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»	Cruise Talk » Cruising 1.0 » Drinks/Wine on first cruise?

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Topic: Drinks/Wine on first cruise?

Cruise Jeanie
Just Boarded
Member # 4734

posted 05-13-2004 05:33 PM

I am leaving on my first cruise this Sunday on Royal Carribean to Mexico. I have heard from several friends to take you own bar/wine drinks with you.

Can you do this? what is the best way to get them on the ship? carry-on? checked luggage?

Thanks!

********************************

I normally do take my own wine, there is normally a corkage fee at restuarants, but I always save money by bringing my own.

I wasn't so much concered about drink while out and about on the ship - but I didn't know if you could get drinks in your room (night caps).

I am going on Royal Carribean.

[ 05-13-2004: Message edited by: Cruise Jeanie ]

Posts: 5 | From: California | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-13-2004 05:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Cruise Jeanie:
I I have heard from several friends to take you own bar/wine drinks with you.Can you do this? what is the best way to get them on the ship? carry-on? checked luggage?

Well I would not encourage it! They search and X-ray baggage these days.

Do you normally take your own drinks when you go out for a meal or to a bar?

What ship are you going on?

Drink prices onboard ships can be a little over-the-top, but they are rarely too bad.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-13-2004 08:00 PM

You had better check with RCI to see if they allow you to bring your own booze on board the ship.
Carnival does NOT. If it's not allowed it will be confiscated and returned to you at the end of the cruise.

Holland America used to allow you to bring booze on board, but now you can only bring wine and champagne for consumption in your cabin. If you take it to the dining room there is a $15.00 corkage charge which includes the new 15% tip/tax, whatever you want to call it.

Anything brought on board is for cabin consumption only.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 05-13-2004 08:48 PM

Get your booze in Mexico at your 1st port of call. They usually don't x-ray or search you when you reboard your ship. You are allowed to take liquor back to the States, the difference is you 'might' end up drinking the liquor in your cabin before you return to the States. Just don't make it to obvious by bringing huge quantities on board. BE DISCREET. We have bought beer and other adult beverages on shore and brought them aboard for our own personal use many times. Nothing beats it when you would like a nice little cocktail before dinner as you sit on your private balcony. Have a fun and safe trip!

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-14-2004 09:10 AM

quote:
They usually don't x-ray or search you when you reboard your ship.

Oh, yes they do. If the ship does not allow you to bring on booze when you are embarking, they won't allow it in the ports either. They have scanners set up at the gangway and all parcels and even ladies purses must go through the scanner.

However, I do not know what RCI's policy is. Only know HAL & Carnivals.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Johan
First Class Passenger
Member # 4458

posted 05-14-2004 10:34 AM

I can't believe this.

This is hopefully only to look for guns or bombs or so, not if you have bought a bottle of beer or wine, or even, heaven forbid, a bottle of spirits.

Customs at the airport in StPetersburg Russia confiscate bottles with spirit which are open.

Posts: 1895 | From: Antwerpen, Belgium | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-14-2004 10:39 AM

quote:
Originally posted by sympatico:
...I do not know what RCI's policy is. Only know HAL & Carnivals.

With the very low fares sometimes offered in America (not the UK or Europe!) the sale of drinks onboard generates much of the cruise lines profit. Why on earth would they allow you to bring your own drink onboard, to consume?

Does your local Pub or bar allow you to do this? I think not!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-14-2004 10:44 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Cruise Jeanie:
I wasn't so much concered about drink while out and about on the ship - but I didn't know if you could get drinks in your room (night caps).

Hi Jeanie, I'm afraid this subject always causes some heated discussion! Yes, you can get drink brought to your cabin, at no extra charge.

Which ship are you going on, I will find a review for you.

Regards, Malcolm

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Cruise Jeanie
Just Boarded
Member # 4734

posted 05-14-2004 11:52 AM

Hi Malcolm - We are going on Vision of the Seas - I called RCI last night and they said you can bring 2 bottles of wine. Thanks for your help

Posts: 5 | From: California | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 05-14-2004 12:40 PM

Oh PLEEEEZ... I don't know how may times we have brought liquor back on board. In Jamaica, I always buy a couple of six-packs of Red Stripe beer and I have not been stopped once. If it is for your own personal use or a gift for friends back home I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. Do the lines take away perfume you buy at the shops in town because they sell the same brands on board??-NO! If it is in limited amounts and you just tell them it is a gift, they won't bother you. If these comments confuse you, you can always just buy your drinks on board. The cost of mixed drinks is low when compared to fine restaurants/bars on shore. Have a great trip!!

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

jerseyboy428
Just Boarded
Member # 4796

posted 06-08-2004 04:02 PM

sympatico,

this is from the Carnival website (FAQ section):

One bottle of fine wine or champagne, per stateroom, may be brought on board during embarkation only. If the wine and/or champagne is brought to the Dining room for consumption, a $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged to the guest; otherwise, the guest may only drink the wine and/or champagne in the privacy of a stateroom. The wine and/or champagne may NOT be brought into any other public lounge or area.

Posts: 3 | From: Burlington, NJ | Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 06-08-2004 08:30 PM

Jerseyboy - OK, I was wrong as to Carnival's policy about bringing booze on board at embarkation, but booze to me is not Champagne and wine - it's hard liquou and this is what I was referring to.

You must have missed this part though

"Ports-of-Call

Alcoholic beverages of any kind purchased in any Port-of-Call will be confiscated at the gangway, stored on board and retained by Carnival until the end of the voyage. "

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Thomas Whalen
First Class Passenger
Member # 4787

posted 06-09-2004 04:40 PM

I do suggest that if you purchase wines or champaignes on your cruise that you purchase the cheap stuff. Aged wine is not all its cracked up to be on a cruise because it doesnt sit. A hint from a show that I watched on the travel channel..."the ship moves" so aged wine wont be worth the money.
Also, aged champaigne is not worth the money because it looses its fiz or bubbles as it ages.
Hope this helps you a little,
Thomas Whalen

Posts: 19 | From: Rhode Island | Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged

OCEANSDEVINE
First Class Passenger
Member # 2141

posted 06-11-2004 05:24 PM

I sailed on the Norwegian Dawn in February and was told that all luggage is xrayed and if liquor was believed to be in luggage the cruise line had the right to seize the luggage and not give it to the passengers. How they can do this stumps me but personally I wouldn't want to ruin a vacation and put it to the test. Also I found reasonable Happy Hour prices aboard ship and no need to risk getting booze on my clothes. Has anyone noticed how they toss your luggage anyway?

Posts: 146 | From: NEW YORK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 01-14-2010 03:07 PM

Vive le ( and I DO mean LE) France! My late wife and I made a crossing in 1972 on that great ship. We first visited "Fauchon's" an excellent liquor store in Paris; selected several cases of good, but not costly, wine; gave them our cabin number on the ship; watched as each case was so enscribed; and next encountered them as they were off-loaded with our disembarking baggage at New York. And yes, they went on the "boat train" with us to leHavre. No, we did not intend to sip them aboard ship or en route ..Le France had excellent wines at reasonable prices. But still in our liquor cabinet there still those Fauchon boxes, with a few, probably now over-aged bottles on hand. Perhaps a link with the past..........and my beloved Nancy.

[ 01-14-2010: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

jeffrossatsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 2962

posted 01-16-2010 11:51 AM

When i have travelled with RCI or Celebrity i have never had a problem with bringing 2 bottle's of wine (aussie shiraz) when embarking for a cruise...they can be very strict when in port and have seen many bottle's being pulled out of shopping bag's and purse's when they came back on board...most were not happy when they had bottle's confiscated till the last night...i would blame the the passenger for not doing there homework and the agent for not passing on an FYI to there client's before departure....jeff

Posts: 1118 | From: vancouver | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

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