HAL beverage question

[sharmorr]

First HAL cruise on Zuiderdam 11/9. Wondering if we are permitted to bring water, soda, wine on board? Last Celebrity cruise we taped a luggage tag to a case of water and it was delivered to our cabin. Thanks.

[LADYLAYLA]

First HAL cruise on Zuiderdam 11/9. Wondering if we are permitted to bring water, soda, wine on board? Last Celebrity cruise we taped a luggage tag to a case of water and it was delivered to our cabin. Thanks.

 

You can bring as much of Wine, non alcoholic beverages or water when you embark and at any port you are at

[George C]

First HAL cruise on Zuiderdam 11/9. Wondering if we are permitted to bring water, soda, wine on board? Last Celebrity cruise we taped a luggage tag to a case of water and it was delivered to our cabin. Thanks.

 

We added luggage tag to a case of wine on our Zuiderdam cruise last year and it was delivered without a problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You certianly are allowed to bring onto HAL ships as much wine, champagne, bottled water, soda and mixers as you want -- no limit.

But why bring on bottled water? The water on the ship is way better than what we get at home.

If you bring on wine and/or champagne, remember that if you take any bottles to the dining room or a bar/lounge you will be charged $18 per bottle corkage fee.

[Typhoon1]

Bring as much as you like. Tag the cases and leave them with the porters for delivery to your cabin.

[sharmorr]

Thank you all !

[erin_cruisers]

...If you bring on wine and/or champagne, remember that if you take any bottles to the dining room or a bar/lounge you will be charged $18 per bottle corkage fee.

 

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

[sapper1]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

Don't pay corkage on top of Canadian wine prices. Pick up your wine when you get to the port and then the corkage doesn't seem bad at all. Besides if the bottle breaks in your luggage then you are in a mess.

[PathfinderEss]

 

Have a great cruise..........

[Boytjie]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

I have never tried to get it waived and have been charged it for every bottle of wine we have taken to a dining room. It's part of the deal with HAL: you can bring your own wine and pay the corkage fee for that privilege. They got make money somehow, you know, it's not a charity.

[TXCruiser10]

We always pack bottled water for 2 reasons. First, we take medicines both at night and in the morning and we prefer to take them with bottled water. Second, we have these HAL water bottle holders (that we purchased with bottled water on our first HAL cruise) and whenever we leave for port we just put in our own bottled water in the holders and enjoy! Bottled water on the ship is too expensive.

[Tarpeian Rock]

First HAL cruise on Zuiderdam 11/9. Wondering if we are permitted to bring water, soda, wine on board? Last Celebrity cruise we taped a luggage tag to a case of water and it was delivered to our cabin. Thanks.

 

 

 

We're on that same cruise! Hope you have as much fun as we plan to.

[2ptu/000]

I have had them not charge us. We didn't ask. They just said no charge that night. This only happened on one cruise out of I don't know how many.

[OVgirl]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

We have also been charged the corkage fee for every bottle that we bring to a dining venue. There are members here who have had stewards not charge them, but I was plan on paying for each bottle.

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

It would be a very, very rare incident if you were not charged the corkage fee.

HAL has to make money some how.

[sail7seas]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

 

Their job requires they follow company policy.

The company policy is to charge the corkage fee if a guest brings their own wine to a bar/lounge or dining room.

 

No one would expect them to risk their employment by waiving a corkage fee, would you? :confused:

 

I would imagine if their supervisor sees/knows they did that, they would have to answer for it.

 

[cruise-a-holic]

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

Yes, I have seen the fee wave. I think it depends on your relationship with the wine steward and how they are tipped.

[Typhoon1]

Yes, I have seen the fee wave. I think it depends on your relationship with the wine steward and how they are tipped.

 

Get to know the wine steward on evening one. Tip him well, watch how many times he can waive the fee.

[Boytjie]

So you want to encourgage tgecwine stewards to short change HAL and rather pocket money for themselves?

[TV Dad]

So you want to encourgage tgecwine stewards to short change HAL and rather pocket money for themselves?

 

 

YES! The same way I'd tip a bartender when he poured a little heavy. The same way I tipped a waiter who consistently let me order off the menu. The same way I tipped a deck hand when my single complimentary mimosa miraculously refilled itself multiple times one day.

 

Over the years, I've been given extras on virtually every cruise I've taken. By everyone from deck hands up to Captains (even a cruise line president once). Some times I tipped. Other times I just said thank you.The extras added up to thousands of dollars.

 

Those little acts that you claim "short change HAL" also build incredible goodwill and create repeat passengers. HAL likes that. Don't look at it as a wine steward short changing his employer. Look at it as a valued employee building customer relations.

 

It's probably happened to you on every cruise you've taken (maybe not in a waived corkage fee, but in other ways). Cherish those random acts of kindness. Don't condemn them.

[Boytjie]

YES! The same way I'd tip a bartender when he poured a little heavy. The same way I tipped a waiter who consistently let me order off the menu. The same way I tipped a deck hand when my single complimentary mimosa miraculously refilled itself multiple times one day.

 

Over the years, I've been given extras on virtually every cruise I've taken. By everyone from deck hands up to Captains (even a cruise line president once). Some times I tipped. Other times I just said thank you.The extras added up to thousands of dollars.

 

Those little acts that you claim "short change HAL" also build incredible goodwill and create repeat passengers. HAL likes that. Don't look at it as a wine steward short changing his employer. Look at it as a valued employee building customer relations.

 

It's probably happened to you on every cruise you've taken (maybe not in a waived corkage fee, but in other ways). Cherish those random acts of kindness. Don't condemn them.

 

But you see, when the bartender buys you back a drink or has a heavier hand, you are still buying drinks and the business gets money too. I have no issue with that.

 

The original question was how to get the corkage fee waived after one or two nights; would you tip a bartender well on day one and then expect to get free drinks for the the rest of the cruise? I don't think so.

[dakrewser]

YES! The same way I'd tip a bartender when he poured a little heavy. The same way I tipped a waiter who consistently let me order off the menu. The same way I tipped a deck hand when my single complimentary mimosa miraculously refilled itself multiple times one day.

 

Over the years, I've been given extras on virtually every cruise I've taken. By everyone from deck hands up to Captains (even a cruise line president once). Some times I tipped. Other times I just said thank you.The extras added up to thousands of dollars.

 

Those little acts that you claim "short change HAL" also build incredible goodwill and create repeat passengers. HAL likes that. Don't look at it as a wine steward short changing his employer. Look at it as a valued employee building customer relations.

 

It's probably happened to you on every cruise you've taken (maybe not in a waived corkage fee, but in other ways). Cherish those random acts of kindness. Don't condemn them.

 

So you think your couple of bucks is going to make a difference when the employee is caught cheating the company and fired - dropped at the next port to find their own way home?

 

<shakes head>

[Jo-Bob]

But you see, when the bartender buys you back a drink or has a heavier hand, you are still buying drinks and the business gets money too. I have no issue with that.

 

The original question was how to get the corkage fee waived after one or two nights; would you tip a bartender well on day one and then expect to get free drinks for the the rest of the cruise? I don't think so.

 

No, that wasn't the original question at all.

[Boytjie]

No, that wasn't the original question at all.

 

I was referring to this question:

 

Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

[serendipity1499]

We always pack bottled water for 2 reasons. First, we take medicines both at night and in the morning and we prefer to take them with bottled water. Second, we have these HAL water bottle holders (that we purchased with bottled water on our first HAL cruise) and whenever we leave for port we just put in our own bottled water in the holders and enjoy! Bottled water on the ship is too expensive.

 

I believe what the other poster was actually trying to say is that it's not necessary to drink bottled water as HAL's water is the best there is..Our water at home is awful, & we must have all of our drinking water filtered..However, when we're on board HAL we drink the water right out of the tap..We also take our small water bottles & fill them up from the tap in our cabin every night & put it in the ice bucket overnight..None of the water served in the Lido or Dining room from pitchers are bottled..

 

 

quote=erin_cruisers;35714900]Can I ask how strict they are on the corkage fee?

Does anyone have experience in having them waive it after a night or two?

I'd like to bring my own wine from home, but $18.00 seems a bit high to me. :)

 

Erin If you purchase your wine at "Total Wine" in Fort Lauderdale, you can get excellent wines at a reasonable price & still pay the corkage fee..It is still under what it would cost to purchase wine from HAL.. If you go on-line, you can even pre-order wine & "Total Wine" will have it boxed & ready for pick-up.. http://www.totalwine.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand%2dFL%2dGeo%2dFt%20Lauderdale&utm_term=total%20wine%20Fort%20Lauderdale&gclid=CL_2j6KLjLMCFQiqnQodQQ4AVw

Just ask the Taxi Driver to make the stop at "Total Wine" on the way from the airport..Some of the cruise lines charge an even higher corkage fee..

Enjoy your cruise..

Cheers...:)Betty