Bringing on your own wine.

[CaliforniaDon]

Ditto to that last question. I was going to get my travel buddies a wine package, but maybe just get a dozen bottles and pay the fee instead.  How does Princess know the fee has been paid?  Then, they can carry a bottle to the dining room (with that proof, I presume) and have it served there, saving the leftover part for the next day?  Or is the process a bit different than them buying a bottle at the dining room - where they seem to pour their glasses and take the bottle away - returning to refill a bit later?

 

Then, whatever they want to drink in their cabin - same procedure as the "allowed" bottles - except for the fee? Correct?

[Colo Cruiser]

When it's checked with the porters by itself or if it's inside your luggage  it may or may not be flagged once sent onboard.

If it is you will get called down to claim it by security and then the fee is charged.

If its not it will arrive in your cabin like your luggage.

 

If you carry it on they will charge the fee during the security screening process.

Sometimes they don't there either. It all depends on the port and who is or is not paying attention.

[chamima]

49 minutes ago, CaliforniaDon said:

Ditto to that last question. I was going to get my travel buddies a wine package, but maybe just get a dozen bottles and pay the fee instead.  How does Princess know the fee has been paid?  Then, they can carry a bottle to the dining room (with that proof, I presume) and have it served there, saving the leftover part for the next day?  Or is the process a bit different than them buying a bottle at the dining room - where they seem to pour their glasses and take the bottle away - returning to refill a bit later?

 

Then, whatever they want to drink in their cabin - same procedure as the "allowed" bottles - except for the fee? Correct?

 

The bottles that have the fee paid get marked.

The procedure if you don't finish a bottle is the same whether you brought it on board with you or purchased it on the ship.

When there's a bottle that's not finished that you would like the next night your waiter puts the cork back in, marks it and puts it away in back. Then the next night he brings it back out for you to finish. If you've purchased a bottle (not wine by the glass) it stays on your table through dinner.

If you want to take a partially finished bottle back to your cabin you can do that also.

 

 

1 hour ago, idocdlw said:

If you check with your other checked luggage, how & when is the corkage fee assessed/applied? Again I apologize...new to Princess & Princess procedures.

 

If your wine is checked with your luggage you will get a notice in your cabin to come down to the "naughty room" to claim it. They'll assess the fee there (Either way it's charged to your on board account)

[KevintheIrishDJ]

If you are not stopped at security or not called down to the "naughty room" (the wine is delivered directly to your cabin), you pay the fee in the MDR every time you bring a bottle.  Remind them that you are allowed on "free" bottle per person.

[chamima]

9 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

If you are not stopped at security or not called down to the "naughty room" (the wine is delivered directly to your cabin), you pay the fee in the MDR every time you bring a bottle.  Remind them that you are allowed on "free" bottle per person.

 

You have to drink that "free" bottle in your cabin.

If you take it to the dining room you'll have to pay the $15 corkage for it also.

Read the Princess disclaimer on that.

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

If you are not stopped at security or not called down to the "naughty room" (the wine is delivered directly to your cabin), you pay the fee in the MDR every time you bring a bottle.  Remind them that you are allowed on "free" bottle per person.

You usually have to pay in the DR.

Sometimes they don't charge but I would be prepared to pay.

If not its a nice surprise.

[jennybenny]

6 hours ago, XBGuy said:

 

This is what I use.  It will hold up to 12 bottles and has some insulation.  It has wheels.  So it is easy to drag on board.  There are external pockets where I stash my cruise documentation and some other stuff.  My wife bought it on Amazon for about $70.  I don't think I would check it on an airline.  There are other totes--e.g., Wine Check and VinGarde Valise--that work well with airlines.  We live near the port.  So, I don't usually worry about the airline checking issue.

 

The other cool thing about something like this one is at the end of the cruise, we have a carry-off.  We completely pack up the night before and let the ship's personnel schlep our bags off the ship.  We use this to pack up the last things--shaving kit, make-up, socks that we found in a drawer, etc--on disembarkation morning.

 

There have been multiple reports here on Cruise Critic of people checking cases of wine with the porter at the pier.  Yes, they do get summoned to the room to claim their wine, but, I have to agree, that that is easier than trying to schlep three cases (I know of at least one instance.) through the various check-in stations.

That looks just like ours!!  I love it!!  Just got it for an upcoming cruise.  Had to flip some bottles upside down, but all 12 fit!!  Easy to roll.  Considering bringing it empty to our cruise in April leaving out of FLL, stopping at Total Wine before the cruise. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RCE6BQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited December 17, 2018 by jennybenny

[SargassoPirate]

A couple of years ago, leaving from Fort Lauderdale for an long cruise, I carried on two boxes of white zin.  Breezed right through security and no corkage fee. Maybe because the boxes had spigots instead of corks.   

[geoherb]

We enjoyed being able to buy the wine package on our trans-Atlantic cruise on the Royal Princess. I wish Princess offered it on all cruises instead of just the longer ones. We're not wine connoisseurs, so the wines that were available in the price range of the package were acceptable to us. I paid the difference in price to order a better bottle only once.

 

On our cruises leaving from Port Everglades, we'll buy a few bottles of wine at Total Wine or even the Publix. Even on the cruise with the wine package, we bought two bottles for drinking in our cabin at M&S. 

[XBGuy]

12 hours ago, jennybenny said:

That looks just like ours!!  I love it!!  Just got it for an upcoming cruise.  Had to flip some bottles upside down, but all 12 fit!!  Easy to roll. 

 

We always bring a bottle of Champagne/Sparkling Wine for our traditional balcony sailaway.  Even when not filling up to capacity, those fit best when flipped.  Whatever works.

[TheRabbit]

22 hours ago, idocdlw said:

How do you transport your wine? Do you have a specialty type carrier or just bring them in a standard cardboard box? Please forgive the naivety of this post but there are those of us who are looking for best options at best prices. Thank you in advance for your wisdom & experiences.

Last Sept we used four types of boxes to bring 36 bottles on. 24 we're in cheap 12 bottle cases and the other 12 were in Styrofoam, paper formed protectors, and a 4 bottle small box. All were delivered with no problems. I will post a link here others may have seen on bringing cases onboard.

[TheRabbit]

Had to go to the PC to link this in.

 

Wine by the case.

[deultgen]

Does the regular $15 corkage fee apply if dining in a specialty restaurant like Share?

[TheRabbit]

9 minutes ago, deultgen said:

Does the regular $15 corkage fee apply if dining in a specialty restaurant like Share?

The $15 applies to any venue. We have even taken dessert wines to the theater and been served.

[jennybenny]

8 hours ago, TheRabbit said:

Had to go to the PC to link this in.

 

Wine by the case.

I looked and looked for your “final response” on this but couldn’t find it. Thank you for posting!! I may not have purchased  the wine roller had I seen it, but now that I have it, I’m happy with the purchase 😊

thanks again! Yours was a positive description of success with checking wine. 

[Colo Cruiser]

8 hours ago, deultgen said:

Does the regular $15 corkage fee apply if dining in a specialty restaurant like Share?

Yes.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Ok, so it is $15 for every bottle after 1, right? Are those marked or somehow indicated that corkage has been paid? Or would you have to pay again in a restaurant?

[jennybenny]

5 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Ok, so it is $15 for every bottle after 1, right? Are those marked or somehow indicated that corkage has been paid? Or would you have to pay again in a restaurant?

You pay once. They give you a sticker for each paid for bottle.  You can take the one you prepaid gratuity for into the MDR, or other dinging venue.  They will open it for you.  If you take the one you had "free/included" then you would need to pay corkage to enjoy that one in a MDR or other restaurant.

[c-boy]

alright jenny I'm confused. One free no corkage and it's got a sticker on it. If I bring a case, do they put stickers on the other eleven bottles and charge $15 for each of the eleven bottles to my account? 

[chamima]

7 minutes ago, c-boy said:

alright jenny I'm confused. One free no corkage and it's got a sticker on it. If I bring a case, do they put stickers on the other eleven bottles and charge $15 for each of the eleven bottles to my account? 

 

 

If you bring a case they will charge you $15 x 11 and put one sticker on each of those 11 bottles.

If you bring that one "free" bottle  (that has no sticker) to the dining room they will then charge you another $15 corkage so make sure the one without the sticker is one you want to drink in your cabin.

[XBGuy]

6 minutes ago, c-boy said:

alright jenny I'm confused. One free no corkage and it's got a sticker on it. If I bring a case, do they put stickers on the other eleven bottles and charge $15 for each of the eleven bottles to my account? 

 

No, the "free" one does not get a sticker.  

 

Yes, if you bring a case of 12 bottles, you will be charged at the pier for 11 of them (11 X $15 = $165).  You will sign a chit and the $165 is charged to your shipboard account.  Then, they will ask you which 11 bottles do you want to have the stickers.  In some cases (depends on the person) they will just hand you 11 stickers for you to attach at your convenience.  Usually, though, they will attach the stickers to the 11 bottles that you identify.

 

When you take a bottle to a dining room or restaurant with a bottle, the server or headwaiter will inspect your bottle for a sticker.  If there is no sticker, he/she will advise you that it is subject to the $15 corkage charge.

 

Interestingly enough, a couple weeks ago I took a bottle into SHARE.  The headwaiter looked at my wine and said, "We will have to charge you for this wine."  I don't know why he could not find the sticker.  I turned the bottle around to the side to show him the "Corkage Paid" sticker, and he made a comment to the effect "Oh, they're putting the sticker in a different place, now."

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

 

No, the "free" one does not get a sticker.  

 

Yes, if you bring a case of 12 bottles, you will be charged at the pier for 11 of them (11 X $15 = $165).  You will sign a chit and the $165 is charged to your shipboard account.  Then, they will ask you which 11 bottles do you want to have the stickers.  In some cases (depends on the person) they will just hand you 11 stickers for you to attach at your convenience.  Usually, though, they will attach the stickers to the 11 bottles that you identify.

 

When you take a bottle to a dining room or restaurant with a bottle, the server or headwaiter will inspect your bottle for a sticker.  If there is no sticker, he/she will advise you that it is subject to the $15 corkage charge.

 

Interestingly enough, a couple weeks ago I took a bottle into SHARE.  The headwaiter looked at my wine and said, "We will have to charge you for this wine."  I don't know why he could not find the sticker.  I turned the bottle around to the side to show him the "Corkage Paid" sticker, and he made a comment to the effect "Oh, they're putting the sticker in a different place, now."

wonderful !  So now they've charged my account for corkage on eleven bottles,  and the last night of this fabulous cruise I still have five bottles unopened.  Do I go to the trouble of getting a credit or  get busy drinking and partying  like it's 1999 ?

[chamima]

43 minutes ago, c-boy said:

wonderful !  So now they've charged my account for corkage on eleven bottles,  and the last night of this fabulous cruise I still have five bottles unopened.  Do I go to the trouble of getting a credit or  get busy drinking and partying  like it's 1999 ?

 

You won't get a credit.

The policy is that you can bring on one bottle per adult and any bottles after that are charged $15/bottle corkage.

Doesn't say ANYTHING about drinking them while on the ship.

So if you think you can only drink 7 then only bring 7.

 

OR - party like it's 1999 on the last night.

[jennybenny]

3 hours ago, c-boy said:

alright jenny I'm confused. One free no corkage and it's got a sticker on it. If I bring a case, do they put stickers on the other eleven bottles and charge $15 for each of the eleven bottles to my account? 

Hey C-Boy, They will only give you stickers for the ones you pay for corkage, not the “free/allowed one”. Since it’s supposed to be carry on, you pay at the wine check In table. If you “luck out” without someone there, then you pay when you take the bottle to dinner. BUT if there is some one there, you pay corkage there (or better stated, you get it added to your onboard account) for all bottles over the included “free” ones, regardless of if you drink them on your cruise.

Oh and they usually give you the stickers to put on yourself if you are heavily packaged up in boxes. 

 

[XBGuy]

1 hour ago, c-boy said:

wonderful !  So now they've charged my account for corkage on eleven bottles,  and the last night of this fabulous cruise I still have five bottles unopened.  Do I go to the trouble of getting a credit or  get busy drinking and partying  like it's 1999 ?

 

Left over wine????

 

 

That's hilarious.  Good one c-boy.