How Strict Is Celebrity On Smuggled Booze???

[cruisestitch]

Things have changed a lot in the past four years. New policies, new emphases, new equipment for detecting things inside luggage.

[Cruise Junky]

Wow - note to self...stay the hell away from Celebrity. Not being able to bring wine on board from France and Italy would be a complete deal breaker.

[AUNTDEBBA]

Yes if I want a Baileys in the evening I can bring it down from the bar but myself and my two SILs love on sea days to have room service breakfast and Baileys and coffee on the balcony it is our vacation indulgence it looses something if you have to get dressed and run up to the bar for the Baileys.

I still contend that these are not three day party boats and passengers are not going to sit in their rooms so they can drink for free. I don't think Celebrity looses any money allowing people to bring liquor in their room. If you read most of the posts it generally people wanting a cocktail getting ready for

dinner or like me our morning Baileys and coffee. Passengers won't go to the bars to get what they want they will just forgo the drink. What I find interesting is at the same time they created what I think is a great drink package program the have cracked down on "smuggled" booze

[dmwnc1959]

Wow - note to self...stay the hell away from Celebrity. *Not being able to bring wine on board from France and Italy would be a complete deal breaker.

 

Anyone who really knows 'wines' will know the the BEST wines in the world come not from France or Italy, but California. Yes, CALIFORNIA. Wines from the US, including those from California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as wines from other parts of the world including Australia and Chile consistently rate higher than those from Europe.*

 

In Wine Spectators list of the Top 10 Wines in the World for 2010 five were from California, two from Australia, and one each from Portugal, France, and Italy. In 2009 they rated the best wine in the world as one from Washington State. In 2008 it was from Chile. Across the board and in countless articles and magazines wines from the US rate the best in the world.

 

If having your 'own' wine is that important why worry about buying it while on your cruise to Italy and France, when superior products come from the US? Unless it's just that 'factor' of being able to say you bought French wine in France. But no one who 'knows' wine will be impressed. :rolleyes:

[Cruise Junky]

Anyone who really knows 'wines' will know the the BEST wines in the world come not from France or Italy, but California. Yes, CALIFORNIA. Wines from the US, including those from California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as wines from other parts of the world including Australia and Chile consistently rate higher than those from Europe

In Wine Spectators list of the Top 10 Wines in the World for 2010 five were from California, two from Australia, and one each from Portugal, France, and Italy. In 2009 they rated the best wine in the world as one from Washington State. In 2008 it was from Chile. Across the board and in countless articles and magazines wines from the US rate the best in the world.

If having your 'own' wine is that important why worry about buying it while on your cruise to Italy and France, when superior products come from the US? Unless it's just that 'factor' of being able to say you bought French wine in France. But no one who 'knows' wine will be impressed. :rolleyes:

 

Your post is almost laughable. We vacation in europe for many reasons and experiences. Touring wine regions or specific wineries and then being able to enjoy that wine either on our deck or with dinner is part of that experience. Your post is truly arrogant and actually quite funny to someone who does enjoy and collects great wine.

[dmwnc1959]

Your post is truly arrogant and actually quite funny to someone who does enjoy and collects great wine.

 

Then you must be taking a lot of trips the California and the Pacific Northwest.:eek:

[Cruise Junky]

Then you must be taking a lot of trips the California and the Pacific Northwest.:eek:

 

Of course I have, we are in Napa at least once a year and Washington State has some lovely wineries. I'm not saying US wine is bad, it's far from it. We just want to enjoy the offerings from the regions were touring. Sounds like Celebrity is now making that difficult. No worries though, not a problem on Princess, HAL, Oceania, Azamara, Regent, etc. Sad that Celebrity had to join the ranks of Carnival, NCL and RCL, I thought they were better than that but apparently not

[cruiserrichard]

:DHi; Well Bunky, you really raised a ruckus! I want to reply to your question not listen to a lecture. This will be my 12th cruise, only 2nd on XX: on all these cruises I have carried a bottle of premium, usually bourbon, and have never been questioned. I don't consider this smuggling and am happy that some folks elect to buy the liquor package and am happy that my wife and I might get a free drink in your room.

cruiserrichard

[cruiserrichard]

:DHi; Well Bunky, you really raised a ruckus! I want to reply to your question not listen to a lecture. This will be my 12th cruise, only 2nd on XX: on all these cruises I have carried a bottle of premium, usually bourbon, and have never been questioned. I don't consider this smuggling and am happy that some folks elect to buy the liquor package and am happy that my wife and I might get a free drink in your room.

cruiserrichard

[ORV]

I do feel that if their drinks prices were more reasonable in the first place then they would benefit more as we would buy more.

 

We have only been on short cruises on celebrity but did find the prices to be steep, we can afford to pay but we refuse to be 'riped off' consequently we drink the two bottle carryon and maybe a bottle with our meal but certainly do not drink as much as on P&O who have much more reasonable drinks prices.

Their loss I feel. :(

 

Actually I don't find their prices to be high at all.

 

 

They had confiscated huge amounts of liquor, had it lined up and they destroyed it all.

 

 

 

Pat C

 

Curious about this point. Did you see them destroy it, or is that what they told you would happen?

[lambcom]

I've often wondered: do the same rules regarding liquor apply to the crew? If you are an officer or part of the entertainment staff or a waiter -- is liquor confiscated from your suitcase and destroyed? Or if you are off duty and go ashore in Saint Thomas and bring back a bottle or two are they taken away and only returned six months later when you go on leave?

 

And somehow, I suspect the prices for mixed drinks at the crew bar in the bowels of the ship aren't the same as in the bars frequented by the paying passengers....

 

George +

[Gonzo70]

I've often wondered: do the same rules regarding liquor apply to the crew? If you are an officer or part of the entertainment staff or a waiter -- is liquor confiscated from your suitcase and destroyed? Or if you are off duty and go ashore in Saint Thomas and bring back a bottle or two are they taken away and only returned six months later when you go on leave?

 

And somehow, I suspect the prices for mixed drinks at the crew bar in the bowels of the ship aren't the same as in the bars frequented by the paying passengers....

 

George +

 

Why would that rule extend to the crew? :confused:

[cruisestitch]

Crew doesn't pay the same price for laundry or for internet access either. But what's your point?

[Spf12]

I've often wondered: do the same rules regarding liquor apply to the crew? If you are an officer or part of the entertainment staff or a waiter -- is liquor confiscated from your suitcase and destroyed? Or if you are off duty and go ashore in Saint Thomas and bring back a bottle or two are they taken away and only returned six months later when you go on leave?

 

And somehow, I suspect the prices for mixed drinks at the crew bar in the bowels of the ship aren't the same as in the bars frequented by the paying passengers....

 

George +

Who cares,the rules apply to you,don't like it don't sail.

[Denny01]

.......No worries though, not a problem on Princess, HAL, Oceania, Azamara, Regent, etc. Sad that Celebrity had to join the ranks of Carnival, NCL and RCL, I thought they were better than that but apparently not

Thats one of the big pluses of this forum, you are now aware and can cruise the other Lines that meet your criteria. Personally, we enjoy finding local wines on our cruises, buy one or two, and bring it home to enjoy. I find what the ship has sufficient for our enjoyment and so its not an issue. Enjoyed our Princess cruises and did bring on more than two wines, but we enjoy socializing around the ship instead of in our SR, so we ended up not using all of them. To each our own.

 

Den

[mamoune]

Here is our story--always buy a bottle of scotch for the room from the drinks package. However, since we usually fly in to the port the night before, we have a bottle with us. Since we never come close to finishing it, DH transfers the leftover to a RR. This has never caused a problem before. Have not been on celebrity for a few years. Can they now detect the RR in checked luggage?

 

 

Can you tell me what's a "RR" ???

Thanks!

[chive]

Can you tell me what's a "RR" ???

Thanks!

 

 

Rum Runners. Check out http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com.

[Cruise Junky]

Thats one of the big pluses of this forum, you are now aware and can cruise the other Lines that meet your criteria. Personally, we enjoy finding local wines on our cruises, buy one or two, and bring it home to enjoy. I find what the ship has sufficient for our enjoyment and so its not an issue. Enjoyed our Princess cruises and did bring on more than two wines, but we enjoy socializing around the ship instead of in our SR, so we ended up not using all of them. To each our own.

 

Den

 

Exactly, I'd still book a celebrity cruise, but not to the med or a wine region. Problem with bringing stuff back to Canada its far more restrictive than to the US. Plus if I'm over my 2 bottle limit, the duty is around 150% . And really, these days, who wants to fly with wine in their luggage. Looking forward to my cruise next week where we"ll be boarding with at least a case of wine/champagne and no restrictions to bringing more wine on in port, God it's nice to be treated as an adult