HAL Wine Policy/Procedures?

[wlfpkgirl]

Hello all!

 

We will be cruising on HAL for the first time on 3/27, out of FLL. We were very happy to find out that HAL allows wine to be brought onboard for in stateroom consumption. However, we still have questions.

 

*Are we allowed to pack the wine in our checked luggage?

*If we must pack it in our carry-on bags, will there be somewhere to store the bags until our stateroom is ready?

*Are we allowed to pack a corkscrew or will the room steward help us as needed?

*Are we also allowed to bring bottled water and/or soda?

 

We have asked HAL representatives 4 times (there are 4 of us) to confirm their rules/procedures and each of us received a different answer! :confused:

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[histrung]

we packed ours in checked luggage with a corkscrew...also packed water and soda...no problems at all....just don't have that corkscrew in your carryon while flying! :P

[Sprocket]

We put our wine, water and soda in a box last time with our name and cabin number on it and it arrived just fine. You may put it in your carryon if you wish, and there is an area on the Lido deck where you may keep it until your stateroom is ready.

If you take your wine to the DR you may be charged an $18 corkage fee, but there is of course no charge for wine consumed in your stateroom. We take boxed wine for incabin consumption and bottles for the main Dining Room.

Enjoy your cruise!

[jcrandle]

You can pack it in checked luggage, or bring it thru HAL security onto the ship as carry on. We have done long cruises out of Tampa and FLL, and have wheeled a case & half or more thru check in with absolutely no HAL issues (though several folk in line with us wanted to be seated at our table!)

[wlfpkgirl]

Thank you for the quick replies!

 

We only use one carry-on for each of us so we have never had to check our luggage curbside. However since HAL allows wine to brought onboard, we may have to use a suitcase after all!

 

We were told that we MUST pack it in our carry-on and also that there is no place to "store" our carry-on bags (until our staterooms are ready). Then, another HAL rep gave us entirely different information!

 

Thanks again!

[bcirish]

We use a shipping box and take a case and check it with our luggage- no probalem - we also took a case of pop -put that in a suitcase because there were two twvelve packs but saw others with cases of water and soda with luggage tags attached- love HAL!!- have a great time-

[CowPrincess]

We were told that we MUST pack it in our carry-on and also that there is no place to "store" our carry-on bags (until our staterooms are ready). Then, another HAL rep gave us entirely different information!

 

Very often there will be a spot near the Lido pool where you can leave your carry-on. At least that has been my experience. We just carry our wine in our carry-ons, preferring that to letting the luggage handlers "handle" it. We leave our carry-ons at the carry-on drop off spot, have lunch, enjoy the decks and then retrieve our carry-ons when the cabins are ready (usually around 1:30). We each usually carry 3 bottles of wine and find that is manageable.

[Berk987]

we usually fly in from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale the night before and go shopping at the nearby liquor store which is next to the grocery story (Publix) for our bottles of wine. We carry on 3 bottles for dinner. I think I will try bringing some cans of Dr. Pepper this time round and put it in our mini fridge. correct, $18 corkage and they store it for you with your room # if you don't finish that night.

[PathfinderEss]

Welcome to Cruise Critic Wlfpkgirl. You can pack wine in either your luggage or carry on and yes you can bring along a cork screw. I personally prefer to carry-on, I always worry about bottle breakage in my luggage. Now if you bring on a case, that even works better because you can send it through baggage, in the box and they are pretty careful with it. Yes there is a spot where you can leave you carry-ons while your waiting for your room, as OP have said it is up on the Lido deck, out by the center pool. Soft drinks and water are ok, too. Hope you have a wonderful cruise and do enjoy your wine......

[DaveOKC]

I bought a corkscrew that breaks down into two pieces and is the size of a large pen (think Sharpie size). The metal part fits into the handle and when you put them together they form a traditional T look. Works well and you should be a ble to get them in any wine shop.

 

DaveOKC

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[m steve]

save the boxes from your duty free liquor and reuse them on the next cruise by sealing and tagging them as if they were luggage and they will be delivered to your cabin.

[snowman]

we packed ours in checked luggage with a corkscrew...also packed water and soda...no problems at all....just don't have that corkscrew in your carryon while flying! :P

TSA allows you corkscrew as long as it does have the foil cutting knife on it.

[Roz]

On my Noordam cruise last November, someones red wine in their checked bag broke and went all over the place, including other passengers' suitcases. How would you like it if you didn't have clothes to wear for 2 days because they were being cleaned, and completely lost a suitcase? Even though HAL tried, one of the ladies still had permanent wine stains on her clothes.

 

Please put your wine in you carry on bag.

 

Roz

[maxout]

Many better wine producers are now packaging quality wines in smaller 2-3 liter boxes (I know, I know!) seriously some are quite good especially for casual consumption. When unopened they are very sturdy and unlikely to be damaged in a checked bag.

[jtl513]

On my Noordam cruise last November, someones red wine in their checked bag broke and went all over the place, including other passengers' suitcases.

If a bag happens to be on the bottom of the pile it really gets crushed. On mine the rails for the pull-up handle were bent so badly that the handle wouldn't work until I got home and bent them back, more-or-less. Self-disembarking with that bag was a real hassle. :mad:

[wlfpkgirl]

Thank you all for your help!

 

I guess I will pack the beverages in my carryon and check a suitcase curbside. I am just used to packing a week's worth of clothes in my 22" carry-on and zipping on & off the ship!

 

However, bringing wine onboard will be soooo worth any extra effort or hassle! :D

 

Only 8 more nights until we set sail...

[hmh]

Maybe I am reading these answers incorrectly, but if you are flying, you cannot have bottles of wine in your carryon. You are only permitted the amount of liquids that will fit in a quart-sized baggy. That being the case, I have packed wine in my luggage on occasion. Used plenty of the smaller-sized bubble wrap, then put the bottles (2) inside 2 big sealable baggies, and then placed in center of suitcae. Since we only take white wine, it probably would not stain clothes--but the aroma might be a bit overpowering, if the bottle should break.:) hmh

[cindy1957]

Buy your wine in Florida but be sure you get it before you get into the port area. Publix (a southestern US grocery chain) has a wonderful selection of wine the nearest one to the airport is a mile away at Beachway Plaza 402 E Dania Beach Blvd. Another choice is Total Wines in The Harbor Shops Plaza at 1906 Cordova Road. Even Walgreens and CVS sell wine! If you take a cab the driver will stop for you! Just be sure you go before you get into the port area. It can be a madhouse on some days and since this is spring break once you get into the port area you are not going to want to turn around and go out!

We are leaving out of Tampa April 12 and I am going to try the suggestion of putting the wine in a box and labeling it. That way the porter will know what is inside.

[Boytjie]

Maybe I am reading these answers incorrectly, but if you are flying, you cannot have bottles of wine in your carryon.

 

Responses are about wine in carry-on bags when boarding the ship, not on airplanes. ;)

[Boytjie]

I would rather not pack any wine in my checked luggage; spillage would be a big mess!

 

Two years ago we checked a box of wine - packed in a box we got at Total Wines with 'Fragile' signs on it. We found it in our bathtub - one bottle had broken. (I hope boxes are not stacked on top of other luggage :eek:) We also had one bottle of wine that had gone bad, so enjoyed only 10 of the 12 bottles.

 

So I was not eager on taking a case of wine on board again but we were part of a group of friends that had 4 balcony cabins in a row and we wanted to throw a little party the last night of our cruise. We bought two cases of champagne and dropped it off with out checked luggage. It arrived in our cabin without any problems. We also carried on a few bottles of wine in a canvas shopping bag.

 

Since the Eurodam arrived late and they did not start boarding till 3 pm we were able to go to our cabins as soon as we boarded. On other HAL cruises there was always an area on the Lido deck where you could leave your carry-on luggage until cabins opened up.

[opanomat]

If we purchase wine ashore can we take it aboard to drink then or must we check it until debarkation? We would like to try some on the cruise. We sail on the Noordam April 14. Our first cruise ever..............Annie

[opanomat]

I mean at some of our Island stops!! Annie

[Boytjie]

If we purchase wine ashore can we take it aboard to drink then or must we check it until debarkation? We would like to try some on the cruise. We sail on the Noordam April 14. Our first cruise ever..............Annie

 

You can take as much wine as you wish onboard - either are first embarkation or at ports along the way. If you take your own wine to a restaurant, bar or lounge they charge you a corkage fee ($18).