? about bringing wine on board

[Moomduck1]

Hi,
I know that you are allowed to bring wine onto a HAL cruise, but (pardon me for probably asking the obvious) how do you do it? Do you just have it packed carefully in a box? Are you allowed to bring cans of soda on board to drink in your room? Thanks in advance!
chris

[Berk987]

depending on how much you will bring aboard. there are several threads on this topic, please scroll down and you'll find them. one thread I started was whether you can bring pop aboard and the answer is yes. I'll probably just do a few cans or a 6 pack so will throw it in my carry on. We usually bring 2-3 bottles of wine. we're not heavy drinkers, actually those bottles are only for the 2 husbands. Us wives don't drink so we don't need to bring too much. Once again, we just add it to our carry on, gets kind of heavy but not too bad. we have a stroller so we throw it all under. at least we're not drinking and driving (the stroller) - HA.
The big amounts they've put in boxes and put a luggage tag on it. Also 24 cans of pop, throw on a luggage tag, give it to the porter guys with your luggage at the port and you're all set, no carrying. easier to buy in FLL, don't lug all of this with you from your home airport. you won't be able to carry it on anyway. you'll have to put it in your check luggage and you want that happening in case it breaks all over your clothes? no matter how well you wrap, you never know. we buy at the local liquor store or you can find a Walgreen or CVS and buy there before you board. anyway, once again, since I'm repeating myself anyway, read the other thread, other experience cruisers have lots of hints.

[Boytjie]

If you have lots of wine, pack it in a box, slap a luggage tag on and drop it off with your other luggage and it should get to your cabin OK. Our first case has 1 broke bottle, the second time both cases of champagne were delivered intact.

If it is just a few bottles you can carry it on in any bag. Some people wrap it and pack it in their suitcases. I won't take that chance. :)

[Moomduck1]

Oh, we won't have that much but I don't want it in my suitcase either! I will look for the other threads. Thanks!

[PathfinderEss]

Oh, we won't have that much but I don't want it in my suitcase either! I will look for the other threads. Thanks!
If your just bring on a few bottles, carry in on. You can always put it in a small roller bag that way you don't have to be weighted down carrying it. That's what I usually do, works great. They may ask you to open it to make sure your not bring on alcohol, but other then that you should be good to go. Have a great cruise and enjoy your wine, oh and soft drinks too, which could easily be carried in same roller bag.
http://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Food_and_Drinks/Alcoholic_Beverages/Bottle_and_glasses.gif

[DENIE]

We just sailed the Oosterdam from San Diego on 3/13/10. We checked an empty roller suitcase (medium), along with bubble wrap and tape. When we landed in San Diego, I took a cab to a grocery store that I was familiar with and purchased 8 bottles. Before taking a cab to the dock, I used the bubble wrap on each bottle. After reading posts about baggage handlers throwing bags around, we decided to carry on ourselves. No questions asked. The bag goes through the x-ray, but HAL has a generous wine policy. Once on board, there was an area by the pool to "check" carry on bags, which is where we left it until our rooms were ready. No problems, no questions!! Enjoy your cruise! :) Just pack your own wine corkscrew!

[DaveOKC]

Yes, pack a corkscrew (I bought one that folds up into the size of a Sharpie pen and works great).

Also, remember that you can purchase and bring onboard more wine in the ports you stop at - that way you do not have to lug all of them on the first day along with everything else.

DaveOKC

[Boytjie]

Yes, pack a corkscrew

There is no need to do that: there should be one in the cabin and if it isn't just ask your cabin steward. Look in the side cabinet by the desk.

[PirateShark]

Because of work (and my position as wine steward for the family) I have the equivalent of a "carry on" wine box. It's compartmentalized, holds six bottles and has wheels with a handle. Just like regular carry on luggage. Works great and you can order one at the Wine Enthusiast website. For serious wine geeks, it's the only way to go :D I'll be carrying it on the ship myself as it's as easy as pie to navigate.

[harryjr]

For anyone who's not a wine snob, you might try box wines. We took some Target brand cabernet-shiraz blend with us last cruise. It was surprisingly good and no worry about broken bottles.

[Middle Aged and Happy]

Last year I cruised on the Amsterdam, our first HAL cruise. I asked the same questions on this board as my previous experience with soda pop and wine were very different on other lines. We went out of Seattle. The night before our cruise we visited a grocery store, picked up 2 twelve packs of pop and six bottles of wine. I sat the on top of my small roller suitcase and carried them on.