HAL Lousy Wine List

[kazu]

[quote name='LindaM']Because there are still many of us who disagree with this assertion. HAL may not have enough people onboard who are complaining or even purchasing wine for HAL to take the CC complaints seriously. This is not where they want to concentrate their efforts. Celebrity used to be considered an upscale line. Perhaps that is why they still offer better wines---they never changed after they went mainstream. Those of you who don't like the wines offered should be extremely grateful there was a group of us who made a big fuss, so HAL instituted a corkage for wines brought onboard. As of a year ago, you couldn't have brought wine onboard...if I remember the dates correctly![/QUOTE]

[quote name='jaguarstyper']This is completely inaccurate. Until recently, you could bring as much wine onboard as you could carry with no corkage charge unless you brought a bottle somewhere other than in your cabin or veranda. You were welcome to bring a bottle of wine you brought onboard to any restaurant or lounge, but would be charged a corkage charge at that time. The only thing HAL effectively changed is that now you have to pay the corkage charge up front on all your wine, minus one bottle per passenger, regardless of where you intend to enjoy it.[/QUOTE]

What is completely inaccurate? The dates? I think not. LindaM is on the money. sorry but we have paid corkage twice now on our cruises. The first time was in March 2014. I believe the new policy came into effect in January 2014 AFTER THERE WAS PRESSURE PUT ON ABOUT AN EARLIER date. If the 'winers' hadn't complained (and yes, I was one of them) then the policy would have been sooner and would not have permitted any wine whatsoever other than the one free bottle.

I drink HAL's wine in the MDR most times, but we like a change and will pay the corkage to have that change. Trust me after 30 days, the options can get boring. The only blessing we had on the prinsendam is that they 'ran out of the wine' (don't think so) and offered us others to replace our choices. Some of them were quite decent :)

I guess the difference is in our definition of recently. Trust me the corkage fees have been in effect for a while. I know, I've paid:rolleyes:;) Edited November 14, 2014 by kazu

[George C]

Hal has the worst line list, I did 4 cruises in a row on Hal , but when they stopped the BYOB I stopped cruising Hal. Really like the new RCCL with no corkage for the 2 bottles and a really nice drink package that incudes some nice wines. How any place can charge 4 times the value and except you to pay it is beyond me.

[Lizzie68]

[quote name='LindaM']Because there are still many of us who disagree with this assertion. HAL may not have enough people onboard who are complaining or even purchasing wine for HAL to take the CC complaints seriously. This is not where they want to concentrate their efforts. Celebrity used to be considered an upscale line. Perhaps that is why they still offer better wines---they never changed after they went mainstream. Those of you who don't like the wines offered should be extremely grateful there was a group of us who made a big fuss, so HAL instituted a corkage for wines brought onboard. As of a year ago, you couldn't have brought wine onboard...if I remember the dates correctly![/quote]

You are correct. HAL initially brought the "new" policy in with no notice at all, as of - I believe - July 31st 2013. After our huge protests on social media, their website and a mail campaign, they changed it to Jan 31st this year, and adjusted the policy so that you could bring 1 x 750 ml bottle per person, and more if you wished, as long as you paid corkage on them. Oh, and they reduced the corkage from $20 to $18.

[LindaM]

[quote name='jaguarstyper']This is completely inaccurate. Until recently, you could bring as much wine onboard as you could carry with no corkage charge unless you brought a bottle somewhere other than in your cabin or veranda. You were welcome to bring a bottle of wine you brought onboard to any restaurant or lounge, but would be charged a corkage charge at that time. The only thing HAL effectively changed is that now you have to pay the corkage charge up front on all your wine, minus one bottle per passenger, regardless of where you intend to enjoy it.[/QUOTE]

I may have worded my statement incorrectly. In July of 2013, HAL announced we would not be able to bring wine onboard, effective Jan. 2014. A group of us wrote letters, signed a petition etc. and a year ago, we still assumed we wouldn't be able to bring wine onboard. We hoped for a corkage, but that decision was made right before the new policy went into effect.

So, you are saying until recently? That is what is totally inaccurate. It's been almost a year that HAL instituted the new policy. January 2014. Again, everyone should be grateful to us "whiners" or we wouldn't be able to bring wine onboard. At least we accomplished something! Since we can bring wines that we like, I wouldn't look for HAL improving it's list. Actually, we tried that as well. Someone may have sent them a list of wines we like! They know.... Edited November 15, 2014 by LindaM
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[Lizzie68]

[quote name='LindaM']I may have worded my statement incorrectly. In July of 2013, HAL announced we would not be able to bring wine onboard, effective Jan. 2014. A group of us wrote letters, signed a petition etc. and a year ago, we still assumed we wouldn't be able to bring wine onboard. We hoped for a corkage, but that decision was made right before the new policy went into effect.

So, you are saying until recently? That is what is totally inaccurate. It's been almost a year that HAL instituted the new policy. January 2014. Again, everyone should be grateful to us "whiners" or we wouldn't be able to bring wine onboard. At least we accomplished something! Since we can bring wines that we like, I wouldn't look for HAL improving it's list. Actually, we tried that as well. Someone may have sent them a list of wines we like! They know....[/quote]


No Linda, they announced it early July and brought it in almost immediately. I just checked back - I had a cruise in late July that would have been affected by it, and was waiting for notification from them, which didn't come. Then they rolled it back to January, 2014, and amended it.

[Folk Singer]

[quote name='trixiee']Question - Do any of you bring your own aerator? I have found that aerating a $10.00 bottle of wine significantly improves the taste...[/QUOTE]


Always for a red wine.

[Folk Singer]

[quote name='tjcox9'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][SIZE="4"][/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT]We totally agree with the OP. HAL has the worst wine list on the high seas. The quality/value/price formula is way out of whack. Why HAL doesn't pay attention to the complaints in this regard is beyond comprehension.[/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]


Do not know why they do not.