FYI, For Those Of You Who Bring Your Own Wine

[Lois R]

Hi, one of my cruisemates on my upcoming Zenith Cruise just

spoke with Captain's Club tonite and was told the Corkage Fee

has been raised to 30.00:eek:

Now, I don't bring my own but I still think that is quite steep:confused:

 

I told her she might want to call back and speak with a

Supervisor. I think it has been 15.00 for a while now. To say

they have DOUBLED IT.....that does seem like alot.

I guess that is telling everyone they want you to buy the wines

they supply!

 

Just thought I would let ya'll know what we were told!

[Logie]

That is rediculous, Princess only charges $10 and they let you bring on your own wine and champagne and do not charge you if it is a varetial they carry.

 

Sounds like I am going to like Celebrity except for the drink prices, but at least I know what is coming. Luckily we pre-ordered 16 bottles of their wine so we should not have to worry about this. :)

[Lois R]

Lynn, to be honest, I agree with you.

It was 15.00 for a long time. Doubling it seems sort of drastic.

It won't affect me but I know there are quite a few folks who

always bring their own wines.

[ocngypz]

Sounds more like they confused it with the specialty dining fee!

[Kathy & George]

I called again and was told $15.00...looks like it has not changed afterall:D

[Lois R]

Hi Babette, so as far as you know it is still 15.00?

[Kathy & George]

Yes Lois, the first rep, must have had it confused.

[ocngypz]

It's still $15.00

[Lois R]

Well, I guess I posted this too quickly:rolleyes: sorry folks.

 

Thanks Babette.:)

 

Kathy, you can bring your own again;)

[Logie]

Ok good I can live with that :)

[CStorm]

Sounds like I am going to like Celebrity except for the drink prices, but at least I know what is coming. Luckily we pre-ordered 16 bottles of their wine so we should not have to worry about this. :)

 

How do you preorder wine?

[wv4891]

At this time I believe that Celebirty has no onboard program to preorder wine, but you can go to Celebrity's website and preorder wine there. It's under the Bon Voyage gifts area of their site.

 

How do you preorder wine?

[redheadskier]

I just got off Zenith on the March 6-11 cruise and it was $15 - $10 plus $5 gratuity. Best $15 ever spent!!!:p

[Cruise Arizona]

We ordered a bon Voyage Champagne. Had it on the balcony as soon as we got to our room. It was great to have and we didn't have to worry about trying to order it from room service or something.

 

DH did it on line the week before the cruise.

[rokzan]

We were on Celebrity in Alaska last summer. A friend brought one of those large bottles of wine to the table & the corkage fee was double - $30. We did not realize this until we got the bill after dinner. But I guess they charged double due to the quantity, as the large bottle held at least as much as 2 regular bottles. There were 6 of us drinking, so split between us we paid $5 per person to drink a reasonably priced bottle of wine.

[dmarch@islc.net]

We were on Celebrity in Alaska last summer. A friend brought one of those large bottles of wine to the table & the corkage fee was double - $30. We did not realize this until we got the bill after dinner. But I guess they charged double due to the quantity, as the large bottle held at least as much as 2 regular bottles. There were 6 of us drinking, so split between us we paid $5 per person to drink a reasonably priced bottle of wine.

I brought large bottles on our last Millie cruise and was not charged double. If I had been, they would of had a huge problem.

[TWOJERSEYGIRL]

JUST GOT OFF THE MERCURY 1 WEEK AGO. WE BROUGHT 4 BOTTLES ON WITH US IN TWO CARRY ON BAGS. BUT AT A PORT STOP IN ACAPULCO WE BOUGHT 2 BOTTLES OF SPANISH WINE & THEY HOLD THEM UNTIL ONE DAY BEFORE THE CRUISE ENDED. WE WERE TOLD THE "NEW" POLICY WAS YOU CAN'T BRING WINE ON THE SHIP FOR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION WHILE CRUISING. SO WE DON'T REALLY KNOW IF WE WERE JUST LUCKY WITH THE 4 BOTTLES & IF THEY FOUND THEM WOULD THEY HAVE HELD THEM UNTIL THE CRUISE WAS OVER.:confused:

 

HID THEM IF YOU CAN.

[dawne577]

FYI, just off the Zenith 3-06 sailing and our champagne that we had in our carry-on was taken during embarkation in Miami.

[dcc617]

We're thinking of taking some expensive wine on board with us on our upcoming cruise. Since the stories are mixed, I called the Captain's Club yesterday and got 3 different answers. One person said absolutely no wine, nada, nothing can be brought on. The second person told me that we can bring on anything that Celebrity doesn't serve but there's a $15 corkage fee. The third person was totally useless.

 

I JUST called again this morning and spoke with Ethel. (VERY helpful) She confirmed that wine ordered by a travel agent through the Bon Voyage department is subject to a $15 corkage fee. However, the policy is they will consificate wine brought on by passengers. This is a change that started 8/5/05.

 

Personally, I don't know if I want to take the chance. Any comments?

[Joanandjoe]

That's certainly an outrageous policy. I've never heard of a cruise line that won't let you bring wine aboard. I've just purchased a very special bottle of wine, with the intention of using it to celebrate our anniversary onboard the Zenith. I guess we'll have to leave it at home.

 

Here is what the FAQs in the web site say about alcoholic beverages. Note that this has been the longstanding policy toward liquor, but it had not been applied to wine:

 

What is Celebrity's liquor and alcohol policy?

Subject: Food and Beverage

 

No alcoholic beverages may be purchased ashore for consumption onboard.

 

Onboard purchases from the gift shop of any bottle of liquor will be held until the last night of the cruise when it will be delivered to the stateroom.

 

Celebrity Cruises will not serve alcoholic beverages while a vessel is at sea to guests under 18 years of age.

 

In port, the minimum drinking age is 18 or 21, in accordance with local legal age limits.

 

Here is another FAQ:

 

Is there a corkage fee in the main restaurant?

Subject: Food and Beverage

 

Wine purchased by or on behalf of our guests from our selection of bon voyage gifts are not subject to a corkage fee. Gifts of wine delivered to the ship by an authorized vendor will be subject to a corkage fee of $15 per bottle.

 

Please note in accordance with our liquor policy our guests may not purchase liquor ashore for consumption on board. Beer, Wine or Spirits brought onboard by our guests will be placed in storage and returned on the last day of the voyage. Alcohol purchased in our onboard shops will be delivered to the guest stateroom on the final day of the cruise.

 

The bottom line: the new policy is awful, but they clearly warn you that they are going to gouge you. I guess this is another reason to cruise HAL or Princess.

 

BTW, here is Holland America's policy on wine:

 

Bringing Alcoholic Beverages Onboard

 

Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages purchased in the vessel's shops or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage.

[BrooklynGirl2]

We sailed Zenith on 9/3/05 (after the supposed new policy) and we had 3 bottles of very special wine in our carry on which we enjoyed on three separate nights in the dining room. We paid the $15 corkage fee for it. No questions asked.

 

Celebrity may have an "official" policy but the question is...how is it enforced?

[Danny Ocean]

We too always bring our own wine. Never liquor and never for consumption anywhere but in the dining room(s). On our Millennium cruise last April and Constellation cruise in October we had no problem boarding with a bottle for each night of the cruise. (Seven and ten respectively)

 

This thread indicates that something has recently changed so today I called the Captain's Club before we depart on Friday for our Saturday Constellation cruise. According to Shayla (sp), you may ONLY bring wines that Celebrity does NOT carry in it's cellars. This applies to both the regular and specialty wine lists. If you bring wines they sell, your wine will be confiscated and returned at the end of your cruise. According to her, this new 'policy' took effect in August of '05.

 

I asked who checks compliance and verifies that the wines are not on their list and thereby ok to board. Her response......well, I guess it's the security people.

 

Geez, can anyone get a definitive answer before we lug 8 bottles on a 4 hour plane ride only to have them cruise in the ship's hold? I can live with whatever their policy really is. I just want to get the same answer twice from Celebrity employees!

[cruisePRN]

We're thinking of taking some expensive wine on board with us on our upcoming cruise. Since the stories are mixed, I called the Captain's Club yesterday and got 3 different answers. One person said absolutely no wine, nada, nothing can be brought on. The second person told me that we can bring on anything that Celebrity doesn't serve but there's a $15 corkage fee. The third person was totally useless.

 

I JUST called again this morning and spoke with Ethel. (VERY helpful) She confirmed that wine ordered by a travel agent through the Bon Voyage department is subject to a $15 corkage fee. However, the policy is they will consificate wine brought on by passengers. This is a change that started 8/5/05.

 

Personally, I don't know if I want to take the chance. Any comments?

If you order through their bon voyage dept it is celebrity wine and shouldn.t have a corkage fee. When our TA sends us a bottle of wine we never had a corkage fee. Sounds like celebrity needs to publish a policy we can read and print so we know the whole truth, nuttin but the truth!

[newmexicoNita]

I just got off Zenith on the March 6-11 cruise and it was $15 - $10 plus $5 gratuity. Best $15 ever spent!!!:p

Interesting, we have always paid $15 plus gratuity. NMNita

[newmexicoNita]

We were on Celebrity in Alaska last summer. A friend brought one of those large bottles of wine to the table & the corkage fee was double - $30. We did not realize this until we got the bill after dinner. But I guess they charged double due to the quantity, as the large bottle held at least as much as 2 regular bottles. There were 6 of us drinking, so split between us we paid $5 per person to drink a reasonably priced bottle of wine.

that is rediculous: I think I would have been a little upset if it were me. NMNita