New Alcohol Policy - How is it playing out at Embarkation?

[bumbershoot]

i feel they were destroyed as part of the not picked up bunch. the glass on those bottles are so thick that i just cant see how they could break but who knows.

Your whole post was really informative.

FWIW I doubt that Disney, of all cruiselines, literally breaks the bottles of liquor. They are huge into recycling as a company, and it just makes no sense that the way they would dispose of it would be to literally smash it. Think of the extra cleanup involved! I don't know HOW they might dispose of it (CM party?), but I think probably in your case it literally did just happen to break.

Glad you were nicely compensated for it.

And yes, having it at the xray machine makes no sense. I can't recall exactly how they did it on Royal, but it involved putting it through the machine, and the employee took it or helped us take it over to the desk where their job was to write up the receipts and staple the bags (special bags from the guavaberry rum place at St Maartin) totally shut, with the receipt on it. Glad they moved it later on.

 

[Subi WRX]

Good on ya! High five! I don't smuggle on other lines because I have prepaid unlimited adult beverage packages. But on Disney I will. The way I see it: game on. If I get my stash taken its all good. Fair enough. They gotta find it first! Bwaaahahaahaaaaaa!!!!!

Yup. Celebrity's Go Best package works out perfect for us, and we get the beverage package free on/in Norwegian Haven. I don't smuggle a drop on those lines, 1. Because I don't need to and 2. I knew the rules when I booked. Be nice if DCL factored packages and suite perks in to their "industry standard." (And, please, spare me the free happy hour nonsense in concierge. Have you seen what they serve in there?)

And let's figure roughly 4000 guests on the Fantasy. Let's be conservative and say that is 4000 checked bags to scan and get on the ship in let's figure a 5 hour time frame. That's 13 bags per minute for them to manage (divided of course by the number of people they have manning this). My point is that they will not hand toss every bag, unless you are completely uncreative and try to smuggle a bottle in its original packaging/container and it's easily viewed on the xray. Those bottles they will find and tag for the end of the cruise. View it as a challenge and have fun with it. Cheers!

 

[wajones2]

Sailed out of Miami last week. We brought just the 6 pack per adult allowed in our carryon. They were asking at security if you had alcohol. I said yes, he told me I had to remove it from the bag and it had to go through the X-ray separate. Then I had to repack into the bag. It went quickly, and we had no issues. We were there around 11:30 and the line was moving well.

 

[Pegasus928]

We were on the Dream last week. All we had was a 6 pack (5 of which came back with us, as well as rum that we purchased in Nassau) and that was in our carry on. The bag went through the X-ray with the beer still in it. At no point were we asked if we had any alcohol, nor was the bag opened.

 

[jahber]

Your whole post was really informative.

FWIW I doubt that Disney, of all cruiselines, literally breaks the bottles of liquor. They are huge into recycling as a company, and it just makes no sense that the way they would dispose of it would be to literally smash it. Think of the extra cleanup involved! I don't know HOW they might dispose of it (CM party?), but I think probably in your case it literally did just happen to break.

Glad you were nicely compensated for it.

And yes, having it at the xray machine makes no sense. I can't recall exactly how they did it on Royal, but it involved putting it through the machine, and the employee took it or helped us take it over to the desk where their job was to write up the receipts and staple the bags (special bags from the guavaberry rum place at St Maartin) totally shut, with the receipt on it. Glad they moved it later on.

I would assume that they would at the very least pour out the alcohol. And then why not smash the bottles? It makes it easier to fit more into glass recycling bins. I mean, I'm not 100% sure they *would* do that, but it doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility. I wonder what other cruise lines do. Obviously they HAVE to get rid of it somehow. Hmmmmm. Now I'm curious.

 

[Connecticute]

How did you smuggle? What did you smuggle? Leave next Thursday, trying to figure out how and if we should smuggle.

Without geting into too many details, I'll say that if bottles of wine are allowed, and bottles of rum are not, and a bottle of rum is 750 ml and a bottle of white wine is 750 ml, who's to say which one is which...?

I came up with far more complicated schemes, but at the last minute, I decided to approach this from the simplest way possible.

And in the end, they never even asked us to take our "wine" out of the backpack. So it was a lot of mental energy spent trying to outsmart people who didn't seem to care.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sorry.

 

[WebmasterJackie]

Folks, we do not enable, condone or promote the discussion of ways to circumvent established Disney company policies.

Because our mission is to be a helpful trip planning resource, we want to help travelers understand Disney's policies and how they apply to their planning. Discussions of what the rules ARE ("here's the policy") are great.

Discussions and descriptions of how to cheat or get around those policies (such as "use this sneaky flask") are no longer welcome here.

Thanks for your cooperation with this matter.

 

[goNDmay9]

Reporting back from the 10/17 Fantasy! We arrived at the port around 1:30ish. There were a lot of signs posted outside the terminal and in the Terminal Parking Deck. As we go through the first "gate" - (you know the one outside of the terminal where they check your passport etc), the lady warned us that the security was really really backed up. No worries I said - any idea why? She specifically noted that the change in the alcohol policy had been slowing things down in general but that in addition, today they were short staffed. The line was wrapped around the building almost to the end. Also - we parked on 3 specifically to use the skyway - but it was closed. Not sure if it closes after a certain time, or if it was closed because they were backed up.

In hindsight, I should have asked HOW the alcohol was slowing things down. Was is that people did not know and had excess that needed to be removed, or if that just checking for it was causing the line to move slower. It was crazy that it took us MUCH longer in October than it did in July!

We were super lucky because after about 45 minutes or so in line, we were in the group that was chosen to enter through the Disney Transportation Line. Only waited a few more minutes after that. We had 4 bottles of Prosecco in a small soft sided cooler (The DCL one actually) and went right through security. Put everything on the conveyor belt and picked it up on the other side easy peasy. I did not see mass amounts of alcohol lying around on a table or anything and nothing appeared to be backed up. Not sure if it is because we were one of the first few to go through. It definitely seemed like we were in a different security line than the others. After security, the terminal was pretty empty and we walked right on. Took a little over an hour. We definitely got on before people that were ahead of us in that original security line.

In Grand Cayman we brought back two bottles of champagne. They were however, in rum boxes. We bought them from the Tortuga Rum shop in the port and they have to wrap them up. After we got on the ship and passed through security, I was told I had to go over to the other table so they could take them - but when i explained that they were champagne and not rum - they guy fidgeted with the very secure taped boxes and then finally just waived me on.

We did not bring anything on in the other ports, so I don't have a report there. However, Jamaica (Falmouth) was very thorough on the port side. Like - making children get out of strollers and sending the strollers through the X-ray. My oldest (4) was asleep so I fussed a bit. They took us over to the side and checked the entire stroller by hand. They specifically said that the other one was NOT asleep and we had to take her out. It definitely seemed to be a Jamaica thing and not a Disney thing though. And I do not think it was smuggled alcohol they were concerned about, but I could be wrong.

If you were bringing alcohol on, just like in Grand Cayman, they would send you to the other table after they swiped your card and went through the detectors.

Coming in from Castaway Cay they let us bring our beers back on board and did not seem to be checking anyone. Since they own the Island I am sure it is considered the same as buying it from the ship.

I would also add that both the MDR team and our awesome stateroom CM were happy to give me multiple champagne glasses to use in my room.
If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!

 

[Lolo579]

We got off the Fantasy (Eastern Caribbean) on Saturday. For the record, DH and I were very unhappy about the policy change (especially after PIF), and yes, I sent an email expressing my feelings on the subject. We definitely had concerns and some serious disappointment, but what can you do? Anyway... we went through security at embarkation around 10:20 am with a rolling carry-on containing 4 bottles of wine (wrapped in bubble wrap) and about 8 cans of La Croix sparking water. Security took a long look at in on the scanner and I told them what was in there and that they were welcome to open the bag. They asked/confirmed that we had two adults in our stateroom and sent us on our way without opening the bag or any real delay. I noticed multiple people boarding with their Publix reusable wine bag holding their 4 bottles of wine. There was a very poor selection of wine at the port in St. Maarten and it was a 15-20 minute walk to the grocery store. We decided on low standards in exchange for convenience and brought an inexpensive (ok...Cheap) bottle of wine back on board. In St. Thomas, we were directed by locals to "Gourmet Gallery" right next to the port where they had a nice selection of beer and wine. We had no problem carrying it on board.

 

[Muskegon78]

We got off the Fantasy (Eastern Caribbean) on Saturday. For the record, DH and I were very unhappy about the policy change (especially after PIF), and yes, I sent an email expressing my feelings on the subject. We definitely had concerns and some serious disappointment, but what can you do? Anyway... we went through security at embarkation around 10:20 am with a rolling carry-on containing 4 bottles of wine (wrapped in bubble wrap) and about 8 cans of La Croix sparking water. Security took a long look at in on the scanner and I told them what was in there and that they were welcome to open the bag. They asked/confirmed that we had two adults in our stateroom and sent us on our way without opening the bag or any real delay. I noticed multiple people boarding with their Publix reusable wine bag holding their 4 bottles of wine. There was a very poor selection of wine at the port in St. Maarten and it was a 15-20 minute walk to the grocery store. We decided on low standards in exchange for convenience and brought an inexpensive (ok...Cheap) bottle of wine back on board. In St. Thomas, we were directed by locals to "Gourmet Gallery" right next to the port where they had a nice selection of beer and wine. We had no problem carrying it on board.

I assume prices at the store in St Thomas made it worth stopping compared to buying on the ship?

 

[cgolf]

Has anyone taken on ciders like angry orchard or woodchuck and had them checked and ok'd? When I talked to some one at DCL they had said it was beer only and ciders would not be allowed. To me this was ludicrous since ciders have the same alcohol content as beer. Being gluten free now for 8 years I have really been enjoying the ciders, so not being able to bring them on would really stink. If I run the risk of them being taken I won't bother trying and just have a dry cruise

For what it is worth the beer only policy is not really fair to the GF crowd, they need to open that up to ciders etc, soon.

 

[Lolo579]

I assume prices at the store in St Thomas made it worth stopping compared to buying on the ship?

We only purchased wine to consume in our stateroom. Prices were only slightly higher than what we pay at home. DH also purchased the beer mug on the ship this time. He liked the ease of trading in the empty mug for a token/card each time, which he kept with his KTTW card in his Castaway Club lanyard.

 

[Muskegon78]

We only purchased wine to consume in our stateroom. Prices were only slightly higher than what we pay at home. DH also purchased the beer mug on the ship this time. He liked the ease of trading in the empty mug for a token/card each time, which he kept with his KTTW card in his Castaway Club lanyard.

I did the mug on our last trip as well. Were you saying that store prices in St Thomas were only slightly more, or the prices on the ship?

 

[bumbershoot]

Since they own the Island I am sure it is considered the same as buying it from the ship.

They do not own it. It is part of the Bahamas, which is why the new Bahamas VAT is now charged on purchases on CC.

 

[Lolo579]

I did the mug on our last trip as well. Were you saying that store prices in St Thomas were only slightly more, or the prices on the ship?

For instance, a bottle of Santa Margherita Pinto Grigio is around $24/bottle at home, I think it was $28/botttle in St. Thomas, and I saw it on a bar menu on board the ship at $10/glass. I hope I'm answering your question... We ordered wine by the glass most nights at dinner, but kept the bottles we brought on board for pre-dinner or late night in our room which saves $$.

 

[SailingSeas]

Has anyone taken on ciders like angry orchard or woodchuck and had them checked and ok'd? When I talked to some one at DCL they had said it was beer only and ciders would not be allowed. To me this was ludicrous since ciders have the same alcohol content as beer. Being gluten free now for 8 years I have really been enjoying the ciders, so not being able to bring them on would really stink. If I run the risk of them being taken I won't bother trying and just have a dry cruise

For what it is worth the beer only policy is not really fair to the GF crowd, they need to open that up to ciders etc, soon.

I plan on testing this at the end of the month for our GF cabin. I was told any beer, cider, or any malt beverage, and I've also heard only beer. Bringing Seagram's coolers and hard cider. It's not a big deal if they keep them, and I'll let you know.

 

[Muskegon78]

For instance, a bottle of Santa Margherita Pinto Grigio is around $24/bottle at home, I think it was $28/botttle in St. Thomas, and I saw it on a bar menu on board the ship at $10/glass. I hope I'm answering your question... We ordered wine by the glass most nights at dinner, but kept the bottles we brought on board for pre-dinner or late night in our room which saves $$.

Yes you did, I figured that is what you meant since ship prices would be more. Thanks

 

[goNDmay9]

They do not own it. It is part of the Bahamas, which is why the new Bahamas VAT is now charged on purchases on CC.

Interesting!! I knew about the lease (poor choice of words on my part with own) but did not know about the VAT. Does that mean that purchases on CC cost slightly more than if we were to purchase on the ship?

 

[Tami0220]

I plan on testing this at the end of the month for our GF cabin. I was told any beer, cider, or any malt beverage, and I've also heard only beer. Bringing Seagram's coolers and hard cider. It's not a big deal if they keep them, and I'll let you know.

I will be trying this on the 13th, Friday the 13th, lol. Will let you know.