Cruise Lines & Their Alcohol Policies

[JohnG]

Several times in the past I shipped a mixed case of wine and champagne, once 2 cases on a 10 day cruise, as checked baggage. We drank the champagne in the cabin and took a bottle of wine a night to the dining room. We tipped the wine steward the first night, said we'd be bring our own (wines they did not carry on board) and he never charged us the corkage fee after the first night. We tipped him again the last night.

Since it counts as 1 of my 2 bags on airlines, I don't do it much anymore, as I need the 2nd bag for clothes on longer cruises. If I am driving to the port, I would still do it.

What I hate the most is the prohibition on airlines on bringing bottles/carriers for liquor on board in the cabin as carry-on. Unless I ship an empty case with my baggage to the ship, and fill it up with purchased liquor on the last night to send back as checked luggage, I can't take advantage of the liquor values on duty free liquor. With two of us visiting the USVI, we can bring back 10 bottles duty free as long as 2 are USVI origin.

Guess I could ship wine down and ship purchased hard liquor back, but it is a hassle. Fortunately, I've never had any breakage. I use the bpxes that wineries ship wine in by FedEx or UPS...heavier than normal cases. I just save them when I get a shipment, and recycle them!

[jacketwatch]

Fine wine for Carnival? Well I guess I'll skip my Boones Farm Strawberry Hill. Yes, the corkage fee is high on Celebrity. Actually 2 yrs. ago Princess sold hard spirits on board for in cabin use for a very nominal fee. One L of Absolut was only $20.00. Now however those prices have skyrocketed. Oh well I suppose this will only encourage passengers being more "imaginative" about sneaking liquor on board.

[Ol39Capt]

I figure I can pack 2L of rum and 5L of wine for us. Lady Z may or may not have wine with supper, it kind of depends how she feels. I can still buy a few drinks in the bars, the prices are about adverage with land based clubs.