Are you wondering if you can bring a corkscrew on a cruise ship? There are a lot of rumours online about whether or not this allowed? There seems to be confusion over whether a corkscrew is considered a weapon or whether they are banned so you don’t get around the corkage fees that some cruises have. We have reached out to all of the major cruise lines to find out whether or not you can bring a wine opener on a cruise ship. And for cases when they are we have listed the best alternatives to traveling with a corkscrew that will be allowed.
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The rules about whether you can bring a corkscrew on a cruise ship?
We often get questions on whether or not corkscrews are on the things not to pack for a cruise list. Part of the confusion over whether or not corkscrews are allowed on cruise ships probably stems from the fact that TSA (and other international equivalents) ban most corkscrews on flights.
The reason for this ban in airports is because that some corkscrews have blades on them which definitely fall into the weapon category. This blade is usually used for cutting the foil around the cork.But you can get corkscrews without this feature.
However on cruises no one line has come out and categorically said that this is the reason for their partial ban on cruise ship. In fact it depends on the cruise ship and cruise line as to whether or not they are allowed which further adds to people’s confusion on the matter.
It is worth noting however that there are some corkscrews on the market that are either completely made of plastic or that are made without the blade. So are these types of corkscrews banned?
While many cruise lines (though not all) allow for you to bring alcohol onboard – usually wine or champagne in a limited quantity (please check your cruise line website for more information). Some cruise lines will still charge you a corkage fee even if you decide to drink the alcohol in your stateroom. In these instances it is reasonable to think that the ban of corkscrews on cruise ships is connected to people not being able to get around corkage fees.
So now we know the potential reasons behind the partial ban of corkscrews on cruise ship we go through the list of each cruise ship and their stance on bringing corkscrews on board.
Can you bring a wine opener on a cruise ship – a line by line overview
Note: While we have reached out to all of the major cruise lines regarding their policies on corkscrews in some instances even the cruise line customer service couldn’t answer this question definitively so there is always a chance that if you do take one it could be confiscated on embarkation.
Having said that here is the responses that we got from each individual line when asked.
Can I bring a corkscrew on a Carnival cruise?
The Carnival Customer service team has confirmed to us online that corkscrews are permitted to be brought on board.
Can I bring a corkscrew on a Disney cruise?
The customer service team at Disney cruise line have confirmed to me that you may bring your own corkscrew onboard. However this can only be used in your stateroom. For any alcohol you bring onboard with you to be consumed outside of your cabin in the main dining room say will be subject to a $25USD corkage fee which will be charged to your onboard
Can I bring a corkscrew on a Holland America cruise?
The response we got from Holland America’s customer service team was that you should just use the corkscrews that are available for you on board.
Can I bring a corkscrew on a Norwegian cruise ship?
Norwegian cruise line (NCL) customer service team couldn’t confirm 100% the company policy on corkscrews however they believed that corkscrews aren’t allowed.
However it is believed that their stance is based on their policy on brought on alcohol and corkage fees rather than concerns about corkscrews being a weapon.
Although alcohol can be brought onboard in limited quantities on a cruise ship, Norwegian unlike other cruise lines charges you a corkage fee on the bottles you bring onboard. This charge is applicable to bottles being drunk both in dining rooms and public spaces Aswell as in your stateroom/cabin.
Can I bring a corkscrew on a P&O cruise?
P & O cruises have yet to confirm their policy on cruise ships. Once we have received this then we will update this post.
Can I bring a corkscrew on a Princess cruise?
Yes you are allowed to bring a corkscrew on a Princess Cruise. Princesses cruises customer service team have confirmed that corkscrews are on their allowed items list.
Can you bring a corkscrew on Royal Caribbean?
In answer to can you bring a corkscrew on Royal Caribbean ships the response we got from their customer service team is no you can not bring a corkscrew on board.
However once you have embarked and your are in your stateroom your cabin steward will be happy to bring you one. Therefore although not allowed to be brought on board you should have easy access to once you have embarked.
Alternatives to Corkscrews on Cruise Ships
If you are still concerned about your corkscrew being turned away at the port (as even where we have received confirmation on cruise lines stances) as they security teams do have some autonomy especially when customer safety is involved.
The best alternatives therefore are:
Plastic Corkscrews
There are plastic corkscrews which do not have blades which are a great alternative to metal corkscrews.
I wouldn’t rely on this at home as my permanent corkscrew but should be find for travel or
Screw Cap Wine
Only bring on screw cap wines. By only brining on board screw cap wines for consumption in cabin and elsewhere you remove the need for a corkscrew. This is especially important if you want to drink your wine on the first day.
Although cabin stewards are very accommodating and always try their best to accommodate guest requests it can take longer on embarkation day when they have lots of requests and luggage to sort.
So there you have it our guide to taking a corkscrew on a cruise ship. We hope you found this helpful but if there is a cruise line we missed from the above list that you would like included drop us a message before and we will happily add it.
Next Reads: Looking for more cruise related wardrobe and packing advice? Be sure to check out our cruise packing list guides: