Corkage Fee

[Iamcruzin]

25 minutes ago, toras said:

I'm thinking of getting a carafe, and use it to carry wine from cabin to dining room. But then I'll have to take it back to the cabin first before doing anything else.

They will most likely charge for the carafe too as a carafe is a bottle.  The corkage fee isn’t for using the corkscrew. It’s a F,U. for not purchasing an overpriced bottle of their wine. Maybe try walking in with a straw in the carafe. Now it’s a glass not a carafe.

Edited September 22 by Iamcruzin

[kirtihk]

On 9/20/2024 at 1:13 PM, Cruzinram said:

Corkage fee has rocketed to $42.00 plus gratuity. Took a bootle of our favorite wine for dinner on rooftop grill. Expecting $25.00 fee but like everything else it has increased. Just an FYI. Might not be a savings anymore to bring your own bottle onboard.

It's 10 bottles of wines (of a relatively decent quality I can buy in the near liquor store; and that's a buy price)!  The price Celebrity pays for a bottle might be $2 (20 bottles worth of a corkage fee!).

[kirtihk]

On 9/20/2024 at 4:05 PM, Iamcruzin said:

$42 to twist off the cap of a bottle of $5 buck Chuck? It's not as if people are boarding with 2 bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothchild. It's cheaper to buy a bottle of the $10 wine they sell for $40.

In that case would it be OK to be charged $42 for opening your own bottle?  What's the difference in process of opening of 2 not identical bottles?

[kirtihk]

On 9/20/2024 at 8:35 PM, RTShaker said:

As per the screenshot, it is $35 plus the 20% gratuity, so $42.

Oh, yes, of course gratuity, too!  Such an "extra mile" job to open a person's bottle!

[zitsky]

On 9/22/2024 at 10:27 AM, publicpersona said:

 

No! Don't give them any ideas!

 

"We have some exciting changes coming to your onboard dining experience! Meals consumed in the main dining room will continue to be complimentary. For your convenience, a table delivery fee of $39 (plus 20% gratuity) will be automatically charged to your onboard account for each item ordered."

The bathroom is free.  The soap dispenser now accepts credit cards.

[kirtihk]

12 minutes ago, zitsky said:

The bathroom is free.  The soap dispenser now accepts credit cards.

with 20% gratuity fee (additional tip is not expected but highly appreciated); for those wishing help with closing their zipper, the "zipper security" fee (with 20% gratuity) will also be applied.

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

Oh, yes, of course gratuity, too!  Such an "extra mile" job to open a person's bottle!

Its the opening of the bottle,  the sniff and swirl followed by the taste and of course, the pour. Some may put on a show , how else can they justify that $42. 😆 

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, kirtihk said:

In that case would it be OK to be charged $42 for opening your own bottle?  What's the difference in process of opening of 2 not identical bottles?

The person bringing on an $800 bottle of wine wouldn't even be phased by a $42 corkage fee. 

[kirtihk]

Just now, drakes2 said:

Its the opening of the bottle,  the sniff and swirl followed by the taste and of course, the pour. Some may put on a show , how else can they justify that $42. 😆 

Wait... Who will sniff and taste?  Based on your "and pour" following it appears it will be a person titled as a "bottle opener attendant".

[kirtihk]

3 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

The person bringing on an $800 bottle of wine wouldn't even be phased by a $42 corkage fee. 

The crew member person holding that bottle will get $160 (20%) "bringing a bottle" fee.

[drakes2]

3 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Wait... Who will sniff and taste?  Based on your "and pour" following it appears it will be a person titled as a "bottle opener attendant".

The sommelier of course does the opening and pouring. 

[zitsky]

1 minute ago, drakes2 said:

The sommelier of course does the opening and pouring. 

I’m not convinced that Celebrity has a real sommelier on board any ships.  Anyone know for sure, not based on an employee just telling you they are?

[drakes2]

8 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I’m not convinced that Celebrity has a real sommelier on board any ships.  Anyone know for sure, not based on an employee just telling you they are?

Nor am I. Whenever I've ordered wine with dinner I always have to wait until the 'sommelier' arrives to my table. One time I ordered a Rigatoni dish and asked for a recommendation of a Tuscan wine and was told he couldn't since he didn't like them.  I sure wasn't expecting that reply. 

[drakes2]

Just now, drakes2 said:

Nor am I. Whenever I've ordered wine with dinner I always have to wait until the 'sommelier' arrives to my table. One time I ordered a Rigatoni dish and asked for a recommendation of a Tuscan wine and was told he couldn't since he didn't like them.  I sure wasn't expecting that reply. 

Most sommeliers get some training on board but highly doubt they're certified. 

[Iamcruzin]

35 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

The crew member person holding that bottle will get $160 (20%) "bringing a bottle" fee.

I'm confused. What are you saying ?  If you bring a bottle of wine to the dining room it's $42 for the corkage fee.  It doesn't matter if it's a $5 bottle or an $800 bottle. If you buy the wine in the dining room there is no corkage fee. 

Edited September 23 by Iamcruzin

[Iamcruzin]

39 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

Wait... Who will sniff and taste?  Based on your "and pour" following it appears it will be a person titled as a "bottle opener attendant".

If you are bringing on your own wine there is no sniff and taste. It's yours to drink good or bad.

[kirtihk]

4 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I'm confused. What are you saying ?  If you bring a bottle of wine to the dining room it's $42 for the corkage fee.  It doesn't matter if it's a $5 bottle or an $800 bottle. If you buy the wine in the dining room there is no corkage fee. 

It was a joke, actually.  However, based on your reply, my statement happens to be true - 20% gratuity of $800 is $160 - I call it the "bringing a bottle" fee (by the "bottle attendant" - another joke).

[Iamcruzin]

1 minute ago, kirtihk said:

It was a joke, actually.  However, based on your reply, my statement happens to be true - 20% gratuity of $800 is $160 - I call it the "bringing a bottle" fee (by the "bottle attendant" - another joke).

And that $800 wine you buy on board probably costs $200 on land.

[kirtihk]

7 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

If you are bringing on your own wine there is no sniff and taste. It's yours to drink good or bad.

Yes.  My question was a joking reply to a joke in the post # 82 that was in regard of $42 fee for bringing your own bottle.

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

The bathroom is free.  The soap dispenser now accepts credit cards.

 

 And there are bill readers on the toilet paper dispensers.

 

 (I am old enough to remember when you had to pay to use the toilet stalls in train stations and gas station bathrooms.  Put a quarter in the slot to unlock the door !

 

[kirtihk]

1 minute ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 And there are bill readers on the toilet paper dispensers.

 

 (I am old enough to remember when you had to pay to use the toilet stalls in train stations and gas station bathrooms.  Put a quarter in the slot to unlock the door !

 

Pretty, pretty, pretty soon all of us will be young enough ... again.

[canderson]

8 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 And there are bill readers on the toilet paper dispensers.

 

 (I am old enough to remember when you had to pay to use the toilet stalls in train stations and gas station bathrooms.  Put a quarter in the slot to unlock the door !

 

Back in my day, it was cheaper than a quarter!

 

You do know that this is where the British expression "I'm off to 'spend a penny'" comes from, yes?

 

 

[drakes2]

11 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

And that $800 wine you buy on board probably costs $200 on land.

That $800 bottle of wine purchased in a land based restaurant will generate a $160 gratuity or perhaps more if one is in a generous mood.  I've never agreed with that but nevertheless it's part of the overall bill.  I worked for a corporation where it was expensed. 

[zitsky]

I make fun of the sommelier in Luminae on the Beyond for offering me wine from Lodi.  I did recently buy a Lodi Zinfandel.  But I have never seen another Lodi wine on any of the wine lists anywhere on the ship.  Will I get a surprise when I board Millie in 3 months?

 

I hope there isn’t any wine from Virginia onboard because I poured out a bottle of it in my backyard today.  North Carolina forever!

 

 

[drakes2]

12 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I make fun of the sommelier in Luminae on the Beyond for offering me wine from Lodi.  I did recently buy a Lodi Zinfandel.  But I have never seen another Lodi wine on any of the wine lists anywhere on the ship.  Will I get a surprise when I board Millie in 3 months?

 

I hope there isn’t any wine from Virginia onboard because I poured out a bottle of it in my backyard today.  North Carolina forever!

 

 

Lodi does a great job of their Zins. I do enjoy them and will look when on-board next month.