Which Cruise Lines Allow You to Carry On Wine?

May 21st, 2007 → 6:47 pm @ Josh Hermsmeyer


It’s good to be home. Candace and I just got back from a cruise to Alaska with two very good friends and are still readjusting to life on land. It was tough being away from our 10-month-old for that long, but the sleep and general relaxation were wonderful. You don’t realize just how sleep deprived you really are until you get to actually sleep in for the first time in nearly a year.

Still, the trip could have been better and so much more enjoyable if I’d been able to bring my own friggin’ wine on board. Royal Caribbean, the cruise line I sailed on, is typical of the cruise industry in general in that they allow no wine whatsoever to be brought aboard. A few cruise lines allow one bottle per person plus a $15 corkage fee, but that’s still absolutely pitiful for a 7 day cruise.

There are only three cruise lines that allow you to bring unlimited amounts of wine and champagne on board. A fourth, Costa Cruises, allows a “limited amount” to be brought on board, but it must be consumed in the dining rooms. The three that allow unlimited wine are Holland America, Cunard and Norwegian Coastal Voyage. Holland and Cunard both charge a $15 fee per bottle, while Norwegian Costal allows you to consume as much as you want – as long as it isn’t in a “public area”. Oh really, what about the dining room?

I love wine, but I’m not prepared to hole up in my stateroom and drink it alone, Leaving Las Vegas style. I guess you could always order room service, but c’mon, you’re not a leper. Hell, smokers have more freedom on cruise ships than wine lovers do!

After perusing the wine list on Royal Caribbean I would have gladly paid a $15 corkage fee to escape drinking the insipid fare they were offering. The most specific appellation I was able to find on the menu was Sonoma County, and the rest were from notable terroirs like California, Australia or New Zealand. Just awful.

So I thought I’d try my best to save you my misery when planning your next cruise. Below is a list of what each cruise line allows you carry on, how much they charge for corkage, and whether or not you can actually drink your favorite beverage among your fellow cruisers. The info comes directly from this article in the Columbus Dispatch and was originally published in the Washington Post, so it might all be rubbish. You never know with reporters these days ;) .

Holland America Line

Unlimited wine and champagne are allowed.
Corkage fee: $15 a bottle.

Cunard Line

Wine and champagne are allowed.
Corkage fee: $15 a bottle.

Norwegian Coastal Voyage

Any legal alcohol is allowed for consumption in the cabin.
Corkage fee: Does not apply; no bottles may be brought into public areas of the ship.\

Costa Cruises

Guests may arrange to bring a limited amount of wine.
Corkage fee: $10 plus gratuity.

Celebrity Cruises

Two bottles per stateroom are allowed.
Corkage fee: $25 a bottle.

Carnival Cruise Lines

One bottle per adult (21 or older) and only on the day of embarkation. Any other alcohol can be confiscated with no compensation.
Corkage fee: Carnival charges $10 a bottle to have the wine or champagne opened in the dining room, $14 in the Supper Club.

Princess Cruises

One bottle per person is allowed.
Corkage fee: $15.

Royal Caribbean

No carry-on alcohol is allowed. Security reserves the right to inspect containers such as water, soda and mouthwash bottles and dispose of any alcohol.
Corkage fee: Does not apply.

Norwegian Cruise Line

No wine allowed.
Corkage fee: $15 per bottle of wine bought onshore during cruise, which must be consumed in the dining rooms.

MSC Cruises
No wine allowed.
Corkage fee: Does not apply.