Pay extra to bring champagne on board Holland America?

[cruiserz13]

1. Holland America charges $18 per bottle over the allowed one bottle in carry on per person. Is it more economical to pay the extra fee and purchase bottles of champagne at a discount and bring from home? Some stores have great discounts when purchasing in 6-12 bottles and since the holidays are coming up I'm thinking why not buy then leave the rest for home? Holland America Oosterdam have other options than the $50-100 price range? Say looking at $30-35 range. Thanks in advance for the imput.

[donaldsc]

Assuming that you are buying decent champagne, it is almost always cheaper to bring the stuff on board and pay the corkage.  Also,  more expensive wine will save you more because the corkage is a fixed fee regardless of the cost of the wine.

 

It should be very easy for you to do a more exact comparison of your 2 options using very basic math.

 

DON

[clo]

You might help your decision making by distinguishing between Champagne and sparkling wine.  Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France and sparkling wine comes from seemingly everywhere.  The price difference is frequently significant.  Not being a snob - we mostly have sparkling wine 🙂 

[LHT28]

check the cost of the same Champagne onboard ..some people post  the bar menus in the HAL forum

Then see what your bottle would cost  after adding the fee

probably worth it to buy at home  as long as you are not flying to the port & pay excess baggage fees

 

 

[bennybear]

HAL has Veuve Cliquot on board,  a decent champagne.  We find if you get it on sale it is cheaper to bring on-board and pay the corkage.  Unless you buy it at happy hour than it is around 20$ for two glasses.   Remember that the cost per bottle doesn’t include the gratuity where the corkage does, so that greatly increases the on-board cost.  If you bring it on-board you can choose whatever champagne you prefer, you aren’t limited to HALs selection.  We just recently returned from Europe where we enjoyed a number of great local wines and happily paid the corkage.      

[cat shepard]

To give you an idea of the savings... 3 weeks ago I purchased a bottle of wine for $13 during 30% off special. The Oosterdam was selling that same bottle of wine for more than $50. Even with the corkage, I saved a decent amount, especially since corkage includes the 18% gratuity.

[cruiserz13]

3 hours ago, cat shepard said:

To give you an idea of the savings... 3 weeks ago I purchased a bottle of wine for $13 during 30% off special. The Oosterdam was selling that same bottle of wine for more than $50. Even with the corkage, I saved a decent amount, especially since corkage includes the 18% gratuity.

 

8 hours ago, cruiserz13 said:

1. Holland America charges $18 per bottle over the allowed one bottle in carry on per person. Is it more economical to pay the extra fee and purchase bottles of champagne at a discount and bring from home? Some stores have great discounts when purchasing in 6-12 bottles and since the holidays are coming up I'm thinking why not buy then leave the rest for home? Holland America Oosterdam have other options than the $50-100 price range? Say looking at $30-35 range. Thanks in advance for the imput.

Agreed. Thank you

[cruiserz13]

3 hours ago, cat shepard said:

To give you an idea of the savings... 3 weeks ago I purchased a bottle of wine for $13 during 30% off special. The Oosterdam was selling that same bottle of wine for more than $50. Even with the corkage, I saved a decent amount, especially since corkage includes the 18% gratuity.

Thank you. Yes I agree.

[cruiserz13]

3 hours ago, bennybear said:

HAL has Veuve Cliquot on board,  a decent champagne.  We find if you get it on sale it is cheaper to bring on-board and pay the corkage.  Unless you buy it at happy hour than it is around 20$ for two glasses.   Remember that the cost per bottle doesn’t include the gratuity where the corkage does, so that greatly increases the on-board cost.  If you bring it on-board you can choose whatever champagne you prefer, you aren’t limited to HALs selection.  We just recently returned from Europe where we enjoyed a number of great local wines and happily paid the corkage.      

Appreciate your feedback. Thank you

[cruiserz13]

3 hours ago, cat shepard said:

To give you an idea of the savings... 3 weeks ago I purchased a bottle of wine for $13 during 30% off special. The Oosterdam was selling that same bottle of wine for more than $50. Even with the corkage, I saved a decent amount, especially since corkage includes the 18% gratuity.

Thank you for your help.

[cruiserz13]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

Assuming that you are buying decent champagne, it is almost always cheaper to bring the stuff on board and pay the corkage.  Also,  more expensive wine will save you more because the corkage is a fixed fee regardless of the cost of the wine.

 

It should be very easy for you to do a more exact comparison of your 2 options using very basic math.

 

DON

Yes I agree. Wanted to see if there were any other tips or suggestions. Thank you 

[cruiserz13]

3 hours ago, cat shepard said:

To give you an idea of the savings... 3 weeks ago I purchased a bottle of wine for $13 during 30% off special. The Oosterdam was selling that same bottle of wine for more than $50. Even with the corkage, I saved a decent amount, especially since corkage includes the 18% gratuity.

Thanks!

 

[Crew News]

9 hours ago, cruiserz13 said:

1. Holland America charges $18 per bottle over the allowed one bottle in carry on per person. Is it more economical to pay the extra fee and purchase bottles of champagne at a discount and bring from home? Some stores have great discounts when purchasing in 6-12 bottles and since the holidays are coming up I'm thinking why not buy then leave the rest for home? Holland America Oosterdam have other options than the $50-100 price range? Say looking at $30-35 range. Thanks in advance for the imput.

Here is a link to MDR beverage list with both bottles and by-the-glass wines:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/mdr-wine-menu-2

[cruiserz13]

10 hours ago, Crew News said:

Here is a link to MDR beverage list with both bottles and by-the-glass wines:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/mdr-wine-menu-2

 

[cruiserz13]

A BIG Thank you! Appreciate everyones help and imput. Happy sailing all!!!

 

 

[jwh]

I thought you could only bring wine on board.  If they allow champagne will they also allow spirits subject to the $18 corkage?

[colbe]

16 minutes ago, jwh said:

I thought you could only bring wine on board.  If they allow champagne will they also allow spirits subject to the $18 corkage?

Champagne is sparkling wine.

[NGBG]

If you bring your "allowed" bottle into the MDR, you have to pay a corkage fee of $18, don't you?

So when would you pay a corkage fee for additional bottles? When you board? And then could you bring it into the DR without additional charges? Does HAL keep track?

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, NGBG said:

If you bring your "allowed" bottle into the MDR, you have to pay a corkage fee of $18, don't you?

So when would you pay a corkage fee for additional bottles? When you board? And then could you bring it into the DR without additional charges? Does HAL keep track?

 

The usual system for bottles beyond the 1 per person is for you to go to the wine table at some point in the check in process, declare your one for the cabin and then the rest will be subject to corkage. The fee will go on your onboard account. HAL usually puts a sticker on the paid-for bottles so that they can be taken to the MDR. 

 

[NGBG]

42 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

The usual system for bottles beyond the 1 per person is for you to go to the wine table at some point in the check in process, declare your one for the cabin and then the rest will be subject to corkage. The fee will go on your onboard account. HAL usually puts a sticker on the paid-for bottles so that they can be taken to the MDR. 

 

Thanks for the info.

[catl331]

2 hours ago, jwh said:

I thought you could only bring wine on board.  If they allow champagne will they also allow spirits subject to the $18 corkage?

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BROUGHT ON BOARD

Each guest 21 years and older may bring one bottle of wine or champagne (no larger than 750ml) onboard in carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage.  This bottle will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles (no larger than 750ml) in carry-on luggage are welcome, but will incur a US$18.00 (subject to change) corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed.