Cruise lines are known to serve a variety of cocktails onboard, but perhaps you’re less familiar with their wine offerings. Don’t worry—we’ve put together answers to some of the most common wine-related cruise questions we’ve heard, for your benefit. Cheers!
I’m not a big fan of cocktails or spirits—will there be wine on my ocean cruise?
Yes, cruise ships serve wine. The general rule of thumb is the more luxurious the cruise line, the higher the quality and larger the selection of wine a ship will offer. Most ships allow you to pay by the glass or purchase a wine-specific beverage package. Select cruise lines even include wine onboard, such as Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas (more information on that below).
How much does a glass of wine typically cost onboard?
Wine prices range onboard, based on quality and the cruise line. Prices can start from $6 or $7 for a house wine glass, all the way up to $20+ for a high-quality glass of vino. Bottles are available for purchase on most ships, starting from $25+.
Some cruise lines say that wine is included in the fare. How do I find out which cruise lines include wine and which will charge for it?
Many luxury lines (think Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn) and premium lines (Viking Ocean Cruises at lunch and dinner and Azamara Club Cruises) do include wine. However, many cruise lines do not include wine, or their free wine selection varies. The best way to find out what is included is to contact your travel agent or visit the cruise line’s website, and view their standard inclusions.
If I order a bottle of wine and don’t finish it at the dinner table, can I save it or bring the bottle back to my room?
Yes, you absolutely can—that wine shouldn’t go to waste! Feel free to ask your waiter to cap the bottle and save it to be served at dinner the next night, or take it back to your stateroom to enjoy at your leisure.
Can I bring wine onboard when I board the ship?
Cruise lines vary nowadays in terms of carrying your own wine onboard. Many allow you to bring 1 standard-sized bottle per person or stateroom. Often, there are limitations on where you can drink wine onboard the ship—such as only in your room. If you bring the bottle to dinner, you may be charged a corkage fee. The best thing to do is to contact your travel agent for information on the cruise line you’re sailing on, to make sure you’re well informed before packing for your vacation.
Do river cruises have different wine inclusion standards than ocean cruises?
Most river cruises do include wine at lunch and dinner for no additional charge—for example, this is the case on all Viking River Cruises in Europe. River cruise lines are also often more flexible with guests bringing wine onboard the ship from ports visited, but again, double check with your travel agent before your vacation to learn about any cruise line-specific requirements.
