yep, another question about the $15 'corkage' charge

[newfarmers]

We're less than five weeks out from taking our first NCL cruise. We're still a little confused about the $15 corkage charge. The NCL website has the following quote in its FAQs.

 

Guests 21 years and older are allowed to bring bottle(s) of wine aboard. When consumed on board, there will be a US $ 15,- corkage fee per bottle added to your onboard account. Should you buy any alcohol prior to embarkation or in any port of call, this shall be given to the crew for the duration of the cruise and will be returned to you on the day of disembarkation.

 

So, if you bring wine onboard, even if you don't intend to take it to a restaurant, that is, you drink it in your cabin, you'll still get charged $15 per bottle when you bring it on board? Otherwise it's put into bond until the last night, when you can either get riotously drunk, or pack it in your bags?

 

On our last cruise - it was on HAL - we only paid the $15 corkage if we took wine we'd bought on shore into a restaurant, but it looks like that is not the case with NCL.

 

I realise that even if we pay 10 Euro a bottle and bring it back on board it'll still work out cheaper than even the cheapest plonk on the wine list, just not sure if it's worth the hassle.

 

Sorry, I know this has been done to death but just wanted clarification, especially from someone who has sailed in Europe recently.

 

cheers

 

pete

[hftmrock]

So, if you bring wine onboard, even if you don't intend to take it to a restaurant, that is, you drink it in your cabin, you'll still get charged $15 per bottle when you bring it on board? Otherwise it's put into bond until the last night, when you can either get riotously drunk, or pack it in your bags?

 

 

correct

[Sauer-kraut]

Drink wherever you want after paying the corkage fee. Bring it with you to dinner, to the balcony, to the pool.....just pay the fee.

[ParrothdJH]

We're less than five weeks out from taking our first NCL cruise. We're still a little confused about the $15 corkage charge. The NCL website has the following quote in its FAQs.

 

Guests 21 years and older are allowed to bring bottle(s) of wine aboard. When consumed on board, there will be a US $ 15,- corkage fee per bottle added to your onboard account. Should you buy any alcohol prior to embarkation or in any port of call, this shall be given to the crew for the duration of the cruise and will be returned to you on the day of disembarkation.

 

So, if you bring wine onboard, even if you don't intend to take it to a restaurant, that is, you drink it in your cabin, you'll still get charged $15 per bottle when you bring it on board? Otherwise it's put into bond until the last night, when you can either get riotously drunk, or pack it in your bags?

 

On our last cruise - it was on HAL - we only paid the $15 corkage if we took wine we'd bought on shore into a restaurant, but it looks like that is not the case with NCL.

 

I realise that even if we pay 10 Euro a bottle and bring it back on board it'll still work out cheaper than even the cheapest plonk on the wine list, just not sure if it's worth the hassle.

 

Sorry, I know this has been done to death but just wanted clarification, especially from someone who has sailed in Europe recently.

 

cheers

 

pete

You're right it's not worth the hassle of carrying your own wine aboard and paying the corkage fee. just got back from Pearl, sent myself 5 bottles as a Bon Voyage gift. they were in the cabin when I got there with a large ice/wine bucket and corkscrew. the steward kept the ice full every day. Costs more than carrying aboard but when you're shelling out thousands of dollars for the cruise and air, what's a $100 or so for convenience?

[Clay Clayton]

Afraid I have to disagree - to me it's well worth the trouble to carry the wine aboard. We bought wine throughout our Eastern Med trip, typically for $10-15 a bottle, paid the corkage (most of the time, sometimes they forget to charge ya) and enjoyed having MUCH better wine for $25 bucks a bottle than what the same amount would cost us on board. This past spring in South America, we bought some wonderful Malbecs at the Supermarket in Buenos Aires for around 3 bucks a bottle and had it throughout the cruise. On our final night we had a CCritic group dinner in LeBistro and did an impromptu wine tasting as all of us brought any wine we had left to dinner. Our three buck stuff was deemed the best....and one of the diners had some really expensive stuff they had bought somewhere along the way. Anyway, all this is to say, its not that much trouble, on your way on board, you stop at the little table, they take your card, give you a reciept and put a sticker on your bottle..maybe a 2 minute delay and to me at least well worth it!

[DAGVBSB]

Clay brings up a very good point about taking wine onboard.... it is really NO HASSLE if you simply stop at the table at embarkation and declare your wine. Pay the fee and get the stickers.

 

The hassle comes when you try to sneak it on board. Then it could create a scene at the terminal or you could be called to the "naughty" room to have your luggage searched when you get on board.

 

NCL gives people an option to bring wine on board if you just follow their simple rule about paying the corkage.

 

Remember, this only applies to wine. Any other hard liquor is confiscated and returned the last morning of the cruise. (On our last NCL cruise, the return was on the last morning...not the night before.)

[4774Papa]

We just returned from a Med cruise on the Gem (two weeks). We could have purchased wine in port for $10-$15 and then paid the corkage, but we were already loaded down with luggage.

Instead, we paid the restaurant prices that NCL charges. Most of the time, there was a good bottle of wine available for $26-$34. Beer was a little cheaper.

We I received my cruise ending bill, I tallied up the alcohol and for two weeks my Wife and I spend about $400. In the big picture, that's not bad.

 

Now on laundry, that is were we did our own. We took a webbed closeline, and hand wash tide, and washed our smelly gym clothes and others in the sink. It usually took a full day to dry. During the first week, we took advantage of the $24.50 how much you can stuff in a bag deal. That kept us in clean clothes for the entire 19 days of our trip. The prices for laundring individual items were over the top, like two dollars to was a pair of socks. The socks cost about that much.

[darleen1421]

Last November I took a 1.5 liter bottle of wine from Costco onboard. They charged me $15 corkage fee and told me I had to take it to my room because they only take .75 liter in dining rooms. I had no corkscrew with me, and it took me a couple of days to get one. From now on I will also remember to pack a corkscrew in case I buy the larger bottles. I am not a big drinker but enjoy a glass of wine at dinner. Most nights I just ordered a glass.When I look at the prices of the bottles of wine on board, I think I will still take wine onboard if I have the opportunity.

[rlb81]

Are you refunded for the bottles you don't drink on board?

[2inTul]

Are you refunded for the bottles you don't drink on board?

 

Nope!

[garycarla]

Simple.

 

$15 per 750ml bottle.

We always have it in our carryon. No hassles. About half the time they notice it and we give them $15. Once you pay, you can drink it anywhere you want or throw it away. Your choice.

 

All of our suitcases have a corkscrew in them already.

[Scotoco]

Wow, NCL really does nickle and dime you. Celebrity only charges you the corkage fee if you decide to drink it in the dining room. No charge if you drink it in your room. I just called up Celebrity and confirmed this. Should be the same for NCL.

[2inTul]

Wow, NCL really does nickle and dime you. Celebrity only charges you the corkage fee if you decide to drink it in the dining room. No charge if you drink it in your room. I just called up Celebrity and confirmed this. Should be the same for NCL.

 

Why should it be the same on NCL?

 

NCL is a different cruise line. They can structure their charges any way they want. You are free to choose Celebrity over NCL if it makes a difference to you.

[garycarla]

Why should it be the same on NCL?

 

NCL is a different cruise line. They can structure their charges any way they want. You are free to choose Celebrity over NCL if it makes a difference to you.

 

 

Well said. They can charge $40 if they want. Of they could not allow it all.

[Little Feet]

Need to clarify: If I bring a 1.75 L bottle on board it will be a $15.00 charge? If so, that seems quite reasonable to me for cabin sipping.

 

Where do I find the wine list if I want to send some bottles to the cabin as a bon voyage gift?

[traveler525]

If we get a sticker for a bottle of wine then they do not open it for you? I'm assuming they will in the dining room but will your stewart if you want to drink it in your room?

[Shelli]

Wow, NCL really does nickle and dime you. Celebrity only charges you the corkage fee if you decide to drink it in the dining room. No charge if you drink it in your room. I just called up Celebrity and confirmed this. Should be the same for NCL.

 

And Royal Caribbean doesn't allow you to bring wine onboard at all. Hey, different lines, different rules.

[saleandsail]

Wow, NCL really does nickle and dime you. Celebrity only charges you the corkage fee if you decide to drink it in the dining room. No charge if you drink it in your room. I just called up Celebrity and confirmed this. Should be the same for NCL.

Celebrity charges a $25 corkage fee if you bring your own on and drink it in the dining room. NCL charges $15. Should be the same for Celebrity. ;)

[garycarla]

Need to clarify: If I bring a 1.75 L bottle on board it will be a $15.00 charge? If so, that seems quite reasonable to me for cabin sipping.

 

Where do I find the wine list if I want to send some bottles to the cabin as a bon voyage gift?

 

It is $15 per 750ml. They sometimes only charge $15 for the larger bottles. And of course, sometimes they charge nothing

 

As to ther person asked about opening in the room.

Well, you could easily open it yourself. It is not hard. (you still pay the $15)

And, the person you might ask is a STEWARD. The Stewarts are race car drivers.

[traveler525]

It is $15 per 750ml. They sometimes only charge $15 for the larger bottles. And of course, sometimes they charge nothing

 

As to ther person asked about opening in the room.

Well, you could easily open it yourself. It is not hard. (you still pay the $15)

And, the person you might ask is a STEWARD. The Stewarts are race car drivers.

 

 

Thank you so much for clearing that up.

[Shelli]

And, the person you might ask is a STEWARD. The Stewarts are race car drivers.

 

I love this! Thank you! :)

[Sauer-kraut]

And, the person you might ask is a STEWARD. The Stewarts are race car drivers.

 

As well as being the royal house of Scotland (Think Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots....but alas, she lost her head....)

[denandben]

Last year Princess let us bring wine on for no charge at all!!!

[Shelli]

Last year Princess let us bring wine on for no charge at all!!!

 

NCL is the only line that charges a corkage fee upon embarkation. Most others let you bring a bottle or two and only charge corkage if you bring it to the dining room. Royal Caribbean doesn't allow you to bring on any at all.

[Scotoco]

Princess is great when it comes to bringing wine on board. We brought 4 bottles on last time with no problems. We paid the corkage fees for 2 of the bottles and drank the other 2 on our room. You do have to bring your own cork though. Celebration is not bad but their corkage fee is $25 but you can drink it in your room at no charge. NCL is the only one that charges you no matter what. Then they have the audacity to charge you 5x what they charge for the same bottle of wine in the store. A bottle of stags leap merlot 2006 on the epic costs $120. In total wine it costs $30.