Bringing box wine

[alli]

I will start this post by saying that I don't need a lecture about the ethics of bringing your own liquor on board nor do I need a wine expert telling me that box wines are so Walmart.

 

We plan on bringing two bottles of wine in our carryon luggage. Does anyone have any experience with bringing boxed wine onboard in your checked luggage?

[cruisestitch]

Since our search function here on Cruise Critic is (apparently) up and running, you can search and find literally dozens of posts on this topic. I seem to remember that the very large boxed wines did not get through, as the on-board personnel said that they were as large as three normal bottles of wine. If a bottle of wine is usually 750 ml or 1000 ml (1 liter) you can judge from there if your box of wine is worth two bottles and how to proceed from there....

[ME Guide]

Hi Alli,

Take the bag out of the box and put in your carryon...(to board the ship). You can fold the box and reuse or just keep the bag on ice. (or not). Black Box is great. There are several good ones I've found.

Happy cruising and cheers!

[Lsimon]

I've never brought boxed wine, but I have read a lot of cruise critic threads and here are my observations:

 

Celebrity's policy says two bottles of wine per stateroom may be brought on board. It does not address sizes of the bottles nor boxes of wine.

 

Of those posts that have relayed their experiance I'd say that the majority of the reports show no issue bringing either a box of wine or a large bottle (over 750ML standard bottle size). But there have also been reports from people who have had their boxes or large bottles confiscated by security (both from carry-on and checked luggage) with a common explanation being that the passenger exceeded the limit of two standard bottles - without any mention of the fact that the policy doesn't address bottle size.

 

The bottom line is that you may or may not be able to get a box of wine on board as the interpretation and enforcement of the rules is inconsistent. My advice would be to stick to standard size bottles of wine or accept the risk that your box or large bottle might be confiscated. I certainly wouldn't chance an expensive bottle (or expensive box if there is such a thing) since in some cases the confiscated beverages are not even returned at the end of the cruise.

[B-Anne]

and whom may I ask, would be the recipient of said confiscated bottles/boxes of wine??

Would they be destroyed or enjoyed by confiscaters???!!! Inquiring minds need to know!!

[sasset]

The original owner is the most likely recipient. I saw 24 and 30 can packs of beer confiscated at San Juan upon boarding and they were returned the last night...just in time to try to figure how to get them on the airplane home.

[Lsimon]

and whom may I ask, would be the recipient of said confiscated bottles/boxes of wine??

Would they be destroyed or enjoyed by confiscaters???!!! Inquiring minds need to know!!

 

On our March Constellation cruise they indicated that all alcoholic beverages confiscated at embarkation would be destroyed. Enforcement and detection was the most thorough I've seen and there were a lot of unhappy cruisers who had to make a trip to the naughty room to retrieve their suitcases.

 

Did they destroy it? I have no reason to believe they wouldn't even though I'd rather see it donated to the crew bar than destroyed. There was lots of speculation on board but it was clearly no more than wild speculation and I'd guess Celebrity did in fact destroy the beverages. They tend not to trust items that have not been in their control.

[drk]

We have been very lucky with bringing boxed wine (usually Black Box) in our checked luggage. We use one of those plastic shoe box sized storage boxes which fits the box perfectly and adds another element of protection. Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

[iancal]

We had a bottle of wine taken at a port stop. They returned it directly to our cabin in the afternoon of our last day at sea. Needless to say, it was emply b the time we disembarked.

[Lsimon]

We had a bottle of wine taken at a port stop. They returned it directly to our cabin in the afternoon of our last day at sea. Needless to say, it was emply b the time we disembarked.

 

As far as I know they still return any wine or liquor brought on board at ports of call. It is theses items, including wine in excess of the allowances, brought on board at initial embarkation that is subject to destruction and no return.

[cigars-N-rum]

you wont get it on. better off just picking up some cheap wine at the first port. just make 3 trips on and off. its getting harder to bring stuff on. i just cant see the value in lugging a whole box on.

[Passepartout]

We have had no difficulty bringing at least one box (Black) in the check-aboard bag (they are really tough!) and the allowed bottle each on our carry-aboard. Worst case scenario- and it hasn't happened to me- is that the stuff confiscated is returned the last night of the cruise and you have one helluva packing party.

 

The stevedores, security, and crew have waaay too much to do on changeover day to go through every check bag for anything that looks like a box of vino.

 

Jim Ricks

[Lsimon]

...The stevedores, security, and crew have waaay too much to do on changeover day to go through every check bag for anything that looks like a box of vino....

 

On our Constellation cruise last March they did an amazingly thorough search of all checked luggage. This was done with new scanning equipment. I have no idea if the equipment is on all Celebrity ships or if this is something at all Ft. Lauderdale terminals or even just the one.

 

A cruise friend of our reported that they had to go to the naughty room to get their luggage. The reason was that they had some medical wash solution that had alcohol in it. They asked about this and were told that all luggage was scanned and any liquids with alcohol showed up as a certain color in the scanner monitor.

 

That is the cruise that I reported knowing a large number of people who had their alcohol beverages detected in their luggage resulting in them having to go to a "naughty" room to claim their luggage and open it for inspection. I actually don't know anyone who had alcoholic beverages in their checked luggage who got it through - but that doesn't mean there wasn't anyone.

[alli]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Cruisestitch, I did do a search last night prior to starting a new thread and come up with zero/nada. Today went back and found a 3 page thread on the subject ( well, one page was about the wine and the other 2 pages were discussions about wine smuggling and the value of boxed wines...LOL, there are actually some really good ones out there!).

 

I'm still bouncing back and forth with the idea. Though after 13 cruises I've never seen the 'naughty room', so it might open up this trip to a new experience onboard!!

[Lsimon]

...I'm still bouncing back and forth with the idea. Though after 13 cruises I've never seen the 'naughty room', so it might open up this trip to a new experience onboard!!

 

Biggest problem with the naughty room is it will delay receipt of the luggage until late afternoon or evening and you may find yourself waiting in line there to claim your luggage. Otherwise your only risk is the value of the box. It is a shame their policy is inconsistent on this although I think pressing them on the issue would probably not have the outcome you'd hope for.

[BosoxI]

I was called down to the Demeaning Room on the Eclipse in April. Why? Because I had a large can of Lysol in my suitcase. Once past that, they had no interest in the rest of the bag, which contained a number of small liquor bottles given to us by Princess, a line which has a much more reasonable and adult view of alcohol. The fellow next to me had a box of wine. I stalked out of the room, so I didn't see what happened to him. Now I wish I had stayed to see what occured. Celebrity is a big time pusher of alcohol which explains, of course, their actions. So how much can be brought on, if any

[Host Jazzbeau]

So what's the best procedure for bringing on the allowed 2 bottles of wine? If you're bringing them on the airplane, they have to go in your checked luggage. Should you move them to a carry on before boarding the ship?

 

Also, does Celebrity mean you are allowed two 750ml bottles of wine - no substitutes? Could you bring 2 magnums or jugs? Or say one 1.5L bottle [equals two 750ml]?

 

Inquiring mouths want to know!

[BosoxI]

So what's the best procedure for bringing on the allowed 2 bottles of wine? If you're bringing them on the airplane, they have to go in your checked luggage. Should you move them to a carry on before boarding the ship?

 

Also, does Celebrity mean you are allowed two 750ml bottles of wine - no substitutes? Could you bring 2 magnums or jugs? Or say one 1.5L bottle [equals two 750ml]?

 

Inquiring mouths want to know!

 

Are even 2 750ml bottles allowed?

[aussiedisneyfan]

It has been a while since I have cruise Celebrity so I am assuming the policy has changed. We were able to bring one bottle of wine onboard and then we were charged corkage. Is this no longer the case?

[cruisestitch]

Two bottles of wine per stateroom at embarkation. No corksge if you open and enjoy them in your stateroom. 25$ corkscrew if taken to a dining room or specialty restaurant.

[Lsimon]

So what's the best procedure for bringing on the allowed 2 bottles of wine? If you're bringing them on the airplane, they have to go in your checked luggage. Should you move them to a carry on before boarding the ship?

 

Also, does Celebrity mean you are allowed two 750ml bottles of wine - no substitutes? Could you bring 2 magnums or jugs? Or say one 1.5L bottle [equals two 750ml]?

 

Inquiring mouths want to know!

 

We always carry our in our carry on luggage, but we buy at the port city. I think in your suitcase would be Ok but you would run a risk of being called down to the inspection room to open your case so they could verify it isn't liquor.

 

As to large bottles please look at post #4 above where I address both boxes of wine and large bottles. Bottom line is large bottles share an identical risk as boxes of wine.

 

Are even 2 750ml bottles allowed?

 

Yes the Celebrity policy expressly provides that you can bring on 2 bottles of wine per stateroom.

 

It has been a while since I have cruise Celebrity so I am assuming the policy has changed. We were able to bring one bottle of wine onboard and then we were charged corkage. Is this no longer the case?

 

You can bring on two bottles of wine. If you consume them in your cabin there is no corkage fee. Your stateroom attendant will provide glasses and chill the wine on request. They can usually provide a corkscrew but sometimes it has taken a while and they are very cheap. I'd recommend bringing your own if you can.

 

Corkage is only charged for wine consumed in one of the ship's dining rooms or lounges. I believe it is $25/bottle. For those that do not know what corkage it it is a fee for consuming your wine in an establishment. It is not just a fee for opening the bottle as some presume from the name. It is clearly designed for replacing some of the profit the establishment would have earned had you purchased the wine from them instead of bringing your own.

 

Celebrity's policy is here:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do?faqSubjectName=Food+and+Beverage&faqId=505&pagename=faq_answers

 

And the complte alcohol policy is here:

http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/en_US/pdf/faq/Cel_Alcohol_Policy_07-30-07.pdf

[aussiedisneyfan]

Thanks for letting my know. My parents are cruising with Celebrity soon and were asking me.

[BosoxI]

Two bottles of wine per stateroom at embarkation. No corksge if you open and enjoy them in your stateroom. 25$ corkscrew if taken to a dining room or specialty restaurant.

 

 

That is initial embarkation, I take it. So what happens at the first port and what happens if Celebrity takes me on a tour stopping at a winery? I can make a purchase but can't take it to my stateroom? I once read a CC member's comment that when they try to confiscate his bottle of wine, he just keeps on walking. Of course, they keel haul him, if they catch up to him.

[jcrandle]

That is initial embarkation, I take it. So what happens at the first port and what happens if Celebrity takes me on a tour stopping at a winery? I can make a purchase but can't take it to my stateroom? I once read a CC member's comment that when they try to confiscate his bottle of wine, he just keeps on walking. Of course, they keel haul him, if they catch up to him.

 

For port stops, after embarkation, my experience has been if liquor/wine/beer is brought on board, it will often (though not always) be held by security, tagged with your stateroom, and returned there on the last night of the cruise. They appear to have a thorough system for keeping up with held items. I once returned from a shore excursion with a small penknife which I placed in the xray with other items. It was held and tagged. As I was debarking, I scanned my card, and the scanner beeped. The security guy checked his display, and said I had a held item, and then returned my knife..

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

On our Constellation cruise last March they did an amazingly thorough search of all checked luggage. This was done with new scanning equipment. I have no idea if the equipment is on all Celebrity ships or if this is something at all Ft. Lauderdale terminals or even just the one.

 

A cruise friend of our reported that they had to go to the naughty room to get their luggage. The reason was that they had some medical wash solution that had alcohol in it. They asked about this and were told that all luggage was scanned and any liquids with alcohol showed up as a certain color in the scanner monitor.

 

That is the cruise that I reported knowing a large number of people who had their alcohol beverages detected in their luggage resulting in them having to go to a "naughty" room to claim their luggage and open it for inspection. I actually don't know anyone who had alcoholic beverages in their checked luggage who got it through - but that doesn't mean there wasn't anyone.

 

 

Would guess your cruise was either in March or April;), when most of the cruiselines do more thorough checks due to the high number of Spring Breakers being onboard.