Have you taken cases of wine on board?

[POA1]

When you pack your wine, just remember that it has to go through the luggage scanner at security. We've used heavy duty wine shipping boxes without a problem. Just bring extra tape if you want to reseal your wine after it's stamped.

[kazu]

I'm bumping this up for anyone who may wish to take a lot of wine on board. Ship Services, in the person of two different ship's coordinators, confirm that I can in fact take multiple cases on board. They assure me that they will be stored in the MDR, and that someone will take them on board for me once I've cleared the pay-corkage station. I have it all in an email from the Beverage Manager on the Amsterdam, in case there's any question at the dock.

 

So it can be done!

 

Excellent!

 

So, you do have to "carry it on" and then they will supply help once you get through security and corkage station?

 

That will be interesting to see on embarkation day. But, even if they can't right away, if you have managed to get it on board, you can get it to your cabin.

 

And yes, they should be able to collect them for you and take them to the MDR to store them.

 

Sounds like you have everything sorted out. Good luck :)

[IslandThyme]

Good point to remember to have shipping tape with me! I will be bringing the wine in heavy duty shipping boxes (from Garagiste, for those of you who are members).

 

I still feel a bit nervous about it, because I definitely wouldn't be able to get it on board by myself, but they assured me that I'll have help, so I'm going to try to relax and have faith in HAL. Ulp.

[kazu]

I'm bumping this up for anyone who may wish to take a lot of wine on board. Ship Services, in the person of two different ship's coordinators, confirm that I can in fact take multiple cases on board. They assure me that they will be stored in the MDR, and that someone will take them on board for me once I've cleared the pay-corkage station. I have it all in an email from the Beverage Manager on the Amsterdam, in case there's any question at the dock.

 

So it can be done!

 

Good point to remember to have shipping tape with me! I will be bringing the wine in heavy duty shipping boxes (from Garagiste, for those of you who are members).

 

I still feel a bit nervous about it, because I definitely wouldn't be able to get it on board by myself, but they assured me that I'll have help, so I'm going to try to relax and have faith in HAL. Ulp.

 

I'm not trying to put a bee in your bonnet but to help so if I misread your first quote forgive me.

 

the bolding is mine. In your first post you said they would help you after you got the wine to corkage station. That station is after security. You lug your carry ons through, put them through security and then go to the corkage station. So you have a lot of lugging to do.

 

So, from your first post it sounds like they will help you AFTER you have managed to get the wine mostly there?

 

If I misread, apologies but your initial post with the results does not sound like they will help you get it on board until you are well past a lot of lugging. Mind you, some terminals have porters but they can only go so far and then you are on your own.

 

I don't want you to be disappointed or upset at the beginning of your cruise ;)

[Iwant2BatC]

CHPURSER - That's actually really funny, since IMHO a WA Chardonnay is probably better off Madeirized. I know a lot of people will be incensed by that remark, but even though I live in WA it's wines rarely suit my palate.

 

But the more sober point (sorry!) is that the wines we might buy on board are not kept under optimal conditions, not even close, a truth of which I was heretofore blissfully unaware.

 

So yes, I did know about the $18 corkage. What I didn't know was that I would have to get multiple cases of wine, by myself, to my cabin, and store them there. That makes it seem impossible, unless I got a folding thingie and only took two cases.

 

 

 

Since you live close to your embarkation port why not pack the wine in a heavy duty wheeled suitcase packed with bubble wrap or those cardboard separators. It would be heavy but probably much easier to manage than wine in boxes. Just a thought.

 

 

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[corkpopr]

:cool: I agree with the previous poster no Washington Chards. In fact if I am bringing a case it will be 10 reds and maybe a French Sancere or Italian Vermentino.

[Topsham]

Back in 1995 for 118 days in the good old ROTTERDAM, I bought 12 cases of wine. I ordered through HAL and when I boarded the wine was already in the wine store. I spoke too the wine steward and told him that when the bottle was empty bring the next one up! It worked. In the end I used only ten cases. Between 1996 and 1997 I used up most of the left. It was on inventory as 'Topsham -Private Stock'. In 1998 I was on board REMBRANDT. The Bar Manager told me that he found a few bottles with my name on them so it was served in the dining room.

[Boytjie]

Your HAL ship does not have temperature controlled storage for wines.

They store their wines in a large aft hold, (just aft of the engine room) mixed with spirits, beer, soft drinks, and bottled water. Two walls of this hold are the outside hull. The interior temperature of the room is determined by the temperature of the seawater outside.

 

The temperature of that storage space was quite cool when we got a tour of it wile at Half Moon Cay in February 2009.

[Boytjie]

When you pack your wine, just remember that it has to go through the luggage scanner at security. We've used heavy duty wine shipping boxes without a problem. Just bring extra tape if you want to reseal your wine after it's stamped.

 

Hi there! Off topic, but check out a new app that is out there:WineGame. We went to a launch of it recently in NYC.

 

Basically a bunch of people get together and bring a bottle of wine for a tasting "contest". One person enters the wines in the app and then everyone gets to taste it and try to determine which wine it is. Quite fun!

[Boytjie]

Good point to remember to have shipping tape with me! I will be bringing the wine in heavy duty shipping boxes (from Garagiste, for those of you who are members).

 

I still feel a bit nervous about it, because I definitely wouldn't be able to get it on board by myself, but they assured me that I'll have help, so I'm going to try to relax and have faith in HAL. Ulp.

 

Many moons ago when it was common practice to check cases of wine on HAL and have it delivered to your cabin, we once had some breakage along the way and found the case in the bath tub! A bottle of white had broken in transit.

 

Other times we had cases delivered to the cabin without any problems.

 

Ship happens!

[ottahand7]

For our 16 day Panama cruise my sister and I carried on 18 bottles. I bought one of those roll on bags they advertise on Facebook that can fold down to the size of a small briefcase. I packed that and picked up the wine that we had shipped to a friend in San Diego. It took the 2 of us to lift it onto the conveyor to go through x-ray. Just lifting the weight of the cases if traveling alone has to be considered. Who wants to start a cruise with an aching back? I am going on the Iberian Adventure in September and plan on stocking some in Amsterdam for the first few days and then picking up more good bottles in Portugal and Spain. Nothing beats having nicely aged wines from your own cellar though.

[IslandThyme]

I am planning to add some whites at our stops in British Columbia, and maybe some in Australia if I can find any I like. I prefer lower-alcohol wines (12.5% is my sweet spot) and from what I see imported to the U.S. that's hard to come by in Australia.

[Zyzygy]

Although the subject has been amply covered, we have a couple of old carry-ons that we use to bring on extra wine. We put the bottles in bubble wrap wine bags, which can be purchased online. These protect the bottles from breakage and offer some insulation from extremes in temperature.

 

 

We never try to smuggle wine onboard. We are grateful for HAL's corkage policy and comply with it.

 

 

At the Florida departure ports the corkage is assessed inside the entrance to the terminal before going through security.

 

 

We have never seen additional stewards available to help carry things at that point. It appears to be expected that one will be handling one's own carry-ons once inside the terminal. But then again, we've never asked for help inside the terminal either.

Edited August 14, 2018 by Zyzygy
typo

[iancal]

We would never consider taking cases of anything on board. For us it is simply not worth the hassle. Besides,we are confirmed carry on travelers.

 

The most we might take on is four bottles, two each, purchased in port. On some cruise lines we can easily go through with two bottles each without being asked to pay corkage. Likewise, on some cruise lines,some ships we have been permitted to bring a bottle or two on board at cruise stops without paying corkage.

 

We have also paid the corkage on some cruise lines because their wine selection is either poor or outrageously prices when quality/selection. We have looked at various wine packages on a number of cruise lines but have yet to be tempted.

[sail7seas]

Only once in dozens and dozens of cruises did we eve r carry on one bottle. We received it as a gift at our pre-cruise hotel, did not drink it and brought it t o the ship, We had wine with dinner most every night and we were fine ordrering from the menu. Not worth the hassle of lugging heavy bottles, IMO>

[IslandThyme]

It's all in what you like, and how long you're at sea. I don't think anyone on an 89 day cruise makes do with a carry-on!

[OlsSalt]

Have not followed this for a while, but have you talked to any of those luggage delivery resources like BagsVIP to see if you can arrange to get some local help handling this? https://www.maketraveleasier.com/bagsvip They will probably be interested in the challenge.

 

One of those outfits that picks up your luggage at home and you see it next in your cabin - somehow magically going through the corkage fee checkpoint. How many pounds and packages total are you talking about if they stay in their cases.

[IslandThyme]

A case weighs just under 50 lbs. Technically I can pick one up, but it's a stretch, since I have a rotator cuff tear.

[OlsSalt]

A case weighs just under 50 lbs. Technically I can pick one up, but it's a stretch, since I have a rotator cuff tear.

 

Have you put this out to your Roll Call - a swoon, a cry and a free bottle of wine for each case carted to where it needs to go? :hearteyes:

[ithaca gal]

Have you ever taken cases of wine with you and had the ship store it for you?

 

I’m always surprised (although I shouldn’t be, I suppose) when an OP asks if someone HAS done something and HOW it worked out but then gets several replies of “Well, we NEVER ...... because it’s just not worth it to us”.

 

It’s not like the OP said “Tell me why I SHOULDN’T do this”. Just an observation.

 

Hope your plans work out, Island Thyme!

[OlsSalt]

A case weighs just under 50 lbs. Technically I can pick one up, but it's a stretch, since I have a rotator cuff tear.

 

Get a couple of these and make several trips? https://www.staples.com/Staples-Luggage-Cart-100-lb-capacity-10-1-4-x-10-1-2-platform-108258/product_108258

 

Off them as a door prize to whomever will help you. :halo:

 

I use a version this lightweight collapsing luggage dolly to move heavy potted plants around - can take at least two cases of wine.

[IslandThyme]

Thanks, I just might! The swooning part though, not so likely. I don't think I'm a credible swooner.

[sail7seas]

quote

Ithica gal:I’m always surprised (although I shouldn’t be, I suppose) when an OP asks if someone HAS done something and HOW it worked out but then gets several replies of “Well, we NEVER ...... because it’s just not worth it to us”.

 

It’s not like the OP said “Tell me why I SHOULDN’T do this”. Just an observation.

 

 

Errrrrr,,

 

 

The thread title asks, "have you ever ?"

 

 

That is a yes/no question.

[ithaca gal]

Errrrrr,,

 

 

The thread title asks, "have you ever ?"

 

 

That is a yes/no question.

 

Island Thyme clearly is seeking advice on how to do this ...... not seeking reasons that other people don’t. But that doesn’t stop some people from adding negative comments. I guess I just wish people who have NOT ever done something would not feel the need to make comments about “schlepping” wine when it is clear that the OP enjoys taking fine wines a board a cruise.

 

Again, IslandThyme, Hope you find a solution!

[freestyling]

Have you put this out to your Roll Call - a swoon, a cry and a free bottle of wine for each case carted to where it needs to go? :hearteyes:

 

Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner! Excellent advise here. I was asked via roll call on our last cruise out of Amsterdam for assistance boarding with wine. I carted 18 bottles on top of my rollaboard suitcase through security while he carted 24 bottles using a collapsible cart.

I was given a very nice bottle of Brunello Montalcino for my assistance.