taking wine aboard holland america ships

[mickey89]

They must apply the rules on their ships differently as we took 8 bottles in a carryon case with no charge. It was a seven day cruise and I took a bottle to the specialty restaurant every night. First two nights I was charged the $18 corkage, the rest of the time I wasn't charged and gave the wine waiter $10 tip each time.

[TiogaCruiser]

Hi Peter, so I guess I will have to do some taste testing from home. Blackstone sauvignon Blanc is listed as the white, and will check out red listing... Then make a decision. Love the testing part! Lol.

 

If you like it during initial "testing" you might want to run "Quality Assurance" testing next. ;):D

 

(At least that is what happens in our house when I make chocolate chip cookies.)

Edited April 27, 2016 by TiogaCruiser

[rslandarch]

We just came back from a 7 day cruise on Eurodam. My wife and I brought on board one bottle of wine each. While returning to the ship from Valencia, we bought a bottle of wine in town and was expecting to pay the corkage fee. Since the x-ray machine was located and operated by Port personnel inside the port terminal instead of at the gangway, we were able to take our bottle inside my backpack on board without any physical inspection or corkage fee. Of course, we had to consume the wine in our stateroom and not the dining room. At the next port, we did the same and passed the security at the terminal.

We have sailed with Holland America 8 times and realized that if the x-ray machine is located on board and operated by ship's crew, they will scan for wine/liquor bottle. However, if the x-ray is located in the port terminal and operated by port personnel, it is very likely that you will not be stopped for carrying wine or liquor.

[SweetP2]

If you like it during initial "testing" you might want to run "Quality Assurance" testing next. ;):D

 

(At least that is what happens in our house when I make chocolate chip cookies.)

 

LOL - that is funny Peter. I happen to "test" for a living...so for me to conduct QA on the bon voyage wine at home...is a given! And sure, throw some chocolate cookies in there to...with the red bon voyage wine of course! :p

[SweetP2]

rslandarch, thank you for sharing your experiences. We have found similar situations but that was about 5 years ago. We are happy to pay if we are asked to. If they don't pick up on our carry on when we return to the ship, we won't speak up.

 

After taste testing at home, we'll likely order lots of bon voyage, plus carry on additional bag of special wine in an easy carry bag. We'll gladly pay corkage. Purchasing the bon voyage balances out the costs...and we hope the Canadian dollar gets stronger by next april. Our next trip will be 20 days...and a girl has to have her wine selection!

 

Sweetp.

[catl331]

If you take a HAL excursion to a winery you are allowed to bring on one corkage-free bottle per adult purchased at that winery.

I just noticed in the new AFAR destination guides the wording says

 

Corkage Policy: The on-board corkage fee is waived for one bottle of wine per person per tour for wine purchased during a Holland America Line shore excursion.

 

It does not say that the wine has to be from a winery stop on the excursion.

[RuthC]

I just noticed in the new AFAR destination guides the wording says

 

Corkage Policy: The on-board corkage fee is waived for one bottle of wine per person per tour for wine purchased during a Holland America Line shore excursion.

 

It does not say that the wine has to be from a winery stop on the excursion.

So now the question is did the policy that the wine had to come from a wine tour change? Or is the policy as quoted a mistake?

Could be either.

[Fouremco]

I just noticed in the new AFAR destination guides the wording says

 

Corkage Policy: The on-board corkage fee is waived for one bottle of wine per person per tour for wine purchased during a Holland America Line shore excursion.

 

It does not say that the wine has to be from a winery stop on the excursion.

 

So now the question is did the policy that the wine had to come from a wine tour change? Or is the policy as quoted a mistake?

Could be either.

I suspect that HAL would not consider a personal side visit to a wine vendor, other than one forming part of the tour, as being part of the official excursion. I think we all know the intent of the policy, even if HAL's wording leaves room for other interpretations. :)

Edited May 13, 2016 by Fouremco

[Wehwalt]

I suspect that HAL would not consider a personal side visit to a wine vendor, other than one forming part of the tour, as being part of the official excursion. I think we all know the intent of the policy, even if HAL's wording leaves room for other interpretations. :)

 

I guess a question is: can they tell? Do they know the difference between having gotten it on the excursion and having picked it up at a vendor in town, and maybe not even having gone on the excursion?

[dakrewser]

I guess a question is: can they tell? Do they know the difference between having gotten it on the excursion and having picked it up at a vendor in town, and maybe not even having gone on the excursion?

 

 

As with most of the "rules" aboard a HAL ship, they expect passengers to abide by them without having a "sheriff" pointing a gun at them. That's what civilized people do. In fact, it's a major sign of civilized people.

[RuthC]

I guess a question is: can they tell? Do they know the difference between having gotten it on the excursion and having picked it up at a vendor in town, and maybe not even having gone on the excursion?

Most of that can be contained. The Shore Excursion has been reported as making up a list of those on wine excursions, and upon returning to the ship, passengers with wine were checked against the list. At least that eliminated those who hadn't been on the excursion from skipping out on the corkage charge.

 

But now we don't know if that is still the policy. I can't see them changing it without at least a small announcement. If the written policy is a mistake, then I would want to hold them to it if I were bringing wine back on board.

[Wehwalt]

As with most of the "rules" aboard a HAL ship, they expect passengers to abide by them without having a "sheriff" pointing a gun at them. That's what civilized people do. In fact, it's a major sign of civilized people.

 

I think a standard of good commenting is assuming that a discussion question is asked in good faith, and not with a dark intent. It's something that is not always mastered, even with thousands of repetitions.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Wehwalt

[TiogaCruiser]

I just noticed in the new AFAR destination guides the wording says

 

Corkage Policy: The on-board corkage fee is waived for one bottle of wine per person per tour for wine purchased during a Holland America Line shore excursion.

 

It does not say that the wine has to be from a winery stop on the excursion.

 

So now the question is did the policy that the wine had to come from a wine tour change? Or is the policy as quoted a mistake?

Could be either.

 

It MIGHT shed some light knowing the context. Is this from the KBYG, (Global) or appended to a shorex description of a winery tour? (Could be a Local). Where it came from might shed light on its scope.

 

(It would be better if the person who wrote it defined it better. As it is, it is not clear.)

Edited May 13, 2016 by TiogaCruiser

[pris993]

You don't have to lug it all at once!

On Holland America you are allowed to bring wine back on board at any and all ports, but you must pay the $18 corkage fee (unless it's from a winery tour) for each bottle (even if you never got your "free" bottle at embarkation).

 

I like that... thanks.

[donaldsc]

Not sure how you are able to board a plane with two 750ml bottle of wine. I would think the tsa would prohibit that

 

 

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Some airports have wine shops inside of security. This would avoid the TSA problem.

 

DON

[aljo66]

Some airports have wine shops inside of security. This would avoid the TSA problem.

 

 

 

DON

 

 

That only works if you have a direct flight as if you need to change planes at another airport you have the same problem.

 

 

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[alwaysfrantic]

That only works if you have a direct flight as if you need to change planes at another airport you have the same problem.

 

 

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Unless it's an international flight it would be fine in 99%+ of flights which connect. Out of way too many connecting flights to count one time did one of us have to exit the secure area during a connecting flight. One you're through TSA you wouldn't need to go through again no matter how many domestic connections.

[aljo66]

Unless it's an international flight it would be fine in 99%+ of flights which connect. Out of way too many connecting flights to count one time did one of us have to exit the secure area during a connecting flight. One you're through TSA you wouldn't need to go through again no matter how many domestic connections.

 

 

Sorry I live in Holland so nearly all my flights and connections are international [emoji4]. I indeed do not know about Internal USA flights. I do know that if you transfer from an International flight to a domestic flight in Europe you will definitely have to go through a security check.

 

 

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