OK .. can someone please help me with the "wine" math ?

[VTX-AL]

Lets say you bring 4 750ml bottles of wine aboard, two of which you are allowed and two that you pay the $15.00 corkage fee for. Each one was purchased ashore , let's say for $20.00/bottle. You take one of the "corkage paid" bottles to enjoy with dinner in the dining room, so that wine has now cost you $20.00 purchase price PLUS $15.00 corkage - total $35.00. According to the Princess wine price list that someone posted here, there are plenty of choices from the wine list in the $28.00 to $35.00 price range. So what is the advantage (apart from dodging the corkage fee, if you are lucky ;)) of bringing your own aboard versus simply purchasing from the wine list :confused: I must be missing something :o.

 

...VTX-Al

[RocketMan275]

You're pretty much assuming that the wine you can buy ashore for $20 is the same wine Princess sells for $35. You need to compare the prices Princess charges versus the prices you can buy the same bottle for ashore and then do the math. You maybe surprised at the markup.

[LeeW]

If you pay the corkage you can take it to dinner at no extra charge. The "free" bottles are supposed to be consumed in your room. The bottles you pay the fee on are marked. See the alcohol policy:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp#Alcohol_Policy

 

A bottle that costs $20 onboard plus gratuity may be $9 on shore.

Edited November 12, 2014 by LeeW
added more

[IECalCruiser]

Lets say you bring 4 750ml bottles of wine aboard, two of which you are allowed and two that you pay the $15.00 corkage fee for. Each one was purchased ashore , let's say for $20.00/bottle. You take one of the "corkage paid" bottles to enjoy with dinner in the dining room, so that wine has now cost you $20.00 purchase price PLUS $15.00 corkage - total $35.00. According to the Princess wine price list that someone posted here, there are plenty of choices from the wine list in the $28.00 to $35.00 price range. So what is the advantage (apart from dodging the corkage fee, if you are lucky ;)) of bringing your own aboard versus simply purchasing from the wine list :confused: I must be missing something :o.

 

 

 

...VTX-Al

The Princess mark-up on lower priced wines is closer to $20 or more. We like a glass in our cabin and the two "free" bottles are often not enough. When we depart from San Pedro we often bring some nice $30+ wines from local wineries for the dining room as well as less expensive wines for our cabin. For a longer cruise the wine bottle package is a very good deal for the dining room with discounts between 20% and 30% depending upon the package purchased. You can also bring bottles back to you cabin.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[JimmyVWine]

Lets say you bring 4 750ml bottles of wine aboard, two of which you are allowed and two that you pay the $15.00 corkage fee for. Each one was purchased ashore , let's say for $20.00/bottle. You take one of the "corkage paid" bottles to enjoy with dinner in the dining room, so that wine has now cost you $20.00 purchase price PLUS $15.00 corkage - total $35.00. According to the Princess wine price list that someone posted here, there are plenty of choices from the wine list in the $28.00 to $35.00 price range. So what is the advantage (apart from dodging the corkage fee, if you are lucky ;)) of bringing your own aboard versus simply purchasing from the wine list :confused: I must be missing something :o.

 

...VTX-Al

Nothing wrong with your math. At the low end, bringing wine on board does not make financial sense unless you only drink your "free bottles" in your cabin or if you have such a strong preference for a particular bottling that Princess doesn't carry and you don't like their $28-$35 selections. Bringing wine on board makes sense for us because we take along wines that Princess cannot carry, that would sell on board for over $200 per bottle even if they did, and have been properly aged. Princess carries current vintages for the most part which is fine at the low end. But to me, paying Princess's price for a 2010 Ornellaia at Sabatini's is not a good value if I can pull a 1998 out of my cellar and drink it for $15.

[Dorset Cruiser]

We always start off with the cheapest Shiraz or Merlot in the wine list. If we like it, we stick with it. If not, we try another at the same price or a little more expensive, and so on. Never pay more than $30 a bottle.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[VibeGuy]

There are varietals and styles that simply aren't available on board at any price. Grower Champagnes, new world unoaked white blends, Rhone whites, Oregon Pinot Noir. So regardless of the economics, there you go.

 

There are also lots of things I've laid down for a couple of years of bottle age that are nice to enjoy with friends My DH doesn't like Rhone reda. Some friends I travel with do. Princess has pretty decent wine aervice (good glasses, decanters) for this kind of bottle.

 

Virtually none of the bottles I bring onboard can be found at even "nice" grocery/club retail at any price for the vintages I'm bringing. Many of them may have been $20-40 wines in their youth or at the winery or from a specialist retailer.

[ar1950]

The wine that we purchased on the recent three day segment was a little over $34 with gratuity (we had a lot of on board credit due to the promotion that Princess was offering). The same bottle of wine on land is just a bit under $10 in places like Total Wine. There is the math. If it hadn't been for the on board credits we wouldn't have bought the bottle. :cool:

Edited November 12, 2014 by ar1950

[geoherb]

When we've brought bottles on cruises, they've been generally in the $12-$15 range. Similar bottles are priced at $40-$50 on Princess. I did spreadsheet of wine offered on Princess a few years ago--comparing the Princess price to what we could get the same bottle for at Total Wine. For the most part, the ones Princess sells in the $25-$30 range can be purchased for $8 or less. There were very few bottles that ended up being a good bargain.

[PonyPair]

A few years back, when we started cruising, I took the Princess wine list and bought every bottle of wine priced $35 and under. Most bottles retailed for around $8. DH and I did a taste test. We poured out about 50% of the the bottles, made mulled wine out of much of the rest, and found a couple at least drinkable, but nothing really enjoyable. We are much happier taking our own wine, and feel that the corkage fee is reasonable. My husband enjoys selecting special wines for our trips, and I am much happier drinking them, than the wines offered by Princess.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[RMM34667]

A little warning about the wine you bring aboard and pay the corkage fee in the terminal.. The ink transfers - to your hands and clothing! Be careful when carrying your paid for bottle to the dining room! Last week my sister ended up with an ink stain on her pants - and it did not come out. Later in the cruise the same assistant waiter came over showing her hands - purple with ink stains that she could not wash off. They need to find a better system - we talked about this, they should give you chips or a punch card or something and let you chose what wine to bring that night. Not decided in the hectic terminal! And save your clothes and hands from the stains!

[Dorset Cruiser]

I would never dream of paying more than £6 a bottle for wine at home but usually look out for 'half price' offers, so the inferred price is around £12 a bottle. In my own personal opinion, and I am no wine buff (I think a lot of hot air is spouted by most of them), if a wine tastes good, it is good 😄😄😄

 

I fully realise that the wine I am paying an inflated price of $30 a bottle for on a ship is the same wine I could buy at home for around £6.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[donaldsc]

Lets say you bring 4 750ml bottles of wine aboard, two of which you are allowed and two that you pay the $15.00 corkage fee for. Each one was purchased ashore , let's say for $20.00/bottle. You take one of the "corkage paid" bottles to enjoy with dinner in the dining room, so that wine has now cost you $20.00 purchase price PLUS $15.00 corkage - total $35.00. According to the Princess wine price list that someone posted here, there are plenty of choices from the wine list in the $28.00 to $35.00 price range. So what is the advantage (apart from dodging the corkage fee, if you are lucky ;)) of bringing your own aboard versus simply purchasing from the wine list :confused: I must be missing something :o.

 

...VTX-Al

 

You are totally missing everything. The mass is extremely simple. What you are doing is comparing apples and coconuts. You have to compare the prices of exactly the same wine - brand, type, vintage, etc.

 

(cost of a bottle of wine on board the ship) - {(cost of wine on land) +15+ (the value to you of being able to consume the wine outside of your cabin)} = amount you save by buying on shore. Just plug in the numbers.

 

Easy.

 

Bottom line is that it does not pay to bring 2 buck chuck on board and pay the corkage. It definitely pays to bring an expensive wine on board and pay the corkage.

 

DON

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Why not do what lots of people do- carry one glass of wine to dinner with you and avoid any corking charge. :cool:

[Talisker92]

We were on a 31 day cruise and bought the silver wine package. It was a saving of about $10 a bottle. In Valparaiso they did not X-ray anyone coming on board because it was done on shore. I brought back 6 bottles of nice Chilean wine.

[VTX-AL]

Thanks all for the responses - I totally agree with the "comparing apples to apples" concept ! However, I live in Canada and have no access to the shore price of wine in the U.S. so obviously cannot make the direct comparison, plus I am definitely NOT a wine snob and can be quite happy imbibing an el-cheapo $20.00 shiraz or merlot upon occasion :eek:.:)

 

...VTX-Al

[sherryf]

I never spend $20 on wine. I buy all of my wine at Trader Joe's and pay $6 - $10 a bottle. No, I don't buy 2-Buck-Chuck. :rolleyes: I like these wines, and don't feel the need to spend more. Even if I bring my most expensive favorites on board, at $10 a bottle, I am paying $25 with corkage. There's nothing that cheap on the Princess wine list, and even if there was, I might not like it. I would rather have wine that I like and save a little money. Besides, I sail out of my "home" port, so don't have to worry about flying or buying wine in an unfamiliar city. Last year I bought a wheeled wine carrier that holds 6 bottles, so bringing my own wine is easy too!

[Mississippian]

I never spend $20 on wine. I buy all of my wine at Trader Joe's and pay $6 - $10 a bottle. No, I don't buy 2-Buck-Chuck. :rolleyes: I like these wines, and don't feel the need to spend more. Even if I bring my most expensive favorites on board, at $10 a bottle, I am paying $25 with corkage. There's nothing that cheap on the Princess wine list, and even if there was, I might not like it. I would rather have wine that I like and save a little money. Besides, I sail out of my "home" port, so don't have to worry about flying or buying wine in an unfamiliar city. Last year I bought a wheeled wine carrier that holds 6 bottles, so bringing my own wine is easy too!

The $10 wine you bring from Trader Joe's is likely to be far superior to the $25 wine on the Princess wine list. The cheapest wines are the ones that Princess inflates the most.

 

Costco often has very good deals on certain premium mass market wines. For example, Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve is often available for $14.99 or $15.99. Costco has quit selling the Vintner's Reserve, but if they had it it would sell for perhaps $10.99 per bottle. Princess sells the Vintner's Reserve for $32 plus 15%, so about $38. So if you bring your own wine from Costco you will save seven or eight dollars and also have a much better wine.

 

Costco has some other really good wines at affordable prices. I think I've bought Mark West Pinot Noir for something like $8.99. And there are some wines that I like that simply aren't available on board.

 

Do note, however, that Princess has some special arrangements with some top wineries to sell their big name wines at a discount. You might find Luce or Opus One selling for substantially less than what you could buy it for in a liquor store. As a general rule it is always cheaper to bring your own lower-end wines (but only by a few dollars), but you can actually save money by buying a select few more expensive wines on the ship.

[ChiefBoats]

Unless you are a wine snob and can't live with our a particular wine then just get your wine on board. I purchase a bottle on the first night in the MDR to use for dinner during remaining cruise days. Since I'm not a wine expert it works for me.

______________________________

Island Princess 2008 Alaska

Island Princess (B2B) 2009 Alaska

Royal Princess (Old) 2010 Alaska

Golden Princess 2011 Alaska

Coral Princess 2012 Panama Canal

Star Princess 2012 Alaska

Island Princess 2013 Alaska

Crown Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Caribbean Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 Eastern Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 New England

_____________________

Future Cruises

Emerald Princess 2014 Western Caribbean

Ruby Princess 2015 Alaska

Edited November 12, 2014 by ChiefBoats

[elliair]

A bottle of Noblio Sauvignon Blanc is $9.99 a bottle at Trader Joes. Princess carries this wine onboard and it's $28 per bottle. We never pay any corkage fee and walked on with 4 bottles on our last cruise. We did purchase a couple of bottles at dinner, but we usually drink our wine in our cabin. But you can see that if you wanted to pay the corkage fee, it's cheaper than buying a bottle on board.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Unless you are a wine snob and can't live with our a particular wine then just get your wine on board. I purchase a bottle on the first night in the MDR to use for dinner during remaining cruise days. Since I'm not a wine expert it works for me.

______________________________

Island Princess 2008 Alaska

Island Princess (B2B) 2009 Alaska

Royal Princess (Old) 2010 Alaska

Golden Princess 2011 Alaska

Coral Princess 2012 Panama Canal

Star Princess 2012 Alaska

Island Princess 2013 Alaska

Crown Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Caribbean Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 Eastern Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 New England

_____________________

Future Cruises

Emerald Princess 2014 Western Caribbean

Ruby Princess 2015 Alaska

 

One bottlefor the whole cruise 😱

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD