How does it work with extra bottles of wine brought on board?

[cruzin4us]

We are doing a 16 day Panama cruise and the liquor budgeting is driving me nuts.

 

We like wine with our dinner but none of the wine works with the beverage packages I've looked at (at least the wine I would drink). I could probably work within the elite pkg but that is $1065/pp x 2 = $2,130 for the cruise....yikes.

 

After doing the math, it makes sense for us to bring our 2 (free bottles, 1/pp) and then bring the rest of the wine onboard and pay the corkage fee. Heck, I can get some pretty good wine at Costco for $20 a bottle. $20 + $18 corkage = $38 and $38 x 16 days = $608. If I compare that to the wine I would remotely consider buying onboard it would be $85.10 x 16 = $1,361.60. That is a $753.60 difference :o. Enough to make me consider hauling onboard 16 bottles!

 

With that being said, we live close to the port and there is no air involved so it's just a matter of hauling them around for a bit.

 

So, my question(s) (finally :rolleyes:) are: How does this all work? Do they take them at embarkation and then deliver them back to me? Do they just charge me the corkage fee at the time I board? Do they hold them somewhere and I ask for a bottle and pay the corkage fee then? I don't care how they do it, I'd just like to be prepared. Thanks for answering another "wine" question ;)

[kazu]

We are doing a 16 day Panama cruise and the liquor budgeting is driving me nuts.

 

We like wine with our dinner but none of the wine works with the beverage packages I've looked at (at least the wine I would drink). I could probably work within the elite pkg but that is $1065/pp x 2 = $2,130 for the cruise....yikes.

 

After doing the math, it makes sense for us to bring our 2 (free bottles, 1/pp) and then bring the rest of the wine onboard and pay the corkage fee. Heck, I can get some pretty good wine at Costco for $20 a bottle. $20 + $18 corkage = $38 and $38 x 16 days = $608. If I compare that to the wine I would remotely consider buying onboard it would be $85.10 x 16 = $1,361.60. That is a $753.60 difference :o. Enough to make me consider hauling onboard 16 bottles!

 

With that being said, we live close to the port and there is no air involved so it's just a matter of hauling them around for a bit.

 

So, my question(s) (finally :rolleyes:) are: How does this all work? Do they take them at embarkation and then deliver them back to me? Do they just charge me the corkage fee at the time I board? Do they hold them somewhere and I ask for a bottle and pay the corkage fee then? I don't care how they do it, I'd just like to be prepared. Thanks for answering another "wine" question ;)

 

Bringing wine on board is pretty simple.

 

First of all, you have to carry it on. It cannot be checked.

 

Once you go through security you will be directed to the wine station, they will ask to see the wine, allow for the free bottles and charge the corkage on the remainder.

 

You just sign the charge form and it will be charged to your on board account.

 

They will either give you stickers or put the stickers on the bottles. It is very important that the stickers remain as they show you have paid corkage. The bottle that you bring on for free is for in room consumption only - otherwise you must pay corkage on that as well.

 

The bottles you pay corkage on can be enjoyed anywhere on the ship.

 

You can also bring on bottles of wine in ports too if you like. They will be subject to corkage and you will be given the option to pay or have them keep them until the end of your cruise.

 

Hope this helps

[POA1]

Your ability to carry on wine is based a lot on your strength and the tools available to you. We have two six bottle wine totes of awesomeness (ZeBag Ultimate), which are no longer available for a reasonable price. We also have a Strap-a-Handle which you can use to carry a case pretty easily

 

 

Strap-A-Handle $16.95 from Amazon

 

A nice cart-style alternative is Samsonite's Compact Folding Cart.

 

 

Samsonite Compact Folding Cart $17.99 from Amazon

[cruzin4us]

Wow, thanks to both of you for answering my question(s). You gave me just the answers I needed. I'm "thinking" I will just fill a carry-on suitcase with rollers with my wine, then get my DH to lug that one around until we get our room :)

 

I'd only consider doing this because we live so close to the port, otherwise I'd probably just suck it up and buy bottles on board. Being a wine lover can be an expensive habit...lol

[kazu]

Wow, thanks to both of you for answering my question(s). You gave me just the answers I needed. I'm "thinking" I will just fill a carry-on suitcase with rollers with my wine, then get my DH to lug that one around until we get our room :)

 

I'd only consider doing this because we live so close to the port, otherwise I'd probably just suck it up and buy bottles on board. Being a wine lover can be an expensive habit...lol

 

LOL - I hear your pain ;)

 

We don't live close to port but when we are sailing out of FLL, we just hit my favourite candy store - Total Wine.

 

The rolling carry on works for me. DH lugs the rest ;)

[POA1]

Wow, thanks to both of you for answering my question(s). You gave me just the answers I needed. I'm "thinking" I will just fill a carry-on suitcase with rollers with my wine, then get my DH to lug that one around until we get our room :)

 

I'd only consider doing this because we live so close to the port, otherwise I'd probably just suck it up and buy bottles on board. Being a wine lover can be an expensive habit...lol

If you are using a regular suitcase, you can put bubble wrap between the bottles. There's also a special wine shaped pouch called a wine skin, but bubble wrap is less expensive.

 

It also turns into a stress relieving popping toy when you are done with it.

[freestyling]

Or if you travel a lot and enjoy wine you can always purchase a wine travel suitcase. Weight with 12bottles is usually 49lbs

[RocketMan275]

Check these guys out for some ideas on how to carry the wine on board.

 

http://www.wineenthusiast.com/the-wine-check.asp

 

For seven day cruises we bought this one:

 

http://www.wineenthusiast.com/6-bottle-waxed-canvas-weekend-wine-bag.asp

 

One small suggestion. The people at check in don't always know what is allowed. I ran into an issue boarding Westerdam at FLL. We were early arriving and the wine desk was not yet manned.

 

First, security told me that I could only take two bottles on board and I would have to dispose of the other four. Finally found someone who knew I could take more.

 

Then, security told me that since the wine desk wasn't manned, I would have to leave my wine with them. The wine would be brought to my room later. Told them that wasn't acceptable.

 

Then security told me I could just leave a note with the number of wine bottles and my room number and the stickers would be placed in my room. I complied.

 

On the next day, still no stickers so I went to guest services and they sent me the stickers. Never was charged corkage.

 

The second time at Tampa, the desk was manned and the process took about two minutes. I opened the bag. Showed them six bottles. Signed for the corkage and received my four stickers.

[freestyling]

 

Pic didn't show up on my last post.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ermina]

So when you pay corkage on a bottle can it be any size like 1.5 liter instead of 750ml? Wine i mean.

[freestyling]

So when you pay corkage on a bottle can it be any size like 1.5 liter instead of 750ml? Wine i mean.[/quote

Can only be 750ML bottles or less. I have brought 375ml bottles before but you do not get a "reduced" corkage fee.

[cruzin4us]

 

Pic didn't show up on my last post.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Now that's some serious wine hauling around device!!! I'd feel like James Bond toting that around ;p

 

And to think a case of wine weighs 49 lbs.....eeeeek

[ermina]

Thank You freestyling:)

[RocketMan275]

Now that's some serious wine hauling around device!!! I'd feel like James Bond toting that around ;p

 

And to think a case of wine weighs 49 lbs.....eeeeek

 

That is exactly why one should prefer a case with roller wheels.

 

We travel light with two four wheeled carry on sized luggage bags. These stand up with a handle to roll them around. I've found I can attach my wine carrier onto the top of the bag and use bungee cords to attach it to the handle. I can easily and quickly remove the carrier to go through screening and then put it bag on to continue boarding.

[freestyling]

This one is from VinGarde and 3 years old. Has 4 wheels and under 50# so no "extra" charge if you are charged for baggage. We sometimes add another 6 bottles or so depending on cruise length from Total Wine if we are cruising from Ft. Lauderdale.

[Stella1250]

I cruised on the Koningsdam 6/25. Brought 6 bottles of wine and 1 bottle of champagne. Went through security, and nobody said a word. Walked onto the ship with all of it. We paid corkage for 4 of the bottles at the venue they were consumed. We were never charged corkage for the other 3 bottles, even though we consumed them at a restaurant. One of the wine stewards told us it is up to him whether to charge or not. He did not charge us. Just asked for a small sample in his cup.

[dce85]

When do you take your bottle to the dining venue? Do you keep your wine in your cabin and chill it there? This is the first cruise that we plan to take our own aboard and pay the corkage. (We're doing a TA from Civitavecchia.) We figure buying our Italian wine there . . . and adding Spanish wines at the other ports, makes a lot of sense. This thread has been very helpful!

[kazu]

When do you take your bottle to the dining venue? Do you keep your wine in your cabin and chill it there? This is the first cruise that we plan to take our own aboard and pay the corkage. (We're doing a TA from Civitavecchia.) We figure buying our Italian wine there . . . and adding Spanish wines at the other ports, makes a lot of sense. This thread has been very helpful!

 

You can keep your wine and chill it in the fridge but that won't always be the right temp. You can also use the ice bucket, of course.

 

If I know the wines I am using for the MDR, I make one trip to the MDR (discreetly) with a few bottles and ask our wine steward to please mark and store them for us. If you have a friendly chat with your wine steward on the 1st or 2nd evening (sometimes it is too hectic for them on the 1st evening), arrangements can usually be made. Note though, in our case we also drink HAL's wine in the dining room. Just in case that makes a difference. ;)

 

Not a problem.

 

Others I know bring a bottle in a wine bag as well. It all works.

[RocketMan275]

You can keep your wine and chill it in the fridge but that won't always be the right temp. You can also use the ice bucket, of course.

 

If I know the wines I am using for the MDR, I make one trip to the MDR (discreetly) with a few bottles and ask our wine steward to please mark and store them for us. If you have a friendly chat with your wine steward on the 1st or 2nd evening (sometimes it is too hectic for them on the 1st evening), arrangements can usually be made. Note though, in our case we also drink HAL's wine in the dining room. Just in case that makes a difference. ;)

 

Not a problem.

 

Others I know bring a bottle in a wine bag as well. It all works.

Several articles on the web about cooling wine in a ice bucket. All pretty much agree that it should take less than fifteen minutes if you add a handful of salt to the ice and water bath. Put the bottle in the bucket, add ice, fill with cold water, and add an handful of salt.

[POA1]

You can keep your wine and chill it in the fridge but that won't always be the right temp. You can also use the ice bucket, of course.

 

If I know the wines I am using for the MDR, I make one trip to the MDR (discreetly) with a few bottles and ask our wine steward to please mark and store them for us. If you have a friendly chat with your wine steward on the 1st or 2nd evening (sometimes it is too hectic for them on the 1st evening), arrangements can usually be made. Note though, in our case we also drink HAL's wine in the dining room. Just in case that makes a difference. ;)

 

Not a problem.

 

Others I know bring a bottle in a wine bag as well. It all works.

 

We keep our wine in the room and chill it to temp because we are (not making this up) wine temperature fanatics.

 

We have a whole chilling routine that's beyond the scope of this post, but we will all gladly carry our wine bottles to the dining room - uncovered. Labels out, actually. I happen to really enjoy, inappropriately perhaps, when people ask, "Are you taking that much wine to dinner?"

 

The answer is, "Of course not, good sir/madam! The main course and dessert wines are following us, just up the hall."

[freestyling]

We keep our wine in the room and chill it to temp because we are (not making this up) wine temperature fanatics.

 

We have a whole chilling routine that's beyond the scope of this post, but we will all gladly carry our wine bottles to the dining room - uncovered. Labels out, actually. I happen to really enjoy, inappropriately perhaps, when people ask, "Are you taking that much wine to dinner?"

 

The answer is, "Of course not, good sir/madam! The main course and dessert wines are following us, just up the hall."

 

We will be in Porto, Portugal on our upcoming cruise and hoping we can enjoy some local purchased Port that we bring aboard. I've never brought port aboard. Guess we'll find out if it makes it.

[RocketMan275]

We will be in Porto, Portugal on our upcoming cruise and hoping we can enjoy some local purchased Port that we bring aboard. I've never brought port aboard. Guess we'll find out if it makes it.

You may have issues with bringing port aboard. Port is often prohibited because of it's high alcohol content. Better check.

[Lizzie68]

I cruised on the Koningsdam 6/25. Brought 6 bottles of wine and 1 bottle of champagne. Went through security, and nobody said a word. Walked onto the ship with all of it. We paid corkage for 4 of the bottles at the venue they were consumed. We were never charged corkage for the other 3 bottles, even though we consumed them at a restaurant. One of the wine stewards told us it is up to him whether to charge or not. He did not charge us. Just asked for a small sample in his cup.

 

HAL can be very inconsistent. On our 2016 cruise we were just waved onboard without question about the extra bottles we were carrying, and which I had just told them we had. We didn't take any of them to the MDR or PG. On this year's cruise we were directed to the table to have the bottles stamped and to pay corkage for the extras. I think we used one or 2 of them in the MDR and PG, but I also buy a wine package through the wine steward on each cruise.

 

 

One evening at dinner, the couple at the next table brought an unstamped bottle to dinner, the wine steward explained that they should have paid corkage (they professed not to know.....) - and then said it was OK he wouldn't charge them. They congratulated themselves after he left for getting away with it.

[freestyling]

You may have issues with bringing port aboard. Port is often prohibited because of it's high alcohol content. Better check.

As I will be purchasing various wines and ports during this cruise to take home it will be ok if the port doesn't make it for after dinner drinks onboard ;)