bringing wine and champagne on-board?

We've been on numerous (6 so far) cruises on SB and are eagerly looking forward to our next cruise in another week. DW and I are very much into very good wine and champagne. We find the included wines and the NF champagne mediocre at best. We intend to bring 6 or so bottles of some of our "good stuff" on board with us (in our luggage) for our 14 day cruise and drink it during the cruise. Is there any problem with our doing that? Will the waiters/sommeliers in the restaurants willingly pour our own wines?

Yes you can bring it on board and yes they will serve it to you in the Restaurant. We often pick some local wine when we cruise the Med to try on board and in Bordeaux after a wine tour brought some lovely wine back to share with friends.

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We have done it as well. Taken our own wine to all of the restaurants. Never had an issue. Some of the waiters/sommeliers seemed quite interested in what we had brought on board.

Same here, this goes for both local wines bought along the way and exclusive Burgundies. If it's popped and poured (or decanted) by a sommelier we will more often than not offer him/her a taste, seems to be well appreciated.

Thanks all. That's what I expected. We've also bought wine ashore during a cruise (in Bandol and in Bordeaux) and had no problem, but that was just a bottle or two. For this cruise (14 days), we'll probably check 6-7 bottles in our luggage.

Thanks all. That's what I expected. We've also bought wine ashore during a cruise (in Bandol and in Bordeaux) and had no problem, but that was just a bottle or two. For this cruise (14 days), we'll probably check 6-7 bottles in our luggage.

Make sure it's well packaged, on one cruise a fellow passenger had a bottle of red break in his case,

goodbye clothes (apart from the waste of a very nice red)

We have never had a problem bringing wine on board.

As mentioned by Pingus we too usually offer the sommelier and wine waiters a taste.

They have also introduced us to some amazing local wines over the years in providing a list for us to track down in port and directions to some incredible wine shops. Great conversations!

It makes sense for SB and other wine inclusive lines to allow you to bring wine on board because then you will drink less of their included wines, and they may save money, especially if you would not otherwise order their significantly marked up non-included wines. Plus it adds to the sense of luxury. We got some Portugese wine on a shore excursion on the Quest recently and had the waiter pour it for us at dinner in the MDR. He smiled, and was very curious about it.

This is unlike non-inclusive lines where, as you likely know, you either cannot bring any alcohol on, or can only bring it on in your carryon, and/or there are limits, because their business model is to make a profit on selling you wines on the ship, ( but they keep their base cabin fares lower). On mainstream lines I have heard people try and abuse their contracts by smuggling liquor and wine in their suitcases when not allowed ( they are often caught), e.g., stash whiskey in mouthwash bottles.

DH and I will be doing a brief "check it out" one-week cruise on Oceania and as I know they have huge markups even on mediocre wines, so we will be bringing some of our own favorite CA wine on board for dinner. But unlike on SB, we are limited to 3 bottles.