How do you take wine on board?

[born2travel]

Hi,

 

I was wondering what is the best way to take your wine onto your ship. Do most of you pack it in your larger checked bags, or carry it on yourselves? I was thinking about a bottle in my carry-on, and another (or two) in my suitcase. Are there any rules...I haven't found any real directions anywhere, but maybe just haven't looked in the right place(s) yet!

 

Thanks,

Mary

[RuthC]

There's no "rules" on HAL until next January 31, when you will be allowed to carry on one bottle per person at embarkation only.

Until then, you are free to put some in your carry-on, hand carry it separately, put it in your checked luggage, or put it in a separate case with its own luggage tag.

If you do plan to check it, please be sure it is adequately protected from breakage---not only so you get to enjoy it, but so others don't have to wear it after it leaks into their bags. :o

[fatcat04]

We always carry ours on either in the 6 bottle wine bags that many shops now carry for just such needs or for longer cruises use a store box and a small handtruck with bungees so it rolls like a rolly bag. We never have much carry on, generally one bag and my purse so plenty of free hands. There is also wine luggage out there, someone on here I think has used it and enjoys it for their travels. Also specific wine shipping boxes with syro inserts that we have received wine in when shipped would probably be a safe option.

[garydm]

We have brought wine on a number of times and always in checked luggage or in a cardboard wine box. If I just have a couple bottles I wrap it in a garbage bag and put it deep inside the checked bag. If I am bringing a case, I have several times just checked the case as you get it when purchasing it. No special wrapping and never had any breakage issues. The staff seem to know what it is and take care of it.

 

But, this too shall end in 2014.

 

Gary

[kazu]

I never put my wine in my checked luggage - have you watched how the luggage is handled:eek: Even on disembarkation, you are normally warned not to put alcohol in until you get off. (which is what we do).

 

We just carry ours on. Easy to do - no breakage and no extra work to the staff (other than checking it through the xray security). and no damage to our clothes or anyone else's;)

 

But you can basically do what you want for now:D

[BlackJack2]

6 Bottle Wine Bag attached to my rolling - carry on bag.

[DAllenTCY]

Just think for a moment how you would feel if your suitcase was soaked by someone else's broken bottle of wine or spirts. Bags are piled up in bins to go onboard, and then sorted some time later. Wine is to be hand carried for good reason.

David

[PirateShark]

We always carry ours on either in the 6 bottle wine bags that many shops now carry for just such needs or for longer cruises use a store box and a small handtruck with bungees so it rolls like a rolly bag. We never have much carry on, generally one bag and my purse so plenty of free hands. There is also wine luggage out there, someone on here I think has used it and enjoys it for their travels. Also specific wine shipping boxes with syro inserts that we have received wine in when shipped would probably be a safe option.

 

I would be one with "wine luggage". The six bottle looks, acts and rolls just like a carry on you take with you on a plane. I just roll it on to the ship instead of my suitcase at embarkation. My "jumbo" is a case size and I've NEVER taken it on a cruise. That goes to the family reunions :D

[mamaofami]

We carry it on in the wine bags with perforated spaces from the wine store or put it in our carry on. We don't take that much so it's not an issue, but I would never ever put it in checked luggage unless I wanted all my clothing to smell from Merlot.

[George C]

Hi,

 

I was wondering what is the best way to take your wine onto your ship. Do most of you pack it in your larger checked bags, or carry it on yourselves? I was thinking about a bottle in my carry-on, and another (or two) in my suitcase. Are there any rules...I haven't found any real directions anywhere, but maybe just haven't looked in the right place(s) yet!

 

Thanks,

Mary

 

we do all of the above , normally have a few in checked and carry most of it. One time just checked in a case and had them bring in to cabin

[Jhawktraveler]

I would be one with "wine luggage". The six bottle looks, acts and rolls just like a carry on you take with you on a plane. I just roll it on to the ship instead of my suitcase at embarkation. My "jumbo" is a case size and I've NEVER taken it on a cruise. That goes to the family reunions :D

We have Wine Check luggage. It's basically a case sized shipper box (with the styro inserts) that fits inside a nylon case with wheels and a handle. We've never used this on a cruise but it works fabulously when we travel back and forth to California wine country (no shipping costs, just free checked luggage on Southwest, no breakage). I'm thinking of using it for an upcoming HAL cruise so we can bring some of our good stuff from home. It should come in handy if we have wine or liquor to bring home or have anything that is small and breakable to bring back.

[PunkiC]

We have a "Wine Check Bag" which holds 12 bottles and works really well for local cruises, but our next cruise will entail a week's worth of travel on two different continents before we board so we probably won't bring on that trip.

 

I suspect we will pick up a bunch of wine in Italy before we board in Rome, and then add to our stash at ports in Spain and Portugal before we head out to Fort Lauderdale. Having our own wine on board is very important to us. So, if HAL doesn't modify their wine policy, this will be our last HAL cruise.

[fatcat04]

We have a "Wine Check Bag" which holds 12 bottles and works really well for local cruises, but our next cruise will entail a week's worth of travel on two different continents before we board so we probably won't bring on that trip.

 

I suspect we will pick up a bunch of wine in Italy before we board in Rome, and then add to our stash at ports in Spain and Portugal before we head out to Fort Lauderdale. Having our own wine on board is very important to us. So, if HAL doesn't modify their wine policy, this will be our last HAL cruise.

 

I had wondered about the "Wine Check Bag." Seems to get good reviews. We love bringing wine back on vacations and that seems a handy way to do it if you get free bags on an airline. :)

 

As to your comment concerning the wine policy, friend, you are not alone.

[shrimp56]

When we boarded Eurodam in Amsterdam on August 8 the man ahead of us had a case of wine and was not allowed to take most of it on. I think they were enforcing 2 bottles per person at that time.

[Cruisedreamer1]

Where does one purchase a roll on wine bag? Thanks.

[Jhawktraveler]

We actually have two wine check bags. (I've attached a picture from a recent trip) The first we purchased at Amazon but also saw them at other sites for similar prices. We purchased it without the shipper box insert since we had 6 of them at home which made it quite a bit cheaper in price and less expensive to ship initially (12 bottle shipper boxes that you use to insert into the case cost around $10 in Napa, not sure about elsewhere) The second one we purchased at a winery this year because they were having a great sale and we needed an additional box due to and over abundance of wine purchases :D These shipper are the only way we do air travel with wine. We've never had any breakage in the 10 or so years we've used the shipper cases and the styro inserts also help with insulation to avoid temp changes.

[mamaofami]

After January, it won't much matter how you take on the wine since they will only allow one bottle per person.Or is it 2? I forget. certainly won't require a wine bag.

[Jhawktraveler]

After January, it won't much matter how you take on the wine since they will only allow one bottle per person.Or is it 2? I forget. certainly won't require a wine bag.

Unfortunately true about the January change. This is our first HAL trip since 2004 and the current wine policy is one reason we chose to return after sailing other lines, glad we booked for December! We probably won't even bring that many bottles but like to bring a few special bottles with us when we travel. I usually use any extra spaces for breakable items, toiletries, souvenirs, etc. to save room in the suitcase.

[born2travel]

Wow... you guys really have it cased! Great advice all around, thanks.

 

I have to say that I am very, very sorry to hear about HAL's upcoming rewrite of their wine policy. Makes them just like all the rest, which it a danged shame. You would think that every line would want to keep whatever competitive edge kept their returning passengers happy.

 

Having sailed mainly under RCI's completely anal policies, I was beside myself with joy when they opened up a crack to allow one bottle per adult passenger. Of course, it is sad just how far one bottle doesn't go. HAL is obviously looking to market drink packages. Too bad they haven't noticed how often RCI and X are offering sales with "free" drink packages to sell their cabins.

 

Meanwhile, I will enjoy my first and only cruise on HAL under the current, and more humane wine policy.

 

Thanks again!

[Typhoon1]

Bring a case or two. Leave them with the porters, have them delivered to your cabin.

[mamaofami]

Sorry, double post.

[born2travel]

A case or two... I like your style.

[hawkeye3d]

I've brought wine aboard in my carry on and in my checked bags. In the checked bags I use something called a "wine diaper" it holds a 750ml bottle in a sleve that will contain the spill should the bottle be broken.

Alas with the change in HAL's wine policy we will be cruising elsewhere.

We really enjoyed our convoluted cruise, Spain and Portugal, where all the Portugal ports were skipped due to a possible pilot’s strike. I liked the opportunity to go into new ports and purchase a bottle of the local vino. Of course there is always the possibility that HAL will “enforce” the “policy” like Celebrity, which is no enforcement.

Bob

[SeaBands]

And the wine is in plastic packs that I got on previous cruises from a DF store that I reuse. No problems in th past. I guess I won't be bringing much in the future.