Bringing Liquor Onboard

[Mahogany]

Is there any restriction to bringing alcohol on board for consumption in your stateroom?

[Bell Boy]

No, just along as you are sensible, one or two bottles for consumption in your stateroom is ok.

If you take one to the restaurant you may be charged corkage.

 

That's the beauty of Cunard ...so mature when it comes to a few bottles of wine or fizz, unlike some of the other cruise lines who insist on you paying the corkage at embarkation and having to be bothered with stickers etc. :)

[BigMac1953]

Is there any restriction to bringing alcohol on board for consumption in your stateroom?

 

As I tell others regularly, we always bring half a dozen bottles of the Widow. Friends of ours bring a dozen bottles of fizz.

 

Don't forget to top up at the various ports if necessary!

 

Corkage, in public rooms or restaurants, is not always charged.

 

Stewart

Edited March 22, 2016 by BigMac1953

[Underwatr]

No restriction on wine or hard liquor at embarkation or in ports. Liquor is never taken and "stored for you."

 

The only restriction I'm aware of is that if you buy liquor in the onboard shops it is usually held and delivered the night before disembarkation (I know that this varies by itinerary but typically you're not permitted to take your onboard liquor purchase to your room right away).

[jimmybean]

We've been on a couple longer voyages, where we have observed people bringing liquor back unto the ship in a variety of ports. No one was ever hassled in any way going through the security screening.

 

...Cunard is so civilized :)

[Salacia]

Too much booze taken on at port stops trigger security.

[tv24]

We've always, always been charged corkage fee for bringing wine into Britannia, I think it was $20. Not bad for a good bottle of wine. And we bring beverages on board for before dinner drinks in our stateroom.

[BigMac1953]

Too much booze taken on at port stops trigger security.

 

Not on any of the 16 trips that I have been on.

[Salacia]

Not on any of the 16 trips that I have been on.

 

I yield to your greater experience: I've only been on 12 QM2 trips, none of which were in the Grill accommodations.

But by all means, assure passengers that they can load up on booze when boarding, and at all port stops. Way to go.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Salacia

[Host Hattie]

Too much booze taken on at port stops trigger security.

 

How much is too much ? What happened?

 

We have taken various quantities of beer, wine or spirits on board at various ports and never had an issue.

[BigMac1953]

We've always, always been charged corkage fee for bringing wine into Britannia, I think it was $20.

 

Only twice have we taken a bottle of Veuve to a restaurant or bar.

 

Both times we asked in advance if it was okay. Both times we were supplied with glasses and an ice bucket. Both times we were told to forget about the corkage charge.

 

Stewart

[Underwatr]

I've only brought two or three liters of hard liquor through port security at one pass. That's not too much.

[Salacia]

How much is too much ? What happened?

 

We have taken various quantities of beer, wine or spirits on board at various ports and never had an issue.

 

On a QM2 Caribbean trip a few years ago, we were in line to go through the scanner after reboarding at a port stop. The man in front of me had two large plastic shopping bags containing several (8?) bottles of booze. After he went through the scanner, security took the bags of booze and politely told the passenger the bottles would be returned to him the last night of the cruise.

 

I had a large bottle of rum in my bag which was not confiscated. So I don't know how much is too much or what the criteria is, if there is any. Technically, I suppose any amount in excess of what Cunard publishes as an acceptable amount can be confiscated, as stipulated in the Passage Contract (US):

"...Guests agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind on board for consumption except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per voyage. A corkage fee of $20.00 U.S.D. per bottle (which is subject to change without notice) will be applied to wine and champagne brought aboard by brought aboard by You [sic] and consumed in the ship’s restaurants. Any wine(s) or champagne(s) supplied by the Carrier to You as a gift are not subject to a corkage fee. 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. Carrier reserves the right to remove alcohol at the gangway should it determine that the health, comfort, safety and enjoyment of Guests may otherwise be compromised..." - copied from http://www.cunard.com/legal-information/

Edited March 23, 2016 by Salacia

[Underwatr]

Well, we know they don't draw the line there in practice. By that policy even your one bottle of rum should have been held.

[Salacia]

Well, we know they don't draw the line there in practice. By that policy even your one bottle of rum should have been held.

 

Yes, I know, and I think the obvious point is that if flaunting the policy by bringing on large quantities as encouraged by some (not you, not me) is worthy of consideration.

 

Think about it: CCL/Cunard is on a hunt to increase revenue, even to the extent of chopping up QM2 and QV in order to increase cabin capacity - both very expensive endeavors involving a considerable time in dry dock.

 

Now it might not see like much revenue is lost when passengers bring liquor on board, or stock up in ports. Revenue lost when passengers boast on line that the corkage fee isn't charged in dining venues (especially if cash if proffered).

 

Seriously, do any of you posters boasting about bringing copious amounts of booze on board, topping off at port stops, and not being charged a corkage fee

think for a moment that these comments have gone unnoticed by CCL/Cunard? A lack of discretion is uncharacteristic of those Cunard passengers that I have met on board.

 

-S.

[vistaman]

after a very long absence i 'll be back on Cunard in autumn

it is not concerning alcohol , but is there a problem to bring soft drinks on board ?

i like Italian soft drinks and Cola Zero - what is not available on the ships ...

just for my cabin .

[zider]

after a very long absence i 'll be back on Cunard in autumn

it is not concerning alcohol , but is there a problem to bring soft drinks on board ?

i like Italian soft drinks and Cola Zero - what is not available on the ships ...

just for my cabin .

I have never!! had any problem taking Soft drinks onboard Cans & Bottles I also ask the room Steward for Sliced Lemon & Ice to put in it This has always been supplied.

[jimmybean]

after a very long absence i 'll be back on Cunard in autumn

it is not concerning alcohol , but is there a problem to bring soft drinks on board ?

i like Italian soft drinks and Cola Zero - what is not available on the ships ...

just for my cabin .

 

Welcome back, vistaman!

 

In 2013, I saw someone wheeling three twenty-four cans cases of soda onto the ship (using a wheeled grocery carrier). All in plain sight. No one batted an eye.

 

Have a wonderful voyage!

[Salacia]

Welcome back, vistaman!

 

In 2013, I saw someone wheeling three twenty-four cans cases of soda onto the ship (using a wheeled grocery carrier). All in plain sight. No one batted an eye.

 

Have a wonderful voyage!

 

Someone (a passenger?) using a grocery carrier wheeled 72 cans of soda on board (at what port?) and no one batted an eye?

 

How much square footage does 72 cans of soda take on the elevator the passenger took to get to his/her stateroom, and how many passengers are displaced as a result? - now there's a great question for math instructors :)

[Underwatr]

Just a guess without measuring: 18*24*24 inches or so.

 

I'm assuming that we're not talking about a shopping cart per se but a collapsible two-wheeled wheeled carrier that someone might drag groceries home in if they had walked to the store.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Underwatr

[jimmybean]

Just a guess without measuring: 18*24*24 inches or so.

 

I'm assuming that we're not talking about a shopping cart per se but a collapsible two-wheeled wheeled carrier that someone might drag groceries home in if they had walked to the store.

 

Yes, a collapsible carrier. Thank you for your help in clarifying, Underwatr. I see it could be a confusing description for some. When I was describing as for groceries, I was thinking more of the kinds of take-home carts commonly used in Europe---nothing we see much in the USA.

 

I'm not a soda drinker myself, but I understand it is an issue for some travelers to have the brand preferred. What I observed carried on was used as a mixer for cocktails and needed to last a 36 day voyage.

 

Jimmybean