Question - wine at dinner

[Carol51]

I know that the new rule is that you can only bring one bottle of wine for the entire cruise per person. Does anyone know if a couple could take 3 or more bottles down to the restaurant (one per night) and have them serve it.

 

I would like to share my wine with another couple, but I don't want it to be obvious how much we are paying for the wine. Do you think the new rules mean the waiter or sommolier (sp?) would question it or even take the bottle away from you?

 

I'm not talking a lot of wine - but 3 people can easily share one bottle of wine per night without being excessive.

 

Sorry if this has been covered - I checked for threads, but did not find it.

 

Thanks,

Carol 51

[kelz66]

I know that the new rule is that you can only bring one bottle of wine for the entire cruise per person. Does anyone know if a couple could take 3 or more bottles down to the restaurant (one per night) and have them serve it.

 

I would like to share my wine with another couple, but I don't want it to be obvious how much we are paying for the wine. Do you think the new rules mean the waiter or sommolier (sp?) would question it or even take the bottle away from you?

 

I'm not talking a lot of wine - but 3 people can easily share one bottle of wine per night without being excessive.

 

Sorry if this has been covered - I checked for threads, but did not find it.

 

Thanks,

Carol 51

 

On the 4 day cruise I was just on I took 3 bottles of wine.

No questions were asked. (I was also charged the corkage fee each time)

[caribbean dreams]

I don't think your waiter will even blink twice about you bringing a bottle down every evening for dinner.

You may be charged a corking fee.

[Cotton]

Carol, I don't believe it would be a problem, and your waiter will be happy to chill (white) and bring wine glasses. You may or may not be charged a corkage fee.

 

Not understanding what you mean by you don't want the other couple to know how much you spend on the wine....? You can ask for a wine list, and nobody except yourself will know what the cost is. You'll simply sign a slip to be charged to your S&S account.

 

Although I usually buy a bottle of wine every other evening in the dining room...and the waiter has it chilling for me the next evening... I have brought wine from home or rec'd a gift bottle, and taken it to the dining room. (I take 2-3 bottles on board each cruise, and I'm a solo cruiser.)

 

When I have taken a bottle to the dining room, I've never been charged corkage.:) I would not take three bottles to the dining room at one time...one an evening would be better. They don't have extra storage if lots of folks did that.

[Carol51]

Carol, I don't believe it would be a problem, and your waiter will be happy to chill (white) and bring wine glasses. You may or may not be charged a corkage fee.

 

Not understanding what you mean by you don't want the other couple to know how much you spend on the wine....? You can ask for a wine list, and nobody except yourself will know what the cost is. You'll simply sign a slip to be charged to your S&S account.

 

Although I usually buy a bottle of wine every other evening in the dining room...and the waiter has it chilling for me the next evening... I have brought wine from home or rec'd a gift bottle, and taken it to the dining room. (I take 2-3 bottles on board each cruise, and I'm a solo cruiser.)

 

When I have taken a bottle to the dining room, I've never been charged corkage.:) I would not take three bottles to the dining room at one time...one an evening would be better. They don't have extra storage if lots of folks did that.

 

 

We will be dining with the same couple every evening - I feel that if we order wine from the wine list, they would feel obligated to reciprocate with a similar wine the next evening.

 

Thanks to everyone for the information - I'll probably only get 3-4 bottles, but I now feel more secure that they won't take away a bottle of wine. (BTW, I'm living in California and I'm told that $10 for corkage fee is a good bargain.) Hope I find decent wine to buy in Port Canaveral before the cruise - not worth it to carry it across country.

[powderqn]

Carol51-I'm originally from California...when you get to Florida, just visit an ABC Liquors. They have all the great wines from California. Sometimes even less expensive ;). I belonged to wine clubs in CA, and can get the same wines (Wild Horse, Kendall Jackson, BV, etc) here in Florida at the same price or less. I have a wine shipper (box with styrofoam inserts) that I take on the cruise and bring 10-12 bottles per cruise. I just make copies of our luggage tags and tape to the box. Last cruise was 4/28 on the Inspiration. I can't drink hard liquor, so a bottle of Champagne as we are chilling in the room and a bottle of wine for the table at dinner works for us. I am picky about my wine, so like to bring my own. I have no problem paying the corkage fee if charged. Enjoy.

[Carol51]

Powderqn,

 

Thanks for the information on the ABC stores in Florida AND your recent cruise experience with wine. Great info! By the way, if you were chilling your own champagne in the room, were you able to get flute glasses?

 

Again, thanks so much for the reply.

[scapino]

Every cruise I've taken I have had a bottle per night. It's fine with everyone involved. Suppose to charge a $10 corkage but out of 40-50 bottles of wine I've brought to the dining room, I've been charged only twice.

[jbhcw]

We always bring two or three bottles of wine with us, have only been charged a corkage fee a few times. We also love Champagne and usually have a bottle or two in the cabin, your cabin steward can get you flutes or you can call room service and get them, same goes for wine glasses if they are not already in your cabin.

[powderqn]

Carol51 - Sometimes we ask the room steward to bring us a couple of flutes; usually we bring a set of plastic wine glasses (very nice size ones) and flutes with us. We have a pool at home and only allow plastic glasses outside. You can find real neat ones at Wal-mart or Bealls.

[starketcher]

After a bad experience this past trip (the wine tasted like cat pee--yeah, I know--& I tried to send it back but the waiter just continued to push it upon us to the point that we felt obligated to take it rather than argue), I will take mine int the future. If you want your wine chilled, do youturn your bottles in the first night? How does that work?

[Cotton]

I take one bottle to the dining room early in the day I want to have it that evening. If white, the waiter will have it chilled in a wine bucket next to your chair; reds will be sitting on the table by your place setting.:)

[starketcher]

Thank you. I usually drink white wine rather than red...as I've found few reds that I like. I wll be bringing mine in the future.

[J Free 203]

my 3 bottles were never charged a corking fee! :)

[jbhcw]

When we get to our cabin and get unpacked we ask our cabin steward for an extra ice bucket for the white wine or champagne, then if we don't want to run by the DR during the day, just bring the chilled bottle that night.

[schpsych]

I'm not sure from reading the Carnival policy, but can you bring wine on board to consume in your cabin or is it only allowed at dinner?

[Peaceful]

I took four bottles of wine during my last cruise and only opened them in our room. In fact, I brought one bottle back home with me. The wine menu with dinner is adequate for me; just a note to say that my sister does not drink alcohol, and there was a red and white choice of non-alcoholic wine for her available after asking our server (it's definitely an acquired taste!).

[caribbean dreams]

I'm not sure from reading the Carnival policy, but can you bring wine on board to consume in your cabin or is it only allowed at dinner?

 

Yes, if you bring your own wine, you can drink it in your cabin.

[schpsych]

Thank you.

[vacruizer]

After a bad experience this past trip (the wine tasted like cat pee--yeah, I know--& I tried to send it back but the waiter just continued to push it upon us to the point that we felt obligated to take it rather than argue), I will take mine int the future. If you want your wine chilled, do youturn your bottles in the first night? How does that work?

 

A waiter serving wine properly should never argue - there is such a thing as a bad bottle (it's called "corked") which is why they pour the host (or the person who ordered the bottle) a taste first. You then either accept or reject the bottle and there should be no questions asked other than if they can get you an alternate selection.

 

Sorry for the wine service lecture - I spent lots of time serving the stuff during my college days and know the ritual. But just an FYI for those that might not order bottles regularly.

[starketcher]

A waiter serving wine properly should never argue - there is such a thing as a bad bottle (it's called "corked") which is why they pour the host (or the person who ordered the bottle) a taste first. You then either accept or reject the bottle and there should be no questions asked other than if they can get you an alternate selection.

 

Sorry for the wine service lecture - I spent lots of time serving the stuff during my college days and know the ritual. But just an FYI for those that might not order bottles regularly.

 

I know. It was the first night we were on the ship. I was tired. I did not want to argue ( and should not have had to!), but the waiter kept telling me it was fine, then tried to convince my husband...actually, his appeal to my husband in retrospect bothered me more than the bad wine...but I was tired and took into account the waiter's background. I kinda kicked myself regarding this the rest of the cruise. After that, the waiter was excellent. I left my typical tips on the S&S but the extra tip$$ at the end of the cruise was not extended to him due to this. A sommelier (sp) would have handled the situation differently I am sure.

 

I will just pay the corkage next time, plus I wil get a better selection anyway!