Corkage Fee for Wine you bring on board

[elisamarie]

My husband and I like to drink Sparkling Wine in our cabin while getting ready for the evening. I have read on this board that NCL allows wine to be brought on board with a corkage fee of $15/bottle.

 

Is this corkage fee paid when you board or when you actually open a bottle. We don't take it to the dining room but usually order a bottle of red with dinner. What if we don't drink what we bring on board? Do we still pay the corkage fee?

 

Princess and Celebrity allows you to bring wine on board for consumption in your cabin and this is my first NCL cruise. On those lines you only pay a corkage fee if you take your own wine to the dining room. Just trying to figure out what the restrictions are on NCL.

 

And yes, I know, no hard liquor on board at all...not a problem. Thanks for any assistance with this question.

 

elisa

[shoreguy]

My husband and I like to drink Sparkling Wine in our cabin while getting ready for the evening. I have read on this board that NCL allows wine to be brought on board with a corkage fee of $15/bottle.

 

Is this corkage fee paid when you board or when you actually open a bottle. We don't take it to the dining room but usually order a bottle of red with dinner. What if we don't drink what we bring on board? Do we still pay the corkage fee?

 

Princess and Celebrity allows you to bring wine on board for consumption in your cabin and this is my first NCL cruise. On those lines you only pay a corkage fee if you take your own wine to the dining room. Just trying to figure out what the restrictions are on NCL.

 

And yes, I know, no hard liquor on board at all...not a problem. Thanks for any assistance with this question.

 

elisa

 

Corkage fee is paid (room charge) before you board for ALL bottles found. ;)

[RichNY]

And a sticker is placed on it,showing you paid the fee, and you can take it to dinner......

[KeystoneCruiser]

and if you order the bottle of red wine from the ship for dinner (or anytime on board), they will tag the bottle and you can enjoy it until its gone!

 

They tag it and put it in a central location. Then no matter which restaurant you choose to dine in, you can have your wine. So you can order a bottle the first night in a main restaurant and then have wine from the same bottle the next night in a specialty restaurant, etc.

[icanflossu]

So, let me get this straight. When they deliver our luggage, they will charge the cork fee to the room the bottles are being delivered to? I ask because we travel with another family and we bring 12 bottles packed in a styrofoam shipping container, 6 from each family. I don't want them to be charged all my corkage fees. This guy is the kind who wouldn't tell us either so we could pay him back. Not a HUGE deal, but $90 is $90 and I need to pay my part.

[RichNY]

Not exactly......What I am talking about and have done, is carrying on wine and paying the corkage fee before boarding...you are limited to 2 bottles. I'm pretty sure it's 2 bottles per cabin.

[Pebbs48]

and if you order the bottle of red wine from the ship for dinner (or anytime on board), they will tag the bottle and you can enjoy it until its gone!

 

They tag it and put it in a central location. Then no matter which restaurant you choose to dine in, you can have your wine. So you can order a bottle the first night in a main restaurant and then have wine from the same bottle the next night in a specialty restaurant, etc.

 

What if I buy a bottle at dinner - can I take it back to my room? Is that considered tacky?

[cruiseinfoseeker]

They tag it and put it in a central location. Then no matter which restaurant you choose to dine in, you can have your wine. So you can order a bottle the first night in a main restaurant and then have wine from the same bottle the next night in a specialty restaurant, etc.

 

 

That is interesting; when we cruised last year they (the first waiter that we got the first bottle from) told us that we had to carry the bottle around with us if we didn't finish it, ice it in our room (white) and bring it with us to the next meal. So we never even thought to ask if that was the real policy or not and just did that with every bottle.

It is nice to know I won't have to walk around the ship like a hobo next time. :)

[garycarla]

If your wine is in your carryon (which is preferred to reduce chances of breakage), you will pay right there when you board. If it is in your checked bags, and they find it, they will call you to a room where you will open your bags and pay it then.

 

As for the dining room (your own wine, or theirs), you can leave it or take it with you. We solved the problem and always finished the bottle, or at least down to the last glass which you could take with your as you left dinner.

 

If you want to learn more about wine from people that have been there, do a search on WINE and you will find a few hundred message threads with real life experiences.

[icanflossu]

So, two bottles per room. We have four rooms...so I should just play it safe and bring eight bottles? We fly from Chicago, so I have to pack them in a shipping container in our checked luggage. I really do enjoy a really good bottle of wine and honestly, the ships nicest bottle doesn't come close to what we bring. Even paying for a pricey bottle here and the corkage fee, we come out ahead. For what the ship offers at that price, this is worth the hassle. Our only experience is on RCCL, where they only charge for bottles opened at the table in the dining room.

[shoreguy]

What if I buy a bottle at dinner - can I take it back to my room? Is that considered tacky?

 

No problem - I have often done that.

[shoreguy]

Our only experience is on RCCL, where they only charge for bottles opened at the table in the dining room.

 

I believe you will find that policy has changed recently - no wine can be carried on :eek:

[elisamarie]

Thanks for the info...

 

elisa

[MLN]

:confused:

I believe you will find that policy has changed recently - no wine can be carried on :eek:

 

Do you mean no wine at all, or just in carry-ons?

 

Also, the link in other threads to the wine list no longer works; can you point me in some other direction to get it?

 

Specifically I am looking for champagne/champagne type choices.

 

Thanks in advance........:)

[shoreguy]

:confused:

 

Do you mean no wine at all, or just in carry-ons?

 

Also, the link in other threads to the wine list no longer works; can you point me in some other direction to get it?

 

Specifically I am looking for champagne/champagne type choices.

 

Thanks in advance........:)

 

Confused:confused: - that post was about RCCL. No current onboard wine list for NCL online.

 

Lots of Champagne options - from NCL Private label to Dom

Tattinger Brut $70

Mumm Cordon Rouge $50

Gosset Grand Rose $75

Asti @ $30

Here is a link to the old wine list - many selections have changed as well as prices but will give you some idea.

 

http://freestylecruising.com/more/wine_list.htm

[MLN]

Who's better than you? :D

[lauriedun]

So, let me get this straight. When they deliver our luggage, they will charge the cork fee to the room the bottles are being delivered to? I ask because we travel with another family and we bring 12 bottles packed in a styrofoam shipping container, 6 from each family. I don't want them to be charged all my corkage fees. This guy is the kind who wouldn't tell us either so we could pay him back. Not a HUGE deal, but $90 is $90 and I need to pay my part.

 

Where do you get a styrofoam shipping container that you can pack wine in? Sounds like a great idea-less risky than packing with your clothes!

[lauriedun]

So, let me get this straight. When they deliver our luggage, they will charge the cork fee to the room the bottles are being delivered to? I ask because we travel with another family and we bring 12 bottles packed in a styrofoam shipping container, 6 from each family. I don't want them to be charged all my corkage fees. This guy is the kind who wouldn't tell us either so we could pay him back. Not a HUGE deal, but $90 is $90 and I need to pay my part.

 

Where do you get a styrofoam shipping container that you can pack wine in? Sounds like a great idea-less risky than packing with your clothes!

[beachchick]

Not exactly......What I am talking about and have done, is carrying on wine and paying the corkage fee before boarding...you are limited to 2 bottles. I'm pretty sure it's 2 bottles per cabin.

 

I can't speak as to what the fleet-wide policy is, but I can tell you that there were no limits mentioned on our PoH cruise a few weeks ago. The Freestyle Daily simply mentions that a $15 per 750 ml bottle (yes, it does specify size; whether that is enforced is another question) corkage fee will be charged for wine not purchased through NCL. That's it; no mention of how many bottles. We ended up not bringing any wine onboard with us, so I don't know how it is handled.

 

As for RCI, the policy used to be a "reasonable" number of bottles of wine per cabin and $12 corkage if, and only if, you consumed it in a dining venue. Then it changed to "two bottles of wine per cabin as long as it's not on RCI's wine list," but that was not enforced on the cruises we took. OTOH, we've always considered 2 to 4 bottles for a 7-night cruise to be reasonable when it's just us (DH doesn't drink; I'm the "lush" in the family) or 6 bottles when we cruise with family in two cabins. We never tried to bring more than that. We also always check it in an airline-approved wine shipping box (which we can check at the airport and again at the pier with the rest of the luggage). The box is always clearly labeled as to contents, etc. So, either they weren't enforcing the "two bottle" rule or they missed my 4 bottles last cruise. We haven't cruised with RCI since the "no bottles" rule went into effect.

 

beachchick

[negn]

We brought 3 bottles with us on the Spirit. Just packed with my carry on ( we drove to port ). Told them as we went thru security and they just looked at me. Brought 1 at a time to dining room. Charged $15 to our account and kept them for us if we didnt finish them. $15 corkage is still less than what youd pay for a comparable bottle and you know its one you will enjoy

[RichNY]

My experience was in NY..you may be right about the limits. After thinking about we didn't try to bring on more than 2 ..:D ..but they were BIG...:p

[icanflossu]

Where do you get a styrofoam shipping container that you can pack wine in? Sounds like a great idea-less risky than packing with your clothes!

I recently ordered a case of a fabulous inexpensive pinot noir I liked from an out of state wine dealer. Order your wine from an online site for your cruise, have it shipped to your house and you'll have the shipping carton already to go. It is still about $30 - $45 cheaper a BOTTLE to do it this way. Example, with the wine list shoreguy sent out, Duckhorn Merlot is $90, I can get it locally for $45 add the corkage fee and I'm still saving $30.

 

Good luck.

[icanflossu]

I can't speak as to what the fleet-wide policy is, but I can tell you that there were no limits mentioned on our PoH cruise a few weeks ago. The Freestyle Daily simply mentions that a $15 per 750 ml bottle (yes, it does specify size; whether that is enforced is another question) corkage fee will be charged for wine not purchased through NCL. That's it; no mention of how many bottles. We ended up not bringing any wine onboard with us, so I don't know how it is handled.

 

 

beachchick

 

beachchick, thanks so much for your information regarding a recent cruise.

[icanflossu]

I can't speak as to what the fleet-wide policy is, but I can tell you that there were no limits mentioned on our PoH cruise a few weeks ago. The Freestyle Daily simply mentions that a $15 per 750 ml bottle (yes, it does specify size; whether that is enforced is another question) corkage fee will be charged for wine not purchased through NCL. That's it; no mention of how many bottles. We ended up not bringing any wine onboard with us, so I don't know how it is handled.

 

 

beachchick

 

beachchick, thanks so much for your information regarding a recent cruise.