Bringing Wine Onboard

[donaldsc]

I don't suppose Total Wine carry soft drink/soda. Does this mean I have to do another pitt stop along the way? Or we can buy some soft drink at port?

 

Thanks

 

You could try calling the store in Ft. Lauderdale and asking them. Seems like the obvious solution to me.

 

Another 10 seconds on Google came up with the following phone number

 

(954) 828-9463

 

DON

[RuthC]

So I can really bring as much wine as I want?

Yes, you can. HAL has no restrictions on bringing wine, champagne, water, or soda on board.

[maxout]

And how about if we wanted to keep it in our cabin, open it ourselves, and carry a glass to the dining room?

 

Some would consider this "bad form", would you do that in a hotel's restaurant?

[menrex]

Some would consider this "bad form", would you do that in a hotel's restaurant?

Ok,........Well I guess I'll have to stop at the Piano bar and have a glass of wine and then carry it with me, if I have any left to MDR. Gee, I hope nobody thinks I brought it from my room!

 

What about the people bringing a box of wine on board? How embarrased they will be to bring the box to the MDR!

 

I'm sorry- I'm not usually so sarcastic, just your answer struck me a bit funny!

 

I sincerely hope I never offend you by letting you see me walk around the ship with a glass of wine I brought from my cabin.

 

What I actually meant was Does HAL allow you to bring a glass from your cabin to the dining room?

[Vantony]

Anyone know why they don't allow beer? Has anyone tried? Did they take the bottles away when you board the ship?

 

It just that I'm more of a beer drinker than a wine drinker.

[Linda&Vern]

Ok,........Well I guess I'll have to stop at the Piano bar and have a glass of wine and then carry it with me, if I have any left to MDR. Gee, I hope nobody thinks I brought it from my room!

<snip>

I sincerely hope I never offend you by letting you see me walk around the ship with a glass of wine I brought from my cabin.

 

What I actually meant was Does HAL allow you to bring a glass from your cabin to the dining room?

From HAL's website: "A corkage fee of US$18.00 applies to wine and champagne brought to the restaurants or bars for consumption."

[maxout]

Ok,........Well I guess I'll have to stop at the Piano bar and have a glass of wine and then carry it with me, if I have any left to MDR. Gee, I hope nobody thinks I brought it from my room!

 

What about the people bringing a box of wine on board? How embarrased they will be to bring the box to the MDR!

 

I'm sorry- I'm not usually so sarcastic, just your answer struck me a bit funny!

 

I sincerely hope I never offend you by letting you see me walk around the ship with a glass of wine I brought from my cabin.

 

What I actually meant was Does HAL allow you to bring a glass from your cabin to the dining room?

 

I am not offended, my statement was that "Some" may feel that way. The glasses in your room may differ from the bar wine glasses, will the wait staff "bust you" for it? Charge you corkage? YMMV.

[m steve]

but as someone posted it's just bad form. HAL also doesn't check every piece of luggage for liquor or beer but you need to be discrete and consume in your cabin. You don't even need to hide it in a closet or drawer as the stewards don't care or would ever report it. In fact, they will deliver extra ice and glasses as needed. Just don't try it on NCL.

[ZachMary]

We just got off the Eurodam, please don't do what we did. My husband and I love wine, but usually drink more cocktails - so we figured that we wouldn't bring any with us and just get a glass or two. Ouch!!!

 

We each had one glass of wine at the Pinicale Grille, I would say it was their "medium" variety. The glasses ran $10.50 each, then you add the 15% gratutiy. You get where I'm going, for two glasses $24 bill. When we could have bought a very nice bottle for maybe $20, payed the $18 corkage fee and had several glasses.

 

Learn from us, even if you think you may not want it, might as well bring a bottle or two on with you, it can't hurt. Kicking myself now.

 

Mary

[jtl513]

Ok,........Well I guess I'll have to stop at the Piano bar and have a glass of wine and then carry it with me, if I have any left to MDR. Gee, I hope nobody thinks I brought it from my room!

Glasses of wine brought from the room are usually full, while glasses brought from a bar rarely are. Also, the glasses used at the bars are different from those provided for the rooms, so the stewards can tell.

What I actually meant was Does HAL allow you to bring a glass from your cabin to the dining room?

No one is going to stop you or say anything. We hear so much whining about the cruise lines "nickel and diming" us with various little charges, but IMO carrying your own wine to the MDR is essentially nickel-and-diming the cruise line. HAL is generous in allowing us to bring as much wine as we like on board for in-room consumption. Let's not make them decide to revoke that privilege by taking our own drinks outside the room. Thank you. :)

[DaveOKC]

Orlando - I have a corkscrew that folds up to be the size of a Sharpie pen. You can get them at most wine stores. I just pack it in my luggage. Also, I think the room stewards can get you one if needed.

 

As to bringing alot of wine on-board, I agree with other posters that you can often buy more at the ports you are visiting. I do suggest that you research the places, prices and avialability first though (use Cruise Critic!).

 

DaveOKC

[Zyzygy]

The wine was in an unmarked shipping box (we had bought it at the winery and shipped it to our home) and then we took it to the cruise port by car. Because of the weight of the shipping box, there was no big mystery as to what it was. (It had to have been either wine or free weights).

 

We did leave an ample tip for the curbside porter (for the case of wine and the rest of our luggage), and the case arrived in our room with no problem.

 

I even brought on a bottle of rum in San Juan without thinking. It was a bottle of Don Q Grand Anejo in a fancy box in a Don Q carrying bag. Security didn't stop me. I guess they figured that anyone bringing on a more fancy liquor would take it home without opening it on the ship. If that was their assumption, they were right.

 

It's hard to figure that they simply didn't notice a boxed bottle of liquor in a liquor company bag. I wasn't trying to sneak it on board; I just forgot about their policy.

[Hard-habit-to-break]

We embark on our first cruise in 24 days with HAL. We are cruising Aust/NZ, finishing in Sydney.

 

What if we buy wine in various ports but don't drink it all, can we take that off the ship with us?

 

What about the bottle of Bourbon we bought for our room from HAL, what if that isn't finished? Highly unlikely, but who knows?

[m steve]

Just don't try to take any food off as the fines are very high. We took a lot of wine with us and didn't drink it all. Luckily we were fly business class so we were allowed the extra weight.

[pgphoto]

Would really like to hear what people paid for cab fare from FLL/Ft. Lauderdale Airport, stopping at Total Wine, and then to the cruise port. Thanks!

[waverley7]

I usually take a glass of wine with me to the MDR, however, I do order a bottle of wine or two in the dining room for the week for dinner, it last a bit longer just by bringing my own glass each night.

 

So, if I am reading this correctly.....there is no duty free shop in FLL port to buy wine in, is this correct?

[serendipity1499]

The wine cask or wineboxes, you know, those 2 or 3 or 4 litre jobs are best, we call them 'Chateau Cardboard.' They don't break as bottles do, great for the cabin fridge.

 

Are the wine boxes of drinkable quality available at US liquor stores ? Got to get a couple.

 

Total Wine had a wine tasting a few Weeks ago & "Black Box" got a good rating among the professional wine tasters..

Our Friends, purchased a Black Box for them at B.J's & one for us too..It weighs a lot less than bottles..We also bought the wine cards, & still hoping to get them,..

 

I'm trying to figure out how to pack it, so we can check it through, as it's still a bit heavy..

 

Cheers...Betty

[amunhbuu]

I just bought a black box shiraz. It was ok. Certainly better than other boxed wine I have had. But, it was just kind of there. Nothing offensive, very smooth. But for a shiraz I expected a little spice to it.

[Texas Tillie]

I just bought a black box shiraz. It was ok. Certainly better than other boxed wine I have had. But, it was just kind of there. Nothing offensive, very smooth. But for a shiraz I expected a little spice to it.

 

Bought the Black Box malbec and it has a little too much spice for me (but I'm finishing the box :eek:) and will be going back to the merlot.

[amunhbuu]

Hmm... May have to try that next...

[mudscraper]

For those who want to carry their wine/champagne, water or pop onboard I found the SMART CART in Menards today. It has wheels and a collapsable handle. The container itself is 10"x15". It folds up so you could put it in your luggage. My guess is that it would hold a dozen or more wine bottles. Priced at $14.99

[pgphoto]

For those who want to carry their wine/champagne, water or pop onboard I found the SMART CART in Menards today. It has wheels and a collapsable handle. The container itself is 10"x15". It folds up so you could put it in your luggage. My guess is that it would hold a dozen or more wine bottles. Priced at $14.99

GREAT idea. We might be bringing pop, water, and wine. I didn't even think about trying to carry everything until you posted that. I also found this at bed bath & beyond:

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14682740

 

$24.99. $19.99 after I use my $5.00 off coupon!