How good (or bad) is the wine in the package we get with the "Always Included" fares?

[renji]

On 7/11/2022 at 4:50 AM, ChrisNY2 said:

 

Just a clarification here: you can absolutely bring back Tequila and wine. The one liter of alcohol limitation per adult is just the amount that is duty free. You can bring over that amount for personal use, just declare it to the CBP officer when getting off the ship. I bring extra alcohol on pretty much every international trip or cruise, always declare it and have NEVER been asked to pay the duty and taxes on the overage.

 

This is because the duty and taxes on a bottle of wine or Tequila is around $3.  The CBP officers are just not interested in doing the paperwork for 3 or 6 or even 36 dollars (when I brought a case of wine home). I always know that if they do want to charge me, I'm happy paying those 3 bucks or so a bottle. But it has never happened.

 

So, feel free to stock up on liquor to bring home, as long as it's for personal use!  (DO NOT fail to declare it to the CBP officer, because the "failure to declare" fines are far higher than the otherwise due duties and taxes.)

I would also recommend bringing your home wine store receipt…

[renji]

On 7/10/2022 at 6:39 PM, Beamafar said:

Had PremiumPlus on NCL last October.  Not only did they give you the bottle, but a wine waiter in a speciality restaurant told me to request that it be decanted each time as I was entitled to that service due to having the package.  Said there were only 4 on the cruise who had the package (don’t know if that was 4 cabins or just 4 people). 

I’m looking forward to that. I really prefer a bottle so I know it hasn’t been sitting…

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, renji said:

I’m looking forward to that. I really prefer a bottle so I know it hasn’t been sitting…

Hope you receive the same service on NCL that we did.  The wine waiter was Prince - by name and by nature. 😁

[renji]

On 7/10/2022 at 9:27 PM, islandwoman said:

According to celebritycruises.com, the classic package gets a 15% discount on all wines by the bottle, and the Premium Drink Package gets a 20% discount.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

That is interesting. The Royal Caribbean drinks and unlimited dining package gave a 20% discount on wines over $100 and a 40% discount on wines under $100. (The latter made the bottles reasonable, and actually brought you down to a more normal 80-100% markup, so in the $50s for a store price in the $20s, rather than the list price in the $80s/90s).  

[atlgants]

On 7/4/2022 at 2:30 PM, islandwoman said:

"Classic to Premium Beverage Package Upgrade  Prices Starting From*

$17.10 USD Adult per day"

That seems like a lot to me 😬

The published price seemed like alot to me, so I called before our April Apex and got the premium upgrade for around $150 total for the two of us. Included 5% discount for Captains Club members.

 

[Married90]

On 7/1/2022 at 3:36 PM, jelayne said:

You can now bring 2 bottles each ( 4 per cabin) on at embarkation.  
It is hard to say how bad or good the wine on the Classic packages is as some find wines they like others don’t.  We always have the premium package but we have found some wines covered by the Classic package that we enjoy and order.
 

If you check the app for your sailing and look under dining you will see the wine lists for the various venues.  Not all are available on every sailing

 

Yes you can get a glass of wine at a bar and take it to your room.

Hi, can you provide a link to this change in allowed bottles? Everything I seem to find when I search explicitly stated 2 bottles per cabin.  Thanks. 

[Married90]

On 7/1/2022 at 9:38 PM, jelayne said:

Bo, If you have a beverage package there is no corkage fee any longer and you can now bring on 4 bottles.  A win win as I see it.  You can bring on a favorite wine and no corkage ( win) and  Celebrity gets fewer complaints about shortages and 1less bottle they supply.

Hi, can you provide a link to where it says that the corkage fee is waived with a beverage package.   Everything I have found says $25 for a restaurant.    Thanks. 

[Whinenowine]

47 minutes ago, Married90 said:

Hi, can you provide a link to this change in allowed bottles? Everything I seem to find when I search explicitly stated 2 bottles per cabin.  Thanks. 

 

It's confusing because both the old and new policies are listed on their website. But the below is copied directly from the docs that X just sent to me for my upcoming Millie cruise:

 

"Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them embarkation day may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per guest, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with a Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package."