Taking wine aboard the Fascination in San Juan

[ZoeyVictoria]

Will we be able to check in, then leave the ship later and pick up some wine at CVS?  Or are we required to have the two bottles per cabin at the time we initially check in?

[JandPB]

You can absolutely check in and then leave to buy wine and sodas later. Rumor has it you could even do it more than once but I wouldn't know anything about that. 😂😂😂

[ZoeyVictoria]

Thank you!  Once should be enough for us, but that will certainly make it easier.

[mexicobob]

Several years ago when we left from San Juan you had to walk through a liquor store to get on the ship. You were encouraged to take whatever you wanted on board. You were supposed to at least try to hide the liquor but no problems getting anything on board. 

[JohnSpo]

There is a small wine shop at the port just before you go through security to the ship.  The prices are good and so is the selection of wines.  This is more convenient than going out to the street to CVS.

[BUZZ2002]

last year we went on this one

you board the ship with or without your wine and can get off

and on as many times as you want with more wine

they don't keep track

Walgreens is real close to port

 

[so,ton saint]

2 hours ago, BUZZ2002 said:

last year we went on this one

you board the ship with or without your wine and can get off

and on as many times as you want with more wine

they don't keep track

Walgreens is real close to port

 

Hi am boarding Fascination in Barbados and taking two bottles of wine with me both in our pull a long cases, after going through immigration in San Juan being from the U.K can we go ashore and bring on two more bottles as that were the cruise starts, just a thought.

[OMGOMGOMG]

Let's just say CCL is very lax enforcing the liquor and beverage policy on its ship(s) out of San Juan.

 

We've picked up liquor bottles at the store just before you board 3 times now and "security" has not said one word and I didn't even make a real attempt to hide it.

[LittleYiaYia]

Hi,  we will be on this cruise for the 4th time next week.  We normally board with our two bottles of wine, put them in the cabin and disembark .  We then go to CVS to buy two more bottles and embark again.  I say CVS because CVS  has been cheaper than Walgreens for the same bottle of wine (may be because you have to walk a block  to get to CVS and Walgreens is across the street from the pier). In fact, we have done this and brought on 6 bottles.  Now, there is a liquor store right in the terminal, but the only time I have ever had a bottle checked is when leaving this store, it could be because I had the bottle in a paper bag instead of a backpack.  There was a security guard in the hallway outside the store last year and he asked to see my bottle.

 

I do not know about passengers that boarded in Barbados.  I did not know you had to go through immigration in San Juan again after boarding in Barbados?  Maybe someone else who has had that experience can advise.

 

 

[so,ton saint]

20 minutes ago, LittleYiaYia said:

Hi,  we will be on this cruise for the 4th time next week.  We normally board with our two bottles of wine, put them in the cabin and disembark .  We then go to CVS to buy two more bottles and embark again.  I say CVS because CVS  has been cheaper than Walgreens for the same bottle of wine (may be because you have to walk a block  to get to CVS and Walgreens is across the street from the pier). In fact, we have done this and brought on 6 bottles.  Now, there is a liquor store right in the terminal, but the only time I have ever had a bottle checked is when leaving this store, it could be because I had the bottle in a paper bag instead of a backpack.  There was a security guard in the hallway outside the store last year and he asked to see my bottle.

 

I do not know about passengers that boarded in Barbados.  I did not know you had to go through immigration in San Juan again after boarding in Barbados?  Maybe someone else who has had that experience can advise.

 

 

Hi yep had to go on line and go through U.S.border control and get our Esta,s  $14 each i do believe Pto Rico is part of the U.S.

They do last for a couple of years as we have got a lovely cruise in June 2021 the first time a British company has home based a cruise ship in the State,s based in port Canaveral doing  Charleston two day,s in the big Apple    Miami   Key west  and then drops down to the Caribbean ,the ship Ex R.C.I Splendour of the sea now Marella Discovery have been on her twice just the right size 1800 pac and same size as Fascination.

[LittleYiaYia]

4 minutes ago, so,ton saint said:

Hi yep had to go on line and go through U.S.border control and get our Esta,s  $14 each i do believe Pto Rico is part of the U.S.

They do last for a couple of years as we have got a lovely cruise in June 2021 the first time a British company has home based a cruise ship in the State,s based in port Canaveral doing  Charleston two day,s in the big Apple    Miami   Key west  and then drops down to the Caribbean ,the ship Ex R.C.I Splendour of the sea now Marella Discovery have been on her twice just the right size 1800 pac and same size as Fascination.

 

Yes, you are correct.  Puerto Rico is part of the United States.  Did not know you had to go through immigration again after Barbados.  Is there any other port on this sailing that requires you to do this? 

[so,ton saint]

2 minutes ago, LittleYiaYia said:

 

Yes, you are correct.  Puerto Rico is part of the United States.  Did not know you had to go through immigration again after Barbados.  Is there any other port on this sailing that requires you to do this? 

 

Hi have been to most of the Caribbean islands  with Marella cruises and the answer is no, only Puerto Rico and St Thomas is required with an Esta or going through the U.S state,s.

[so,ton saint]

13 minutes ago, LittleYiaYia said:

 

Yes, you are correct.  Puerto Rico is part of the United States.  Did not know you had to go through immigration again after Barbados.  Is there any other port on this sailing that requires you to do this? 

I  see your Favourite company is Celebrity have sailed on  Galaxy and Century  now Marella Explorer 1  and  2 older ships but very traditional.

[LittleYiaYia]

Yes, we used to sail Celebrity exclusively.  We now have branched out to other lines.  We sailed the Galaxy 4 times before she was sold.  I think you will enjoy this cruise on the Fascination.  The ship is older and smaller, but the crew is wonderful, never a line to stand in and magnificent ports.  When is your cruise?

 

[Domergirl]

Like many of the others, we got on and off the ship several times.  No problems.  We found that, for the same bottle of wine, the prices were actually better at the shop in the port than at the CVS/Walgreens.  Security clearly didn't care.   We were disappointed not to have a fridge in our room on the Fascination, so we did go to CVS and purchased a small soft-sided cooler...to keep a bottle iced "on deck" at all times!   This was a great cruise...such an amazing itinerary and the staff on board was great!!!  

[so,ton saint]

9 hours ago, LittleYiaYia said:

Yes, we used to sail Celebrity exclusively.  We now have branched out to other lines.  We sailed the Galaxy 4 times before she was sold.  I think you will enjoy this cruise on the Fascination.  The ship is older and smaller, but the crew is wonderful, never a line to stand in and magnificent ports.  When is your cruise?

 

 

Morning we fly out with Virgin on the 28th FEB having a stay in a Barbados hotel first then boarding Fascination on the 6th of march, we have sailed on Ecstasy out of Port Canaveral  many years ago when we went to Centre parks with the  grand kids ,

i think she is a sister ship.

[K&RCurt]

To those recommending the CVS vs Walgreens I will throw out there that even better prices can be found at the SUPERMAX store on Calle De La Cruz on the Plaza De Armas.  It is a bit more of a walk but well worth it for the price of wine and rum there.

[so,ton saint]

7 hours ago, K&RCurt said:

To those recommending the CVS vs Walgreens I will throw out there that even better prices can be found at the SUPERMAX store on Calle De La Cruz on the Plaza De Armas.  It is a bit more of a walk but well worth it for the price of wine and rum there.

 

Hi just my luck to come walking on board with two bottles of wine (ello what have we got ere mate two bottles of wine there both confiscated come back when you dock in Barbados and you can take them home) i will be most peed of.

[gtaylor]

7 hours ago, so,ton saint said:

 

Hi just my luck to come walking on board with two bottles of wine (ello what have we got ere mate two bottles of wine there both confiscated come back when you dock in Barbados and you can take them home) i will be most peed of.

Is this something that happened, or something you are afraid MAY happen?

 

gary

[so,ton saint]

3 hours ago, gtaylor said:

Is this something that happened, or something you are afraid MAY happen?

 

gary

 

Hi just my luck Gary, the worst that can happen is it will be confiscated hopefully iwill bring on two bottles in Barbados when we board, if i can get two more in Puerto Rico it will be a bonus, my wife is tea total  so will get the soft drinks package for both of us and have a lovely cruise.

 

Howard

 

[jean87510]

We have gone to walmart in san juan for soda and wine. It was an "experience"!!

[teknoge3k]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

We have gone to walmart in san juan for soda and wine. It was an "experience"!!

 

We're going to Walmart to get drinks/snacks to stock our Airbnb and will be getting wine/soda for the ship there as well. I bet it is an experience!