Has The Wine Allowance At Embarkation in USA Changed

[helen haywood]

Long time Celebrity cruiser.  I know they used to allow only two bottles of wine at embarkation in the US per cabin.  Then recently they changed the policy to be two bottles per person.  Now I’m being told by a TA that they’ve reversed the policy back to only two bottles per cabin.  Anyone have any definitive information?

[EnjoyTravel]

Yes - the info is here:
https://www.celebritycruises.com/company/customer-support/conduct-policy#alcohol-policy

"Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when each guest (of legal drinking age) is permitted to bring onboard one (1) 750 ml bottle of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guest. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. "

 

[Mark_T]

3 hours ago, helen haywood said:

I’m being told by a TA that they’ve reversed the policy back to only two bottles per cabin.

Now one bottle per person of legal drinking age in the cabin, rather than 2 per cabin, so it could be one for a solo passenger or more than 2 if there were more than 2 passengers of the right age in the cabin...

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

My E-Docs which I just printed off on Friday say 2 per person.

[Mark_T]

21 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

My E-Docs which I just printed off on Friday say 2 per person.

Consistency is never a strong point 🙂

 

 

[brockmom]

True from our experience in February…

lit is 2 per person.

cheers !

[helen haywood]

It sounds like perhaps the problem is X hasn’t changed the verbiage everywhere on their website…

[bigbenboys]

X changed the rules as to wine. I want to say about 1 year ago. It is now 2 bottles per person. If in doubt bring a copy of your E-Doc page.

X is consistent with being inconsistent.

Edited June 18, 2023 by bigbenboys
added info

[Mark_T]

8 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

It sounds like perhaps the problem is X hasn’t changed the verbiage everywhere on their website…

Unfortunately the places in the FAQ where the 2 bottles per person was to be found seem to have been 'corrected' back to 1 per person... so it was 2 each for a while but has now changed back to 1 again...

 

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Mark_T

[Mark_T]

4 minutes ago, bigbenboys said:

X changed the rules as to wine. I want to say about 1 year ago. It is now 2 bottles per person. If in doubt bring a copy of your E-Doc page.

... and it looks like they changed again more recently unfortunately...

[CunucuMom]

My understanding is the 1/pax goes into effect July 1 so that's why folks still see 2 per on their recent travel docs.

[cruisestitch]

As I recall it never was one per passenger, it was two per state room, with the assumption that the state room was a double occupancy. Under those old rules, a single person occupying the stateroom alone  could bring two bottles.  I wonder how it will be worded in the future

[drakes2]

5 hours ago, brockmom said:

True from our experience in February…

lit is 2 per person.

cheers !

I  cruised in May solo in cabin and it was 2. 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, CunucuMom said:

My understanding is the 1/pax goes into effect July 1 so that's why folks still see 2 per on their recent travel docs.

Where did you find this information?

[Tudy]

I Just checked my cruise documents for my upcoming cruise sailing July 13 from Southampton.

 

Here is what it says:

Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for
consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine
onboard with them embarkation day may do so, limited to two (2)
bottles per guest, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant,
bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of
$25.00. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with a Classic Beverage
Package or Premium Beverage Package.
 

Probably will not be bringing any bottles onboard, so I am not effected if the information is not correct.

[SSFrance69]

I read it's changing to 1 bottle per person on a group page I belong to. I'm not happy and I posted my thoughts on this in the other thread about bringing alcoholic beverages on board. My July sailing will be my last with Celebrity. I see no reason to go back to a line that punishes its customers and treats them like children. I found a new home with Oceania. 

[CunucuMom]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

Where did you find this information?

@jelayne Footnote on T&Cs for X cruise booked through TA last week.  Not a big deal but will scrutinize travel docs prior to sailing just in case. 

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

Just a different perspective, but you could simply avoid the shopping in advance, carrying the extra bottle, and buy what you want on the ship.

 

I mean, it's going to be an upcharge, but that's what restaurants do, too.

 

If buying one or two bottles of wine on the ship is a financial strain, this might be the least of worries.*

 

*just a different perspective. No intent to anger, enrage, or embroil in frustration. 

Edited June 18, 2023 by 4-2-N-8

[phoenix_dream]

3 hours ago, SSFrance69 said:

I read it's changing to 1 bottle per person on a group page I belong to. I'm not happy and I posted my thoughts on this in the other thread about bringing alcoholic beverages on board. My July sailing will be my last with Celebrity. I see no reason to go back to a line that punishes its customers and treats them like children. I found a new home with Oceania. 

So you’ll quit sailing with them because you can only bring on one bottle of wine rather than two? Wow.  Treating like children?!??  That’s reading a heck of a lot into it. It’s about $$. 

[SSFrance69]

47 minutes ago, 4-2-N-8 said:

Just a different perspective, but you could simply avoid the shopping in advance, carrying the extra bottle, and buy what you want on the ship.

 

I mean, it's going to be an upcharge, but that's what restaurants do, too.

 

If buying one or two bottles of wine on the ship is a financial strain, this might be the least of worries.*

 

*just a different perspective. No intent to anger, enrage, or embroil in frustration. 

I get what you're saying, but IMHO the wine available on the ship is not as good as what I would bring from my cellar. I just want to be treated like an adult so I can enjoy the wine in my room or on my veranda while I'm getting ready to go out for dinner. FWIW, I have a drink package. I could easily just get a glass of wine from the bar or a bottle with a discount, but I like the convenience of having it in my mini-fridge and I don't need to leave my cabin to get it... and it's the wine I prefer.

[SSFrance69]

1 minute ago, phoenix_dream said:

So you’ll quit sailing with them because you can only bring on one bottle of wine rather than two? Wow.  Treating like children?!??  That’s reading a heck of a lot into it. It’s about $$. 

No it's petty of them, not me. It's the principle. It certainly seems like the little bit of extra revenue they will reap from this is more important to them than customer loyalty. Also I'm not just deciding to leave X because of this latest wine bottle issue. It's cut backs all over the place. I'd rather spend a little more with Oceania and have what Celebrity used to be in terms of quality. Like I've said on another post, I have a drink package. I can get wine on the ship, so it's not about cost. It's about convenience of having it in my room and having the wine I prefer more than theirs for my in room consumption. I will still order wine with my drink package with dinner, etc.. but why should I have to change out of my robe and into clothes while I'm getting ready for dinner to get wine and bring it back to the cabin, when I can just have it there at my disposal? Being told how much wine I can bring on board is being treated like a child. I mean I know there needs to be a limit, but one bottle? C'mon that's ridiculous. 

[Guest 4-2-N-8]

6 minutes ago, SSFrance69 said:

I get what you're saying, but IMHO the wine available on the ship is not as good as what I would bring from my cellar. I just want to be treated like an adult so I can enjoy the wine in my room or on my veranda while I'm getting ready to go out for dinner. FWIW, I have a drink package. I could easily just get a glass of wine from the bar or a bottle with a discount, but I like the convenience of having it in my mini-fridge and I don't need to leave my cabin to get it... and it's the wine I prefer.

I understand. 

 

I only offered an alternative perspective.

 

In my case, prior to embarkation, I ask shoreside to have specific champagnes (albeit, from the limited list that Celebrity has onboard) for each evening and dining venue I have reserved.

 

It worked earlier this year on my first cruise with Celebrity and it worked for my next one forthcoming this summer.

 

*side note: I have had zero grief choosing from what is listed on the Le Voyage wine list and having it ready and chilled for me in any other restaurant. Le Voyage, incidentally, I have found quite good. Would recommend it. I have 3 nights reserved with them on next itinerary. 

[phoenix_dream]

11 minutes ago, SSFrance69 said:

No it's petty of them, not me. It's the principle. It certainly seems like the little bit of extra revenue they will reap from this is more important to them than customer loyalty. Also I'm not just deciding to leave X because of this latest wine bottle issue. It's cut backs all over the place. I'd rather spend a little more with Oceania and have what Celebrity used to be in terms of quality. Like I've said on another post, I have a drink package. I can get wine on the ship, so it's not about cost. It's about convenience of having it in my room and having the wine I prefer more than theirs for my in room consumption. I will still order wine with my drink package with dinner, etc.. but why should I have to change out of my robe and into clothes while I'm getting ready for dinner to get wine and bring it back to the cabin, when I can just have it there at my disposal? Being told how much wine I can bring on board is being treated like a child. I mean I know there needs to be a limit, but one bottle? C'mon that's ridiculous. 

We will just need to agree to disagree as to who's being petty.  I think expecting them to let you bring on whatever amount of wine you like is unreasonable, as well as naive.  So enjoy Oceania.   Hope they cater to you as much as you want.  I wonder if you've sailed on them recently.  People have said they are experiencing cutbacks as well, as is every other cruise line sailing.

[drakes2]

16 minutes ago, SSFrance69 said:

No it's petty of them, not me. It's the principle. It certainly seems like the little bit of extra revenue they will reap from this is more important to them than customer loyalty. Also I'm not just deciding to leave X because of this latest wine bottle issue. It's cut backs all over the place. I'd rather spend a little more with Oceania and have what Celebrity used to be in terms of quality. Like I've said on another post, I have a drink package. I can get wine on the ship, so it's not about cost. It's about convenience of having it in my room and having the wine I prefer more than theirs for my in room consumption. I will still order wine with my drink package with dinner, etc.. but why should I have to change out of my robe and into clothes while I'm getting ready for dinner to get wine and bring it back to the cabin, when I can just have it there at my disposal? Being told how much wine I can bring on board is being treated like a child. I mean I know there needs to be a limit, but one bottle? C'mon that's ridiculous. 

RCI only allows 1 bottle per person and yet I'm sailing with them in August as taking my Grandson on a little vacation. That's ok by me as I get 4 drink vouchers per day valued up to $14 per drink which is fine by me.  If I want anything extra I'll just pay for it. 

[jelayne]

I have searched the website and the Guest Conduct policy has a section on Alcohol that says guests may bring 1 bottle of wine on board.   However that document was last updated in January 2021, over 2 years ago and long before the change from allowing 1 bottle to the 2 bottles that we brought last month.