Best way to travel with wine for cruise?

[Lady_E]

So I fell in love with a wine I had at Maple and Ash in Chicago and after hunting like a mad woman, finally found somewhere that would ship it to me. I immediately ordered a half case and I'm planning to take 4 bottles with me on the cruise (2 for me, 2 for the wife who is happy to let me have her wine slots). I found several travel bag options since we're flying to Florida, but has anyone tried these and had them work successfully?

 

This isn't a super expensive wine, but it is VERY hard to find and get shipped to me, as Michigan has some wacky wine laws prohibiting outside wine sales without a permit. (The state does a brisk business in wineries in Northern Michigan and the UP, so they're protecting their investment, I guess.)

I currently do not appear to be able to find it in Florida (Joseph Cattin Brut Cremant d'Alasce, for the curious), so I want to take it with me. I was thinking of Angel Bags, but does anyone have any recommendations?

[BND]

It's 2 bottles per cabin, not per person so unless you have two cabins, technically you can only bring two bottles total.  That said, others have been successful in each bringing two through security.  Some have been caught.  As for flying, it's always a risk in checked baggage due to how it's handled, but there are ways.

[livingonthebeach]

Whole Foods here in Florida sells a similar wine called Pierre Sparr, Cremant D'Alsace Brut Reserve. 

[crewsweeper]

@Lady E  Have you looked on Total Wine website?

 

Are you driving or flying.  If flying, look for wine wings on amazon. But if you can also buffer it with foam for the luggage that can help vs breakage.  Remember wine adds to luggage weight.

If driving we just use a canvas wine tote and pack bubble wrap around it.

You must have the 2 bottles in your carry-on when boarding the ship.

[bjlbbk]

We used these on our last cruise...we put them in a small carry-on suitcase that we checked at the airport and then used that same suitcase as our carry-on for embarkation day....

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PNRQ5NC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[smokeybandit]

Just wrapping your wine in a sweatshirt will do just fine too

[Lady_E]

16 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

@Lady E  Have you looked on Total Wine website?

 

Are you driving or flying.  If flying, look for wine wings on amazon. But if you can also buffer it with foam for the luggage that can help vs breakage.  Remember wine adds to luggage weight.

If driving we just use a canvas wine tote and pack bubble wrap around it.

You must have the 2 bottles in your carry-on when boarding the ship.

I did check Total Wine, it was a no go. We're flying. I'm thinking a wine travel bag is my best option and put it in my suitcase. I can transfer the wine to the carryon once we're in Florida, no problem. 

[Lady_E]

24 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Whole Foods here in Florida sells a similar wine called Pierre Sparr, Cremant D'Alsace Brut Reserve. 

I'll give that a try, but I'm partial to Cattin. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Lady_E]

26 minutes ago, BND said:

It's 2 bottles per cabin, not per person so unless you have two cabins, technically you can only bring two bottles total.  That said, others have been successful in each bringing two through security.  Some have been caught.  As for flying, it's always a risk in checked baggage due to how it's handled, but there are ways.

Oh my bad. Sorry I thought it was 2 per person like Carnival. Okay so 2 bottles instead of 4. 

[Montanagirlalways]

What port are you going out of? I live by port canaveral. You can ship the wine to me in florida and pick it up? Just add an extra bottle for me 🙂 

[Lady_E]

Just now, Montanagirlalways said:

What port are you going out of? I live by port canaveral. You can ship the wine to me in florida and pick it up? Just add an extra bottle for me 🙂 

We are going out of Port Canaveral! I appreciate the offer, so much! Let me think about it and talk to the spouse. 

[George C]

We alway fly with wine, just wrapped it in T-shirt or other clothes, never had a issue have done this doesn’t of timed , have also used bubble wrap. 

[Icesk8rReedy]

I use Wine Angels and they are amazing.  I get them on Amazon.  In Alabama our alcohol laws are absurd so when I fly to Cali or other states that sells booze I can't get here, I load up my checked bag with it.  It's bubble wrap in a THICK ziplock protector.  Highly recommend.

[John&LaLa]

@Jimbo

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Lady_E said:

So I fell in love with a wine I had at Maple and Ash in Chicago and after hunting like a mad woman, finally found somewhere that would ship it to me. I immediately ordered a half case and I'm planning to take 4 bottles with me on the cruise (2 for me, 2 for the wife who is happy to let me have her wine slots). I found several travel bag options since we're flying to Florida, but has anyone tried these and had them work successfully?

 

This isn't a super expensive wine, but it is VERY hard to find and get shipped to me, as Michigan has some wacky wine laws prohibiting outside wine sales without a permit. (The state does a brisk business in wineries in Northern Michigan and the UP, so they're protecting their investment, I guess.)

I currently do not appear to be able to find it in Florida (Joseph Cattin Brut Cremant d'Alasce, for the curious), so I want to take it with me. I was thinking of Angel Bags, but does anyone have any recommendations?

 

Wine Diapers.

 

These have logged about 10,000 miles

[Lady_E]

7 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Wine Diapers.

 

These have logged about 10,000 miles

Thank you I'll definitely check them out!

[neverbeenhere]

While one is at the mercy of what’s available on the ship, I take these.

[jalves]

Another vote for Wine Diapers.  We use the regularly!!

[ARandomTraveler]

I use this wine suitcase. It works great, wine travels very safely in it, and if you put it in the suitcase while it's cold, it stays cold for at least 13 hours of travel (in my experience). 
 

It's a much more expensive option that what others are suggesting, but if you travel with wine often, or travel to places where you'd want to bring it back, it's worth the investment. 
 

I take mine to Napa/Sonoma a lot to bring wine back home with me. I've taken it on vacations to the Caribbean where I've wanted to bring my own wine. Next month I'm taking it to Italy and France to bring wine home. And I'll be using it on my cruise to bring wine with me. 
 

I should add that I have the 5-bottle suitcase, where you can pack clothes on the other side (or you can buy an additional insert). I've read lots of reviews and it sounds like the 8-bottle bag is also great, but once you get to the 12-bottle bag, it becomes too heavy to check without additional baggage fees. I wish I'd gotten the 8-bottle instead of the 5.
 

https://flywithwine.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw6fyXBhBgEiwAhhiZskyATYv-QeYVYM11Dbizv7ECLiWvir6Cq9gX1rP0S3kqt63VmxskHRoCDJMQAvD_BwE

Edited August 20, 2022 by ARandomTraveler

[LB_NJ]

13 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Just wrapping your wine in a sweatshirt will do just fine too

I would then put it in a very large Ziplock bag just in case.

 

FYI, the baggage compartment is usually not temperature controlled.

[brillohead]

I've seen people use "water wings / arm floaties" on wine bottles, too.  Put the bottle into the opening, then blow it up around the bottle.  

 

[Ashland]

14 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Wine Diapers.

 

These have logged about 10,000 miles

These work well for more than just wine. We started using them many years ago when cruising to the Mexican Riviera to bring home some favorite Tequilas.

[island lady]

23 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Just wrapping your wine in a sweatshirt will do just fine too

 

If it's red wine...suggest a nice burgundy colored sweatshirt.  😄 

[publicpersona]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

If it's red wine...suggest a nice burgundy colored sweatshirt.

 

Brings back memories of when I was flying to a winemaker's conference in 2006 on the very day that the ban on liquids in carry-ons was hsatily implemented. The intelligence that liquids might be used to sneak on explosives came just hours before the ban was created .. no advance notice at all.

 

So there I was with six bottles of wine in our carry-ons that I quickly had to stuff into checked bags. I think two of the six actually made it intact. Everyone at the conference was rocking rose colored t-shirts.

[longsews]

I pack my wine in bubble wrap then put inside a golf shoe bag. Then a small trash bag.  If I want to bring liquor back I am ready. Been doing this for years never a fail.