Is there a wine package on NCL Spirit?

[sam's girl]

My DH and I are sailing on the Oct. 9 Boston to Boston cruise on NCL Spirit. This is our first time on NCL and we have purchased wine packages on other ships ahead of time. Looking on the NCL website I see only single bottles to be delivered in the room. Is there a package plan for meals? Can you "save" the bottle if it's not all consumed at one meal? What is their policy about bringing wine on board? I understand that we are traveling in Canadian wine country. Might want to buy some.

[cv322]

I can be corrected by more frequent NCL cruisers (I've only done 2 :p) if I'm wrong...but I haven't seen a wine package on NCL. We had one on our Noordam cruise (HAL) and it was perfect. But on NCL I believe you may bring on 1 750 ml bottle per person, which will generate a $15/bottle corkage fee.

 

They will, without any doubt, save you bottle of wine from one dining room experience to another...no worries there!

 

I wholeheartedly would endorse a wine package for NCL. NCL high-up-execs....are you reading? Please give us one!

[JerseyGem]

NCL ships do occassonally have wine packages. I haven't been able to figure out any pattern for when they're offered (eg, short vs long cruises, locations, etc). As far as I can tell, it's just whatever upper management decides at that moment. Definitely check with the bar staff (or your concierge) as soon as you can; sometimes the package must be purchased the first day.

 

As for unfinished bottles- you have the option of taking the rest with you to your cabin or they will hold it for you (get a receipt). Bottles are kept in a central location so that they can be retrieved for you in whichever restaurant you're dining.

 

When you purchase large quantities of wine off ship (at a port), they will be held for you (again, get a receipt) until the last night of the cruise. If you purchase one or two bottles, they may or may not be "discovered" when you return to the ship. (All bags must go through an x-ray, etc). Pack a corkscrew just in case!

 

We have never brought wine bottles onboard at initial embarkation, so I don't know about the corkage fee.

[CruisinMaterial]

Just off the spirit last week and I didn't see a wine package offered on embarkation day. :cool:

[kebauc]

There is a long post from another recent Spirit cruiser - just off last week I believe - search the threads for it. She has some great detailed info about her cruise to Bermuda on the Spirit. In that thread, she gives info about the wine package you purchase on embarkation day - 6 bottles in all I believe, which you choose from a specific list of wines. She was disappointed that you had to choose all 6 wines upfront. You are not allowed to "pick and choose" throughout the cruise in order to select a wine to complement your meals as you order them throughout the week. I agree that this is a "downside" to the wine package. However, it was offered at a good deal, so if you're a wine-drinker, then I'd pursue it. I can't remember if she stated where they purchased the package, but we plan to find this package ourselves, and it might be a good idea to ask as soon as you embark - try customer relations or some of the bars. Have a great cruise - we've found it's not really an advantage to bringing your own wine on board either. They are pretty strict about the $15 fee per 750 ml bottle, and I understand from this forum that it's nearly impossible to get one onboard unnoticed. We tried it last year with a single favorite bottle from a local vineyard, and sure enough got caught and had to pay the fee. They put a sticker on the bottle at the security check in as soon as it goes through the x-rays - right after you sign the slip for the corkage fee :(

[sam's girl]

Thanks for all your help. We do like RCL's wine package deal. We had great fun with our traveling partners having "wine tastings" before we traveled so we knew what to order. It would be fun to do again, but we can wait till we get there. If the Canadian wines are good, I can have them shipped home if necessary. I hope NCL adopts the wine package idea.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

sam's girl-

 

If you buy wine ashore, you can bring it on board and they will hold it to the end of the cruise. (At least I think they do this.) You should be able to do this with any wine you buy and not have to ship it home.

[garycarla]

If you bring wine, and you can bring more than one bottle, there is a $15 per bottle corkage fee, no matter where you drink it. If you want them to hold wine for you to take home, then no charge. Of course, if you are flying, you have to put it in your checked luggage.