Alcohol Confiscated - Caught !!

[IdahoCruises]

The ships are just now returning to FLL, so there haven't been any anecdotal experiences from there since the new wine policy went into effect and the enforcement of the alcohol ban has been taken more seriously. Were I to guess, I would say that FLL will be the single most strict port of all places of embarkation. Total Wine is just down the road and PCL knows this. The cruises departing from FLL are fun-loving Caribbean cruises where PCL hopes to sell lots and lots of beer and umbrella drinks. The "European mentality" that results in a laissez faire approach to alcohol does not exist, so all of the reports that you read from Venice or Southampton or Barcelona probably will not apply.

 

My advice would be to carry on any wine and prepare to pay the corkage fee, and leave your hard liquor at home. Buy a bottle or two from Princess with you OBC and think of them as being "free". Ask yourself this. Is an extra $20 spent on board worth not being called down to the naughty room and embarassed by having to go through your luggage and explaining what the rum runner is doing in there? Do you really want to start your cruise off with a bad taste in your mouth knowing that your luggage was searched and items discarded without you being present? If this thread has taught us anything it is that people get very irritated and agitated at the thought of Princess doing to them exactly what the Passage Contract says it will do, and that angst leads people to vow to never cross a Princess transom ever again. All of this conflict can be avoided by simply obeying the rules and carrying on your wine, paying for it, and buying hard alcohol from Princess either by the bottle or glass. If these rules are too hard to follow or too Draconian, then stay on shore.

 

I have to agree....this thread is way too long regarding bringing booze on board.

[ceba]

The ships are just now returning to FLL, so there haven't been any anecdotal experiences from there since the new wine policy went into effect and the enforcement of the alcohol ban has been taken more seriously. Were I to guess, I would say that FLL will be the single most strict port of all places of embarkation. Total Wine is just down the road and PCL knows this. The cruises departing from FLL are fun-loving Caribbean cruises where PCL hopes to sell lots and lots of beer and umbrella drinks. The "European mentality" that results in a laissez faire approach to alcohol does not exist, so all of the reports that you read from Venice or Southampton or Barcelona probably will not apply.

 

My advice would be to carry on any wine and prepare to pay the corkage fee, and leave your hard liquor at home. Buy a bottle or two from Princess with you OBC and think of them as being "free". Ask yourself this. Is an extra $20 spent on board worth not being called down to the naughty room and embarassed by having to go through your luggage and explaining what the rum runner is doing in there? Do you really want to start your cruise off with a bad taste in your mouth knowing that your luggage was searched and items discarded without you being present? If this thread has taught us anything it is that people get very irritated and agitated at the thought of Princess doing to them exactly what the Passage Contract says it will do, and that angst leads people to vow to never cross a Princess transom ever again. All of this conflict can be avoided by simply obeying the rules and carrying on your wine, paying for it, and buying hard alcohol from Princess either by the bottle or glass. If these rules are too hard to follow or too Draconian, then stay on shore.

 

 

yup, people just keep trying...cracks me up

Edited October 4, 2013 by ceba

[antsp]

yup, people just keep trying...cracks me up

 

Rumrunner.com

[JimmyVWine]

Rumrunner.com

 

Soon you won't have to go to that website. Instead, you'll be able to buy them for half the price on EBay as Princess starts to dump the dozens that it has confiscated.

[Kolleen]

Hey Thrak, I too understood the S-mart reference. :D

[bdjam]

I wish that Princess would wake up and figure out why bookings are dropping and CCL stock slowly dropping. Passenger dissatisfaction with multiple policies and services. They would have less problems if they allowed at least one bottle of alcohol per passenger ( for those who don't care for wine) to be brought on board--no sneaking, no angry passengers.

What about the passengers that want TWO bottles of alcohol...or three? I don't see where bookings are dropping - Princess seems to sail full ships.

Most go on a cruise to relax and enjoy visiting the world. Many like to have a drink in their stateroom while preparing for dinner. You begin to feel that it is prohibition at sea.

Princess allows you to have drinks in your stateroom and as an Elite passenger, you know that. You are able to purchase alcohol for consumption in your room from the cruise line. Hardly prohibition.

We have sailed Princess for years and are Elite, but we have also changed to Oceania & Crystal as we don't like being treated like a child and not trusted. We would have had many more on Princess, but it is because of situations like this that our loyalty has changed, and it is a pure pleasure being treated as tho we are responsible adults and can be trusted.

Responsible adults follow rules...if you smuggled, by definition, you're not responsible.

Princess, please take these comments into consideration and don't judge all your passengers by those who act irresponsibly. You will still have those who do misbehave regardless of what policies you put into place.

 

I do realize that you can order liquor for your stateroom prior to the cruise, but a "pint" instead of a larger amount (even .750 would be an improvement) is all you can order. Wow Princess. I think it is all about the $$$.

Maybe they are trying to make up for all those lost bookings. :rolleyes:

[pablo222]

I am a shareholder (100 shares, to get the OBC). I don't sneak, alcohol not being very important to me, and being, I hope, reasonably honest, but will not sit in judgment of others. I've yet to hear on CNBC when they've discussed Carnival (fairly often) that how many people sneak alcohol on board makes a material difference to my investment.

So you think that cnbc reports every detail of every business' activity?

[beg3yrs]

So you think that cnbc reports every detail of every business' activity?

 

No, they report on material details of business activity. That's Wehwalt's point; revenue lost from the sneaking of alcohol is not material from the big picture point of view.

[antsp]

Soon you won't have to go to that website. Instead, you'll be able to buy them for half the price on EBay as Princess starts to dump the dozens that it has confiscated.

 

If a rum runner is packed correctly by the directions given by rum runner, they are never ever be found. They even come in a small size so you can pop them in your pocket and they are so thin they dont show up.

Edited October 4, 2013 by antsp

[Cauzneffct]

They even come in a small size so you can pop them in your pocket and they are so thin they dont show up.

 

If it's worth it to smuggle a pocket full of booze on a cruise, then I don't know what to tell you. It would seem that being naughty is the purpose as you wouldn't be saving much off of buying bottle on board, and I doubt that top shelf liquor is meant to be savored when poured out of a small plastic bag.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Cauzneffct

[antsp]

If it's worth it to smuggle a pocket full of booze on a cruise, then I don't know what to tell you.

 

Dont tell me anything, i dont even drink

[Cauzneffct]

Dont tell me anything, i dont even drink

 

A thousand pardons. I forgot, given your posts trumpeting the awesomeness of smuggling booze on board with rum runners.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Cauzneffct

[Ms Belvedere]

Prices to buy liquor on board through Princess's room service menu were reasonable. We'll bring a few Rum Runners with us to take any leftovers home. Remember to use the "RepeatCustomer" code (one word) for a 10% discount when ordering Rum Runners through their website.

 

Ms B

[pablo222]

No, they report on material details of business activity. That's Wehwalt's point; revenue lost from the sneaking of alcohol is not material from the big picture point of view.

 

Every business is run by making thousands of decisions,

very few are ever reported.

 

Many are designed to save money / increase profits.

Individually, they are not interesting, nor reported.

 

For instance, Princess eliminated port day lunches as a cost savings.

Did cnbc report the effect of THAT?

[Iamcruzin]

 

I just envisioned someone pouring some expensive cognac out of a crystal decanter and into a rum runner

[Wehwalt]

Every business is run by making thousands of decisions,

very few are ever reported.

 

Many are designed to save money / increase profits.

Individually, they are not interesting, nor reported.

 

For instance, Princess eliminated port day lunches as a cost savings.

Did cnbc report the effect of THAT?

 

I doubt it went to gild the taps in the executive washroom at CCL, as you seem to be implying.

[bhopal21]

I doubt it went to gild the taps in the executive washroom at CCL,

 

No, that's where the internet minutes that they took from the suites went.:rolleyes:

 

Mike:)

[pablo222]

I doubt it went to gild the taps in the executive washroom at CCL, as you seem to be implying.

 

I'm sorry, I don't see your point.

 

I'm not implying anything, other than it's silly to expect cnbc

to report on every change a company makes, as you suggest.

 

Over the years, there have been lots of cut-backs, elimination

and raising of onboard prices, etc.

 

What Princess saves with each change might not be significant,

but I'm sure their goal is that the combination of all changes

deliver the profit margin they desire.

[spindrift]

bdjam Sorry, but we don't "smuggle" as you implied. As I said, it would be nice if each passenger could carry at least a bottle of choice when boarding as do some other lines.

 

I love Princess but their hand holding is disappointing.

[JimmyVWine]

bdjam Sorry, but we don't "smuggle" as you implied. As I said, it would be nice if each passenger could carry at least a bottle of choice when boarding as do some other lines.

 

I love Princess but their hand holding is disappointing.

Not directed to you specifically, but to all who share this sentiment...the essence of this notion is that people wish that Princess behaved like Cunard or Disney, but priced like Princess or Royal Caribbean. There has to be some give and take. I'd rather Princess hold my hand than have it reach that hand into my pocket. In the end, lower priced cruises that do not allow bringing on board hard liquor are still better than paying $500 more per person with the liberty to bring on board a bottle on Grey Goose.

[oncruisecontrol]

No, not at all, but the stadium analogy doesn't really work, I'm not living in a Stadium for 7 days. What hotel has such ridiculous policies? Comparing a Cruise ship to a resort or a hotel is more realistic. Princess has turned a blind eye to booze for years so I don't blame anyone for trying. We'll still cruise but more restrictive policies will make us look at land trips first.

My sister and her husband just went on Ruby last December (after not having been on Princess in several years). A few months before their voyage they were researching the alcohol policy and the experience of recent cruisers. My sister and BIL were amazed that some people were openly bragging about wheeling on whole cases of wine (that's 12 bottles). Perhaps this is why the rule on paper is being enforced more vigorously? Don't get me wrong, I agree that passengers should be able to bring on whatever amount of wine/beer/liquor they want to (just as if they were staying in a hotel). But, if this were the case, I'm pretty sure that the cruise fare would be a lot higher than what it is today. Bottom line (for me) is, if people are going to bend the rules (there will always be some who do), perhaps they should only go but so far and don't publicize that they've "gotten away with murder" when they do get away with royally beating the system.

[JimmyVWine]

My sister and her husband just went on Ruby last December (after not having been on Princess in several years). A few months before their voyage they were researching the alcohol policy and the experience of recent cruisers. My sister and BIL were amazed that some people were openly bragging about wheeling on whole cases of wine (that's 12 bottles). Perhaps this is why the rule on paper is being enforced more vigorously? Don't get me wrong, I agree that passengers should be able to bring on whatever amount of wine/beer/liquor they want to (just as if they were staying in a hotel). But, if this were the case, I'm pretty sure that the cruise fare would be a lot higher than what it is today. Bottom line (for me) is, if people are going to bend the rules (there will always be some who do), perhaps they should only go but so far and don't publicize that they've "gotten away with murder" when they do get away with royally beating the system.

 

If they (and you) had researched the wine policy thoroughly, they would have discovered that bringing a case of wine is permitted. Princess does not have a restriction on personal wine. First bottle per person is free. All additional bottles come on board after payment of the $15 per bottle corkage fee. The people "bragging" about wheeling on a case were not "bending" any rules, let alone getting away with murder. The alcohol restrictions (and this thread) pertain to bringing hard liquor on board.

[oncruisecontrol]

If they (and you) had researched the wine policy thoroughly, they would have discovered that bringing a case of wine is permitted. Princess does not have a restriction on personal wine. First bottle per person is free. All additional bottles come on board after payment of the $15 per bottle corkage fee. The people "bragging" about wheeling on a case were not "bending" any rules, let alone getting away with murder. The alcohol restrictions (and this thread) pertain to bringing hard liquor on board.

My post was specifically responding to one sentence that I had highlighted from poster Cruise Junky. The spirit of my post was also in response to the overall sentiment of Cruise Junky's post that they might consider land vacations with less restrictive policies. In my sister and BIL's research (which was mostly of other cruisers experiences posted on Cruise Critic and other cruising boards as well as the official cruise line policy), the people bringing on board the cases of wine were openly gloating that they were doing so and NOT being charged any fees. Another focus of my post was the idea that if cruisers were allowed to bring on their own beer/wine/liquor, the cruise fare would be higher. After all, the cruise line fare is a loss-leader, they make their profit on the back end.

[bhopal21]

After all, the cruise line fare is a loss-leader, they make their profit on the back end.

 

Some categories maybe; but no one can convince me that the fare for a PH Suite is a loss leader.

 

Mike:)

[alreadypacked]

If they (and you) had researched the wine policy thoroughly, they would have discovered that bringing a case of wine is permitted. Princess does not have a restriction on personal wine. First bottle per person is free. All additional bottles come on board after payment of the $15 per bottle corkage fee. The people "bragging" about wheeling on a case were not "bending" any rules, let alone getting away with murder. The alcohol restrictions (and this thread) pertain to bringing hard liquor on board.

 

From my reading of the cruise ticket contract, bringing a case of wine is not permitted. It does not say that any bottles of wine in addition to "one-per-person" are simply charged a $15 corkage fee:

 

http://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract_OLD/index.jsp

Passengers agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind on board for consumption except one bottle of wine or champagne per person of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per voyage only in his/her carry-on luggage. A corkage fee of $15.00 U.S.D. per bottle (which is subject to change without notice) will be applied to wine and champagne brought aboard by You and consumed in the ship’s public areas. Any wine(s) or champagne(s) supplied by the Carrier to You as a gift are not subject to a corkage fee. At embarkation, all luggage will be scanned for suspected alcohol in excess of the one bottle policy as provided herein. Your luggage will undergo a secondary inspection by a security team operating under CCTV (closed circuit surveillance) or in the event Your luggage is locked, You will be notified and are required to attend the secondary inspection where any alcohol found in violation of the one bottle policy will be removed and discarded. Carrier shall not be responsible for any loss, cost, disappointment or damage of any kind as a result of any alcoholic beverages removed in violation of the one bottle policy. You agree to surrender alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship’s gift shop, or at ports of call, to Carrier, which will be delivered to Your stateroom on the last night of the voyage.