Wine confiscated at Port of Amsterdam

[drakes2]

I was recently on a Baltic cruise and checked in with two bottles of wine as well as an open bottle of wine (about a third left in the bottle) at the point of embarkation. I had just left the hotel I was staying at for 3 days and rather than throw the remaining wine down the sink or leave it for the cleaning lady to enjoy I decided to take my chances and bring it onboard knowing full well that it could get confiscated. Security scanned my carry on luggage and took the open bottle and tagged it and gave me a slip with the sail date, my cabin number and name of wine stating that it would be returned to me on the last night.

On the last night I mentioned it to my stateroom attendant and he said he would deliver to the cabin by 8 pm. When it had not arrived by 9 I went to guest relations and they said give it a half hour and we'll find it and return to you. By 11 pm I closed my account and questioned them about the wine, they said it could not be found and they offered me a cheap bottle of Chilean wine which I politely declined. They then said they would give me the cash instead, which was fine with me. At that point I had a zero balance remaining, however, the next morning they would not let me disembark the ship stating I had not paid my account in full. Once again, I went to guest relations to settle the issue and found not only had they charged me again for the cash given the night before but they also charged me for an item from the mini bar, which I never took. Obviously, the stateroom attendant miscounted the items in the mini bar. All was quickly resolved and I was allowed to disembark the ship shortly after. I really didn't care if they confiscated the wine, but I do have an issue with them when told it will be returned and then they do not return the item. According to someone else at guest relations who overheard the conversation, stated that if a confiscated bottle has been opened, it will be discarded immediately whether it be wine or hard liquor, so not sure why it was tagged in the first place. Unfortunately, this will be my last Celebrity cruise, I've always loved the cruise line and have been on 20 + cruises with various lines, but any issues encountered just happen to be on Celebrity. On an earlier cruise this year with Celebrity a large OBC given by my travel agent was missing on the account and the Miami office stated they never received it. A call to my TA showed paperwork had been sent over months prior to the cruise but the Miami office just never applied it.

[Wine-O]

A third of a bottle of opened wine after 10-12 days, or however long your cruise was, would be so badly oxidized, it would be undrinkable. You should be glad they threw it away. :rolleyes:

[cruisestitch]

Two and a partial is more than the two bottles per stateroom you are allowed. Losing the partial bottle, which would probably have been undrinkable anyway, was not unexpected.

[ShakeDaddy]

Wow, your last cruise with Celebrity over a third of a bottle of opened wine? In the long run I would think Celebrity will probably benefit from the exit. :D

[Nachosdelux]

That is a pretty petty reason to leave a cruise line, IMO.

 

Hopefully you will find another line that better fits your needs.

[hcat]

2 btls per stateroom is permitted...they allowed those on so no issue there

 

I would never take unopened wine or alcohol in any vehicle.,.illegal in some places unless kept in the trunk.,,and if it was returned, doubtful it could be taken into a plane and probably turned by then anyhow . One wonders what value was given for 1/3 btl of opened wine?

 

OBC proof should have been confirmed by TA at time of final payment and proof supplied to customer so it could be shown onboard if needed.,..

 

Mini bar issues happen sometimes but leaving Celeb for that?????

Edited August 16, 2016 by hcat

[DaisyFire]

Wow, your last cruise with Celebrity over a third of a bottle of opened wine? In the long run I would think Celebrity will probably benefit from the exit. :D

 

 

Based on their comments, I think the OP just sees this as the straw that broke the camels back as they have had some other issues with Celebrity but not with other lines that they have sailed. Certainly the OPs prerogative to decide to sail or not sail with any cruise line based on whatever considerations are important to them.

 

Not sure of their motivation for posting - Looking for empathy? Just felt the need to vent? Or perhaps wanted to get talked out of their decision? If the first or the last - it certainly seems to have backfired on them :(

[casper106]

There are rules regarding wine on every cruise line.You broke the rules on X. Your choice to find another cruise line that fits your criteria. Besides,a bottle that's been opened that long would not be too good.

[Chunky2219]

Try Cunard. They're happy for you to take a case of champagne aboard.

 

The OP may be no oneophile, but not getting your stuff then being prevented from disembarking because they messed up is ridiculous. In fact, it's classed as kidnapping or unlawful detention in some countries.

 

 

.

[Langley Cruisers]

...Not sure of their motivation for posting - Looking for empathy? Just felt the need to vent?

 

Yeah, not sure either. But one thing is for certain: you get people on every forum on this site saying "this happened and such and such and I will never cruise with them again.". It actually makes me feel better about things - there is no one line that suits everyone's needs. I say spread the love around. :D

[MommaBear55]

Wow, your last cruise with Celebrity over a third of a bottle of opened wine? In the long run I would think Celebrity will probably benefit from the exit. :D

 

People have the strangest reasons to leave a cruise line... The wine was no longer any good anyway. Lots of energy expended over nothing worthwhile.

[drakes2]

Re the OBC from the TA, I had paperwork showing the amount but it was not good enough for Celebrity, they wanted the TA's paperwork, which had been sent over electronically months prior. Yes, mini bar issues happen all the time, I was lucky I didn't have an early flight or I would have been stuck with the extra charges. Yes, they fully compensated me for the wine and didn't ask for proof of purchase.

2 btls per stateroom is permitted...they allowed those on so no issue there

 

I would never take unopened wine or alcohol in any vehicle.,.illegal in some places unless kept in the trunk.,,and if it was returned, doubtful it could be taken into a plane and probably turned by then anyhow . One wonders what value was given for 1/3 btl of opened wine?

 

OBC proof should have been confirmed by TA at time of final payment and proof supplied to customer so it could be shown onboard if needed.,..

 

Mini bar issues happen sometimes but leaving Celeb for that?????

[cheeseheads4ever]

I agree. Why would you take a 3rd of a bottle of wine onboard?Then after over a week want it back. Not knowing where its been?Then expect them to pay you?

I dont understand?

[wallie5446]

Re the OBC from the TA, I had paperwork showing the amount but it was not good enough for Celebrity, they wanted the TA's paperwork, which had been sent over electronically months prior. Yes, mini bar issues happen all the time, I was lucky I didn't have an early flight or I would have been stuck with the extra charges. Yes, they fully compensated me for the wine and didn't ask for proof of purchase.

 

This is the part I don't understand. :confused: If you are never sailing with Celebrity again, why hang around the area of Cruise Critic dedicated to something you are not doing any more?

 

So little to do over so little.

 

ps: Ya should have left the day old open bottle at the hotel. But then the maid would probably had the good sense not to drink it either. ;)

[xmarksx]

This is the part I don't understand. :confused: If you are never sailing with Celebrity again, why hang around the area of Cruise Critic dedicated to something you are not doing any more? QUOTE]

 

Exactly. Cannot guess at the number of times I have asked that question about some folks posting.

[Langley Cruisers]

I agree. Why would you take a 3rd of a bottle of wine onboard?Then after over a week want it back. Not knowing where its been?...

 

Right? I would have taken the "cheap bottle of Chilean wine" they offered and called it a day. :D

[Flamencacha]

It would take a heck of a lot more than that to keep me off a cruise line.

 

That must of been a great bottle of wine.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dkjretired]

Celebrity should not have told you that they would give you back the opened bottle and tagged it.

 

Also, just to point out that in some jurisdictions you cannot take open alcohol on board a ship. I know you can't do it in New Jersey.

[Gracie115]

Right? I would have taken the "cheap bottle of Chilean wine" they offered and called it a day. :D

 

yup...me too....at least it's a bottle you could take with you wherever......

[SMSACE6]

drakes2, next time, I suggest you drink that 1/3 bottle of wine for breakfast:D, or, give it to the drain pipe. I doubt the room attendants would drink anything left behind that is opened. Could be wrong though, but best to get an early buzz, or give it to the drain pipes.

[El Crucero]

This thread is so typical of many complaints on CC about Celebrity. Passenger attitude is so important when resolving "misunderstandings" while aboard. A positive attitude will result in positive results. A negative attitude will result in perceived negative results - even if customer service tap danced and whistled Dixie.

 

Is it possible the OP's TA is the one who screwed up on the OBC? I always have the room steward remove everything from the minibar on the day we embark so there is no issue with the minibar. Guest relations gave him credit for the missing 1/3 bottle of wine - what's the problem?

 

I hope the OP will tell us what cruise line meets all his criteria.

[Gracie115]

drakes2, next time, i suggest you drink that 1/3 bottle of wine for breakfast:d, or, give it to the drain pipe. I doubt the room attendants would drink anything left behind that is opened. Could be wrong though, but best to get an early buzz, or give it to the drain pipes.

 

roflmao....:)

Edited August 17, 2016 by Gracie115

[Kartgv]

To OP....when you find that cruise line that allows you to take an opened bottle of ANYTHING onboard, and NEVER has any employee give you false or incomplete information, and NEVER has any miscommunication with your TA, after multiple cruises, please come back and let us know. We'll all switch over and all the other cruise lines will go out of business in no time.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Kartgv

[DYKWIA]

Handing in a 1/3 of a bottle of wine - which will begun drinkable by the end , and getting a brand new bottle of wine (albeit cheap) seems a good deal considering the rules are clear - two bottles only.

 

If they'd lost an in cruise purchase of wine and spirits, stored until the last night, I think there would be a lot more sympathy

Edited August 17, 2016 by DYKWIA

[Solution]

OP has 20+ cruises under his belt, and yet did not know each cruise line's alcohol policy.

 

OP said he only encountered problems with Celebrity. Did he try to bring a third bottle on board when cruising other lines?

 

Security people are hired locally and may not know all the rules. I was in New York doing a short Carnival cruise recently, and it is very clear that soda in a glass bottle is not allowed. I had plastic bottled soda, and they took them saying no bottle soda is allowed, only cans (water in a bottle is allowed). What do I do, argue with them and hold up the line? I just laugh and proceed to enjoy my few days on board.