I have a question for anyone who has boarded a ship

[vinonme2]

in a European port.

 

I know the cruise line rule is 1 bottle of wine per adult when initially boarding at any port and each additional bottle has a corkage charge of $15.00. I am fine with that.

 

Recently I have been reading a lot of posts saying passengers can bring on wine in European ports and not pay corkage.

 

My question is - Since I'll be checking in on the ship on Saturday (the only day for initial check in) and the ship sails Sunday, would corkage be charged for any wines brought on board on Sunday and would I be able to take them to my cabin?

 

Would appreciate any feedback from someone who has experienced this.

 

Thank you.

[jacketwatch]

Actually on our last Princess cruise it's 2 bottles of wine per cabin and no fee if used in the cabin only and this applies only to your embarkation port.

[skynight]

Actually on our last Princess cruise it's 2 bottles of wine per cabin and no fee if used in the cabin only

It is actually one bottle of wine per person, not 2 per cabin.

"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."

[Astro Flyer]

in a European port.

 

I know the cruise line rule is 1 bottle of wine per adult when initially boarding at any port and each additional bottle has a corkage charge of $15.00. I am fine with that.

 

Recently I have been reading a lot of posts saying passengers can bring on wine in European ports and not pay corkage.

 

My question is - Since I'll be checking in on the ship on Saturday (the only day for initial check in) and the ship sails Sunday, would corkage be charged for any wines brought on board on Sunday and would I be able to take them to my cabin?

 

Would appreciate any feedback from someone who has experienced this.

 

Thank you.

My experience in Europe & South America is they have rarely charged the corkage fee when bringing more than the 1) 750ml bottle/person/cruise limit during embarkation. Obviously that would be 2 bottles if there are 2 passengers in a cabin however the policy says per person & thus 1 person in a cabin is only 1 bottle.

 

I bring most of my wine to a dining room so whether they charge the $15/bottle fee for additional bottles or not I pay the fee at dinner. I plan to pay the corkage when bringing wine on the ship & when it's not charged for wine we drink in our cabin that's more money I have to spend elsewhere on the ship. :)

 

I've read posts from those who've asked on Facebook about wine to bring home without being subject to any fee & Princess said they could hold it until the last night without a fee. As I said, in many ports (particularly in Europe & SA) they have not charged a fee for additional wine even from ports of call although I always budget for those fees.

 

I don't want to limit my wine options to the ship's inventory when visiting great wine producing regions & even when charged a corkage fee I'm thankful that Princess has this option. :D

Edited June 25, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[IECalCruiser]

Our experience is from 2013 in the Baltics and 2014 on a Mexico cruise and on the Grand Med itinerary. Be prepared to pay the $15 corkage for more than one bottle per person at check-in and at ports but that doesn't mean there will be a charge

 

On one cruise out of San Pedro last year there wasn't a wine check-in desk and were waved on by with three bottles between the two of us. On the Grand Med the was a wine check-in table set up in only one port. You never know what will happen from cruise to cruise.

[Pia1913]

in a European port.

 

I know the cruise line rule is 1 bottle of wine per adult when initially boarding at any port and each additional bottle has a corkage charge of $15.00. I am fine with that.

 

Recently I have been reading a lot of posts saying passengers can bring on wine in European ports and not pay corkage.

 

My question is - Since I'll be checking in on the ship on Saturday (the only day for initial check in) and the ship sails Sunday, would corkage be charged for any wines brought on board on Sunday and would I be able to take them to my cabin?

 

Would appreciate any feedback from someone who has experienced this.

 

Thank you.

 

 

You haven't said where you are boarding, but if Barcelona, nobody there gives a ******

[skf]

There are some European ports (Athens comes to mind) where your returning bags are scanned in the terminal by port security and not at all onboard the ship.

[Astro Flyer]

You haven't said where you are boarding, but if Barcelona, nobody there gives a ******

And there's a wine store after clearing the port's security & as I recall there was no further scanning by Princess.

[vinonme2]

Thanks so much for all your input, it's appreciated.

 

We (2 adults) will be in Sorrento and Venice for 8 days before getting on the ship in Venice.

 

From previous trips to those areas, I know there are some wines I definitely want to bring on the ship to enjoy.

 

Having a glass or two of wine every evening on our balcony has become a tradition I don't intend to stop, it just adds to the beautiful memories. It's a 12 night cruise and 2 bottles doesn't cover it.

 

I'm also bringing 2 or 3 wine bottle bubble bags with me for additional wine to fly back to the US with. Those I will gladly let Princess hold for me till the last night.

 

Good advice about being prepared to pay the $15. per additional bottle. It's worth it when you enjoy certain wines. If they collect the fee, no problem. If they don't, then it's a few more dollars for me to spend elsewhere.

 

We disembark in Barcelona and are spending a night there, so I'll pick up a bottle of wine either when we disembark or on Las Ramblas (can't remember the name of the store but I remember where it is).

[jacketwatch]

It is actually one bottle of wine per person, not 2 per cabin.

"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."

OK. Thanks!!

[Mary Ann 2]

When we boarded in Rome the end of May, we had 4 bottles of wine from a trip to Tuscany. We were charged for two of them. Every port we visited there was someone sitting at the table for you to pay for additional bottles. You could hide it (and essentially lie about it) or pay up. The last day before disembarkation we took a winery excursion in Provence. I was shocked when they had someone there as it was the night they would return bottles; when I expressed my surprise, they let me go on through with it. Guess it was for people continuing on the next week? Not sure, but they made it seem like they should have taken it and were doing me a favor.

 

So...even in Europe with winery excursions at ports, expect them to be present at least on the Emerald!

[Astro Flyer]

When we boarded in Rome the end of May, we had 4 bottles of wine from a trip to Tuscany. We were charged for two of them. Every port we visited there was someone sitting at the table for you to pay for additional bottles. You could hide it (and essentially lie about it) or pay up. The last day before disembarkation we took a winery excursion in Provence. I was shocked when they had someone there as it was the night they would return bottles; when I expressed my surprise, they let me go on through with it. Guess it was for people continuing on the next week? Not sure, but they made it seem like they should have taken it and were doing me a favor.

 

So...even in Europe with winery excursions at ports, expect them to be present at least on the Emerald!

 

Good to know & we always expect to be charged & never conceal our wine but thankfully we've had a different experience.

 

Although whether they collect the fee when bringing it on the ship or at the dining room, we still paid corkage fees.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[Pia1913]

 

 

We disembark in Barcelona and are spending a night there, so I'll pick up a bottle of wine either when we disembark or on Las Ramblas (can't remember the name of the store but I remember where it is).

 

There are two. Carrefour, which is a supermarket and has a good wine selection. or Bouqueria, which has a great selection of more expensive wines. Both places are within two or three blocks of each other.

[flamomo]

There are two. Carrefour, which is a supermarket and has a good wine selection. or Bouqueria, which has a great selection of more expensive wines. Both places are within two or three blocks of each other.

 

Thanks for that info .... now I know what stores to look for. Am boarding the Emerald in Barcelona for a T/A to FLL in a few months and staying at the Montecarlo Hotel pre-cruise. I was hoping there would be a place to buy wine somewhere near the hotel.

[Colo Cruiser]

Just bring on what you want Sunday and if you pay you pay if not cheers.

[Pia1913]

Thanks for that info .... now I know what stores to look for. Am boarding the Emerald in Barcelona for a T/A to FLL in a few months and staying at the Montecarlo Hotel pre-cruise. I was hoping there would be a place to buy wine somewhere near the hotel.

 

Carrefours is right across the street from your hotel

[Murphey]

Pia...we are boarding in Barcelona next May for 28 days....so does this mean we can buy lots of wine as we get on the ship?? Good selection? Traveling with sister and b-I-l, so wine consumption will be higher! :eek: Thanks Pia for your ever helpful wisdom and knowledge!!!!

[Pia1913]

Pia...we are boarding in Barcelona next May for 28 days....so does this mean we can buy lots of wine as we get on the ship?? Good selection? Traveling with sister and b-I-l, so wine consumption will be higher! :eek: Thanks Pia for your ever helpful wisdom and knowledge!!!!

 

I only speak from my experience. You know that things can change in an instant.

[vinonme2]

Thanks Pia! Carrefour is the store I couldn't remember the name of. It's about half way up on Las Ramblas. First time we went to a Carrefours was in Australia and we were very happy with the wines we bought there.

When we saw a Carrefour in Barcelona, we immediately went in and bought a few bottles, although this store had a smaller selection.

 

Boqueria is in a small shop right adjacent to La Bouqeria Market. We have gone to this store also. As Pia stated, it is more expensive but they have many wines to pick from.

[Murphey]

I only speak from my experience. You know that things can change in an instant.

 

Don't I know it! Thanks....I was curious about a wine shop right at embarkation. I remember I ran into something similar in Puerto Rico years back.

[Pia1913]

Don't I know it! Thanks....I was curious about a wine shop right at embarkation. I remember I ran into something similar in Puerto Rico years back.

 

After you go through security in Barcelona, there is in fact a shop where you can buy wine. Nobody from the ship ever checked anything once you passed security.

[DonahCBrown]

Thanks for that info .... now I know what stores to look for. Am boarding the Emerald in Barcelona for a T/A to FLL in a few months and staying at the Montecarlo Hotel pre-cruise. I was hoping there would be a place to buy wine somewhere near the hotel.

 

We really loved that hotel - been a few years, but the staff were so nice and the location is really great. In re: wine, there's also a little wine shop in the big market which is something you should go to see anyway, and it isn't that far from the Hotel Montecarlo. Might also want to ask at the desk for their suggestions. We found the concierge very helpful in finding good inexpensive local restaurants, ATMs, etc. and I'm sure they would be equally helpful in identifying a good local wine shop.