Purchasing Wine in Transit for Gift

[cr8tiv1]

I have not run into this topic nor have I ever had this experience.  Thinking of purchasing wine from one port #1 (after embarkation) to gift at another port #2 (before disembarkation).

 

I understand that I "may" have to leave it with an attendant when I reboard at the port #1...if someone is there.

 

Will security "hold" it for me and hand it to me when I disembark at the next port #2?

 

I do not plan on drinking this in my cabin.  I am not planning on disembarking with the wine at the end of the cruise.  Only taking it from one port to the next.

 

Anyone who has tried to do this?  What is the procedure?  How does it work?  Is this considered transporting liquor across state lines?

 

Thanks everyone for your comments.

[Steelers36]

You didn't mention the two ports.  That said, the vast majority of experiences are bringing on a bottle of wine just slides on by to your cabin.  What you don't want to have happen is to be assessed a corkage fee right at the return spot.  I would suggest this is Plan A (just carry it on inside) and Plan B would be to explain exactly what you are doing and ask them not to assess a corkage fee (if you were trying to pull a fast one, you would still be subject to the fee if taking it to dinner).  So, the only risk to the ship is if they thought you were trying to "sneak" another bottle into your cabin for free - assuming you used the allowed 1 bottle per person at embarkation.  Bringing back only one bottle should not attract any unwanted attention.

[buckeye7]

I thought their policy was to allow each passenger to bring aboard one bottle of wine. We have done that several times with no question asked.

[cr8tiv1]

"Asking for a friend".  

 

Looking at buying 3-4 bottles in Astoria, Oregon

to drop off in San Francisco, California.  

[cr8tiv1]

Bumping this back to page one….somebody out there must have an answer or suggestion.  
 

Clarification.  Not part of the bring one for the enjoyment in your stateroom.  
 

Strictly looking at Princess as being the transporter of wine from one US port to another US port.  Legal since it involves 2 different states?  Doable?

[caribill]

Is the port that you want to take the wine off the ship the final port of a segment or is it just one of the port stops on the itinerary?

 

If it is the final port on a segment and you are scheduled to leave the ship there, then (if Princess did have the wine for safekeeping) it would be returned to you the evening before the cruise ends.

 

If this is just a port stop on the itinerary and Princess did have the wine, they would not be giving it back to you mid-cruise.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Bumping this back to page one….somebody out there must have an answer or suggestion.  
 

Clarification.  Not part of the bring one for the enjoyment in your stateroom.  
 

Strictly looking at Princess as being the transporter of wine from one US port to another US port.  Legal since it involves 2 different states?  Doable?

They won't even know what you are doing.  The key is you need to retain possession of the bottle when you bring it onto the ship.  And that is not a problem at all with wine (liquor is different policy).  The key, as I mentioned before, is to not be charged a corkage fee.

[ghstudio]

The real answer is that it most likely depends on who's checking doing the instpections when you get back on the ship....or who's in charge there.  More than likely, if it's one bottle of wine.....they'll ignore it completely.....two or more is a ???  worst case....you get to take that wine home with you at the end of the cruise.  Is it worth the possible hassle....because I'd be shocked if there was any written policy on this....and I wouldn't believe any answer from Princess call centers before the cruise.

[PacnGoNow]

On 9/22/2022 at 9:24 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

"Asking for a friend".  

 

Looking at buying 3-4 bottles in Astoria, Oregon

to drop off in San Francisco, California.  

The worst thing that could happen, they charge you $20 corkage fee per bottle over your allowed 1 bottle per person.

 

I’ve never heard of them holding wine from one port to another, only till your disembarking port and delivered to your cabin the night before.

 

I think this is an answer that no one could answer ahead of time. It is up to the Princess alcohol desk on the day of departure.  If they are setup “yet” at the time you go through security.

 

 

 

 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

The worst thing that could happen, they charge you $20 corkage fee per bottle over your allowed 1 bottle per person.

 

I’ve never heard of them holding wine from one port to another, only till your disembarking port and delivered to your cabin the night before.

 

I think this is an answer that no one could answer ahead of time. It is up to the Princess alcohol desk on the day of departure.  If they are setup “yet” at the time you go through 

 Deleted

Edited September 24, 2022 by startedwithamouse

[startedwithamouse]

On 9/22/2022 at 5:08 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

I have not run into this topic nor have I ever had this experience.  Thinking of purchasing wine from one port #1 (after embarkation) to gift at another port #2 (before disembarkation).

 

I understand that I "may" have to leave it with an attendant when I reboard at the port #1...if someone is there.

 

Will security "hold" it for me and hand it to me when I disembark at the next port #2?

 

I do not plan on drinking this in my cabin.  I am not planning on disembarking with the wine at the end of the cruise.  Only taking it from one port to the next.

 

Anyone who has tried to do this?  What is the procedure?  How does it work?  Is this considered transporting liquor across state lines?

 

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Yes, you can bring a bottle of wine on at each port to drink in your cabin. And if you are bringing it off at the next port, how would they know this? They don't scan belongings as you leave the ship. 

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Yes, you can bring a bottle of wine on at each port to drink in your cabin. And if you are bringing it off at the next port, how would they know this? They don't scan belongings as you leave the ship. 

That wasn’t the problem. The OP is wanting to bring on 3-4 bottles of wine.

Not just 1.

[Essiesmom]

I’m guessing the OP is looking at Grand Princess, Vancouver to LA.  First port stop is Astoria, OR.  Second port is SFO.  Wishes to purchase the said wine in Astoria and give to friend/family in SFO.  EM

[startedwithamouse]

21 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

That wasn’t the problem. The OP is wanting to bring on 3-4 bottles of wine.

Not just 1.

Just reread their post - where does it say the quantity?

[Essiesmom]

37 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Just reread their post - where does it say the quantity?

In post #4

[cr8tiv1]

Still no answers...Thanks everyone for your comments.  

 

Asking for a friend. 

 

Don't want to pay for 4 bottles (corkage fee).  

Don't want security to confiscate and not return until the end.

Want to take it off the ship.

 

 

[Papa Yoda]

Oregon and California are "reciprocal" states so shipping is doable.  "One" can buy the wine in Oregon and ship it to SF.  Reliable, and could be less expensive.  Wine shipper boxes come in 2, 6 and 12 bottle varieties.  If your friend is buying it at a winery they will definitely take care of shipping it, plus they may get wine only offered at the winery.

 

I worked for a winery in a tasting room in the SF Bay area for many years.

So if your friend is in Astoria soon, can they send me some Willamette Valley Pinot Gris? Please?

 

The only fool proof method I see is for "friend" to get 1 bottle per adult in Astoria and walk off with those in in SF - no worries at all.

 

Wait! Wait! Maybe "friend" can enlist a couple other shipmates to bring one bottle each back on board for them?  

Edited September 25, 2022 by Papa Yoda

[geoherb]

When the person at the X-ray machine at one of the ports on my cruise last month noticed a bottle in my backpack, he asked if it was wine. He let me take the bottle back to my cabin. They had a table set up to keep bottles of liquor, to be delivered the last night of the cruise.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by geoherb

[CineGraphic]

I've brought on bottles of wine in several port mid-cruise, and I've never had to surrender it. Liquor is another story altogether. I don't foresee any problems. The worst thing that could happen is they bill you for corkage.

[suzyed]

On 9/22/2022 at 8:08 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

I have not run into this topic nor have I ever had this experience.  Thinking of purchasing wine from one port #1 (after embarkation) to gift at another port #2 (before disembarkation).

 

I understand that I "may" have to leave it with an attendant when I reboard at the port #1...if someone is there.

 

Will security "hold" it for me and hand it to me when I disembark at the next port #2?

 

I do not plan on drinking this in my cabin.  I am not planning on disembarking with the wine at the end of the cruise.  Only taking it from one port to the next.

 

Anyone who has tried to do this?  What is the procedure?  How does it work?  Is this considered transporting liquor across state lines?

 

Thanks everyone for your comments.

We have never had a problem bringing on a few bottles of wine at visited ports.  They usually check to make sure it's wine and not spirits and wave you on.  If it's spirits they will retain it and deliver it to your cabin the last night. 
On just a very few occasions have I had them put a "sticker" on our wine at embarkation.  Most times they just check that it is wine/champagne and let you go on. Sometimes there is no one even there to check....depends on the ship and it depends on the port.  Only once did they write down our cabin # to keep track of the fact that we brought the wine on. 
I don't think you will have a problem and the only time, once onboard, that they will charge you corkage is if you bring it to the dining room, which you don't intend to do.

Edited September 25, 2022 by suzyed

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 9/22/2022 at 6:24 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

"Asking for a friend".  

 

Looking at buying 3-4 bottles in Astoria, Oregon

to drop off in San Francisco, California.  

I just got off the Ruby yesterday from a Pacific Northwest cruise RT out of SF. I bought 2 bottles of wine at the Costco there and when I brought them on board I told security I had them in my bag before the scanner. He literally said it didn’t matter. You can absolutely walk off with a bottle of wine. Nothing prohibits this at a port of call or at disembarkation.  I’ve brought wine on without issue at port stops on many sailings. I really don’t think they’d care if it were 3 or 4. But worst case you pay the corkage with hopefully free OBC. 

On an aside we rented a car from enterprise in Astoria (great service and easy 10 min walk from pier) and drove out to Fort Clatsop, fort stevens historic area, the look out tower and the beaches. It was really really nice. The Costco is really convenient to this outing and I got 2 willamette valley Pinot Grigio rated 90 and 92 points from wine enthusiast (or spectator I forget which) for under $28. Drank them both are thought they were excellent.  

[suzyed]

They wouldn't care if you carry off a bottle of wine.  In the past we have had one or two bottles that we took off at our final port or destination.

Edited September 25, 2022 by suzyed

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, suzyed said:

They wouldn't care if you carry off a bottle of wine.  In the past we have had one or two bottles that we took off at our final port or destination.

 

Thanks, but the question is not the final port...but the port after picking up the wine.  

 

Thanks @HaveDogWillTravel Maybe if I. please my case with security....Appreciate the taste test.  Wonder if there is a wine shop near the ship.

[SiliconCruiser]

Wow, if this had been posted in one of the Facebook Princess group it would have been responded to by a bunch of naysayers parroting the Princess website about alcoholic beverage policies.

Also the same experience from a few threads on this site as well.

Indeed the responses have been more in line with actual experiences that others have found.

So ... I'll add mine.  Aside from the embarkation ports I have never had any one express any concern about liquids brought back on board unless they were blatantly brought back in a liquor store gift bag with the packaging prominently displayed.  Generally bottles (or cans) brought back in backpacks or carry-on luggage are not challenged at all.  On our second cruise many years ago, we had met someone for lunch in Shanghai (very elaborate lunch, I'm afraid I know how much the tab was (4 figures in USD.)  Our host ordered this bottle of rice whiskey (probably also very expensive) and he and I only consumed a little bit of it.  Long story short, he insisted that I take the remainder with us.  Fearing that the bottle might attract attention (remember this was only our second cruise,) I dumped the contents from a water bottle into a bowl and poured the clear liquid into the water bottle and put it in the bottle carrier of a backpack.  No one even blinked.  (took me forever to consume it though, give than it is around 130 proof and does not appeal to the Western palette.)

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Thanks, but the question is not the final port...but the port after picking up the wine.  

 

Thanks @HaveDogWillTravel Maybe if I. please my case with security....Appreciate the taste test.  Wonder if there is a wine shop near the ship.

Still...why does it matter?  They don't check your bag getting off...you should be fine.
I was just using "final port" as an example.

Edited September 26, 2022 by suzyed