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

[Sauer-kraut]

Hi! We've been on three cruises in the last five years and we brought wine on board each time (a few bottles) with no fees! We were on NCL (Alaska), Carnival (Nova Scotia) and Disney last year (Western Caribbean).

 

Did the policy recently change? How can they charge you to drink in your cabin???? I totally understand a charge in public.....but not in the privacy of your room!!!

 

You got lucky on your NCL cruise then, they didn't spot your bottle!

 

Below please see Norwegian Cruise Lines liquor and wine policy.

Liquor Policy Guests are NOT allowed to bring their own liquor onboard our ships. Liquor that is brought onboard at embarkation or during the cruise will be held until the last night of the cruise.

 

Wine Policy

Guests are only allowed to bring bottle(s) of wine onboard NCL vessels for a corkage fee. When wine is brought onboard and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room/area, or in their stateroom corkage fees will apply according to bottle sizes noted below. This fee will be charged to the guest’s onboard account. Wines that come in boxes are not allowed onboard.

 

Bottle is 750ml corkage = $15.00 USD

Liter Bottle is 1,000ml corkage = $20.00 USD

Magnum is 1,500ml corkage = $30.00 USD

[beachchick]

Hi! We've been on three cruises in the last five years and we brought wine on board each time (a few bottles) with no fees! We were on NCL (Alaska), Carnival (Nova Scotia) and Disney last year (Western Caribbean).

 

Did the policy recently change? How can they charge you to drink in your cabin???? I totally understand a charge in public.....but not in the privacy of your room!!!

 

As far as I know, NCL has been charging the "bring your wine onboard regardless of where you drink it" fee for a long time. It's not a corkage fee like at a restaurant. It's a fee the cruise line is charging you for the convenience of bringing and consuming your own wine onboard. How they can charge it is that a cruise ship is far more than just a hotel or just a bar or just a restaurant. It's a different environment that generally has different customs/rules.

 

beachchick

[brh31]

Little Feet, you can find the wine list on the NCL website under Freestyle Experience and then Bon Voyage Gifts and then about half way down the page "download wine list"

 

 

I presume thats the same price as you pay onboard?

If so, doesn't really make sense for me to bring wine on. Not big wine drinkers so we would usually go for the standard Santa Margherita and it costs $22 locally and $37 on the list

[spacewoman]

Our first NCL cruise was 2005 and the $15 was in place then. I'm glad they'll let me bring my own. Our Carnival cruises it has been 2 bottles free but, hey, RCL says NONE at all! So there's your trade-off.

 

I felt NCL's wine list was pricey but it was up to me as to whether I wanted to pay the prices or not. $45 for a $15 bottle of wine seems steep but that's the price they've set.

 

Our Jewel trip we're due for a free bottle of wine. I'm not expecting that I'll get to choose a $45 bottle of wine so there won't be any disappointment when the choices are slim. We've got 3 cabins booked so the 4 wine drinkers of the 5 will have at least 3 nights of wine for dinner, I'm bringing 2 bottles and so is my mom. I may also purchase one or two while on board.

 

It all really comes down to what you can or can't afford. My budget on board is going to be very tight this year and I make the holy cross every time I think about the cruise because it almost came to canceling because the recession is killing my business. Some can afford a $120 bottle of wine others it's a stretch to spend $20. Much like those here on the boards who speak of their courtyard villas. Unless I win the lottery I'll never be booked in one of those cabins. You do what is in your budget to do and no one should cut you down for it.

 

At least in the midst of troubling times I can always come to these boards for my daily chuckle:D:D:D I misspelled Karma on a thread and a quip back had me rolling on the floor laughing. I keep forgetting it's a good idea to wear depends and not be drinking anything when you read the threads!!

 

 

Kathy

8 days and counting!!

[Paz1]

I agree that this doesn't sound like too much trouble, but it's JUST wine? So no champagne? I've never been on a cruise and am going on the Norwegian Sun in December for the eastern Caribbean cruise (cannot wait) I would love champagne, but would like to be clear on whether or not is allowed.

 

I'm so glad I found this forum, it's great for people like me who have so many questions!

[Choochala]

The last time we were in Barcelona, we paid Euro 3 - 4 for a bottle of good red, and in Palma we could get them for less than Euro 2 most times. I will surely be bringing my own because I can't justify paying $45 - $50 off the wine list when I can pay a total of less than $20 (incl corkage) for good wine. It amazes me that wine on board costs so much (I know it's different lables) than what you pay in the Mercadano on Las Ramblas. I have no problem paying the corkage as I understand NCL needs to make their money too but I will do my due dilligence and get my best buy. More money to spend elsewhere then!

[Shelli]

I agree that this doesn't sound like too much trouble, but it's JUST wine? So no champagne? I've never been on a cruise and am going on the Norwegian Sun in December for the eastern Caribbean cruise (cannot wait) I would love champagne, but would like to be clear on whether or not is allowed.

 

I'm so glad I found this forum, it's great for people like me who have so many questions!

 

Champagne is also allowed-- no worries!

[bob&france]

Logistically speaking...if I pack 2 bottles in my Luggage { not carry on } when they scan the luggage they will see 2 bottles, jot down the room # from my luggage tag and add the $15 per bottle to my room. Here's the question...do they actually open each piece of luggage to validate that it is actually wine ?

[2inTul]

Logistically speaking...if I pack 2 bottles in my Luggage { not carry on } when they scan the luggage they will see 2 bottles, jot down the room # from my luggage tag and add the $15 per bottle to my room. Here's the question...do they actually open each piece of luggage to validate that it is actually wine ?

 

What they will do is leave a message in your cabin to come to a certain location on the ship and have your bags inspected. NCL will NOT open your bags without you present. They will not automatically charge the $15.

[bob&france]

thanks...I was wondering how that worked.

[tsg]

Well, we are back and the corkage fee process was very easy. I didn't want to have to go to the "naughty room" and deal with opening up our luggage so I placed the 2 bottles we brought in our carry on.

 

The guy at the scanner spotted them and waved someone else over who took us to the corkage table. We paid the fee, he placed a "corkage paid" sticker on them, and we were on our way in just a few minutes.

 

My husband is a frequent flyer so we did not have a fee to check our bags on the flight out through the airlines frequent flyer program making it easy to get the wine there. I would not have bothered with it if we were trying to avoid checked baggage. I don't see any reason why we wouldn't do it again on our next cruise.

[Redheel Girl]

After reading all of your replys I decided to have my TA just go ahead and order my Wine and a Bottle of Scotch through NCL:eek:. I figured it would be less of a hassle even though I am going out of San Pedro which is somewhat near where I live in Southern California. I was stunned when my TA called and told me I would be charged a $ 3 Graturity fee with each Bottle including the Scotch. I did post this information and was beat up a little. But my point is I realize now that NCL does post this on their web site where you see the wine list but why would I have to pay a Graturity fee when it is served in my cabin. Especially the Scotch. If I took it to the Dining room it would be up to how good the Server was to get a tip. Therefore I think you would be by far much wiser to bring it aboard and just pay the $ 15 corkage fee. I am suprised that they haven't started doing the Fee when you check in.:mad::mad::mad:

[DAGVBSB]

After reading all of your replys I decided to have my TA just go ahead and order my Wine and a Bottle of Scotch through NCL:eek:. I figured it would be less of a hassle even though I am going out of San Pedro which is somewhat near where I live in Southern California. I was stunned when my TA called and told me I would be charged a $ 3 Graturity fee with each Bottle including the Scotch. I did post this information and was beat up a little. But my point is I realize now that NCL does post this on their web site where you see the wine list but why would I have to pay a Graturity fee when it is served in my cabin. Especially the Scotch. If I took it to the Dining room it would be up to how good the Server was to get a tip. Therefore I think you would be by far much wiser to bring it aboard and just pay the $ 15 corkage fee. I am suprised that they haven't started doing the Fee when you check in.:mad::mad::mad:

 

The $3 charge is the service charge added to all bar bills. If you order a bottle of wine in the dining room, it is subject to the 15% gratuity charge automatically added to all bar charges. (whether by the glass or by the bottle.) If you buy a drink (or bottle) at a bar on board you will also be hit with the 15% gratuity charge whether you drink it in the bar, on deck or back in your cabin.

 

It is not WHERE you consume the product, it is where it is purchased from...the NCL Bar and hence the gratuity.

[Prinycesa07]

This is probably a stupid question but...

 

Does this corkage fee apply to a free bottle of champagne that is given to us? We are suppose to get a free bottle from the travel agent and im wondering if we will be charged the $15 fee for this as well?

[Paz1]

Idk if anyone is interested but I found this brand of champagne at Meijer the brand is Barefoot Bubbly and I got moscato spumante...it's the best tasting champagne I've ever had, a very fruity taste...seems like it would go well with...fruit! Anyway, I loved it and I'm bringing it with me for sure in December. I mention it because it was a "New Release" I've seen the brand at other stores too

[erdoran]

Probably a dumb question but not sure how to search for it....can I buy wine at the shipboard duty free shop, pay the corkage when I buy the wine, and then have it treated like wine I brought aboard? How about during a port stop, can I buy wine there & pay corkage for it, or is it just at embarkation? thanks

 

(not quite sure how to search for that concept above, and corkage will bring back too many hits!)

[garycarla]

Sadly, a search on corkage would bring back a few million hits, as it gets asked every 3.9 days. LOL!

 

I do not think you can buy wine in the onboard shops, only hard stuff. And that is held until the last day.

 

You can buy wine in other ports, and when you board, you should be charged corkage. Not always, but you should be.

 

As to wine, etc given to by your agent, or friend, etc. Since this is purchased from NCL and delivered to you by NCL, the margin/markup/profit is already in the price. No additional corkage will be charged.