Alochol [bottles] bought on board/ ashore

[PrincessShmoo]

that is exactly what i think. . . which is sad, b/c i used to buy my import limit of rum from St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Guess those local economies will suffer...

You can still buy them, the difference is that the ship will hold them for you until the end of the cruise.

 

[Empress Room]

The first issue here has always been the way it was (well, since TSA banned large liquids in carry ons). It's always been suggested here to not place your DCL luggage tag on the one bag that contains the alcohol, claim it at the airport, remove alcohol to your carry on. Then place the DCL tag on to turn in when you check in for the DCL transportation. That bag will show up at your room like the ones you check straight through.

Next, "what does it matter whether it is brought in a carry-on or in checked luggage?". The handling of bags from the airport to your room is less than gentle. And, if your bottle breaks during such handling and damages others belongings it can be a mess (for which you are responsible). This is one of the locations where bags are sorted onboard the Fantasy. Yes, some of the bags there were just tossed into the pile.
View attachment 132835

Here's another one on the Dream, stacked over 6 feet high. Do you want your bag (with a breakable bottle) buried in there?
View attachment 132837

Until the revised alcohol policy, I had always had wine and spirits in my checked bags on DCL without incident. The alcohol was never confiscated in 21 previous cruises. So the concern about a "mess" was not an issue during our previous 21 cruises over 17 years, so it must be something more than just a concern about broken bottles or spills. If that were truly a concern, DCL would, it stands to reason, ban any and all liquids from checked bags, which they do not. Non-alcoholic beverages in breakable containers, including but not limited to bottled water, juices, shampoo and body wash, are certainly allowed. (As an aside, although the picture you shared is certainly daunting, although we may have been lucky, we never had a broken bottle on any DCL cruise in the past. Maybe it's a testament to my packing ability, or at least my Costco luggage!)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Until the revised alcohol policy, I had always had wine and spirits in my checked bags on DCL without incident. The alcohol was never confiscated in 21 previous cruises. So the concern about a "mess" was not an issue during our previous 21 cruises over 17 years, so it must be something more than just a concern about broken bottles or spills. If that were truly a concern, DCL would, it stands to reason, ban any and all liquids from checked bags, which they do not. Non-alcoholic beverages in breakable containers, including but not limited to bottled water, juices, shampoo and body wash, are certainly allowed. (As an aside, although the picture you shared is certainly daunting, although we may have been lucky, we never had a broken bottle on any DCL cruise in the past. Maybe it's a testament to my packing ability, or at least my Costco luggage!)

Prior to the new policy, DCL did request that all beverages be brought onboard via carry on bags:
ALCOHOL POLICY (pre 9/30/2015)
Q:May Guests bring alcohol onboard?
A:While adult Guests ages 21 and older may bring alcohol onboard, the following guidelines apply:
•-Alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area.
•-Guests who arrive in the dining room with a bottle of champagne or wine that has been brought on board will be charged a corking fee of $20.00 per bottle.
•-Beverages must be packed in your carry-on bag—which must not exceed 22 inches wide, 14 inches high and 9 inches deep in dimension
•-Coolers filled with personal items (e.g. soda, alcohol, chips, candy, etc.) may not be brought on board.

Please note: Disney Cruise Line reserves the right to remove fragile items (including beverages) from checked luggage. In such cases, items will be stored and returned at the end of the voyage. Beverage containers are considered fragile and have previously caused damage in checked luggage. All fragile items must be transported inside carry-on luggage.

If you were transporting your alcohol via your checked bags, you were doing it against DCL policy. At least as far back as 2008 (when we started cruising DCL).

It's been reported before where people have had liquid damages due to breakage in checked bags. When DCL could figure out whose bag had the breakage, they would inform those people that they were responsible for damages to other's possessions. I know I've read of at least one instance where someone was disputing whether they were going to pay for the damages that their broken liquids caused to others and it was quickly resolved when they were told that they would be removed from the ship if they didn't pay.

 

[hubbard53]

You can still buy them, the difference is that the ship will hold them for you until the end of the cruise.

yeah, i know, but Im not going to go through the trouble of repacking my bags to get it home. If I could get it in my stateroom prior to sitting my bags out the night before I would continue to buy liquor in the ports but as it is, I'll just buy wine to drink in my stateroom

 

[Empress Room]

Prior to the new policy, DCL did request that all beverages be brought onboard via carry on bags:
ALCOHOL POLICY (pre 9/30/2015)
Q:May Guests bring alcohol onboard?
A:While adult Guests ages 21 and older may bring alcohol onboard, the following guidelines apply:
•-Alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area.
•-Guests who arrive in the dining room with a bottle of champagne or wine that has been brought on board will be charged a corking fee of $20.00 per bottle.
•-Beverages must be packed in your carry-on bag—which must not exceed 22 inches wide, 14 inches high and 9 inches deep in dimension
•-Coolers filled with personal items (e.g. soda, alcohol, chips, candy, etc.) may not be brought on board.

Please note: Disney Cruise Line reserves the right to remove fragile items (including beverages) from checked luggage. In such cases, items will be stored and returned at the end of the voyage. Beverage containers are considered fragile and have previously caused damage in checked luggage. All fragile items must be transported inside carry-on luggage.

If you were transporting your alcohol via your checked bags, you were doing it against DCL policy. At least as far back as 2008 (when we started cruising DCL).

It's been reported before where people have had liquid damages due to breakage in checked bags. When DCL could figure out whose bag had the breakage, they would inform those people that they were responsible for damages to other's possessions. I know I've read of at least one instance where someone was disputing whether they were going to pay for the damages that their broken liquids caused to others and it was quickly resolved when they were told that they would be removed from the ship if they didn't pay.

Our experience, both pre and post 2008, is that our checked bags were never inspected, or if they were, there was never any confiscation of any liquids, alcoholic or otherwise. In fact, it was common practice and actually encouraged by the DCL staff during one Panama Canal cruise (in order to speed up the security boarding process). Perhaps the new alcohol policy has given DCL reason to revisit how they are enforcing what is, and is not, brought onto the ship, and by what means.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our experience, both pre and post 2008, is that our checked bags were never inspected, or if they were, there was never any confiscation of any liquids, alcoholic or otherwise. In fact, it was common practice and actually encouraged by the DCL staff during one Panama Canal cruise (in order to speed up the security boarding process). Perhaps the new alcohol policy has given DCL reason to revisit how they are enforcing what is, and is not, brought onto the ship, and by what means.

At least, it gives them firmer ground to stand on for confiscation of prohibited items.

That's always been an issue with most Disney "rules" and policies (not just the cruise line). Lack of actual enforcement. It's the "make sure the guest is always happy" mindset.

 

[cwdefouw]

So, if you buy alcohol from the duty-free onboard the ship, when & where do you pick up those purchases?

On the Magic a couple of weeks ago, we had to pick up the alcohol at the Port Adventures desk, between 7:00 and 9:00 AM on disembarkation day. We had two bottles, one purchased at Cozumel and one purchased on the ship. We held back one bag to pack the liquor in, but both bottles would not fit, (the bottle purchased on the ship was in a large box, (Richard Hennessy)). We ended up carrying the box off by hand then repacking it in a larger suitcase after claiming them in the luggage hall. It was a bit of a hassle, but not anymore so than it would be on other cruise lines, although others may deliver the alcohol to your room the night before, we would still carry it off by hand, or pack it in a bag that we didn't put out for luggage collection on the ship.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

On the Magic a couple of weeks ago, we had to pick up the alcohol at the Port Adventures desk, between 7:00 and 9:00 AM on disembarkation day. We had two bottles, one purchased at Cozumel and one purchased on the ship. We held back one bag to pack the liquor in, but both bottles would not fit, (the bottle purchased on the ship was in a large box, (Richard Hennessy)). We ended up carrying the box off by hand then repacking it in a larger suitcase after claiming them in the luggage hall. It was a bit of a hassle, but not anymore so than it would be on other cruise lines, although others may deliver the alcohol to your room the night before, we would still carry it off by hand, or pack it in a bag that we didn't put out for luggage collection on the ship.

Thanks! Great info!