My wife and I never drink wine. Okay, maybe a glass every year or two. On past cruises we have tasted some red wine (Georges Duboeuf I believe) and we liked it.

We will be cruising with some cheapskates and they want to bring a few large bottles of wine on board the Carnival Victory and pay the corkage fee and drink at dinner.

Please give me your advice on which type of wine I should tell these cheapskates to buy (locally) so that we will be drinking good quality wine on the ship and so that it will be the same type of wine that is sold on the ship. (These people are into impressions and want people to think that they are buying the wine on the ship).

Anyway, all advice on wine types is appreciated.

I am a complete novice, so don’t make fun of my post. All that I know is that my wife and I like red wine, not so keen on white wine. I really don’t care what our friends like, and they only care that they are saving a ton of cash (even with the corkage fee factored in).

So, with that in mind, if you could also give an approximate cost that we should pay for this wine locally (not on the ship).

Thanks in advance

I don't think Carnival will let you bring your own wine on board, unless you were to sneak it in your luggage.

I can't comment as to Carnival, but the cruise lines I have been on that allow people to bring their own wine on board and charge only corkage do so with the understanding that it is not the same as what you can buy on the ship.

You can bring wine on the ship into the dining room...

However, IF they are bringing CHEAP wine then it does NOT pay to do so as the corkage fee is high..

However, if they are bringing rare or even expensive wine, then yes, pay the corkage fee.

We were on a cruise where someone bought a CASE of DOM Perignon champange ( I had never tasted it before) and they brought it to the table and did pay a corkage fee...THAT was definitely well worth it...

Red wine--Chateau Nouf de Pape- good french red wine.

Normally on board the ships,they serve Calif. or Australian wine.

I believe the corkage fee on Princess is $10.00 a bottle. Assume Carnival would be similar. Not sure this would mean a big savings if your friends are trying to impress and save money at the same time.

You are not allowed to bring liquor on board for private consumption, but I think wine is permitted for personal use in your stateroom obviously without corkage fee.

We love wine and have it at dinner most nights. Frankly I think your friends' idea is pretty silly. They might as well either buy wine at dinner or forget it. How to save money--buy a few bottles of Two Buck Chuck and $10.00 corkage--that would save money.