Bringing wine on board.

[dog1526]

Does anyone know if you can bring wine on board at ports of call to consume in your room, and is there a fee? I know you can bring a bottle on board per person when you embark. Thanks!

[neverbeenhere]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. 
 

never a fee. 

[MissP22]

Before the plus package we did it all the time at almost every distant port. After they scan you when boarding, sometimes they just tell you to take it to the check-in desk but most people just bypass it and proceed to their cabins.

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Before the plus package we did it all the time at almost every distant port. After they scan you when boarding, sometimes they just tell you to take it to the check-in desk but most people just bypass it and proceed to their cabins.

And if you are scanned in the terminal before boarding the ship, the security staff are not Princess staff, and have no interest in looking for alcohol.

 

[PacnGoNow]

27 minutes ago, wowzz said:

And if you are scanned in the terminal before boarding the ship, the security staff are not Princess staff, and have no interest in looking for alcohol.

 

That’s not what we have encountered. 

The US ports ARE interested in the alcohol and even make sure you stop at the alcohol desk.  Florida, California, Hawaii etc.  More strict here.  

 

The European ports, not so much. 

 

So, just be prepared to pay the corkage fee, just in case. You never know.

 

 

[wowzz]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

That’s not what we have encountered. 

The US ports ARE interested in the alcohol and even make sure you stop at the alcohol desk.  Florida, California, Hawaii etc.  More strict here.  

 

The European ports, not so much. 

 

So, just be prepared to pay the corkage fee, just in case. You never know.

 

 

Fair point.  I was talking about European ports, where the security staff have no interest whatsoever in the alcohol policies of the 20+ cruise lines they deal with on a weekly basis. 

[Tedferg]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

Fair point.  I was talking about European ports, where the security staff have no interest whatsoever in the alcohol policies of the 20+ cruise lines they deal with on a weekly basis. 

Isn't the Scanner on the ship after boarding? We have British Isles cruise next June, so this is of interest.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Isn't the Scanner on the ship after boarding? We have British Isles cruise next June, so this is of interest.

No, the scanner is shoreside..

[cr8tiv1]

20 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. 
 

never a fee. 

 

This is the best answer available.  I picked up wine in Oregon (3 bottles).  Had many, many, many concerns about bringing it onboard and then immediately taking it off in San Francisco.  No one in security, Princess scanner, nor lobby police bothered me.  

 

But the short answer is...it depends.  

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

This is the best answer available.  I picked up wine in Oregon (3 bottles).  Had many, many, many concerns about bringing it onboard and then immediately taking it off in San Francisco.  No one in security, Princess scanner, nor lobby police bothered me.  

 

But the short answer is...it depends.  

I remember that story!  So you had no problems?  That’s great. I bet your friend was happy.

[cr8tiv1]

Thanks @PacnGoNow.  Yes, On this particular cruise, I had all kinds of questions about bringing "stuff" on the ship (from Vancouver and Astoria).  Worried for not.  I could have done everything I wanted (but didn't) do.  

 

No problems at all.  Yes, my niece was thrilled to receive 3 bottles of really good Willamette Valley wines.  Found a great little local wine shop.

[Tedferg]

29 minutes ago, wowzz said:

No, the scanner is shoreside..

Hmmm - I thought the scanner and people checking ID were at the top of the gangway when reboarding.

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Hmmm - I thought the scanner and people checking ID were at the top of the gangway when reboarding.

Depends on the port. All scanning in Southampton is done portside. As is the case in numerous other European ports.

[kiwimum]

Barcelona and Athens have duty free stores after security.  No issue picking up a couple of bottles.

[Mademypoint]

I've gone ashore early in the day to pick up some bottles of guavaberry and gone back to the ship before they've set up to search people's bags. Never had an issue bringing it back to my cabin because they don't expect people to return that early. I then go back out.

[sunviking90]

I brought a bottle on board in France and again in Portugal. Brought both to our table in the MDR and we were never charged corkage either. Of course, we had the same waiter every night so he probably let it go. He got a nice tip at the end.

[Ace_Caliente]

5 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Hmmm - I thought the scanner and people checking ID were at the top of the gangway when reboarding.

That's certainly how it generally worked on the Regal in July in the Mediterranean

[dockman]

4 hours ago, kiwimum said:

Barcelona and Athens have duty free stores after security.  No issue picking up a couple of bottles.

as do several other ports around the world...

[antsp]

15 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

That’s not what we have encountered. 

The US ports ARE interested in the alcohol and even make sure you stop at the alcohol desk.  Florida, California, Hawaii etc.  More strict here.  

 

The European ports, not so much. 

 

So, just be prepared to pay the corkage fee, just in case. You never know.

 

 

This so incorrect, no one who scans your bags actually watches you to make sure you go to the alchaol check point. Just ignore the instruction and walk past 

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, Mademypoint said:

I've gone ashore early in the day to pick up some bottles of guavaberry and gone back to the ship before they've set up to search people's bags. Never had an issue bringing it back to my cabin because they don't expect people to return that early. I then go back out.

 

1 hour ago, antsp said:

This so incorrect, no one who scans your bags actually watches you to make sure you go to the alchaol check point. Just ignore the instruction and walk past 

BINGO !

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Ace_Caliente said:

That's certainly how it generally worked on the Regal in July in the Mediterranean

Only in certain ports, not all of them  (we were on Regal in the Med as well )

[PacnGoNow]

6 hours ago, antsp said:

This so incorrect, no one who scans your bags actually watches you to make sure you go to the alchaol check point. Just ignore the instruction and walk past 

I beg to differ.  We only take 2 per person.  
These are US ports.  Ft Lauderdale, LA, SF and Honolulu!  YES, they do say you need to stop at the alcohol desk behind me.  This is on embarkation day.  
If you try to keep going, as I have done before….Miss  Miss you must stop at the desk!!!!
They have even called over another security agent to tell me. Believe me, I know this.  Happens every time.  Not at the ports of call, except Honolulu does have a desk.  But, embarking is another story.  Really?  So, I just show the PCL agent my bottles.  We only take an extra bottle each. No big deal.  There are plenty of other people at the desk too.

 

We take a lot of b2b’s and I do take 1 bottle per person per voyage, which IS allowed.  The security agent checks my bag and says stop at the desk to declare and watches me.  I show my b2b itinerary to PCL agent and they mark it down on a paper and send me off to the ship.  Done!

I’ve never had this happen embarking in Europe, but the US, definitely.

 

[antsp]

3 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

I beg to differ.  We only take 2 per person.  
These are US ports.  Ft Lauderdale, LA, SF and Honolulu!  YES, they do say you need to stop at the alcohol desk behind me.  This is on embarkation day.  
If you try to keep going, as I have done before….Miss  Miss you must stop at the desk!!!!
They have even called over another security agent to tell me. Believe me, I know this.  Happens every time.  Not at the ports of call, except Honolulu does have a desk.  But, embarking is another story.  Really?  So, I just show the PCL agent my bottles.  We only take an extra bottle each. No big deal.  There are plenty of other people at the desk too.

 

We take a lot of b2b’s and I do take 1 bottle per person per voyage, which IS allowed.  The security agent checks my bag and says stop at the desk to declare and watches me.  I show my b2b itinerary to PCL agent and they mark it down on a paper and send me off to the ship.  Done!

I’ve never had this happen embarking in Europe, but the US, definitely.

 

My experience differs completely, but whatever 

[antsp]

8 hours ago, MissP22 said:

 

BINGO !

No that's a rip off

[trvlwrld]

In Honolulu last week the couple in front of us was stopped getting back on ship and told no alcohol or food (even wrapped candy) could be brought back on board by passengers - only crew….I was grumbling how unfair that was since we had both items…really?  Candy?  And why was it ok for crew but not passengers?..  A crew member behind me grabbed my tray of stuff and pushed it through with his…gotta love the crew!