you can bring your own wine onboard on pricess
 

We sailed on a Princess cruise last year. Their policy specifically permitted bringing your own wine on board. We brought two assorted cases to the dock. There was a $10/bottle corkage fee at dinner.

All things considered, this is reasonable IMO. If you prefer a certain type/vintage of wine then this is a good policy. Chances are you won't be able to get exactly what you prefer by ordering onboard.
A corkage fee of $10 at dinner works and the wine you drink in your room is "free".

A $20 tip to your waiter (with that first bottle of wine) can sometimes make him a tad 'forgetful' on the corkage charge... :D

That works as well. ;)

We've been taking a box of wine on board cruise ships for ages.
Usually it's a 5 liter box of Franzia Merlot (obtained at Costco for about $8) and is purely for in room consumption. Although on our Constellation Baltic last summer, we were part of a group of four couples and there was a happy hour that rotated from one couple's cabin to another the whole cruise. That box only lasted about two ports before we had to go find a liquor store in Stockholm. Celebrity never had a problem with the stuff we brought back on board. One back pack that went through the X-ray machine had four bottles of hard stuff in it, complete with the sound of clinking bottles and they never batted an eye! Skol!

MO

It would be very funny to see the reaction if you brought a *box* of wine to dinner and asked them to serve it.

Buying booze in ports....
 

is not always a good idea.
No problems when you check it inside your suitcase.

But when you come back from a port visit onboard, they check your bags etc. I have seen bottles being taken and not available the night before you leave the ship

When we went on Hunki's class reunion cruise, we had the "party central" suite. We, therefore, took a whole case of wine on board.

This was on Princess which allows passengers to bring their own wine, so it was no problem at all.

Royal caribbean has a new alcohol policy:

ALCOHOL POLICY
Effective as of all sailings commencing on or after July 28, 2006, the minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on all Royal Caribbean International ships is 21.


However, on cruises departing from European and South American countries, where the legal drinking age is typically lower than 21, a parent who is sailing with his or her son(s) and/or daughter(s) who is between the ages of 18 to 20, may sign a waiver allowing the 18 to 20 year old to consume alcoholic beverages.


The 18- to 20 year-old must agree to comply with Royal Caribbean's policies, including among other things, agreeing to not provide alcoholic beverages to any other person, regardless of age. Restrictions apply, and this policy is subject to change without notice.



Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of call or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Royal Caribbean's Guest Vacation Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them.


Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Vacation Policies.


Royal Caribbean reserves the right to revoke or otherwise restrict drinking privileges of any guest, regardless of age.

What other use is there for alcohol besides consumption?

if
 

they can actually enforce this, it will cost them business. The wild parties must have gotten out of hand.

Well I certainly am glad that it has never heretofore occurred to me to take a Royal Caribbean cruise. ;)

It certainly won't occur to me hereafter.

I don't think it was the wild parties that concerned them.

More likely it was the $$$'s they saw disappearing as the pax hauled on mega barrels of booze.

RCCL is going to have a MAJOR problem, IMO, trying to enforce this. Not only will a vigorous search policy slow entry to the ship, it'll royally PO Joe and Jane Traveller when they have their Jamaican rum confiscated.

Don't worry, they ARE enforcing the 18-20 alcohol ban. I was on the Brillance 2 weeks ago and they continually denied me. When I went to guest relations I was told it was "new policy".

Major :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td: :td:

You can bet all the other cruise lines would LOVE to follow. ;)

Can we recall which airline first added a fuel surcharge? Or a booking fee, or a change fee?

Nope, but they all do it now. :td:

Wow, this is a change. Wonder if this will lessen the supply of spring breakers on RC cruises...