Bringing wine on board...how does this work?

[Loriann]

We are planning to bring bottles of wine on board the Allure, and I'm wondering what happens to them while we are on the ship. If we want them for dinner, do they keep them for us somewhere, or do we need to transport them to our room and back every time? (And do they fit in the room refrigerators?). 

If they keep them, can we get to them from the MDR as well as speciality restaurants?

And is there a corkage fee? If we bring a corkscrew on board and uncork it ourselves, can we then ask them to keep it for us for dinners (if that's how it works)?

Thanks for any help on this!

[Matt]

There is a corkage fee, although it's not always charged.

Basically, you bring the wine to any restaurant you're going to (like the main dining room) and your waiter will open it.  You can ask them to store it for you, and they will mark it with your stateroom number.  Then, any other evening, ask the waiter to retrieve it.  You can take the wine back with you, if you like. 

And yes, specialty restaurants can get your wine from MDR.  Just let your specialty server know that it's at the MDR.

[NS8VN]

The corkage fee is for opening, storing, and serving your wine for you.  If you open the bottle yourself and keep it in your stateroom and only serve yourself then you will not be charged the corkage fee.  If you bring an opened bottle to dinner you are supposed to be charged the corkage fee.  Whether you are or are not is up to the server, but as you are being served wine that was not purchased on board the fee is supposed to be assessed.

[LetsTryThisPlace]

Also, I would just like to remind you to put it in your carry on and packaged carefully. Heard of a few horror stories of people making mistakes with packing. Living in a place where we travel a lot to shop I've gotten used to packaging things like that in my suitcase but it's one way to make your trip a little disappointing at the start when everything gets stained. 

[accio7]

5 hours ago, Matt said:

There is a corkage fee, although it's not always charged.

Basically, you bring the wine to any restaurant you're going to (like the main dining room) and your waiter will open it.  You can ask them to store it for you, and they will mark it with your stateroom number.  Then, any other evening, ask the waiter to retrieve it.  You can take the wine back with you, if you like. 

And yes, specialty restaurants can get your wine from MDR.  Just let your specialty server know that it's at the MDR.

Stupid question, but can I open a bottle in my stateroom, pour myself a big glass of wine, and carry it throughout the ship including the MDR and not get charged a corkage fee? 

[jticarruthers]

7 minutes ago, accio7 said:

Stupid question, but can I open a bottle in my stateroom, pour myself a big glass of wine, and carry it throughout the ship including the MDR and not get charged a corkage fee? 

As of a couple of years ago (last time I carried on wine on RCL) yes absolutely. I don't think anything has changed but defer to my co-posters to correct me. AFAIK corkage fee is only applied if you have an employee doing the opening/pouring/storing.

[NS8VN]

Technical Answer: No, the rules state that personal wine consumed in a public area is to be charged the corkage fee.

Candid Answer: Nobody is going to ask where you got a glass of wine you are carrying around.

[accio7]

9 minutes ago, jticarruthers said:

As of a couple of years ago (last time I carried on wine on RCL) yes absolutely. I don't think anything has changed but defer to my co-posters to correct me. AFAIK corkage fee is only applied if you have an employee doing the opening/pouring/storing.

This is what I have read on Cruise Critic as well. I honestly don't drink a ton, but I enjoy having a glass of wine with dinner or poolside at sailaway :) I'm glad Royal will allow me to bring two bottles of wine with me and not charge me to open the bottle in my stateroom.