Corkage Fee

Is there any way to avoid paying a corkage fee on any of HAL's ships? I was looking at taking my own wine onboard with me.

Drink it in your stateroom. The 15% is charged when taken into the dining areas.

Happy sailing!

Oops - Double post.

Happy sailing!

I think you meant $15.00. :)

Drink it in your stateroom. The 15% is charged when taken into the dining areas.

Drink it in your stateroom. The 15% is charged when taken into the dining areas.

 

Happy sailing!

So I can't even take it to the diningroom with the cork already removed?

What is a Corkage Fee?

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A corkage fee is charged by a restaurant to patrons bringing their own wines to a meal. The corkage fee is usually minimal and is considered a convenience charge to the restaurant for opening and serving wines from outside their cellar.

The use of a corkage fee is widespread in many parts of the United States, especially heavy wine producers such as Napa County in California. The corkage fee is not designed to be a penalty for the diner and should not be viewed that way.

Many establishments offer scaled corkage fees depending on the type of wine brought in and how many bottles there are. Others may waive the corkage fee if customers order a bottle or two from the restaurant's wine list as well. If the wine needs special care, such as chilling or extra breathing time, make appropriate arrangements.

Wine is a major source of markup for restaurants, and loss of wine sales can depress earnings. For this reason, most restaurants charge a corkage fee equivalent to their cheapest bottle, to recoup at least some of the potential lost revenue. As a general rule, bring in a wine that is at least as expensive as the restaurant's cheapest offering.

When bringing in outside wines, it is considered common courtesy to offer the waiter, and sommelier, if the restaurant has one, a taste. Usually, the wines that diners bring in are special and unlikely to be on the wine list.

Bickering about the corkage fee is considered poor form – accept it with grace and enjoy your meal.

So I can't even take it to the diningroom with the cork already removed?

There is one way to avoid the fee,

And that's to have a bottle of p.

He'll say, "That's ok,"

When he smells the bouquet

And you bring out the hidden chablis.

I think you meant $15.00. :)

Yep. Meant $15.00. BTW DesertDiva, love your signature piece!

Is there any way to avoid paying a corkage fee on any of HAL's ships? I was looking at taking my own wine onboard with me.

We normally speak to our waiter or wine steward the first evening of the cruise and inform them that we have brought wine aboard with us and will be bring a bottle or two to dinner each evening. We are always prepared to pay some sort of corkage fee, but in return we are able to enjoy wines that are unique and not available on any of the ships wine lists.

I don't think there's any way to plan to avoid it, other than drinking your wine in your cabin. But many CCers have reported the same experience I had, which is that they "forgot" to charge for it - even though in my case (being scrupulously honest), I reminded them twice that I owed it! So, I gave it to them in the form of a tip instead.:D

Seriously, I wouldn't sweat it. Even with the corkage fee, bringing your own wine will still save you $$ over a comparable wine from HAL's list. And bringing it to the dining room already opened is not a solution (besides being a little tacky, IMHO.) The corkage fee is not charged for the service of drawing the cork, really; it's a way for them to recoup the loss when they don't get their profit from selling you a bottle. So saving them the work of uncorking the bottle doesn't really entitle you to avoid the fee.

Be sure to bring your own bottle opener/corkscrew, open the wine yourself and drink it in your stateroom. If you want wine for dinner, buy a wine card, it's very economical.....and you can avoid paying $60 for a $12 bottle of wine. And of course avoid "corkage", which is defined as being stupid enough to pay someone $15 to take the cork out of a bottle of wine that you paid for already..... :) :) :)

We had 25 bottles between the 4 of us on a 15 day holiday cruise. A lot, but not enough for 2 or even 3 a night at dinner. We purchased some as well. In addition, I slipped the Wine Steward (once I was comfortable with him) a $100 on the 3rd night. There was maybe 1 more corkage fee after that because his boss caught him with the wine he would pick up from my cabin in batches of 5 and 6 every 3rd day. We also ordered Phelphs Insignia and Caymus Connundrum along with the Tattinger Le grande Dame Rose on New Years Eve. The Cellar Master and I because close after I attened one of his seminars and we all became very convivial and we moved it to the Pinnicle Lounge next door and continued with the really good stuff. This is helping me do my main review, which is in second edit. Actually, we were part of a group from a Celebrity ship and were de-butlerized. There were some really SMASHING moments on this cruise, right now my second favorite ever. Good for you HAL! :cool:

I dont' have a problem with the corkage fee - I think it is only fair.

My question is this: If I take a bottle of my wine to the dining room, pay corkage but don't drink it all that night, I understand the wine will be kept for me for the next evening; do I pay the corkage again on the second night?

No, not unless you have the dining room open an additional bottle. The corkage fee is a charge "per bottle."

I dont' have a problem with the corkage fee - I think it is only fair.

 

My question is this: If I take a bottle of my wine to the dining room, pay corkage but don't drink it all that night, I understand the wine will be kept for me for the next evening; do I pay the corkage again on the second night?

So I can't even take it to the diningroom with the cork already removed?

That would be inappropriate and a corkage fee is charged for consumption and service, not just removing the cork.

We appreciate HAL's wine policy and always expect to pay the corkage, in addition to tipping the sommelier. Abuse of their generous policy could well result in modifications along the lines of Celebrity. That would a sad thing:(.

Wineguys, we bring a good bit as well and take care very good care of the sommeliers. We have always found them to be gracious and to enjoy a bit of wine with us later in the evening. It's a treat to drink the wines we prefer.

We had 25 bottles between the 4 of us on a 15 day holiday cruise. A lot, but not enough for 2 or even 3 a night at dinner. We purchased some as well. In addition, I slipped the Wine Steward (once I was comfortable with him) a $100 on the 3rd night. There was maybe 1 more corkage fee after that because his boss caught him with the wine he would pick up from my cabin in batches of 5 and 6 every 3rd day. We also ordered Phelphs Insignia and Caymus Connundrum along with the Tattinger Le grande Dame Rose on New Years Eve. The Cellar Master and I because close after I attened one of his seminars and we all became very convivial and we moved it to the Pinnicle Lounge next door and continued with the really good stuff. This is helping me do my main review, which is in second edit. Actually, we were part of a group from a Celebrity ship and were de-butlerized. There were some really SMASHING moments on this cruise, right now my second favorite ever. Good for you HAL! :cool:

Wineguys hope we meet someday on a cruise. We certainly have a lot in common.

:D

My recent successful way of "avoiding" the $15 corkage was tipping the wine steward $15 a night!

I'd rather see the crew member get the money than HAL...and on the nights the 3 of us got into a second bottle, there was no extra charge. Like CaviarGal and others above, we always offer tasting.

That would be inappropriate and a corkage fee is charged for consumption and service, not just removing the cork.

Inappropriate or not, I have seen people walk into the diningroom with a bottle of wine in their hands that had obviously been opened prior to arriving. The cork had simply been replaced into the bottle by the person carrying it, no doubt. :rolleyes:

Inappropriate or not, I have seen people walk into the diningroom with a bottle of wine in their hands that had obviously been opened prior to arriving. The cork had simply been replaced into the bottle by the person carrying it, no doubt. :rolleyes:

They most likely had purchased it in one of the lounges to drink before dinner...

The stewards know which wines are on the wine list - and which aren't.

Of course, there's no "wine police" - it's expected that people will abide by the rules.