jaspersmommy Posted January 24, 2010 #1 Share Posted January 24, 2010 When you either buy a wine package or a gift of wine is sent to you onboard, are there any restrictions as to where that wine can be consumed? Can the wine be kept in your stateroom? Or, can it be served to you in either the MDR or Specialty Dining restaurant? Need help in knowing where we can drink wine ordered thru Celebrity so that we know whether we need to bring additional bottles onboard for the stateroom. Thank you.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 24, 2010 #2 Share Posted January 24, 2010 You can drink any wine purchased on board anywhere onthe ship that wine consumption would be appropriate. You can also have the wine sent or stored anyplace. For example your cabin steward will be happy to have a bottle delivered from your cabin to the dining room so it will be all ready for you at dinner, chilled if necessary. Likewise if you open wine at a bar or dining room you can have any leftover portion stored there for another night or sent to your cabin or another location for your later use. You don't have to pre-order if you don't want to. The prices are more or less the same on board and there is a much larger selection of wines on board which cover a wide range of price points. We do usually take one or two bottles on board with us to enjoy in our stateroom and order the rest of the wine in the dining room. You can also order from the main dining room wine list at the lounges, or your stateroom, but a little advance notice is helpful if you'll want it at a busy time as the waiter will likely have to run to another part of the ship to get it. Here is a link to the main dining room list from a cruise about 15 months ago, but the selection and prices were pretty much the same on more recent cruises as well --> click here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted January 25, 2010 #3 Share Posted January 25, 2010 If you order bottles on line precruise there won't be an automatic gratuity added like when you purchase on the ship. If you order on line, you will be asked where and when you want the bottle/s delivered. For instance, the MDR on such and such date. Or a specialty restaurant on this other date. Or the stateroom. When you get to dinner that particular night you will be asked to sign that you received the bottle you ordered. If ever you don't finsih one, you can have it kept at that restaurant or have it sent to another place. Up to you. If you have one delviered to the room but want to take it to the dining room, that's fine too. You can do it yourself and they'll just give you a chilled ( if needed) bottle. OR...give it to your stateroom attendant and they will send it over. You can take a half empty bottle to the dining rooms too, if started in your room. Anything you carry on board is for in room consumption. OR take it to a restaurant and you will be charged, I think it is, $25 to uncork and serve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykel67 Posted January 25, 2010 #4 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Great photos, Larry. Thanks for sharing! There seems to be a broad selection, and the prices are on par with what I would expect to find at a good restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwcruising Posted January 25, 2010 #5 Share Posted January 25, 2010 If you order bottles on line precruise there won't be an automatic gratuity added like when you purchase on the ship. If you order on line, you will be asked where and when you want the bottle/s delivered. For instance, the MDR on such and such date. Or a specialty restaurant on this other date. Or the stateroom. When you get to dinner that particular night you will be asked to sign that you received the bottle you ordered. If ever you don't finsih one, you can have it kept at that restaurant or have it sent to another place. Up to you. If you have one delviered to the room but want to take it to the dining room, that's fine too. You can do it yourself and they'll just give you a chilled ( if needed) bottle. OR...give it to your stateroom attendant and they will send it over. You can take a half empty bottle to the dining rooms too, if started in your room. Anything you carry on board is for in room consumption. OR take it to a restaurant and you will be charged, I think it is, $25 to uncork and serve. I appreciate this info. It hadn't dawned on me that if you pre-order there would be no gratuity added. However, do you usually tip the server in the dining room for serving your wine. We are elite; do you know what type of wine coupons there will be waiting for us in the cabin? This could help determine how many bottles I should pre-order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaspersmommy Posted January 25, 2010 Author #6 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Thanks to all who responded, and thanks for the photos of the wine list. Much appreciated. This is exactly the information I was looking for, it helps a lot. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted January 25, 2010 #7 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I appreciate this info. It hadn't dawned on me that if you pre-order there would be no gratuity added. However, do you usually tip the server in the dining room for serving your wine.We are elite; do you know what type of wine coupons there will be waiting for us in the cabin? This could help determine how many bottles I should pre-order. We usually drink all our preordered wine in the room. But yes, if we used the wine steward to serve any, we would tip at the end of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbluff Posted January 25, 2010 #8 Share Posted January 25, 2010 this really helps our planning. we love several of the wines listed and am happy to know they are offered by Celebrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwcruising Posted January 25, 2010 #9 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I ordered 4 bottles of wine today for our 10 night cruise. 1 sent to the stateroom and 3 to the Dining Room. Will we need to show a receipt for the wine purchase in the Dining room or are they pretty good about knowing of pre orders???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 25, 2010 #10 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I ordered 4 bottles of wine today for our 10 night cruise.1 sent to the stateroom and 3 to the Dining Room. Will we need to show a receipt for the wine purchase in the Dining room or are they pretty good about knowing of pre orders???? They should know - but I'd bring it along "just in case". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartcookie Posted January 26, 2010 #11 Share Posted January 26, 2010 WOW! The mark-up on the Far Niente is obscene! I hope there's more to the wine list than those 2 pages? :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartcookie Posted January 26, 2010 #12 Share Posted January 26, 2010 WOW! The mark-up on the Far Niente is obscene! I hope there's more to the wine list than those 2 pages? :eek: Whew - edited because I saw the rest of the menu. Those Zinfandels are really obscure, IMO. Thanks to whomever took the photos, now I'll know what to bring, probably a Barbera and a Zinfandel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted January 26, 2010 #13 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I ordered 4 bottles of wine today for our 10 night cruise.1 sent to the stateroom and 3 to the Dining Room. Will we need to show a receipt for the wine purchase in the Dining room or are they pretty good about knowing of pre orders???? I preordered some wine to be delivered to our table on certain nights. One night, we finished a bottle and I asked for the next preordered bottle to be brought to us...it was the day before the scheduled delivery. It got real confusing to the sommelier as there was no record of wine for THAT particular night. We ended up just ordering a glass and then started the new bottle on the "assigned night' the next day. I thought it was a bit goofy. So this time, I'm having three available and delivered to the table on the same night. What we obviously don't finish will just be held for future nights there. No worry about whne we can get them. I didn't carry any receipts, but I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea. you'll have to sign for it at delivery. Another thought. Not sure if they do this on SOlstice... But on M class ships, there would often be a sommelier in the buffet area offering wine specials for the day. Most were $5.00 off the bottle cost. You could order there for dinner, or start at lunch and then finished it at dinner. Watch for that. I know I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etoile Posted January 26, 2010 #14 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I'm a bit confused by this thread. I haven't been on a cruise in a couple of years - the recession hit us just like everyone else - and I'm surprised to see mention of bringing wine on board. I have always thought you couldn't bring any alcohol on board; that if you checked in with it or purchased it in port (and declared it or it was found) they would remove it and hold it for the rest of the cruise. Has this changed? Was that rule only for liquor, and wine is different? I was thinking of getting the wine package for our upcoming trip, but if we can bring a few bottles onboard ourselves, I might forgo the package and just buy individual bottles after ours are done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 26, 2010 #15 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I'm a bit confused by this thread. I haven't been on a cruise in a couple of years - the recession hit us just like everyone else - and I'm surprised to see mention of bringing wine on board. I have always thought you couldn't bring any alcohol on board; that if you checked in with it or purchased it in port (and declared it or it was found) they would remove it and hold it for the rest of the cruise. Has this changed? Was that rule only for liquor, and wine is different? I was thinking of getting the wine package for our upcoming trip, but if we can bring a few bottles on board ourselves, I might forgo the package and just buy individual bottles after ours are done. The full information on this is on Celebrity's Web Site at this address" http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/faq/Cel_Alcohol_Policy_07-30-07.pdf Bottom line is that you are officially allowed to bring 0n 2 bottles of wine, per cabin, at embarkation. Other alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be brought on at any time. If you take the wine to the dining room, or a lounge on the ship, to drink you will be charged a fee of $25 per bottle which is referred to as a "corkage" fee. There is no such fee if you drink this in your cabin and your cabin attendant will be happy to bring you wine glasses, provide a cork screw or even chill the wine in an ice bucket for you on request. We often bring on a bottle or two to enjoy in our stateroom or even up on deck at sail-away time. But with the corkage fee it doesn't make sense to bring wine to take to the dining room unless you have a bottle that is very special in some way. They have a great selection of wines in the dining room at different price points and at prices that are reasonable for restaurant/resort pricing which is naturally higher than retail store prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etoile Posted January 26, 2010 #16 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Great to have that information, thanks Lsimon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwcruising Posted January 26, 2010 #17 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I preordered some wine to be delivered to our table on certain nights. One night, we finished a bottle and I asked for the next preordered bottle to be brought to us...it was the day before the scheduled delivery. It got real confusing to the sommelier as there was no record of wine for THAT particular night. We ended up just ordering a glass and then started the new bottle on the "assigned night' the next day. I thought it was a bit goofy. So this time, I'm having three available and delivered to the table on the same night. What we obviously don't finish will just be held for future nights there. No worry about whne we can get them. I didn't carry any receipts, but I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea. you'll have to sign for it at delivery. Another thought. Not sure if they do this on SOlstice... But on M class ships, there would often be a sommelier in the buffet area offering wine specials for the day. Most were $5.00 off the bottle cost. You could order there for dinner, or start at lunch and then finished it at dinner. Watch for that. I know I will. When I called in my order yesterdayt I told the women to have all 4 bottles of wine delivered to Blu for the first night cruise. I said we will be consuming them in the dining room throughout the cruise. (We plan on brining our own wine to consume on our balcony). She said it would be best to have 1 bottle delivered to our stateroom the first nights' dinner (which we could carry to the dining room); and the other 3 delivered to Blu on the second night. They will send them to the Specialty restaurants for us on the appropriate nights. I'm hoping by doing it this way all will work out without any confusion. I will take a copy of the reciept just incase we need it. I wasn't aware you could order a bottle of wine at the buffet at lunch, get it at a discount and have it delivered to the dining room. That is why I love Cruise Critic, everyone is always so helpful with little tips.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwcruising Posted January 26, 2010 #18 Share Posted January 26, 2010 The full information on this is on Celebrity's Web Site at this address" http://media.celebritycruises.com/celebrity/content/pdf/faq/Cel_Alcohol_Policy_07-30-07.pdf We often bring on a bottle or two to enjoy in our stateroom or even up on deck at sail-away time. I imagine we can't take our own bottle of wine to a sail-a-way party in the Oceanview Bar--Lido deck AFT----because it is a bar:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 26, 2010 #19 Share Posted January 26, 2010 ...I wasn't aware you could order a bottle of wine at the buffet at lunch, get it at a discount and have it delivered to the dining room.That is why I love Cruise Critic, everyone is always so helpful with little tips.:) If it is bought on board anywhere you can have it sent, or take it, to consume in any other location. It is possible to start a bottle in a lounge and take it into the dining room (a decent bar waiter will usually insist on carrying it there for you). Another one for you: If you buy or receive any wine ahead of time you can exchange it if it is unopened. This will work even if it is a gift as long as it is listed on the wine list. Some gift wines are carried on board just for use as complimentary wines (like most of the champagnes given out in CC rooms and as prizes at events) and can not be exchanged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted January 26, 2010 #20 Share Posted January 26, 2010 And don't feel you need to chill the bottle you are taking to the mdr or other lounge. You will be given a chilled bottle in exchange for the one you carry in unopened if you'd like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 27, 2010 #21 Share Posted January 27, 2010 And don't feel you need to chill the bottle you are taking to the mdr or other lounge. You will be given a chilled bottle in exchange for the one you carry in unopened if you'd like. We always send it down early in the day - if you give it to your cabin steward with a note including your dining table No. it will be waiting in the dining room for you and the sommelier will have it properly chilled and ready to open and pour. That way you don't need to carry it around the ship with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjwcruising Posted January 27, 2010 #22 Share Posted January 27, 2010 We always send it down early in the day - if you give it to your cabin steward with a note including your dining table No. it will be waiting in the dining room for you and the sommelier will have it properly chilled and ready to open and pour. That way you don't need to carry it around the ship with you. Sounds like a great idea. I don't know if we will have a table #. We are dining in Blu (Aqua Class) and from what I have been reading it is open seating. If there is no table # waiting for us in our cabin I will make sure we send our name with the bottle. (Oh, the lady on the phone at Celeberity said it will be in our room on ice.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richsea Posted January 27, 2010 #23 Share Posted January 27, 2010 If you order bottles on line precruise there won't be an automatic gratuity added like when you purchase on the ship. I don't think that is correct. I ordered a wine pkge. on line for our Millennium cruise last November & it said taht a 15% service charge is included. This is from the Celebrity site: * *All prices in USD and subject to change without notice. All Beverage Package prices include a 15% service charge. Availability of beverage packages varies by ship. You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase the Wine Package and to consume alcohol. See terms of guest alcohol policy. Other terms and conditions apply. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted January 27, 2010 #24 Share Posted January 27, 2010 If you order bottles on line precruise there won't be an automatic gratuity added like when you purchase on the ship. I don't think that is correct. I ordered a wine pkge. on line for our Millennium cruise last November & it said taht a 15% service charge is included. This is from the Celebrity site: * *All prices in USD and subject to change without notice. All Beverage Package prices include a 15% service charge. Availability of beverage packages varies by ship. You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase the Wine Package and to consume alcohol. See terms of guest alcohol policy. Other terms and conditions apply. Hope this helps. Sorry...you are talking about a package. Wine/drink packages DO have a gratuity added. Prepurchasing bottles at home for your stateroom or to be delivered to you in the dining room do NOT have a gratuity added. Obviously if I'm serving myself in my room I have no one to tip. And we tip our sommelier at the end of the cruise if she/he has served us one of our prepurchased bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lsimon Posted January 27, 2010 #25 Share Posted January 27, 2010 ...Obviously if I'm serving myself in my room I have no one to tip. And we tip our sommelier at the end of the cruise if she/he has served us one of our prepurchased bottles. Stop trying to think so logically. All other items delivered to the room, I think even mini-bar items, have a 15% gratuity added. If the pre-ordered wine doesn't then that is a small discount. Personally, I'd still rather have the wider selection available on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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