Cheapest way to order wine onboard?

[mama_2_boys]

We ordered 2 bottles for the room and are each taking a bottle onboard. I know the dining room charges a corkage fee. Can you order a bottle from the bars?

[Bases5]

Yes   but the selection is poor.

Best bet is to order from the dining room. No corkage fee if buy there wine.

We eat at the steakhouse either the first or second night. Instead of the free bottle we buy 4 or 5 bottles at 50% off. We take one to the cabin and have them save the rest to be served in the main dinning room.

Another option is call the fun shops ( can't do it on line) and buy cruise the vineyard package.  

[mama_2_boys]

13 minutes ago, Bases5 said:

Yes   but the selection is poor.

Best bet is to order from the dining room. No corkage fee if buy there wine.

We eat at the steakhouse either the first or second night. Instead of the free bottle we buy 4 or 5 bottles at 50% off. We take one to the cabin and have them save the rest to be served in the main dinning room.

Another option is call the fun shops ( can't do it on line) and buy cruise the vineyard package.  

With cruise the Vineyard do you have to order 3 different types or could you order multiple of the same? 

[cathyz]

Just now, mama_2_boys said:

With cruise the Vineyard do you have to order 3 different types or could you order multiple of the same? 

You can order 3 of the same wine.

[coevan]

never been charged a corkage fee

[Butterbean1000]

6 minutes ago, coevan said:

never been charged a corkage fee

It has been hit or miss for us.  Our first few cruises,  we did not pay a corkage fee.  But then they started charging every time.  We now just pour a glass in our room and take it to the MDR.

[Chervil]

5 hours ago, Bases5 said:

Yes   but the selection is poor.

Best bet is to order from the dining room. No corkage fee if buy there wine.

We eat at the steakhouse either the first or second night. Instead of the free bottle we buy 4 or 5 bottles at 50% off. We take one to the cabin and have them save the rest to be served in the main dinning room.

Another option is call the fun shops ( can't do it on line) and buy cruise the vineyard package.  

Our last cruise was the first time we ate at the steakhouse and our server gave us the free bottle of wine and 50% off the other bottles we bought.
That combined with the two we took on board were plenty to get us through the cruise (with a few beers and cocktails for good measure)
However you have to book the steakhouse the first night to get that deal.

[august1963]

Buy some wine when you get to your port city.  Bring it onboard.  If you're very nice to your wait staff, you may not get the corkage fee.

[Crusin Karen]

12 hours ago, mama_2_boys said:

With cruise the Vineyard do you have to order 3 different types or could you order multiple of the same? 

Can you take all the bottles back to the cabin with you?  

[jimbo5544]

8 hours ago, Chervil said:

Our last cruise was the first time we ate at the steakhouse and our server gave us the free bottle of wine and 50% off the other bottles we bought.
That combined with the two we took on board were plenty to get us through the cruise (with a few beers and cocktails for good measure)
However you have to book the steakhouse the first night to get that deal.

Actually the first night and the first formal night (almost always the following night). 

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, Crusin Karen said:

Can you take all the bottles back to the cabin with you?  

Good question.  The program is designed as part of enjoying the wine in the MDR, not sure if you , we never did, but never tried it. We have used the program many times. 

[ed01106]

11 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

It has been hit or miss for us.  Our first few cruises,  we did not pay a corkage fee.  But then they started charging every time.  We now just pour a glass in our room and take it to the MDR.

I always mention quietly to another guest but within earshot of the steward that I consider the corkage fee the stewards tip, but if I don’t get charged a corkage fee I tip the steward.   I then tip the steward half the corkage fee.  I never get charged a corkage fee.  

 

[Chervil]

2 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Actually the first night and the first formal night (almost always the following night). 

Good to know! I always thought it was just the first night.

[Chervil]

3 hours ago, Crusin Karen said:

Can you take all the bottles back to the cabin with you?  

When we did this on our last cruise, they gave us the option of either taking the bottles back with us or having them store them for us for use in the MDR.

We left a bottle with them and took the rest back to the room.
It was nice because we had it the next evening (which was Elegant Evening) with our dinner and didn't have to bring it with us. We just asked our server and it was brought out.
Very convenient if you are planning on drinking them with dinner.

[coevan]

3 hours ago, ed01106 said:

I always mention quietly to another guest but within earshot of the steward that I consider the corkage fee the stewards tip, but if I don’t get charged a corkage fee I tip the steward.   I then tip the steward half the corkage fee.  I never get charged a corkage fee.  

 

 

 

As I said, never paid a corkage fee and never would. I would ask if he wanted a tip or the corkage fee. We always open the bottle in our cabin. If he said no we would bring it back to the cabin.

[GB Chicago]

Wow, what a great tip!  All these cruises and I had no idea you could buy wine at half price to go!  Typically we bring our allotted wine onboard with a wine opener. We fill up our glasses in the room and bring to dining room. We also buy the wine package but that’s not even close to 50%!

[drafterdw]

7 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Good question.  The program is designed as part of enjoying the wine in the MDR, not sure if you , we never did, but never tried it. We have used the program many times. 

Last  cruise we purchased the wine package and on had them send bottles to our room. We had to go down to the candy shop & order. It worked out great so we could have a glass on our balcony. We also found 2 wines we really liked and just kept ordering then. It was a 14 day cruise so we drank many bottles of wine.

[Bases5]

4 hours ago, GB Chicago said:

Wow, what a great tip!  All these cruises and I had no idea you could buy wine at half price to go!  Typically we bring our allotted wine onboard with a wine opener. We fill up our glasses in the room and bring to dining room. We also buy the wine package but that’s not even close to 50%!

The 50% off is at the steakhouse so you are paying $38 pp for diner to get the 50% off

[GB Chicago]

3 minutes ago, Bases5 said:

The 50% off is at the steakhouse so you are paying $38 pp for diner to get the 50% off

Yep, understood!  But you also get a great meal! I actually like the main dining room on the first night though and also have to weigh how many bottles at 50% make this worthwhile.  Still an interesting tidbit!

[Bases5]

Just now, GB Chicago said:

Yep, understood!  But you also get a great meal! I actually like the main dining room on the first night though and also have to weigh how many bottles at 50% make this worthwhile.  Still an interesting tidbit!

We usually get 5 + the 2 we carry on.   

[jimbo5544]

9 minutes ago, Bases5 said:

The 50% off is at the steakhouse so you are paying $38 pp for diner to get the 50% off

LOL, or the other way to look at is you get the best steakhouse at sea for $38/pp and get 50% off a bottle of wine or get a bottle for free.  If you do mot like the steakhouse, the point is moot.

Edited October 1, 2019 by jimbo5544

[ed01106]

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[jimbo5544]

 

38 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

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Actually it is the illegal way, and the most expensive way.

[coevan]

2 hours ago, Bases5 said:

The 50% off is at the steakhouse so you are paying $38 pp for diner to get the 50% off

 

 

What an odd way to look at the 50% discount. We go to the Steakhouse at least twice a week, the 50% off is just a bonus. 

[Crusin Karen]

Just curious, if you were caught with a rum runner, what would happen? They'd take it away? I remember in the "olden days" they would hold your smuggled bottles for you and you could pick up before you left the ship the last morning.