Purchasing liquor onboard

[MTJtraveller]

I have sailed a few times with Princess but have questions about onboard liquor.

 

My father is sailing with us, his first time. We thought it would be nice to put a couple of bottles of liquor, specifically bourbon & vodka, in his room as bon voyage gifts. I would be pre purchasing these thru Princess. If he by chance runs out and wants to replenish :eek: can he purchase some more on his own thru Princess or is this something that has to be all arranged pre-cruise? I know duty-free is held until disembarking so that wouldn't work and I assume you cannot bring on any hard liquor at port stops. Am I right with this?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

[PunkiC]

You can buy half fifths for about $17.00 which isn't horrible.

[Astro Flyer]

I have sailed a few times with Princess but have questions about onboard liquor.

 

My father is sailing with us, his first time. We thought it would be nice to put a couple of bottles of liquor, specifically bourbon & vodka, in his room as bon voyage gifts. I would be pre purchasing these thru Princess. If he by chance runs out and wants to replenish :eek: can he purchase some more on his own thru Princess or is this something that has to be all arranged pre-cruise? I know duty-free is held until disembarking so that wouldn't work and I assume you cannot bring on any hard liquor at port stops. Am I right with this?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

Here's a link to pre-order alcoholic beverages:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/cellars_culinarydelights/princess_cellars/index.jsp

 

In addition to pre-purchasing items he could purchase additional bottles through room service.

 

Princess is beginning to enforce their alcohol policy more stringently & any alcohol (excluding wine or champagne...1 bottle/person/cruise & additional bottles with a $15/bottle fee) brought onboard is suppose to be seized & will not be returned.

[5326jan]

Even if you pre-purchase the liquor as a gift, he'll have to call room service for it to be delivered. He'll find the vouchers in the cabin when he embarks. The bottles are 375 ml. If you want to surprise him, you could order the bottles to your room and deliver them yourself. The only way to keep the gift going is to replace them as they are consumed, or give him a gift on OBC so that he can order them himself. We always keep a bundle of $1 bills to tip room service, for delivery of a bottle or two, $2 is what we'd give.

[blazerjan]

I have to agree with Punkic on this .... I enjoy a rum and coke in my cabin once in awhile. Yes I used to smuggle it on - I admit it - but for our upcoming cruise - will order it from the ship. I would pay around $12 for a bottle here - and I'm out that if they find it and take it.. so I will pay the $17 dollars - which I don't think is that bad.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I have to agree with Punkic on this .... I enjoy a rum and coke in my cabin once in awhile. Yes I used to smuggle it on - I admit it - but for our upcoming cruise - will order it from the ship. I would pay around $12 for a bottle here - and I'm out that if they find it and take it.. so I will pay the $17 dollars - which I don't think is that bad.

 

 

You will be paying $34 (2 x 375ml) a bottle compared to the $12(750ml).

 

Vinnie

[MTJtraveller]

Sometimes I think life is too short to worry about "sneaking it in". I am on vacation after all. I will have the vouchers delivered to his room and bring by the "mixers".

 

I assume I can freely bring onboard ginger ale and tomato juice?

[CruisinChris]

You will be paying $34 (2 x 375ml) a bottle compared to the $12(750ml).

 

Vinnie

 

It's an easy comparison to make but part of the reason you pay more on the ship it that it's more equivalent to being served in a restaurant than picking up a bottle at the local store - there's more labor involved in with the onboard purchase.

 

There's no need to have a wad of cash for tips onboard. Just simply write your tip in on the "gratuity" line on your receipt. They call it cashless cruising for a reason.

[blazerjan]

You will be paying $34 (2 x 375ml) a bottle compared to the $12(750ml).

 

Vinnie

 

 

Not a big deal - the 375 ml will last me the whole cruise....

[Astro Flyer]

I assume I can freely bring onboard ginger ale and tomato juice?

Correct, bring as much soda & water as you desire.

There's no need to have a wad of cash for tips onboard. Just simply write your tip in on the "gratuity" line on your receipt. They call it cashless cruising for a reason.

While that's an option, I've been told many times that when added to the receipt (room service, specialty restaurant, etc.) it goes into the tip pool so I give cash so the person providing me the service gets to keep it as long as the auto tip is in place.

[avcruz]

Correct, bring as much soda & water as you desire.

 

While that's an option, I've been told many times that when added to the receipt (room service, specialty restaurant, etc.) it goes into the tip pool so I give cash so the person providing me the service gets to keep it as long as the auto tip is in place.

 

Yes, I believe you're right. Same as the 15% bar gratuity. I've always thought it was a little ridiculous that when I'm tipping the bartender in Crooners for his great service, it's being shared with someone in the Wheelhouse Bar, which I never frequent... :confused:

[yyjguy]

Whe does Princess not do as Holland America does, and sell 1 litre bottles through room service for just a bit more than the take home duty free price?

[bhopal21]

Whe does Princess not do as Holland America does, and sell 1 litre bottles through room service for just a bit more than the take home duty free price?

 

Princess used to do that but stopped in 2005.

 

It was so convenient and smuggling was almost unheard of back then.

 

The prices were not cheap but they offered a much better selection than they do now.

 

Mike:)

[PunkiC]

Yes, we used to be a lot more liberal about buying bottles on board when the prices were better, but they are still not totally horrible. Just not good. Now we just buy a lot less.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

It's an easy comparison to make but part of the reason you pay more on the ship it that it's more equivalent to being served in a restaurant than picking up a bottle at the local store - there's more labor involved in with the onboard purchase.

 

There's no need to have a wad of cash for tips onboard. Just simply write your tip in on the "gratuity" line on your receipt. They call it cashless cruising for a reason.

 

Not a big deal - the 375 ml will last me the whole cruise....

 

I understand the reasons one pays three to four times the price for liquor in a bar then buying it at a local store.

 

Just pointing out an apples to apples comparison.

 

Vinnie