We will be cruising to Alaska next week. We would like to bring a bottle of our favorite white wine with us for a 50th anniversary toast. Is this permitted? I know glass bottles and openers won't be allowed in carry-on bags on the plane - but how about in checked luggage? This is our first cruise experience, so we don't know what to expect. Ena

You didn't mention which cruise line so you'd better check. Apparently some cruise lines have policies preventing bringing any wine or liquor (I'm sure it's just another way to make sure they make more $$ off their passengers). On Radisson and HAL there doesn't seem to be any problem or policy preventing passengers from bringing their own liquor onboard. Call the cruiseline directly to inquire on their individual policy, but be warned....you could talk to 3 different operators and hear 3 different answers. Sometimes I've wondered why they don't know more about their own cruiseline (maybe need better training IMO)

The first problem would be that you are not allowed to lock your luggage and the wine may suddenly disappear..and you woud be left with an opener only. One solution might be..to put your wine only in your carryon...when you get to the airport and claim your luggage...you can then insert the well wrapped wine before it's taken to the ship and lock the suitcase then.

Now I am not a seasoned cruiser, having only take one other cruise (we're doing alaska on vision of the seas, jul 20th) but on my other cruise, I bubble wrapped small bottles of wine (you can get them in four packs if you're not too fussy about your wine) and put them in zip lock baggeies in my checked in luggage. They arrived in one piece. Unless cruise ships are now manually searching luggage, I don't see why this wouldn't work again.

Thanks to the 3 of you for replies. We are sailing with HAL, and at this point figure we'll take our chances. Thanks, and happy cruising. Ena

Ena,
You may want to check with HAL, but with Royal Caribbean, they charge a "corkage" fee of $9/bottle for you to drink this at your table. With this cost and the hassle of packing your bottle and hoping it doesn't break, it may be better to purchase the bottle while on board?? Congrats on your anniversary and enjoy Alaska! You'll love it!

We bought all of our wine while we were in South America, and never had a problem bringing it on the ship. Even brought it to dinner each night, and gave the wine steward a very nice tip. It was cheaper than paying the corkage fee, and no one really cared.

Just returned from a weeklong cruise on HAL. Not only did I take a bottle of champagne in my carry on, I bought several other bottles at the different ports. There is no problem with bringing wine and beer on HAL. If you want to drink the wine in the dining room, there is a $10 corkage fee. However, we just drank it in our room. Liquor is a different story. You are suposed to turn in any liquor before you board. It will be returned at the end of the trip. So, don't worry at all about taking wine.

Hi ~
My husband and I just returned last month on Majesty-Royal Caribbean. We packed small bottles of wine in our checked luggage. They were bubble wrapped and put in zip lock bags. No broken bottles or trouble bringing it on board. We had it in our room.

I'm sorry I just don't know why you'd risk having bottles of stinking, sticky wine breaking and spilling on your clothes when there is little chance of getting the clothing cleaned! In fact, the cost of cleaning your clothes would probably exceed the cost of the wine. I doubt you want to spend your first day ashore at the laundromat! Buy the wine on board and/or ask your travel agent to advise the ship of your special ocassion and how you'd like to celebrate it.

We packed wine in our checked bags on Carnival and had no problems. We did not take the bottles to the diningroom, but drank it in our cabin after dinner in the evening.

The reason people bring the wine with them (and especially if you are a lover of specific wine varieties) is because the ship probably will NOT have what you want, and the cost is astronomical for the really good bottles!

Holland American permits carrying wine and champagne on board. We usually pack a bottle of champagne, one white and one red wine, wrapped securely in bubble wrap, in our carry-on, which doesn't contain any clothing. We have also done this on several other lines.
(We never cruised Carnival)

I have taken wine and other liquor in carry on and never had a problem on an airline or getting it on the ship. As far as corkage fees I too bring it for in cabin consumption and not in the dining room. If putting it in checked luggage I would be sure to put it in a sealable bag of some sort...