure that I would want to pack multiple bottles of wine in my luggage with my clothes. but checking a box of wine bottles with a porter at the dock sure sounds like a convenient solution.

 

HOWEVER,

 

If you notice at the end of the first paragraph, there is an asterisk. This is the footnote associated with the asterisk:

 

*Princess Cruises is not responsible for any alcoholic beverages removed and discarded by shoreside security staff.

Such items are not eligible for monetary refund or replacement

 

What the heck does that mean? If, in between your dropping off your luggage at the pier and delivery of that luggage to your room, somebody finds a bottle of DRC and decides they want it, then that is tough for you?

 

We have been bringing on cases for years and never had a problem.

[floridalover5623]

Some people fly with their two bottles in their checked bag and come straight from the airport. Not smuggling, just convenient for them. If they are called in to claim their bag, the wine won't be confiscated. (Sorry;)) Two bottles of rum or the like WILL be taken.

 

Not if it's disguised in a wine bottle they won't. :D

[XBGuy]

We have been bringing on cases for years and never had a problem.

 

I agree, that is awesome, Kevin. Just out of curiosity how have you handled the corkage payment?

Edited April 5, 2016 by XBGuy