Where do they store the confiscated booze??

[Bfson]

We are taking a cruise from Ensenada, Mexico to Hawaii. We have a condo in Hawaii and will be there for 2 weeks after the cruise. I want to take some older wines from my cellar with us. I know that anything over 2 bottles will be taken by Celebrity and held until the end of the cruise. That's fine with us-we want it for our 2 week stay in Hawaii after the cruise. One question-where do they store the confiscated booze? Hopefully somewhere air conditioned. Anybody know the answer?

[aikensbest]

Air Conditioned? No! Just storage

[Crazy Cruzer]

Hmmm.... At the crew bar maybe?

[Bfson]

There is storage (such as in the pursers office) and storage such as in closet off of the pool. My question remains unanswered.

[Losin4crusin]

Call the cruise line and ask.

[CPT Trips]

I seriously doubt it will be cellared.

[Wine-O]

I bought a case of wine in Italy (some Brunello) with the intention of bringing it back to the states via the ship. The winery packed it in styrofoam cylinder containers. The ship confiscated it and stored it for me. I can't imagine anywhere on the ship where the temp is over 70-75 degrees. You can buy those containers at a local UPS store, especially if you are in wine country.

[DirtyDawg]

We are taking a cruise from Ensenada, Mexico to Hawaii. We have a condo in Hawaii and will be there for 2 weeks after the cruise. I want to take some older wines from my cellar with us. I know that anything over 2 bottles will be taken by Celebrity and held until the end of the cruise. That's fine with us-we want it for our 2 week stay in Hawaii after the cruise. One question-where do they store the confiscated booze? Hopefully somewhere air conditioned. Anybody know the answer?

 

BOOZE! BOOZE? That's not booze:mad:.

 

That precious cargo is the essence of all that is good and pure on this third planet from the sun. How dare you ever think of consigning it to a fate worse than hades itself - being stored, below decks! - with swill from Costco and undrinkable yuck from's Joe's Discount Liquor Mart. SHAME, SHAME on you, sir!

 

In the name of all that's good and decent on this world I will offer my services to you. I will accompany your nectar of the gods on an aircraft to Hawaii, first class, of course - one seat for me and one for your precious cargo . BTW the syringe, no, the pin hole in the corks will all be due to the atmosphere changes in the cabin during flight - honest!

[wallie5446]

Wine will not be taken and stored, you will be charged the per bottle corkage fee weather you open it or not.

[luvtravel88]

Wine will not be taken and stored, you will be charged the per bottle corkage fee weather you open it or not.

 

I don't think that is correct. If you bring wine or other spirits on board they will be taken and stored until the last night when they will be returned to you.

[Wine-O]

Wine will not be taken and stored, you will be charged the per bottle corkage fee weather you open it or not.

 

That's incorrect. If they take it, it will be stored and given to you at the end of the cruise -- last evening.

 

The OP is asking: "Where is it stored" prior to giving it back to you the last evening.

[cruisestitch]

"Wine will not be taken and stored, you will be charged the per bottle corkage fee weather you open it or not."

 

That might be so on some other cruise line, but it is not how Celebrity operates.

 

A few years ago on a transatlantic I wanted to bring a special bottle of liquor to friends in Europe. I carefully bubble wrapped it and securely taped my name and stateroom number and all pertinent details to it, enclosed it in a styrofoam case, and again, put my name etc. on the case. As I went through security in Florida I passed it to an Officer, explaining the situation.

 

It was delivered to my stateroom on the last night of the cruise, safe and sound.

 

No corkage, no fee, no problem.

[cruise kitty]

Wine will not be taken and stored, you will be charged the per bottle corkage fee weather you open it or not.

 

Absolutely not true. We've taken tons of wine on board on Med cruises (to take home) sometimes they store it, sometimes it just goes with us to our room. Never any type of "fee"

 

To the op: for what it's worth, I'd call Celebrity & ask about storage conditions.

[wallie5446]

I stand corrected. I see now that the OP is wanting to 'transport' the bottles, so this would not be a 'confiscation' situation, just a storage situation. As suggested, wrap carefully, and call X for the defining answer.

[Project_gal]

No experience of this exactly but, for what it is worth, the answer given by shore-based customer service may not be that great. I doubt that is a question for which they have a scripted answer. Personally, in this situation, i would contact Celebrity, at least to be able to say that you did it but, then, I would speak to the Cellar Master once on board. It would seem that you know something about wine and will enjoy speaking with him anyway. Ask him if he can find out how the wine is being stored for you explaining your concerns. The Cellar Masters we have got to know on board would be concerned to see that your precious wine was stored correctly. His position on board is such [he is personally responsible for some very expensive wines] that he should have sufficient authority to request that your wine is stored in a decent environment.

 

Just to put my comments into perspective, we took two very good desert wines on our second Azamara cruise. In our case, it was for us to drink on board at dinner but it was looked after better than any of the wines purchase on board as, each evening, it was discussed with us as to which wine we planned to have that evening and when it should be taken out of the chiller to be just right for drinking.

 

Sue

[JaneStarr]

I would have some concern about bringing special wine onboard to transport to friends. We were with friends who had a single bottle of special wine confiscated & then "misplaced" on a European cruise. The couple's son had been back-packing through Europe and joined his parents on our cruise with a gift of wine from his travels. RCI was unable to find it to return on debarkation. This was Royal Caribbean, so maybe not as big a concern?? I just wanted you to consider the possibility.

 

Thinking that if it is wrapped and labeled you would be less likely to have a problem.

 

I woulld only accept an answer from shoreside customer service if you called 3 times and got the same response. :rolleyes:

[Algebralovr]

How many bottles do you plan to take? And will you be flying to San Diego, then taking the ship's bus from San Diego to Ensenada?

 

If yes to that question, then I assume you will be packing it to stay reasonably temp controlled on the way to the ship itself.

 

If you are taking sufficient bottles that you don't believe they will look the other way, and you have the bottles well packed and labeled with your identifying info, I recommend that as you go through security at the ship in Ensenada, since that is where they will x-ray your carry on bags, when they stop you due to the bottles, you ask them to call the cellar master or his assistant right then and there. I am sure that if you bring a list of your wines and speak to the cellar master, he will understand your concern for your precious cargo and will assist you in ensuring correct storage.

 

Hopefully, you are elite or in a higher class of room, and can get on an early bus. The later busses will arrive later in the day/evening, and the cellar master may be even more busy dealing with dinner guests. Be prepared that you will slow down the line to board the ship.

 

Alternately, if you pack your wines in transport boxes with temperature stabilizing materials, and put room labels on as though they are to be delivered to your room, you might be asked to come and open the box rather than have it delivered, at which time they would likely refuse to let you take a larger number of bottles, and you can discuss storage with security at that time.

 

Be aware, bags headed to the ship that were collected in San Diego sat in the sun, then in the back of a cargo truck, then in the sun on the dock for quite some time back in May. It was a relatively cool day, but there was definitely a great deal of waiting around. I would also make sure you have photos on the container you bring your wine in, as well as photos of the packed box and each individual bottle to be sure you get it all back.

[Bfson]

Barb-thanks for the comments. We live in the San Diego region so we will be driving to the pick up point which I am told is NOT the pier but a hotel. I think the plan will be to take the bus depending on the reports from the September departure before ours. I will have the wine in a stryo six or twelve pack and it will pull it from the cellar the morning of the cruise. (I'm a professional wine judge (just finished judging the Mo. State Fair Wine Competition in Columbia last week) and lug wine around like this all the time.) They should be OK even for a day in the sun. I do plan to carry it on board as hand luggage and then be ready to deal with the issue at security. Thanks!

[jcrandle]

Every ship has a morgue, for use in the unhappy event that it is neede by a cruiser. I'd suggest that you request your bottles to be stored there, as it should be nice and cool!

[BEAV]

One question-where do they store the confiscated booze?

 

 

 

"In the Captain's quarters, of course....."

 

 

 

Paul Lynde

[rwr235]

Barb-thanks for the comments. We live in the San Diego region so we will be driving to the pick up point which I am told is NOT the pier but a hotel. I think the plan will be to take the bus depending on the reports from the September departure before ours. I will have the wine in a stryo six or twelve pack and it will pull it from the cellar the morning of the cruise. (I'm a professional wine judge (just finished judging the Mo. State Fair Wine Competition in Columbia last week) and lug wine around like this all the time.) They should be OK even for a day in the sun. I do plan to carry it on board as hand luggage and then be ready to deal with the issue at security. Thanks!

 

Hi Bob,

 

We did this same cruise last Oct/Nov. Just don't be surprised if you are able to carry-on the wine without a problem in Ensenada...I had a six-pack box, that I carried...we were 3 cabins traveling together, and it was just easier/safer for me to carry it all that way...and although I was ready to explain why I had all 6 bottles (and we were together in our group)...nobody questioned me or cared less ! (although I did get some envious/questioning looks from some fellow passengers :D)

 

Enjoy the cruise...WONDERFUL btw !!

 

Woody