Bringing Wine

[pilot]

Has anyone been charged at Fort Lauderdale for bringing 2 bottles of wine on board?

[Haljo1935]

We have not although we put in carry-on as instructed and it's fully visible to security during the scan at the port. We're ready and willing to pay it per policy, but have not been charged.

[REOVA]

If they see it in security, you will be directed to a table where they will note your cabin # and charge your account $20 per bottle. No problem. We've seen people stopping at the table but hear others don't declare. We haven't brought wine onboard since the change of corkage fee on ALL wine bottles. 

[kirkc]

Last cruise in November on the Rotterdam I brought 2 bottles of good champagne. Went to the secondary station and gave them name and cabin number. Signed the slip and was never billed the $40. Appears to be pretty hit or miss.

[FlaMariner]

more reasons why Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale FLORIDA is the best port ever.

[Mr. Boston]

23 minutes ago, kirkc said:

Last cruise in November on the Rotterdam I brought 2 bottles of good champagne. Went to the secondary station and gave them name and cabin number. Signed the slip and was never billed the $40. Appears to be pretty hit or miss.

I thought that we may have lucked out as well but upon reviewing our statement the corking fee showed up two days after embarking as a main dining room charge.

[daisy-mae]

I was charged $20 for a bottle of wine in my carry-on two weeks ago at Port Everglades. 

[taxmantoo]

Some times you win, sometimes you lose.  Just be prepared to pay and, if you are not charged, consider it a bonus 🥂

[BLRT]

Yep. Coming thru the security line for a Holland America Sandy Beaches cruise, there were several spotters that spotted my 2 bottles of wine and directed me to a side table where they took my name and room #.  The charge on my account was $20 each.  I felt a bit like a criminal even though I fully intended to pay the corkage fee.  How could one get thru security scans with 2 wine bottles? Maybe in my porter assist bag?

[kazu]

3 hours ago, BLRT said:

Yep. Coming thru the security line for a Holland America Sandy Beaches cruise, there were several spotters that spotted my 2 bottles of wine and directed me to a side table where they took my name and room #.  The charge on my account was $20 each.  I felt a bit like a criminal even though I fully intended to pay the corkage fee.  How could one get thru security scans with 2 wine bottles? Maybe in my porter assist bag?

 

It they have the table in place and want to charge - there is no escape.  the X-Ray machine tells them all and if in doubt, they check.

 

I haven’t escaped corkage in any port except a couple in Europe where the security was on land and not on the ship and HAL did not have a table set up.

 

I’ve always had to pay at FLL.  I guess I will find out in a few weeks.  I am tempted with total Wine and the lovely choices available.

[daisy-mae]

6 hours ago, kazu said:

 

It they have the table in place and want to charge - there is no escape.  the X-Ray machine tells them all and if in doubt, they check.

 

 

There was a young man at the table near the scanner when the operator mentioned that I had a  bottle. He didn't seem to be paying attention and appeared to be surprised when I approached him to pay. I likely could have just kept walking (but rules are rules...)

[Haljo1935]

16 hours ago, BLRT said:

Yep. Coming thru the security line for a Holland America Sandy Beaches cruise, there were several spotters that spotted my 2 bottles of wine and directed me to a side table where they took my name and room #.  The charge on my account was $20 each.  I felt a bit like a criminal even though I fully intended to pay the corkage fee.  How could one get thru security scans with 2 wine bottles? Maybe in my porter assist bag?

Policy states it is to be in carry-on,  which we do. Last time, after our bags went thru x-ray, the guy even asked us, "you have 2 bottles of wine?" To which we answered "yes." Still no corkage fee charged.

But if we ever do get charged, I won't complain. 

[Haljo1935]

19 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Some times you win, sometimes you lose.  Just be prepared to pay and, if you are not charged, consider it a bonus 🥂

Exactly!

[lyndarra]

I've had the corkage added to my account then the next day found I had been also slugged 18% service charge on my $40 (2 bottles).

A sticker was attached to each of my bottles to indicate I had paid.

[POA1]

We used to take wine on regularly and always were charged corkage. It was pretty obvious because the wine had its own luggage. We typically took a red and a white for dinner each night. For formal nights, we added a Champagne as well.

 

This would be considered "excessive" under the policy that was updated earlier this year. (We had either 3 or 4 people at our table for dinner.)

[mamayer]

If you put a box or a wine bladder in your checked bag, do they xray and find it?

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, mamayer said:

If you put a box or a wine bladder in your checked bag, do they xray and find it?

Yes the scanners will find them and you will get an invite to the naughty room on embarkation day.

[Wakepatrol]

Never knew the exuberance over escaping a $20 corkage fee.

Now I know how Charlie Bucket felt

[Wehwalt]

4 hours ago, mamayer said:

If you put a box or a wine bladder in your checked bag, do they xray and find it?

I cannot say, although it is well known that all luggage is scanned. This is the sort of question, though, which is likely to hit on the division between those here who profess to follow all rules (or at least this one) and don't like to see discussion of evading them, and those who view bringing wine aboard without paying corkage as no big deal; people may phrase their responses accordingly.

Edited March 3 by Wehwalt

[RetroRod]

Another solution to bringing “free” wine or liquor on board is to use Rum Runners. They can be found on-line. After you fill them up with your choice of adult beverages place them mid level in your checked bags. Pro tip put each one in a zip lock bag in case of a leak. A few years ago on a NCL Hawaii cruise I had 6 bags with 750 ML each of  wine undetected in my bags. Works well in the cabin or in a travel mug for the pool. 

[kazu]

12 minutes ago, RetroRod said:

Another solution to bringing “free” wine or liquor on board is to use Rum Runners. They can be found on-line. After you fill them up with your choice of adult beverages place them mid level in your checked bags. Pro tip put each one in a zip lock bag in case of a leak. A few years ago on a NCL Hawaii cruise I had 6 bags with 750 ML each of  wine undetected in my bags. Works well in the cabin or in a travel mug for the pool. 

 

My flame retardant suit is on but…

smuggling like this will get caught and if enough people get caught soon we won’t be able to even bring wine on board like a couple of other lines.

 

You’re on a cruise - play by their rules please and pay the piper.  

Smuggling is not something most HAL cruisers to do the best of my knowledge and frankly, I hope it doesn’t start.  

[RetroRod]

Kazu - How very self righteous 😂

[albingirl]

44 minutes ago, RetroRod said:

Kazu - How very self righteous 😂

Oh stop. She's right.

[RetroRod]

Bringing beverages on board as I suggested has been happening for years on cruises ships. But I do enjoy hearing from people  who believe they are the smartest people in the room (or the board). 😊

Edited March 5 by RetroRod

[Shalandara]

So, since I've never done it before, how does bringing your own wine on board work?  Especially in regards to where its stored and how you get it at dinner time?  (I'm headed off to a cruise this weekend and seriously tempted to bring some Liebfraumlich because they do not serve it on board and it is one of the few wines hubs likes.) Wondering if it is worth the hassle (if any) or not.  Corkage fees are not an issue one way or the other -- I'm more concerned about procedure.