Another "Bringing wine aboard" question

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Corkage fees are intended to offset the loss of revenue by a restaurant or ship when a patron chooses to bring his own wine instead of making a purchase from the establishment's wine cellar. If the wine is spoiled and not consumed, there is no loss of revenue and the corkage fee should be reimbursed.

 

I agree. To boot, if a restaurant or cruise line kept the fee, they'd look like mean-spirited penny-pinchers.

[Traveling redhead]

All guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. Please note that with the exception of Wine and Champagne, all guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. If you purchase any alcohol at one of our ports-of-call or in our onboard shops, we will safely store your purchase(s) and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of debarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area. Wine & Champagne Policy Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below. 750 ml Bottle: $15.00 1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.

 

Doesn't this indicate that you pay the $15 Even if you drink it in your stateroom?

 

 

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[POA1]

All guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. Please note that with the exception of Wine and Champagne, all guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. If you purchase any alcohol at one of our ports-of-call or in our onboard shops, we will safely store your purchase(s) and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of debarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area. Wine & Champagne Policy Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below. 750 ml Bottle: $15.00 1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.

 

Doesn't this indicate that you pay the $15 Even if you drink it in your stateroom?

 

 

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That's not the Holland America policy. I don't know whose it is, but you can't bring large format bottles onto a HAL ship regardless of whether or not you pay corkage - of $18.

 

 

HAL's policy is here:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/KBYG.pdf

 

 

It's on page 6, if I recall correctly.

[Traveling redhead]

Sorry, following too many threads. This is NCLs policy

[sofietucker]

We may have to agree to disagree here. For years there were a few restaurants in Montreal, primarily very small and ethnic in nature, that allowed patrons to bring their own wine long before it became a common practise elsewhere in Canada. I can't speak for the US. Corkage fees varied, but in my discussions with the owners, it was quite clear that it was a revenue off-set for them. The only time we had a corked wine - this was long before screw caps or plastic "corks" - there was a look of puzzlement on the owner's face when I offered to pay the fee. (Snip)

 

This takes me back. (Warning! A somewhat off-topic reminiscence.)

 

Here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the all-powerful Alcoholic Beverage Control oversees sales of everything but wine & beer--the proceeds go back to the state. This impacts restaurants and bars as well as individual liquor purchases. (There's talk in the General Assembly every 4 years or so--our governors only serve one term--of privatizing liquor sales, but it comes to naught.)

 

So to circumvent the antediluvian liquor laws and avoid giving the state a cut of their profits, some fine-dining restaurants used to charge a "set-up" fee. That is, they didn't sell any liquor on the premises. Harking back to days of the speakeasy, guests brought their own bottle and kept it on the floor under the table, hidden in a paper bag. We'd then order the set up: glasses, ice, mixers & maybe garnish. I don't remember ever seeing any shakers or fancy ingredients--people just made highballs, etc.

 

At that time I was exploring hard liquor, so I don't remember anything about corkage fees per se... (Granted, my experience then was limited to wines from a certain farm and an exotic isle, both of which came in a jug.) But surely it must have been in place too.

 

Hilariously, both guests and restaurant staff carried out a charade that this drinking was somehow both illicit and invisible (no one ever exposed the bottle from its bag). Very exciting! The drama almost overshadowed the excellent food.

 

I recently returned to one of those restaurants and was disappointed to note that they now maintain a full bar.

[margaretlb]

unopened bottles??? Surely you jest. [emoji485] we've run out of wine and had to buy more, but unopened bottles? That's crazy talk.

 

lol...

[margaretlb]

"So to circumvent the antediluvian liquor laws and avoid giving the state a cut of their profits, some fine-dining restaurants used to charge a "set-up" fee."

 

This reminds me of a family visit to Alabama in 1972. My cousin brought me to a private "club" that cost $2 to join. The set-up was separate from the liquor - you had to mix your own.

[sofietucker]

"So to circumvent the antediluvian liquor laws and avoid giving the state a cut of their profits, some fine-dining restaurants used to charge a "set-up" fee."

 

This reminds me of a family visit to Alabama in 1972. My cousin brought me to a private "club" that cost $2 to join. The set-up was separate from the liquor - you had to mix your own.

 

Yep, same time period. And we had after-hours clubs where you brought your own bottles; they'd store it for you & serve it to you, but didn't sell any on the premises...

[thomdavies2053]

Take your own corkscrew, change the bottles anywhere you want

 

 

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