Most cruise lines permit guests to bring a bottle or two of wine on board to enjoy during their cruise. While these policies vary among cruise lines, guests may be charged what is known as a corkage fee. What that fee is for, and when it’s assessed, however, are often misunderstood... read more
Whether sipping a fruity drink by the pool or enjoying a pint at a pub, alcoholic beverages are ubiquitous with cruising. The cost of those drinks can certainly add up, but in the past 10-15 years, some cruise lines have started serving up unlimited drink packages and other options which allow you to better manage your bar tabs and even coffee expenses. The cost, benefits, and restrictions can vary by cruise line, so let’s explore the overall concept of beverages packages, and some of the things unique to the offerings on each cruise line... read more
Drinking ages vary by country, but what are the rules on the high-seas?
Like many things this is not an easy question to answer. While the drinking age in the United States is 21, plain and simple, many guests on cruise lines are from nations with very different laws and customs. What should you expect if traveling from the U.K., or perhaps Brazil?
Let's review alcohol policies aboard some of the more popular cruise lines, copied straight from their websites with my commentary below. read more
While cruising is different things for different people, it's no secret that especially when it comes to Caribbean cruises, people like to kick back, party a bit, and drink. Even on Baltic or Alaska sailings it's a safe bet that the bars are among the most popular spots - and why not? It's vacation! For most of us though, there comes a time in our cruise planning that we start thinking about how to control our bar tabs. Some purchase drink packages (a topic for later discussion), others 'pre-load' their on-board account with cash to contain the damage, but frequently people resort to smuggling booze on their cruise.
What's the best way to sneak alcohol on a ship? Well, I'll tell you... read more