Wine on board

[cocos]

Our cruise begins on Anchorage (Seward); can we take on board any number of wines we wish? Do we have to notify it?

[Boytjie]

Our cruise begins on Anchorage (Seward); can we take on board any number of wines we wish? Do we have to notify it?

 

You can take as much wine as you like on board and there is no need to notify anyone.

 

If you take your own wine to the dining room, restaurant, bar or lounge you will be charged a corkage fee of $18 per bottle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoy your wine!!

[penetangjudy]

We brought our own hard liquor on board in our checked luggage without any problem. If you consume your wine in your stateroom you can do so without any charge. Our room stewart saw our alcohol and did nothing about it, we didn't flaunt it, but we did drink it :)

 

We are now planning our next cruise with Holland America and our plan is to bring some of those little wine bottles(they are what is in your room fridge) and mixed drinks like Mud Slides to enjoy in our room and take out and about.

[louben]

we've just come back from our Panama cruise - which was fantastic! Before we boarded at Fort Lauderdale, we purchased a 3 litre box of wine and four small 25cl bottles from a Wine store. The box of wine fitted into the fridge in our statement ok and to be honest I took a couple of the small 25cl bottles in my bag into the dining room each night. This was an excellent move as the small bottles can fit into your handbag and are also easy to refill - it saved us alot of money!

[penetangjudy]

we've just come back from our Panama cruise - which was fantastic! Before we boarded at Fort Lauderdale, we purchased a 3 litre box of wine and four small 25cl bottles from a Wine store. The box of wine fitted into the fridge in our statement ok and to be honest I took a couple of the small 25cl bottles in my bag into the dining room each night. This was an excellent move as the small bottles can fit into your handbag and are also easy to refill - it saved us alot of money!

 

I don't blame you one bit!!!!! We actually carried on our duty free from San Juan and no one took it from us, if we had know I would have brought more and brought items to enjoy in our stateroom ;)

[Boytjie]

The box of wine fitted into the fridge in our statement ok and to be honest I took a couple of the small 25cl bottles in my bag into the dining room each night. This was an excellent move as the small bottles can fit into your handbag and are also easy to refill - it saved us alot of money!

 

That to me is abusing the system, HAL is very generous in their wine policy. And to me it is a tad tacky.

[penetangjudy]

That to me is abusing the system, HAL is very generous in their wine policy. And to me it is a tad tacky.

 

Peter:

 

Not trying to be argumentative here but in saying "HAL is very generous in thier wine policy" what do you mean?? Generous how? You buy your own bottle and they charge you $18 to uncork it, which part of that do you personally find generous, or is there something I am missing?? :)

 

Thanks

[cocos]

I find $18 of corkage fee for bottle to be expensive, but I don't find these information on Holland's web page. Can someone help me to confirm it?

[taxmantoo]

I find $18 of corkage fee for bottle to be expensive, but I don't find these information on Holland's web page. Can someone help me to confirm it?

 

Just off the Eurodam and it was $18 (including 15% service charge) but we were only charged about half the time. We would bring a bottle every night to dinner (usually a red wine) but order a glass of white or sparkling to accompany appetizer and soup. The wine stewards would then open our own bottle without charging the corkage.

[Boytjie]

Peter:

 

Not trying to be argumentative here but in saying "HAL is very generous in thier wine policy" what do you mean?? Generous how? You buy your own bottle and they charge you $18 to uncork it, which part of that do you personally find generous, or is there something I am missing?? :)

 

Thanks

 

HAL is generous in allowing you to bring as much wine as you wish on board; most other cruise lines limit it to one or two bottles per person (or cabin) and some allow none at all.

[penetangjudy]

HAL is generous in allowing you to bring as much wine as you wish on board; most other cruise lines limit it to one or two bottles per person (or cabin) and some allow none at all.

 

Thank you Peter......my suitcase only holds so many bottles though ;)

[Boytjie]

I find $18 of corkage fee for bottle to be expensive, but I don't find these information on Holland's web page. Can someone help me to confirm it?

 

Bringing Alcoholic Beverages Onboard

Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages purchased in the vessel's shops or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage.

A corkage fee of US$15.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.

Room Service offers reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom consumption of alcoholic beverages.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/ShipboardLife.action?contentMenu=Onboard%20Policies&contentSubMenu=Bringing%20Alcoholic%20Beverages%20Onboard

 

We took a case of wine on the Eurodam in February and were charged a $18 corkage fee for every bottle we took into a dining area. I have no problem with them charging for each bottle - that's the policy. Getting it waved is nice but should not be be expected.

[penetangjudy]

I find $18 of corkage fee for bottle to be expensive, but I don't find these information on Holland's web page. Can someone help me to confirm it?

 

If you go through all the info(on Holland American site) it is there, when it talks about your own alcohol not being allowed on the ship with the exception of champagne or wine.

 

One thing I didn't know is that when you purchase a bottle and only drink part of it it will be put away for you for your next night. I assumed you had to drink it all, who knew :)

[Boytjie]

Thank you Peter......my suitcase only holds so many bottles though ;)

 

You can check a case of it but beware, some of it may break. We had one broken bottle in our case.

 

I am not sure that I will take that much wine onboard again (unless I go on a very long cruise which won't happen any time soon). One bottte broke before it was delivered to out cabin and another bottle was bad when they opened it in teh Pinnacle Grill - no way to exchange that one.

 

I may take a bottle or two in carry-on in the future but not much more that that. The wine selection available is reasonable in my opinion and just more convenient.

[Boytjie]

I find $18 of corkage fee for bottle to be expensive, but I don't find these information on Holland's web page. Can someone help me to confirm it?

 

Some other cruise lines charge $25 or more.

[mudscraper]

Thank you Peter......my suitcase only holds so many bottles though ;)

You can purchase wine at any port during your cruise and bring it onboard. You needn`t bring your entire supply onboard at embarcation.

 

 

Rich

[CowPrincess]

To the posters who refill purse-sized bottles of wine and take them to the dining room -- are you aware you can buy a wine card from Holland America, 10 glasses for around $40 (incl. tip), 20 glasses for around $77 (incl. tip)? It is for "house" wine and is good for use in the dining room, Lido and all the lounges.

 

Given the very low cost of cruising right now, even my DH, Mr. Frugal, feels that spending some money onboard for alcohol is a reasonable quid pro quo. Especially given that HAL permits us to bring an unlimited amount of wine onboard -- we truly feel the least we can do is spend some money with HAL beyond the cost of the cruise.

 

Unlike Boytjie, we'll continue to carry 6 bottles aboard :D

[pms4104]

... never mind

[penetangjudy]

To the posters who refill purse-sized bottles of wine and take them to the dining room -- are you aware you can buy a wine card from Holland America, 10 glasses for around $40 (incl. tip), 20 glasses for around $77 (incl. tip)? It is for "house" wine and is good for use in the dining room, Lido and all the lounges.

 

Given the very low cost of cruising right now, even my DH, Mr. Frugal, feels that spending some money onboard for alcohol is a reasonable quid pro quo. Especially given that HAL permits us to bring an unlimited amount of wine onboard -- we truly feel the least we can do is spend some money with HAL beyond the cost of the cruise.

 

Unlike Boytjie, we'll continue to carry 6 bottles aboard :D

 

I really appreciate this info because no, I am not aware of this. I read every bit of info I could and I didn't see this anywhere and it was never told to me. Indeed, it is reasonable :)

 

I spent more money in the casino that most make in a week, so I feel I made more than made my donation ;)

[CowPrincess]

:D at camp637.... got it !

 

I really appreciate this info because no, I am not aware of this. I read every bit of info I could and I didn't see this anywhere and it was never told to me. Indeed, it is reasonable

 

I did a cut & paste of the info from HAL's website -- you have to be in the "Onboard Gifts" portion of the "For Booked Guests" section:

 

From "Onboard Gifts -> Beverage Cards

 

House pouring Wine Card for 10 glasses

This wine card is valid for 10 glasses of house pouring wine which includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, White Zinfandel and Sparkling Wine.

$41.40

 

House pouring Wine Card for 20 glasses

This wine card is valid for 20 glasses of house pouring wine which includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, White Zinfandel and Sparkling Wine.

$77.63

[penetangjudy]

Cowprincess...thank you so much. I appreciate you going to the trouble of printing that for me :) When I tried to look at that on my computer it was a brochure format that I had to move around and zoom to be able to read it, no wonder I missed it.

 

Thanks again!!

[CowPrincess]

You're welcome.... I know that dreadful "brochure thing" you refer to -- it is a PAIN. I can never see all the info, the "brochure" does not display properly.

[Pokeynose]

We love certain wines from the Chateau St. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Wa. I'm having my son get us 4 bottles to bring on board. He lives in Woodinville and will be picking us up from the airport and taking us to the pier the next morning. We'll only consume it in our suite and bring our own corkscrew. We usually get a glass of wine at dinner also. I would pay the corkage fee if we took a bottle to dinner but one glass is all I can drink at a time.;)

[Boytjie]

We love certain wines from the Chateau St. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Wa. I'm having my son get us 4 bottles to bring on board. He lives in Woodinville and will be picking us up from the airport and taking us to the pier the next morning. We'll only consume it in our suite and bring our own corkscrew. We usually get a glass of wine at dinner also. I would pay the corkage fee if we took a bottle to dinner but one glass is all I can drink at a time.;)

 

There should be a corkscrew (and glasses) in your cabin, if not your steward can get it for you.