Can you bring wine on board?

[busymom1]

I have heard so many conflicting things, I'm not sure what to believe...

I know you can't bring alcohol, so we won't be trying to smuggle any Grey Goose in our "water" bottles.

But, can you bring a few bottles of wine on board and pay some kind of corkage fee? Will we be allowed to have our wine in our room? Or is it only at dinner? Can you order cocktails or wine via room service? If so, is it outrageously priced?

And our we allowed to bring a certain number of sodas?

We've never cruised, but we will be on Allure. Help or tips is greatly appreciated. This site is fabulous...I'd be lost if I didn't have the help from you seasoned cruisers. Thanks so much!

[Queen of Oakville]

Since this is the Royal forum, the answer is no.

Hop on over to Carnival or HAL, and i will give you a different answer.

[felix_the_cat]

Absolutely not with RCL. They are really getting stringent in checking as well. Celebrity will allow one bottle of wine per person.

They seem to be allowing a half dozen cans of pop. You can order drinks from room service although if you just want plain (rum and coke) you can make them yourself from your mini-fridge.

You can buy the wine package. I don't know enough about it to give you an intelligent answer as we very seldom drink wine.

[busymom1]

Originally Posted by felix_the_cat

Absolutely not with RCL. They are really getting stringent in checking as well. Celebrity will allow one bottle of wine per person.

They seem to be allowing a half dozen cans of pop. You can order drinks from room service although if you just want plain (rum and coke) you can make them yourself from your mini-fridge.

You can buy the wine package. I don't know enough about it to give you an intelligent answer as we very seldom drink wine.

Thanks for that!

Regarding the soda...so you're saying RC will allow 6 cans per person?

[felix_the_cat]

I don't really know as there are only 2 of us. Well, yes, we do usually take a 12 pack if we can find someplace to pick one up. I suppose if you are a family of 4 and go for 24 you may have issues. I wouldn't try more that a dozen.

[DiamondMember]

You can buy a bottle of wine onboard from any bar and bring it to your cabin or purchase wine in advance via www.rccl.com and have the bottle delivered to your cabin on the first day of the cruise. RCL policy does not allow passengers to bring their own booze onboard the ship; this includes wine. RCL has a wine package, which basically allows you to "pre-purchase" so many wines throughout the duration of your cruise. The wine packages are normally sold within the dining room. Be careful though, once you "buy the package" you own those bottles, even if you don't finish them by the end of the trip - no refunds. You can always ask them to bring to your cabin so you can enjoy them outside the dinning room. As an example, on my last cruise, I met a young lady who had two bottles still in her package by the last day of the cruise; they simiple gave her both bottles and she drank them by the pool and elsewhere onboard.

[Queen of Oakville]

The RC Soda package is pretty good. I think its about $45 for the week, and gets you unlimitted (fountain) soda.

[Wando]

Originally Posted by DiamondMember

You can buy a bottle of wine onboard from any bar and bring it to your cabin or purchase wine in advance via www.rccl.com and have the bottle delivered to your cabin on the first day of the cruise. RCL policy does not allow passengers to bring their own booze onboard the ship; this includes wine. RCL has a wine package, which basically allows you to "pre-purchase" so many wines throughout the duration of your cruise. The wine packages are normally sold within the dining room. Be careful though, once you "buy the package" you own those bottles, even if you don't finish them by the end of the trip - no refunds. You can always ask them to bring to your cabin so you can enjoy them outside the dinning room. As an example, on my last cruise, I met a young lady who had two bottles still in her package by the last day of the cruise; they simiple gave her both bottles and she drank them by the pool and elsewhere onboard.

One other addition to what you have posted, if you purchase wine (or are gifted wine by friends or a TA) and have it delivered to your cabin, and you want to take it to the dining room, be aware that you will likely be charged a corkage fee (I believe it is $12) to do that. It is one of Royal Caribbean's bizzare rules that they will charge a corkage fee on wine purchased from them if it isn't delivered to the dining room.

[busymom1]

Originally Posted by Wando

One other addition to what you have posted, if you purchase wine (or are gifted wine by friends or a TA) and have it delivered to your cabin, and you want to take it to the dining room, be aware that you will likely be charged a corkage fee (I believe it is $12) to do that. It is one of Royal Caribbean's bizzare rules that they will charge a corkage fee on wine purchased from them if it isn't delivered to the dining room.

So, just to be sure I understand...if I buy a wine package and decide to have a bottle delivered to my room to drink there in the room, and then change my mind and take it with me to the dining room, RCI will charge $12 for corkage. But if I have the wine package and just go directly to dinner and ask for one of my bottles during dinner, there is no additional charge. Is that right?

[DiamondMember]

If you buy the wine package, then you won't be hit with any cockage fees. The bottles that support the wine package are hosted by the dinning room staff. Your dinning room wine stewart would be the individual who gets the bottles for you. If you determine to finish the bottle outside the dinning room, then no problem. If you have the package then you should be ok.

[Wando]

Originally Posted by busymom1

So, just to be sure I understand...if I buy a wine package and decide to have a bottle delivered to my room to drink there in the room, and then change my mind and take it with me to the dining room, RCI will charge $12 for corkage. But if I have the wine package and just go directly to dinner and ask for one of my bottles during dinner, there is no additional charge. Is that right?

If you have the wine delivered to the dining room there is no charge, but if you have it delivered to the stateroom and bring it to the dining room you may be charged the corkage fee. I say may from what I've read the waiter may look the other way, but there is no guarantee.

[Wando]

Originally Posted by DiamondMember

If you buy the wine package, then you won't be hit with any cockage fees. The bottles that support the wine package are hosted by the dinning room staff. Your dinning room wine stewart would be the individual who gets the bottles for you. If you determine to finish the bottle outside the dinning room, then no problem. If you have the package then you should be ok.

It is my understanding, though I may be incorrect, that you have the option when buying the wine package to have all/some delivered to the dining room or stateroom.

[DiamondMember]

That may be possible, you can confirm with the wine stewart in the dining room. Generally speaking the program was designed for you to take advantage of during dinner.

[DebJ14]

Why not use the corkscrew they bring with wine ordered for the cabin and open the bottle and take the opened bottle to the dining room? On Carnival I usually mix a drink or have wine from the mini-bar and take it with me to the show or dinner. Lots of people carry their drinks from the bar to the dining room on all lines.

[felix_the_cat]

I believe it's a case of see the bottle - charge for the bottle. Carrying a glass of wine or a drink is fine but I don't think the cork in or out is going to stop them from charging you.

[OklaCruiserMom]

So on the soda package, is it $45 per person or per cabin?

[felix_the_cat]

That would be per person.

[OklaCruiserMom]

And I'm guessing they frown on paying for the soda package on one card and taking turns being the one to drink soda at each meal?

[felix_the_cat]

YOu're right, but I think people do. They put a sticker on the room key so they know who it belongs to.