Bringing Wine On Board

We are on Koningsdam on July 2. We are new HAL cruisers, not new to cruising, but mostly Royal Caribbean. I understand we can bring 1 bottle of wine each with no charge, then a corkage charge of $18 per bottle after that. My question is this. We don't drink much wine, and do have the Explore 4 package. But we are doing a second cruise on Royal Caribbean the day we get back into Amsterdam. As we don't plan to leave the port, only switch ships, we would like to get 2 bottles of wine for our second cruise. If we buy wine in one of the ports during our HAL cruise, do they hold it until the night before we debark as RCCL does, or do the charge $18 to bring it on board? Also, when do they charge the corkage? Is it at Boarding? One last question. Does anyone know if there is a wine shop at or near the Port of Amsterdam?

 

Thanks

If we buy wine in one of the ports during our HAL cruise, do they hold it until the night before we debark as RCCL does, or do the charge $18 to bring it on board? Also, when do they charge the corkage? Is it at Boarding? One last question. Does anyone know if there is a wine shop at or near the Port of Amsterdam?

If you buy wine in a port stop you have a choice of either paying the $18 (to use it on board) OR having it held until debarkation with no fee. (You may also bring liquor on board to be held.) For wine that you wish to use on board, as you board (initially or in a port stop) your name and cabin is recorded and the charge appears on your on-board account. We've never been to Amsterdam so I can't answer your last question. :)

I really appreciate this board as the answers to most questions are already here!

 

My husband and I are sailing from Vancouver to Hawaii and back on the Eurodam in October and I would like to bring back several bottles from Ulupalakua Vineyard in Maui. I was hoping there was a way to get them home without paying corkage fee and it's great to hear there is.

... bring back several bottles from Ulupalakua Vineyard in Maui. I was hoping there was a way to get them home without paying corkage fee and it's great to hear there is.

If you go there on a HAL excursion you can bring back 1 bottle per person for consumption in your cabin corkage free!

Is the corkage fee just to bring a bottle of wine when you initially board new? I have never been charged a corkage fee before unless I wanted to have the wine with dinner in the dining room. Would appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks!

Is the corkage fee just to bring a bottle of wine when you initially board new? I have never been charged a corkage fee before unless I wanted to have the wine with dinner in the dining room. Would appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks!

 

The wine policy changed a few years ago. In the "olden days" you could bring all the wine you want on board for consumption in your stateroom.

 

The current policy is now that each adult of drinking age can bring one bottle on board free of charge (like before for consumption in your stateroom - otherwise, corkage is charged). Any additional bottles brought on at embarkation are charged the corkage fee and you can drink it anywhere on the ship.

 

You can also bring wine on in ports - all subject to corkage fee.

Is the corkage fee just to bring a bottle of wine when you initially board new?

Not all that new, but I have lost track of time. It could have been 3? 4? more??? :eek: years ago that it went into effect.

Not all that new, but I have lost track of time. It could have been 3? 4? more??? :eek: years ago that it went into effect.

It was in early 2014.

 

It didn't really affect us since we took all our wine to dinner with us and paid corkage anyway. I remember having to "argue" at the wine check in desk and ask to pay corkage on everything. From our perspective, the new policy was better than having to deal with a separate corkage slip every night.

Thank you all for your replies. So nothing has changed in the last few years and you can still bring one bottle each at no charge. It is just when you bring additional bottles that there is a corkage charge.

Thank you all for your replies. So nothing has changed in the last few years and you can still bring one bottle each at no charge. It is just when you bring additional bottles that there is a corkage charge.

Correct. If you bring that one "free" bottle to a public area, the corkage charge will be applied then. But drinking it in your cabin is still "free".

If you begin your cruise in Europe, can you purchase 1 wine each at the port before embarking? Will it be treated as the "free" wine for the cabin?

If you begin your cruise in Europe, can you purchase 1 wine each at the port before embarking? Will it be treated as the "free" wine for the cabin?

Yes it will. We bought our wine in Civitavecchia for our Med cruise last May.

Absolutely!!!!

Our last cruise out of Venice this past September we brought our fav champagne on board!

The days are gone being able to bring wine on in each port of call. When we did our 24 day Med cruise in 2013 on The Nieuw we were able to bring wine on. Since that cruise it all changed.

Denise:)

Absolutely!!!!

Our last cruise out of Venice this past September we brought our fav champagne on board!

The days are gone being able to bring wine on in each port of call. When we did our 24 day Med cruise in 2013 on The Nieuw we were able to bring wine on. Since that cruise it all changed.

Denise:)

You can still bring wine on at any port, embarkation or port of call, as long as you are willing to pay the $18 corkage fee or have them store your bottles until the end of the cruise. We do!

You can still bring wine on at any port, embarkation or port of call, as long as you are willing to pay the $18 corkage fee or have them store your bottles until the end of the cruise. We do!

 

Ditto :). Hard to resist some of those European wines or the "candy store" in FLL.:D

Ditto :). Hard to resist some of those European wines or the "candy store" in FLL.:D

I apologize!!!

I was referring to when they allowed without the $18.00 corkage fee. I agree with you Kazu! Good European wines are the best!

Denise:)

You are all so helpful! Now to find the wine at Piraeus before stumbling on board after the long flight. I know, we should fly in early...but our first day is a sea day to recover.

You are all so helpful! Now to find the wine at Piraeus before stumbling on board after the long flight. I know, we should fly in early...but our first day is a sea day to recover.

Oh my! You're flying in on the same day as the cruise......you are so brave! Have a wonderful cruise and use your sea day to get over your jet lag and to relax. Bon Voyage!!