well, I think I read somewhere, the wine card may or is being discontinued, but don't hold me to that. The best is probably to bring your own on board and pay the $15 corkage fee, but for some, bringing it on board isn't an option as you have to fly to your embarkation port. We usually arrive a day early and stop at a wine shop before boarding the ship. We then have bottles to take to the table or to have in our cabin. the second option is to buy it by the bottle at dinner.
What I did two years ago on a cruise to Alaska on HAL is to buy a bottle of wine one night, and they let you keep it (what you don't finish) for the second night. Some nights my husband and I only wanted one glass each so it was great to have them cork it and hold it until the next night. We had set dining times (not free style) so that might have made a difference.
What I did two years ago on a cruise to Alaska on HAL is to buy a bottle of wine one night, and they let you keep it (what you don't finish) for the second night. Some nights my husband and I only wanted one glass each so it was great to have them cork it and hold it until the next night. We had set dining times (not free style) so that might have made a difference.
you can have them save the bottles regardless of what type of dining you have..
IMO with HAl you get the best of both worlds - you can bring wine on the hsip with you from the ports and drink it in your room and then they offer you several options for wine with your meals. On our first cruise with HAL we brought a couple of bottles with us and got a wine card which we shared for meal time. When we were finished with the first card, we decided if we wanted another and could use it brfore the end of the trip. ON the next HAL we got one wine card and one mixed drink card and again we shared them. It was a longer trip and we used both as well as the glass of wine on our veranda as sailed away. The best part is that you do not have to do it immediately - you can kind of watch when you get on and ask aabout prices and then make a decision. I thought that all had to be decided up front so was a bit frustrated. Once we embarked we found endless opportunites to get a card - so don't worry about it. Once you are on - ask questions about the wine available on the card and by the bottle and you can even opt to buy your own ashore and bring it to the table but be mindful that there is a cork fee for that which IMO is a bit high.
Enjoy!
What I did two years ago on a cruise to Alaska on HAL is to buy a bottle of wine one night, and they let you keep it (what you don't finish) for the second night. Some nights my husband and I only wanted one glass each so it was great to have them cork it and hold it until the next night. We had set dining times (not free style) so that might have made a difference.
you can have them save the bottles regardless of what type of dining you have..
NIta :wink:
We do the same as homeatlast. We always choose early fixed dining and have the wine steward serve our wine as soon as we sit down, since we like it before we eat, not during the meal. We do this every cruise and it works great for us.
(As you can see, I don't know how to post quotes)
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2004 Alaska
2005 Panama Canal
2005 Canada
2006 W. Caribbean
2006 Alaska
2007 E. Caribbean
2007 N. Atlantic
2008 Alaska
2008 S. America
2009 Grand Voyage
2009 Canada
2010 N. Atlantic
2011 Grand Voyage
2012 Alaska
2013 Hawaii - S. Pacific
IMO with HAl you get the best of both worlds - you can bring wine on the hsip with you from the ports and drink it in your room and then they offer you several options for wine with your meals. On our first cruise with HAL we brought a couple of bottles with us and got a wine card which we shared for meal time. When we were finished with the first card, we decided if we wanted another and could use it brfore the end of the trip. ON the next HAL we got one wine card and one mixed drink card and again we shared them. It was a longer trip and we used both as well as the glass of wine on our veranda as sailed away. The best part is that you do not have to do it immediately - you can kind of watch when you get on and ask aabout prices and then make a decision. I thought that all had to be decided up front so was a bit frustrated. Once we embarked we found endless opportunites to get a card - so don't worry about it. Once you are on - ask questions about the wine available on the card and by the bottle and you can even opt to buy your own ashore and bring it to the table but be mindful that there is a cork fee for that which IMO is a bit high.
Enjoy!
the $15 corkage fee is high but standard. I think I read celebrity now charges $20.00. The thing about bringing your wine on, you can consume it in your cabin. We love to have a drink or two before dinner or in the afternoon when we are relaxing..
As Nita said, the corkage is standard. Not too high in my opinion.
If you like really good wine, it is actually a bargain. I know the wine we bring on with us (we have done it on HAL & NCL) would be considered their very expensive wine at $90+ a bottle. We paid in the neighbourhood of $30-60 on land, so with the corkage, a good deal. If you drink inexpensive wine $10-15 a bottle, it may not be worthwhile. Ships have a reasonable selection, but not great. They can't store wines properly on a ship. You will see some expensive plonk, but they may sell very, very few bottles in a year.
We have also bought the wine package, which was a reasonable deal for quite drinkable wines.
IMO with HAl you get the best of both worlds - you can bring wine on the hsip with you from the ports and drink it in your room and then they offer you several options for wine with your meals. On our first cruise with HAL we brought a couple of bottles with us and got a wine card which we shared for meal time. When we were finished with the first card, we decided if we wanted another and could use it brfore the end of the trip. ON the next HAL we got one wine card and one mixed drink card and again we shared them. It was a longer trip and we used both as well as the glass of wine on our veranda as sailed away. The best part is that you do not have to do it immediately - you can kind of watch when you get on and ask aabout prices and then make a decision. I thought that all had to be decided up front so was a bit frustrated. Once we embarked we found endless opportunites to get a card - so don't worry about it. Once you are on - ask questions about the wine available on the card and by the bottle and you can even opt to buy your own ashore and bring it to the table but be mindful that there is a cork fee for that which IMO is a bit high.
Enjoy!
the $15 corkage fee is high but standard. I think I readcelebrity now charges $20.00. The thing about bringing your wine on, you can consume it in your cabin. We love to have a drink or two before dinner or in the afternoon when we are relaxing..
Nita
Actually, the corkage fee with X is $25 and has been for quite some time!
mathieu, paul's advice is right on. you can buy wine in port and bring in on board; just remember to pack a cork screw in your CHECKED luggage; your room steward should provide you with an ice bucket to cool the wine if you need to. i do this, and i just order a glass of wine at dinner. i get your distinction between dinner and supper; those in the south would get this, too. but i still advise to forget the wine cards and the expense of the first day, having had to fly. order a wine package from room service. then, buy on shore, bring it home, open with the cork screw you have taken, and enjoy. and just order by the glass a supper or dinner time. doug
I've been sailing on RCCL lately and they confiscate any alcohol purchased on shore and hold it until the end of the cruise. Hal allows you to buy alchohol and shore and keep it in your room?
I've been sailing on RCCL lately and they confiscate any alcohol purchased on shore and hold it until the end of the cruise. Hal allows you to buy alchohol and shore and keep it in your room?
not alcohol, we had it convescated when we did the Panama Canal. We pruchased some in Panama, they took it the minute we re-boarded the ship. If you bring it on in your luggage at the beginning of the cruise you may get away with it, but not if you buy it at the ports. It didin't bother us as we were buying it to take home anyway.. Wine was just fine.
Hi Everybody!!
And I have yet another question regarding wine.
We are sailing in June to Alaska for a family reunion.
5 of us, me included, are very much into the wine culture.
First, I didn’t know you could bring your own wine onboard. Someone already clarified it.
The question is: where do you get those wine cards you are talking about?
What kind of wines do they offer? Or better yet, where can I find a list of the wines they offer?
just to clarify: wine and beer ARE alcohol. so, yes, hal allows you to bring wine and beer -- ALCOHOL -- on board. just not distilled spirits under the heading of liquor. eg. vodka, scotch, gin, well you get the message. but to say 'alcohol' is not allowed is misleading.
but remember, when the scanners are INSIDE the ship at the gangway, that's where you will be caught. otherwise . . .
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Wine card / Wine by glass / Bottle wine ? What best?
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