Disney Cruise and Alcohol

[Milky]

We have been cruising DCL since Day 1. We were on the Maiden Voyage of the Disney Magic which was their first ship. I can assure you they sold booze since the very beginning. I can't remember if they allowed you to bring booze onboard since Day 1 but soon after they definitely did. They used to let you bring unlimited amounts onboard of any kind of alcohol but now they allow you to bring 2 bottles of wine or a six pack of beer per adult. All beverages (including if you want to bring a favorite soda) MUST be in your carry on bags. A wheeled duffle or suitcase that fits through a standard airport screener (all carry on bags are put through an xray screener) helps when bringing it onboard. Depending on what time you get onboard you may be carrying your stuff around until cabins are ready. Last week our cabins on the Magic were not open until 3 pm and we boarded at noon. We had swim stuff with us so spent the afternoon by the empty adult pool have a drink or two!

Note: any booze brought onboard can only be consumed in your own cabin. They can't be consumed in public. If you want to bring your bottle of wine to the dining room they will charge you a corking fee. The fee is not for the physical act of opening the bottle, but for bringing a non Disney purchased bottle to dinner. You will still be charged if you open the bottle yourself.

We just got back from our 47th DCL and I brought on a bottle of wine and have brough something onboard for most of those cruises.

As far as booze being sold onboard....they have a drink of the day which comes out to $6.13 with auto gratuity. They have beer specials and sometimes two for one drinks by the pool and in some lounges. Several happy hours were listed in the cruise activities as well. They have a full selection of wines and spirits and will make just about any drink you want.

Tell your friend you WON the debate!

MJ

Question, if bring own unopened bottle. How do you open it in the room? I assume your not suppose to bring your own opener. If asking for one? Do they charge for that too?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Question, if bring own unopened bottle. How do you open it in the room? I assume your not suppose to bring your own opener. If asking for one? Do they charge for that too?

You can ask your room host for a bottle opener.

 

[Disney_Alli]

Question, if bring own unopened bottle. How do you open it in the room? I assume your not suppose to bring your own opener. If asking for one? Do they charge for that too?

I think everyone in my family carries one in their checked bag. You can bring your own or ask your stateroom host for one.

 

[bcwife76]

From my understanding the only thing ever dry was Magic Kingdom. And even that is no longer completely dry.
I have also been either sailing or following DCL for the past 16 years and in that time never dry

Disneyland (not California Adventure) was "dry" until 2019 when Star Wars Galaxy Edge opened.

 

[tvguy]

Disneyland (not California Adventure) was "dry" until 2019 when Star Wars Galaxy Edge opened.

Alcohol has always been served in Club 33 in Disneyland. It opened in 1967.

 

[bcwife76]

Alcohol has always been served in Club 33 in Disneyland. It opened in 1967.

Oh yes, of course! How could I forget Club 33... Oh that's right, I'll never get in

 

[tvguy]

Oh yes, of course! How could I forget Club 33... Oh that's right, I'll never get in

Or Grad Night. The Mouse Tales books have great stories about how High Schoolers sneak alcohol in for Grad night.

 

[texascutie]

Considering the classic wine package for an upcoming cruise. My daughter and I are the only wine drinkers and not wine connoisseurs. Trying to calculate if it's a good value compared to buying 1-2 glasses at dinner per night. Can anyone help with per glass wine charges at MDR? Just basic merlot/cabernet or rose? Thank you!

 

[TinkLoverSam]

the per glass prices are $10+ from what I remember

 

[texascutie]

Thank you so much! I think it's coming out close to even, I'm not looking at the most expensive or cheapest available, just ordering a glass or 2 at dinner vs the package.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Thank you so much! I think it's coming out close to even, I'm not looking at the most expensive or cheapest available, just ordering a glass or 2 at dinner vs the package.

I think the classic wine package is a better deal. The typical DCL pours for wine by the glass appear to be just under 5 oz (5 glasses per 750 ml bottle). The per bottle price is usually about 4 times the wine by the glass price, so I feel like I get 5 of those pours for the price of 4. Also, the average price per bottle of the wines I usually order works out to less than the cost of those bottles purchased individually. Seems like a win-win to me.

I drink half a bottle per dinner (DW does not drink). If I were sharing a bottle with a like-minded diner, we would finish it off in one sitting. Since I spread my bottles over two meals, the assistant server takes the half-full (I’m an optimist, but half-empty for the pessimists) bottle and brings it to the next rotational dining room for the following day’s dinner. If I have a red wine open and prefer to pair a white with my meal, I will simply order the white wine by the glass. They let you take the partially-consumed bottle back to your stateroom (just ask for a clean glass to take with or stop by one of the bars and ask for one) if you don’t finish a bottle and want to drink it later rather than sending it to the next dining room. Never waste wine.

Finally, the wine packages are sold by the number of bottles, not really the number of nights on a cruise, even though they are listed as 3-, 4-, and 7-bottle options to match up with the common 3-, 4-, and 7-night cruises. On our 10-night Vancouver to Honolulu cruise on the Wonder, I purchased a 4-bottle package and supplemented with wine by the glass in Palo and at one of the MDR dinners. Worked out well for me

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Duplicate post.

 

[DCLMP]

Thank you so much! I think it's coming out close to even, I'm not looking at the most expensive or cheapest available, just ordering a glass or 2 at dinner vs the package.

The wine pours are always skimpy. I think you’ll do better with a wine package plus the wine will be fresh. We always get the wine package and I’ve been happy with it.

 

[DCLMP]

Question, if bring own unopened bottle. How do you open it in the room? I assume your not suppose to bring your own opener. If asking for one? Do they charge for that too?

You can bring your own. I would put in a checked bag I had TSA take mine.

 

[Clarkson U]

Question, if bring own unopened bottle. How do you open it in the room? I assume your not suppose to bring your own opener. If asking for one? Do they charge for that too?

Usually we bring our own. Two adults we bring 4 bottles on board. Room service offered to deliver us a bottle opener the last time I sailed and caked them for wine glasses (thanksgiving 2021). They said no charge on the glasses or the opener.

You can bring an opener in your checked luggage. Do not check wine to bring it onboard the ship you must put it in your carry on to board the ship.

If flying into Orlando, you could buy wine locally once you land rather than back in suitcase and pray the airlines don’t drop your suitcase from 10 feet on high!

 

[texascutie]

OMG you all are amazing, thank you for your thoughts and suggestion! I love the "never waste wine", totally agree with that one. I hadn't thought about skimpy pours but makes sense given alcohol is such a money maker for anyone selling it. DONE! I will place my order for the classic package and enjoy my trip. Cheers to you all!

 

[babyruth]

I think the classic wine package is a better deal. The typical DCL pours for wine by the glass appear to be just under 5 oz (5 glasses per 750 ml bottle). The per bottle price is usually about 4 times the wine by the glass price, so I feel like I get 5 of those pours for the price of 4. Also, the average price per bottle of the wines I usually order works out to less than the cost of those bottles purchased individually. Seems like a win-win to me.

I drink half a bottle per dinner (DW does not drink). If I were sharing a bottle with a like-minded diner, we would finish it off in one sitting. Since I spread my bottles over two meals, the assistant server takes the half-full (I’m an optimist, but half-empty for the pessimists) bottle and brings it to the next rotational dining room for the following day’s dinner. If I have a red wine open and prefer to pair a white with my meal, I will simply order the white wine by the glass. They let you take the partially-consumed bottle back to your stateroom (just ask for a clean glass to take with or stop by one of the bars and ask for one) if you don’t finish a bottle and want to drink it later rather than sending it to the next dining room. Never waste wine.

Finally, the wine packages are sold by the number of bottles, not really the number of nights on a cruise, even though they are listed as 3-, 4-, and 7-bottle options to match up with the common 3-, 4-, and 7-night cruises. On our 10-night Vancouver to Honolulu cruise on the Wonder, I purchased a 4-bottle package and supplemented with wine by the glass in Palo and at one of the MDR dinners. Worked out well for me

Thanks for this. I’ve been trying to figure out if it’s worth it to pay the corking fee or just get the package. We are going on a seven night and I will be the only one drinking it. So maybe I will bring a bottle to have in the state room but buy the package for the dining room.

 

[texascutie]

I was having connection issues while purchasing the package on the app and am not sure it went through. When you purchase a wine package do you receive an email confirmation or does it show on the app in your plans or anywhere? Thanks for any help, I've been on the phone for 2 hours so far with DCL.

Spoke with DCL, it did not go through, you do receive a confirmation email.

 

[smoof]

You actually used to be able to carry MORE alcohol onboard (including liquor)

Yes! I can’t remember how many bottles of wine we brought on the Panama Canal cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

The Wish has no less than 27 bars/lounges/places to buy a drink. I did not count them but was told this by a bartender. Plus the roaming beverage servers at all the venues. Some really cool drinks were onboard. I had one in Hyperspace Lounge (not the $5K one LOL) and it was really good. I forget the name but when I download all my pics I'll let you know what it was.

I had a few glasses of wine onboard and some were $8.50 a glass, some were $10.50 a glass and some were higher. I felt the alcohol prices were reasonable for normal drinks.

MJ