Bringing wine with us

[elkesails]

Now only to make this more complicated!!

We are pretty much teetotallers....I can actually remember the last time we had a sip of something, March 7, 1998!! It was a 1988 bottle of Pierre Jouet Champagne (we still have the bottle, I actually bought it only because I really liked the flowers painted on it) but to my surprise it was very good!

We are doing a Med cruise, now would a bottle be allowed on overseas flights in my carry on? And since I'm going to France anyway, could I possibly get a bottle over there easily? I know we're going to Italy as well, but this one has sentimental value on it and I wanted to surprise dh with having it served to us at dinner one night...but if I am able to bring it on, does it need to be chilled? Would it fit in the fridge? It's fairly tall....have the steward put it in a chill bath? Would that cost extra?? Sorry, I'm a complete ignorant when it comes to these things.....we have a lot to celebrate this coming cruise (parents 48th anniversary, selling our other house after 2.6 years, daughter's health restored, getting back into shape after letting stress take a toll) and I'd like to find a good year for this champagne...

Thanks for your help!!

Tara

I am sure I misread your post...are you thinking about bringing a bottle of champagne that you opened back in 1998? Nah....that could not be what you mean. You must mean that you plan to buy the same champagne for this trip?

 

[lmhall2000]

I am sure I misread your post...are you thinking about bringing a bottle of champagne that you opened back in 1998? Nah....that could not be what you mean. You must mean that you plan to buy the same champagne for this trip?

Sorry! YES!! We drank the first bottle that night! Just want to make sort of a habit of getting the same maker for very special occasions, this pretty much fits the bill! Could I buy a bottle while I'm in France and bring it on the ship??

thanks!!
Tara

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Sorry! YES!! We drank the first bottle that night! Just want to make sort of a habit of getting the same maker for very special occasions, this pretty much fits the bill! Could I buy a bottle while I'm in France and bring it on the ship??
thanks!!
Tara

Yes, DCL allows this, its in their rules.

Other cruiselines take it off you on embarkation and give it back at the end of the cruise..

 

[elkesails]

Sorry! YES!! We drank the first bottle that night! Just want to make sort of a habit of getting the same maker for very special occasions, this pretty much fits the bill! Could I buy a bottle while I'm in France and bring it on the ship??

thanks!!
Tara

I would call Disney and double check their policies as far as bringing on wine in Europe. Finding a bottle of French Champagne in France should be easy enough as long as you are not specifically looking for a 1988 vintage.

Bon Voyage

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I would call Disney and double check their policies as far as bringing on wine in Europe. Finding a bottle of French Champagne in France should be easy enough as long as you are not specifically looking for a 1988 vintage.

Bon Voyage

Its ok, but do not go over your ''customs'' limit on booze.

 

[sharethemagic]

Most cruise lines have a policy to confiscate any booze on embarkation, they say they do this for security reasons, and only give you the booze back on disembarkation, this is a truly awful process. Other cruiselines do this to force you to purchase their own drinks at the bars, at inflated prices and this brings in good income.

Like most of us here, I want to have fun and not take advantage of Disney's rules........We are flying into Orlando and taking DCL transfers to the port. So taking a bottle in our carry on isn't possible. Our first port is Key West. Not sure if this is different than the gal asking about France, since this is a domestic port, can I purchase a bottle in Key West and bring it onboard at that first port?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Like most of us here, I want to have fun and not take advantage of Disney's rules........We are flying into Orlando and taking DCL transfers to the port. So taking a bottle in our carry on isn't possible. Our first port is Key West. Not sure if this is different than the gal asking about France, since this is a domestic port, can I purchase a bottle in Key West and bring it onboard at that first port?

Yes thats fine, DCL allow any booze to be brought on in any port, as long as its in hand luggage and will fit in the x ray scanner.

 

[sharethemagic]

just found my answer on another thread Re: Key West CVS question

thanks!

 

[jilljill]

Its ok, but do not go over your ''customs'' limit on booze.

What do you mean by this for taking on alcohol in the Med?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

What do you mean by this for taking on alcohol in the Med?

The question was for buying champagne in France and if they decide to take home, there is a customs limit, of course if you drink it on board your OK! Just drunk..

 

[jilljill]

The question was for buying champagne in France and if they decide to take home, there is a customs limit, of course if you drink it on board your OK! Just drunk..

Thanks for clarifying, I was a bit confused.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Thanks for clarifying, I was a bit confused.

Too much champagne over Christmas and New Year.....

 

[jilljill]

Too much champagne over Christmas and New Year.....

...not enough.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

...not enough.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh boring...............

I will send some by E-mail, just get it out by USB

 

[Christyvoltron]

According to the Birnbaum guide you can purchase one of two wine packages for the trip -- anyone have experience with this or know what they offer?

 

[jilljill]

According to the Birnbaum guide you can purchase one of two wine packages for the trip -- anyone have experience with this or know what they offer?

DCL offers length of cruise wine packages, a regular package and a premium package, for cruises up to 7 days in length. You can look at the prices and the wines offered by clicking on the link to DCL's page and scrolling to the bottom: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/planning-center/gifts-and-amenities/#Port Canaveral Food & Wine

You may need to click on Port Canaveral

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

According to the Birnbaum guide you can purchase one of two wine packages for the trip -- anyone have experience with this or know what they offer?

You can do this on 3/4/ and 7 night cruises, the wine package must equal a bottle of wine per night of the cruise, ie 7 bottles on a 7 night cruise.

I have done this and you get a 20% discount, or more, on average if you book and commit to a bottle a night.

Now unless you drink Cider each night its impossible that the package will not be cheaper. The issue is will you drink a bottle each night.

We did, but had to have anything left delivered to our room or held over to the next night, we also had one in Palo, they knew we were on the package.

My next cruises is 12 nights and its a pity they do not do it on that.

It does make the wine far less expensive.

 

[Buckeye Goofy]

We did the less expensive package ($189 for 7 nights), which works out to a cost of $27 per bottle; while the average cost purchasing seperately was around $32, so it does save a few bucks. Also, if you want to trade-up and order a bottle that is not on the package, you can take a $27 credit against the more expensive bottle, since you've already paid in that amount. You don't save any money on those nights, but for us, saving $5 x 5 nights it was worth it.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Whats the uncorking fee, any ideas?

It's a "corkage fee," not an "uncorking fee." It really has very little to do with pulling a cork out of the bottle. The reason restaurants (on land and on the ship) charge a corkage fee if you bring your own wine is to make up for the lost revenue. The corkage fee still applies even if the wine has a screw top, or you bring a cork screw, or you open the bottle in your stateroom.

Bringing your own wine to a restaurant on the ship is a bit like bringing your own food to a restaurant on land.

If the wine is very expensive, you might save money if you bring your own wine and pay the corkage fee and automatic tip, even if the same wine is on the wine list. But it hardly seems worth the trouble.

The real reason to pay the corkage fee if you want a special bottle of wine at dinner, and that wine is not on the wine list.

 

[TDC Nala]

I brought bottles to dinner (twice, and they were already opened) on the Med cruise in 2007 and was not charged. The servers even kept the unfinished bottles for us and they were on the table the next night. Of course that was reflected in their tips but there was never a corkage charge.

The thing to remember if you're flying is that you cannot carry a bottle of wine onto the plane - and you cannot send one onto the ship in checked luggage. I am pretty sure that if you're flying the only real options are to 1) don't use the luggage transfer option - bring your checked luggage to the ship yourself so you can get the wine out and put it in a carryon or 2) find a way to buy your wine after you get off the plane.