Bringing Wine on Board

[Jerseygich]

Sorry if been asked but we’ve never brought wine onboard before. Leaving next week and just want to know if we pack it with our luggage or carry it on? And is there a limit on how many bottles? Have beverage package so not worried about corkage fees.

[SharkieQueen]

We carried on 3 bottles last November, no problems. Haven’t seen any limitations on how much you can bring

[ggTexasGal]

If you pack the wine in your checked luggage, you will most likely be asked to visit the "naughty room" to retrieve your luggage.  Therefore, it "might" be best if you can do "carry-on."   We use a well padded carrier for our bottles and have only needed to stop at a desk before entering the terminal to have our drink package verified.  Enjoy your cruise! 

[9tee2Sea]

I didn't know NCL allowed carry on wine.  I will have to look it up on their website.  Not that i drink good enough wine ( 2 buck chuck is good enough).

[schmoopie17]

Wine & Champagne Policy 

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

750 ml Bottle: $15.00 USD

1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 USD

Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.

Corkage Fee is not applicable to guest with beverage package.

[9tee2Sea]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Wine & Champagne Policy 

Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.

750 ml Bottle: $15.00 USD

1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 USD

Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.

Corkage Fee is not applicable to guest with beverage package.

wow. That's good to know.  Im Sapphire on NCL and NEVER new that.

[ggTexasGal]

Just now, 9tee2Sea said:

wow. That's good to know.  Im Sapphire on NCL and NEVER new that.

It is a somewhat recent change in policy!

Afterall, it probably benefits NCL, since they would quite likely be serving you less of their stock.

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, ggTexasGal said:

It is a somewhat recent change in policy!

Afterall, it probably benefits NCL, since they would quite likely be serving you less of their stock.

They have allowed passengers to bring wine on board for the past several years.  The recent change is that they no longer are charging a corkage fee to those who have a beverage package.

[panoramaofthepast]

For the tee-totaler of the group, I find it irksome that wine can be carried on, but soft drinks cannot! I like to have bottles of diet Coke in my room, as a drink my morning caffeine cold! 

Oh well. I will figure it out! 🙂

[podgeandrodge]

4 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

It is a somewhat recent change in policy!

Afterall, it probably benefits NCL, since they would quite likely be serving you less of their stock.

 

2 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

They have allowed passengers to bring wine on board for the past several years.  The recent change is that they no longer are charging a corkage fee to those who have a beverage package.

 

Makes sense I guess.  No package you'll be drinking yours rather than paying for theirs, package and you will be drinking yours and saving their stock!  I saw in a FAQ that the reason it's wine, and not beer, is that it's easier for the crew to identify or something dubious like that...

 

How does the crew identify those with/without the package on embarkation to decide whether to charge the corkage fee?  Or am i misunderstanding - but if you are in your cabin, how would there be corkage otherwise.

[fastpitchdad]

11 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

 

 

 

How does the crew identify those with/without the package on embarkation to decide whether to charge the corkage fee?  Or am i misunderstanding - but if you are in your cabin, how would there be corkage otherwise.

 

They used to charge the corkage fee for all bottles prior to embarkation. After that you could drink them anywhere. It is pretty much the same except no corkage fee, I have no idea if they check for FAS/FAS+ or not. 

[podgeandrodge]

1 minute ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

They used to charge the corkage fee for all bottles prior to embarkation. After that you could drink them anywhere. It is pretty much the same except no corkage fee, I have no idea if they check for FAS/FAS+ or not. 

Yep, that's what I figured, makes sense.  But this new rule that you are exempt if you have FAS makes it a bit of a complicated process (showing them proof etc.?) 

[fastpitchdad]

3 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

Yep, that's what I figured, makes sense.  But this new rule that you are exempt if you have FAS makes it a bit of a complicated process (showing them proof etc.?) 

 

I don't think I showed them any proof on our last couple of cruises. 

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, podgeandrodge said:

How does the crew identify those with/without the package on embarkation to decide whether to charge the corkage fee?  Or am i misunderstanding - but if you are in your cabin, how would there be corkage otherwise.

 

1 hour ago, podgeandrodge said:

Yep, that's what I figured, makes sense.  But this new rule that you are exempt if you have FAS makes it a bit of a complicated process (showing them proof etc.?) 

The checkpoint for wine bottles occurs after you check in.  It's easy for them to glance at your card to see the letters "UBP" to know that you have a beverage package.

[complawyer]

hey panoramaof thepast!! while i dont consider myself a tea totaler, and take full advantage of the basic drink package, i am addicted to pepsi, and it broke my heart when ncl switched to coke.

 

that being said, however, cans of soda can be bought onboard. i think it's about $3.00 per can. i also enjoy a cold cola with my breakfast. so, i would ask the cabin steward or any bartender if you can buy a 6 pack. 

 

if youre in a suite, the butler might just bring you the 6 pack at no charge, this is assuming that you wish to pay the price. if you dont get the drink package, im sure the cost of a weeks worth of diet coke is a decent price offset.

 

just sayin"

[fastpitchdad]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

 

The checkpoint for wine bottles occurs after you check in.  It's easy for them to glance at your card to see the letters "UBP" to know that you have a beverage package.

 

In my experience it has been before you check-in

[ggTexasGal]

9 hours ago, podgeandrodge said:

How does the crew identify those with/without the package on embarkation to decide whether to charge the corkage fee?

Your paperwork, &/or the NCL App, show what benefits you have booked!

[Cruisercl]

I was just on the Bliss in March, out of Miami.

I had some wine in my carry on. The security people sent me over to a separate table to put a stcker on the bottle. They looked at my card and wrote my name on a list. I did have the bev pckg.

This happened in the terminal.

YMMV.

[The Traveling Man]

14 hours ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

In my experience it has been before you check-in

Over the past decade, we have traveled on 16 different NCL ships, departing from more than a dozen different ports of embarkation, on more than 30 different cruises.  On each of those cruises the checkpoint for bottles of wine was located after the check-in counter where key cards are issued, just prior to entering the gangway to board the ship. 

[panoramaofthepast]

18 hours ago, complawyer said:

hey panoramaof thepast!! while i dont consider myself a tea totaler, and take full advantage of the basic drink package, i am addicted to pepsi, and it broke my heart when ncl switched to coke.

 

that being said, however, cans of soda can be bought onboard. i think it's about $3.00 per can. i also enjoy a cold cola with my breakfast. so, i would ask the cabin steward or any bartender if you can buy a 6 pack. 

 

if youre in a suite, the butler might just bring you the 6 pack at no charge, this is assuming that you wish to pay the price. if you dont get the drink package, im sure the cost of a weeks worth of diet coke is a decent price offset.

 

just sayin"

Thanks for the heads up! We are in a haven suite, so that may be the solution. I do have a soda package, so if I can just get the cans through that, I am good! Appreciate your comments! 

[complawyer]

on the QT, whenever we've stayed in a haven, i only had 1 problem with a butler not brining me cans of soda. but after a few days, he relented and brought 4 cans. usually, we arent charged for them either.

 

by the way, $20-50 at the start of the cruise to the butler goes a long way to getting what you want

 

again, just sayin"