WINE HELP PLEASE

[suspaul]

Hi.  We are on the Caribbean Princess next week - Canada & New England cruise.  We haven’t cruised with Princess for several years and I have a wine question, thanks in advance for any help.  

I know that we can carry on 1 bottle each wine or champagne at no charge, any additional bottles will incur a $15/per bottle corkage fee.  So far so good.  My question, are we allowed to pick up a bottle or two while in ports, bring it back on the ship and pay the corkage fee?  

I’ve seen posts stating yes you can bring on additional wine in ports but I don’t want to have a bottle taken from me and returned at the end of the cruise.  We enjoy trying local wines so....Princess cruisers, please end my Wine Whine.

[Colo Cruiser]

You can. Sometimes they charge you the corkage fee and sometimes they don't sometimes they take the bottle and sometimes they don't.

There is no way to tell ahead of time.  

[suspaul]

21 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

You can. Sometimes they charge you the corkage fee and sometimes they don't sometimes they take the bottle and sometimes they don't.

There is no way to tell ahead of time.  

 

Thanks, I guess I won’t risk it then.  I don’t mind paying the corkage fee but don’t want to deal with retrieving it at the end of the cruise before our flight home.  I wish there was a clear cut answer. 

[mtnesterz]

48 minutes ago, suspaul said:

 

Thanks, I guess I won’t risk it then.  I don’t mind paying the corkage fee but don’t want to deal with retrieving it at the end of the cruise before our flight home.  I wish there was a clear cut answer. 

You are right on policy.  ColoCruiser is correct that sometimes policy varies in implementation.  As far as getting alcohol on board, it was explained to me that the port workers deal with different cruise lines, each with different policies, ports in different countries with different laws... A plausible explanation. 
Inclined to agree with you, given a US and Canadian itinerary.

Edited September 8, 2019 by mtnesterz

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, mtnesterz said:

You are right on policy.  ColoCruiser is correct that sometimes policy varies in implementation.  As far as getting alcohol on board, it was explained to me that the port workers deal with different cruise lines, each with different policies, ports in different countries with different laws... A plausible explanation. 
Inclined to agree with you, given a US and Canadian itinerary.

I do not believe @suspaul has a problem.  There is no problem bringing wine on at a port stops.  Passengers probably won't even be stopped and charged corkage fee - which isn't a big deal because the waiter should catch it when brought to the DR.  It is not the port workers that make the call - it is Princess Security when you re-board the ship.  If they spot alcohol, passengers should be directed to the alcohol table (i.e. there should be some form of communication, even if eye-contact, between the security team and the restaurant crew member manning the table.  Wine is a different story.  You won't even necessarily be written up for a corkage fee as the person at the desk won't know if you brought on your free allotment when checking in to the cruise.  If it is the same crew member, and you encountered them at the prior port, they may recall you brought wine on then. 

 

Wine should never be taken and kept as there isn't a limit to the amount of wine passenger can bring on.  Any attempt to do so, should simply be escalated to a supervisor.  I have brought additional wine on mid-cruise with absolutely no issue and no one caring a wit.  Of course, it is subject to corkage at dinner when first brought, but waiters don't necessarily charge for EVERY bottle.  You could also be enjoying that bottle in the cabin.

 

IMO, the only thing that might vary is whether crew is being diligent in checking or logging every returning passenger with wine.  

Edited September 8, 2019 by steelers36

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, suspaul said:

 

Thanks, I guess I won’t risk it then.  I don’t mind paying the corkage fee but don’t want to deal with retrieving it at the end of the cruise before our flight home.  I wish there was a clear cut answer. 

As far as I am concerned, it is very clear cut.  There is not set limit to the amount of wine one can bring on board - just how many are free.  If you were ever to have a hassle, I would simply request to speak with a supervisor.  Never had an issue with wine.  Alcohol is another thing altogether. 

 

ETA:  Many cruises have port excursions that include winery visits and passengers most certainly bring back bottles.

Edited September 8, 2019 by steelers36

[suzyed]

4 hours ago, suspaul said:

Hi.  We are on the Caribbean Princess next week - Canada & New England cruise.  We haven’t cruised with Princess for several years and I have a wine question, thanks in advance for any help.  

I know that we can carry on 1 bottle each wine or champagne at no charge, any additional bottles will incur a $15/per bottle corkage fee.  So far so good.  My question, are we allowed to pick up a bottle or two while in ports, bring it back on the ship and pay the corkage fee?  

I’ve seen posts stating yes you can bring on additional wine in ports but I don’t want to have a bottle taken from me and returned at the end of the cruise.  We enjoy trying local wines so....Princess cruisers, please end my Wine Whine.

We have done this...and never had a bottle of wine taken from us.   We like to try local wines so we usually buy a bottle or two and carry on.  They have taken a bottle of alcohol but just waved us through if it was wine or champagne.

 

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I do not believe @suspaul has a problem.  There is no problem bringing wine on at a port stops.  Passengers probably won't even be stopped and charged corkage fee - which isn't a big deal because the waiter should catch it when brought to the DR.  It is not the port workers that make the call - it is Princess Security when you re-board the ship.  If they spot alcohol, passengers should be directed to the alcohol table (i.e. there should be some form of communication, even if eye-contact, between the security team and the restaurant crew member manning the table.  Wine is a different story.  You won't even necessarily be written up for a corkage fee as the person at the desk won't know if you brought on your free allotment when checking in to the cruise.  If it is the same crew member, and you encountered them at the prior port, they may recall you brought wine on then. 

 

Wine should never be taken and kept as there isn't a limit to the amount of wine passenger can bring on.  Any attempt to do so, should simply be escalated to a supervisor.  I have brought additional wine on mid-cruise with absolutely no issue and no one caring a wit.  Of course, it is subject to corkage at dinner when first brought, but waiters don't necessarily charge for EVERY bottle.  You could also be enjoying that bottle in the cabin.

 

IMO, the only thing that might vary is whether crew is being diligent in checking or logging every returning passenger with wine.  

Our experience is exactly the same!  The only difference is that we have ALWAYS been charged the corkage fee in the dining room, which was expected.

[suspaul]

Thanks to all, I appreciate your taking the time to respond.  So it looks like we may - if they take it, which apparently isn’t the case for the most part, so be it.  We’d fully expect to pay the corkage if consumed anywhere outside of our cabin.  

[hobbyfarmer2]

16 hours ago, steelers36 said:

I do not believe @suspaul has a problem.  There is no problem bringing wine on at a port stops.  Passengers probably won't even be stopped and charged corkage fee - which isn't a big deal because the waiter should catch it when brought to the DR.  It is not the port workers that make the call - it is Princess Security when you re-board the ship.  If they spot alcohol, passengers should be directed to the alcohol table (i.e. there should be some form of communication, even if eye-contact, between the security team and the restaurant crew member manning the table.  Wine is a different story.  You won't even necessarily be written up for a corkage fee as the person at the desk won't know if you brought on your free allotment when checking in to the cruise.  If it is the same crew member, and you encountered them at the prior port, they may recall you brought wine on then. 

 

Wine should never be taken and kept as there isn't a limit to the amount of wine passenger can bring on.  Any attempt to do so, should simply be escalated to a supervisor.  I have brought additional wine on mid-cruise with absolutely no issue and no one caring a wit.  Of course, it is subject to corkage at dinner when first brought, but waiters don't necessarily charge for EVERY bottle.  You could also be enjoying that bottle in the cabin.

 

IMO, the only thing that might vary is whether crew is being diligent in checking or logging every returning passenger with wine.  

Great logical response.

[satxdiver]

We have bought wine in ports many times and carried it back on board without any problem.  Sometimes they have an alcohol desk where we have to pay the $15 corkage fee and sometimes not.  I have never heard of anyone getting it confiscated when returning from a port call.  

 

 

[mickrory]

I've taken wine on at several ports of call and paid corkage occasionally when the security staff can be bothered otherwise they wave you through, never had wine taken away. Different story with spirits.

[suspaul]

Thanks again everyone who took the time to respond.  Like I mentioned, we haven’t cruised with Princess in several years  and I was under the impression that wine could only be brought onboard at embarkation in your carryon, not in checked luggage.  We have cruised with Viking river & ocean cruises the past few years and they have no limit on what or when you can bring on any adult beverages which added to my confusion.  

 

[JimmyVWine]

On 9/8/2019 at 12:40 AM, suzyed said:

We have done this...and never had a bottle of wine taken from us.

 

Same here.

[nanwel]

I was told they only bother if the ship is ending in a different country than the start port. Due to local laws.

But I have been on 5 Princess cruises and have taken an occasional bottle on board. I bring a wine glass to my room and then keep it or have the room person bring you a couple of clean glasses each day so you open the wine in your room. No reason for a cork fee then.

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, nanwel said:

I was told they only bother if the ship is ending in a different country than the start port. Due to local laws.

But I have been on 5 Princess cruises and have taken an occasional bottle on board. I bring a wine glass to my room and then keep it or have the room person bring you a couple of clean glasses each day so you open the wine in your room. No reason for a cork fee then.

Right.  Many times we bring wine on in port in one country and then in another...and another...and another...well you get the point.

[nanwel]

Still trying to find just the right wine!!! haha