Practical guide
Can you bring wine on a river cruise?
Last checked October 2026
Usually, yes. On a European river cruise you'll pass wine shops, cellars and tasting rooms at nearly every stop, and most river lines are happy for you to carry a bottle back aboard. The differences are in where you can drink it and whether the restaurant charges corkage to open it.
Cruise lines rarely publish these rules in one place, so the table below shows what each line has been reported to allow, with the source. Your booking documents or the ship's maître d' have the final word.
Bring-your-own-wine policies by line
| Line | What has been reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Viking | Wine bought ashore can be brought aboard and opened at dinner with no corkage fee. | Cruise Critic |
| AmaWaterways | Your own drinks are allowed, brought at embarkation or picked up in port, with no corkage fee. | EatSleepCruise |
| Avalon Waterways | Your own drinks are allowed. A corkage fee has been reported for personal drinks consumed in the ship's public areas. | Travel Market Report |
| Emerald Cruises | Your own drinks are reported to be fine in your cabin but not in public spaces. | CruiseBite |
| Uniworld | Drinks are included throughout the sailing. We found no published bring-your-own policy, so ask before you sail. | No published policy found |
These are third-party reports, checked October 2026, not the lines' own statements. If your line has changed its policy, please let us know.
Tips for bringing a bottle aboard
- Ask the maître d' on day one. Even where corkage applies, many restaurants will open a bottle from that day's stop, especially if you offer a taste.
- Buy what you can't get at home. The house wines aboard are usually pleasant and broad; the reason to carry a bottle back is the small-producer Riesling or Côtes de Bordeaux you found ashore.
- Your cabin is always the easy option. Ask your steward for glasses and an ice bucket.
- Planning to take bottles home after the cruise? Check the customs allowances for the US, UK and Canada before you buy a case.
What to buy at each stop
Every stop guide names the local bottle worth carrying back aboard, from Mosel Riesling in Bernkastel-Kues to Côtes de Blaye in Blaye and Tawny Port in Pinhão. Start with your river guide.
Common questions
- Can you bring your own wine on a river cruise?
- On most European river cruises, yes. River lines are far more relaxed than ocean lines, and buying a bottle at a stop and bringing it back aboard is normal. Where lines differ is drinking your own bottle in the restaurant or lounge, where some charge corkage.
- Can you bring wine on a Viking river cruise?
- Viking has been widely reported to let guests bring wine aboard and open it at dinner without a corkage fee. Confirm in your booking documents, since policies can change.
- Do river cruises charge corkage?
- Some do. Avalon Waterways has been reported to charge a corkage fee for personal drinks in public areas, while Viking and AmaWaterways have been reported not to. Drinking in your own cabin is generally free on every line.
- Is wine included on a river cruise?
- On most European river lines, wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner, and some all-inclusive lines include drinks all day. Bringing your own is about drinking the local bottle you found ashore, not saving money.
- Can you bring wine on an Italy or Greek Isles cruise?
- Ocean lines are stricter. Many allow one or two bottles per cabin at embarkation and charge corkage in the dining room, and some hold bottles bought in port until the end of the cruise. Check your line's policy before you shop.
Related: Bringing wine home from Europe · Best wine river cruises in Europe · Wine festivals on cruise routes