Pay Corkage or Buy on board?

[evert9]

What was the better experience, buy the bottles of wine on board or bring your own and pay the $10 corkage fee? DH doesn't drink wine so it'll just be myself.

[LARGIN]

If you buy wine on board,they might wave the corkage fee on wine you bring.

[spongerob]

It depends what you can carry (I always assume that at some point we might have to carry all our bags ourselves) and how much you normally consume. Personally, I do a little of both and will bring some locally produced wines. I've found, but it's not a rule, that if you buy wine on board, you are often not charged the corkage fee if you bring your own in one night.

[Leslieswiger]

I have looked over the wine list from Princess.com and see very little problem with it.:rolleyes: Since your the ONLY one drinking the wine, I would buy onboard. If you do not complete a bottle, they will return the remaining amount the next evening.:p Happy Sailings...Leslie Swiger:)

[caviargal]

We generally to prefer to bring our own and will pack 7-8 bottles for a week cruise. Some we drink in the cabin and some with dinner.

 

I am happy to pay the corkage as I think it is only fair.

 

We have some special wines that we very much enjoy so for us it is well worth the effort.

[TJM001]

It's very much a matter of your own personal preference. If you have some wine(s) you really like and are willing to carry it on board, then by all means do so. This would be especially true if you wish to enjoy some in your cabin and not just at dinner. On the other hand, I've found that Princess offers a pretty fair selection at prices to meet just about any budget.

 

[budget? On a cruise? There's an oxymoron.;) ;) ]

[spingal]

We have always brought wine on board with us and have never paid a corkage fee when bringing an open bottle into the dining room. We open it in our stateroom and never ask them to do it for us. Or you could always carry a glass with you from your stateroom to the dining room. Then you don't have to worry about the possibility of corkage. They wouldn't know if you bought a glass from one of the ship's bars. And your husband could carry a glass too -- in case you want an extra!! :D :D I know I would!!!

[ALB0711]

I've never been lucky enough to avoid the corkage charges but others seem to have gotten by without it. Princess has reasonable wine prices, most seem to be about 2x US retail. If you assume you will get charged and add the $10 corkage fee to the price you paid for the bottle of wine you brought from home you'll know if the Princess offerings are a better value.

 

We bring a couple of bottles of good champagne and a couple of bottles of our favorite pricier wines for spcial nights but will order from the Princess wine list most nights.

 

Allen

[tequilasunrise]

It's $$$ vs convenience, as usual. It is most convenient to callyour wine in early, and buy it from them. It will be cheaper in all or almost all cases to bring it, even with corkage. If you present the wine when the head waiter is nowhere to be seen or bring types they sell on the ship (so they don't know where you bought it), many waiters will not charge you a fee. This is esp true if you are in traditional and they know you. It is time consuming for them, they get nothing for it, and they want to make you happy.

 

Or, you can ask your room steward for wine glasses, or get them from a bar, and open the wine before dinner in your room, fill a glass and take the glass with you for free.

 

Cheers!!!

[coiran]

I don't do wine, my DW`does, we buy wine and bring aboard - get glasses from our steward and carry a glass or two down to dinner - no corkage - no charge - some of you may want to call me cheap - go ahead but it works for me - I pour and carry my martini's!

Ron

[westwind6371]

The $10 fee for corkage is for more than just "opening the bottle". For that fee, the waiters will provide you with the additional glasses, pour the wine for you, provide a container to chill the wine at tableside, and store any remaining wine until the next dinner. The waiter DOES get a percentage of the $10 fee just as they do if you order a drink or wine from them. I find the fee very reasonable for the service provided, we are only charged the fee about 1/3 of the time. I always tip extra when the fee is not charged, and tell my waiter I appreciate what he has done. If you uncork the bottle in your room and bring it to the dining room to avoid the fee, you are "stiffing" your hard working waiter of some of his or her well deserved income. If they don't charge you corkage on your self opened bottle, it is probably because they feel sorry for you. In my opinion, it is just plain tacky

 

Fair winds

Dave

[dchester]

If you uncork the bottle in your room and bring it to the dining room to avoid the fee, you are "stiffing" your hard working waiter of some of his or her well deserved income. If they don't charge you corkage on your self opened bottle, it is probably because they feel sorry for you. In my opinion, it is just plain tacky

If you bring in an open bottle of wine with glasses, how is the waiter being stiffed?

[rob.potter]

We always bring wine with us. On a 7 day cruise we will take 6-7 bottles. We usually will have a couple in our room and the rest we take to dinner. We gladly pay the corkage. We also buy wine a couple of nights during the cruise.

 

We find that if you get to know the wait staff early in the week and buy a bottle or two during the weak that they will waive the corkage later in the week. It seems that the wait staff does have discretion regarding the corkage fee.

 

We always add whatever they did not charge in corkage to the tip at the end of cruise.

 

Rob