Wine Package????????

My wife and I are sailing on the 7/17 Fantasy. I have read about the pre purchase wine packages but can't find any details or particulars.

So, my question for anyone in the know.......... The price/prices of the package and the wines associated with the particular package.

We always have a bottle of wine with our dinner and have always brought (smuggled) our own. But if the wines are drinkable (we like fairly good wine) it will save me the hassle of schlepping 7 bottles. Plus, the $10 corkage fee might make it worth while to purchase on board.

I would really like to know the exact (or almost exact) labels offered.

Thanks to everyone that makes this site possible

The packages are 5 bottles of wine for approx 110 and 150 dollars.

There are 5 whites and 5 reds to choose from. I can't remember what wines exactly were offered and it seems the web page on carnival.com is down right now.

this link should get you there ( its down now) .. to the selection... i dont remeber them all I was not impressed with the standard selection

I do the premium pkg 150.00 .. my wife likes the pino - santa margerita

http://www.carnival.com/cms/Static_Templates/carnival-wine-packages.aspx

Btw... we never pre order... just buy it the first day at the tables they have set up... there all over the place

have fun

This is our first cruise...so, please forgive me.

The wine package is only good for the dining room, right?

Can we have wine in our room?

Yes, definitely do the premium package.

We are fond of the Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon.

You don't need to pre-order, you can buy it in the dining room the first night. But make sure you don't buy it before you sail or you will get charged sales tax.

This is our first cruise...so, please forgive me.

The wine package is only good for the dining room, right?

Can we have wine in our room?

Once you buy those bottles, they are yours to do with as you please, so you can indeed take them back to your room. Just ask the waiter to bring out as many as you want. Also, if you do not finish a bottle at dinner, you can have the waiter keep it for you for the next night, or you can take the open bottle to your cabin.

Once you buy those bottles, they are yours to do with as you please, so you can indeed take them back to your room. Just ask the waiter to bring out as many as you want. Also, if you do not finish a bottle at dinner, you can have the waiter keep it for you for the next night, or you can take the open bottle to your cabin.

Ooooo, thanks. That sounds better. I guess we'll need to purchase one or two wine packages!;)

My wife and I are sailing on the 7/17 Fantasy. I have read about the pre purchase wine packages but can't find any details or particulars.

 

So, my question for anyone in the know.......... The price/prices of the package and the wines associated with the particular package.

 

We always have a bottle of wine with our dinner and have always brought (smuggled) our own. But if the wines are drinkable (we like fairly good wine) it will save me the hassle of schlepping 7 bottles. Plus, the $10 corkage fee might make it worth while to purchase on board.

 

I would really like to know the exact (or almost exact) labels offered.

 

Thanks to everyone that makes this site possible

The packages (copied and pasted from http://www.carnival.com/cms/Static_Templates/carnival-wine-packages.aspx):

Carnival Deluxe Package

5 Wines for $104.00: Save up to $31.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

• Korbel, Brut

• Beringer White Zinfandel

• Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay

• Folonari Pinot Grigio

• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc

• Alban St. Pré Vouvray

• Rex Goliath Pinot Noir

• McGuigan Merlot

• Black Opal Shiraz

• Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon

• George Duboeuf Beaujolais Village

Carnival Premium Package

5 Wines for $150.00: Save up to $45.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

• Domaine Chandon, Brut

• Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio

• Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc

• William Fevre Chablis

• Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay

• Jekel Pinot Noir

• Rutherford Hill Merlot

• Wolf Blass President Select Shiraz

• Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

• Castillo D’Albola Chianti Classico Reserva

My thoughts (as a professional in the wine industry): Both packages offer a significant savings from the normal restaurant prices of their respective wines. In some cases, the wines on the package would cost almost as much at retail as you'd pay Carnival (especially if you drink the Santa Margarita, which runs $20-$25 per bottle -- it's overpriced, IMO, but that's another story -- in my neck of the woods). In general, the wines on the Deluxe package are ones that run around $8-$10 retail ($30-ish a bottle in a restaurant), and the Premium wines are $13-$25 retail ($35-$50-ish a bottle in a restaurant).

The Deluxe package is mainly geared for people who want nice, straightforward wines with their meal; it's made for Yellow Tail, Black Opal, and Fetzer drinkers. It's got simple, solid wines that are soft (with the exception of the Brancott -- that's a zippy Sauvignon Blanc) and easy-drinking. The Premium package is a bit more adventurous, with wines that have more structure and acidity than their Deluxe counterparts.

Are there any wines on the package that you've got specific questions about? I've had most of these as a part of my job (I've not had the Vouvray and McGuigan Merlot on the Deluxe, or the Chablis on the Premium), so feel free to take advantage of that knowledge!

Here is the wine list (posted on your other thread too). They will give you little "tickets" to give them each time you get a new bottle.

winemenu.pdf

Cork Dork: That was a very well worded response. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. So many people look at the wine package prices and think overprices because they've purchased the same wines in a grocery store for $9.99 and compare it to that. They are forgetting the cost at a nice restaurant. A bottle of Beringer White Zin costs $5.99 a bottle at our stores but I've seen it on the menu at the Rib Room in NOLA for $35 a bottle plus gratuity and tax.

Thanks for the info Cork-dork! I've always wondered if it was a good deal, but didn't know all the wines offered to make my comparisons!

Cork Dork: That was a very well worded response. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. So many people look at the wine package prices and think overprices because they've purchased the same wines in a grocery store for $9.99 and compare it to that. They are forgetting the cost at a nice restaurant. A bottle of Beringer White Zin costs $5.99 a bottle at our stores but I've seen it on the menu at the Rib Room in NOLA for $35 a bottle plus gratuity and tax.

Also, compare it to the "per bottle" prices I posted and you will see that you are saving.

Cork Dork: That was a very well worded response. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. So many people look at the wine package prices and think overprices because they've purchased the same wines in a grocery store for $9.99 and compare it to that. They are forgetting the cost at a nice restaurant. A bottle of Beringer White Zin costs $5.99 a bottle at our stores but I've seen it on the menu at the Rib Room in NOLA for $35 a bottle plus gratuity and tax.

I always choke a little when I go out to eat and see the prices, to be honest. For example, Folie a Deux Menage a Trois runs around $9 a bottle retail around here. At Shulas, it's $48. I know that an off-premises licensee gets preferential pricing over on-premises (and quantity discounts, too), but c'mon, a 4.5x markup is crazy. On the plus side, it encourages me to bring wines from my cellar and just pay corkage!

That being said, when looking at the wine package prices for Carnival (or any cruise line, really), take the price of the wine at a store, triple it if it's under $10, double it if it's over $10 (that gives you the restaurant price, roughly), and multiply by however many bottles the package gives you. If the resultant cost is less than the package cost, you save money. To use the example of Carnival's list, take Santa Margarita. $20*2*5=$200, which is more than the $150, so the wine's a good savings on the package. However, Beringer White Zin is $6, $6*3*5=$90, less than $105, so no savings there.

Overall, as I said, I think the Carnival package is a decent savings. Yeah, if you're used to drinking Puligny-Montrachet and aged Ch. Haut Bages Liberal on a regular basis, it's not for you most likely... but then again, if you're used to spending $50 a bottle on wine, you're probably not buying the $150 wine package anyhow!

The packages (copied and pasted from http://www.carnival.com/cms/Static_Templates/carnival-wine-packages.aspx):

 

Carnival Deluxe Package

 

5 Wines for $104.00: Save up to $31.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

 

• Korbel, Brut

• Beringer White Zinfandel

• Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay

• Folonari Pinot Grigio

• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc

• Alban St. Pré Vouvray

• Rex Goliath Pinot Noir

• McGuigan Merlot

• Black Opal Shiraz

• Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon

• George Duboeuf Beaujolais Village

 

Carnival Premium Package

 

5 Wines for $150.00: Save up to $45.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

 

• Domaine Chandon, Brut

• Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio

• Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc

• William Fevre Chablis

• Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay

• Jekel Pinot Noir

• Rutherford Hill Merlot

• Wolf Blass President Select Shiraz

• Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

• Castillo D’Albola Chianti Classico Reserva

 

My thoughts (as a professional in the wine industry): Both packages offer a significant savings from the normal restaurant prices of their respective wines. In some cases, the wines on the package would cost almost as much at retail as you'd pay Carnival (especially if you drink the Santa Margarita, which runs $20-$25 per bottle -- it's overpriced, IMO, but that's another story -- in my neck of the woods). In general, the wines on the Deluxe package are ones that run around $8-$10 retail ($30-ish a bottle in a restaurant), and the Premium wines are $13-$25 retail ($35-$50-ish a bottle in a restaurant).

 

The Deluxe package is mainly geared for people who want nice, straightforward wines with their meal; it's made for Yellow Tail, Black Opal, and Fetzer drinkers. It's got simple, solid wines that are soft (with the exception of the Brancott -- that's a zippy Sauvignon Blanc) and easy-drinking. The Premium package is a bit more adventurous, with wines that have more structure and acidity than their Deluxe counterparts.

 

Are there any wines on the package that you've got specific questions about? I've had most of these as a part of my job (I've not had the Vouvray and McGuigan Merlot on the Deluxe, or the Chablis on the Premium), so feel free to take advantage of that knowledge!

Wow! I have seen a lot of info about the wine packages on here, but this is the best. We get the Deluxe package because DH is not a big wine drinker and enjoys the "simple, solid" wines more. We have found this package to be the best for us, and we love the flexibility it gives us. We have done both - asked them to keep the bottle in the MDR for the next night, other nights we have taken it back to our cabin and enjoyed it on the balcony. Great way to finish off the evening! Thanks for the great question and responses!

Wow, this is very informative - thanks.

I was on the Dream in Jan. and didn't see anything about a wine package while onboard. However, we were able to bring on 5 bottles of wine and only two of us drank it, so I guess we weren't looking for it either.

I'm on the Destiny in Nov. I will def. have to be on the look out for it.

The packages (copied and pasted from http://www.carnival.com/cms/Static_Templates/carnival-wine-packages.aspx):

 

Carnival Deluxe Package

 

5 Wines for $104.00: Save up to $31.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

 

• Korbel, Brut

• Beringer White Zinfandel

• Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay

• Folonari Pinot Grigio

• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc

• Alban St. Pré Vouvray

• Rex Goliath Pinot Noir

• McGuigan Merlot

• Black Opal Shiraz

• Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon

• George Duboeuf Beaujolais Village

 

Carnival Premium Package

 

5 Wines for $150.00: Save up to $45.00 off regular prices. 15% Gratuity will be added.

 

• Domaine Chandon, Brut

• Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio

• Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc

• William Fevre Chablis

• Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay

• Jekel Pinot Noir

• Rutherford Hill Merlot

• Wolf Blass President Select Shiraz

• Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

• Castillo D’Albola Chianti Classico Reserva

 

My thoughts (as a professional in the wine industry): Both packages offer a significant savings from the normal restaurant prices of their respective wines. In some cases, the wines on the package would cost almost as much at retail as you'd pay Carnival (especially if you drink the Santa Margarita, which runs $20-$25 per bottle -- it's overpriced, IMO, but that's another story -- in my neck of the woods). In general, the wines on the Deluxe package are ones that run around $8-$10 retail ($30-ish a bottle in a restaurant), and the Premium wines are $13-$25 retail ($35-$50-ish a bottle in a restaurant).

 

The Deluxe package is mainly geared for people who want nice, straightforward wines with their meal; it's made for Yellow Tail, Black Opal, and Fetzer drinkers. It's got simple, solid wines that are soft (with the exception of the Brancott -- that's a zippy Sauvignon Blanc) and easy-drinking. The Premium package is a bit more adventurous, with wines that have more structure and acidity than their Deluxe counterparts.

 

Are there any wines on the package that you've got specific questions about? I've had most of these as a part of my job (I've not had the Vouvray and McGuigan Merlot on the Deluxe, or the Chablis on the Premium), so feel free to take advantage of that knowledge!

Wow thanks for the great information!!

Cork-dork, since you volunteered.... I'm not much of a wine drinker but when I do, I typically prefer the sweeter types, white zin & asti spumante - yeah, I know the budweisers of wine, lol. Can you list the wines from sweetest to dryest?

For anyone else, if I bring the allowed one bottle per adult onto the ship, do I pay corkage for those bottles if we drink them in the cabin?

My wife and I are sailing on the 7/17 Fantasy. I have read about the pre purchase wine packages but can't find any details or particulars.

 

So, my question for anyone in the know.......... The price/prices of the package and the wines associated with the particular package.

 

We always have a bottle of wine with our dinner and have always brought (smuggled) our own. But if the wines are drinkable (we like fairly good wine) it will save me the hassle of schlepping 7 bottles. Plus, the $10 corkage fee might make it worth while to purchase on board.

 

I would really like to know the exact (or almost exact) labels offered.

 

Thanks to everyone that makes this site possible

Our last cruise we ordered our wine through Bon Voyage...much better selection and you did not pay any added gratuity....the list is larger than what is available on the ship to pick from with the package.

And all of the bottles are delivered to your cabin on the first day so you can even enjoy them there if you want.

:D

 

For anyone else, if I bring the allowed one bottle per adult onto the ship, do I pay corkage for those bottles if we drink them in the cabin?

Corkage is only charged when you bring it to the dining room.

When I sail from my home port, I tend to bring my own wine on board and pay the corkage, because it is still less than the per bottle or package price.

 

And all of the bottles are delivered to your cabin on the first day so you can even enjoy them there if you want.

 

:D

Unless the ship is leaving from Galveston. :(

Our last cruise we ordered our wine through Bon Voyage...much better selection and you did not pay any added gratuity....the list is larger than what is available on the ship to pick from with the package.

 

And all of the bottles are delivered to your cabin on the first day so you can even enjoy them there if you want.

 

:D

I thought the same thing, but after a little investigation I found out something interesting. If you bring up the price list from post #9 the prices are different then those listed in the Bon Voyage dept. If you add a gratuity to them then they are the around the same price as purchasing them through Bon Voyage.

As an example, the Mirassou wine is listed on the BV area as $32.25 and it is listed on the wine list (above in post #9) as $28.00. Another one is Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc is listed at $33.25 on BV and is listed on the wine list for $29.00. So it seems like they are adding the gratuity to the purchase wines through the BV dept but just not telling us.

Cork-dork, since you volunteered.... I'm not much of a wine drinker but when I do, I typically prefer the sweeter types, white zin & asti spumante - yeah, I know the budweisers of wine, lol. Can you list the wines from sweetest to dryest?

 

For anyone else, if I bring the allowed one bottle per adult onto the ship, do I pay corkage for those bottles if we drink them in the cabin?

Absolutely, from sweetest to driest (note: I'm looking at total sugar here, not how fruity the wine is -- very fruity wines with low sugar still can come off as "sweet," but it's a bit more subjective).

From the Deluxe: Beringer WZ, Alban Vouvray (if it's like other Vouvrays I've had -- Chenin Blanc is generally vinified a bit sweet), Duboeuf Beaujolais, Black Opal Shiraz, Folonari Pinot Grigio, Mondavi Chard. Beyond that, they're fairly dry.

From the Premium package: (these are, as a baseline, much drier than the Deluxe) KJ Chard, Santa Margarita, Mondavi Fume Blanc, and then they're all pretty dry.

Oh, and don't apologize for liking sweeter wines; looking at the wine list (post #9) there's a number of sweeter wines on the list (Conundrum, all the Rieslings and White Zins), so you're not alone. Heck, I love me some Mosel Rieslings, and part of what I do for a living is taste wines!

Thanks so much. Hubby is much more adventurous and eats more red meat so I've tried many reds and I just don't find them appealing. Hey, at least the white zins and rieslings are usually less costly.

I thought the same thing, but after a little investigation I found out something interesting. If you bring up the price list from post #9 the prices are different then those listed in the Bon Voyage dept. If you add a gratuity to them then they are the around the same price as purchasing them through Bon Voyage.

 

As an example, the Mirassou wine is listed on the BV area as $32.25 and it is listed on the wine list (above in post #9) as $28.00. Another one is Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc is listed at $33.25 on BV and is listed on the wine list for $29.00. So it seems like they are adding the gratuity to the purchase wines through the BV dept but just not telling us.

I remembered them including it, so I almost posted somthing yesterday when people were saying otherwise. Soooooo.......

I went into the bon voyage link and selected an item in my shopping cart and here is what it says:

Prices for Wine, Bar Credits and Soda are inclusive of Gratuity and Delivery Fees and Prices may vary depending on Port of Embarkation. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Cork-dork, I am glad that I have finally found someone that knows about wine. Would you please recommend some wine for the following meals: Beef,seafood, and poultry.

I am not a fan of very dry wine or chardonnays (sp). I would just like to enjoy some good wine with my meals.

Thank you Lisa E.