Virtuosa - bringing on drinks

[amurray88]

I know the automatic response will be "No!" or "don't be cheap". I'm just wondering, how strict are MSC with what you can bring on? I normally bring on a bottle of wine, a bottle of coke and maybe 2 cans of beer for my cabin. We embark in Southampton. Does anyone have experience of it and how strict they are?

 

For context, was on P&O in Jan and on embarkation, security was done portside only so it was port staff and as long as it wasn't dangerous they didn't seem to care (went on and off multiple times over that day with a bottle of this or that)...no search onboard having been through the port security.

[showingdiva]

You have no chance of bringing on alcohol.   Some will tell you they have successfully carried on a small amount of soft drink, but by luck more than anything else.   I've heard tannoy announcements on embarkation day of cabin numbers that have had items seized and asked to report to reception to give them the procedure for eventual return.   You also cannot bring alcohol on board after visiting a port - well, you can, but it will be confiscated until the end of the cruise.   

 

The amount you describe will attract attention.   P&O and Cunard are different in Southampton  because they do allow unlimited soft drinks and 1 litre of alcohol to be brought on board for personal consumption in cabins.   It is, I'm afraid, very clear in MSC's conditions they do not.

[alserrod]

8 hours ago, amurray88 said:

I know the automatic response will be "No!" or "don't be cheap". I'm just wondering, how strict are MSC with what you can bring on? I normally bring on a bottle of wine, a bottle of coke and maybe 2 cans of beer for my cabin. We embark in Southampton. Does anyone have experience of it and how strict they are?

 

For context, was on P&O in Jan and on embarkation, security was done portside only so it was port staff and as long as it wasn't dangerous they didn't seem to care (went on and off multiple times over that day with a bottle of this or that)...no search onboard having been through the port security.

 

 

 

Zero options. If you bring alcohol they will keep it until debarkation.

 

In addition, you may ask sommelier for the wine list. Maybe he has a hiden gem

Cokes and beers.... you can ask and bring to the cabin

[amurray88]

28 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

 

Zero options. If you bring alcohol they will keep it until debarkation.

 

In addition, you may ask sommelier for the wine list. Maybe he has a hiden gem

Cokes and beers.... you can ask and bring to the cabin

That's ok 👌I'd do without if needed. I know MSC aren't strict with some policies so didn't know how strict they were with this. I presume you've had it taken off you or seen others? Thanks!

[8420PR]

Based on the rules:  Not allowed.

 

Based on my experience:

- In US, anyone with any liquids in their hand luggage was sent to a separate desk at security to check the contents, where they sniff tested my half drunk bottle of water 🙂.  A bottle of prosecco in checked luggage was OK.

- In the Med, no issue with having wine in either hand luggage or checked luggage.

 

I have no experience of boarding in Southampton.   The reality is worst case is it gets confiscated.

 

I am not bringing wine onboard to drink, but will frequently pick up bottles on the way (e.g. gifts from hotels, or visiting a winery in Spain or Italy before the cruise) and it has never been an issue.

 

[amurray88]

11 minutes ago, 8420PR said:

Based on the rules:  Not allowed.

 

Based on my experience:

- In US, anyone with any liquids in their hand luggage was sent to a separate desk at security to check the contents, where they sniff tested my half drunk bottle of water 🙂.  A bottle of prosecco in checked luggage was OK.

- In the Med, no issue with having wine in either hand luggage or checked luggage.

 

I have no experience of boarding in Southampton.   The reality is worst case is it gets confiscated.

 

I am not bringing wine onboard to drink, but will frequently pick up bottles on the way (e.g. gifts from hotels, or visiting a winery in Spain or Italy before the cruise) and it has never been an issue.

 

I wouldn't be trying to "hide" it or anything. Just a case that I quite like crafty beers which are hard to get onboard most of the time. I like MSC but last time we got a free upgrade from inside to balcony (winner winner) but then realised how many people smoke on their balconies and when we mentioned it at customer service were told there's nothing they can do (which I understand) but why have the rule and not enforce it.

 

I'm not talking about bringing a brewery with me, I'm talking like a can or 2 but if it's a no then it's a no 🙂

[8420PR]

🙂  I didn't mean to pass judgement, my main message from my post was to go for it.  

 

Based on my experience it will be no problem, and the worst thing that can happen is the cans get confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.   

Edited April 25 by 8420PR

[notley-cruise]

@amurray88  Virtuosa has a British Pub 'Masters of the Seas' with an extensive beer menu, over three dozen bottled beers, two dozen draughts, and beer cocktails, other bars have a dozen beers.

 

At embarkation they are proactive in scanning luggage for contraband, it's really not neccessary to attempt to bring onboard banned items.

 

At visiting cruise ports, they may or may not confisicate purchased items until disembarkation.

 

 

[amurray88]

2 hours ago, 8420PR said:

🙂  I didn't mean to pass judgement, my main message from my post was to go for it.  

 

Based on my experience it will be no problem, and the worst thing that can happen is the cans get confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.   

I didn't take it that way don't worry ☺️. I'm a cheapskate, let's be honest about it 🤣

[perakcruiser]

13 hours ago, amurray88 said:

Does anyone have experience of it and how strict they are?

I have a lot of experience with it and sometimes had the wine been confiscated, sometimes not. Your chances are best at small ports where not many embark. So every answer with "no chance" or "no problem" is not really based on facts. 

 

13 hours ago, amurray88 said:

I normally bring on a bottle of wine, a bottle of coke and maybe 2 cans of beer for my cabin.

With this amount your chances are VERY small, the guys on the screens are not blind 😄

[amurray88]

10 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

I have a lot of experience with it and sometimes had the wine been confiscated, sometimes not. Your chances are best at small ports where not many embark. So every answer with "no chance" or "no problem" is not really based on facts. 

 

With this amount your chances are VERY small, the guys on the screens are not blind 😄😅

Fair enough 😅 here was me thinking that was a very small amount! 

[amurray88]

14 minutes ago, perakcruiser said:

I have a lot of experience with it and sometimes had the wine been confiscated, sometimes not. Your chances are best at small ports where not many embark. So every answer with "no chance" or "no problem" is not really based on facts. 

 

With this amount your chances are VERY small, the guys on the screens are not blind 😄

I think you're right - it probably depends on who is on and what mood you catch them in too. I think for our cruise the only embarkation port is Southampton (will be a shock to be on MSC and have a welcome/goodbye night!) 

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, amurray88 said:

I think you're right - it probably depends on who is on and what mood you catch them in too.

Yes. And some obvious things. If you put your bottle of wine in a suitcase together with your swiss army knife, certainly both will be confiscated 😄 

[BirdTravels]

13 hours ago, amurray88 said:

That's ok 👌I'd do without if needed. I know MSC aren't strict with some policies so didn't know how strict they were with this. I presume you've had it taken off you or seen others? Thanks!

 

The "challenge" is that MSC does not run the screening at your embarkation port. It is rent-a-cop port personnel (both at the security checkpoint and in luggage screening). Most keep their jobs by not letting stuff get by. You will get a few "sleeping at the screens" who really don't give a hoot. 

 

[amurray88]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

The "challenge" is that MSC does not run the screening at your embarkation port. It is rent-a-cop port personnel (both at the security checkpoint and in luggage screening). Most keep their jobs by not letting stuff get by. You will get a few "sleeping at the screens" who really don't give a hoot. 

 

I'm fine with that to be fair - it doesn't influence how much I'd buy on board or anything, just like to know how the land lies