No longer allowed to bring wine on board without a corkage fee -

[Boytjie]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

Also -- offer the same things on all your ships. It is so frustrating to me that while I really like Tamarind, I never happen to be on a ship that has one. HAL, are you listening? People really like Tamarind. Figure out a way to put it on all your ships. And same with the music venues. 

 

 

 

That would mean creating not only the restaurant space but also add a kitchen to the older ships.

 

As much as I wouldl like to a Grand Dutch Cafe on every ship, I know that won't happen.

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, Boytjie said:

 

That would mean creating not only the restaurant space but also add a kitchen to the older ships.

 

As much as I wouldl like to a Grand Dutch Cafe on every ship, I know that won't happen.

 

Not just won’t happen, but can’t.  that’s the whole problem with putting a Tamarind in on many of the ships.  There is no place to do it unless they take away public space.

[cruisemom42]

There must be ways IF there is the will and the money. Princess retrofitted several ships with specialty restaurants. 

 

Even if it involved figuring out a way to offer alternate evenings of Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. Other lines do these things.

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Even if it involved figuring out a way to offer alternate evenings of Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. Other lines do these things.

 

that should indeed be do-able.  Not sure what specialty items or cooking appliances they need in the Tamarind but I would like to think it is do-able.

After all they do pop up Sel de Mer in the PG.

 

I don’t know if a Grand Dutch Cafe would work on the smaller ships and even the Vistas but if the Tamarind were there even on a pop up version, I bet a lot of people would be happy.

[KirkNC]

13 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

There must be ways IF there is the will and the money. Princess retrofitted several ships with specialty restaurants. 

 

Even if it involved figuring out a way to offer alternate evenings of Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. Other lines do these things.

Get ride of some of the shops.

[Boytjie]

37 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

that should indeed be do-able.  Not sure what specialty items or cooking appliances they need in the Tamarind but I would like to think it is do-able.

After all they do pop up Sel de Mer in the PG.

 

I don’t know if a Grand Dutch Cafe would work on the smaller ships and even the Vistas but if the Tamarind were there even on a pop up version, I bet a lot of people would be happy.

 

Tamarind has a kitchen specifically for Asian cuisine. BTW Pinnacle has it's own kitchen too.

 

Anything is probably doable, but it depends whether it is feasible! 😄

 

[mcrcruiser]

On 9/29/2021 at 2:46 PM, Hlitner said:

True.  But then again I do not remember them caring about bringing soft drinks and wine aboard (corkage fees were only charged if you brought a bottle to the MDR).  I also remember when HAL had a "tipping not required" policy.  Times change.   We still like HAL but now put them in the same category as other mass market lines.  The HAL that we knew is gone.   Like many past HAL fans, we now look elsewhere while still trying to enjoy HAL because of their terrific itineraries.  You want to find many who used to be active on this board you might start reading the Oceania and Viking boards.  Boytjie posted that HAL "was" among the most generous when it came to bringing beverages aboard.  But the key word in that statement is "WAS."  I also remember when HAL used to have some decent production shows (accompanied with a live 7 piece band) and that is also ancient history.   The truth is that nearly all the cruise lines have undergone relatively recent changes.  A few have actually made some positive changes but many others have gone the way of HAL with various cutbacks.

 

Hank

Yes Hank all the cruise lines  are inventing ways  to save operational  costs   ,while raising their cruise rates  .Mow more than ever we have to compare what we might get for our money on a ship vs say a all inclusive resort in the Caribbean or Hawaii   . then the only real  difference is moving on the seas or standing still looking at the ocean  

[Skipper's Mom]

On 9/29/2021 at 6:57 AM, ski ww said:

As far as I know there was always a corkage fee when you brought own on board although I see it has gone up. 

Alan, I thought that the corkage was for any wine brought to the dining room, not in-room consumption.

 

Lynne

[idiebabe]

This is what's in the Cruise Contract that we signed for our November 10th Cruise on Rotterdam.  This is the same Policy that was in our Cruise Contract that we signed for our July Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise and we had no problem boarding with the "allowed" items outlined in this Cruise Contract!  

 

Guests agree not to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or for any other use except as follows:

• For Guests of legal drinking age, an allowance of two (2) bottles of wine or champagne (750 mL in volume or less) per stateroom may be presented to security during embarkation.
• For world cruises, or cruises with consecutive voyages, this allowance can be multiplied by the number of segments that comprise the complete sailing. Items for future segments/voyages will be held by the vessel and delivered on the first day of each segment. Guests should present their documentation for any consecutive sailings to security on boarding day.
• A US $20.00 corkage fee (which is subject to change without notice) will apply to each additional bottle (750 ml in volume or less) beyond the two (2) bottle allowance. Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.
• Guests are also prohibited from bringing water, sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages on board that are packaged in bottles. A small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, juice, milk) packaged in cans or cartons may be brought on board on embarkation day, only if carried on in Guests’ hand luggage (not in checked luggage). A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less per person. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding.

 

 

[BrownieCruises]

FYI, I boarded the Nieuw Amsterdam today for a 21 day cruise with 12 bottles of wine.  No corkage charge.  

[jlnprt]

12 minutes ago, BrownieCruises said:

FYI, I boarded the Nieuw Amsterdam today for a 21 day cruise with 12 bottles of wine.  No corkage charge.  

Ohhh .... that's interesting! I wonder if they will charge you when you bring a bottle to the MDR. On our last cruise, we brought on 4 bottles. I went to pay corkage at the wine table before we boarded. They put stickers on all of the bottles, but just charged me for 2. 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, jlnprt said:

Ohhh .... that's interesting! I wonder if they will charge you when you bring a bottle to the MDR. On our last cruise, we brought on 4 bottles. I went to pay corkage at the wine table before we boarded. They put stickers on all of the bottles, but just charged me for 2. 

 

I would take that bet.  I would think it would be highly unlikely not to get charged.  

[BrownieCruises]

There was no table and we asked a couple of people about corkage and they said no corkage. 

[Boytjie]

We were on an August Alaska cruise and had two bottles of wine that we bought while wine tasting before the cruise and we were not charged  a corkage fee when we boarded nrr when we took it to dinner (even in the Pinnacle). YMMV

[aliaschief]

Just walked on today with five bottles left of wine. No check but no one too checks. No problem if we get tapped for corkage. 
 

 Our first time in a Pinnacle Suite and very obvious life is different! We’ll enjoy as this will not be the norm?

 

Felt rather awkward tonight when we left Pinnacle Grill and staff was all lined up and greeting us as we left. 
 

Over the top for us.