Corkage Fee

[NMTraveller]

Here is what I think is going on.  They have raised the price of the drink package so high, people are bringing their own wine onboard.  They are trying to recoup these losses through raising the corkage fees.  🤣  Does anyone think that this will work out for them?

[zitsky]

10 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Here is what I think is going on.  They have raised the price of the drink package so high, people are bringing their own wine onboard.  They are trying to recoup these losses through raising the corkage fees.  🤣  Does anyone think that this will work out for them?

Well it’s not as if people can choose other cruise lines……

[Kordy]

I also think that $42 corkage fee is excessive and people will find ways to try and save that money... I'm not poor or anything, but I absolutely hate overspending (for no reason), or being taken advantage of, or feeling like something is unfairly expensive.  I don't mind paying a LOT if I feel there is value in something.

Edited Saturday at 05:57 PM by Kordy

[jelayne]

12 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Here is what I think is going on.  They have raised the price of the drink package so high, people are bringing their own wine onboard.  They are trying to recoup these losses through raising the corkage fees.  🤣  Does anyone think that this will work out for them?

Convenience factor for some.  Rather than buy 2 $25- 35 bottles of wine, transporting them, or stopping on the way to the port,  and then paying the corkage fee.  Just buy a $70-85 bottle of wine at dinner and have it served at proper temperature. 

[NMTraveller]

8 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Convenience factor for some.  Rather than buy 2 $25- 35 bottles of wine, transporting them, or stopping on the way to the port,  and then paying the corkage fee.  Just buy a $70-85 bottle of wine at dinner and have it served at proper temperature. 

For some ...  For others that 70-85 bottle of wine is a 15 to 17 bottle at home.  Why drink meh wine?

 

I don't see many purchasing by the bottle...  Some...

Edited Saturday at 06:07 PM by NMTraveller

[drakes2]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

I take it you've never opened a bottle with a 'synthetic' cork (polyethylene).

 

It's estimated that 9% of bottles are packaged that way now, and that the % is increasing.

I'm seeing the synthetic corks more often these days. I'm always purchasing wine.

[canderson]

1 minute ago, drakes2 said:

I'm seeing the synthetic corks more often these days. I'm always purchasing wine.

Yup.  I doubt that Zitsky is always able to keep the plastic away "even temporarily".  Sometimes the wine lives with plastic until the bottle is opened.  And when purchasing a vintage you haven't tried before, you can't tell under the capsule whether the closure is going to be natural or synthetic.

[drakes2]

16 hours ago, zitsky said:

I can’t imagine carrying a glass of wine all the way to a dining room.

I've done it many times only if I'm not stopping at Martini bar first. I pour my wine in a glass from stateroom then transfer to a red wine glass at dinner. Now I'm gifted 2 bottles of red and they stay at the MDR. 

Edited Saturday at 06:39 PM by drakes2
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[NMTraveller]

57 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Well it’s not as if people can choose other cruise lines……

I think that when you consider all of the extra charges on Celebrity,  you will find out that Oceania or the other premium lines are the same price,  or priced better...

[Ex-Airbalancer]

5 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I think that when you consider all of the extra charges on Celebrity,  you will find out that Oceania or the other premium lines are the same price,  or priced better...

This is probably true if you book a suite on Celebrity, but if you book a balcony or lower Celebrity is still very good bang for your dollar 

[janetz]

Open your bottle in your room and take it to dinner. 😊

[Kordy]

6 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

I think that when you consider all of the extra charges on Celebrity,  you will find out that Oceania or the other premium lines are the same price,  or priced better...

 

Actually, it's not Oceania that is most directly compared to Celebrity - it's VIRGIN VOYAGES... Virgin Voyages is an adult-only cruise-line, which is priced similarly to Celebrity, and which includes in its BASE FARE: specialty-restaurants, wifi, ALL TIPS & SERVICE FEES, essential drink package, gym classes, complimentary champagne at the start of cruise - FOR EVERYONE

[NMTraveller]

23 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

This is probably true if you book a suite on Celebrity, but if you book a balcony or lower Celebrity is still very good bang for your dollar 

The AMA Waterways cruises that I am pricing out are definitely lower priced than when I compare pricing to an inside cabin on Celebrity with drink packages,  excursions,  room service, and chefs table.  Plus you know that you are going to run into other fees on Celebrity such as additional fees for wine with the drink package, etc., etc.

 

AMA Waterways does not have any inside cabins to compare with.  I had zero additional charges on AMA Waterways.

 

This kind of reminds me of the discount airlines.  Celebrity's prices are low,  but when you add in everything they can be more expensive.

 

Trying to get around the high drink prices, corkage fees by pouring in the room is probably not the way to go...

 

Skip drinks on Celebrity,  excursions,  and chefs table and Celebrity would be less expensive.

Edited Saturday at 07:17 PM by NMTraveller

[NMTraveller]

10 minutes ago, Kordy said:

 

Actually, it's not Oceania that is most directly compared to Celebrity - it's VIRGIN VOYAGES... Virgin Voyages is an adult-only cruise-line, which is priced similarly to Celebrity, and which includes in its BASE FARE: specialty-restaurants, wifi, ALL TIPS & SERVICE FEES, essential drink package, gym classes, complimentary champagne at the start of cruise - FOR EVERYONE

Virgin took away the food awards from Celebrity.  I would probably consider if they had longer and more varied itineraries.

 

Oceania is a step above ...

Edited Saturday at 07:05 PM by NMTraveller

[Lena11033]

12 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

This is probably true if you book a suite on Celebrity, but if you book a balcony or lower Celebrity is still very good bang for your dollar 

 

I'd agree with this, lots of people keep saying other lines are cheaper but when I've priced them out they are way more expensive.

 

 

[jelayne]

59 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

For some ...  For others that 70-85 bottle of wine is a 15 to 17 bottle at home.  Why drink meh wine?

 

I don't see many purchasing by the bottle...  Some...

When we go out at home we can’t bring our own wine, so charging a corkage doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.  As for meh wine, not usually our choice.   
 

[drakes2]

4 minutes ago, jelayne said:

When we go out at home we can’t bring our own wine, so charging a corkage doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.  As for meh wine, not usually our choice.   
 

One of my favorite wines is Austin Hope cab but its at a high price point. Just purchased his new one called Austin Paso Robles. It's delicious also a cab from a different region tastes as good at 1/3 the price. 

[Lemorvan]

3 hours ago, publicpersona said:

 

Elite happy hour + not honored in MDR = I always carry a rather full glass into the dining room

Would you do that in a hotel dining room?

[publicpersona]

10 minutes ago, Lemorvan said:

Would you do that in a hotel dining room?

 

If I obtained the glass of wine at the hotel bar, of course I would. I've done it many times.

 

A cruise ship is a closed ecosystem. There is no issue at all getting a drink in one place and consuming it in another venue where beverages are enjoyed.

[handbellplayer]

2 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

We went depart from Libson in November, how much will they charge to open a 5l box of wine 🤔😉🤣

They would have to charge twice as much!  Those things are a b**** to open! 🤣  (Don't judge me because I know that!)

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, drakes2 said:

One of my favorite wines is Austin Hope cab but its at a high price point. Just purchased his new one called Austin Paso Robles. It's delicious also a cab from a different region tastes as good at 1/3 the price. 

I’ll have to try it.

[rustycruzr]

Is the wine that you purchased on the Celebrity website subject to a corkage fee if you bring the bottle to dinner?

 

If it is, I'll certainly be filling up a glass with the wine and bringing it. I have steady hands...won't spill a drop 🙂

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, handbellplayer said:

They would have to charge twice as much!  Those things are a b**** to open! 🤣  (Don't judge me because I know that!)

At least they’re not made with plastic, right?  (Ok, so I might have bought one.  30 years ago when I was young and stupid.)  😂

 

I plan to buy bottles at least a few times on our next cruise.  But last time I tried in Tuscan it took them three tries to find anything and they came back with Decoy Cab. Yuck.

 

 

[canderson]

14 minutes ago, rustycruzr said:

Is the wine that you purchased on the Celebrity website subject to a corkage fee if you bring the bottle to dinner?

 

If it is, I'll certainly be filling up a glass with the wine and bringing it. I have steady hands...won't spill a drop 🙂

No wine purchased through Celebrity is subject to corkage.  That said, their online price and selection for the pre-cruise purchased wine means that this isn't anything I'd spend any money on in advance if it was for myself. 

 

Here's what I'm seeing for pre-cruise with their 'discounts':

 

Decoy Cabernet, $63.00 > $55.99 (10%)

Mer Soleil Chardonnay, $68.00 > $60.99 (10%)

La Crema Pinot Noir, $50.00 > $44.99 (10%)

Corte Giara Pinot Grigio, $40.00 > $35.99 (10%)

Villa Maria "Private Bin" Sauvignon Blanc, $50 > $43.99 (11%)

 

Even a 'Classic' member gets the same 10% discount buying aboard, and 'Select' and above can all do better than this aboard (15 or 20%).

 

[drakes2]

27 minutes ago, rustycruzr said:

Is the wine that you purchased on the Celebrity website subject to a corkage fee if you bring the bottle to dinner?

 

If it is, I'll certainly be filling up a glass with the wine and bringing it. I have steady hands...won't spill a drop 🙂

No charge for anything bought on their website or any shoreside gifts