Does my TA know what he's talking about?

[floralscent]

I have read the boards here before and I know what I am about to bring up is sometimes a very touchy subject. I don't want to make anyone angry but would just like the truth on carry on wine and champagne.

I have read many times on this great message board about being able to carry wine and champagne (maybe even water and soda) onto a HAL ship in Fort Lauderdale. From the sounds of it, I understood that you are able to take on all you can carry with no questions asked and it isn't taken away from you and there is no reason to hide it. You can drink it in your cabin with no extra fee but are unable to take it into public areas without paying an $18 corkage fee.

Well, last week I was chatting with my TA and mentioned what I read and he disagreed with me. He said that you cannot take wine or champagne onboard without getting it taken away when boarding in Fort Lauderdale. :confused: Has something changed or does he not know what's going on here? Can someone please clear this up for me. My TA said there is no reason to stay near a wine store in FLL because whatever we buy will be taken away. He has supposedly cruised HAL a few times before, so I thought he'd know all about it. I'm so confused!

[takemewithyou]

He's wrong. You are right.

[bazarr2]

I have read the boards here before and I know what I am about to bring up is sometimes a very touchy subject. I don't want to make anyone angry but would just like the truth on carry on wine and champagne.

I have read many times on this great message board about being able to carry wine and champagne (maybe even water and soda) onto a HAL ship in Fort Lauderdale. From the sounds of it, I understood that you are able to take on all you can carry with no questions asked and it isn't taken away from you and there is no reason to hide it. You can drink it in your cabin with no extra fee but are unable to take it into public areas without paying an $18 corkage fee.

Well, last week I was chatting with my TA and mentioned what I read and he disagreed with me. He said that you cannot take wine or champagne onboard without getting it taken away when boarding in Fort Lauderdale. :confused: Has something changed or does he not know what's going on here? Can someone please clear this up for me. My TA said there is no reason to stay near a wine store in FLL because whatever we buy will be taken away. He has supposedly cruised HAL a few times before, so I thought he'd know all about it. I'm so confused!

this is from the HAL site.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/ShipboardLife.action?contentMenu=Onboard%20Policie s&contentSubMenu=Bringing%20Alcoholic%20Beverages%20 Onboard

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.
A corkage fee of US$15.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.
Room Service offers reduced-price stateroom beverage packages for in-stateroom consumption of alcoholic beverages.

[Aunty Pat]

Sounds like your TA hasn’t cruised on HAL or isn’t a wine drinker who cares enough to hassle with carrying wine on the ship and has no firsthand knowledge.

Aunty Pat


Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81
K&D German Rhine Line ‘84
NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93
RCC - Song of America ‘89
American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98
HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07
Carnival - Spirit ‘05
Celebrity – Summit ‘05
Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06
Princess - Golden Princess ‘07
A & K - East Queen ‘07
Cunard - QM2 ’08
Pending Cruises:
HAL – Westerdam, September 6, 2009
Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[cdkempton]

Ask your TA if he would mind looking at the HAL web site and give him the link if necessary. It's hard to believe he has traveled with HAL before and does not know this. They will take liquor off of passengers and return it to them at the end of the cruise but not wine. Also, you can order a bottle of liquor for your room from room service or ship's services before your cruise if you wish.

[jtl513]

A corkage fee of US$15.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.
That should be updated to say $18.00

[bazarr2]

That should be updated to say $18.00
Well, then HAL should update there own website. It was taken directly off of it.;)

[woody73]

Perhaps your TA is confusing HAL with RCI, which has a strict policy against bringing wine onboard.

Woody

[woody73]

A corkage fee of US$15.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.
We were recently charged $15 plus 20% gratuity = $18.

Woody

[pms4104]

Your T/A is wrong. You would do the dufus a favor by giving him a copy of the statement from the HAL site so he doesn't continue giving incorrect info to his clients.

[jtl513]

Well, then HAL should update there own website.That's what I said! :D

We were recently charged $15 plus 20% gratuity = $18.If you were charged 20% then it was a service charge, not a gratuity. But - I think they've simply increased the corkage charge to $18.

[bazarr2]

That's what I said! :D

If you were charged 20% then it was a service charge, not a gratuity. But - I think they've simply increased the corkage charge to $18.

You would think before they start raising there prices they would do a simple change of the sites to match so people can plan accordinly. It doesn't take that much to change it.

[woody73]

If you were charged 20% then it was a service charge, not a gratuity. But - I think they've simply increased the corkage charge to $18.
John, I reviewed the receipt, and you're right that the 20% was a service charge:

Corkage . . . . . . . . 15.00
Subtotal . . . . . . . . 15.00
Service Chrg 15% . . 3.00
Charge . . . . . . . . . 18.00

So, there's a 20% service charge on top of the service fee.

Woody

[floralscent]

Thank you all for clearing that up. Looks like this is the last cruise or any travel for that matter that I'll ever book with him. You'd think a TA and supposed past HAL passenger would be up on the rules. I am going to forward the HAL link to him so that he can inform other HAL clients properly. It's irritating that you can't even trust your TA with correct information. Thanks again!

[jtl513]

John, I reviewed the receipt, and you're right that the 20% was a service charge:

Corkage . . . . . . . . 15.00
Subtotal . . . . . . . . 15.00
Service Chrg 15% . . 3.00
Charge . . . . . . . . . 18.00

So, there's a 20% service charge on top of the service fee.

WoodyThere's some bad math by HAL there! 15% of $15 is $2.25!! :D

[cruisecrasy]

John, I reviewed the receipt, and you're right that the 20% was a service charge:

Corkage . . . . . . . . 15.00
Subtotal . . . . . . . . 15.00
Service Chrg 15% . . 3.00
Charge . . . . . . . . . 18.00

So, there's a 20% service charge on top of the service fee.

Woody

The service charge which is supposed to be the 'tip' is 15% - shld be $2.25 not $3.00 & added to the corkage fee of $15 shld total 17.25.. So the service charge is no longer 15% but actually 20% of $15 which is $3.00 making a total of $18..

I'll presume u mean the 20% service charge is on top of the corkage fee not service fee?

[DFD1]

There's a lot that many travel agents don't know....and many are inclined to fake it. Bad information for clients is the result.

This board corrects lots of travel agent mistakes and is a much more reliable source of information than many of them.

Don't get me wrong, I use one and used to own three of them, but when it comes to details, they are often wrong. There's a lot to know in this business and much of it is constantly changing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you will be changing TA's in the future -- expecially since he claims to have cruised on HAL but doesn't know what he is talking about.

[Boytjie]

The service charge which is supposed to be the 'tip' is 15% - shld be $2.25 not $3.00 & added to the corkage fee of $15 shld total 17.25.. So the service charge is no longer 15% but actually 20% of $15 which is $3.00 making a total of $18..

I'll presume u mean the 20% service charge is on top of the corkage fee not service fee?

I don't have my receipt handy but IIRC the corkage we were charged was not $18.00 but a little less than that (but more that $17.00, I think more that $17.25).

[Tarheel72]

We make it a habit of buying a bottle of local wine in port and taking it back on the ship to enjoy, whenever we are in wine making regions. We have also brought small bottles of local liqueurs back to the ship without incident. I distintly remember bringing back Ouzo in Greece and Limoncello when visiting Sorrento. There has never been any questions asked when reboarding.

I also thought I had read that HAL either allowed or was going to start allowing you to bring beer on board as well. Am I dreaming this or has their policy changed on beer? I know you are not supposed to bring distilled spirts on board, but I have always thrown a spare travel fifth bottle filled with Wild Turkey in my shipped luggage without incident. I sit it out next to the ice bucket and the room steward keeps the bucket full so I can have a drink before or after dinner each evening.

[shipwreck1]

I used to smuggel beer aboard HAL cruises and at one point several years ago I carried a 30 pack right on board in San Diego. I even recall buying beer in a port in Mexico, and going through the check point only to be asked by a crew member where the party was going to be.

[RuthC]

I also thought I had read that HAL either allowed or was going to start allowing you to bring beer on board as well. Am I dreaming this or has their policy changed on beer?

I used to smuggel beer aboard HAL cruises and at one point several years ago I carried a 30 pack right on board in San Diego.
Beer continues to be on HAL's prohibited list. That is not to say that sometimes people do bring it on board without it being taken, however, they should consider themselves lucky.

[kryos]

He's wrong. You are right.
The TA is just getting confused as to the policies of different cruise lines. Some DO NOT allow anything to be brought onboard -- wine, soda, beer, liquor, etc. Others like HAL permit wine and soda, but no hard liquor. The TA is just confused because he probably books clients on many different cruise lines.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[jtl513]

Well, then HAL should update there own website. It was taken directly off of it.;)I just noticed that the HAL site has been updated to say:

A corkage fee of US$18.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption.

Not $15 plus 15% or 20% ... $18.00 period!

[Tamaracboy]

Beer continues to be on HAL's prohibited list. That is not to say that sometimes people do bring it on board without it being taken, however, they should consider themselves lucky.

Ruth,

Beer and Chocolate . . . . ? ?

Not my favorite combo. :(

However, Red Wine and Chocolate = Yes

AND, Port and Chocolate, now there's a desert ! ;)

Anything to keep that smile of yours going :cool:

In 6 weeks I'll be on the Westerdam, R/T Seattle, Alaska. Thinking of bringing my own tray. Wink - Wink

Also thinking of stopping into HAL HQ to let them know a thing or two :eek:

Always done a balcony, yet keep thinking of those special inside singles you seem to love. The less spent on cabins = the more cruises. Maybe eventually I will graduate up to the Grand Voyages.:D

Some day, some DAM ship, you and I, same sailing = can't wait. :)

r.

[LVSue]

This is getting a little steamy for me! ;)

We always take on bottles of wine for in-room drinking. And I stash water bottles of brown stuff and white stuff (bourbon and vodka) in my big luggage, as well as those teeny airline bottles to put it in (plus a teeny funnel) so I can "top off" the Ocean Bar drinks in case the bartender is stingy. I know—how weird.

[RuthC]

This is getting a little steamy for me! ;)

But not too steamy for me. :D

[mudscraper]

But not too steamy for me. :D
Proceed with caution RuthC

I was in the post office this morning and one of the wanted poster pics resembled Tamaracboy. The subject is an international chocolate thief last seen in Hershey Pa.:)



Rich