"Corkage" fees on Norwegian Pearl?

[mamasylvia]

My husband, who likes a glass of wine or 2 before bedtime, is planning to bring a 750-ml bottle with him on our Alaska cruise next May. But the website is not clear on what the fee covers and how often it has to be paid.

 

- Can we keep the bottle in our room? Or do we have to have the steward bring it every time my husband wants a glass?

 

- Is the $15 a one-time charge, or does he get charged $15 every time he asks the steward for a glass?

 

- Does the fee include wine glasses for his use?

 

Thanks for any response!

[mjkacmom]

It's basically a service fee to carry on wine. Pat it before you board, take the wine wherever you want. The restaurants will even store it for you.

[KeithJenner]

If you take a corkscrew with you then your steward doesn't need to get involved at all.

 

You can ask him to leave you glasses, but I generally just ask for one when passing a bar on the way to my room.

[suspaul]

Not sure about NCL but aren't you allowed to bring onboard 1 bottle of wine per person to enjoy in your cabin without paying a corkage? I know this is the case on most cruise lines and additional bottles of wine are assessed the corkage fee. If so, you'll each be able to bring on 1 bottle without corkage. Hope I haven't led you astray!

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

Not sure about NCL but aren't you allowed to bring onboard 1 bottle of wine per person to enjoy in your cabin without paying a corkage? I know this is the case on most cruise lines and additional bottles of wine are assessed the corkage fee. If so, you'll each be able to bring on 1 bottle without corkage. Hope I haven't led you astray!

 

 

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Not on NCL

[mamasylvia]

I already knew they don't allow any wine on without paying the fee. Kind of nickel-and-dimey for something we are already paying several thousand per person for. But this cruise had the itinerary I wanted and now that our BIL and SIL have also reserved a cabin on the cruise, it would be more trouble to change than to just put up with the parts I don't like.

 

So after we pay the fee, we can take it onboard with us and keep it in our stateroom?

[KeithJenner]

So after we pay the fee, we can take it onboard with us and keep it in our stateroom?

 

 

 

Yes.

 

And then you can drink it there, or take it with you to any public area, bar or restaurant.

[jjikids]

I already knew they don't allow any wine on without paying the fee. Kind of nickel-and-dimey for something we are already paying several thousand per person for. But this cruise had the itinerary I wanted and now that our BIL and SIL have also reserved a cabin on the cruise, it would be more trouble to change than to just put up with the parts I don't like.

 

So after we pay the fee, we can take it onboard with us and keep it in our stateroom?

 

Yes you can or bring it to any restaurant and they can store it for you. Your choice. One time fee.

[mjkacmom]

I already knew they don't allow any wine on without paying the fee. Kind of nickel-and-dimey for something we are already paying several thousand per person for. But this cruise had the itinerary I wanted and now that our BIL and SIL have also reserved a cabin on the cruise, it would be more trouble to change than to just put up with the parts I don't like.

 

So after we pay the fee, we can take it onboard with us and keep it in our stateroom?

Yes, do whatever you want with it. Some lines only allow 1 bottle pp, and make you buy the rest. I like NCL's policy, because we bring on more than 2 bottles.

[atomax]

On our last cruise (the Pearl), we bought two bottles of wine at a wine store, including an exact version of one of the red wines offered on the ship. It cost $8 at the store and NCL charged $40+ (plus 18% gratuity, don't forget about that!). $8 + $15 > $40. We brought the wine into the MDR and joked about it with the wine steward. He tagged the remainder of the wine, stored it away for us, and we finished it up the next night.

 

When you first get to the port, there will be a table where they "register" the bottles. They will take your name and cabin # to charge you the corkage fee (it comes from one of the MDRs, in our case, Taste (or was it Savor?)). They will put a small colored sticker on the bottles to indicate that have paid the fee. You can take the wine anywhere on the ship.

 

 

P.S. Corkage is per bottle.

Edited October 14, 2016 by atomax

[mamasylvia]

Thanks, it helps to know what the procedure is.

[Cruiser Who Knows Nothing]

On our last cruise (the Pearl), we bought two bottles of wine at a wine store, including an exact version of one of the red wines offered on the ship. It cost $8 at the store and NCL charged $40+ (plus 18% gratuity, don't forget about that!). $8 + $15 > $40. We brought the wine into the MDR and joked about it with the wine steward. He tagged the remainder of the wine, stored it away for us, and we finished it up the next night.

 

When you first get to the port, there will be a table where they "register" the bottles. They will take your name and cabin # to charge you the corkage fee (it comes from one of the MDRs, in our case, Taste (or was it Savor?)). They will put a small colored sticker on the bottles to indicate that have paid the fee. You can take the wine anywhere on the ship.

 

 

P.S. Corkage is per bottle.

 

 

May I ask if you should leave a tip with whomever pours your wine?

 

/small voice: your greater than/less than symbol needs to be turned around.

 

Tia.

 

 

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[Jana60]

Yes, do whatever you want with it. Some lines only allow 1 bottle pp, and make you buy the rest. I like NCL's policy, because we bring on more than 2 bottles.

Last cruise we brought 8 bottles of wine with us. We bought them for less than $4 per bottle at the local CVS in Miami so even with the corkage fee still ended up being $19 per bottle which is much less than if you buy a bottle on board. So my sister and I basically shared a bottle of wine each day of the cruise plus a spare bottle for an extra thirsty day!

 

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Edited October 14, 2016 by Jana60

[bbryan5]

No corkage fee at all when using rum runners :p

[MS52]

You will notice that when you take the bottle to the dining room or anywhere else public, the waiter will peel off the sticker. I believe they get a percentage of the corkage fee that was collected for turning it in - at least our waiter indicated that. I didn't ask the percentage because that's between NCL and their personnel. [emoji6]

 

 

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[atomax]

That's actually a good question. We did not, since it seemed a bit extreme for someone just opening up a bottle of wine. However, they did bring over an ice bucket and made sure to store the bottle so that it could be easily found the next day. Maybe that's deserving of a couple of bucks at the end of the cruise. However, if MS52 is correct, then that makes it an even easier decision not to tip extra.

 

May I ask if you should leave a tip with whomever pours your wine?

 

/small voice: your greater than/less than symbol needs to be turned around.

 

Tia.

 

 

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[Cruiser Who Knows Nothing]

That's actually a good question. We did not, since it seemed a bit extreme for someone just opening up a bottle of wine. However, they did bring over an ice bucket and made sure to store the bottle so that it could be easily found the next day. Maybe that's deserving of a couple of bucks at the end of the cruise. However, if MS52 is correct, then that makes it an even easier decision not to tip extra.

 

 

Interesting, but what about the second waiter that gets your bottle with the sticker already peeled off. He's gets the short end of that stick. Oh well, I'm overthinking this.

 

 

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[Halxoxo]

On our last cruise (the Pearl)

 

 

P.S. Corkage is per bottle.

 

It's PER bottle?

 

Also, if we buy bottles (of any alcoholic type), in ports that we are visiting; do they get taken when we come back onto the ship? Do we get them when when disembark the final day?

[TonyFred]

It's PER bottle?

 

Also, if we buy bottles (of any alcoholic type), in ports that we are visiting; do they get taken when we come back onto the ship? Do we get them when when disembark the final day?

 

Yes it is per bottle. And it only applies to wine. No other alcohol allowed.

If you buy alcohol in the ports they will hold until the night before you depart.

[Halxoxo]

Yes it is per bottle. And it only applies to wine. No other alcohol allowed.

If you buy alcohol in the ports they will hold until the night before you depart.

 

Another question:

We can take the wine anywhere on the ship as we please, correct? Or is it only limited to certain restaurants or areas of the ship?

 

I haven't been on a cruise yet; but my mother has. She's telling me one thing and I'm reading another.

 

She's saying that I can only take the wine out when eating.

 

Yet, I've read here that we can take it anywhere. I just need some clarification as my cousin and I are trying to plan :) Thanks!

[Cruiser Who Knows Nothing]

You can take it anywhere.

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

Another question:

 

We can take the wine anywhere on the ship as we please, correct? Or is it only limited to certain restaurants or areas of the ship?

 

 

 

I haven't been on a cruise yet; but my mother has. She's telling me one thing and I'm reading another.

 

 

 

She's saying that I can only take the wine out when eating.

 

 

 

Yet, I've read here that we can take it anywhere. I just need some clarification as my cousin and I are trying to plan :) Thanks!

 

 

 

Yes, you can take it anywhere.