I am still confused about bringing wine

[Peckishpixie]

I have read all the posts about wine on board and there seems to be a lot of conflicting information or maybe I am just easily confused.

I can bring 1 bottle of wine per person right. If I drink them in my cabin I don't pay a corkage fee, if I drink them at dinner I pay a corkage fee.

Can I also bring additional bottles on board and pay a corkage fee or are the other bottles kept somewhere and returned at the end of the cruise? It seems that there are two opinions on this and I want to know for sure. I have a lovely wine collection that I wouldn't mind paying a corkage on but I don't want to bring them if I can't drink them on board.

Thank you

[cxc362]

Your second and third sentences are correct. As far as additional bottles are concerned, yes, you can bring aboard more than the one allowable per person (in your carry on luggage) and pay the corkage fee of $18 per bottle.

 

After you go through security you will see the alcohol check table. They will mark the extra bottles and give you a receipt reflecting payment of the fee. It will show up on your final bill.

 

If you know which bottles you want to consume in your cabin versus elsewhere, be sure to have the bottles you want to drink outside your cabin as those marked as having the corkage fee paid on them.

 

In case you did not find it, here is a thread I started on the subject when I had questions: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2265815 .

[Goldenowner]

We just got off the Oosterdam on Sunday. When we were boarding the ship in Seattle, security noticed that we had six bottles of wine in our carry on bag. Since there were only two of us, we were directed to a special table. An employee there marked four of the bottles with a blue sticker. We put the bottles back in our carry on and completed the embarkation process.

 

We stored all the wine in our room. When it was time for dinner, we carried one of the bottles with a blue sticker to the dining room and the wine steward opened it for us. He noted the blue sticker and didn't charge us an additional corkage fee.

 

Our final bill showed the correct amount for the corkage fees that had been assessed in Seattle.

 

Hint: We had the bottles in bubble wrap. We had to unwrap all the bottles in Seattle to decide which ones should get stickers. Next time, I will mark the bottles in advance somehow.

 

Another hint: We brought a wine gift bag with us. It was handy to carry the bottle to the dining room.

 

BTW, there was a corkscrew in our room although we also brought our own.

[cxc362]

Another hint: We brought a wine gift bag with us. It was handy to carry the bottle to the dining room.

 

We also used a wine carrier bag to transport our wine to the MDR. This was much better than having to carry just the bottle (especially with a 2 year old in tow who would occasionally need to be carried).

[TiogaCruiser]

I have read all the posts about wine on board and there seems to be a lot of conflicting information or maybe I am just easily confused.

I can bring 1 bottle of wine per person right. If I drink them in my cabin I don't pay a corkage fee, if I drink them at dinner I pay a corkage fee.

Can I also bring additional bottles on board and pay a corkage fee or are the other bottles kept somewhere and returned at the end of the cruise? It seems that there are two opinions on this and I want to know for sure. I have a lovely wine collection that I wouldn't mind paying a corkage on but I don't want to bring them if I can't drink them on board.

Thank you

A bit more detail: 1 bottle, not greater than 750ml, per adult, at embarkation can be exempt from corkage (for cabin consumption).

[catl331]

You may also bring on wine at each port stop, to drink anywhere on board if you pay the $18 fee, or to have stored to bring home without a fee.

[avian777]

I have read all the posts about wine on board and there seems to be a lot of conflicting information or maybe I am just easily confused ...

 

This Post illustrates what I have been saying ever since I joined CC: although most CCers are well-intentioned, much of the "factual" stuff on here is outdated or just plain incorrect. As such, whenever I need information that relates to a HAL cruise, I go first to the "Know Before You Go" brochure (copy attached for your convenience) and then (via e-mail or 'phone) to HAL Ship Services for confirmation and updates. For matters of opinion, I consult CC, but for matters of fact I consult HAL

Smooth sailing :wine-glass: :wine-glass: :wine-glass:

KBYG(4).pdf

[cxc362]

This Post illustrates what I have been saying ever since I joined CC: although most CCers are well-intentioned, much of the "factual" stuff on here is outdated or just plain incorrect. As such, whenever I need information that relates to a HAL cruise, I go first to the "Know Before You Go" brochure (copy attached for your convenience) and then (via e-mail or 'phone) to HAL Ship Services for confirmation and updates. For matters of opinion, I consult CC, but for matters of fact I consult HAL

Smooth sailing :wine-glass: :wine-glass: :wine-glass:

 

I agree that the HAL KBYG booklet is a great first resource but unfortunately it's sometimes not clear or all encompassing so your suggestion of contacting Ship Services is a great follow up step.

 

Ironically your attachment is not the most recent release of KBYG. That release (for 2017) is available at https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/KBYG.pdf .

[catl331]

... and then (via e-mail or 'phone) to HAL Ship Services for confirmation and updates. For matters of opinion, I consult CC, but for matters of fact I consult HAL

But it has been shown that many times Ship Services sometimes gives outdated or incorrect information. You can call three times with the same question and get three different answers. I think some of the reps will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the line.

[taxmantoo]

But it has been shown that many times Ship Services sometimes gives outdated or incorrect information. You can call three times with the same question and get three different answers. I think some of the reps will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the line.

Absolutely !!! Often times, that is exactly what causes confusion on Cruise Critic. Someone who has received an incorrect answer from calling Guest Services posts on Cruise Critic and vehemently defends his/her position based on it "coming from a person of authority" when loads of posters who have actually lived the experience in person know for a fact that answer is wrong.

[cxc362]

But it has been shown that many times Ship Services sometimes gives outdated or incorrect information. You can call three times with the same question and get three different answers.

 

Not to mention that anecdotal evidence of how things actually happened or have been handled on board can certainly be helpful to read (especially as in reality policies may be applied differently in different instances by different people).

[catl331]

Not to mention that anecdotal evidence of how things actually happened or have been handled on board can certainly be helpful to read (especially as in reality policies may be applied differently in different instances by different people).

Not to mention the famous inconsistency from ship to ship. Sometimes they act like 14 separate companies. :(

[RocketMan275]

But it has been shown that many times Ship Services sometimes gives outdated or incorrect information. You can call three times with the same question and get three different answers. I think some of the reps will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you off the line.

 

I would trust Ship's services much more than I would trust some anonymous internet personality.

[catl331]

I would trust Ship's services much more than I would trust some anonymous internet personality.

Like a civil trial, I look at "the preponderance of the evidence". If ship services says one thing and a half dozen regular CC posters have had recent contradictory experience, I'm going to bet on the CC posters. :p

[taxmantoo]

I would trust Ship's services much more than I would trust some anonymous internet personality.

You might if you got it first hand from HAL ... that is your choice. What we get here is third party information from someone posting their impression of what they heard from someone at HAL. I still prefer the info coming from several different posters who actually have first hand knowledge because it happened to them. They are anonymous but their numbers far outweigh one individual who spoke to someone else.

[avian777]

I would trust Ship's services much more than I would trust some anonymous internet personality.

 

Spot on!!! I agree completely, especially considering the anonymity factor. :cool: (y) :ship:

[avian777]

... I still prefer the info coming from several different posters who actually have first hand knowledge because it happened to them. They are anonymous but their numbers far outweigh one individual who spoke to someone else.

 

WOW!!! Some very interesting logic here: If enough people repeat the same inaccuracy, it becomes reliable (accurate). After all, since they are anonymous (and obviously have no axe to grind with HAL), they certainly would not post something that they don't personally know to be complete, correct and up-to-date.

[kazu]

You might if you got it first hand from HAL ... that is your choice. What we get here is third party information from someone posting their impression of what they heard from someone at HAL. I still prefer the info coming from several different posters who actually have first hand knowledge because it happened to them. They are anonymous but their numbers far outweigh one individual who spoke to someone else.

 

Absolutely. I learned a lot on these boards and share now based on my real, personal experiences ;)

 

WOW!!! Some very interesting logic here: If enough people repeat the same inaccuracy, it becomes reliable (accurate). After all, since they are anonymous (and obviously have no axe to grind with HAL), they certainly would not post something that they don't personally know to be complete, correct and up-to-date.

 

Well excuse us who try to help who have just cruised and post with the date, the ship, etc.

 

Cat133 makes a good point that everything is not the same from ship to ship. Trust me, Seattle doesn't always know what every ship does ;). Especially a call centre employee.

[catl331]

Cat133 makes a good point that everything is not the same from ship to ship. Trust me, Seattle doesn't always know what every ship does ;). Especially a call centre employee.

Also remember that call center employees will quote the official company policy on a topic even though they may know that it is not true in practice. One example is using OBC to offset casino charges.

[birdie16]

It doesn't seem fair that you can only bring on one bottle per person no matter how long the cruise is. One of the reasons we started cruising Holland America was because they allowed you to bring all the wine you want on board. We enjoy having a glass of wine on our balcony and I sure don't want to pay more for corkage than I do for the bottle. It seems to me with a 14 night cruise they could allow more wine.

[cxc362]

It doesn't seem fair that you can only bring on one bottle per person no matter how long the cruise is. One of the reasons we started cruising Holland America was because they allowed you to bring all the wine you want on board. We enjoy having a glass of wine on our balcony and I sure don't want to pay more for corkage than I do for the bottle. It seems to me with a 14 night cruise they could allow more wine.

 

Many of us will probably agree that it's not fair (I certainly do), but that's the policy.

[kazu]

Also remember that call center employees will quote the official company policy on a topic even though they may know that it is not true in practice. One example is using OBC to offset casino charges.

 

I know it's an old fashioned expression - but, "right on".

 

 

 

It doesn't seem fair that you can only bring on one bottle per person no matter how long the cruise is. One of the reasons we started cruising Holland America was because they allowed you to bring all the wine you want on board. We enjoy having a glass of wine on our balcony and I sure don't want to pay more for corkage than I do for the bottle. It seems to me with a 14 night cruise they could allow more wine.

 

I agree, it doesn't seem fair - if you think it's unfair for a 14 day cruise - try doing a 30+ day cruise ;)

 

But those are the new rules and, in all honesty there was a fight just to be allowed to bring wine onboard and pay corkage. The original rule was one bottle only.

 

We pay the corkage and whether it's fair or not, we do and enjoy our wine (and HAL's as well).

 

My rules - buy unique bottles, good bottles of wine that you can't get on HAL (or here for that matter) and the corkage is a non issue when you look at the big picture ;)

[TiogaCruiser]

Also remember that call center employees will quote the official company policy on a topic even though they may know that it is not true in practice. One example is using OBC to offset casino charges.

 

Or the HAL Rep who was telling my TA a certain outside cabin wasn't under the galley, because the deck plan only had "galley" written on the starboard side for Amsterdam ( and the galley certainly wouldn't run the entire beam of the ship!)

 

Obviously that person (and my TA) had never been on the ship.

[TiogaCruiser]

I would trust Ship's services much more than I would trust some anonymous internet personality.

 

Like a civil trial, I look at "the preponderance of the evidence". If ship services says one thing and a half dozen regular CC posters have had recent contradictory experience, I'm going to bet on the CC posters. :p

 

Agree on preponderance of evidence. I take the poster in to consideration also. We have lots of long time regulars who know their stuff and have recent experience. And some are known from sailing with them.

[Lizzie68]

The KBYG booklet has proved to be out of date for months following some policy changes.

 

It must be noted that some posters never miss an opportunity to promote information from Ship Services and denigrate the assistance provided on here by other cruisers. You can't fix some attitudes especially when those posts are meant to inflame.

Many long time posters here have experienced the confusing information provided by HAL on telephone enquiries. It is indeed true that you can call 3 times and get 3 different answers - been there, done that. So you can take your pick what resource to believe!

 

And as noted, each ship often has a different way of processing,or implementation of company policy. So that doesn't help.