RCL Wine and Liquor Policies and Prices (Merged)

[happy cruzer]

Hi, In my earlier post when I stated times 4 of prices at home I meant what is paid in a grocery store or liquor store. We all live in different areas where restaurents policies vary alot but most grocery store chains' prices are pretty close so I like to compare to that. But MM's pt is well taken some markup is to be expected.

 

I agree that cheap wine is marked up more that's why I said up to 6X sometimes that's what it appears to be on lower cost wine.

 

So I think we are all trying to share the same info. I hope we all agree that getting current conditions on ships is very important. If you carefully read the RCL policy it states that the policy will vary by ship and itinerary so I would like to see the variations.

 

Thanks for the replys! Happy Cruzer

[vmcb]

Talk has been regarding bottle(s) of wine. Can you order 1 glass of "house" wine w/ dinner? If so, what price range?

[Merion_Mom]

Of course. My best recollection (which is not good) is $6 to $8.

[Bobblsc]

Talk has been regarding bottle(s) of wine. Can you order 1 glass of "house" wine w/ dinner? If so, what price range?

 

Yes, for the ships we have sailed on, Celebrity and Holland America. As I recall the price of a glass is between $6 and $12, depending, of course, on the wine. This is for the low and medium priced wines. They won't sell by the glass for the high price wines. Add 15% tip.

 

I have some issues with the inconsistent carry-on policies, but I have never had a problem in carrying on a bottle or two of wine. The corkage fee seems to be between $12 and $15. The wine stewards have also always kept a part of a bottle and brought it back for the next dinner. There is no additional fee or mandatory tip for that service.

 

Bob ;)

[caviargal]

Wine by the glass ranges from 6 to over 12 on RCI.

 

I was recently on HAL escorting a group and brought aboard six cases of wine, five for a private tasting and one for personal consumption. We paid a per person fee for the tasting which was very reasonable and then paid $15 per bottle for personal corkage. They were totally gracious.

 

I did the same (6 bottles) on an X cruise five months ago.

 

I find it very annoying that RCI does not allow this.

[happy cruzer]

Hi, again. Anyone just back and want to tell us about the current wine conditions on their cruise?

 

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.

 

We will greatly appreciate any and all info!

Happy Cruzer

[mrsbunder]

I've been considering bringing some wine onboard myself (never did it before), and if I do, I plan to bubblewrap the bottles and put it in my checked luggage. My husband isn't too keen on this idea, I think he feels as though it will be "embarrassing" to bring your own wine into the dining room, and I think he doesn't want the hassle of packing wine, and is willing to "tough it out" for a week. Can anyone tell me what the procedure is once you're onboard? I read in an earlier post that they allow 2 bottles per person (of a wine not on their list). Do I show up at the dining room on the first night with four bottles, and have the wine steward store them? Any feedback would be great, I'd love to do this, but want to keep the process as low-key as possible, so my husband won't feel like the spotlight's on him. Thanks!

[Schplinky]

I've been considering bringing some wine onboard myself (never did it before), and if I do, I plan to bubblewrap the bottles and put it in my checked luggage. My husband isn't too keen on this idea, I think he feels as though it will be "embarrassing" to bring your own wine into the dining room, and I think he doesn't want the hassle of packing wine, and is willing to "tough it out" for a week. Can anyone tell me what the procedure is once you're onboard? I read in an earlier post that they allow 2 bottles per person (of a wine not on their list). Do I show up at the dining room on the first night with four bottles, and have the wine steward store them? Any feedback would be great, I'd love to do this, but want to keep the process as low-key as possible, so my husband won't feel like the spotlight's on him. Thanks!

 

No need to be embarrassed; they have a corkage fee because they expect some folks will do this but if he feels like walking through the ship carrying a bottle of wine is a little too much like a tailgate party, you can ask your room attendant to deliver it to the dining room. Just let her know your table number. This is especially helpful if it's white wine because the dining room will chill it for you in advance of your arrival. We did this on Navigator last April.

[SherriZ366]

We've brought wine into the dining room and paid the corkage fee -- just checked to see if it was a wine that RCCL did not have on the menu (as previously posted, go to rccl.com and put wine list in the search engine and it will come up with wine lists for domestic and foreign.) When we were on Navigator last June, one of our Cruise Critic friends was a wine distributor and she brought wine for every night (she lived near the port). We may bring a few bottles on the Mariner in Jan. and do again. It still comes out cheaper than the RCCL price even with the corkage fee.

[happy cruzer]

Hi, We just carry our bottle in with us when we come to dinner. The wine steward is used to looking for them and sees us (some time before we are even seated) and takes care of the bottle for us. The white wine can be chilled in about 2 minutes in some machine they have so that works to. The wine steward is usually especially pleased to help us because a. its obvious we really appreciate good wine b. he gets to see and usually taste some new wines and c. wine nuts usually tip him well in addition to the corkage fee. We have a couple of BYOB places locally. You might see if you do in your area and practice getting used to bringing in wine. My hubby is an etiquette nut and was always nervous about not offending anyone. Now he is the pro and does everything right. He is even comfortable bringing in glasses ( in a nice box), corkscrew, and two bottles (white and red in our leather double carrier souvenir wine carrier he purchased on a cruise in Uraguay). So those hubbys can be trained!:rolleyes:

 

I started this thread to check on how RCL was enforcing their new beverage policy. But regardless of the current info I still do intend on bringing wine on board my cruise in Nov. I just want to be prepared based on what has happened to others on RCL .

 

So here's the pertinent info again :)

 

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.

 

 

Happy Cruzin

[Harlow2]

DH is in the wine biz, so we are extremely particular about the wines we consume. So far we have taken wine on every cruise (see list below) and have never had one issue. We have carried 3 and 4 bottles a piece in our carry on and also have bubble wrapped and packed in our checked luggage many more. We have no problem taking our wine to the dining room (we usually dine at the specialty restaurants) because once our waiter sees the bottle we are bringing, they are usually aware that it is a premimium bottle and better than what they have on their wine list. We have even had them comment to us "good choice" etc...

 

Last October on the Splendor out of Barcelona, we could not take our usual "stash" since we were flying over to Europe for the cruise. We did go into one of the grocery stores in Barcelona and picked up some terrific wines (they are very cheap in Europe) for $5 -$10 apiece, which would typically cost $20-$30 per bottle here. We carried them right on in our carry on in full sight and no one said a word. We picked up additional bottles during our cruise while in port and again, carried the on in plain sight.

 

So far we have been very lucky that we have basically been able to take on whatever we like and in quantity. We too like to enjoy a nice bottle on our balcony prior to dinner. Most true wine drinkers are very particular about the wines they drink, so no matter what the policy, they still would not resort to a lower end wine if that was all that was offered.

[mrsbunder]

Thanks for the input, it sounds painless enough, especially if the room steward brings the wine down. We have a favorite BYOB place at home, and my husband doesn't mind that at all. I'd rather bring wines on board that I enjoy, rather than paying top dollar for bottles I see in the liquor store for a few dollars.

[maps]

Here's the email reply I got when I asked this question to RCCL.

 

we do not allow guests to bring their own beverages onboard. This includes: liquor, wine, beer, soda, or self produced products (example: home made wines).

 

An exception to the rule is:

 

For guests who have a unique request for wine (only), and is not listed in the wine list below, Royal Caribbean will allow a maximum of two bottles of wine.

 

A corkage fee of $12.00 per bottle will be charged.

We do not allow more than two bottles.

We do not provide authorization or documentation.

 

Wine List:

 

Blush Wines

Item# 1266

White Zinfandel, Woodbridge, Robert Mondavi

$24.95 USD

 

Item# 1267

White Zinfandel, Beringer

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1416

White Zinfandel / Chardonnay, PVS, Beringer

$29.95 USD

 

 

 

Champagnes & Sparkling Wines

Item# 1200

Mumm's Cordon Rouge, Brut

$60.95 USD

 

Item# 1201

Champagne Moet & Chandon

$70.95 USD

 

Item# 1215

Asti Spumante, Martini & Rossi, Piedmont

$27.95 USD

 

Item# 1216

Korbel Brut, California, USA

$30.95 USD

 

Item# 1218

Domain Chandon,Brut,California

$44.95 USD

 

Item# 1431

Argyle, Brut, Willamette Valley, Oregon, NV

$33.95 USD

 

 

 

Red Wines

Item# 1320

Pinot Noir, Beringer Founders' Estate

$39.95 USD

 

Item# 1330

Merlot, La Terre

$21.95 USD

 

Item# 1343

Cabernet Sauvignon, La Terre, California, USA

$21.95 USD

 

Item# 1344

Cabernet Sauvignon, Stone Cellar by Beringer, California, USA

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1346

Cabernet Sauvignon, Beringer, Founders' Estate

$39.95 USD

 

Item# 1367

Torres Gran Coronas Cabernet

$50.95 USD

 

Item# 1370

Merlot, Vina Tarapacá, Maipo Valley, Chile

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1380

Beaujolais Villages, Georges Duboeuf

$27.95 USD

 

Item# 1385

Côtes du Rhône, Belleruche, M. Chapoutier

$33.95 USD

 

Item# 1386

Shiraz, Rosemount, South Eastern Australia

$36.95 USD

 

Item# 1390

Crianza, La Mancha, Condesa de Leganza, Spain

$29.95 USD

 

Item# 1391

Rioja, Faustino VII, Rioja, Spain

$38.95 USD

 

Item# 1392

Valpolicella, Botter, Verona, Italy

$24.95 USD

 

Item# 1393

Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello di Gabbiano

$40.95 USD

 

Item# 1401

Moscato Bianco, La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi

$29.95 USD

 

Item# 1409

Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserva, Caliterra

$33.95 USD

 

Item# 1410

Cabernet Sauvignon, Woodbridge Twin Oaks

$25.95 USD

 

Item# 1411

Sangiovese, Danzante, Mondavi Frescobaldi

$24.95 USD

 

Item# 1412

Merlot, Robert Mondavi Private Selection

$33.95 USD

 

Item# 1413

Merlot, Sebastiani

$26.95 USD

 

Item# 1415

Merlot, Wolf Blass, Blue Label

$36.95 USD

 

Item# 1426

Tempranillo, Fortius, Navarra, Spain

$30.95 USD

 

Item# 1427

Shiraz, Footprint, Western Cape, South Africa

$24.95 USD

 

Item# 1428

Shiraz, Kirralaa Bushvine, Australia

$39.95 USD

 

Item# 1429

Malbec, Navarro Correas, Coleccion Privada

$25.95 USD

 

Item# 1430

Pinotage, Fort Simon, Stellenbosch

$36.95 USD

 

Item# 1432

Zinfandel, Buehler Estate

$34.95 USD

 

Item# 1433

Zinfandel, Cline

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1434

Baron Herzog (Kosher)

$34.95 USD

 

 

 

White Wines

Item# 1128

Fumé Blanc, Robert Mondavi Winery

$39.95 USD

 

Item# 1226

Sauvignon Blanc,Kenwood Sonoma

$32.00 USD

 

Item# 1235

La Terre, Chardonnay

$21.95 USD

 

Item# 1238

Chardonnay, Stone Cellars by Beringer

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1255

Johannisberg Riesling, Chateau St Michelle

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1281

Chardonnay, Hardys, Nottage Hill

$29.95 USD

 

Item# 1282

Chardonnay, Torres, Gran Vina Sol, Penedes

$30.95 USD

 

Item# 1283

Semillon / Chardonnay, Lindemans, Bin 77

$33.95 USD

 

Item# 1285

Chardonnay, Penfold's Koonunga Hill

$39.95 USD

 

Item# 1287

Pouille Fuisse, Bouchard

$46.95 USD

 

Item# 1295

Sauvignon Blanc, Caliterra, Valle Central, Chile

$27.95 USD

 

Item# 1299

Sauvignon Blanc, Geyser Peak

$30.95 USD

 

Item# 1305

Riesling Spätlese, L Kreusch, Piesporter Michelsberg

$24.95 USD

 

Item# 1306

Blanco, Marques de Caceres, Rioja

$25.95 USD

 

Item# 1307

Soave Classico, Botter, Verona, Italy

$23.95 USD

 

Item# 1308

Pinot Grigio, Danzante, Venezie, Veneto, Italy

$34.95 USD

 

Item# 1311

Vouvray, Remy Pannier, Loire, France

$30.95 USD

 

Item# 1347

Chardonnay,Kendall-Jackson Vr

$43.95 USD

 

Item# 1417

Mâcon-Villages, Bouchard Père & Fils

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1418

Sauvignon Blanc, Kenwood, Sonoma

$33.95 USD

 

Item# 1419

Sauvignon Blanc, Fairview, South Africa

$28.95 USD

 

Item# 1420

Sauvignon Blanc, Brancott, Marlborough

$32.95 USD

 

Item# 1421

Chardonnay, Footprint, Western Cape

$22.95 USD

 

Item# 1422

Organic Chardonnay, Badger Mountain

$29.95 USD

 

Item# 1423

Chardonnay, Sebastiani, Sonoma

$26.95 USD

 

Item# 1424

Chardonnay, Woodbridge Twin Oaks

$25.95 USD

 

Item# 1425

Fumé Blanc, Ferrari-Carano, Sonoma

$38.95 USD

 

Item# 1435

Baron Herzon (Kosher)

$34.95 USD

 

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International.

 

Maria Perez

Customer Service Representative

[happy cruzer]

Hey you got it in writing with a person's name attached.

 

I'd still like to know how this is enforced. Is it 2 bottles per peson? I would imagine that if they found more than 2 bottles in one bag either carryon or checked they could call you down to pick the two you want to keep. It's probably too much trouble to see how many bags you checked and how many wines total you have in them. And I'd hate to think the wine steward would have to be the enforcer by not letting you charge too many corkage fees.

 

Also the 2 bottle rule is kinda dumb. It's would seem to be the same amount of wine allowed for a 2 night, 7 night, 11 night, or longer cruise. I'm on an 11 night cruise so I'll be getting really thirsty.:(

 

Thanks and keep the info coming.

[caviargal]

DH is in the wine biz, so we are extremely particular about the wines we consume. So far we have taken wine on every cruise (see list below) and have never had one issue. We have carried 3 and 4 bottles a piece in our carry on and also have bubble wrapped and packed in our checked luggage many more. We have no problem taking our wine to the dining room (we usually dine at the specialty restaurants) because once our waiter sees the bottle we are bringing, they are usually aware that it is a premimium bottle and better than what they have on their wine list. We have even had them comment to us "good choice" etc...

 

Most true wine drinkers are very particular about the wines they drink, so no matter what the policy, they still would not resort to a lower end wine if that was all that was offered.

 

 

As a "true" wine drinker, I agree with you.

 

We normally pack a wine shipper box with a case of wine and check as baggage for a week cruise. I have not had a problem yet with RCI but have not been on one of their ships for more than two years. X and HAL have no problem with this and I have no problem paying a corkage fee.

 

We normally bring special bottles and some are private label, the rest small and special vineyards, so will definitely not conflict with the ship's offerings.

 

We always offer a taste to the Sommelier and most of the time have found they accept, although normally later in the evening.

[Merion_Mom]

Hey you got it in writing with a person's name attached.

 

I'd still like to know how this is enforced. Is it 2 bottles per peson? I would imagine that if they found more than 2 bottles in one bag either carryon or checked they could call you down to pick the two you want to keep. It's probably too much trouble to see how many bags you checked and how many wines total you have in them. And I'd hate to think the wine steward would have to be the enforcer by not letting you charge too many corkage fees.

 

Also the 2 bottle rule is kinda dumb. It's would seem to be the same amount of wine allowed for a 2 night, 7 night, 11 night, or longer cruise. I'm on an 11 night cruise so I'll be getting really thirsty.:(

 

Thanks and keep the info coming.

Sure, it's just arbitrary, and gives them something to fall back on. I doubt that anything will happen if you try to carry on three. And only a single adult traveler would really have to worry about that, don't you think? ;)

[happy cruzer]

Hi, again.

 

Ever think about why RCI doesn't want you to bring wines on board that are on their gift list? The wine on the list can be brought to the dining room and will not be charged a corkage fee because if it could have been a gift purchase that already includes the 15% gratuity. (I've done it on another line and there was no fee just like sometimes your wine steward will waive the fee on any bottle) I personally don't recommend doing this but some people will and save big bucks.

 

I did more price analysis. Based on the list of wines that maps provided in his post quoting MP of RCI.

 

The Crianza #1390 is my personal "house" wine at home. I buy it by the case because it goes with alot of different foods that I prepare. Bottle pricing is $6.94. So RCI pricing of 29.95 is 4.3x, if you subtract 5 for the server then it is 3.6x.

 

I happened to have HALs 2006 wine gift list and compared it to RCI on a couple of wines (I know HALs incl the 15% because they say very clearly it does, I think RCIs does; not so clear):

 

Beringer White Zin RCI 28.95 HAL 21.75 (in the RCI Plat package, 25.00)

Mum Cordon Rouge RCI 60.95 HAL 50.75

 

Just some additional details.

 

Happy Cruzin

[happy cruzer]

thanks for the Barcelona info. That's where I start my next cruise. My hubby is really psyched, last time in Ft. Lauderdale he had a great time in Sam's shooping from the premium wine crates.

 

Did you buy mostly European wines? How long did it take you to find a store and to shop (currently I haven't scheduled extra days in Barcelona, kinda of counting on seeing my tickets first to see how much time we will have)? Did they take credit cards?

 

Keep all the current into coming:

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.

 

Happy Cruzin to all!

[Harlow2]

Happy Cruzer - we stayed at the Hotel Continential right in the heart of Las Ramblas. There was a grocery store about a block away, also right on Las Ramblas. The grocery store carried liquor, wine and beer. Most of the wines were spanish wines - there may have been some french wines there as well. The prices were so good on some really good quality spanish wines , so that is what we purchased. Again, some were as low as 3 euros !! It was amazing. The grocery store did accept credit cards. There was also another grocery store that was a little more upscale that was located in the basement of a department store which was also about a block away from the hotel in the opposite direction. It was where the cross roads were at the top of Las Ramblas. They also had a great wine selection at terrific prices. I am so sorry that I do not remember the names of either of the stores.

 

BTW, DH looked at the wine list that maps listed for RCCL. He was laughing at the upcharge since many of the wines listed are wines that his company represents and he immediately knew the retail value of them.

[happy cruzer]

FYI, there is another thread under RCI that discusses the wine packages. According to that thread sometimes the package is missing quite a number of the wines listed. They suggest that you ask about the particular wine that you are interested in before you purchase the package. I then remembered it had happened to me too.

 

My thoughts on the package is that it just doesn't save enough money to run the risk of having to hassle with them being out of the wine you thought you had purchased. They may have it when you ask but when you go to order it could be gone. One poster said that we they are out they subsitute a comparable wine. I've seen it both ways - I've seen a good substitute offered and I've seen the package list offered for you to select another wine from the list. Once they were out of the Pinot Noir on the list and just gave us the package list which of course did not contain any other Pinots or even another light red. Bummer.

 

Happy Cruzer

 

Still looking for Details....

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.

[happy cruzer]

Hi, I did a spreadsheet to compare RCLs bottle prices to RCL package prices. One poster kindly supplied the package prices from last year and mentioned that you had to add 15% to each package. For the gold package that works out to about $26 per bottle; for platinum, $28.75; for diamond, 31.50. There doesn't appear to be a break for buying the 12 bottle package vs the 5 bottle package.

 

So now if we look at the bottles in each package:

 

In the gold package you will get a very good deal compared to the non package price on 3 wines. Korbel brut is bottle priced at 30.95, Lindeman's bin 77 is 33.95, Danznte PG is 33.95, , package is 26. You will save about 3 bucks on 5 other wines. On 2 wines you pay more in the package and one is the same price.

 

For the platinum package you will get a very good deal on Argyle sparkling, Lindemans bin 77, Danzante PG, Mondavi Merlot, Faustino Rioja. 2 other ok deals, on 5 the per bottle price is cheaper, on 5 its the same.

 

For the diamond package. 2 per bottle prices were unavailable, 3 wines were a very good deal - Beringer Pinot Noir, Faustino Rioja, and Rosemount Shiraz. 4 others were OK, on 13 you lose money compared to the per bottle price.

 

So the bottom line is you have to know the exact wine you are planning on drinking in the package to know if the package is a good deal and you have to be sure the wine is available. I wish I could figure out how to provide my excel spreadsheet for comments.

 

I think the choices in the packages are too ordinary and the "savings" are too low. Remember I just compared RCL packages to RCL bottle prices. Earlier I posted a comparision to HAL and the liquor store. So I plan to bring my own and pay the corkage fee. But I will keep checking about how the beverage/wine policy is being implemented.

[Harlow2]

Happy Cruzer - Thank you for the information! Great details!!!

[maps]

thanks for the info. I'm going on the Mariner in Nov and my husband and I like to share a bottle of wine for dinner. We only like red so the packages really limit us.

 

I've been sampling some of the wines on their list and so far the 2 bottles I have purchased, we have not liked.

 

I really don't want to have to lug bottles on board but also don't want to pay $30 for a wine that is just OK. I found this great Chianti for $6 recently! Unfortunately, it's not on their list.

[Merion_Mom]

And here is a question that I find SO fascinating, that I started an entire thread on it:

 

If Princess can have wine prices like this, why can't Royal Caribbean?

 

http://www.smoothseas.com/DiamondPrincessWineList.pdf

[happy cruzer]

So Glad My little details were helpful. And I agree the choices on the packages are slim. My hubby is a big red wine fan and there are only one or two red wines on the package list he will drink if they are free. So we will will be packin' red for sure!

 

And OMG OMG if only RCL would provide as good a wine list as Princess. I loved reading the list and the prices and dreaming of how great some of those wines would be at dinner. They had many of my favorites at about 2x and some others I would love to try!!! I may have to consider Princess even though I don't think I would like the unreserved seats at dinner.

 

You guys know your wines!

 

Still need the current info:

Name of Ship and Date Sailed

Did you bring wine on board? In checked or carry on baggage?

Was there a corkage fee? Did it include the tip?

Was there a wine package offered? Quality of wines and pricing? When and where was it available for purchase and use.

Was there a wine you really enjoyed on the ship? Was there a wine/food pairing you really enjoyed?

General Comments.