PBP plus purchased wine bottles

[sillygirl399]

Taking our first Princess cruise in Feb. 2020 (have sailed other cruise lines, just not Princess. Hubby and I have very different drinking styles so I’m glad we can purchase just one Premier Beverage Package (PBP) instead of two. He drinks lots of Captain and Coke plus sodas and juices so the PBP works for him. I don’t drink nearly as much and when I do, I prefer fine wine that would be excluded from PBP and I have no interest in soda or juice, so the PBP would not work for me. His PBP includes 25% off bottles of wine, so my question is can he use PBP to buy the discounted wine for me to drink? I understand individual drinks on the PBP are not shareable, but I am assuming a purchased bottle is shareable? The terms and conditions are not clear on this. If he can use PBP to drink his Captain and Cokes AND buy discounted bottles of wine for me, that would suit our needs well. Just want to make sure this is allowed.

[Colo Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, sillygirl399 said:

Taking our first Princess cruise in Feb. 2020 (have sailed other cruise lines, just not Princess. Hubby and I have very different drinking styles so I’m glad we can purchase just one Premier Beverage Package (PBP) instead of two. He drinks lots of Captain and Coke plus sodas and juices so the PBP works for him. I don’t drink nearly as much and when I do, I prefer fine wine that would be excluded from PBP and I have no interest in soda or juice, so the PBP would not work for me. His PBP includes 25% off bottles of wine, so my question is can he use PBP to buy the discounted wine for me to drink? I understand individual drinks on the PBP are not shareable, but I am assuming a purchased bottle is shareable? The terms and conditions are not clear on this. If he can use PBP to drink his Captain and Cokes AND buy discounted bottles of wine for me, that would suit our needs well. Just want to make sure this is allowed.

Yes he can.

[voljeep]

as it looks like you may be driving to the port ( Largo, FL ) have you considered bringing your preferred bottles of wine on board and paying the $ 15 corkage fee for bottles ? 

 

first 2 bottles are "free" provided they are consumed in your stateroom … or at least not bringing the unopened bottle to the mdr, 

[CynCyn]

17 minutes ago, voljeep said:

as it looks like you may be driving to the port ( Largo, FL ) have you considered bringing your preferred bottles of wine on board and paying the $ 15 corkage fee for bottles ? 

 

first 2 bottles are "free" provided they are consumed in your stateroom … or at least not bringing the unopened bottle to the mdr, 

I’d do this as markup on bottles is over 100% and sometime limited availability- just because it’s on a menu- doesn’t mean they will have it.

[chamima]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

as it looks like you may be driving to the port ( Largo, FL ) have you considered bringing your preferred bottles of wine on board and paying the $ 15 corkage fee for bottles ? 

 

first 2 bottles are "free" provided they are consumed in your stateroom … or at least not bringing the unopened bottle to the mdr, 

 

43 minutes ago, CynCyn said:

I’d do this as markup on bottles is over 100% and sometime limited availability- just because it’s on a menu- doesn’t mean they will have it.

 

 

I'd take this suggestion. We are just off the Pacific Princess and about to sail on the Emerald.

We both have the drink package on both cruises.

We are flying and will still bring some better bottles of wine with us in our luggage.

The choice of decent red wines (even by the bottle) is pretty bad and, as CynCyn said, marked up over 100%.

 

 

 

[sillygirl399]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

as it looks like you may be driving to the port ( Largo, FL ) have you considered bringing your preferred bottles of wine on board and paying the $ 15 corkage fee for bottles ? 

 

first 2 bottles are "free" provided they are consumed in your stateroom … or at least not bringing the unopened bottle to the mdr, 

I thought about this but we are sailing from LA so we’re flying, and I get nervous packing wine in a checked bag

[jennybenny]

Yes, he can. We usually get the PBP but bring on our own wine when driving to port because we prefer our wines. So we pay the upfront corkage for those upon boarding (one per adult free of charge, do be consumed in cabin). The bottles you pay corkage on you can consume in any venue. They give you stickers for those 

[docmom03]

I have never seen the corkage fee listed to bring your own bottles. How does this work?

 

 

[jennybenny]

21 minutes ago, docmom03 said:

I have never seen the corkage fee listed to bring your own bottles. How does this work?

 

 

It’s printed on the luggage tags.

Says all wine should be carried on, although many have said they check it in and then go to guest services or the naughty room to pay.

 

There is a wine table past security that, if staffed, you get directed to when you bring wine on. 
 

They ask how much you’ve brought on, ask for your cabin, and the if you have more than one per adult you pay corkage and Get a princess sticker for the bottles you paid corkage on. You can then take those bottles to the dining room or specialty restaurant and not get charged again 

 

however, if it’s one of the “free corkage” bottles and you take it to a dining room, you will have to pay corkage.

 

 

[docmom03]

Thank you. I am on hold with princess but they are not answering

 

[2old4this]

23 hours ago, docmom03 said:

I have never seen the corkage fee listed to bring your own bottles. How does this work?

 

 

It is written inside your cruise contract.  Each ticketed passenger can bring one wine bottle and must keep it and it's contents inside the cabin.  I have seen couples ignoring the bottle check table carrying wines in 3-bottle packs.  To some degree the crew member handles it on the honor system.  I had three for the 3 of us in a 6-pack and could have brought 6 for the low interest paid me.

22 hours ago, docmom03 said:

Thank you. I am on hold with princess but they are not answering

 

 

[Tedferg]

Piggy Back question. We have PBP and also two free $32 bottles of wine. I hear that you can pay the difference over $32 for a more expensive bottle. So, can you apply the $32 token AND get 25% discount via PBP - feels like double dipping 🙂

[greenie082756]

On 1/20/2020 at 6:13 PM, Tedferg said:

Piggy Back question. We have PBP and also two free $32 bottles of wine. I hear that you can pay the difference over $32 for a more expensive bottle. So, can you apply the $32 token AND get 25% discount via PBP - feels like double dipping 🙂

I am wondering the same thing. 

We did like the one wine we got on the last cruise but there was only one of its kind (Moscato) on the menu. We both have the PBP.

[chamima]

I think you still get the 25% off on the overage but I’m not positive 

[MixerDave]

On 1/19/2020 at 4:33 PM, jennybenny said:

Yes, he can. We usually get the PBP but bring on our own wine when driving to port because we prefer our wines. So we pay the upfront corkage for those upon boarding (one per adult free of charge, do be consumed in cabin). The bottles you pay corkage on you can consume in any venue. They give you stickers for those 

On a recent cruise to Hawaii we brought 2 bottles on board, and then at each port we bought 2 more - never charged corkage, and they were aware we had them.

[MixerDave]

On 1/19/2020 at 4:27 PM, sillygirl399 said:

I thought about this but we are sailing from LA so we’re flying, and I get nervous packing wine in a checked bag

Go on Amazon and look for "Jet Bag" They protect the bottle, and have an insert that can absorb 750 ML if the bottle were to break.  Also useful for other liquids.

[jennybenny]

Just now, MixerDave said:

On a recent cruise to Hawaii we brought 2 bottles on board, and then at each port we bought 2 more - never charged corkage, and they were aware we had them.

There has been a lot of talk about purchasing wine in port and bringing it on. Usually you can just bring it on and it’s the hard spirits that are kept for later (sometimes)

I have zero experience doing that. I bring my wine up front or not at all. My cruises have not had wine I like, at prices I like to buy in port 

[billco]

On 1/20/2020 at 5:13 PM, Tedferg said:

Piggy Back question. We have PBP and also two free $32 bottles of wine. I hear that you can pay the difference over $32 for a more expensive bottle. So, can you apply the $32 token AND get 25% discount via PBP - feels like double dipping 🙂

 

[billco]

On 1/19/2020 at 11:47 AM, sillygirl399 said:

. His PBP includes 25% off bottles of wine, so my question is can he use PBP to buy the discounted wine for me to drink? I understand individual drinks on the PBP are not shareable, but I am assuming a purchased bottle is shareable? The terms and conditions are not clear on this. If he can use PBP to drink his Captain and Cokes AND buy discounted bottles of wine for me, that would suit our needs well. Just want to make sure this is allowed.

My concern would be if Princess viewed this as taking undo advantage of the promotion they might curtail the perk. I would ask customer relations at Princess (Ext 44411). How could anyone on this forum give you an answer you could depend on as accurate? 

Edited January 30, 2020 by billco

[Steelers36]

49 minutes ago, billco said:

My concern would be if Princess viewed this as taking undo advantage of the promotion they might curtail the perk. I would ask customer relations at Princess (Ext 44411). How could anyone on this forum give you an answer you could depend on as accurate? 

It isn't - purchased bottles under PBP are shareable.

[sillygirl399]

Thanks for all the advice! We fly in the night before our cruise. I checked a local wine store, and their prices are comparable to what I pay at home, so my plan is to stop in when we land and pick up a couple bottles to bring on board so I don’t have to fly with them in a checked bag and worry about breakage. Then (if needed) we’ll buy more bottles onboard using hubby’s PBP 25% discount, as this seems to be permissible. That will be plenty of wine for me for a short cruise, and I don’t have to worry about breaking any cruise line rules. Cheers!

[Tedferg]

4 hours ago, billco said:

My concern would be if Princess viewed this as taking undo advantage of the promotion they might curtail the perk. I would ask customer relations at Princess (Ext 44411). How could anyone on this forum give you an answer you could depend on as accurate? 

Well my question is mostly academic - since we have PBP there is no reason for us to buy a bottle of wine. As a matter of fact the 2 Bottles Perk will most likely go unused. The one thought I had was that there could be a special, more expensive wine and the 25% plus $32 might tip the scales. No reason to call Princess and long wait for a response for a marginal question.

[brunoseas]

That exactly what I plan to do ( buy some wine in port when I arrive the day before) as I dont have a drinking package and also dont want to fill my case with wine on a flight. The price for wine and tip on top on board ship  is very expensive . If you take your own and pay corkage it still a good deal as you can have what you want and take to MDR.

[nini]

On 1/19/2020 at 1:27 PM, sillygirl399 said:

I thought about this but we are sailing from LA so we’re flying, and I get nervous packing wine in a checked bag

Why not just pick up a couple bottles at the port? I assume you will be staying overnight in San Pedro? That is what we did when we did the Panama Canal cruise. Then you can get what you like. You may need DH to fill in

with some bottles on his PBP. At least, if you purchase two bottles ahead of time, you can carry them on, not be charged the corkage fee, and get what you enjoy.