Alcohol, Time to Board Princess

[rktricky]

Hi everyone. I am knew on this site. My husband and I are taking our 2nd Princess cruise on Crown Princess. Unfortunately, we have to travel on a budget this time (recession has hit hard). Will you be able to bring extra wine by packing it in your luggage? Also, what time will they allow you to board the ship? We are staying the night before and would like to get to the terminal early. Has anyone been able to bring Beer on board?
Thanks for your help

[bob]

you will be able to bring wine without packing it in your luggage.
Princess policy will allow a bottle of wine per person at embarkation and we have never had a problem, have actually carried on up to six bottles of champagne between the two of us. put it in your carryons that you take on with you so there is no chance of them getting broken during handling. their policy on hard liquor on the other hand is the same as the rest of the lines, no

boarding time may vary a little depending on the port, we usually get to the pier around 11 and are usually onboard by 1 unless there is or has been a debarking problem with the previous cruise.

[rktricky]

Thank you for your information. Can you take the large bottles of wine or just the regular size bottles? We are leaving out of Fort Lauderdale next Sat.
So excited!
Do you know anything about the private adult pool area? How much it cost or if it is worth the money?

[bob]

Have never taken on the 1.5 bottles but have picked up a wine tap of Chardonnay at a port and brought that on without any trouble. sometimes they have a table set up at entry sometimes they dont, depends on the ship and or port or attitude of the hotel manager i guess, have never seen a pattern to it. but you should be able to restock at ports without any problem, just make sure it is a winery that they dont carry onboard, that way you have a good excuse because you only drink that type of wine, i just tell them, sorry i cant drink anything but Gallo.........
dont know about the private pool erea, havent used it but the pool is small and there is not a lot of sunning room around the pool, best guess would be to look it over on the first day and see if you feel like buying in, it is very private

[Whimsy]

We have always taken wine, a couple of bottles each and never had a problem. We have met other cruisers that have brought on boxes of wine so it must not be a problem. This has always been out of Fort Lauderdale. If you are worried about too many bottles you can pick some up in port, say a bottle each and bring it on board.

We also leave for the port from our hotel about 10 AM and have always been able to wait inside the terminal in the chairs. The wait goes by quickly while we chat with other cruisers.Boading begins usually right before noon. I don't want to take a chance of having to wait in the line outside.

[kymbakitty]

I spoke to a Princess rep a week or so on the phone. I went ahead and got my booking number so I could pass it off to a TA that I ended up selecting, so while I had her on the phone (she seemed VERY knowledgable) so I wanted to ask her what the alcohol policies were since we last cruised (nearly six years ago).

She said you can take a CASE of wine with you....I thought she was kidding, so I said, "really"? She said yes....but it has to be taken on when you embark....and that you are not permitted to bring bottles from the various ports...and of course, no alcohol.

Like the other poster, I too have seen people have portable dollys with two cases of wine when they were first getting on the ship (big party, who knows). So I feel pretty good about taking a couple bottles when we first get on (FLL also), but I am not sure about taking bottles on from port to port.

It probably depends who is "manning" the security and their training. I suspect this is as different as what you experience at airports and in our experience, that varies so much it is embarassing!

Dawn

[Conniemc]

Holy drunken cheapskates Batman!!
ROFL...
A CASE of wine?? Alrighty then!!

[Jeanie]

We always bring wine. no problems, Have a great cruise