# Boxed wine in Rome



## Passepartout (Sep 10, 2011)

I know, I know, blasphemy! Here's the deal. Next month we are taking a transatlantic cruise from Rome (Civitaveccia). The cruise line allows passengers to bring aboard one bottle per person at embarkation. We have had no difficulty boarding with boxed wine in our checked bags on other cruises. The heavy plastic liners in the boxed are very sturdy and our bags give them good protection.

The question is: Is boxed wine of decent quality available in Italy; Rome or Civitaveccia in particular? I'd prefer not to have to bring it from the USA if it's available there. 

With what cruise lines charge for wine, each 2 ltr box saves close to $100, and for in-cabin consumption it's fine.

Jim Ricks


----------



## PStreet1 (Jan 7, 2012)

We may have been on the same cruise with you, Navigator?  Anyway, we considered bringing boxed wine on-board, and didn't do it.  Did you?  We'll be in Rome again this fall and I'd love to know if you found boxed wine and how it was.

We did take several bottles of wine on board with us.  It wasn't expensive, and we figured if they took it, we'd just collect it later and that would be that. However, they didn't take it.  We talked to others who took considerably more on board than we did.  Lots of people re-stocked at the ports also, and still had no trouble.


----------



## Passepartout (Jan 7, 2012)

We found boxed wine readily available in grocery stores both in Rome and in Civitaveccia. No need to go to an 'Enoteca.' It was good 'red table wine' quality. 5L for 2.85 Euro! It was on sale. I also bought some chardonnay for DW. We had no difficulty boarding with it in our checked bags. Others had beverages held until the final night before arrival at destination if they bought it at intermediate port stops. Celebrity's rule.

PStreet1 we were on a November W. bound Transatlantic on Silhouette.

Jim


----------



## PStreet1 (Jan 7, 2012)

Did you like the ship?  We were within a hair's breath of booking the eastern Med. and then the TA with them for next Nov/Dec.  Then we decided to go ahead and get the time on Royal Car. to up our status.


----------



## Passepartout (Jan 7, 2012)

PStreet1 said:


> Did you like the ship?  We were within a hair's breath of booking the eastern Med. and then the TA with them for next Nov/Dec.  Then we decided to go ahead and get the time on Royal Car. to up our status.



Yes, we like the Solstice Class ships a lot. We had taken the E. Bound last May on Solstice to Barca and enjoyed it so much that we booked the brand new Silhouette W. Bound from Rome to NJ in Nov.

Here's our takeaway for TA's. East bound, you cross a time zone almost every night and have to set your clocks forward an hour. 23 hour days back to back. West bound, you get 25 hour days back to back.

We finally have status on Celebrity, but RCCL (same company) is fine as well. Just don't look for us on any Carny.

Jim


----------



## pedro47 (Jan 7, 2012)

Passepartout said:


> Yes, we like the Solstice Class ships a lot. We had taken the E. Bound last May on Solstice to Barca and enjoyed it so much that we booked the brand new Silhouette W. Bound from Rome to NJ in Nov.
> 
> Here's our takeaway for TA's. East bound, you cross a time zone almost every night and have to set your clocks forward an hour. 23 hour days back to back. West bound, you get 25 hour days back to back.
> 
> ...



Great thread we are headed to Rome this year and wanted to purchase our two (2) bottle of wine as allow per stateroom to take on the Celebrity Silhouette. What is the name of a good red wine and came you tell me the name of the grocery in the port of Rome (Civitavecchia) where you purchase this red wine?  Thanks in advance !!
After the sailing on this cruise will we become Elite members.


----------



## Passepartout (Jan 8, 2012)

pedro47 said:


> What is the name of a good red wine and came you tell me the name of the grocery in the port of Rome (Civitavecchia) where you purchase this red wine?



I am no wine snob and can't tell you the names of what I boarded with. I asked the shopkeeper what was popular- the price was right and I bought it. (In Italy, wine is cheap) In Civitavecchia, the tracks divide the town into 'port side and 'town' side. There is a tunnel under the tracks between the two and providing access to the platforms. If you walk into the 'town side' 3-4 blocks through the residential area- shops on the ground floors, apartments above, schools and the like. There are grocery stores where you can get wine, snacks etc, to take aboard your cruise from the port of Rome. Prices were much higher in the 'port' or tourist side of the tracks.

Carrying aboard whatever the cruise line allows sure beats paying their mini-bar prices in the cabin.

Jim


----------



## pedro47 (Jan 8, 2012)

Passepartout thanks for the answer, please do not share this information on cruise critic because Celebrity Cruise Line monitor that site daily.

I am also a merlot drinker.


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Jan 8, 2012)

*Good to know*

Great info about the wine and the Silhouette.  We're cruising on her this spring out of Civitavecchia, followed by a week at Chateau du Maulmont, and ending up with an overnite in Versailles and 3 days in Brussels.

We usually travel with SIL/BIL and they and DH aren't wine drinkers, so they are my "mules".  DH & I carried each carried a magnum aboard our recent Equinox voyage, and the in-laws a 750ml each.  Ended up with an unopened magnum at cruise's end !


----------



## Passepartout (Jan 8, 2012)

Thanks. I know the cruise lines monitor CC closely. Just like Grupo monitors the Mexico forum here.

But since 2 of you are going on Silhouette this year, I'll post this here. We liked Silhouette fine but one change they made from Solstice was to eliminate the shelves in the closet. So if you want some open shelves to stack shirts or whatever on in the closet, get one of these: http://www.travelsmith.com/small-shelves-to-go/22726 I find that hanging sweaters does them no good and the 3 provided drawers fill up fast if you use them for that purpose.

Have fun!

Jim


----------



## pedro47 (Jan 8, 2012)

On the Silly do they still have shelves over the bed area ?


----------



## Passepartout (Jan 8, 2012)

pedro47 said:


> On the Silly do they still have shelves over the bed area ?



Yes. The lifejackets are in humongous bins under the bed.


----------



## beejaybeeohio (Jan 9, 2012)

Didn't realize the Silhouette had shelves in the closet- we managed ok on the Eclipse & Equinox without any. DH likes hanging his shirts and I roll mine so the drawers work out ok, especially for a Europe cruise since we have pack light flying between VCE & CDG on Easyjet.


----------

