WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 I know Royal added corkage fees if you bring your own wine ($15/bottle?). Wondering from recent experience if the servers are actually charging? And what ship did you bring on wine? We'll be on Symphony if anyone has recent experience. PS - On a different note....If we have BOGO, then we are probably best waiting until night 3 to bring the wine to dinner, right? (We're not the type to finish a bottle in one evening as DH drinks red and I drink white) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 They tried to charge us on Adventure, even though the bottle was already opened. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, WannaCruise said: I know Royal added corkage fees if you bring your own wine ($15/bottle?). Wondering from recent experience if the servers are actually charging? And what ship did you bring on wine? We'll be on Symphony if anyone has recent experience. PS - On a different note....If we have BOGO, then we are probably best waiting until night 3 to bring the wine to dinner, right? (We're not the type to finish a bottle in one evening as DH drinks red and I drink white) They will move the bottles for you to the next restaurant! Or you can open the bottle in your room and just take a glass with you. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 Ugh..so they do charge (and even when they didn't open!). Haven't heard many complaining so wasn't sure if it's followed. Good idea to open it in our room on a BOGO night if we end up wanting it then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooked-on-cruising Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 I've heard both sides. Some do, some don't. I guess it depends on, ship, server, day of the week, full moon?? WannaCruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 4 hours ago, hooked-on-cruising said: I've heard both sides. Some do, some don't. I guess it depends on, ship, server, day of the week, full moon?? Yeah.. that's why was hoping to hear of recent experiences on Symphony...but as you say it can even vary by server. hooked-on-cruising 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Ogre Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 I was on the Allure last month and I asked the room steward to bring me a corkscrew so I could open them myself. I had to force her to take a tip for that...lol. I had champagne waiting in the room when we boarded, but we stored that in the fridge until formal night and then brought that to the MDR and they popped it there with no charge. hooked-on-cruising and WannaCruise 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownHolly Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 Man... the very idea of corkage fees is annoying. I don't drink wine, and this is another reason not to, for me. Why are they able to pull this off? It's just pulling a cork out of a bottle, no? Why is that $15?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeves Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 23 minutes ago, HtownHolly said: Man... the very idea of corkage fees is annoying. I don't drink wine, and this is another reason not to, for me. Why are they able to pull this off? It's just pulling a cork out of a bottle, no? Why is that $15?? If you bring and use your own corkscrew, then it's not even a charge for them pulling the cork out. The correct name of the fee ought to be, "Hey, we're trying to sell wine here, okay? If you insist on bringing your own aboard, okay, we'll let you, but we have to make a little money on it, okay?" Hmmm... I guess I was a little heavy on the "okay"s. Sue me, okay? (On the other hand, I have to be honest. When I was on Mariner in July 2018, they opened both bottles (one each on two different nights) and didn't charge me for either one.) hooked-on-cruising, NS8VN and MorganMichelle2001 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Ogre Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, Keeves said: If you bring and use your own corkscrew, then it's not even a charge for them pulling the cork out. Good luck getting it past security. All you have to do is ask your room steward and they will being you one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Van Niekerk Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 I have brought wine on my last 3 cruises and never been charged a corkage fee. WannaCruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolariumSnoozer Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 minute ago, Jolly Ogre said: Good luck getting it past security. I have brought a corkscrew on my last 3 cruises and have not had an issue. Jolly Ogre 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho and Barb Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 We've had it mentioned we might be charged a corkage fee but have never been charged one. WannaCruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 hour ago, HtownHolly said: Man... the very idea of corkage fees is annoying. I don't drink wine, and this is another reason not to, for me. Why are they able to pull this off? It's just pulling a cork out of a bottle, no? Why is that $15?? Corkage fees are neither unique to Royal Caribbean nor to the cruise industry. NS8VN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny260 Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Jolly Ogre said: Good luck getting it past security. All you have to do is ask your room steward and they will being you one. I keep a travel cork screw in my toiletries bag, probably for the last 7-8 cruises and never had an issue, it looks like a plastic pen if someone were to pull it out. All the wine my wife drinks has a screw top lid so I've never had to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS8VN Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 Sadly some people take great pride in their misunderstanding of a pretty common term. It has nothing to do with a cork and was not invented by RCCL. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/charge-corkage-fee Quote Guests who consume their personal wine and champagne in public areas, will incur a $15 corkage fee per bottle. Whether it is charged is pretty hit and miss, but the fact is that they can charge you if you drink it outside of your stateroom. Technically if you open it in your stateroom, pour it in your stateroom, and then take the glass in to the hallway you are subject to the corkage fee (though in that particular scenario I give it about 0% chance a crew member will call you on it). If someone tries telling you that already opened bottles or bottles with a twist-off don't count then they are just making up their own stories in their head and expecting reality to conform to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 2 hours ago, HtownHolly said: Man... the very idea of corkage fees is annoying. I don't drink wine, and this is another reason not to, for me. Why are they able to pull this off? It's just pulling a cork out of a bottle, no? Why is that $15?? Yeah kind of sucks. On our Allure cruise in 2016 there was no such thing, but they've introduced it since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 20 minutes ago, NS8VN said: Sadly some people take great pride in their misunderstanding of a pretty common term. It has nothing to do with a cork and was not invented by RCCL. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/charge-corkage-fee Whether it is charged is pretty hit and miss, but the fact is that they can charge you if you drink it outside of your stateroom. Technically if you open it in your stateroom, pour it in your stateroom, and then take the glass in to the hallway you are subject to the corkage fee (though in that particular scenario I give it about 0% chance a crew member will call you on it). If someone tries telling you that already opened bottles or bottles with a twist-off don't count then they are just making up their own stories in their head and expecting reality to conform to them. Yeah...so the debate is...do we take a chance and bring our bottles to the MDR (one for DH, one for me)? Or do we just pour it and walk with the glass to be certain there is no charge. I know people will bring a glass of wine from suite or Diamond lounge so it's common to carry a glass...guess just a pain and risk of spilling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 I look at it this way -- that $15 they potentially charge for the bottle is what I would pay for a single glass, and your average bottle gets you four glasses. Considering that the wine I typically drink with dinner goes for $8 a bottle, and a nicer one will be maybe $15, I'm still coming out ahead over buying a bottle on board. And for that corkage fee, they are doing me the favor of taking the unfinished bottle, sealing it back up, and putting it in their wine storage area with all the other stuff on the ship, nicely isolated away from the sea air and temperature-controlled to boot. And then wherever I have dinner next, I can ask my waiter to fetch the bottle and there it is! So it's not like the crew is doing absolutely nothing besides opening the bottle for me. And since I'm the only wine drinker in my family, there's no way I'm drinking an entire bottle at dinner unless my table-mates ask for a glass or two. (which I hope they would only do with the intent of letting me have a glass of whatever they brought to the table! ) So I'm definitely taking advantage of their storage service for a night or two per bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownHolly Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 4 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said: Corkage fees are neither unique to Royal Caribbean nor to the cruise industry. Didn't think it was. Still annoying to consider at all. SpeedNoodles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDemuth Posted February 28, 2019 Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 21 hours ago, WannaCruise said: I know Royal added corkage fees if you bring your own wine ($15/bottle?). Wondering from recent experience if the servers are actually charging? And what ship did you bring on wine? We'll be on Symphony if anyone has recent experience. On Oasis in Nov 2018, we brought our bottles of carry on wine for both nights that we dined in 150CP. Corkage was never mentioned and bottles were opened without questions and served without extra charge. Charging corkage is inconsistently applied, consistent with the prior replies that you have received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 43 minutes ago, DDemuth said: On Oasis in Nov 2018, we brought our bottles of carry on wine for both nights that we dined in 150CP. Corkage was never mentioned and bottles were opened without questions and served without extra charge. Charging corkage is inconsistently applied, consistent with the prior replies that you have received. Thanks. Good to hear. Did you finish a bottle in one night? And if not, did you take the bottle back with you? Or the specialty restaurant stored it for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted February 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2019 3 hours ago, JLMoran said: I look at it this way -- that $15 they potentially charge for the bottle is what I would pay for a single glass, and your average bottle gets you four glasses. Considering that the wine I typically drink with dinner goes for $8 a bottle, and a nicer one will be maybe $15, I'm still coming out ahead over buying a bottle on board. And for that corkage fee, they are doing me the favor of taking the unfinished bottle, sealing it back up, and putting it in their wine storage area with all the other stuff on the ship, nicely isolated away from the sea air and temperature-controlled to boot. And then wherever I have dinner next, I can ask my waiter to fetch the bottle and there it is! So it's not like the crew is doing absolutely nothing besides opening the bottle for me. And since I'm the only wine drinker in my family, there's no way I'm drinking an entire bottle at dinner unless my table-mates ask for a glass or two. (which I hope they would only do with the intent of letting me have a glass of whatever they brought to the table! ) So I'm definitely taking advantage of their storage service for a night or two per bottle. Thanks. Cause we wonder if it's worth it to bring our own wine if we have to add another $15, but it seems like it is cost affective ..plus less hassle with them storing the rest for us (vs keeping it in our stateroom) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyriC Posted March 1, 2019 Report Share Posted March 1, 2019 I have to concur with @JLMoran the corkage fee isnt a "removing a cork" fee. It covers them storing your wine in their wine cellar, serving it to you instead of their wine thus losing their profit on wine service (you cant bring your own alcoholic beverages of any other sort, just wine, so they dont lose profit if you want beer with your meal), it covers them being able to not just serve you wine from the MDR but from a specialty restaurant as well. Most restaurants charge a corkage fee if you choose to bring in your own wine The wine I like to enjoy they dont serve this onboard (I cant expect a cruise line to carry some obscure Napa wine, especially a pricey one). They serve the same kind of wine, but this one particular one I just like. So for me letting them store the wine and then serve it, its well worth it for me rather than having to buy a bottle of a wine that I dont know I'd even like.... at the cost of about 70-80 dollars for their wine. Not to mention if something were to happen to the wine (they manage to cork the wine, drop the wine, etc) its on them rather than being in my stateroom, if the seas are rough, and the wine took a tumble. End of story, expect the corkage fee, be delighted if they dont charge you. SpeedNoodles and WannaCruise 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 1, 2019 Report Share Posted March 1, 2019 FWIW, I have yet to be charged for the wine. I am wondering if part of it is I usually bring a wine that is one of the wine's RC sells onboard. WannaCruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marti314 Posted March 1, 2019 Report Share Posted March 1, 2019 nobody would judge you if you show up with a pour like this to dinner. Most of us would be jealous and impressed hooked-on-cruising and WannaCruise 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted March 1, 2019 Report Share Posted March 1, 2019 I've seen other lines charge immediately as you bring it on board, so think of it as corkage fee gambling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDemuth Posted March 1, 2019 Report Share Posted March 1, 2019 16 hours ago, WannaCruise said: Thanks. Good to hear. Did you finish a bottle in one night? And if not, did you take the bottle back with you? Or the specialty restaurant stored it for you? We finished the bottle on one occasion and took the remains with us on the other. WannaCruise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralqueen Posted March 2, 2019 Report Share Posted March 2, 2019 10 hours ago, marti314 said: nobody would judge you if you show up with a pour like this to dinner. Most of us would be jealous and impressed Funny you should post that. Last cruise I was on, my dad decided that he wanted to make the most out of the wine he brought on so he transferred more than half the bottle to an empty water bottle from the cabin. It was all well and good when he did that with the white wine. But when he was cheered by that success and did the same with the red the next night I resolved to get him a portable wine tumbler for the next trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted March 2, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2019 Thanks for the replies. Seems like most don't get charged? If anyone has feedback for Symphony specific, let me know. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_nj Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 On 3/1/2019 at 10:30 AM, marti314 said: nobody would judge you if you show up with a pour like this to dinner. Most of us would be jealous and impressed And this is why some other lines charge the "corkage fee" upon boarding... I could certainly see RCL eventually just banning bringing onboard any wine, as they do with beer and liquor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marti314 Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 On 3/3/2019 at 8:56 AM, karl_nj said: And this is why some other lines charge the "corkage fee" upon boarding... I could certainly see RCL eventually just banning bringing onboard any wine, as they do with beer and liquor. I think you are incorrect here. RCL did not ALWAYS allow wine to be brought on board, this is a rather new thing that started almost the same time they started their ALL YOU CAN DRINK packages. Also i can not understand how pouring yourself a full glass of wine is why others charge a corkage fee? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotleyCruiser Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Brilliance, Navigator, Explorer, Harmony & Mariner...never charges at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted March 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 42 minutes ago, MotleyCruiser said: Brilliance, Navigator, Explorer, Harmony & Mariner...never charges at all. Thank you! That's encouraging. Hopefully same luck on Symphony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_nj Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 7 hours ago, marti314 said: I think you are incorrect here. RCL did not ALWAYS allow wine to be brought on board, this is a rather new thing that started almost the same time they started their ALL YOU CAN DRINK packages. Also i can not understand how pouring yourself a full glass of wine is why others charge a corkage fee? I don't believe bringing wine on board has anything to do with the drink packages. I do concede that between now and 1968 when Royal was started, the rules around what drinks you could bring on board have changed, and i'm sure the the rules will change again in the future. But the drink packages started around, what, 2013? You could bring wine aboard for years before that, and there was the potential for a corkage fee to be charged. There was a period of time when there was no corkage fee, but they brought it back again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaCruise Posted March 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 OP here. Thought I'd report back for anyone else wondering. We just got off Symphony. Nights 1 and 2, had dinner in the specialty restaurants and so we ordered wine by the glass as it was easier. Nights 3-7, we had dinner in the MDR. We brought 2 bottles on board, but they were the same wine, so we brought one bottle at a time to the MDR (where they stored each until finished). Our servers were lovely. And happy to report, no corkage fee was charged. SpeedNoodles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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