No Wine in Luggage?

[lancep97]

My family and I just finished a weeklong trip on the Conquest and had our 1 bottle of wine per person confiscated from our luggage.

 

We booked the cruise last year and at the time were told that we could each bring one 750ml bottle of unopened wine per person for the cruise. My parents were celebrating an anniversary so they packed a nice bottle of wine with their luggage as they've done on several other Carnival cruises and thought nothing of it.

 

When I received my luggage I had a note in it stating that my luggage had been opened and screened for suspected contraband, but that "all is well" and nothing was taken out. My bottle of wine was left sitting front and center in the luggage.

 

My parents on the other hand had a letter stating that their wine was taken out and that it was considered contraband. Clearly I was mad as I was the one that had told them they could take one bottle onboard with them. I took up the issue with guest services onboard and was told that Carnival recently changed their policy so that you can only carry wine with your carry on luggage. I said that we had booked the cruise over 8 months in advance and noone had sent us anything about a policy change and mentioned that my wine was left untouched in my luggage even thought it had been opened and checked. The lady in guest services called a manager over who took down my room number and name and then proceeded to call security up to explain to me that what I had done was against Carnival policy. They then proceeded to search my room to make sure I hadn't smuggled anything else "illegal" onboard.

 

This is clearly overstepping boundaries on Carnival's part. Guest services stated they were going by protocol.

 

Has anyone else had such an experience?

[shipty2]

You are allowed one bottle of wine per person but it has to be in your carry on luggage.

[smd1234]

The one bottle per person has to be carried on. That should have confisicated your bottle too if it was in checked luggage.

 

Just be glad one bottle made it.

 

from Carnival FAQs - "Guests, 21 years of age and older, may bring one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage."

[lancep97]

Is this a new policy? They said it was a new policy.. Person I asked at Carnival when booking the cruise over the phone said it could be carried on or packed as long as it was during embarkation only. That was 8 months ago though.

[MrCo9]

Had you come one here and just looked at one page of the Carnival Forum you would have seen 15 threads going on and on and on and on about how you now had to carry on any wine or other beverages you planned on drinking during your cruise. Carnival changed their policy in April, I'm sure it was in your updated cruise contract. Too bad you didn't bother to read through it. You get no sympathy from me.

[*Mach*]

The wine is permitted but it MUST be in carry on bags... not checked bags:

Guests, 21 years of age and older, may bring one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage.

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/faqs/default.aspx?faq=luggage+and+valuables

 

 

:)

[lancep97]

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy. You can't expect every cruiser to read this forum either. It would have just been nice for carnival to send an email stating their updated policy to those already booked on cruises.

[James in SA]

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy. You can't expect every cruiser to read this forum either. It would have just been nice for carnival to send an email stating their updated policy to those already booked on cruises.

 

I have to agree with you. On my most recent cruise I would have run afoul of that recent policy change had I not happened to read about it here. We ALWAYS had put the allowed bottle of wine in the checked luggage in the past. There is nothing obvious on the website to alert one to a change unless you go through all the fine print and FAQ's that most of us have already read before.

 

The right thing for them to have done would have been to return your parents bottle of wine after explaining the policy change, since their only crime was not knowing in which piece of luggage to pack it. Leaving their bottle in their luggage with a note explaining the policy change for their next cruise would have been a much nicer approach. Searching your room was totally over the top!

 

The have a problem with inconsistency in applying their policies.

[CRUZBUDS]

I never noticed the "in your carry on" before. I would have been upset also -- especially at searching the room for other contraband over an honest over sight. How was you attitude?

 

When Bob Dickenson ran the line you could bring all the wine you cared to. We miss you Bob!

[CanadaJulie]

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy. You can't expect every cruiser to read this forum either. It would have just been nice for carnival to send an email stating their updated policy to those already booked on cruises.

 

I agree. Some people book their cruises many month and ahead of the sail date. I myself booked a Princess cruise 18 months out last time I sailed. The cruiseline knows when you booked - any changes in policy should be communicated with the passengers that have already booked. They have your email, home address, personal info..., it wouldn't be hard to do...

 

 

MrCo9: Had you come one here and just looked at one page of the Carnival Forum you would have seen 15 threads going on and on and on and on about how you now had to carry on any wine or other beverages you planned on drinking during your cruise.

 

Does this mean CC is required reading for averyone who has ever booked a cruise ? Only a small percentage of people belong to CC - you can't expect a 3rd party bulletin board to hopefully advise all pasengers on the latest policies being enforced.

 

MrCo9: Carnival changed their policy in April, I'm sure it was in your updated cruise contract. Too bad you didn't bother to read through it. You get no sympathy from me.

 

So how many times do YOU read your cruise contract ? Do you re-read it every few days to ensure they have not changed anything. :rolleyes:

[CanadaJulie]

Kind of makes it complicated for people flying in the day of the cruise. You cannot take liquids in your checked luggage on the airline so when you arrive on the flight and take a cab to the cruise port, you then have to open your luggage, repack all the liquids differently and go through security at the cruise port...

 

Kind of a pain in the butt...

[*Mach*]

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy. You can't expect every cruiser to read this forum either. It would have just been nice for carnival to send an email stating their updated policy to those already booked on cruises.

 

 

The same information is contained in the contract that Carnival requires you to accept. I'd guess that they also assume that you have read the contract.

Here's the excerpt:

Except as noted below, Guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on Carnival’s vessels for on board consumption. However, at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day only, guests 21 years and older may bring one bottle of wine or champagne per person on board only in their carry on luggage.

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/ticket_contract.aspx?icid=CC_Footer_84

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I think that Carnival should make some effort to notify cruisers of changes and I've said so many times but legally, they're right...

[happy cruzer]

Almost every company "grandfathers" their policy changes. This did not seem very customer oriented to me. Punish an honest person with a search. Even if the customer was angry (and probably justifiably so) doing the search did no good for any one.

 

Even if this the new policy, is it worth alienating everyone until they get used to it???

[James in SA]

Mach,

 

Tell me... you cruise a lot. Do you re-read all the fine print of the cruise contract everytime you book a cruise? Some of us read it the first time, but not after that.

[Knights on the Beach]

I have to agree with you. On my most recent cruise I would have run afoul of that recent policy change had I not happened to read about it here. We ALWAYS had put the allowed bottle of wine in the checked luggage in the past. There is nothing obvious on the website to alert one to a change unless you go through all the fine print and FAQ's that most of us have already read before.

 

The right thing for them to have done would have been to return your parents bottle of wine after explaining the policy change, since their only crime was not knowing in which piece of luggage to pack it. Leaving their bottle in their luggage with a note explaining the policy change for their next cruise would have been a much nicer approach. Searching your room was totally over the top!

 

The have a problem with inconsistency in applying their policies.

I totally agree with this. Yes, it's a new policy, HOWEVER, Carnival could have made a reasonable effort to inform passengers who were already booked before they changed the policy. As addicted as I am to Cruise Critic, I know the majority of cruise passengers are not even aware that this website exists. We have 16 people in our family group on our Valor cruise. Out of the 16, I'm the only one who visits this board frequently. There MAY be one or two others in our group who visit this board once in a blue moon. If they want to know something about our cruise, they call me. Most people (who are not nearly as obsessed as I am) will only read the info on the Carnival site when they're booking their cruise. Why would they think they should re-read it over and over again in case Carnival decides to change some policies?

[maggieworkman]

 

So how many times do YOU read your cruise contract ? Do you re-read it every few days to ensure they have not changed anything. :rolleyes:

 

You don't need to read it every few days. But it is probably a good idea to read it again a couple days before sailing, especially if you booked a long time ago. Or if you don't read CC regularly.

 

Maggie

[bo_monroe]

Why are people so rude on these threads??? I mean come on. If you can't reply with a nice comment then dont reply at all. *****!! This person just asked a question. No need to be rude. I would of been mad also if my wine was taken out of my bag. Not a big deal if you are "allowed" to carry on.

[*Mach*]

Mach,

 

Tell me... you cruise a lot. Do you re-read all the fine print of the cruise contract everytime you book a cruise? Some of us read it the first time, but not after that.

 

 

I read this stuff often but mainly to be able to provide answers to questions posed here. If I didn't have that reason I probably wouldn't read the contract or the FAQs as often as I do.

As I said, I believe that Carnival needs to inform folks that changes have been made even if they don't specifically point out those changes. Perhaps more folks would be prompted to reread the contract...

:)

[NCTribeFan]

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy. You can't expect every cruiser to read this forum either. It would have just been nice for carnival to send an email stating their updated policy to those already booked on cruises.

 

It's right there in your documents. You can be expected to have read those!

 

And this isn't an updated policy. It has ALWAYS been that your allowed 1 bottle each of wine was to be carried on at embarkation only. That has not changed.

[sailaway4]

I can't get past the fact they searched your room.You admitted to one bottle why would you not admit to anything else?

Maybe it was different screeners,one who didn't feel like cutting any slack and one who did.Do the screeners sign the paper in your luggage?Why are the screeners not made to account for their actions,why do they pick and choose??

[JYeagersGrl]

I haven't cruise in 5 years and when I last cruised the rule was you can ONLY pack in carry on. So things haven't changed just seems like you misunderstood the rules as well as apparently the person you spoke with but that doesn't shock me I had a carnival csa tell me that obc doesn't exist. I swear some of them sleep through their trainings or something.

[madge57]

My first cruise was in 2006 and at that time I knew you had to carry on your wine in you carry-in!! So why the complaint?? That rule hasn't changed!!

[skylock]

The rule has not changed. It is the enforcement of the rule that has changed.

 

I don't think they need to notify anyone of that.

[lancep97]

I understand the people that say the rule hasn't changed. Maybe it hasn't. The supervisor at guest relations said the policy changed in April. I was just annoyed that the policy changes were not more evident. We all signed the cruise contract agreement months ago when we completed the Sail and Sign information.

 

The first lady that I spoke with about this at guest relations stated that Carnival had posted large signs in the Galveston cruise terminal about only having wine in your carry on. (Noone in my group of 8 saw any such *clearly* marked signage). Besides.. even if there were signs.. our luggage was already with a porter and being loaded with thousands of other bags.

 

When they searched my room they found the bottle of wine that I told them was not taken out of my luggage along with the letter stating my luggage had been searched and that everything was ok. They did take note of the person who had signed the letter and the supervisors signature.

 

I now know for future cruises to carry on my bottle of wine.. lesson learned..

 

I just didn't appreciate being made to feel like I did something wrong when I certainly didn't know about the new rules...

[skylock]

I understand the people that say the rule hasn't changed. Maybe it hasn't. The supervisor at guest relations said the policy changed in April. I was just annoyed that the policy changes were not more evident. We all signed the cruise contract agreement months ago when we completed the Sail and Sign information.

 

The first lady that I spoke with about this at guest relations stated that Carnival had posted large signs in the Galveston cruise terminal about only having wine in your carry on. (Noone in my group of 8 saw any such *clearly* marked signage). Besides.. even if there were signs.. our luggage was already with a porter and being loaded with thousands of other bags.

 

When they searched my room they found the bottle of wine that I told them was not taken out of my luggage along with the letter stating my luggage had been searched and that everything was ok. They did take note of the person who had signed the letter and the supervisors signature.

 

I now know for future cruises to carry on my bottle of wine.. lesson learned..

 

I just didn't appreciate being made to feel like I did something wrong when I certainly didn't know about the new rules...

 

The "rule change" the Supervisor was probably talking about that took place in April is that Carnival is no longer turning a blind eye to alcohol in checked luggage. Not that the no alcohol in checked luggage rule started in April.

 

I started cruising about 12 years ago and that was a rule as stated in the contract then. A rule most people knew Carnival did not enforce very often. Now they are enforcing it (as of April). I doubt you will be the only one caugt by surprise by this change in Carnivals attitude towards this "rule".