California Coastal Wine tours/bringing wine back to ship

[dazee8]

For those cruisers who have been on recent California Coastal cruises:

 

What was your experience in bringing several wine bottles back to the ship after a Princess wine tour? Did they let you have 1 per passenger and then "baggage check" the rest for the end of the cruise?

 

:)Thanks

[gooch47]

No matter what anyone says here, I'd check with the purser's office BEFORE going on the tour about their interpretation of the current policy. I'd even consider asking for it in writing.

[JimmyVWine]

I agree that if this is important to you and will impact your decision whether or not to do excursions that include winery visits, you should consult with Princess and try to get an email reply that you can print out. If you run into a security team that refuses to allow you to bring wine onto the ship from an excursion, saying: "But I read on Cruise Critic that I could" is going to get you nowhere. Princess knows where its bread is buttered and understands that Wine Country Coastal cruises entail winery visits, and the wineries that host bus loads of passengers are hoping and expecting to make some sales out of the arrangement. So denying the boarding of wine from such excursions would be obtuse. But unless you get confirmation from Princess, my view of the world doesn't mean spit.

[lamchops]

I just got off the "Pacific Wine Coastal" Sapphire on Saturday and I bought 2 bottles of wine from Au Bon Climat on Friday in Santa Barbara. They scanned my bag but let me go through. I don't know if it's because it was the last night of the cruise or because Santa Barbara has the "Urban Wine Trail".

[Cruiserkenn]

In Seattle, on the Sapphire, everyone who bought wine on the Chateau Ste Michelle/ Columbia Winery tour had to take their wine to a wine table. I had only one bottle, and had not brought any on previously. No problem, I went right thru. Others with more bottles had to pay additional corkage fees.

 

One bottle was great! Chateau Ste Michelle Red Blend.

[dazee8]

Yes, once again, it appears that the Princess wine policy for bringing back more than 2 bottles, if on a wine tour, might be questionable. I appreciate everyone putting in their 2 cents and hope we hear from others.

 

:)Thanks

[JimmyVWine]

I just got off the "Pacific Wine Coastal" Sapphire on Saturday and I bought 2 bottles of wine from Au Bon Climat on Friday in Santa Barbara.

 

Did you get to meet and talk to Jim Clendenen? He is a true American original.

[lamchops]

Did you get to meet and talk to Jim Clendenen? He is a true American original.

 

No he wasn't there. I passed on the Au Bon Climat and purchased a couple of bottles of the Vita Nova Reservatum.:D

 

The Vita Nova brand was created in 1986 by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Bob Lindquist of Qupe, Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Co. and Steve Acronico (their close friend). The team wanted to expand their repertoire into the uncharted territory of Super-Tuscan wines from the Central Coast area of California

[Suzy'Q]

We were on the California Coastal on the Grand last week. Brought a bottle of wine on board in Santa Barbara without a problem.

[partybarbie]

Two weeks ago on the Star, I bought two bottles of wine (in a Seattle Winery) and my friend bought three. We took all five bottles on at once, no problem.

[gooch47]

No offence to anyone who offered their experiences, but it would still be a gamble without specifically asking for info in advance.

[pris993]

Was on the Grand California coastal, the Princess Patter, had a notice that regional wine/alcohol if purchased in port would be collected and held til last night of cruise, noticed it when we were in Ensenda Mexico, may have been posted in earlier ports but I did not notice. This is the exact wording but you might look for a similar notice and or check with Customer Service when you board.

[cs4225]

I just got off the "Pacific Wine Coastal" Sapphire on Saturday and I bought 2 bottles of wine from Au Bon Climat on Friday in Santa Barbara. They scanned my bag but let me go through. I don't know if it's because it was the last night of the cruise or because Santa Barbara has the "Urban Wine Trail".

 

 

I think we were on the same cruise. We bought two bottles of wine from Traders Joe's in San Francisco and they let us go through.