Alcohol purchase pre-cruise but not for consumption

[Lynnewob]

As we have never sailed Princess before, I am not sure of the policy regarding boarding with alcohol.

 

I am aware of the 2 wine bottles per person and any wine over that amount will be subject to a $20 charge.

 

My query is that there is a special bottle of whisky husband wishes to buy and it can only be purchased in San Francisco where we board. It is a US only collectors edition and we want to take it back home with us to the UK to add to his existing collection. If we ask Princess on boarding, will they hold it for us until the last night before disembarkation, which is fine. What I do not want them to do it confiscate it and say we cannot get it back.

 

If anyone can let us know, it would be appreciated.

[Bogof1]

I don't know the answer but would think if you totally honest and take it with carry on bag and ask I can't see why they wouldnt

[JimmyVWine]

I assume that you are not returning to SF, hence you cannot buy the bottle when you disembark. That being the case, all you can do is ask. The "rule" is that liquor brought on board at the time of departure is confiscated and subject to disposal (which probably means "consumed in the crew's lounge".) Liquor bought at a port is to be dropped off at the security area during screening and held until departure. You can ask that your bottle be treated the same way and it certainly seems like a reasonable request. The only problem I can see is that when the ship is in a port, there is a process set up for the collection, tagging and holding of liquor bottles because they know that passengers will be re-boarding with loads of them. So they have personnel in place to do that and a well-oiled machine to take care of the issue. At the port of embarkation, they really don't have such a team set up to do that. They do have a wine table where people go to declare their wine, and perhaps that is your best bet.

 

But here is the rub. Before you even get to the wine table, and indeed, before you even get to the check-in counter, you will have to go through Security which includes a metal detector and x-ray for baggage, just like you would in an airport. It is at this point that your bottle may be detected and questioned. I just don't know how the security force will handle the situation, as they are not Princess employees. They have been given a set of rules to follow and they follow them, (more or less). I would hope that if you are open about what you are doing and ask for assistance in storing your bottle, everything will come out OK. But there is a chance, slim as it may be, that they tell you that they don't have the ability to store your bottle. Embarkation is a rather hectic, stressful time for the terminal crew, and they don't like getting side-tracked. If the bottle in question is shaped more or less like a wine bottle, then I suppose that when you go through the security checkpoint, you could have it in a brown paper bag and say that it is wine and that you intend to declare it at the wine table. This will probably get you past the Security detail and then leave you to discuss the situation with the wine table folks (who are Princess employees and who might be able assist you more.) While I have seen the wine table folks scrutinize my bottles to confirm that they are wine, I have never had a Security person do that. However, if your bottle is not shaped like a wine bottle and has a unique shape, this wouldn't work.

 

And it may not hurt to email Princess (or have your Travel Agent do that) and find out in advance. Sounds like an expensive bottle that you don't want to leave to chance.

[donaldsc]

I don't know the answer but would think if you totally honest and take it with carry on bag and ask I can't see why they wouldnt

 

What if you are wrong. You are basing your "I would think" response on the assumption that the cruise line decisions are logical and fair. Is there any evidence that this is true.

 

DON

[Wehwalt]

I would pack it in a bag, not in a carryon. If they flag it, explain in the naughty room. I might even attach a note to it; that way if they have you come to the naughty room, you can say you weren't trying to hide it, there's a note on it explaining all. Remember, at that point you are on the ship as is the bottle and you can raise hell as necessary. But most likely it will show up at your cabin without drama.

[skynight]

Some thoughts:

Will this whiskey be available at any port of call? If yes, then purchase it there.

Contact Princess in the U.S. by e-mail, or better yet by Facebook. They seem to respond to Facebook quicker. Keep the response if positive.

 

Just for information corkage on wine is $15/bot.

[Wishing on a star]

Would you be able to have this packaged and shipped from the liquor store, or a place nearby?

Yes, it would cost.... but, if it is not prohibited to ship alcohol to UK?

 

I really don't know why the policy for the embarkation port would be any different than other ports of call???

I would think that your request would be obliged.

The thing is, however... that no matter what anybody here says, or what a particular Princess rep says, If there is one thing that is consistent, it is the inconsistency!!!

 

It might pay to try to get a written response by email or Facebook.

Just to note, I recently tried to contact Princess online and by email, and 2-3 days later, still no response.

 

Of course, I would assume that any liquor or wine that was not openly declared upon embarkation would be confiscated, not just held until you disembark.

[JimmyVWine]

I would pack it in a bag, not in a carry-on. If they flag it, explain in the naughty room.

Confiscated hard liquor doesn't always result in a call to the naughty room. It can result in confiscation and destruction. Putting the bottle in a checked bag is the option that carries the highest risk.

 

O.P.: If you don't mind, can you tell us the name of the spirit and the ports that you will be visiting? The wide reach of this Board may result in a solution along your travels which would eliminate the quandary you face at embarkation. While I can't challenge your assertion that the bottle you seek is only available in one single U.S. city, that would seem rather odd.

[Wehwalt]

Confiscated hard liquor doesn't always result in a call to the naughty room. It can result in confiscation and destruction. Putting the bottle in a checked bag is the option that carries the highest risk.

 

Not hidden in a bag and with a note attached and maybe a copy of the receipt? It would have to be a pretty tone deaf security officer to confiscate that, and if he did and it vanished between the time the bag showed up and the time the OP went to Customer Service, he'd have some 'splainin to do. Maybe it could happen on RCCI.

[JimmyVWine]

Not hidden in a bag and with a note attached and maybe a copy of the receipt?

If the point of the note is to explain the situation, then why not carry it into the security area and explain the situation in person?

 

It would have to be a pretty tone deaf security officer to confiscate that,

You just described the security staff.

 

and if he did and it vanished between the time the bag showed up and the time the OP went to Customer Service, he'd have some 'splainin to do.

Why? The rule is that smuggled hard liquor is confiscated and destroyed. The security office does not have 'splain about doing his/her job.

[Wehwalt]

If the point of the note is to explain the situation, then why not carry it into the security area and explain the situation in person?

 

Because they are not employed by Princess and may not even get you to a Princess employee. I had a similar experience on RCCI. I had to remove the bottle from the terminal.

[Cruise2End]

Another possibility if you are staying at a hotel post cruise, maybe the place where you’re purchasing the liquor can ship it to your post cruise hotel... just a thought.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Cruise2End
additional words

[Wandering_star]

My husband bought a bottle of scotch in San Francisco a couple of years ago - we carried it on when we boarded the cruise and we were asked to turn it in. We were given a receipt and it was returned to us the night before disembarkation.

 

This happens all the time - just stop by the liquor table as you embark. be honest with what you have, turn it in and ask for a receipt.

 

Has anyone done this and had a problem? It has always worked out for us.

[wheezedr]

Not clear why the OP wants to do this as she ison a closed loop out of SF to Alaska. Maybe they only have a short window after the cruise disembarks before getting to airport but they will be back in SF at cruises end so otherwise it would be better to purchase it then.

[Ellipooh]

If OP were doing a B2B, then SF would just be a port of call and she should be able to shop and return to the ship with liquor ready to be held until disembarking. But as has been noted, "should be" and "will be" are different things.

 

Mostly, i just want to know the name of the precious whisky that is only available here in SF...

 

PS - I think we are on the same Sept Alaska voyage, now i definitely want to know the whisky!!!

[Lynnewob]

Thanks everyone - that's a lot of different responses!

 

The original plan was to carry it on in the store's carrier bag and ask if they would hold it for us until disembarkation but I'm a little uncertain now as it seems it could be down to the mood/different understanding of a particular person on the day.

 

Yes, we do return to SF and our flight doesn't leave until 1630 so I think we will ask the store to hold it for us until we return and pack it into our hold luggage. I don't want to risk confiscation.

 

Elipooh, yes we are on the same trip as you. It is a Scotch whisky that does special editions for various countries and can only be purchased there. We have the Nordic and Russian editions and just need the US and Canadian editions (with the US one now sourced in SF which is great).

 

I had planned to use the pier to store our luggage while we mooch around SF on our return, so it should be easy to pop into a case before we go to the airport.

[casofilia]

I have spirits still sitting at my brother-in-law's house in Faversham UK as I couldn't get an answer from Princess about taking it on board for the Dover to New York leg of the Round the World cruise last year. I wanted to bring it back to New Zealand.

[caribill]

Confiscated hard liquor doesn't always result in a call to the naughty room. It can result in confiscation and destruction. Putting the bottle in a checked bag is the option that carries the highest risk.

 

If the suitcase is locked, Princess will not open it without the owner present to unlock it.

[kfq61]

Hi,

 

All you need to do is take it in your carry on bag and go the 'Liquor desk' before checkin...it's usually near security. They will tag it and keep it for you until last night of the cruise. We're from the UK and have done this a few times.

[GRAYTech]

Why not buy five? Why not one in each carry on and both checked bags.

 

Ship one home and whatever makes it to the cabin, well it won't go to waste.

[Ellipooh]

I have spirits still sitting at my brother-in-law's house in Faversham UK ...

Are you suuuuure???:evilsmile:

[JimmyVWine]

Hi,

 

All you need to do is take it in your carry on bag and go the 'Liquor desk' before checkin...it's usually near security. They will tag it and keep it for you until last night of the cruise. We're from the UK and have done this a few times.

I have never seen such a desk in a U.S. port of embarkation. Wine desk, yes. Liquor desk, no.

[cmh]

As we have never sailed Princess before, I am not sure of the policy regarding boarding with alcohol.

 

I am aware of the 2 wine bottles per person and any wine over that amount will be subject to a $20 charge.

 

My query is that there is a special bottle of whisky husband wishes to buy and it can only be purchased in San Francisco where we board. It is a US only collectors edition and we want to take it back home with us to the UK to add to his existing collection. If we ask Princess on boarding, will they hold it for us until the last night before disembarkation, which is fine. What I do not want them to do it confiscate it and say we cannot get it back.

 

If anyone can let us know, it would be appreciated.

I was on an NCL cruise to Cuba and bought a bottle of rum there. When cruise ended i boarded s Celebrity ship for another cruise. I put rum in carryon and it was detected by security. I told them it was to be taken home and not to drink on the ship. Ssecurity took the bottle and gave me a receipt and brought it to my room on the last day of the cruise . i assume Princess would do the same

[donaldsc]

Everyone seems to be doing a lot of "probably", "I assume" and "Princess should" responses. Considering what I assume the cost of the liquor probably will be, I would contact Princess directly and get a response from them in writing before I took the chance of Princess stealing your booze. If you can't or they won't, I would make other arrangements to get it home.

 

DON