Taking wine onboard from ports of call in Alaska?

[Morgsmom]

Good day (and I did do a search but couldn't find the answer). Thinking about booking a last minute May '23 Alaska cruise departing Vancouver.  Generally we buy the beverage package but since the taxes are so doggedly high on this cruise I'm wondering 1) can we bring on wine at port of embarkation?  2) what if we brought on a bottle or two from ports of call (knowing that they are likely expensive, but less so than onboard.)  Is there a corkage fee?  The last time we were on  Celebrity was in Northern Europe where it was not a problem to do so at all and we didn't get the package because we had a port of call almost every day and didn't think it'd be worth it.  

[mrgabriel]

It’s all in the cruise contract.

 

Each passenger can bring on 2 bottles of wine at initial embarkation.

That’s passengers of legal age 😉 

 

You cannot bring booze/wine onboard at ports of call. If you do, it will be stored for you until the end of the cruise. There is no option for you to pay corkage & drink alcohol that is purchased at ports. Unless it’s the initial port of embarkation. 

[markeb]

Officially, no. I haven't done this (yet) so I don't know if this is one of those cruises where they tend to wave you through. Not something you can count on anyway. Sneaking them on and getting caught has significant potential ramifications.

 

I haven't priced wine at the very touristy ports on that cruise, but I suspect you're badly overpaying for less than great wine. We're doing the reverse cruise next year, and might look at grabbing a bottle or two in Anchorage, but probably not. Corkage is a secondary issue, and as the previous poster said, you can't simply pay corkage and be allowed to bring a bottle onboard at a port of call.

[DaKahuna]

As @markeb said, according to Celebrity policy you cannot bring wine aboard at other than the embarkation port.  Some cruisers have reported being able to bring wine aboard at ports of call.  Some have had their wine go through security with out a word, others have had it confiscated and held until the last night.  

[Morgsmom]

8 minutes ago, mrgabriel said:

It’s all in the cruise contract.  Haven't booked yet thus the question 🙂

 

Each passenger can bring on 2 bottles of wine at initial embarkation.

That’s passengers of legal age 😉 

 

You cannot bring booze/wine onboard at ports of call.   We totally did at every port when on the Reflection, but, again that was Europe and no one gave a hoot. In fact there's a vendor within the port of Amsterdam who sells bottles to take onboard.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Rules allow you to purchase booze at ports of call hence why they staff an alcohol desk.  You're able to carry on non-alcoholic sodas while in ports and do not need to surrender them

 

X's FAQs have been changing quite a bit lately, it currently states: " Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship's personnel. Alcohol secured by ship's personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation."

[mrgabriel]

48 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

 

 

We've never been able to bring wine/liquor onboard Celebrity ships when sailing in the U.S. (including Alaska), the Caribbean, or Europe. This sounds like a one-off situation. 

 

Here's the current verbiage from the passenger contract for our upcoming cruise.

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them embarkation day may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with a Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package.

 

Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of call or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and delivered to guest stateroom on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage, etc.), and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Celebrity Cruises’ Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy.

 

Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them. Guests who violate any alcohol policies (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy.

 

Celebrity Cruises reserves the right to revoke or otherwise restrict drinking privileges of any guest, regardless of age. Even if all criteria are met, shipboard personnel may elect, and have the option to, not grant the waiver or any such drinking privileges. The waiver may not apply when the vessel is in certain territorial waters."

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Morgsmom said:

Good day (and I did do a search but couldn't find the answer). Thinking about booking a last minute May '23 Alaska cruise departing Vancouver.  Generally we buy the beverage package but since the taxes are so doggedly high on this cruise I'm wondering 1) can we bring on wine at port of embarkation?  2) what if we brought on a bottle or two from ports of call (knowing that they are likely expensive, but less so than onboard.)  Is there a corkage fee?  The last time we were on  Celebrity was in Northern Europe where it was not a problem to do so at all and we didn't get the package because we had a port of call almost every day and didn't think it'd be worth it.  

Be prepared to surrender you wine at your ports of call IAW Celebrity's policy.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

[Morgsmom]

Ok so according to the revised terms we could bring in 4 bottles at embarkation.  Good enough.  Thanks !

[davekathy]

4 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Ok so according to the revised terms we could bring in 4 bottles at embarkation.  Good enough.  Thanks !

Yep, two 750 ml bottles per passenger. 🍷

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Yep, two 750 ml bottles per passenger. 🍷

Per passenger of legal drinking age and there is a 4 bottle per cabin maximum.  Without a beverage package there is a $25 corkage fee if the bottle is taken to a dining room/restaurant.

[RichYak]

6 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

The last time we were on  Celebrity was in Northern Europe where it was not a problem to do so at all

Europe is different. Probably still not permitted but often not enforced. 

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, jelayne said:

Per passenger of legal drinking age and there is a 4 bottle per cabin maximum.  Without a beverage package there is a $25 corkage fee if the bottle is taken to a dining room/restaurant.

Where does it say that? I don't see that listed in the policy. 

Edited April 5, 2023 by davekathy

[RichYak]

32 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Where does it say that? I don't see that listed in the policy. 

I’m not aware of any 4 max per cabin policy. 3 adults in a cabin should be permitted to carry on 2 bottles each for a total of 6. 

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I’m not aware of any 4 max per cabin policy. 3 adults in a cabin should be permitted to carry on 2 bottles each for a total of 6. 

Exactly. 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Where does it say that? I don't see that listed in the policy. 

 

53 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I’m not aware of any 4 max per cabin policy. 3 adults in a cabin should be permitted to carry on 2 bottles each for a total of 6. 

The 4 bottle limit was something we saw happen on December embarkation.  The people who were in front of  (3 adults)  had 6 bottles of wine.  They were stopped at the scanner.  They were told the max per cabin was 4.  They were disputing this and someone was summoned.  We when on and finished check in and boarding.   We ran into them later and they said 2 bottles were taken held and were being returned at the end of the cruise.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

41 minutes ago, jelayne said:

 

The 4 bottle limit was something we saw happen on December embarkation.  The people who were in front of  (3 adults)  had 6 bottles of wine.  They were stopped at the scanner.  They were told the max per cabin was 4.  They were disputing this and someone was summoned.  We when on and finished check in and boarding.   We ran into them later and they said 2 bottles were taken held and were being returned at the end of the cruise.  

That is news to me.

Just got an email with what is a change - all people in a cabin "must" check in at the same time. 

[RichYak]

43 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The 4 bottle limit was something we saw happen on December embarkation.

Regardless of what you may have witnessed, there is no 4 bottle limit. The limit is 2 bottles per adult. Your one-off experience should not have been expressed as Celebrity policy. 

[cruisegirlppp]

Also, don't forget to pack your corkscrew if you plan to bring wine on-board. We have had lovely cabin stewards who have loaned us one when I have forgotten but not sure I would count on it.🍷

[Morgsmom]

1 hour ago, cruisegirlppp said:

Also, don't forget to pack your corkscrew if you plan to bring wine on-board. We have had lovely cabin stewards who have loaned us one when I have forgotten but not sure I would count on it.🍷

Of course!  But we always fly with carry-on only.  Where there's a will, there's a way 🙂

 

[davekathy]

12 hours ago, jelayne said:

 

The 4 bottle limit was something we saw happen on December embarkation.  The people who were in front of  (3 adults)  had 6 bottles of wine.  They were stopped at the scanner.  They were told the max per cabin was 4.  They were disputing this and someone was summoned.  We when on and finished check in and boarding.   We ran into them later and they said 2 bottles were taken held and were being returned at the end of the cruise.  

Sounds like security not knowing or misinterpreting Celebrity's published policy. I'd say what you saw and was told was one off. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

We ran into them later and they said 2 bottles were taken held and were being returned at the end of the cruise.  

 

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

Sounds like security not knowing or misinterpreting Celebrity's published policy. I'd say what you saw and was told was one off. 

 

At least those two bottle of wine were sent to the ship, and not destroyed by pier security at the end of the day, as are bottles of spirits.

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, cruisegirlppp said:

Also, don't forget to pack your corkscrew if you plan to bring wine on-board. We have had lovely cabin stewards who have loaned us one when I have forgotten but not sure I would count on it.🍷

 

We have never had an issue getting a corkscrew from our cabin steward.  I actually have two of them in a desk drawer downstairs.  For an unknown reason I keep forgetting to pack them but I have remembered not to bring any more home with me.  

 

It looks like this but in white .. 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by DaKahuna

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

 

At least those two bottle of wine were sent to the ship, and not destroyed by pier security at the end of the day, as are bottles of spirits.

Not sure why you added my screen name to @jelayne post. Not my words. First quote in your post. 

 

I would have gone down to GS the next day and requested the two confiscated bottles of wine be returned IAW Celebrity's published policy. 🍷

Edited April 5, 2023 by davekathy

[Morgsmom]

On 4/5/2023 at 11:27 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

At least those two bottle of wine were sent to the ship, and not destroyed by pier security at the end of the day, as are bottles of spirits.

??? Never heard of this.  I always thought that confiscated liquor was held until the last night and returned like duty free (*caveat, unless the guest bringing onboard was also under age, which happens with spring break cruises....)