Wine confiscated in Galveston by RCCL

[TWC]

While friends were boarding the Splendour in Galveston last week, their wine was confiscated by RCCL personnel, not port security. They had 5 bottles, but there were 10 of them sailing together. They were told that even though they had brought wine before, and paid the corkage fees, that the rules have changed effective 1/1 and that is why the wine was confiscated. They were told "off the record" that this was RCCL's response to the George Smith case and that unfortunately, the head of security just happended to be supervising that day. Just a head's up to all! It could have been a one time thing and just bad timing, but if it really is a "rule change", or a "rule enforcement" then all be aware.

 

By the way, it was delivered to their cabin the last full day of the cruise.

[jdmaillet]

Do you know if they were carrying it on or if it was in their checked luggage?

 

Jenn

[TWC]

They were using a carry on bag.

[camreesmom]

Our friends had liquor in their checked baggage and it wasn't confiscated. We were also on the Splendour last week.

[lindalu62]

carry on---big mistake!!

[sas80]

Liquor ALWAYS goes in the checked luggage!!!!:rolleyes:

[maxs mom]

Liquor ALWAYS goes in the checked luggage!!!!:rolleyes:

 

AMEN!!!!! You shouldn't have any problem with that.

[FunCruiser56]

We brought on a bottle of special wine for my 50th birthday on the Brilliance last month. it was in our carry on, in full view and not a word was said. We were told as long as it was wine that RCI did not have in their inventory that it was fine to bring on board.

 

Funcruiser

[madisonms]

While friends were boarding the Splendour in Galveston last week, their wine was confiscated by RCCL personnel, not port security. They had 5 bottles, but there were 10 of them sailing together. They were told that even though they had brought wine before, and paid the corkage fees, that the rules have changed effective 1/1 and that is why the wine was confiscated. They were told "off the record" that this was RCCL's response to the George Smith case and that unfortunately, the head of security just happended to be supervising that day. Just a head's up to all! It could have been a one time thing and just bad timing, but if it really is a "rule change", or a "rule enforcement" then all be aware.

 

By the way, it was delivered to their cabin the last full day of the cruise.

 

Seems like yet another example of the gray area that is RCCL's "policy" on bringing aboard wine. Luck of the draw most times on whether they will take it away or not.

[JStonie]

Have to plead ignorance here. Can someone explain the George Smith case?

[atlcple2]

We were on the Mariner out of Port Canaveral on 2/19 and we carried on all our luggage since we had carry on size luggage. I put a bottle of Moet in my luggage that went throught the x-ray machine and they didn't bat an eye...not port security nor RCCL. No questions asked. It may depend on the port, who knows.

[Nliedel]

Well RCI has been saying they were gonig to do this for a long time and I am not surprised. I suspect it will be hit or miss for a while. They will either crack down 100% in the next few months or start letting it go again.

[Nliedel]

OOps, double post.

[Weez]

Have to plead ignorance here. Can someone explain the George Smith case?

 

lol, I assume you really know about the case just didn't know his name. George Smith is the guy that went missing on the Brilliance Cruise last year.

[pcur]

To elaborate further, George Smith brought absinthe on board in his luggage (unsure whether it was carry-on or checked luggage). VERY, very high alcohol content, and it's presumed this was a contributing factor to the events the night he went missing.

 

The OP's post emphasizes that the head of security was supervising the searches the the time the wine was "denied boarding". The security staff were being extra vigilant that day, obviously.

[rcicruiser]

The family of George Smith wants to sue Royal Caribbean because they let him get drunk and he went missing off the ship. They think he was murdered more likely because he was drunk he fell off the balcony. They may for a time start taking all the alcohol people try to bring on. See one person ruins it for others.

[erisajd]

The AMAZING thing is that the rule is to prevent drinking in the cabin [supposedly] but then they'll SELL you from the bar or the cruise catalog as much booze as you want. If the issue was drunk guests in their cabins they would refuse to sell you full bottle of wine and beer and liquor at the bar - heck, we were in a suite on the 2/18 Legend sailing and they GAVE us 2 bottles of champagne and wine.

 

The concern is NOT in-cabin alcohol consumption since they still not only allow it but enourage it with all the packages and offers to sell liquor, it is about profit. Pure and simple.

 

However, when I got on the ship in Cozumel I was carrying THREE bottles of tequila in a bag that I got at the liquor shoppe that went through the scanner - and no one said a word. No seizure of the booze at all - I could have had quite the party the next 2 nights and fallen off the ship myself with that much tequila.

[PhoenixCruiser]

To elaborate further, George Smith brought absinthe on board in his luggage (unsure whether it was carry-on or checked luggage). VERY, very high alcohol content, and it's presumed this was a contributing factor to the events the night he went missing.

 

 

Wait, I thought that the "Russians" brought it on board :confused:

 

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[rcicruiser]

Wait, I thought that the "Russians" brought it on board :confused:

 

###

 

 

They say it was George, he bought it in Italy, I believe they said.

[beachlady58]

Hi

Just back from the Radiance last week and I brought 5-7 bottles of wine in open and checked bags- no problem!:)

[JXOPF]

However, when I got on the ship in Cozumel I was carrying THREE bottles of tequila in a bag that I got at the liquor shoppe that went through the scanner - and no one said a word. No seizure of the booze at all - I could have had quite the party the next 2 nights and fallen off the ship myself with that much tequila.

 

Just curious. How big is the cost savings of buying Tequila in Mexico vs. here in the states?

[Leejnd4]

Obviously it's become very hit-or-miss. I've always just carried it on in the past. But I don't want to chance being denied my favorite wine, or sipping my favorite single-malt Scotch before bed, so I guess I'll do the bubble-wrap in the luggage thing when I board in Galveston later this year. What a pain.

 

LeeAnne

[Bebet]

The same thing happened to the couple that sat with us on the Splendour earlier this month. They had one bottle of wine in their carry on and it was confiscated till the end of the cruise. The liquor I had in my checked in luggage was not touched.

[critterchick]

I received an email from RCCL in response to my inquiry a couple of weeks ago (and I know that customer service is often the last to know what the policy is), and was told that no beverages, including beer, wine, hard stuff, water, soda or home brew (really) is allowed on board except for 2 bottles (presumably per adult passenger) of wine not on the RCI list.

 

So the murky policy remains in effect.

[Leejnd4]

I'll tell ya, every time I think about this it just burns my britches. To tell us we can't bring WATER, a necessity for LIFE, on board their ship, where we have contracted to LIVE for a week! Not everyone feels comfortable drinking tap water, and they charge rediculous prices for bottled water. Ahhhh whatever. These are the reasons we are spending more and more of our cruise dollars on the lines that don't treat us like children. I leave tomorrow for a Windstar cruise, where they allow us to bring the things we need for personal comfort into the bedrooms we have paid to occupy for the week. And when I go on my RCI cruise later this year, I'll just have to play the stupid smuggler's blues game. How absurd.

 

LeeAnne