your own alcohol?

[porrah]

I am new to HAL. What is their policy re taking your own alcohol on board? I have heard that some cruise lines search you, and on our last cruise, people who bought liquor at the ports had it taken away from them when they went through security to re board.

[planobob]

I am new to HAL. What is their policy re taking your own alcohol on board? I have heard that some cruise lines search you, and on our last cruise, people who bought liquor at the ports had it taken away from them when they went through security to re board.

 

The information below is from HAL's website (www.hollandamerica.com):

 

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$18.00 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.

 

Bob

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- there will be someone at the gangway to take away and secure any alcohol that you buy in a port. It will be given back to you at the end of a cruise.

You can pre-order alcohol for in cabin consumption either through Ship Services (1-800-541-5176); online or through room service once you are on the ship.

[Debbie&Chaz]

HAL DOES allow you to take wine, soft drinks, and water onboard, as much as you want! They do have a corking charge if you take your wine to the dining room.

[woody14h]

HAL is very conservative in pricing vis a vis other lines. Ex. Stolichnaya @ $29 liter vs $70 on Celebrity. It doesn't pay to smuggle. Order on line and it is in your room on arrival.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Price list that you can either order from Ship Services (1-800-541-1576) or from room service when you get on the ship.

 

Note: 15% gratuity included:

 

Alcohol and Spirits -- the Alcohol bottles are 1 liter size.

 

 

VODKA: CHOPIN $70.15

VODKA: STOLICHNAYA $29.90

VODKA: ABSOLUT – CITRON $32.20

VODKA: SMIRNOFF $27.60

VODKA: SKYY $28.75

VODKA: ABSOLUT $32.20

VODKA: GREY GOOSE $69.00

VODKA: FINLANDIA $29.90

VODKA: BELVEDERE $70.15

VODKA: TANGUERAY STERLING $35.65

 

 

Kahlua $36.80

Vodka & Tonic Package $34.50

One bottle of Smirnoff or Stolichnaya, 3 Cans of Tonic Water

 

Bourbon & Coke Package $39.10

One bottle of Jim Beam, 3 Cans of Coke

 

Rum & Coke Package $39.10

One bottle of Bacardi, 3 cans of Coke

 

SHERRY: HARVEY'S MEDIUM no price found

 

SHERRY: TIO PEPE $57.50

 

TEQUILA: JOSE QUERVO GOLD $34.50

 

COGNAC: HENNESSY VS $93.15

 

COGNAC: REMY MARTIN VSOP $97.75

 

COGNAC: REMY MARTIN XO $225.40

 

WHISKEY - IRISH: JAMESON $42.55

 

Cutty Sark $32.20

 

WHISKEY: CANADIAN CLUB $32.20

 

WHISKEY: SEAGRAMS V.O. $29.90

 

WHISKEY: CROWN ROYAL $42.55

 

WHISKEY: SEAGRAMS 7 $29.90

 

Scotch & Soda Package $36.80

One bottle of Cutty Sark, 3 Cans of Soda Water

 

Gin & Tonic Package $36.80

One bottle Beefeaters Gin, 3 Cans of Tonic Water

 

6-pack Bud Light domestic beer no price found

 

6-pack Miller Lite domestic beer $21.85

 

6-pack Amstel Light imported beer $23.00

 

6-pack Corona imported beer $23.00

6-pack Miller Genuine Draft domestic beer $21.85

 

6-pack Heineken imported beers $23.00

Sherry Harvey's Med - $57.50

6pack (Domestic) Budweiser, Bud Light - $21.85

3 X soft drinks (any soda) - $4.89

All minibar Liquor Items, each - $5.69

 

Missed Whiskey/Scotch:

Jim Beam - $34.50

J&B Rare, Johnnie Walker Red - $36.80

Ballentine's - $40.25

Dewars - $48.30

Jack Daniels - $55.20

Chivas Regal (12yrs) - $66.70

Johnnie Walker Black - $77.05

GIN:

Beefeater - $32.20

Tanqueray - $41.40

Bombay Sapphire - $42.55

LIQUEURS:

Kahlua, Southern Comfort - $36.80

Bailey's Irish Cream - $46.00

Sambuca (Opal Nera Black) - $47.15

Tia Maria - $49.45

Amaretto - $51.75

Cointreau - $55.20

Drambuie - $58.65

Grand Marnier - $74.75

RUM:

Myers - $32.20

Bacardi Gold - $34.50

Bacardi White - $35.65

[Silver sailor]

Am aware of the policy about wine

Is it true you can bring on board an unlimited supply of wine, soft drinks & water?

[m steve]

They usually let you bring a bottle or 2 on board in checked baggage and sometimes collect your port purchases and other times not. They usually do if you bring a box on board. I have never had a problem when embarking.

[maxout]

Am aware of the policy about wine

Is it true you can bring on board an unlimited supply of wine, soft drinks & water?

 

 

Yes it is true.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Am aware of the policy about wine

Is it true you can bring on board an unlimited supply of wine, soft drinks & water?

 

 

Yes -- you can bring on as much wine, champagne, bottled water and soda as you want. No limits.

There is an $18 corkage fee per bottle whenever you take a bottle to the dining room or to a lounge.

[porrah]

Thanks a lot for the replies. I'll order a bottle of vodka and DH can take his keg of wine!

[fatcat04]

Am aware of the policy about wine

Is it true you can bring on board an unlimited supply of wine, soft drinks & water?

 

Yes indeed... we have tested this twice and tested it to I think its feasible limit, having brought on board 15 and then 17 bottles for a our 2 HAL 7 day cruises. We bought an inexpensive folding hand truck and some bungies and stacked two boxes of wine, taking it all thru the line with us. HAL did not blink an eyelash either time.

 

We were however noticed by our fellow passengers who were very interested to know what cabin we were in and what time the party started!! :p:D

[jtl513]

Is it true you can bring on board an unlimited supply of wine, soft drinks & water?

You can bring unlimited quantities of any beverages except beer and liquor.

[m steve]

I was referring to liquor. We also bring some wine, water and mixers with us and a few diet cokes for the cabin. HAL is not a vigilante cruise line like some others.

[jtl513]

HAL is not a vigilante cruise line like some others.

Just because they don't spend as much effort to catch smuggling that does not mean that it is allowed.

[m steve]

why should I worry or why should another passenger?

[usha]

why should I worry or why should another passenger?

The OP asked what HAL's policy was about taking alcohol onboard, not whether she could get away with smuggling booze.

[kazu]

I was referring to liquor. We also bring some wine, water and mixers with us and a few diet cokes for the cabin. HAL is not a vigilante cruise line like some others.

 

Hal has one of the very best policies as far as wine, champagne, soda, etc. As well their bottles of liquor you can order for your room are quite fairly priced. So why smuggle their contraband and risk them making their policy more conservative. Please, bring what's allowed, order the rest. Smuggling does impact what their future policy may be according to one hotel manager I spoke to. Jacqui

[podpro]

Just so I am 100% clear. I am allowed to bring wine on board but must pay $18 if consumed in a public area. So if I drink it in my cabin, and bring my own corkscrew, there's no fee?

 

Also, the wine should be carried on or dropped off with the rest of my luggage?

[Randyk47]

Right. No corkage fee for consuming your own wine in your cabin.

 

The carry or not to carry your own wine is a bit of a different question. The couple next to us on the Volendam drove to Ft Lauderdale and brought a full case (12 bottles) of wine with them. They let HAL bring it to their cabin with their luggage and had no problems with breakage. We, on the other hand, flew to Ft Lauderdale and didn't have the opportunity to pick up more than just a couple of bottles of wine the night before the cruise. We carried that on with us rather than put the bottles in our bags. I've read/heard of all sorts of variations from letting HAL handle a case or two to managing the same amount yourself. Also have heard tales of breakage or no loss like our neighbor on the Volendam. No matter which way you go there's always some risk or disadvantage.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just so I am 100% clear. I am allowed to bring wine on board but must pay $18 if consumed in a public area. So if I drink it in my cabin, and bring my own corkscrew, there's no fee?

 

Also, the wine should be carried on or dropped off with the rest of my luggage?

 

Yes -- any bottles of wine or champagne that you take to the dining room or lounge and have opened there -- you are charged $18 per bottle corkage fee.

But if you bring your own corkscrew and open your own bottles in your cabin and consume the wine/champgane in your cabin there is no fee.

We never take our own wine or champagne on board so do not know the best method to get it on board. We do not drink a lot of the stuff.

[Jo-Bob]

For those that may be interested, the 'corkage' fee is NOT the charge for the physical opening of a bottle. It is a charge for the benefit/privilege/opportunity to bring wine of one's own choosing into whatever dining establishment that permits it.

 

Many land based restaurants allow you to bring your own bottle, a great perk for those who have 'just the right bottle', knowing that the restaurant is unlikely to carry it. Does that make sense?

 

Once again, it is not the charge for opening the bottle as very many assume.

[kazu]

Just so I am 100% clear. I am allowed to bring wine on board but must pay $18 if consumed in a public area. So if I drink it in my cabin, and bring my own corkscrew, there's no fee?

 

Also, the wine should be carried on or dropped off with the rest of my luggage?

 

You can bring all the wine on board you want. If you choose to drink it in your stateroom, there is no charge, it is yours (hope you booked a verandah).

 

Only if you want to take it to the dining room do you face the corkage fee.

 

So, you definitely have it right.

 

with the $18 corkage fee, you are nearly better off to buy one of Hal's wine packages (or a wine card) - whichever you prefer. Hal's house wines which come with the wine card are quite decent. We normally order a wine package for dinner, just have a bit (they will save the bottle for the next day for you) so it doesn't cost that much when you average it out over the cruise.

 

your choice of course, just some avenues for you to explore. You can order any of them on line - just choose delivery at either dining room or at sea so that you don't pay tax.

 

Jacqui

[RuthC]

Only if you want to take it to the dining room do you face the corkage fee.

Also if you take it into a public lounge.

[Live4cruises]

Wow! A big thank you to HAL, compared to Celebrity. We just paid $80.00 for 1 liter of alcohol + a 6-pack of mixer (they did add a nut assortment they we didn't want or order). I was flamed mightily on the Celebrity board for suggesting the price was extortionate. HAL's prices are positively sane, and we will happily pre-order our in stateroom beverages.