Century...Booze confiscated

[wdblake]

Since we are in spring break Celebrity is making an extra effort to xray and search check in luggage (not carry on). We had packed a bottle of Crown Royal in our suitcase only to find a happy little orange card in our bag stating it was confiscated. They keep it at the pier until you get back and then upon leaving the boat you can claim it. Just thought I'd let y'all know.

[C 2 C]

They keep it at the pier until you get back and then upon leaving the boat you can claim it. Just thought I'd let y'all know.

 

I wonder where they store it when you don't return to the same port... as will be the case for our Transatlantic on the 26th..

[usha]

Didn't we all know it would just be a matter of time before Celebrity started enforcing their liquor policy?

Now, if they'd just crack down on dresscode scofflaws!:cool:

[pcur]

I think they store the confiscated alcohol on board the ship, the same as the liquor you would buy in St. Thomas or other ports. They tag it with your cabin number, give you the "claim check", and deliver it the last night of the cruise.

 

Our docs for our cruise this month have VERY emphatic language about not bringing any on board.

[paintedduck]

c2c...if you don't bend/break/ignore the rules, you needn't worry about where it's stored

[C 2 C]

c2c...if you don't bend/break/ignore the rules, you needn't worry about where it's stored

 

I don't bend/break/ignore any more rules than the maker of the rules. :eek:

They enforce whatever is convenient for them. I follow the same philosophy..:cool:

[camella]

do you have any idea about wine? I understand we are allowed to take a couple of bottles and pay a corkage fee and we are going on the Connie tomorrow. Hope they don't confiscate it and store it in a hot warehouse cause it would be ruined. We just wanted to take a couple special bottles.

[C 2 C]

We were on Infinity for 28 days (just got off a week ago) and never had a problem bringing the local wine aboard every port from Buenos Aires to Aruba.

I just can't understand these Century incidents. It is so uncharacteristic of past Celebrity practice.:confused:

[camella]

C2C - so what would you do if you were me? Would you risk it and take on your 6 pack shipper or not? I don't necessarily like it if they are going to confiscate it but if it sits in the port at Ft. Lauderdale, it will be ruined because it is hot here. Maybe just bring on the two and check the box and see what they do?

[JanineM]

Camella,

 

We were on Connie three weeks ago and took 2 bottles of wine onboard in our carry on luggage. The specifically asked us if we had any wine when we boarded.

 

Unless they have changed the rules in the last three weeks, you are permitted to bring two bottles aboard and either consume them in your stateroom, or pay the corkage fee and consume them in a public room.

 

Hope this helps!

[BILLP1]

Will they be checking DNA in the near future ? At least a strip search to find that bottle of wine. After all you are just a paying customer...

[bigwally]

do you have any idea about wine? I understand we are allowed to take a couple of bottles and pay a corkage fee

 

2 bottles per stateroom, $25 corkage if you want to take it to the dining room with you.

 

and never had a problem bringing the local wine aboard every port

 

I have a feeling that this is the tack Mrs. W and I will take. Too many good wines coming out of the south of France and Tuscany to leave it alone. If we get it into the cabin, all well and good. If not, we'll let them hold onto it for us.

[kwsunset]

A reliable source has told me that while it may appear that the confiscation of hard alcohol is for selling more drinks, it really isn't. There has been a lot of press about drunk people falling overboard or causing problems aboard ship. With young people going on spring break cruises, it is necessary to enforce the policy very closely.

 

I personally feel that this is for the safety of all. They have and will stop serving drunk pax, especially now with the current focus.

 

Wine has never been an issue as stated in their policy.

 

There are always two sides to every condition.

 

Michael Z, ex-Celebrity Cruise Director

[camella]

Thanks for your answers guys! We are planning on taking two bottles in our carry on and dh is not happy cause we like to enjoy our special wines and with this restricition it is almost impossible. Really bites - I would rather they charge me a surcharge of $200 per person to bring my own wines.

[pcur]

They.....store......confiscated.......alcohol.....on....the....ship.

 

They've been storing alcohol since the beginning about 30 - 40 years ago, because people buy duty free liquor in port, and it's stored for them.

[C 2 C]

Camella,

We were on Connie three weeks ago and took 2 bottles of wine onboard in our carry on luggage. The specifically asked us if we had any wine when we boarded.

 

At what point did they take this "wine" survey?

When arriving at check in you hand them your XPRESS PASS, you get your keycards, proceed with hand luggage to get screened by shoreside security, have your picture taken for purchase, proceed to the ship and have your ID picture taken and handed a glass of bubbly..

 

It seems that each ship is developing its own check in procedure.

[C 2 C]

They.....store......confiscated.......alcohol.....on....the....ship.

 

They've been storing alcohol since the beginning about 30 - 40 years ago, because people buy duty free liquor in port, and it's stored for them.

 

I have only had one bottle held "captive" once in 56 X cruises. Since I normally cruise B2B I only run the risk of having a surplus stock when it is returned in time for the second cruise.

This new confiscation policy must be another "X-Enhanced" cruising experience.

That concierge lounge on RCL is becoming more appealing on each passing day. I wonder if it is stocked with X-contraband? :rolleyes:

[C 2 C]

I personally feel that this is for the safety of all. They have and will stop serving drunk pax, especially now with the current focus.

 

I doubt that the room-fridge stocked with booze will be emptied prior to a passenger returning to their cabin. I think cruise lines only get upset when pax don't get drunk on purchased booze.

Three people have now reported wine being removed from luggage.

I don't believe there is any limit placed on alcohol delivered to your cabin when purchased through room service.

[goldhorse]

We just got off the Summit Saturday and had no promblem with the 2 bottles of wine and half gallon of vodka in our checked luggage. Also a couple that sat with us at our dining table brought on board in 4 suit cases a total of 18 bottles of champange and 2 bottles of vodka. We watched the checked baggage being screened at xray and saw no baggage being set aside as I think it would be an impossible task with only 2 screeners looking at thousands of pieces of baggage in a matter of hours. I mean after all their primary job is to look for weapons etc. Although once we hit our first port no alcohol was being allowed past security while trying to reboard. I knew this would happen and didn't even try although a few did and had their alcohol put aside for them until the last night of the cruise.

[Shirley and Les]

I doubt that the room-fridge stocked with booze will be emptied prior to a passenger returning to their cabin. I think cruise lines only get upset when pax don't get drunk on purchased booze.

Three people have now reported wine being removed from luggage.

I don't believe there is any limit placed on alcohol delivered to your cabin when purchased through room service.

You have hit the nail on the head. All this talk about X's concern for passenger safety and underage passangers during spring break goes right down the drain when you consider that Celebrity encourages in-cabin drinking by having the stocked bar in the cabin in the first place. I would guess that Celebrity would restock the refrigerator daily with no regard for age of the passengers in the cabin.I don't think I have ever seen a post about the cruise line confiscating a travel iron even though they are also contraband items and represent a much greater hazard to all passengers on the ship.

Les

[wdblake]

Actually I saw confiscated bottles of wine as well. The Celebrity people contracted an independant security firm to help with the searchs. And the alcohol confiscated was not onboard the ship it was left at the departure dock. The officer I talked to said they were only doing it for spring break to prevent young people from smuggling booze onboard. You can of course reclaim your confiscated wears when leaving the ship. There was a table set up just past the place where you hand in your customs form.

[DC2OC]

This policy is clearly aimed at the 'Spring Breaker'.A policy for safety sake that will put a few bucks in their wallets.There will be less drinking on the ships if the policy is enforced during the spring break cruises.A young person who is on a budget will drink a little less on 5 buck drinks as compared to ten dollar 1.5 litre hard liquor.Other policies such as age retrictions also are designed to prevent some cruises of becoming 'party boats'...........Frank

[The Mommy]

After reading the above posts I am totally confused!

 

Has policy changed?

Last year our friends carried on 2 bottles to pay corkage to take to the dining room, which they did - quite above board.

 

If the new policy is no alcohol to be taken on board including at the ports then this would explain the discrepancies in policy enforcement.

Passengers who break the rules run the risk of being discovered by random questions and searches of either carry on bags or checked luggage. Just the luck of the draw if you are caught.

 

We are due on Summit at the end of the month and are not sure what to do, we don't want to take bottes just to carry them back. If it is allowed then it can be in carry on, there would be no need to confiscate out of suitcases if the practice is permitted.

 

I have e mailed our TA to ask for a response from Celebrity on the matter.

 

And I'm with you Usher - all the codes need to be enforced -including dress.

[RDangerIII]

Carry your two wine bottles on. Since we flew in from New Orleans we had our two bottles of wine stowed in our checked luggage, well when it got to the room, it was gone, only a note saying we could pick it back up at the end of the cruise. Talked to the group rep, but said he couldn't do anything about it because we had already left the port of Miami and the liquor was left ashore. Well I couldn't take it back home so somebody got two nice bottles of wine. Maybe that's the idea after all. Imagine the much more money cruise lines could make selling wine for a 300% markup, and then they get it for free!!!!! Now that is a good profit margin! Tony Soprano would be proud.

[LeftcoastBC]

We recently discussed the directions in "Doc's" received prior to a cruise. They state "No Alcohol" period and threaten to make you walk the plank. (well not quite)

 

X website states only allowed "Two bottles of wine per cabin" if you are concerned print off the Pdf.

 

Century is doing those short cruises is it not.?? and I'll bet they tend to be a little bit more of a "Lively group" across the board and throw in Spring break.

Can you say party time.

Seems pretty prudent to me.