A few points and observations about HAL’s wine policy. Yes again!

[sansterre]

One bottle pp after that corkage fee

Except.......we noted an exception on a recent Canada cruise. Shore excursions to a winery in Quebec City permitted wine to be brought back to the ship with no corkage fee. I'm not sure if it was one bottle per person, per cabin, or if there was a limit as we did not take that excursion.

[catl331]

Except.......we noted an exception on a recent Canada cruise. Shore excursions to a winery in Quebec City permitted wine to be brought back to the ship with no corkage fee.

And not held until cruise end, right? I hope that applies to our upcoming! :)

[sail7seas]

Except.......we noted an exception on a recent Canada cruise. Shore excursions to a winery in Quebec City permitted wine to be brought back to the ship with no corkage fee. I'm not sure if it was one bottle per person, per cabin, or if there was a limit as we did not take that excursion.

 

 

 

I would suspect a ship's sponsored tour to a winery would put no limit on the number of bottles of wine everyone on that tour could bring back for consumption during the cruise if that is their choice. The tour providers would have a real issue if HAL limited their potential sales. People who fly are not very apt to buy much wine if they are going to have to lug it home.

[ANSalberg]

I would suspect a ship's sponsored tour to a winery would put no limit on the number of bottles of wine everyone on that tour could bring back for consumption during the cruise if that is their choice. The tour providers would have a real issue if HAL limited their potential sales. People who fly are not very apt to buy much wine if they are going to have to lug it home.

 

We have purchased Australian wine and New Zealand wine after tours there and VERY much enjoy those wines. There are two advantages to purchasing most -even after we are at home; The prices are lovely and they are really GOOD [ I prefer dryer white- husband LOVES the blends of red FROM/introduced in Australia] :)

Anne from Colorado

[dadroy]

My only comment here is where do we draw the line with your line of reasoning? 40 years ago HAL allowed smoking everywhere. Since HAL”s previous policy very happily allowed smoking in the dining room, just because they changed their minds should smokers have to change their habit or views? Its not a serious rule in the grand scheme of things.

 

Why should you be able to bring wine aboard and I cannot bring 5 cases of beer or 5 liters of vodka? I would pay $18 per liter corkage for the vodka. On my first cruise to Alaska I went on a ship excursion that included a stop at the Alaska brewery. I bought 3 gallons of beer (big glass jugs) and took them back on the ship, no questions asked (strange looks from the crew though.) I am sure this has changed and would no longer be allowed.

 

I guess I am just like others, a rule follower. May not like it, like having to leave the MDR for an after dinner smoke, but I will still cruise and follow the rules. Too old to change now!

Edited July 28, 2014 by dadroy
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[Tarpeian Rock]

I would suspect a ship's sponsored tour to a winery would put no limit on the number of bottles of wine everyone on that tour could bring back for consumption during the cruise if that is their choice. The tour providers would have a real issue if HAL limited their potential sales. People who fly are not very apt to buy much wine if they are going to have to lug it home.

 

 

Not only is it clear that HAL would make a tour cost percentage profit from each pax making such a ship sponsored tour, but I think we could rest assured that the price of such a tour would factor-in lost revenue from wine sales related to any winery purchases allowed aboard. And I wouldn't be surprised if said winery paid HAL a consideration for schlepping a bus load of customers their way. So it seems to me that HAL makes out 3 ways from a hypothetical winery excursion. Easy to waive a corkage fee in the wake of all that.

[sail7seas]

We have purchased Australian wine and New Zealand wine after tours there and VERY much enjoy those wines. There are two advantages to purchasing most -even after we are at home; The prices are lovely and they are really GOOD [ I prefer dryer white- husband LOVES the blends of red FROM/introduced in Australia] :)

Anne from Colorado

 

 

 

Nice and lovely you enjoyed the wines. :)

 

What we are speculating about is whether there was enforcement of the corkage fee for the wines you brought back to the ship with you for consumption while on the ship? If you went on a ship sponsored winery tour, did they permit you to bring how ever many bottles you wanted back from your tour and drink them on the ship without paying corkage fee?

 

Thanks if you care to respond.

 

[jtl513]

What we are speculating about is whether there was enforcement of the corkage fee for the wines you brought back to the ship with you for consumption while on the ship? If you went on a ship sponsored winery tour, did they permit you to bring how ever many bottles you wanted back from your tour and drink them on the ship without paying corkage fee?

S/he didn't say that this was under the new policy ... just that s/he bought wines on a tour sometime.

[sail7seas]

Seeing as she didn't say it was under the old policy, I normally take posts to be referencing current rules/conditions. Had she meant under the previous policy, wouldn't it likely she would have said so?

Edited July 29, 2014 by sail7seas

[innlady1]

Our next cruise is a 15 day transatlantic in October on the Noordam...from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale.

 

I absolutely plan to buy wine in Barcelona to bring on board...we found some wonderful Rioja's last year...and pay the $18 corkage...of course, with our allowed 1 bottle per person "free". We will visit Valencia, Cartegena, Malaga, Gibraltar, and two ports in the Azores.

 

As I did last year, I will buy wine in those ports. That's part of the enjoyment of cruising in the Med...I'm just thankful that HAL changed their policy to allow us to bring wine on board...even though it entails a corkage fee.

 

My suggestion is just go with the flow. Don't get all worked up about the new policy that it takes the enjoyment out of your cruise.

[dadroy]

Box wine is now available in "adult" juice box sizes. DW just found these and she really likes them.

[POA1]

Box wine is now available in "adult" juice box sizes. DW just found these and she really likes them.

 

They're perfect for tailgating at sporting events. The weird shaped one in the background of the photo below is a stack of four stemless glasses. The Bota Box is a 500 ml TetraPak which is the same volume as 2/3 of a regular wine bottle. The cans are Sofia sparkling wine from Coppola in Geyserville, California. They're 187.5 ml cans which is the same volume as a champagne "split" or 1/4 bottle.

 

 

Another tailgating favorite are the little "glasses" that often have a peel back foil lid, not unlike a cup of yogurt.

 

Generally speaking, these aren't the most outstanding wines you'll find on the market, but if you find yourself in a parking lot before a football game, and you don't drink beer*, these are a good choice.

 

* - I'm not a big beer drinker, but beer + sports are the right combination.

[corkpopr]

chateau de cardboard is not wine! If HAL had a great selection like Celebrity I would not bother bringing on wine. NCL charges corkage when you come aboard and puts a sticker on the bottles so when you bring it to the dining room you do not get charged again. In over 30 cruises I bring my vodka, brandy, & wine on in my checked luggage only and have never had it removed.

[mountainmare]

Oh man--we live in Pa where we have "state stores" I never saw those cuties!!! I'll have to look when we road trip.

[POA1]

Oh man--we live in Pa where we have "state stores" I never saw those cuties!!! I'll have to look when we road trip.

Born & bred in the beautiful Lehigh Valley, so I feel your pain. At least you have Sunday hours. And you have amazingly skilled liquor store employees with an average salary of around $40,000. :D

[Saphire]

For those of you lucky enough not to have to consider the extra (and excessive) cost of purchasing wine onboard, that's great, you are very lucky. We however can't afford that extra. It's either take the wine, don't cruise, or don't drink. There's only one realistic option there;)

 

I want to hear people's experiences if they wish to share them.

 

 

We were really, really disappointed in the new wine policy. We always brought our own good wine onboard. Now we have to pay $18 extra per bottle, or purchase HAL wine, each choice affecting our budget.

 

We found another option to the ones you mentioned. We each worked additional hours at our jobs for a few weeks, and put it toward the corkage fees. These rule followers found a way! :)

[mountainmare]

POA--no Sunday hours in Kutztown!!! But the employees know me by name.

Now back to griping about boxed wine not allowed!

[SeaBands]

we will pay corkage for any wine we bring on board. On Nov. cruise they took and held all our liquor which never happened on any of the 20 cruises before.

[RuthC]

On Nov. cruise they took and held all our liquor which never happened on any of the 20 cruises before.

Then you ought to be buying Lottery tickets, as you have been incredibly lucky.

[jenp123]

HAL is a business and can choose to make any rules they wish....if you dont like them and are not willing to follow them...

 

FIND ANOTHER LINE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO BRING WINE ONBOARD FOR FREE....

 

no one is forcing you to cruise with HAL

[fuzzywuzzy]

Well, it is what it is. I was just amazed that HAL allowed us to bring wine onboard as long as they did!!

[cruising cockroach]

Have a question re: wine on a stopover. We've just booked on a cruise that comprises of a 4-day cruise followed by an 18 day segment. At the intermediate termination (San Diego), can we bring on another 1 bottle each?

[RuthC]

Have a question re: wine on a stopover. We've just booked on a cruise that comprises of a 4-day cruise followed by an 18 day segment. At the intermediate termination (San Diego), can we bring on another 1 bottle each?

The "free" bottle is at your embarkation.

 

Will you somehow be able to slip through the cracks at your in-transit port? Maybe. Maybe not. You are still allowed to bring the bottle aboard, just pay the corkage.

[Gerko]

I still think the solution is to let you bring on as many bottles as you want but charge a corkage fee on all of them. If HAL had a decent wine offering it would not be so bad either.

 

But isn't that what the policy allows? Unlimited bottles of wine but a corkage on every bottle irrespective of where its drunk.

 

One question. If they charge corkage on wine drunk in the cabin, then they must charge the corkage when you board because otherwise they have no idea of when it is being consumed. Is that correct? You now pay all corkage at embarkation?

[RuthC]

But isn't that what the policy allows? Unlimited bottles of wine but a corkage on every bottle irrespective of where its drunk.

There's one 750 ml corkage-free bottle per adult at embarkation only. If that bottle is consumed outside the cabin, corkage is then due.

One question. If they charge corkage on wine drunk in the cabin, then they must charge the corkage when you board because otherwise they have no idea of when it is being consumed. Is that correct? You now pay all corkage at embarkation?

Corkage is charged at embarkation, and at all subsequent ports. Wine can be brought aboard at any and all ports, but the corkage-free one can only be brought aboard at embarkation.