Question about sake, UBP, and bringing wine on board

[nikex]

I'm sailing on the Epic later this month and we are planning on getting the ultimate beverage package.

 

For one of our dinners we're going to be eating Teppanyaki.. I know that there are at least sake cocktails on the menu, but I don't know if there will be glasses of sake available either, and even if there are, if they will be covered under the package. To avoid confusion/disappointment, my husband suggested I bring a bottle of sake on board and pay corkage on it, since sake is just rice wine. So, two questions..

 

First is would I be correct in assuming that sake cocktails and straight glasses of sake probably wouldn't be covered by the UBP?

 

Second is does anyone know if NCL does honor the fact that sake is wine and let us bring our own and pay corkage, or if they treat it like hard alcohol and/or confiscate it? I don't want to bring a nice bottle on board and risk having it taken from us or worse, thrown away as contraband.

[lambchoplady]

I can't answer your questions from exprience, but there is a Sake Bar, so you should be able to get a variety of sake there and bring it in with you.

[MeHeartCruising]

We brought a dutch chocolate wine on board the Epic. It was a stronger alcohol content than normal wines. This was written on the label. The woman at the desk inspected the bottle and indicated that this alcohol level was above the level she was supposed to let on board as wine, but that since the bottle was labeled as a wine, she was going to it pass through. I know that many sakes are higher in alcohol content than is wine, so if the bottle indicates this high level, they may decide to not let it through. I don't know if sake is labeled as a wine, but I would not count on the person at the corkage table when you board to know that sake is a wine. I suspect your results may vary depending on the person at the desk more than anything else.

[RikkuCat]

If I were you, I would probably just order it on board. Even if it isn't covered by the beverage plan, you can purchase it separately. Unless you prefer a certain type of sake - if that's the case, why not try bringing it aboard and see what they say?

 

My hunch is that it probably depends on the security person working. A lot of people are unfamiliar with sake, so unless the bottle specifically defines sake as rice wine, they may confiscate it. Of course, you may have luck asking to speak to a manager - but honestly, that's a hassle I wouldn't want to have to deal with. I'd just order sake on board and pay for it separately if it isn't covered by the beverage plan.

[bakerintn]

If you bring your own Sake, leave it sealed. Then, if they don't allow it, you will get it back at the end of the cruise.

 

undiluted sake is typically 18-20% alcohol...way above the typical wine 12-15%, although many sake's in the U.S. are diluted to about 15%.