Wine question for anyone just off first trip to Alaska on Golden!

[southpawsdakota]

Just wondering how bringing wine onboard was handled. Thanks for any information. AND how was your cruise on the Golden?

[PunkiC]

Yes, I too am interested in knowing. We will be having lunch on the Westerdam on June 1st so I plan to walk over to the Princess check in and do some discovery work. Hopefully we will get feedback from a current cruiser before that time.

[IECalCruiser]

Just wondering how bringing wine onboard was handled. Thanks for any information. AND how was your cruise on the Golden?

It would be interesting to know how wine was being handled on all Alaskan cruises departing from Seattle, Vancouver and San Francisco.

[PunkiC]

I asked on the roll call for the May 12th voyage of the Golden and this is the response that was posted:

 

"scanners were looking for wine. It did not matter if it was carry on or packed. One 750 (not 1500) ml bottle per person. It was loaded into the computer. If you have non drinking of legal age they can also get credit for wine. I got nabbed for the first time in 23 cruises, but had enough non drinkers. We were told that our extra bottles would have been $15 per. Still not a bad deal depending on what you want. You could also buy by bottle at any bar, which should break down to the fifth drink free."

 

I suppose someone could ask on the roll calls for other ships that have already sailed out of Seattle, Vancouver and SFO.

[jackieo]

We have been buying wine by the bottle at the bar for years. We Usually ask the Barman on the first day for our favourite wine, sometimes the bar doesn't have it, so the Barman will bring up bottles from the dining room. we pay for the bottles there and then, he keeps them in the bar fridge with our name on it.

[Pia1913]

So it now appears that it's not the Golden out of San Pedro, but the Golden out of anywhere. If this continues to be just a Golden endeavor, perhaps we can all exhale for a while. :confused:

[southpawsdakota]

Corkage fee is fine but I don't want to bring more than the allowable and have them just take it. I WILL pay the $15.

[PunkiC]

I believe they will allow you to take as much as you like.

[vantec]

So it now appears that it's not the Golden out of San Pedro, but the Golden out of anywhere. If this continues to be just a Golden endeavor, perhaps we can all exhale for a while. :confused:

 

We also ran into this on the Sapphire last Saturday, going on a wine coastal cruise. They scanned our carry-on bags, asked if we had wine in them - we said yes, then they sent us over to a table. On our way to the wine table, another employee grabbed us and sent us in a different direction to board the ship, so I don't know what actually happened, since I was given conflicting directions. :)

[Pia1913]

We also ran into this on the Sapphire last Saturday, going on a wine coastal cruise. They scanned our carry-on bags, asked if we had wine in them - we said yes, then they sent us over to a table. On our way to the wine table, another employee grabbed us and sent us in a different direction to board the ship, so I don't know what actually happened, since I was given conflicting directions. :)

 

Screwy. huh?

[RM]

Has the wine policy changed? Haven't been on Princess in a few years.

[RM]

I see 1Bottle per person ar embarkation only. Correct?

[JimmyVWine]

I see 1Bottle per person ar embarkation only. Correct?

 

1 "free" bottle per person at embarkation. You can bring as much as you want but each bottle over the first free one will be charged $15 on the spot to your account. After that, you can drink the wine whenever, wherever you want. So the net change is that wine consumed in your cabin will have to be paid for since you will paying up front. Before, corkage was only charged in the dining rooms. Now, no more corkage in the dining rooms because the fee will have been paid at entry.

[Astro Flyer]

Wine may still be brought onboard from ports of call with the $15/750ml bottle.

 

There are no reports of the new policy being implemented fleetwide yet & it appears to be limited to a couple of ships to refine the procedure. It appears that after being fully implemented that 1.5L bottles or boxed wine will no longer be allowed.

[san diego sue]

We usually fly with box wine in luggage. Guess won't be doing that anymore.

 

[Pia1913]

We usually fly with box wine in luggage. Guess won't be doing that anymore.

 

 

I will. Boxes don't show on xray. Total Wine and More guy told me it was good to go because there's no lead like in bottled wine.

[amazinglife]

I will. Boxes don't show on xray. Total Wine and More guy told me it was good to go because there's no lead like in bottled wine.

 

 

Having never tried box wine does the flavor change at all compared to a glass bottle? Are these wines mostly from California? DH likes a GOOD merlot. Thanks.

[Pia1913]

Having never tried box wine does the flavor change at all compared to a glass bottle? Are these wines mostly from California? DH likes a GOOD merlot. Thanks.

 

I drink only white, so can't help you there. However, the box wine I buy (cheap stuff from Walmart), tastes exactly the same and from the bottle. I prefer sauv blanc but they only have it in pinot grigio. OK for me. I'm a cheap date. :D:D

[southpawsdakota]

We travel with the brand "Black Box" which we like very much. It can run from $16.99 to as much as $26.99 depending where you purchase it. I have gotten it at Total Wine in Ft. Lauderdale prior to sailing and I must say it was the only time we purchased it that when we got it onboard the taste was bad. That happened on two cruises where we purchased it there. We now bring it in our luggage and have not had problems. We like to drink it in the room and we have tried other brands and some are just horrible. Try it as everyone's taste buds are different. I like the Pinot and the Cav with that brand.

[PunkiC]

Like Pia, I love cheap wine. My favorite is Viñas Chilenas Reserva which you can buy at Trader Joe's for $3.49 per bottle. I like it a lot better than most of the wines we have bought on the ship so it is a bargain for us to just bring a case on board and pay the corkage fee.

 

Pia, are you sure that they can't detect box wine? I would love to hear current reports on whether or not folks have been able to board box wine without being detected.

 

By the way, how do rum runners work, by the way? I have heard about them but have no idea what they are.

[JimmyVWine]

Total Wine and More guy told me it was good to go because there's no lead like in bottled wine.

 

Where is the lead in a bottled wine? Not in the foil capsule. Manufacturers stopped using lead years ago.

 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Title 21: Food and Drugs

PART 189—SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED FROM USE IN HUMAN FOOD

Subpart D—Substances Prohibited From Indirect Addition to Human Food Through Food-Contact Surfaces

§ 189.301 Tin-coated lead foil capsules for wine bottles.

 

(a) Tin-coated lead foil is composed of a lead foil coated on one or both sides with a thin layer of tin. Tin-coated lead foil has been used as a capsule (i.e., as a covering applied over the cork and neck areas) on wine bottles to prevent insect infestation, as a barrier to oxygen, and for decorative purposes. Information received by the Food and Drug Administration establishes that the use of such a capsule on wine bottles may reasonably be expected to result in lead becoming a component of the wine.

 

(b) The capping of any bottles of wine after February 8, 1996, with a tin-coated lead foil capsule renders the wine adulterated and in violation of section 402(a)(2)© of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because lead from the capsule, which is an unsafe food additive within the meaning of section 409 of the act, may reasonably be expected to become a component of the wine.

[bdjam]

I'm not going to get embroiled in the discussion again...it's not worth the energy...but it's good to know that we're still trying to figure out ways to push the limits of the rules. Some things never change.

[Pia1913]

Where is the lead in a bottled wine? Not in the foil capsule. Manufacturers stopped using lead years ago.

 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Title 21: Food and Drugs

PART 189—SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED FROM USE IN HUMAN FOOD

Subpart D—Substances Prohibited From Indirect Addition to Human Food Through Food-Contact Surfaces

§ 189.301 Tin-coated lead foil capsules for wine bottles.

 

(a) Tin-coated lead foil is composed of a lead foil coated on one or both sides with a thin layer of tin. Tin-coated lead foil has been used as a capsule (i.e., as a covering applied over the cork and neck areas) on wine bottles to prevent insect infestation, as a barrier to oxygen, and for decorative purposes. Information received by the Food and Drug Administration establishes that the use of such a capsule on wine bottles may reasonably be expected to result in lead becoming a component of the wine.

 

(b) The capping of any bottles of wine after February 8, 1996, with a tin-coated lead foil capsule renders the wine adulterated and in violation of section 402(a)(2)© of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because lead from the capsule, which is an unsafe food additive within the meaning of section 409 of the act, may reasonably be expected to become a component of the wine.

 

I don't have a clue. Just repeating. But I will still take a chance on packing a wine box.

[antsp]

Fool proof way of smuggling wine on board is to drink it just before you get on the ship, by keeping it in your bladder Princess will never know. I'm a genius for thinking of this. I know. I know.

[Cauzneffct]

I don't have a clue. Just repeating. But I will still take a chance on packing a wine box.

 

I don't think its true. I dont know the level of sofistication of the port scanners, but the machines at airports can detect the liquid regardless of how its stored (hence having to take liquids out of the bag). A box might get through a metal detector, but I dont believe it would not be noticed by a scanner.