OMG the wine prices are ridiculous

[KruisingKaren]

I was looking at the postings about wine and wine packages. I can't believe the prices of the wine onboard. Even nice restaurants in California don't mark up wine that much. So, since I live in California wine country I'm considering bringing our wine with us and paying the corkage. However, I would need to pay baggage fee, which would be in addition to the corkage.

I read several posts about buying wine at Total Wine in Fort Lauderdale. Can someone tell me how the logistics would work for that? We wouldn't have a car. Someone mentioned about pre-ordering, but would a taxi wait for us while we picked it up? Or is there Uber we could use?

 

Any help is appreciated.

Karen

[kazu]

You can definitely pre-order from Total Wine & pick up the order on the way to the pier. Just tell the taxi that you need to stop there for a minute. It may add a small cost to the taxi fare but it can certainly be done.

 

Total Wine is very efficient and you will be in and out in a flash.

[Krazy Kruizers]

And one of you should stay in the taxi while the other one goes in to pick up the order!!

[JimnKaren]

I agree. It is a nice store and the employees are super.

 

Jim

[RocketMan275]

Are you planning on flying in the day of the cruise or will you get there the night before?

If you're spending the night prior to the cruise, there are several nice hotels within walking distance of total wine.

We're staying at the Embassy Suites and it's a very short walk to Total Wine.

[freestyling]

If you dont have wine carrying bags dont forget to order them from Total Wine. They have 6 bottle reusable bags for $1.99 each. Makes it quite easy to carry on a case

[SilvertoGold]

Karen:

 

I commiserate with you about the pricing. And, in Canadian dollars it is 32% additional and painful!

 

I know lots of Canadians, home port embarkation, who are paying the corkage and bringing on enough wine for the cruise. They feel it is better wine for a better bottom line.

[POA1]

This one's right in my wheelhouse since the Fort Lauderdale Total Wine is our local wine & spirits store. First, let me say that you're really missing out by having to dash in for your order. Most first time visitors like to browse in awe and wonder. That said, it's very easy and very fast if you place a pick up order.

 

 

 

Some tips:

 

 

 

1. Go to the website and register using the Sign In/Register link at the top of the main page. You're doing this so that they send you coupons which can help you save money on your order.
   
2. When wine prices end in a 7, they're not eligible for discounts. The prices are usually lower than you can find anywhere else, including discount clubs like Sam's Club or Costco.
   
3. You should allow at least 4 hours between the time you order and the time you want to pick up your order.
   
4. The pick up desk is inside the entrance door, immediately on the right. Bring your order number with you to speed up the process.
   
5. You're going to have to carry your wine purchases onto the ship. If you have a wine tote or carrier, great. If not, your most cost-effective choice is the reusable 6 bottle Total Wine bag for $1.99. You can add it to your order. The SKU is 149610920-1. If you mess up and forget to order it, they're in Aisle 3 on the right.
   
6. You pay for your order when you place it, but make sure you have ID and the credit card you used when you go into the store to pick up the order. If the pick up person is different from the ordering person, you can indicate that at check out. (I use this when my wife is picking up the order on her way home.)
   
7. If you are really picky about shopping for specific vintages, the online ordering isn't always the best way to go. The person pulling the order might grab the currently stocked vintage and not the one you specified. There's an "Allow Vintage Substitution" checkbox on certain wines, but leaving it unchecked isn't foolproof.
   
8. If you don't want to sign up before you shop, you can click the Deals link at the top of the page. That will take you to a page where you can view the current ad and promos. Be aware, however, that the discounts are typically better for subscribers than for the general public. TW has two email addresses for me. The subscribed one generally gets a bigger discount or better offers.
   

One additional tip: Build a "screen" before you start shopping. By this, I mean a list of candidate wines. If you are a subscriber to a wine publication, like Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate, this is pretty easy using their online tools. If you aren't you can Google something like "best wine values of 2018" or "top big red wines of 2018" if that's what you like.

 

 

And finally: When you're searching on the Total Wine site and you drill down into the results of a varietal, you'll see some additional search criteria show up on the left. One of the selectors is "Top Rated." If you use this, make sure you print out your order and take it with you. You'll want to check the vintages against your list, because the year can make all the difference in the ratings and you don't want to pay a premium needlessly. (They'll remove the bottles from your order and adjust the total, but you'll lose time if you have a car waiting.)

[fatcat04]

POA1 is right. Total Wine in FLL is like a mini wine vacation. We just wander about happily browsing. And the staff are great and very helpful. It is a required stop for us. :D

[POA1]

POA1 is right. Total Wine in FLL is like a mini wine vacation. We just wander about happily browsing. And the staff are great and very helpful. It is a required stop for us. :D

 

Very true. BTW - Most of the sections have specific staff experts. You'll see little shelf signs on some of the wines telling you that this is Adrian's favorite wine or something like that. They tend to be very knowledgeable and a great for recommendations. They're also really helpful when you know what you want but can't figure out where they stock it. (Happens to me all the time with French reds.)

[TonyC1952]

I see the wine prices as being a mark up of about 3X; a bottle of Santa Cristina runs $11.99 in my local store; it runs $34 on our last HAL cruise. That's a standard markup for restaurants, so I don't believe HAL prices are excessive. On the other hand, if you don't mind carrying extra boxes, you can save some money by bringing yours on board. Good luck with you purchases, and enjoy your cruise!

[Iwantacruisenow]

You might want to get some bottled water to take on board too. We've stayed at the embassy suites on 17th street and there is super liquors withing walking distance or Winn Dixie that sells wines and water.

 

If you are checking a bag and have a favorite wine ( or not readily available at stores) to take from home I suggest "wine wings" carrier (search for on amazon).

 

If you want to avoid the corkage fee, I've opened a bottle in our room and pored into a tall glass and carried the glass into the dining room. Viola, no corkage fee.

[BigGreenFan]

You might want to get some bottled water to take on board too. We've stayed at the embassy suites on 17th street and there is super liquors withing walking distance or Winn Dixie that sells wines and water.

 

If you are checking a bag and have a favorite wine ( or not readily available at stores) to take from home I suggest "wine wings" carrier (search for on amazon).

 

If you want to avoid the corkage fee, I've opened a bottle in our room and pored into a tall glass and carried the glass into the dining room. Viola, no corkage fee.

 

Viola, you’re a cheater!

[KruisingKaren]

This is all good information. Thanks so much!

Karen

[Iwantacruisenow]

Viola, you’re a cheater!

 

 

No BigGreenFan, I'm a savvy Traveler:cool::cool::)

[john2003]

And then HAL will stop any wine being taken in board and we all lose. Go to Happy hour and get the second glass for $2.

 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Forums mobile app

[c-boy]

what are we talkin' bout here Karen ...three buck Chuck ?

[kazu]

And then HAL will stop any wine being taken in board and we all lose. Go to Happy hour and get the second glass for $2.

 

Sent from my LG-H812 using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you (y)

 

I so agree. that's one of the reasons we lost the unlimited wine privilege.

[Iwantacruisenow]

We'll this discussion went south quickly. I think if we loose the privilege, its because people are drinking in their room and not ordering at the bar. Doubt if HAL will loose enough money on corkage to risk travelers going to another cruise line. I think we all need a drink. Cheers!

[c-boy]

We'll this discussion went south quickly. I think if we loose the privilege, its because people are drinking in their room and not ordering at the bar. Doubt if HAL will loose enough money on corkage to risk travelers going to another cruise line. I think we all need a drink. Cheers!

:')

 

[kazu]

We'll this discussion went south quickly. I think if we loose the privilege, its because people are drinking in their room and not ordering at the bar. Doubt if HAL will loose enough money on corkage to risk travelers going to another cruise line. I think we all need a drink. Cheers!

 

Downhill? Because we disagree with you?

 

Sorry, but I was around when they changed the wine policy. I was at a focus session when the HD outlined the reasons the policy had changed.

 

FYI - HAL knows when you bring a glass from your room. The wine glasses in the rooms are not the same as those in the bars ;)

 

Most drinking in their rooms are drinking HAL's liquor/beer or wine that they ordered or paid corkage on. One bottle of "free" wine only lasts so long ;)

[sail7seas]

Total Wine opened a new store in my area this spring. I have not yet gone by to check it out but after reading this thread ,Ii think I will soon. :)

[sail7seas]

And one of you should stay in the taxi while the other one goes in to pick up the order!!

 

 

 

I SO agree.

 

I would never leave our luggage, and carryonsu n attended in a taxi. Why take such a risk at the start of your trip? One stays in theaxi qnd t e h other goes into the store.

 

 

Wave goodb ye to it as it rides down the street.

[fatcat04]

Downhill? Because we disagree with you?

 

Sorry, but I was around when they changed the wine policy. I was at a focus session when the HD outlined the reasons the policy had changed.

 

FYI - HAL knows when you bring a glass from your room. The wine glasses in the rooms are not the same as those in the bars ;)

 

Most drinking in their rooms are drinking HAL's liquor/beer or wine that they ordered or paid corkage on. One bottle of "free" wine only lasts so long ;)

Thank you for saying this. I too remember the changes and the reasoning behind them. We have always enjoyed the privilege of bringing wine on HAL ships, and it is a privilege not a right. The best way to lose a privilege is abuse it. That someone would pay hundreds and thousands for a cruise and then balk at an $18 fee always astounds me.

 

And many of us that bring on wine do so because we enjoy certain wines, varietals/blends or from regions not well represented on HALs wine list. It is more often a matter of taste than pocketbook.

Edited September 11, 2018 by fatcat04

[RocketMan275]

Thank you for saying this. I too remember the changes and the reasoning behind them. We have always enjoyed the privilege of bringing wine on HAL ships, and it is a privilege not a right. The best way to lose a privilege is abuse it. That someone would pay hundreds and thousands for a cruise and then balk at an $18 fee always astounds me.

 

And many of us that bring on wine do so because we enjoy certain wines, varietals/blends or from regions not well represented on HALs wine list. It is more often a matter of taste than pocketbook.

Exactly so. It would not be worth the trouble to carry aboard the wines on HALs wine list.