Questions Re: The Summit from San Juan

[mikemoboo]

Hello,

Two quick questions on the Summit which my wife and I are taking in a couple a few days. The ship is due to embark at 11:00 p.m. Does anyone know the approximate time that we will be able to board the ship?

 

Also, I have golf clubs that I am bringing on the ship. Will the ship have a place for me to store them (and if so, the cost) or will I have to keep them in my room. Thanks in advance.

[chessbriar]

You can generally start to board 11:30-12:00. Your clubs will have to be kept in the room

[lvcruiser]

On our 1/26 sailing, boarding began at 11:30. I found that interesting since the last passengers from the previous cruise are not off the ship until about 10:30. A lot of work for some of the public areas in a short amount of time.

[PatC]

I have another question about San Juan.

 

I know that there is a liquor store right in the terminal at the Pan Am pier. I also know when we sailed from there last March they handed out flyers with specials on liquor. Now, my question is, will they allow you to take that on board to your stateroom? It seems strange that they would allow someone to sell right there and then confiscate it when you board. Has anyone has the experience in this particular terminal?

 

I was going to wait until we got to the pier to ask someone from Celebrity but thought I'd ask the "experts" on this board. I know someone has experienced this on the past few cruises and would like to have the answer before we leave. It seems to me that last year they allowed you to bring it on at the port of embarkation but I could be wrong and it may have changed. I do know that sometimes it's at the "whim" of whoever is at the security checkpoint.

 

Hope someone can give us an answer. I knew I could count on the cruisers on this site for help.

 

Thanks.

Pat C

[dantim]

We just returned from Summit last week and we arrived at the pier for check in at 11:30 and breezed right through. We went into the duty free shop when we got there and purchased a liter of rum and some wine and stuck it in our carry-ons and then went through security and had no trouble what so ever. I had also bought some cigarettes and just left them in the bag they gave me and they were checked. So as long as the liquor is in your carry on you are fine. We enjoyed the rum and wine in our room the whole week and even snuck some in a water bottle for around the pool and at dinner. Hope this helps. We had a great time on this cruise.

[eandj]

 

Also, I have golf clubs that I am bringing on the ship. Will the ship have a place for me to store them (and if so, the cost) or will I have to keep them in my room. Thanks in advance.

 

 

If you ask your room steward, they sometimes find an area to store them for you. Our friends did that with no problem. Haven't brought mine along. Just ask "nice" and maybe a nice tip would help you out.

[mikemoboo]

Thanks for all your help!

[PatC]

Dantim

 

Thanks for your quick response. My family is traveling with us and I'm going to pass this info on to them. We didn't go to the shop last time and didn't know the procedure. We'll do the carry on process also.

 

Again, thanks so much

 

Pat C

[Qino2]

Maybe Celebrity is different, but 2 weeks ago on my Serenade of the Seas cruise, (which left from the same pier, ship was docked right next to Summit) the duty free booze could be purchased after your carry on bags went through an initial x-ray check in. However, immediately upon boarding the ship carry on bags went through another x-ray and all booze was confiscated. I know people who had just purchased it at the in terminal duty free were upset. No problems with water, juices or soda, but they even shook up my friends 2 liter of 7 up to make sure it was soda and not alcohol. Maybe Royal is stricter, not sure of celebrity's exact policy.

[lvcruiser]

Pat - You are right when you say it is up to the whim of the security at the checkpoint. Dantim got lucky with their booze just purchased and I am afraid I must disagree with the statement that as long as it in your carry on bags, you'll be okay. That simply isn't true. If you read all of Celebrity's literature regarding this subject, you'll find that carrying on booze simply is not allowed and CAN be confiscated. That having been said, it will not always be confiscated and as you pointed out, will be allowed through depending on the mood of the security staff at the moment.

 

DW and I got around that issue on our 1/26 sailing on the Summit by carrying a water bottle full of sambuca for me and another full of vodka for her and putting them in two sealed ziplock bags, one inside the other, and packing them in our checked bags instead of the carry ons. The logic was that if anyone saw them, they would assume they were water. While in St. Maarten, I did the same thing. Knowing that any booze purchased and carried back on the ship would be taken away, I bought two bottles of sambuca, declared one while going through the screening to get back onboard, but prior to that, filled two water bottles we had purchased on our island tour with the other. DW and I simply walked through the screening carrying our water bottles and no one thought anything of it. The other bottle was taken and delivered to our room the last night, just as stated in the rules.

 

If you're wanting to buy liquor on your cruise, I suggest waiting until you get to St. Maarten. The prices there are cheaper than anywhere else on the cruise by far. Example: the Romana Sambuca cost $12.95 in St. Maarten, $15.00 in Dominica, $18.00 in Grenada and $25.00 in Aruba. I can't comment on the price in San Juan since we didn't shop there, but I can't believe it will be any cheaper than St. Maarten.

[PatC]

We've sailed many times on Celebrity and know the rules and regulations for booze. It just seems so crazy that the rules change from day to day.

 

We don't mind turning over any booze at the ports, in fact we don't even purchase liquor any more because now carrying it on the flights home are even worse and we can't be bothered lugging things like that. With the new restrictions it's becoming impossible to purchase anything any more.

 

We purchase the liquor package anyway. Even though they are a little higher than we'd like it makes life so much easier to have it there when you check in. I've seen those water bottles checked when people return to the ship so that's the newest glitch if you want to "smuggle" anything back on board. Seems the powers that be have finally figured it all out and they are making is impossible for you to bring on anything they want you to buy on board. We're not big drinkers but do enjoy our cocktails while getting ready for dinner. The bottle we purchase through the liquor package will last us the week.

 

Thanks for any information about this subject. Maybe others will post and give us more updated information as they return from Summit trips.

 

Pat

[PatC]

We've sailed many times on Celebrity and know the rules and regulations for booze. It just seems so crazy that the rules change from day to day.

 

We don't mind turning over any booze at the ports, in fact we don't even purchase liquor any more because now carrying it on the flights home are even worse and we can't be bothered lugging things like that. With the new restrictions it's becoming impossible to purchase anything any more.

 

We purchase the liquor package anyway. Even though they are a little higher than we'd like it makes life so much easier to have it there when you check in. I've seen those water bottles checked when people return to the ship so that's the newest glitch if you want to "smuggle" anything back on board. Seems the powers that be have finally figured it all out and they are making is impossible for you to bring on anything they want you to buy on board. We're not big drinkers but do enjoy our cocktails while getting ready for dinner. The bottle we purchase through the liquor package will last us the week.

 

Thanks for any information about this subject. Maybe others will post and give us more updated information as they return from Summit trips.

 

Pat

[Lsimon]

Hi Pat!

As far as bringing liquor home - if you have a direct flight from San Juan to home you can buy liquor at the airport duty free - after you clear security. You can carry that on board. Only issue is if you have to change planes on your way home and then only an issue if you have to go through security again at another airport on your way.

 

After our short stop at the Kona Inn two years ago I had their Mai Tai's lingering on my mind for some time and worked our a recipe that came close, or at least is pretty good. Main ingredients are Orange Curacao and a few different kinds of Rum. Considering our cruise stops (which include Barbados and Curacao) I was thinking of buying the ingredients in route and having a Mai Tai party one night, but unsure of my chances of getting the liquor on board. Don't mind if if I can't drink it on board but not sure I'll have room, weight wise, to get it home in our suitcases. So I'm thinking about it a bit. I'm sure you remember the Mai Tais at the Kona Inn!

 

Take care!

[jaycor99]

On the Summit in Jan and bought 2 bottles of wine in Aruba and was not asked to turn them in.

Maybe because it was on the thursday evening and almost the end of the cruise ?

[Miss Vickie]

Maybe Celebrity is different, but 2 weeks ago on my Serenade of the Seas cruise, (which left from the same pier, ship was docked right next to Summit) the duty free booze could be purchased after your carry on bags went through an initial x-ray check in. However, immediately upon boarding the ship carry on bags went through another x-ray and all booze was confiscated. I know people who had just purchased it at the in terminal duty free were upset. No problems with water, juices or soda, but they even shook up my friends 2 liter of 7 up to make sure it was soda and not alcohol. Maybe Royal is stricter, not sure of celebrity's exact policy.

 

Same experiece on our Serenade cruise 1/5/08.

[kneadsdough2cruise]

Just off the Summit last week (2-9-08). My DH and I along with my sister all bought liquor packages from Celebrity and had them sent to the cabins. My sister decided she wanted a bottle of Port to enjoy on her balcony. Went into duty free shop at pier, bought a bottle and placed it in her shoulder bag. We went through security/x-ray together and they never questioned her. At the duty free shop the girl who rang her up guaranteed she would not have a problem bringing it on board - or said my sister could return it (unopenend). Hope that helps.

[lvcruiser]

On the Summit in Jan and bought 2 bottles of wine in Aruba and was not asked to turn them in.

Maybe because it was on the thursday evening and almost the end of the cruise ?

 

The liquor rules state that you can bring up to two bottles of wine on the ship for cinsumption in your cabin for no extra charge, or consumption in the dining room for a corkage fee. They apparently don't mind if you drink your own wine in your cabin, but don't want you drinking someone else's hard liquor or beer.

[Toni's Mom]

We just returned from the 2/9 sailing also. We purchased 2 bottles of wine in San Juan and had them in a carryon, which was searched, as a previous poster noticed, after the bag went thru x-ray. The bottles were bubble wrapped. After I told security that they were wine, one of them felt the shapes of the bottles - I guess to be sure, and they let them through.