Oh no....it's that wine poicy again!

[sail7seas]

With all due respect to the OP, we all have different views and I appreciate that, however, I personally fail to see what bringing more than a recently imposed allowance onboard has to do with trust, integrity, morality etc.

 

The bottom line is that we all know this policy was only amended in order to bring in more revenue.

 

There is no way I will ever be willingly happy for a cruise line to want to charge me $18 (or whatever it is) for corkage, when I open it myself for in-stateroom consumption.

 

If we’re going to mention morality, maybe we should look at HAL first before the very very naughty policy breakers.

 

I don’t feel in any way bad about taking wine (boxed or not) on board either at embarkation or in ports of call. It does not affect any other passenger in any way. I’m not breaking rules for the sake of it. I just like the wines I like, still like HAL as a line, just not this amended policy.

 

My questions were posed because I was simply wondering how many other people feel the same as me and also how many people do something about it on a practical level.

 

The fact that people appear to be able to get bottles onboard via security checks at ports of call and at embarkation seems to indicate that some staff at the onboard security point don’t appear to be bothered at all, which is because (at least I think) it’s just not that important. It’s merely some wine!

 

I certainly don’t believe that everyone was happy with HAL’s original amended policy, or their measly compromise. I certainly was not and remain so. HAL was perfectly happy to allow this practice before, so what’s changed?

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

One can always find justification. That's easy to do.

 

HAL has stockholders and they expect a profit from the company. It is no secret the cruise line is in business to make profits. That is not immoral.

 

They clearly state their wine/liquor policy and no matter how any of us twist it, it is expected that when we book our cruise with this company we agree to follow their rules. If we don't like their rules, we don't have to do business with them.

 

You asked what has changed? What changed is HAL, well within their rights, chose to change the policy. They published that change and made it known. Anyone booking with the company is responsible to follow their policies.

 

BTW, You are the OP of this thread, as was pointed out above..

Edited July 10, 2014 by sail7seas

[Boytjie]

The fact that people appear to be able to get bottles onboard via security checks at ports of call and at embarkation seems to indicate that some staff at the onboard security point don’t appear to be bothered at all, which is because (at least I think) it’s just not that important. It’s merely some wine!

 

Or they are not doing their job properly. ;)

 

I certainly don’t believe that everyone was happy with HAL’s original amended policy, or their measly compromise. I certainly was not and remain so. HAL was perfectly happy to allow this practice before, so what’s changed?

 

I took advantage of the original liberal HAL wine policy on a few cruises and that was all good. So, now they have changed the rules and you know what, it is not the end of the world for me. I have cruised on other cruise lines with policies that were a lot more restrictive and it did not bother me a bit following their policies. I have even experienced MSC's beverage packages and it would be nice if HAL offered something similar but if not that won't keep me off a HAL ship.

 

I guess I am not a finicky wine drinker; I can usually find something to drink. I am not married to any one wine (or beer for that matter).

[kelleherdl]

Peter,

 

Everything you said..... ditto. As sail has said on another post 'It is a cruise...' :)

 

Dennis

[eandj]

What gets me is that HAL's price for the wine they want their cruisers to purchase is SOOO overpriced that they are almost asking for their cruisers to try to sneak a few extra onboard. Or expecting them to figure out where to pick up bottles at the port and how to carry on the 6 bottles they will want. :rolleyes: A Beringer White Zin for $42 is robbery!! That's 400% over the store price. I can understand double, even triple the cost. But even in a nice restaurant, you aren't going to pay that for that variety. And this is one of the lowest cost bottles. :rolleyes:

If they charged $32 for that class of wine, I'd pay it gladly as part of the cruise cost. But I would give up drinking before paying that for that quality/ bottle of wine.

So how does that help HAL's profits? Seems if they would price the wine with a normal restaurant menu profit, they'd sell more onboard. We cruise on other lines and normally don't carry our own wine onboard because there is a decent wine list at normal restaurant pricing. HAL...a different story.

Edited July 10, 2014 by eandj

[Surreyman]

What gets me is that HAL's price for the wine they want their cruisers to purchase is SOOO overpriced that they are almost asking for their cruisers to try to sneak a few extra onboard. Or expecting them to figure out where to pick up bottles at the port and how to carry on the 6 bottles they will want. :rolleyes: A Beringer White Zin for $42 is robbery!! That's 400% over the store price. I can understand double, even triple the cost. But even in a nice restaurant, you aren't going to pay that for that variety. And this is one of the lowest cost bottles. :rolleyes:

If they charged $32 for that class of wine, I'd pay it gladly as part of the cruise cost. But I would give up drinking before paying that for that quality/ bottle of wine.

So how does that help HAL's profits? Seems if they would price the wine with a normal restaurant menu profit, they'd sell more onboard. We cruise on other lines and normally don't carry our own wine onboard because there is a decent wine list at normal restaurant pricing. HAL...a different story.

 

I'm not sure they would sell more, and I'm sure HAL have done the calculations.

 

It is from HALs point of view all about customer yield.

 

Just be grateful that those in the casino and on HAL excursions are effectively subsidising the rest of us.

[CCKelly]

What I don't understand is why the OP comes to this public forum and wants to know how others break the wine policy rules, how he can plan on doing it, etc. If he insists in attempting to "sneak" wine on board, then why not just try it and see what happens without broadcasting to everyone?

 

I do agree with Eandj that the price of wines on HAL is extremely high and seems to be overpriced compared to comparable cruise lines (of course the price is high on all cruise lines, but even more so on HAL). However, their policy of bringing your own unlimited bottles of wine on board is in my mind reasonable with the $18 corkage fee. I personally would like to see a more reasonably priced "wine package" or a return of the wonderful wine cards that were very reasonable in price for house wine.

 

I don't believe that charging a more reasonable price for wines would make any difference to this OP, because his goal is to sneak on his own wine without paying anything extra so I have to assume that he would want to sneak his own wine onto Princess or Celebrity or whatever.

[Viesczy]

We've not been on HAL since the fall of '12, but I smuggled contraband onto the Westerdam.

 

I know, I know, I know!

 

The CEO wasn't able to afford the 705' yacht he had his eye on and had to settle for the 704' yacht w/o the Flux Capacitor. THE HORROR! It is okay for HAL & the shareholders, they cut the monthly wages for all the non Caucasian staff on all boats down to $3 from $3.07!

 

HAL also staged the engine fire on the Westy so they could recoup the $$s lost via an insurance claim.

 

We can all rest well as HAL will pull through! :D

 

I guess if we're really applying the term "morals" to following a for profit company's rules so that the company can make more profit we'd not be having this conversation at all; a person with true morals is a clean living person who doesn't partake in any sort of spirits.

 

Anywho, what did I take? 2 bottles of Absinthe. Why? I don't like wine as it tastes like feet of the guy who made it, Absinthe is the only thing I drink and something HAL doesn't offer Absinthe. Carried one on with me and had one in my luggage. Did I finish them on the 30 day cruise? No. They went home with me.

 

Derek

[chrispb]

I don't believe that charging a more reasonable price for wines would make any difference to this OP, because his goal is to sneak on his own wine without paying anything extra so I have to assume that he would want to sneak his own wine onto Princess or Celebrity or whatever.

 

Your post was fine until you got to the last paragraph. You know what they say about assuming??

[DaveOKC]

What I don't understand is why the OP comes to this public forum and wants to know how others break the wine policy rules, how he can plan on doing it, etc. If he insists in attempting to "sneak" wine on board, then why not just try it and see what happens without broadcasting to everyone?

 

I agree that coming on a public message board to ask how to "break the rules" is not good form.

 

If you want to do it, that is up to you. However, why start something that could result in the cruise line further tightening the rules? I have seen it often in the past - a few people abusing the system spoiling it for the rest.

 

DaveOKC

[kenevenpar]

:rolleyes: A Beringer White Zin for $42 is robbery!!

 

A Beringer White Zin for $12 is robbery;).

 

Saw a great t-shirt in Napa - "Friends don't let friends drink white Zin". Just saying ...

[niceguyneastbay]

Hall Wine Price.pdf

[sun~]

The new wine policy doesn't bother me in the least. It was only a matter of time before the very liberal wine policy was changed.

 

I am happy I can bring on as much wine as I like and pay the corkage. It is a bit high the corkage, that is an argument for another day ;)

 

Hubby and I are wine drinkers and figure even with the $18 corkage, we come out miles ahead. If I buy a $40 bottle of wine ($58 with corkage) it could easily be a $130 bottle of wine if they had it on board. So it is a bargain for us. For those who like to drink cheap plonk (no offense to those who like plonk - but the Beringer White Zin falls into that category) it really isn't worth lugging it on board.

 

The corkage won't change how many bottles we bring on board. :D

[eandj]

A Beringer White Zin for $12 is robbery;).

 

Saw a great t-shirt in Napa - "Friends don't let friends drink white Zin". Just saying ...

 

 

I know, right?? :D That's why I used that as an example of ridiculous pricing!

[eandj]

[attach]318861[/attach]

 

 

Nice guy! Thank you for sharing another example of the obscene pricing on the HAL ships. I hope everyone interested looks at your comparison.

 

We will be cruising Spain next month and believe me...I'll be looking to bring on some local excellent Spanish wines and pay less than half what they will charge on their menu.

[Cruzin Terri]

Let me preface this by saying that it is rare that we drink wine in our cabin. We do bring wine on board because there are certain wines we like and HAL does not offer them.

 

Given that situation we pay the corkage fee. It makes little difference to us where it is collected, i.e. at embarkation or in the dining room.

 

I will say this. A cruise ship, in essence is a floating hotel. It even has a "Hotel Director". When I go to a hotel, my bags are not searched. I am free to bring wine or spirits to my room and consume them there if I so wish. No one will stop me. If I decide to go to the bar or restaurant at the hotel, I would not expect to bring my own wine or spirits with me and if I do, I would expect that a corkage fee would be imposed, if allowed at all. I think this is only fair.

 

I understand that the security search is necessary for our safety, but when HAL or any other cruise line dictates what I can and cannot do in the privacy of my cabin or make me pay for what I do in that cabin, something is very wrong with that picture.

 

This has nothing to do with morals. I don't intend to break the "rules". But HAL and every other cruise line that has these so-called "rules" should take a look at the morality of them. Or should I call it greed. There is certainly nothing moral about the price gouging of the wines offered on the HAL ships.

 

Terri

[uilleann]

Hi. I KNOW HAL's policy changed end Jan this year, however, we always used to take boxed wine in our checked luggage. We also used to bring some local wine aboard at some ports of call in the Med.

 

I have to state that before I ask these questions, I know I am discussing "breaking the rules", but it's a rule that I'm ok to take a chance with. After all, it's only wine:D

 

So, my questions:

 

Has anyone BROKEN THE RULES and taken either wine aboard in baggage at embarkation (apart from the allowed one bottle or whatever amount it is) or from ports of call. Have you been stopped??

 

In seattle we went through the xray machine. No one mention the bottles that we had. Then there was a wine check station but no one searched our luggage. No one from the xray passes along any info. We could have just said... No wine and moved along. Being too nervous to do that we admitted to the wine. But unbeknown to the HAL checkers.... I had loaded one of the bottles with port which is considered a fortified wine and would not have been allowed. The bottle looked like a bottle of wine. I had to get a new shrink wrap top to make it look legit. Also my wife had a pint of Grand Manier in her bra! In one of those rumrunner bags. My brother had 700ml of gin in his shoes in rumrunner bags in his checked luggage. All got through.

 

Its funny the guy in front of us had this fancy suitcase with 8 bottle of wine in it. He did check it in and was willing to pay the corkage. But the HAL check guys were telling him he could not take them on board??? He had to get another Hal guy, a supervisor?, to explain that if he paid corkage he could bring those bottles.

 

So chances are very high that you would have any problems, I would suggest you carry on... as if they are bottles they might get caught in the checked in baggage. I have no experience with bottles in checked bags.... but rumrunner bags seem to work albeit they may affect the taste of a good wine.

 

But its also a 100% probability that the CC Rule ****'s will come down on you for asking a question like this... I mean ... how dare you ruin it for us all.... and this will raise all of our fares.... and tell us which cruise you are on so we won't have to be on it..... I think its all very funny.

[pv girl]

I kind of look at it like going to a movie theater. You are not allowed to take your own snacks and drinks inside, but are required to purchase theirs. Popcorn and 2 drinks cost more than the senior admission fee. But they are trying to make money. Sure, you can sneak stuff in, but it requires carrying a larger purse, big coat pockets, etc. Same thing if you go to a ball game at a major league park - no carrying stuff in. HAL is just ensuring that we will purchase their products, or pay the corkage to bring our own. One doesn't carry a glass of iced tea into Chili's to go with their burger, they pay $2.50 for it to Chili's - a huge markup. Same as HAL's huge markups for wine. Those that want their own brands of wine can bring it on and pay the corkage, just like most restaurants allow. We bought a bottle of wine in Santorini last year and gladly paid the corkage to enjoy it with our dinner as a special memory of our day.

[cruz chic]

The lengths people will go to to smuggle stuff on blows my mind. I wish I had that much free time.

[cruz chic]

Let me preface this by saying that it is rare that we drink wine in our cabin. We do bring wine on board because there are certain wines we like and HAL does not offer them.

 

Given that situation we pay the corkage fee. It makes little difference to us where it is collected, i.e. at embarkation or in the dining room.

 

I will say this. A cruise ship, in essence is a floating hotel. It even has a "Hotel Director". When I go to a hotel, my bags are not searched. I am free to bring wine or spirits to my room and consume them there if I so wish. No one will stop me. If I decide to go to the bar or restaurant at the hotel, I would not expect to bring my own wine or spirits with me and if I do, I would expect that a corkage fee would be imposed, if allowed at all. I think this is only fair.

 

I understand that the security search is necessary for our safety, but when HAL or any other cruise line dictates what I can and cannot do in the privacy of my cabin or make me pay for what I do in that cabin, something is very wrong with that picture.

 

This has nothing to do with morals. I don't intend to break the "rules". But HAL and every other cruise line that has these so-called "rules" should take a look at the morality of them. Or should I call it greed. There is certainly nothing moral about the price gouging of the wines offered on the HAL ships.

 

Terri

 

I remember staying in a hotel in cancan years ago that insisted on searching your bags when you returned to the hotel.

 

So it's ok if you don't intend to break the rules. Got it now. If you can't justify it that makes it ok.

Edited July 10, 2014 by cruz chic

[Cruzin Terri]

I remember staying in a hotel in cancan years ago that insisted on searching your bags when you returned to the hotel.

 

So it's ok if you don't intend to break the rules. Got it now. If you can't justify it that makes it ok.

 

I think that hotel in " Cancan" is the exception rather than the rule.

 

Please explain your last sentence. Maybe i'm dense, but i don't understand it.

Terri

[POA1]

I think that hotel in " Cancan" is the exception rather than the rule.

 

Please explain your last sentence. Maybe i'm dense, but i don't understand it.

Terri

I think the word "can't" is supposed to be "can."

[cruz chic]

I think that hotel in " Cancan" is the exception rather than the rule.

 

Please explain your last sentence. Maybe i'm dense, but i don't understand it.

Terri

 

Looks like I should have proof read it:o. Thx for making note of my spelling error. It should be cancun. It was my autocorrect.

 

My second sentence should have been of you can justify it, that makes it ok.

[shandryl]

You know how some adults throw little children up in the air to entertain them? (Or at least they used to in the 1960s.)

 

Our house had low ceilings.

 

LOL ............too funny POA1 :D

[richardukcruise]

What I don't understand is why the OP comes to this public forum and wants to know how others break the wine policy rules, how he can plan on doing it, etc. If he insists in attempting to "sneak" wine on board, then why not just try it and see what happens without broadcasting to everyone?

 

I do agree with Eandj that the price of wines on HAL is extremely high and seems to be overpriced compared to comparable cruise lines (of course the price is high on all cruise lines, but even more so on HAL). However, their policy of bringing your own unlimited bottles of wine on board is in my mind reasonable with the $18 corkage fee. I personally would like to see a more reasonably priced "wine package" or a return of the wonderful wine cards that were very reasonable in price for house wine.

 

I don't believe that charging a more reasonable price for wines would make any difference to this OP, because his goal is to sneak on his own wine without paying anything extra so I have to assume that he would want to sneak his own wine onto Princess or Celebrity or whatever.

 

 

I'm asking for others experiences so I can gauge whether the policy is actively enforced.

[Surreyman]

I'm asking for others experiences so I can gauge whether the policy is actively enforced.

 

Go on, admit it: you were sent here by HAL to sniff out those who plan to smuggle wine on board by asking people if they have or intend to do so ;)