While wine is available in plentiful supply on all cruise ships, passengers consider taking their own bottles for various reasons.
For some, it’s to save a few dollars. For others, it’s taking a rare vintage bottle for a special occasion.
Most cruise lines will allow you to take a 750ml bottle of wine per person with you in your carry-on when you embark on your cruise ship.
However, the rules vary by cruise line, from some not allowing any alcohol on board and others allowing you to take an unlimited number of wine bottles but charging you an extra corkage fee, usually $15 – £25 for each bottle (see table below).
How Many Bottles of Wine Can You Take On a Cruise?
Below is a table highlighting how much wine you can take onboard each leading cruise line.
Underneath, we provide my in-depth info for each one, as well as the corkage fees when relevant.
We checked the wine alcohol policies for each cruise line and some cases, rang them up to get confirmation on the finer points and up-to-date charges.
| Cruise Line | Wine Per Passenger |
|---|---|
| Carnival | One 750ml bottle of wine each |
| Celebrity | One 750 ml bottle of wine each (or two bottles per stateroom max) |
| Costa | None |
| Cunard | One 750 ml bottle of wine each |
| Disney | Two 750 bottles of wine |
| Holland America | Unstated amount within reason |
| MSC Cruises | None |
| NCL | Unlimited wine bottles ($15 fee per bottle) |
| P&O Cruises | One liter of wine or Champagne each |
| Princess Cruise | One 750ml bottle of wine each for free. ($15 per additional bottle) |
| Royal Caribbean | One 750 ml bottle of wine each (or two bottles per stateroom max) |
| Viking Cruises | Unlimited (no fees) |
| Virgin Voyages | Two x 750ml bottles (max 2 bottles per cabin) |
The most generous cruise line for taking your own wine onboard is Viking Cruises which allows guests to take an unlimited amount of wine onboard with no fees.
Of the larger cruise lines, Disney Cruises is the most generous and lets you take two bottles of wine each.
British Cruise line P&O allows 1-liter bottles of wine, rather than the standard 750ml for all the other cruise lines.
Individual Cruise Lines Wine Policies
Can You Bring Wine on a Carnival Cruise?
Carnival cruises allow guests over 21 years to bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne onboard via their carry-on luggage only.
Carnival charges a $15 corking fee for any bottles of wine you want to consume in public dining areas.
As will all cruise lines, no wine can be brought on board via checked luggage.
Carnival Wine Policy here.
Can You Bring Wine on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
Royal Caribbean allows 1 bottle of wine per person but only up to 2 bottles per stateroom to be taken onboard. This is assuming at least one of the guests is legally allowed to drink.
This means if 3 or more guests stay in one stateroom, they are limited to only 2 bottles of wine as a group.
You can enjoy your wine in your stateroom using the corkscrew provided. However, if you wish to drink in public areas of the ship the Royal Caribbean corkage fee will be applied at the current price of $15.
You can buy more than 2 bottles in the ports of call or onboard shops, but you will not be able to take them back to your stateroom. Instead, that will have to be stored away until disembarkation day.
If you take more than 2 bottles onboard, these will also have to go in storage until your last day.
You can see Royal Caribbean wine policy here.
Can You Bring Wine on the Norwegian Cruise Line?
Norwegian cruise lines allow guests to bring unlimited wine and champagne bottles onboard, although no box wine.
There is a $15 corkage fee for each 750ml bottle and $30 for 1500ml magnum for any bottles you want to consume in your cabin or in the onboard restaurants and bars.
You can avoid paying any corkage fees if you purchase an NCL beverage package.
See the Norwegian Wine Policy here for confirmation.
Can You Bring Wine on a Disney Cruise?
Disney Cruises allow guests to take 2 750ml bottles of wine or champagne onboard when boarding and at every port of call you make.
If you wish to consume your wine in public areas of the ship, such as the bars or dining rooms, you will have to pay a $26 corkage fee. There are no extra charges if you consume your wine in your stateroom.
You can purchase excess wines at your port of call and put them in storage until your last day. However, it’s important to note they will not be delivered to your room. You must collect them yourself, or they will be discarded without compensation.
Disney Wine Policy here.
Can You Bring Wine on a Princess Cruise?
Princess Cruises allow guests to bring as many bottles of wine and champagne as they desire onboard. However, they can only bring 1 bottle for free, all subsequent bottles will incur a $15 fee regardless of whether you cork them or not.
Princess Cruises Wine Policy here:
The Wine policy is just one of the many differences between a Carnival vs Princess cruise.
Can You Bring Wine on a Celebrity Cruise?
Celebrity Cruises are allowed to bring one bottle of wine each up to a maximum of 2 bottles per stateroom.
If you wish to consume the wine in any bar or dining area of the cruise ship, you will have to pay a $25 corkage fee. Although you can avoid this by drinking your wine in your stateroom.
You can purchase alcohol from onboard shops and also ports of call. However, these will have to be stored by the cruise line until the last day of your vacation, when they will be delivered to your cabin.
Read the full Celebrity Cruise Wine Policy here.
Can You Bring Wine on an MSC Cruise?
MSC cruises do not allow guests to bring on any form of alcohol, including wine. Therefore there is no MSC corkage fee to consider either.
Can You Bring Wine on Holland America Cruise?
Guests boarding a Holland America cruise ship can take an unstated amount of wine and champagne bottles on board. Although they do not state an actual maximum amount, they say excessive amounts will be refused.
For every bottle you take onboard, you will be charged a $20 corking fee, whether you open it or not.
You can bring one bottle of wine onboard from “company-sponsored shore excursions that visit local wineries” with no corkage fee. Any extra bottles will be subject to the charge.
Can You Bring Wine on a Viking Cruise?
You can take as much wine and onboard a Viking Cruise as you like. There are no limits.
Once onboard, you can consume your wine in your cabin and any public place on the ship, including dining venues, without incurring a corkage fee.
Viking cruises are the best of the leading cruise lines for taking your own alcohol on a cruise. This is ideal if you like particular vintage wines, taking whatever you prefer.
You can see confirmation of the Viking Cruise wine policy here.
Cruise Line Corkage Fees (2023)
Most cruise lines charge you an extra fee, known as a corkage fee for taking your own wine onboard. Some will only charge you if you consume your own wine in public areas of the ship and let you drink in your cabin for free. Others will charge you for every bottle you take on.
| Cruise Lines | Corkage Fees |
|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise | $15 |
| Celebrity Cruises | $25 (in public areas) |
| Cunard | $20 (in public areas) |
| Disney Cruise | $26 in public areas |
| Holland America | $20 (per bottle taken onboard) |
| MSC cruises | n/a |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | $15 for 750 ml $30 for 1500ml (cabin & public areas) |
| P&O | £20 |
| Princess Cruises | $15 (per bottle taken onboard) |
| Royal Caribbean | $15 (in public areas) |
| Viking Cruises | No corking fees |
| Virgin Voyages | $25 (in restaurants) |
How to Pack Wine on a Cruise Safely
If you carry your own wine bottles onboard, you must pack them safely. so there is minimal chance of them breaking and leaving you with shattered glasses pieces and stained clothes.
This is especially important if they are going in your checked luggage for any part of the journey if yo are taking a flight and where you won’t be able to oversee them.
When boarding your cruise, your wine will have to be taken through cruise security in your carry-on luggage, but you still need to pack with care to avoid breakage.
Here are a few bullet point tips to help pack your wine safely in checked or carry-on:
- Place in a plastic bag to capture any leakage
- Pack central, away from the sides and edges of the suitcase
- Keep compact – no room for movement in the suitcase
- Wrap individual bottles in towel or clothing
Other options include putting the bottle in a reusable wine bottle protector.
Some people pack them tight into one of our cruise essentials, the packing cube.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Corkage Fee?
A corkage fee is a charge you pay when you consume any of your own wine on a ship, typically in public areas such as bars and dining rooms. Some cruise lines charge a corkage fee just for bringing a bottle onboard, regardless of whether you consume it in your cabin or don’t even open the bottle.
Can You Bring Boxed Wine On A Cruise?
Although not always explicitly stated, boxed wines are generally not allowed to be taken onboard on cruise ships.
Typically it’s restricted to 750ml bottles.
Box wines would also pose more of a risk of being damaged in transit.
What Kind Of Wine Can You Bring On A Cruise?
You bring whatever type of wine you like on a cruise subject to the individual cruises lines rules on bottle sizes permitted.
This includes red, white, rose sparkling, prosecco and Champagne. The choice is yours.
Do Cruise Lines Check Luggage for Wine?
Yes, cruise lines check both carry-on and checked luggage for alcohol.
Security can use cruise scanners to detect alcohol.
If you are thinking of smuggling any extra wine onboard, you need to weigh up the risks of what happens if you get caught sneaking alcohol onboard. It varies by the cruise line, and some even threaten to deny you boarding in their policies.
Some people have been known to put liquor in a wine bottle, this is just one of many ways to try and sneak alcohol on a cruise.
