Corkage Fees

[Snap802]

Does anyone have recent experience with being charged or not charged for corkage fees on Carnival? We're going on Breeze at the end of July this year. 

Last summer we cruised on Oasis of the Seas and were not charged a corkage fee in the MDR. I had read before we went on the RC forum that most waiters didn't charge the fee because they didn't get any of it anyway. Personally, I'd rather give my waiter an extra tip than pay the cruise line an extra fee for bringing my own wine.

 

We always schedule the standard early dining so we have a consistent wait staff throughout the cruise. 

 

 

[Butterbean1000]

There were times we were not charged a corkage fee. There were times we were charged.  Our last few criuses, we poured a glass on the stateroom and carried it to the MDR. 

[Cruiseman38]

As the previous response states, I would just pour a glass in your stateroom and take it with you to the MDR.  That way you know that you will not be charged the fee.

 

[Schoifmom]

If you want to avoid the corkage fee all together, follow the advice above.  I have had hit and miss with being charged corkage in the MDR.  Typically, the times I haven't been charged is when we carried on a brand that Carnival carries on board.

[skrufy]

Last cruise we were given a bottle of wine by the captain, it was left for us in the cabin. That night we brought it with us to dinner and told the head waiter it was from the captain and he happily opened the bottle and stored it for us til the next night. Just took our word for it. 

[coevan]

3 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

There were times we were not charged a corkage fee. There were times we were charged.  Our last few criuses, we poured a glass on the stateroom and carried it to the MDR. 

 

 

We have never been charged a corkage fee, bring wine on every cruise. I'm surely not going to pay $15 for a $20 bottle of wine. We open the bottle in the room and bring the bottle to the MDR. 

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

We were charged a corkage fee for both bottles we brought on our last cruise.  This time I will definitely plan to pour it in the room and carry it with us.

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, skrufy said:

Last cruise we were given a bottle of wine by the captain, it was left for us in the cabin. That night we brought it with us to dinner and told the head waiter it was from the captain and he happily opened the bottle and stored it for us til the next night. Just took our word for it. 

The crew are aware of what wine and champagne are given out onboard. Every time I take Champagne given to me, I just tell them it was from the casino. 

[Purvis1231]

We have gladly paid the corkage fee several times.  It is a small amount for excellent service. 

[coevan]

excellent service? $15 for 10 seconds to open a bottle of wine. A corkscrew is always in my Dop Kit.

[Snap802]

Thanks for the replies all. 

As for service, my experience elsewhere has been that they will open the wine and store any unused portions. We've been able to have half a bottle one night and then next night the bottle is waiting for us at the table. Would this be reasonable to expect on Carnival?

[Micahs Grandad]

22 minutes ago, Snap802 said:

Thanks for the replies all. 

As for service, my experience elsewhere has been that they will open the wine and store any unused portions. We've been able to have half a bottle one night and then next night the bottle is waiting for us at the table. Would this be reasonable to expect on Carnival?

Yes. Being charged corkage will depend upon the MD and what he tells his people to do.

[Organized Chaos]

4 hours ago, coevan said:

We have never been charged a corkage fee, bring wine on every cruise. I'm surely not going to pay $15 for a $20 bottle of wine. We open the bottle in the room and bring the bottle to the MDR. 

 

58 minutes ago, coevan said:

excellent service? $15 for 10 seconds to open a bottle of wine. A corkscrew is always in my Dop Kit.

 

The corkage fee is not a fee for pulling the cork. It is a fee for bringing a bottle of wine to dinner that was not purchased from Carnival. Technically, even if you open the bottle in your room before taking it to dinner, you are still supposed to be charged the corkage fee. If you haven't been charged, it wasn't because you opened it in your room. I agree that it's kind of excessive, but that's beside the point.

[jimbo5544]

10 hours ago, Snap802 said:

Thanks for the replies all. 

As for service, my experience elsewhere has been that they will open the wine and store any unused portions. We've been able to have half a bottle one night and then next night the bottle is waiting for us at the table. Would this be reasonable to expect on Carnival?

To answer your question, yes.  We have done it many times and always at our table the following night, including the first night in the Steakhouse and the next in the MDR.

[Joebucks]

10 hours ago, coevan said:

excellent service? $15 for 10 seconds to open a bottle of wine. A corkscrew is always in my Dop Kit.

 

While I agree it is excessive, people tip that much for a similar level of service when they purchase the bottle. It's not like the server is squeezing the grapes themself.

[JaniceB]

What if you buy the bottle from the fun shops and it is in your room?

[Schoifmom]

35 minutes ago, JaniceB said:

What if you buy the bottle from the fun shops and it is in your room?

There is no corkage fee charged for that.  You may have to tell your server that you purchased it from Carnival.

[JaniceB]

Thank you!

[coevan]

14 hours ago, Snap802 said:

Thanks for the replies all. 

As for service, my experience elsewhere has been that they will open the wine and store any unused portions. We've been able to have half a bottle one night and then next night the bottle is waiting for us at the table. Would this be reasonable to expect on Carnival?

 

 

We bring our bottle back to our cabin and have a glass of wine before bed.

[Purvis1231]

18 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

We have gladly paid the corkage fee several times.  It is a small amount for excellent service. 

Again, we are happy to pay the fee. My wife is selective on the type of wine she likes so we bring it on the ship. Each night it is at our table, chilled, with a cheese plate. 

[Jenny in TX]

We just got off the Valor last week.  One morning our group of 12 went to the dining room for the sea day brunch.  We brought 6 bottles of champagne with us to have mimosas.  The waiter had no problem with us and went to get us juice.  A few minutes later he came over and said that his boss had told him that he needed to charge us $15 per bottle.  Needless to say we passed and just took them up to the Lido after breakfast and enjoyed them there.

 

We have taken wine on many cruises and never had a problem, but it was a no go on this one.  Lately we just pour a glass for each of us in our room before dinner and then just carry it to dinner to avoid the charge.

 

I think its ridiculous that they allow you to bring it on and you can enjoy it anywhere else on the ship with no charge but if you take it in the dining room they want to charge you.  We always bring our own corkscrew so it's not like we need help opening it and in the case of the champagne we popped our own corks, but I love Carnival so its just one of those things I ignore.

[Elaine5715]

7 minutes ago, Jenny in TX said:

We just got off the Valor last week.  One morning our group of 12 went to the dining room for the sea day brunch.  We brought 6 bottles of champagne with us to have mimosas.  The waiter had no problem with us and went to get us juice.  A few minutes later he came over and said that his boss had told him that he needed to charge us $15 per bottle.  Needless to say we passed and just took them up to the Lido after breakfast and enjoyed them there.

 

We have taken wine on many cruises and never had a problem, but it was a no go on this one.  Lately we just pour a glass for each of us in our room before dinner and then just carry it to dinner to avoid the charge.

 

I think its ridiculous that they allow you to bring it on and you can enjoy it anywhere else on the ship with no charge but if you take it in the dining room they want to charge you.  We always bring our own corkscrew so it's not like we need help opening it and in the case of the champagne we popped our own corks, but I love Carnival so its just one of those things I ignore.

Corkage fees have nothing to do with opening the bottle.  Nicer restaurants on land who allow wine purchased elsewhere to be consumed on their premises charge such a fee, anywhere from $10 to $75.

[Organized Chaos]

10 minutes ago, Jenny in TX said:

We always bring our own corkscrew so it's not like we need help opening it and in the case of the champagne we popped our own corks, but I love Carnival so its just one of those things I ignore.

 

Again, the "corkage fee" isn't simply for opening the bottle, even though it kind of sounds like it. It's a fee charged for using your own wine in the MDR or specialty restaurants instead of one purchased from Carnival.

 

I suspect that it's allowed to be consumed elsewhere on the ship merely because it's not as easy to enforce the fee. And the average crew member wouldn't know it's not a bottle bought from Carnival. Much like bringing a glass of your own wine to the MDR. For all they know, it came from the bar.

[Jenny in TX]

1 minute ago, Elaine5715 said:

Corkage fees have nothing to do with opening the bottle.  Nicer restaurants on land who allow wine purchased elsewhere to be consumed on their premises charge such a fee, anywhere from $10 to $75.

I understand that and know exactly what they say the corkage fee is for.  I was just stating my experience.  There is no way we were going to pay a $15/bottle corkage fee for a $10 bottle of champagne for mimosas.  In all of our cruises, we have never been charged when we bring our own wine to the dining room.  I have no issue with it, I just choose not to pay it and will consume my champagne elsewhere on the boat and not pay a corkage fee.  I spend plenty on alcohol elsewhere on the ship, so I'm not paying to uncork the few bottle I brought from home.

[Jenny in TX]

2 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Again, the "corkage fee" isn't simply for opening the bottle, even though it kind of sounds like it. It's a fee charged for using your own wine in the MDR or specialty restaurants instead of one purchased from Carnival.

 

I suspect that it's allowed to be consumed elsewhere on the ship merely because it's not as easy to enforce the fee. And the average crew member wouldn't know it's not a bottle bought from Carnival. Much like bringing a glass of your own wine to the MDR. For all they know, it came from the bar.

Once again, I know what the fee is for.  The OP asked for any recent experience on corkage fees and I was just stating my experience.