Bringing wine/alcohol/beer onboard - US vs European vs Canadian ports?

[heckofagator]

We cruised on a European cruise this past summer. I had read beforehand that the ports were sometimes a bit more lax with bringing drinks on the ship at the ports and at the beginning of the cruise. Needless to say, yes, it was VERY lax.

 

I was wondering - is this a European thing? Would the same hold true at a disembarkation port in Canada?

[paul929207]

Are you asking about bringing alcohol on board in foreign countries? or taking it off at disembarkation?

[marynjohn]

Are you asking about bringing alcohol on board in foreign countries? or taking it off at disembarkation?

It says onboard.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Forums mobile app

[tanyaewa]

In my experience with Canadian ports - Vancouver is tough, Victoria can be lax. Alaska - in my experience with 2 cruise lines....depends on who is working the gangway

[CruiserBruce]

The port staff does what the cruise line tells them to, as most ports generally don't care what you bring on, unless it is unsafe or illegal. Princess (or the other cruise lines) don't change their rules in different countries, unless that country has a law stricter than the cruise ship's policies.

[tanyaewa]

I understood the OP as asking about returning on a port day during a cruise. Often times it’s only the cruise line security on the gangway. It can be at their discretion - although there are policies in place

[heckofagator]

The port staff does what the cruise line tells them to, as most ports generally don't care what you bring on, unless it is unsafe or illegal. Princess (or the other cruise lines) don't change their rules in different countries, unless that country has a law stricter than the cruise ship's policies.

 

well I can certainly tell you that boarding the European ship on the first day and at each port was drastically different than I've ever experienced in the US.

 

But yeah, I was mainly curious about Vancouver and if it was similar to that (maybe being outside the US was the difference?) or if they stuck to the posted policy strictly.

 

Not a huge deal either way but it would change a few things depending on the answer....

[happy cruzer]

In my experience, buying alcohol in Canada is not convenient and doesn't save alot of money. If a new option has opened I apologize. We do love sailing in Europe and carrying on local wine to have with dinner (paying corkage).

[Thrak]

Having traveled through parts of Canada last summer (7 week camping trip) I don't think there would be any advantage at all to buying alcohol there rather than on the ship. Alcohol prices in Canada were amazingly high compared to the US. Example: Jim Beam Bourbon (not an expensive brand) can be had in the US for $10.99 quite often. In Canada I found it to cost more like $28.99 or so. Sierra Nevada beer (here at home) is about $7 - $8 a six pack. In Canada it was something like $16 - $18 a six pack. Wine was equally expensive. Why not just buy wine on the ship?

[heckofagator]

At those prices for alcohol in Canada, yeah, we may just opt for the beverage package, I suppose.

 

But I was just thinking, if it was anything like Europe where we litterally just walked onto the ship with a case and a half of wine without even a second glance (and beer and alcohol at every port), well then I think that would change things.

 

But as for "why not just buy on the ship" I guess I would just prefer not to pay $35 plus gratuity for a $10 bottle of wine if I don't have to.

Edited February 13, 2018 by heckofagator