B2B Nov Cruise/Alcohol Carry On Question

[ascardino]

i have done a fair amount of reading on these boards about the alcohol policy. I am curious to know if you think this is a plausible way to bring alcohol on the second of a B2B cruise. So, if I read correctly if you bring more than 2 bottles of wine per adult, they will check it. So say my husband and I were to arrive for the first leg of our cruises with 8 bottles of wine, they will check 4 and allow us to take 4 and then when we leave the ship we can take the remaining 4 bottles and carry them back on for the second cruise?

I wouldn't want to leave the port just to go buy more wine so I am thinking this might be a good solution.

Thanks!

 

[tinkerone]

I was curious about this exact thing. what would stop someone from picking up the purchase and then taking it back to their cabin before disembarking? I even thought, if you made alcohol purchases at their duty free, what prevents you from drinking it on your second cruise? I have never ordered from them but I thought they dropped it off the night before disembarking. wait, now that I say that, I think I did order from them once and I do think it was delivered to our cabin.
but interesting, have to wait and see how that works out.

 

[gasbuddy36]

I just got off of the Fantasy and as of right now they are handing the alcohol that they confiscated on debarkation day starting at 7:00am.

So yes you can take it off, go through customs, check back in and be good to go.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I've read about this very topic on other cruise lines that have had more restrictive alcohol policies for a long time. Basically, if you buy it on the first cruise they give it back to you on the last night like normal. People then put their purchases in their room to have for the 2nd cruise. If changing rooms they stash in their luggage. The luggage isn't going to be re-inspected. It just gets transferred from the old room to the new room.

To the OP, if you're transferring to a new room I'd buy some wine diapers, pick up my wine, and put it in my luggage. I wouldn't want to carry it off & back on again. If not changing rooms I'd just put my wine in my room & be done.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I've read about this very topic on other cruise lines that have had more restrictive alcohol policies for a long time. Basically, if you buy it on the first cruise they give it back to you on the last night like normal. People then put their purchases in their room to have for the 2nd cruise. If changing rooms they stash in their luggage. The luggage isn't going to be re-inspected. It just gets transferred from the old room to the new room.

To the OP, if you're transferring to a new room I'd buy some wine diapers, pick up my wine, and put it in my luggage. I wouldn't want to carry it off & back on again. If not changing rooms I'd just put my wine in my room & be done.

Not sure that would work. Apparently, DCL is "returning" the held alcohol by having the people pick it up on debarkation morning. It's not being delivered to the room.

 

[lanejudy]

So say my husband and I were to arrive for the first leg of our cruises with 8 bottles of wine, they will check 4 and allow us to take 4 and then when we leave the ship we can take the remaining 4 bottles and carry them back on for the second cruise?

It sounds logical. However, I honestly don't think we've had enough reports of the new procedures to indicate that this would "for sure" work out. I guess it depends on 1) where they return the "confiscated" supply that was held when you first boarded and 2) if they recognize you are scheduled B2B and hold it until you debark after the 2nd cruise. If you give this a try, please be sure to report back and let us know how it worked!

Enjoy your cruises!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

It sounds logical. However, I honestly don't think we've had enough reports of the new procedures to indicate that this would "for sure" work out. I guess it depends on 1) where they return the "confiscated" supply that was held when you first boarded and 2) if they recognize you are scheduled B2B and hold it until you debark after the 2nd cruise. If you give this a try, please be sure to report back and let us know how it worked!

Enjoy your cruises!

Yes, until some one tries it and it works (or doesn't) we won't know. There are some lines that I've read that return the held alcohol until the end of the first leg and then return it (allowing it be used on the second leg). And others that hold it until the completion of both legs (as in - it's one cruise).

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Not sure that would work. Apparently, DCL is "returning" the held alcohol by having the people pick it up on debarkation morning. It's not being delivered to the room.

But b2b people don't have to leave the ship early. Pick up your alcohol at 7 or 8, put it in your room, and leave the ship. It could work. The deciding factor is knowing where/when it will be available for you to pick up. If the pickup is on the ship the night before or at any workable time the morning of debarkation, it can be done. The only thing that could truly eliminate puting it in your room/luggage is if the pickup is not on the ship. Either way, the 4 bottles of wine between 2 adults is allowed under the new rules. It's a matter of convenience, really.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Yes, until some one tries it and it works (or doesn't) we won't know. There are some lines that I've read that return the held alcohol until the end of the first leg and then return it (allowing it be used on the second leg). And others that hold it until the completion of both legs (as in - it's one cruise).

Is the standard procedure for the alcohol being delivered at the end of a b2b on lines that consider a b2b a single cruise? Like do they issue 1 key at the beginning of the first cruise for the entire duration and not ask b2b guests to leave on the turnaround day? I've heard of that being done on some lines. It's not how Disney does b2b, though. How b2bs are handled (as a single cruise or 2 cruises) could be an indicator. Ultimately, though, there's no way to know for sure until someone has done it under the new rules.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is the standard procedure for the alcohol being delivered at the end of a b2b on lines that consider a b2b a single cruise? Like do they issue 1 key at the beginning of the first cruise for the entire duration and not ask b2b guests to leave on the turnaround day? I've heard of that being done on some lines. It's not how Disney does b2b, though. How b2bs are handled (as a single cruise or 2 cruises) could be an indicator. Ultimately, though, there's no way to know for sure until someone has done it under the new rules.

Not sure how Carnival does B2B (1 key or 2), but there are reports that those people on B2B cruises have had their bottles/account flagged as B2B. They deliver the held alcohol to the room (or it can be picked up) the last night of the second cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

I think one of the main questions is are they holding and returning the confiscated bottles IN THE TERMINAL or on the ship? If the pick up is in the terminal then the OP's plan may work. Agree that we need to find out more recent experiences.

Obviously any booze above the recommended amount purchased in ports and held till the end would be held onboard. Where and when the pick up of that booze would be is anybody's guess.

There may be more than one pick up area for confiscated booze....one in the terminal for booze confiscated before the start of your cruise and one onboard for booze confiscated in ports (or they could offload the port booze but that would be a lot of work for the CM's).

MJ

 

[ascardino]

Thanks for all of your replies....I will definitely report back. This is our first B2B so I have no idea how the whole process works in general. From what I am being told, since we are not changing staterooms between cruises, we do not have to pack up. We just debark and wait in the terminal to enter the second cruise.

So, if I am not trying to "bend" the rules, I would think it would not matter where they return my checked bottles. If it on the ship and I can leave it with the rest of my belongings, or if it is in the terminal, then I "declare" it in my carry on for the upcoming cruise.....right? Or am I missing something??

 

[pgroom48]

Are you driving to the park. If so, you can leave it in your car. Get off the ship, pick it up and check back it.

 

[ascardino]

Are you driving to the park. If so, you can leave it in your car. Get off the ship, pick it up and check back it.

No, we arrive the morning of the first cruise by transfer from the airport. We are making one quick stop for water, sunscreen, wine, etc on the way to the port.

 

[TimeAndTide]

And goodness. Regardless of sail date, please don't leave wine in your car. With just a bit of sun/warmth your wine may be thoroughly cooked and not drinkable!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think one of the main questions is are they holding and returning the confiscated bottles IN THE TERMINAL or on the ship?

I think it's on the ship.

The experience related to us the other day was that the cruiser was told 3 different places to go by CMs, the last place she was told was that it was beyond customs, she got there, NO alcohol, it was back on the ship and she could not go onboard to get it.

 

[mmouse37]

I think it's on the ship.

The experience related to us the other day was that the cruiser was told 3 different places to go by CMs, the last place she was told was that it was beyond customs, she got there, NO alcohol, it was back on the ship and she could not go onboard to get it.

Now that would be super frustrating!!!!

MJ

 

[jahber]

I think it's on the ship.

The experience related to us the other day was that the cruiser was told 3 different places to go by CMs, the last place she was told was that it was beyond customs, she got there, NO alcohol, it was back on the ship and she could not go onboard to get it.

Yes, it appears alcohol (at least that purchased during the cruise) is returned on the last day on deck 4. Which is why the lady I mentioned a while back was so upset to have been told it would be at the port . She was also subsequently told it was her fault for not knowing it was returned on the deck, even though she was specifically told otherwise. Even DCL employees aren't 100% clear on this yet. I wouldn't be surprised if people on a b2b could get away with taking their alcohol to their rooms...at least for a while.

 

[clten]

As with any rule change with Disney it takes awhile for them to figure out how to comply with the standards they set. I don't see why they shouldn't let you pick up your alcohol at the end of the first cruise whether the pick up point is on the ship or in the terminal. Their rules allow you to bring on wine and beer at the start of the cruise or at any port of call. They handle b2b as two separate cruises -- closing out your onboard account, making you disembark and check in before re-embarking, etc. so this would be the start of the cruise. And I'd bet that they are not sophisticated enough yet to flag alcohol that is for b2b cruises and have it in a separate area so it is not brought out to be claimed with all the others for that sailing. (It was years ago but we did buy duty free alcohol on the first part of a b2b and it was delivered to our stateroom on the last night of the 1st cruise so we did have it available for the second part of our b2b. With the change in alcohol policy, I'd be curious if they have figured out and closed this loophole.)

 

[ascardino]

Okay here is my experience for those wondering.....my husband and I purchased 8 bottles of wine and when we were going through security at the port, my husband explained that there was 2 of us and we were sailing on B2B cruises and they allowed us to take all of the bottles of wine on board with us on the first cruise. So they did not check 4 of the bottles as I had thought they would. The security guard did get on his radio to inquire with a supervisor first. Very convenient process.