Taking spirits on board HAL

[Boytjie]

they have never stopped me for bringing liquor in my checked bags and sometimes they don't even have someone at reboarding to collect liquor bought in port. They treat you like adults and know that if you have a drink or 2 in your cabin you will also be frequenting their bars. Just don't make drinks in your cabin and then take them to the pool or elsewhere.

 

I am not sure how HAL would regulate "drinks in your cabin" and taken "to the pool or elsewhere". Have you seen this happen? Or how would they know that you are only having a drink or 2 in your cabin?

 

I am not advocating for bringing liquor onbaord and taking it anywhere outside a cabin, I am just not sure how you get tot these conclusions.

[dmg1956]

Hoping this message gets to those of you who think you are limited to two bottles of wine. You are incorrect. It is HAL's policy to allow passengers to bring as much wine as they want. End of subject. Clear and simple. I've just booked a cruise and I doubled checked the policy. It's still the same as it's always been. Get over it.

[Typhoon1]

Take 15 cases of each if you wish.

[2mnycats]

Do I need to have it in my checked bag? Or can I carry it onboard? Just afraid of it being broken and spilling all over my clothes.

[dmg1956]

We always put our wine in a checked bag since we take about 10 bottles and an 8-pack of water. We actually get our wine for very low prices (but it's good wine) and check in on the plane with one other bag. We trim the box of wine down then bubble wrap each bottle as well as extra cardboard on the bottom of the bag (it's a large gym bag, to give you an idea) then more bubble wrap to fill out the bag. We've never had a problem. I'm sure you can bring it on board with you if you wish but I'd still take precautions like I've indicated. We take our wine from home (purchased at Trader Joe's for 4,5,6 dollars a bottle) rather than buy it at a booze store in the embarcation city since the prices will be much higher in a booze store near the cruise ship terminal. Hope this helps.

[Boytjie]

Do I need to have it in my checked bag? Or can I carry it onboard? Just afraid of it being broken and spilling all over my clothes.

 

There is no requirement on how the wine is to be transported.

 

I woudl not put any in my checked luggage. If it si just a few bottles I will just carry it on. I have taken wine onboard by checking cases of it on variosu cruises. The first time one or two bottles broke and I found the case in the bathtub. In all other instances the cases of wine arrived in the cabin intact.

[rqagent]

The wine policy is the greatest reason to sail HAL.

 

I'm with you!

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Travel websites out there sell what is called "Bottle Armor". Google it and you will see....it is a double sealed bag with a bubble liner for bottles of wine or liquor to put in suitcases. I have used these on occasion on tours to transport a bottle of wine or liquor in my carryon on the coach (not on the plane, it would have to go in your checked luggage). I am with Boytjie , if it was just a few bottles, I would just carry them on and not bother to put them in a suitcase. However, prior to Bottle Armor, I have wrapped bottles in bubble wrap and encased them in sealed double plastic bags and put them in my checked luggage when traveling and never had a problem......however, there is always a first time.....;)

 

By all means, don't try to smuggle beer or hard liquor on to the ship.....you will be caught, and it will be embarrassing!:o Just buy it for your stateroom online on the HAL website prior to your trip. It is so much easier!!

[hvsteve1]

We generally drink wine only with meals and don't mind paying corkage in order to have the good wine we want. For example, we took a two week Hawaii cruise last year and spent the week before in Escondido. On a full day wine country tour we tasted and purchased some better wines. We brought them on board in a carton and happily paid corkage. If we paid $20 or $30 at a winery, I hate to think what HAL would charge for a bottle. $80? $100? On our cruise last month we were at a table with a generous fellow who had purchased a wine package and offered to share his bottle with us and ordered a Washington State wine he liked (after telling the wine steward he had the package). At the end of the dinner, he was asked for his room card to charge the wine. He argued that he had the package and the steward said the wine was not on the package and "very expensive". The problem was eventually resolved, but, when I asked what he would have paid for the wine in the store, our dining companion said, "About 20 bucks". Very expensive? Try a 400 percent markup (over retail). The $18 is reasonable considering you can use the bottle over several meals. We also bring on soda to drink in the cabin as I would rather pay 60 cents a can in a 12 pack than the $2.25 a can HAL wants. It's tough if you're going to go directly from a plane to the ship, but we usually spend a few days in the embarkation port. Our hotel in Montreal opened directly into a large supermarket and, when taking a cab, who cares about a few extra cartons? I don't bring on water. Most people who buy water end up with filtered, not spring, water. What do you think you're getting from the taps on a ship?

[sail7seas]

Do I need to have it in my checked bag? Or can I carry it onboard? Just afraid of it being broken and spilling all over my clothes.

 

 

You can carry it on or you can check your wine through.

Some people buy a case and put a luggage tag on the box and the stewards deliver it to the cabin.

 

The best reason to not put it in a checked suitcase is breakage. Why risk red wine all over your clothes? :eek: Many people have all sort of wrapping methods and they work 'most' of the time. :D It's the time they don't work that isn't so great. :eek:

 

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

You can carry it on or you can check your wine through.

Some people buy a case and put a luggage tag on the box and the stewards deliver it to the cabin.

 

The best reason to not put it in a checked suitcase is breakage. Why risk red wine all over your clothes? :eek: Many people have all sort of wrapping methods and they work 'most' of the time. :D It's the time they don't work that isn't so great. :eek:

 

 

Exactly. Since HAL allows you to bring it onboard, why risk it???

[retafcruiser]

The wine policy is the greatest reason to sail HAL.

 

And (to me) the reasonable prices for bottles of liquor delivered to your stateroom. They are about 1/3 the cost one pays on Celebrity. No reason to smuggle booze here :cool:

[jaguarstyper]

You need to read up on any questions you have about your cruise. You'll find most of your questions answered on HAL's website. The answer to you your question is NO. HAL does not allow beer or booze brought on board at embarcation or at any port of call. You can bring as much wine on board as you with. If you are already booked, go to your booking confirmation and follow the tabs from there or just go to the HAL website and click on 'booked cruises' or something to that effect. After you've entered your booking number you will be able to access the perks pages which include a section called "indulgences". There you will find the many booze items you can choose from for your in-room drinking. It's an extensive list although short on bourbon offerings and the prices are quite reasonable. Good luck and enjoy your cruise. Paul D St. Paul, MN

One thing I have discovered is that this list is not complete. If you call HAL and ask them for something that is stocked on the ship, but not on the list, they can pre-order it for you. They will quote you a price over the phone, take your credit card information and email you a receipt. Also, once onboard, you can check with your favorite bartender. If they have it on the ship, they will sell you a full bottle for in your cabin at the same price as pre-ordering. The Pinnacle Bar, The Ocean Bar and The Crows Nest bar seem to have the best selections at the bar, but I believe any bartender at any bar can get you whatever they have, it just might take a bit longer if they have to have it brought up from inventory.

 

You can also order full bottles from room service.

[paksey]

Has anyone brought a 1 1/2 liter to the MDR.? We have done this on Princess, to try and save some money on the corkage fees on the longer cruises. We will be going on a long HAL cruise this summer and like wine every night with dinner. We like a particular wine that also comes in a larger bottle, so we would bring or get some of that. How is HAL with that?

[elizabeth612]

What happens if I were to drink half a bottle one night and finish it with dinner the next night? Would I be paying 2 corkage fees for the same bottle in the MDR?

[paksey]

corkage fee for 1 1/2 liter

Has anyone brought a 1 1/2 liter to the MDR.? We have done this on Princess, to try and save some money on the corkage fees on the longer cruises. We will be going on a long HAL cruise this summer and like wine every night with dinner. We like a particular wine that also comes in a larger bottle, so we would bring or get some of that. How is HAL with that?

_

[TheEmerson]

I wonder what they place Sake into; Wine or hard liquor.

[RonJoan]

corkage fee for 1 1/2 liter

Has anyone brought a 1 1/2 liter to the MDR.? We have done this on Princess, to try and save some money on the corkage fees on the longer cruises. We will be going on a long HAL cruise this summer and like wine every night with dinner. We like a particular wine that also comes in a larger bottle, so we would bring or get some of that. How is HAL with that?

_

 

I know from past bitter experience that not everyone agrees with me but here goes anyway! - - - > > >

 

HAL has generously given us passengers the most liberal wine bringaboard policy in the entire cruising fleet. There is little argument about that. Yet we constantly hear occasional passengers posting ideas for chipping away at the edges of the policy to save a few bucks on this or that charge associated with the policy. Sometimes it is carrying drinks from the cabin to the MDR to circumvent the corkage fee and sometimes it involves taking larger than normal bottles. Where does it end? Why not take a 3 Liter Box of wine to the MDR?

 

After paying several $1,000 for the cruise do you really want to jeopardize the HAL wine policy by adding the chipping away at the edges to save part of the $18 corkage fee? Also, think of the Wine Stewards who may not be equipped to store and handle the much large bottle for you.

[elizabeth612]

I don't think anyone's trying to "chip away" at anything. I know there are a lot of HAL lifers here, and we newbies are just asking for answers from experienced travelers as yourself. :confused:

[peaches from georgia]

What happens if I were to drink half a bottle one night and finish it with dinner the next night? Would I be paying 2 corkage fees for the same bottle in the MDR?

No. One $18 corkage fee per bottle. They will just bring the bottle to your table succeeding nights till you finish it, but only a fee on the first night.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Personally, I would keep the 1.5 liter bottle in the stateroom and enjoy it there. IMO, I would bring only a 750 ml bottle to the dining room. I agree with a previous poster, there may be a storage problem with larger bottles. I haven't seen too many wines that don't come in the smaller 750 ml size bottle that are also available in the 1.5 liter bottle......

[RonJoan]

I don't think anyone's trying to "chip away" at anything. I know there are a lot of HAL lifers here, and we newbies are just asking for answers from experienced travelers as yourself. :confused:

 

Suggest you re-read the poster's question. "...to try and save some money on the corkage fees...."

[elizabeth612]

I see, if bottle is not finished they will hold for the next night, thanks for the info Peaches!

[SeaBands]

only one corkage charge no matter how many nights you drink from the same bottle.