Wine/corkage

Does anyone here have experience with bringing wine onboard (the "free" bottles to be consumed in your stateroom) and deciding later to take to the dining room? Is this possible and can the corkage fee be added at that point?

Thank you.

BaltimoreCruise

Does anyone here have experience with bringing wine onboard (the "free" bottles to be consumed in your stateroom) and deciding later to take to the dining room? Is this possible and can the corkage fee be added at that point?

 

Thank you.

BaltimoreCruise

Yes, it is possible and yes, you just pay the corkage. Offer right away to the wine steward so he doesn't have to look for the sticker ;) and then "break the news" to you ;)

You can most certainly do that.

Bottles on which the corkage fee has been paid at embarkation will usually have some sort of sticker on them indicating corkage has been paid. Your dining room wine waiter will undoubtedly notice that your bottle does not have the required sticker. Whether he/she chooses to charge you the corkage fee then is really up to them. We have had it go both ways.

Thank you. I appreciate the quick responses. We said on Sunday!

Do I ever! We have always taken our carry on wine to dinner. All of it. I'll typically ask the beverage steward at check in to charge us for every bottle, so we don't have to worry about it later. However, if you do take a "free" bottle to dinner, they'll just give you a slip for the corkage.

Interesting fact: If you are in a Neptune Suite and don't want your complimentary sparking wine, you might be able to trade it for corkage. We have.

We were early at our last boarding on Holland. There were no Holland personnel to take our corkage fees. The pier personnel first told us we could only take two bottles on board. We had six. Then they said they would hold our bottles until Holland people arrived and we'd get them later. No way I was going for that. Then they decided to take our room number and number of bottles to give to Holland which was fine with us. We were supposed to receive stickers in our room. When we didn't, I went to the front desk. Finally got the stickers. Never was billed.

We were early at our last boarding on Holland. There were no Holland personnel to take our corkage fees. The pier personnel first told us we could only take two bottles on board. We had six. Then they said they would hold our bottles until Holland people arrived and we'd get them later. No way I was going for that. Then they decided to take our room number and number of bottles to give to Holland which was fine with us. We were supposed to receive stickers in our room. When we didn't, I went to the front desk. Finally got the stickers. Never was billed.

You need to buy a lottery ticket ;). I have yet to experience missing on being billed ;)

You need to buy a lottery ticket ;). I have yet to experience missing on being billed ;)

I practically begged them to bill me. We were planning on taking bottles to various dining places. I didn't want to get billed at, for example, the Pinnacle Grill, and then get billed again for the same bottle from boarding. That's why I wanted the stickers.

I practically begged them to bill me. We were planning on taking bottles to various dining places. I didn't want to get billed at, for example, the Pinnacle Grill, and then get billed again for the same bottle from boarding. That's why I wanted the stickers.

Good point!

I practically begged them to bill me. We were planning on taking bottles to various dining places. I didn't want to get billed at, for example, the Pinnacle Grill, and then get billed again for the same bottle from boarding. That's why I wanted the stickers.

That should not be a problem at all. At the end of a meal, the wine steward would take your bottle for storage until the next meal. Regardless of venue they can retrieve your wine.

Although most of the bottles I've brought on board have been paid for, occasionally one will be comped in the dining room.

Neal

Has anyone else noticed that the corkage charged at boarding is exactly $18/bottle? It's not even an amount that divides into full cents. It's close to $18.00, but it's more like $17.97523 or something like that. I'm not complaining, because we save almost a dollar for every two cases of wine.

Has anyone else noticed that the corkage charged at boarding is exactly $18/bottle? It's not even an amount that divides into full cents. It's close to $18.00, but it's more like $17.97523 or something like that. I'm not complaining, because we save almost a dollar for every two cases of wine.

I once asked the Guest Services people about that and their answer was "???". They told me that it wasn't quite $18 but that it was close enough. I left the desk feeling much better now that I understood. ;)

I once asked the Guest Services people about that and their answer was "???". They told me that it wasn't quite $18 but that it was close enough. I left the desk feeling much better now that I understood. ;)

I think it works out to the penny if your cruise is long enough. I won't know until we retire in another decade and a half.

That should not be a problem at all. At the end of a meal, the wine steward would take your bottle for storage until the next meal. Regardless of venue they can retrieve your wine.

 

Although most of the bottles I've brought on board have been paid for, occasionally one will be comped in the dining room.

 

Neal

I didn't explain that well.

I went through security prior to the arrival of ship's personnel who would have charged the corkage. I was told by the security personnel at boarding that I would be billed later and would receive stickers for the bottles. We went ahead, with our wine without stickers, and boarded.

On the first night, we took a bottle to the MDR and the wine steward wanted to charge me corkage. I had been told that I had already been charged at boarding for corkage. This meant I could be charged corkage twice for the same bottle. I went to guest services to clear this up. They gave me the stickers but never billed me for the corkage. I didn't mind paying corkage, I just didn't want to pay it twice.

This is our first time on HAL. Do I have this right? So we take our wine in our carry one and mention to the Staff that we want to pay corkage fees. They give us stickers to put on bottles and we take with us. Then we take bottle of wine with us to dinner and they store whatever we don't finish . We just ask for it each night. Once gone we bring another bottle with us? Sorry but I just want to make sure I understand

This is our first time on HAL. Do I have this right? So we take our wine in our carry one and mention to the Staff that we want to pay corkage fees. They give us stickers to put on bottles and we take with us. Then we take bottle of wine with us to dinner and they store whatever we don't finish . We just ask for it each night. Once gone we bring another bottle with us? Sorry but I just want to make sure I understand

That's pretty much how it works. There should be a table with a staff member recording how many bottles you have and if you've paid corkage. The first two are free, but you can't take them to the dining room without paying corkage there. I see no reason why you can't tell the staff that you want to pay all the corkage at embarkation. Just make sure they put stickers on all the bottles.

Question for those who have done this before: where is the wine table at embarkation in Fort Lauderdale? Last time, we had two bottles of champagne and nobody said anything. I wasn't trying to sneak it in, just forgot to look around for the "confessional." Perhaps because we had only two bottles, they didn't bother with us?

That's pretty much how it works. There should be a table with a staff member recording how many bottles you have and if you've paid corkage. The first two are free, but you can't take them to the dining room without paying corkage there. I see no reason why you can't tell the staff that you want to pay all the corkage at embarkation. Just make sure they put stickers on all the bottles.

 

Question for those who have done this before: where is the wine table at embarkation in Fort Lauderdale? Last time, we had two bottles of champagne and nobody said anything. I wasn't trying to sneak it in, just forgot to look around for the "confessional." Perhaps because we had only two bottles, they didn't bother with us?

The table was about 20 feet from the security check point where they xray your carry on. The only problem, HAL hadn't manned the table when we arrived.

If you only have two bottles, there is no reason to pay corkage at embarkation. Just take the bottles to your room. If you decide to take one elsewhere, you can pay corkage then. If you decide to drink the wine in your room, there is no reason to pay corkage.

That's pretty much how it works. There should be a table with a staff member recording how many bottles you have and if you've paid corkage. The first two are free, but you can't take them to the dining room without paying corkage there. I see no reason why you can't tell the staff that you want to pay all the corkage at embarkation. Just make sure they put stickers on all the bottles.

 

Question for those who have done this before: where is the wine table at embarkation in Fort Lauderdale? Last time, we had two bottles of champagne and nobody said anything. I wasn't trying to sneak it in, just forgot to look around for the "confessional." Perhaps because we had only two bottles, they didn't bother with us?

Kathy,

I suspect they saw it was only 2 bottles and therefore didn't direct you.

When we have gone through, it's after security. They immediately say "wine" and point us to the desk. We traditionally bring on more than two bottles. I just smile and say thank you.

there may be a line up at that desk - it just depends ;)

They like to record what wines you are bringing (or seem to when we cruise).

They have me sign the corkage slip, pass me the stickers and we head off.

The table was about 20 feet from the security check point where they xray your carry on. The only problem, HAL hadn't manned the table when we arrived.

If you only have two bottles, there is no reason to pay corkage at embarkation. Just take the bottles to your room. If you decide to take one elsewhere, you can pay corkage then. If you decide to drink the wine in your room, there is no reason to pay corkage.

(bold is mine) Right, that's why I didn't think about the corkage. I knew we wouldn't take the bottles to the dining room. It wasn't until we were in our cabin that I realized I hadn't checked in our wine. In Boston, even though there were only 2 bottles, that bag was whisked over to the wine table before we were through the scanner.

Next cruise, I'm planning to take 3 or 4 bottles, which we will drink on the balcony, so if there's nobody at the table, I guess I get to "cheat?" Not trying to cheat, just wondering what will happen if nobody's there.

(bold is mine) Right, that's why I didn't think about the corkage. I knew we wouldn't take the bottles to the dining room. It wasn't until we were in our cabin that I realized I hadn't checked in our wine. In Boston, even though there were only 2 bottles, that bag was whisked over to the wine table before we were through the scanner.

 

 

Next cruise, I'm planning to take 3 or 4 bottles, which we will drink on the balcony, so if there's nobody at the table, I guess I get to "cheat?" Not trying to cheat, just wondering what will happen if nobody's there.

You will get to "cheat" as long as the wine stays in your stateroom (and maybe 2 bottles out of sight if there is no sticker).

I've never experienced no one there. I've certainly read about it. But, it's never happened to us and we have always paid corkage.

they do look for the stickers on the bottles (understandably) so be sure they are on if you take your bottle to the MDR or other public areas.

Last cruise I was one person, single occupancy with 1 bottle of wine. I had to go to the table to declare it and have the type noted.

 

 

Next cruise, I'm planning to take 3 or 4 bottles, which we will drink on the balcony, so if there's nobody at the table, I guess I get to "cheat?" Not trying to cheat, just wondering what will happen if nobody's there.

It's pretty much the same thing as if someone took something out of your room without getting caught. It would mean that they weren't trying to "steal." ;)

Interesting fact: If you are in a Neptune Suite and don't want your complimentary sparking wine, you might be able to trade it for corkage. We have.

May I ask how and when you do this maneuver? We never drink the sparkling wine that comes with our suite and this option would be great, but I never knew it was possible. Do you (or can you) ask for it when checking in and paying the corkage? Thanks so much.

We just spoke to our wine steward at dinner. We dine at the same table every night, late fixed, so we sort of have a relationship. The conversation is like this: "We have a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine from our suite. Can we use it towards corkage?"

We usually try to pay corkage on all our carry on wine, but sometimes the check in person insists that we take two free bottles. We never want to argue with someone at check in, so we may wind up with 2 unstickered bottles.

POA1, we plan on bringing our 2 free bottles for our stateroom but if we brought a 3rd bottle we would be charged the corkage before we boarded so no way to trade. I recall reading a post on here about trading the sparkling wine for a bottle of regular wine. Not positive they were talking about HAL but I believe they mentioned Neptune suite so I think it was HAL. Anybody done that before? I would like to bring a 3rd bottle of wine but I refuse to pay more for corkage than I paid for the bottle of wine! Call me cheap[emoji14]

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