Carry-on wine allowance, a new twist

[Cruising-along]

This is something I have not seen yet in all the wine threads I have read here. I thought I would pass along our recent experience so others will know what can happen.

 

Our cruise began in Stockholm. Boarding day was a Sunday and we were there overnight, leaving Monday evening. You cannot buy wine in Stockholm on Sundays. The liquor stores, the only place that sells wine, are closed.

 

We flew into Stockholm late Saturday night, so even if we had known about this, we couldn't have bought any.

 

When we found out, just before boarding on Sunday, we asked security if we could instead bring 2 bottles of wine onboard Monday, since we weren't leaving until Monday night. The answer was a firm NO.

 

We weren't the only disappointed passengers that day. So a heads' up to others out there who hadn't thought of this possibility either :)

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the information.

Interesting twist since the ship hadn't left the embarkation port yet.

But I guess they figured that you all had checked in officially and the cruise had begun.

[jtl513]

That's a bummer, but I can see their reasoning: they wouldn't be able to tell who had brought wine with them and boarded with it on Sunday and who hadn't. Fortunately, that situation doesn't happen all that often.

.

Edited August 10, 2014 by jtl513

[taxmantoo]

When we found out, just before boarding on Sunday, we asked security if we could instead bring 2 bottles of wine onboard Monday, since we weren't leaving until Monday night. The answer was a firm NO.

 

I can't see what "security" has to do with bringing wine onboard. I would have asked someone from the Hotel Manager's department to confirm. It is not security that handles wine at embarkation (they simply identify that there is wine) but usually a wine steward set up with a table.

[SilvertoGold]

I find this interesting, because on our July Alaska cruise there was NO area set up at all to show your wine and have it tagged (or whatever they do).

 

Princess had a desk before customs. We asked Red Coat and she just waved us on.

[Cruising-along]

That's a bummer, but I can see their reasoning: they wouldn't be able to tell who had brought wine with them and boarded with it on Sunday and who hadn't. Fortunately, that situation doesn't happen all that often.

.

 

 

Exactly. I doubt that HAL cares to make any stipulation at this late date either. As you say, luckily it doesn't happen often.

 

 

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[Cruising-along]

I can't see what "security" has to do with bringing wine onboard. I would have asked someone from the Hotel Manager's department to confirm. It is not security that handles wine at embarkation (they simply identify that there is wine) but usually a wine steward set up with a table.

 

 

We first asked at the front desk on Sunday. The woman looked baffled and said "good question". So she made a phone call, spent awhile on the phone, and came back to us and told us the answer is an emphatic "no".

 

We also observed a group taken aside with their wine on Monday. They were arguing with the poor steward so he told them he would get his boss to talk to them. They were also told NO in no uncertain terms. They really didn't want to accept that but got nowhere. I began to think they might get thrown off the ship, they were that hot under the collar. ;)

 

 

 

 

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[Fouremco]

I can't see what "security" has to do with bringing wine onboard. I would have asked someone from the Hotel Manager's department to confirm. It is not security that handles wine at embarkation (they simply identify that there is wine) but usually a wine steward set up with a table.

Cruise lines decide what can be brought on board and when, and the responsibility for enforcing these rules is generally vested in the security personnel. The OP asked and was given the appropriate response. Going to the Hotel Manager should have resulted in the same policy response.

 

Whether it's a good policy, given the situation described, is a whole different issue. An easy remedy would have been to issue Sunday boarders not bringing wine a ticket that would allow them to do so the next day. It's little things like this, that are so easy to fix, that HAL should put much greater focus on.

[kazu]

But you could have brought wine on board on the next day if you were willing to pay the corkage fee I would think or was that not permitted either.

 

I do not really find this surprising as the policy is for embarkation day. Does not mean I think it is right, just that is the policy.

[RMLincoln]

Same policy on Princess as we found when overnighting in Tahiti.

 

This also may hold for B2Bs and I'd be interested to know if anyone has been allowed to "replenish" their wine without corkage fee on their turn-around day. I haven't had this issue but foresee that it is not allowed. As has been said, the policy is to bring wine onboard at embarkation only for no corkage fee. Thanks for this discussion. m--

[Wakepatrol]

All this hulabaloo over a bottle of wine...absolutely baffling

 

 

Hot under the collar,almost got thrown off the ship.

 

 

some people should just stay home, lay in a hammock and drink all day

[cruising cockroach]

All this hulabaloo over a bottle of wine...absolutely baffling

 

 

Hot under the collar,almost got thrown off the ship.

 

 

some people should just stay home, lay in a hammock and drink all day

 

Maybe they do, hence HAL drops prices to make up for those who wont pay their anywhere-near-regular prices, and cuts back everywhere else.....

[Cruising-along]

But you could have brought wine on board on the next day if you were willing to pay the corkage fee I would think or was that not permitted either.

 

 

 

I do not really find this surprising as the policy is for embarkation day. Does not mean I think it is right, just that is the policy.

 

 

Yes that would have been permitted. The reason I brought this up is so others won't be taken by surprise as we were. Not because of the policy, I expected that. But we never thought to check if wine would be available to buy on a Sunday at our embarkation port. For us, unless we had bought some in London and packed it for the flight to

Stockholm, there was no opportunity to bring our allowed 2 bottles. We were traveling between cruises and the flight was late getting in Saturday night. Certainly not the end of the world, but a learning experience for us. Wouldn't it be great if HAL had thought it through when changing the wine policy. Now they have no way of keeping track, and it could have been so easy.

 

The group that was mad (well one man in particular) was more upset with their TA who told them that HAL allows px to bring unlimited wine aboard and then they found out it was wrong info.

 

 

 

 

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Edited August 11, 2014 by Cruising-along

[mllewis48]

We're doing the Holiday Collectors Cruise out of FLL this year. It of course consists of a 7 day Eastern, return to FLL and then a 7 day Western. The policy states, I believe, one bottle of wine pp per cruise. So if I take four bottles total, two for each leg, will they confiscate two? If so why could I not use them on the 2nd leg????

 

Not trying to end-run the system but we do enjoy our wine in our stateroom in the evening. We also purchase packages for the DR.

 

Anyone have a definate answer?

 

If not we are doing Alaska this week I may check onboard to see what we can do.

 

Thanks in advance

Mike

[jtl513]

We're doing the Holiday Collectors Cruise out of FLL this year. It of course consists of a 7 day Eastern, return to FLL and then a 7 day Western. The policy states, I believe, one bottle of wine pp per cruise. So if I take four bottles total, two for each leg, will they confiscate two? If so why could I not use them on the 2nd leg????

I believe when it is booked as a Collectors cruise, with one booking number, you are limited to one bottle pp for the whole thing. They consider your embarkation to be only on the first leg, and you can only bring on corkage-free wine at embarkation. Not positive on that though. Edited August 11, 2014 by jtl513

[NMLady]

All this hulabaloo over a bottle of wine...absolutely baffling. Hot under the collar,almost got thrown off the ship.

 

some people should just stay home, lay in a hammock and drink all day

 

Or else take a deep breath and have a piece of apple pie :)

[jtl513]

duplicate - deleted

Edited August 11, 2014 by jtl513

[DeeniEncinitas]

Just spoke with Kim Swenson at ship services! Last yr when we were on our 24 day Nieuw Amsterdam cruise never a problem with bringing wine on board. We are doing a B2B western/eastern Caribbean cruise and since we booked it as a full 14 day cruise and not 2 individual cruises you are only allowed on embarkation on the first 1/2of cruise with bringing 2 bottles of wine or champagne. 2nd 1/2 you can bring 2 bottles but will be a corkage fee of $18.00 each.:)

 

3 STAR Mariner

[mllewis48]

WakePatrol......chill!

[POA1]

some people should just stay home, lay in a hammock and drink all day

 

No hammock. Also not at home. Drinking in an Adirondack chair seems to work pretty well. :D

[senorjim]

On our 28 day Asia cruise in March 2014 we had a bottle of wine we purchased in a port confiscated during the first half of 2-14 day cruises. It was returned to our stateroom for the second half of the cruise after my wife spoke to someone and requested it. Your mileage may vary!

 

 

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[jtl513]

On our 28 day Asia cruise in March 2014 we had a bottle of wine we purchased in a port confiscated during the first half of 2-14 day cruises. It was returned to our stateroom for the second half of the cruise after my wife spoke to someone and requested it. Your mileage may vary!

Was that a Collector's or a b2b with two booking numbers? Edited August 11, 2014 by jtl513

[sail7seas]

On our 28 day Asia cruise in March 2014 we had a bottle of wine we purchased in a port confiscated during the first half of 2-14 day cruises. It was returned to our stateroom for the second half of the cruise after my wife spoke to someone and requested it. Your mileage may vary!

 

 

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It is entirely possible the wine was returned because the cruise during which you brought it aboard had ended. Many have said they have liquor returned to them last night of first segment when on a b-to-b or Collector's Cruise.

 

[Wastegirl]

I'm a little confused, on our New Zealand trip we took on board in Sydney our two bottles of allowed in room wine and two bottles of wine which we paid corkage. My DH then at several ports around New Zealand purchased extra wine for consumption on board and paid the corkage each time, no problem. This is part of cruising New Zealand if you are a wine drinker, their great Sauv Blancs and Pinots.

 

So my understanding, for future reference, is that if you embark but don't leave port as it is overnighting, then go out the next day and buy some wine, you are not allowed to bring it on board but once you leave the embarkation port it should revert to what we experienced above. Or has this changed? If so this will impact on another New Zealand cruise we are looking at in 2016.

[jtl513]

So my understanding, for future reference, is that if you embark but don't leave port as it is overnighting, then go out the next day and buy some wine, you are not allowed to bring it on board but once you leave the embarkation port it should revert to what we experienced above.

No. The OP could have brought wine on the 2nd day, but only by paying the corkage. See post #13. Edited August 12, 2014 by jtl513