Anyone charged the $15 corkage fee?

[elliair]

Now that was good.

 

 

Ever heard of keep on walking?

[iceleven]

Our most recent cruise out of SF - 10/14 we carried on board a total of 3 bottles. They were scanned inside of our backpacks and were told to go over to a table which was only about 20 feet away. There seemed to be a hold up at the table and we actually considered just moving right along with others going upstairs but we are the type that try to follow the rules so we did the right thing and paid for the extra bottle. Instead of putting a sticker on the bottle they gave us a hand-written piece of paper saying "corkage paid". It definitely was a bit odd but we presented it to the waiter at the table and he just looked at it and said OK and returned it to us. We realized at that point that we could use the same note for the other two bottles that we didn't have to pay corkage if we wanted to take them to the table but again, we didn't.

[trixiegal]

I forgot to remove my two bottles from my luggage after getting off the plane and I was called about them after embarkation. They asked if I wanted them...yes, that's why I brought them onboard?! Anyway, they said I had to pay the fee for one of the bottles because I was the only adult over 21 in my cabin. I was fine with it and they delivered the bottles to my cabin.

 

 

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[kristinar]

All great info, thanks! I remember seeing a recent post about an updated wine list (but now can't seem to find it)...anyone know what the serve in the dining room vs. at Vines?

 

 

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[whatcruiseisnext]

How is it handled if you bring beer onboard? Hubby normally just buys the beer on the ship, but we will be taking a longer transatlantic cruise and hubby would like to have a few of his favorite beers along which he will pick up at the port before embarkation.

Edited February 6, 2015 by whatcruiseisnext

[Colo Cruiser]

Ever heard of keep on walking?

 

 

Think I heard that when I was embarking.

[timetravler]

The "table" that many talk about where you are suppose to go to get your alcohol checked, well many just bypass that table and go directly to the elevators. No one stops you from doing this.

About bringing on wine from say the Napa Valley, they may check or may not. I have seen them do both.

[likeadisguise]

How is it handled if you bring beer onboard? Hubby normally just buys the beer on the ship, but we will be taking a longer transatlantic cruise and hubby would like to have a few of his favorite beers along which he will pick up at the port before embarkation.

You're not allowed to bring beer onboard, the only alcohol allowed to bring on is wine or champagne.

[critterchick]

The "table" that many talk about where you are suppose to go to get your alcohol checked, well many just bypass that table and go directly to the elevators. No one stops you from doing this.

About bringing on wine from say the Napa Valley, they may check or may not. I have seen them do both.

 

We have been known to do that with our two allowed bottles (we never bring on more than that) - in LA the line can be very long and the process very slow. We've never had an issue with corkage until our our last cruise on Crown. As soon as our waitress saw our bottle, she said was that they would charge us $15 corkage - she hadn't even looked at the bottle to see if there was a sticker or a stamp. I said that it was part of our two bottle allotment, and she said she would check with the front desk to see if we had to pay it. I don't know what they would have told her, but she didn't mention it again and we weren't charged.

[drgrinch]

It is important to remember is that your "1 bottle per adult" corkage-free wine is free only if you drink it in your cabin. You will be charged corkage if you bring it to a dining room even though it was free to bring on board.

 

We gladly accept this as we will still have a good bottle of wine with dinner for much less than we would have paid from the ship's cellars. The prices on the ship's wine list seem to be about double that charged by on-shore restaurants.

Edited February 6, 2015 by drgrinch

[elliair]

The "table" that many talk about where you are suppose to go to get your alcohol checked, well many just bypass that table and go directly to the elevators. No one stops you from doing this.

About bringing on wine from say the Napa Valley, they may check or may not. I have seen them do both.

 

They aren't going to go running after you and embarrass you or themselves. Just keep on walking and if you're called out, just keep walking. Works every time.

[caribill]

We've never had an issue with corkage until our our last cruise on Crown. As soon as our waitress saw our bottle, she said was that they would charge us $15 corkage - she hadn't even looked at the bottle to see if there was a sticker or a stamp. I said that it was part of our two bottle allotment, and she said she would check with the front desk to see if we had to pay it. I don't know what they would have told her, but she didn't mention it again and we weren't charged.

 

The two bottles you board with still need to have the corkage paid if you bring them to a dining room.

 

The "two bottle allotment" means you will not be charged if you consume them in your cabin.

 

The $15 fee paid at embarkation after those two "free" ones is whether you consume in your cabin or not.

Edited February 6, 2015 by caribill

[JimmyVWine]

They aren't going to go running after you and embarrass you or themselves. Just keep on walking and if you're called out, just keep walking. Works every time.

 

:mad:

Princess has one of the most lenient personal wine policies of any cruise line in its price class. Perhaps the very best. And the system only works, and will only remain in place if people are ethical enough to follow the rules and pay what they owe. The more that people break the rules, and encourage others to do likewise, the sooner we will see the leniency disappear. $15 is not too much to ask to pay to enjoy one's own wine. Especially when compared to the fare for the cruise itself.

Edited February 6, 2015 by JimmyVWine

[land lover]

If you have paid the $15 corkage and do not finish the wine with your dinner do they save it for you, like wines purchased from their cellar?

[freetocruise]

If you have paid the $15 corkage and do not finish the wine with your dinner do they save it for you, like wines purchased from their cellar?

 

Yes, they do. Once you've paid your corkage, they will save the bottle for the next night just like they save unfinished bottles that you've purchased from the ship.

[shepp]

They aren't going to go running after you and embarrass you or themselves. Just keep on walking and if you're called out, just keep walking. Works every time.

 

You're boasting about repeatedly breaking a rule you've agreed to?

[satxdiver]

We sailed on the Star in November out of SF and they were checking wine. We paid for our 4 extra bottles and they handed us four stickers to put on our bottles. No problem as we expected them to do this and we paid.

 

We just got off the Golden and when departing Valparaiso, there was no alcohol table. Better yet after going through security and checking in we were directed to an area where vendors had set up tables selling liquor. They told us we could buy anything and take it to our cabin so I bought a liter of my favorite gin which we carried aboard along with our 10 bottles of wine (14 day cruise). I did not see a liquor table anytime we reboarded the ship at the various ports of call either. We had plenty so did not need to carry more aboard.

[trbarton]

The original question was "Has anyone ever been charged the $15 corkage fee."

 

I was charged once for an extra bottle where they put a sticker on the bottle. On my Panama Canal Cruise last year I had friends doing the BVE with me that brought wine with them and nobody ever said anything.

 

I would be prepared to pay the $15 but there have been posts where nobody said anything.

 

As someone else said earlier, your FREE one bottle of wine is only for use in your cabin and yes if you take it to the dinning room you are supposed to be charged the $15 corkage fee.

 

Tom:)

[jak378]

I have been on several Princess Cruises from either Port Everglades or San Juan, Puerto Rico. On each they did scan carry on luggage, but that was by personnel representing the port, NOT Princess. I have never seen anyone actually directed to the table by the entrance to the ship that is there for the purpose of charging for, or confiscating alcohol, which appeared to be voluntary. In San Juan there is a liquor store immediately adjacent to the ramp to the ship. After boarding, several of us left the ship, went to the liquor store, made a purchase and re-entered the ship with no requirement to visit the "alcohol table." I no longer bring, or even attempt to bring, alcohol aboard simply because it is so much easier to order 2 or 3 of the overpriced stuff from room service. I decided that I am on a cruise and if I can't spend 17 dollars for a 750 ml bottle of gin, I shouldn't be there.

 

I am still confused about their seriousness about enforcing the carry on alcohol policy.

[capriccio]

I have been on several Princess Cruises from either Port Everglades or San Juan, Puerto Rico. On each they did scan carry on luggage, but that was by personnel representing the port, NOT Princess. I have never seen anyone actually directed to the table by the entrance to the ship that is there for the purpose of charging for, or confiscating alcohol, which appeared to be voluntary.

 

I am still confused about their seriousness about enforcing the carry on alcohol policy.

 

On our last 2 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale (December 2013, February 2014) and one out of Quebec City (October 2014) there was a 'wine' table with Princess staff. Personnel doing the scanning directed everyone with bottles in their luggage to the table.

[caribill]

On our last 2 cruises out of Fort Lauderdale (December 2013, February 2014) and one out of Quebec City (October 2014) there was a 'wine' table with Princess staff. Personnel doing the scanning directed everyone with bottles in their luggage to the table.

 

On Royal Caribbean, there is a RC person looking at a second monitor that shows what the X-ray security person is seeing. If anything looks like alcohol, the RC person shouts "alcohol" and the passenger is directed to the give-up-your-alcohol table.

[kristinar]

On Royal Caribbean, there is a RC person looking at a second monitor that shows what the X-ray security person is seeing. If anything looks like alcohol, the RC person shouts "alcohol" and the passenger is directed to the give-up-your-alcohol table.

 

 

 

 

 

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[kristinar]

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Harsh! I'm happy Princess is more civilized.

 

 

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[satxdiver]

On Royal Caribbean, there is a RC person looking at a second monitor that shows what the X-ray security person is seeing. If anything looks like alcohol, the RC person shouts "alcohol" and the passenger is directed to the give-up-your-alcohol table.

 

Been there. We were more than "directed" to the table, we were escorted to the table and watched to make sure we handed over the alcohol. I felt like I had run into some repressive police state. One more reason I don't like RCCL and have quit sailing with them. They do allow one 750 ml bottle of wine per adult pax and no more. How gracious of the tyrants. This happened in Galveston.

Edited February 8, 2015 by satxdiver

[pablo222]

Been there. We were more than "directed" to the table, we were escorted to the table and watched to make sure we handed over the alcohol.

 

But here on Cruise Critic, people proudly announce how they

simply walk past the payment table. Even in this very thread.

 

If you were running the operation, what would you say

when your boss shows you the posts that make you look

stupid?