Can I Bring My Own Wine or Alcohol on Board CroisiEurope?
Australians visiting Europe's great wine regions Alsace, the Wachau, the Douro Valley, Burgundy naturally want to bring bottles home with them, or enjoy a particularly good wine found ashore in the evening. Here is the complete guide to bringing wine and alcohol onto a CroisiEurope ship.
The Official Policy
CroisiEurope's policy on bringing personal wine and alcohol on board is generous by cruise industry standards. As a French company with a deep wine culture, there is no blanket prohibition on bringing your own wine unlike many ocean cruise lines that charge corkage fees or prohibit outside alcohol entirely.
The practical position is: bringing a bottle or two purchased ashore is generally accepted. Bringing large quantities (cases of wine) is not appropriate and may be declined. If in doubt, ask the cruise director or maître d' on embarkation.
Enjoying Wine Purchased Ashore
If you have purchased a bottle of Alsatian Riesling from the vineyard you visited that afternoon and would like to enjoy it with dinner, this is entirely reasonable to request. Speak with the maître d' a modest corkage charge may apply if you bring wine to the dining room table, or you may be invited to enjoy it in your cabin. The social atmosphere on a CroisiEurope ship is European and relaxed about wine not rigid about corkage rules.
Buying Wine Ashore: Practical Considerations
Weight and Luggage
The primary practical consideration for Australian travellers buying wine ashore is weight. A standard 750ml wine bottle weighs approximately 1.2 1.4 kg. Six bottles (half a case) adds 7 8 kg to your luggage significant given Australia's airline baggage allowances (typically 23 30 kg in economy, 32 kg in business class).
Breakage
Wine bottles in suitcase travel carry real breakage risk. Purchase purpose-built wine travel bags (available online before departure or in European wine shops) for any bottles you plan to carry home. Alternatively, many quality wine estates will ship direct to Australia ask at the cellar door.
Australian Customs
Australia allows returning residents to bring 2.25 litres of alcohol duty-free per person over 18. This is approximately 3 standard wine bottles. Anything above this quantity must be declared and excise duty paid. Wine declared above the limit incurs duty and GST the combined rate makes significant quantities less economical than buying in Australia, unless you are bringing genuinely rare wines unavailable here.
The Bar Is Already Included
A useful perspective: bar drinks on CroisiEurope are already included in the cruise price throughout the day. The bar stocks regional wines, spirits, and beer. If your purpose in bringing wine on board is to have a drink in the evening, the included bar provides this. Personal wines from shore visits are an additional pleasure, not a necessity.
Special Purchases: Cellar Door Shipping to Australia
Several CroisiEurope partner quintas in the Douro and wine estates on the Rhine and Danube can arrange to ship wine directly to Australia. This avoids all luggage and customs complications. Ask at the cellar door or excursion desk CroisiEurope Australia can advise on which estates offer this service.
Enquire with CroisiEurope Australia
For bookings, brochures, or any questions about CroisiEurope itineraries, contact our dedicated Australian team.
Phone: 1300 739 652 | Email: contact@croisicruises.com
Website: www.croisieuroperivercruises.com.au | Tweet World Travel, 544 Magill Road, Magill SA 5072
2027 departures are open for booking now.
