Bringing Wine Aboard

[jimlouisesophie]

We will be on the Jewel on Sept. 27 heading to the Panama and just called NCL regarding bringing on board wine. As most of us know, the corkage charge is $15 for a 750 ml bottle and $20 for a litre, but I was told that glass bottles, only, are allowed on board, meaning 1, 3, 4 or 5 litre cardboard boxes are allowed.

We plan to bring some wine onboard when first boarding, and also get more at some of the ports enroute.

I assume we can get an empty glass from the bar.

Great forum and glad to have discovered it.

[caribsun]

I think you are incorrect about the boxed wine.:)

[2Cruise4Ever]

Absolutely you can get a wine glass from one of the bars. But, there will also be cups/glasses in your cabin... though not wine glasses... unless you're in a suite.

[2inTul]

I think you are incorrect about the boxed wine.:)

 

I believe the OP is correct and you are not. NCL explicitly states that no boxed wine is allowed on-board. From NCL:

 

Wine & Champagne Policy

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

750 ml Bottle: $15.00

1,000 ml Bottle: $ 20.00

1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00

Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.

 

Here is the link: http://www2.ncl.com/faq#alcohol-consumption

[2Cruise4Ever]

I think you are incorrect about the boxed wine.:)

 

I think the OP mis-typed... boxed wine is not allowed... although some have brought it on board with no issues...

[jimlouisesophie]

Thanks for the replies....and the NCL operator that I called could have been incorrect, but the last post confirms that boxed wine cannot be brought aboard....It would be so much easier and safer to bring a box aboard, but perhaps the reason is that there is no cork, and no corkage charge could be applied...LOL or could this be a fact?

[jimlouisesophie]

Yes, it is my mistype on the original message I posted...boxes are NOT allowed...thanks for picking this up as it added to the confusion.....so the final verdict is no box wines are allowed on board...Period....too bad

[js]

Can I please also ask a question.

 

If we decide to purchase a couple of bottles of wine from NCL before we board, will they put in our stateroom or will they just have available for us at dinner and then we can take.

I would like it waiting there for when we arrive.

Thanks for letting me know.

[2Cruise4Ever]

Can I please also ask a question.

 

If we decide to purchase a couple of bottles of wine from NCL before we board, will they put in our stateroom or will they just have available for us at dinner and then we can take.

I would like it waiting there for when we arrive.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

Yes, if you purchase a couple of bottles ahead of time they will be in your stateroom. Also, if you purchase a bottle at dinner they will hold it for you .... or you can take it back to your cabin.

[garycarla]

It has nothing to do with a cork. Screw top bottles are the same.

 

I am guessing there are two reasons they say boxed wine is not allow.

1 - Too much wine means less wine purchases

or

2 - They have trouble detecting them.

[Cash123]

From NCLwebsite"Wine & Champagne Policy

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

 

I didn't realise you have to pay corkage if you have the bottle in your cabin as I thought they charge you when you get the waiter to open your bottle so how do they know when you open a bottle in your cabin ?

[K L B]

From NCLwebsite"Wine & Champagne Policy

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

 

I didn't realise you have to pay corkage if you have the bottle in your cabin as I thought they charge you when you get the waiter to open your bottle so how do they know when you open a bottle in your cabin ?

 

I was wondering the same thing about the corkage fee when you open a bottle in your cabin. Anyone???

[janetz]

When we brought our own wine onboard we were sent to a table at check in and the corkage fee was charged at that time. So yes, you pay even if the wine never gets to the dining room. We brought 4 large bottles on and it was 12.00 per bottle. This was last fall. After doing the math and seeing that our favorites were not offered by NCL we brought our own and saved alot of money doing so. :)

[K L B]

When we brought our own wine onboard we were sent to a table at check in and the corkage fee was charged at that time. So yes, you pay even if the wine never gets to the dining room. We brought 4 large bottles on and it was 12.00 per bottle. This was last fall. After doing the math and seeing that our favorites were not offered by NCL we brought our own and saved alot of money doing so. :)

 

Ahhh that's sort of what i was thinking would happen. Although you would pay the corkage fee even if you don't get through all of the bottles, I think it's a fair trade off. Thank you!

[janetz]

Ahhh that's sort of what i was thinking would happen. Although you would pay the corkage fee even if you don't get through all of the bottles, I think it's a fair trade off. Thank you!

 

 

Oh your welcome..We did drink all. We traveled with 2 other couples and I had them to our cabin for pre dinner wine most nights. It worked out well. :)

[sdmike]

If there are unopened bottles at the end of the cruise you can request a refund of the corkage fees for those bottles.

[AlFrank]

I was wondering the same thing about the corkage fee when you open a bottle in your cabin. Anyone???

They charge the corkage fee no matter where you enjoy your wine. If you are having it with dinner in the dining room, the waiter takes part of the sticker (the ones they give you when you pay the corkage fee) and he/she gets $5.00 for everyone, the rest of the money (10.00 when we went last September) goes to - you guessed it - the company. It's there way of getting your money even if you don't buy their wines.

[ndabunka]

Why do they let you bring wine on board (from home or ports) but they confiscate liquor until the end of the cruise if you buy it on board or in port? I know you can buy a bottle from NCL for outrageous prices but they could easily do the same thing with wine, couldn't they? What is the distinction between allowing one but not the other?

 

Also, beer and wine normally carry similar legal positions so has anyone tried to bring a case (or a mini keg) of beer on board and pay NCL a "corkage fee for their beer? We don't drink enough to make a difference (a mixed drink with dinner so maybe 6 drinks the whole cruise) so this isn't a real issue for us. Just have always wondered how they can have differing standards for similar products.

[natachanne]

When we brought our own wine onboard we were sent to a table at check in and the corkage fee was charged at that time. So yes, you pay even if the wine never gets to the dining room. We brought 4 large bottles on and it was 12.00 per bottle. This was last fall. After doing the math and seeing that our favorites were not offered by NCL we brought our own and saved alot of money doing so. :)

 

Wow! Thanks for the information; I would have never though they would charge you a corkage fee for a bottle you are having in your cabin!! Even so, we will look into this; I understand that you are not limited in the number of bottles you can bring onboard? It sure could be worth while since you save on 15% auto gratuity...and you can bring the wine that you really like! :cool:

[jdvmd]

A corkage fee has nothing to do with a cork or having someone open your bottle. It is to offset the loss of revenue because you didn't buy a bottle onboard.

[jimlouisesophie]

Yes, as posted, you can save a great deal of money by bringing on board any quanity of wine in bottles, only, and you get to bring on your favourite. We are doing the Panama from LA and plan on getting a few bottles prior to boarding, but would like to get more in Mexico, eg PV, Cabo, Huatalco. Are the wine prices less expensive in Mexico than in the USA. Thanks, Jim

[musicorn]

We bought 4 x 1.5 litre bottles onboard last June and were charged $15 a bottle corkage. The rates have changed since then :( and these would now attract $30 corkage fee.

 

During the cruise my husband bought a bucket of beer and we placed my wine in that and took it all over the ship - dinner, the show, the pool anywhere. I got a clean glass each day from the closest bar. It was great. :)

[janetz]

We went on the Dawn last Oct and the corkage fee was 12 for the 1.5. :)

[johnql]

We went on the Dawn last Oct and the corkage fee was 12 for the 1.5. :)

$12? Doesn't sound right. I don't recall it ever being $12 (regardless of size).

[janetz]

$12? Doesn't sound right. I don't recall it ever being $12 (regardless of size).

 

 

Woops so sorry. I meant 15. :)