Wine Package????????

[Cork-dork]

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.

 

The ideal pairings for wine and food depend on how the food's prepared -- beef ribs over a grill are very different than broiled fillet mignon, and Chilean sea bass is very different from lobster, for example. In general. I'd look for a medium to heavy red with beef, crisp white with seafood (tilapia, oysters, scallops, etc. I love white Burgundies with seafood), and heavier white with poultry (eg, gewurztraminer with turkey, California chard with roasted chicken).

 

That being said, if you're not a fan of wines like that... order what you like with your meal, and anyone who poo-poohs the selection should be reminded to drink their own wine and not worry about yours. The best advice I can give you in looking for a perfect pairing is, while cruising (or out at dinner at a nice restaurant), to order your meal, then ask for the sommelier to advise you on a wine to pair with your entree.

[cmh]

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.

 

I will be on a 5 day 4 night cruise on the Paradise and was wondering if they offer something like this on my cruise for 4 nights dining?

[qprrules]

If anyone knows, if ordered thru BV are u still charged a corkage fee if u bring to MDR? If not, then how do they know not to?

[Jimmylisa]

Cork-dork

Thank you for your input, I am going to try a few of the wines on the on both list and see if there is one that I prefer. I normlly drink white wines from Italy and they are somewhat sweet. (Mascoto D'Asti)

Lisa E.

[1theron]

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!

Cork-dork,

How do you feel about the value of the Pommard, Domaine Louis Violland at $65.75? I have never had it nor seen it for sale.

 

Thanks

[kjunea]

If anyone knows, if ordered thru BV are u still charged a corkage fee if u bring to MDR? If not, then how do they know not to?

 

Whenever I have had a bottle of wine delivered from BV (either as a gift or I ordered it), there was also a little travel corkscrew (says Carnival on the side and the cover slides into the handle to make a "T" handle for the screw. Yes, I still have mine!) and wineglasses.

 

Often, I will open it myself and just bring a glass with me to dinner, but I have brought the whole bottle to dinner and it was opened for me, no corkage. I even brought the giftcard with me in my purse, but they never asked to see it.

[qprrules]

Whenever I have had a bottle of wine delivered from BV (either as a gift or I ordered it), there was also a little travel corkscrew (says Carnival on the side and the cover slides into the handle to make a "T" handle for the screw. Yes, I still have mine!) and wineglasses.

 

Often, I will open it myself and just bring a glass with me to dinner, but I have brought the whole bottle to dinner and it was opened for me, no corkage. I even brought the giftcard with me in my purse, but they never asked to see it.

 

 

Thanks for the info:)

[CWcruisers]

CMH wine packages are offered on all cruises now no matter the length, so for sure, on your 5 day Paradise cruise.

 

Wine purchased through CCL's Bon Voyage department may be brought to the dining room and no corkage fee is charged. The waiters in the dining room know the labels.

[luv2cruise777l]

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:

 

That explains it!:) The price listed in the Bon Voyage area does include the gratuity. I was wondering why the price was different then on their dining room menu. I didn't think that Carnival would miss out in charging the gratuity!

[Cork-dork]

Cork-dork,

How do you feel about the value of the Pommard, Domaine Louis Violland at $65.75? I have never had it nor seen it for sale.

 

Thanks

 

I'm unfamiliar with that producer as well. Additionally, my favorite user-supported wine database (it's like Cruise Critic for wine!) does not show anyone owning a bottle of Louis Violland Pommard, although there are other Burgundy appellations with information entered -- Beaume, Corton-Charlemagne, Vosne-Romanee, and Puligny-Montrachet. The only one with a recent vintage entered is the Vosne-Romanee (someone out there claims to own a 2004). I also find no tasting notes.

 

My thought? It's probably a house label for Carnival. Now, that's not all bad -- I know that Boisset makes house labels like that, and some of them are quite good. From my experience with Pommards, they tend to run in the $40-ish range retail, so just under $70 on a cruise is not unreasonable. However, with no information to go on as to how tasty the wine is, I can't really offer any more help, sorry.

[Dana Deem]

We are wanting to take a magnum on as 1 bottle or 1 magnum per each of us as our carry on as our legal wines. Has anyone ever tried and succeeded? We think for a week cruise this is a good allowance. Thanks for the feed back!!

[amy86]

CMH wine packages are offered on all cruises now no matter the length, so for sure, on your 5 day Paradise cruise.

 

Wine purchased through CCL's Bon Voyage department may be brought to the dining room and no corkage fee is charged. The waiters in the dining room know the labels.

 

Can anyone give me more info on a wine package for a 3 nighter? Considering we can bring on 2 bottles, would they even offer a "package" for say, 2 or 3 bottles? Obviously you're not going to buy a package of 5 bottles for a 3 night cruise. (I can drink my fair share, but even I won't go through 5 bottles in 3 nights.)

 

Also, has anyone tried to just bring on the same bottles they sell through BV, and avoid the corkage fee in the dining room? I'm not opposed to the fee (it's $10 right?) but this seems like it might be pretty easy to do...

[kessdarln]

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!

 

I prefer sweet wines and at Epcot I had a flight of L. Kreusch, Rheinhessen Spatlese, Auslese and Kabinett that were very sweet, like ice wine or Sauturnes and haven't had any success finding anything like them since. Most are drier, more like the Ste Michelle Reisling. Have you tried either of these and are either of these sweet (dessert sweet) or dry? Thanks

 

Piesporter, Michelsberg Spatlese, Kreusch, Germany

Riesling, Selbach-Oster, Kabinett, Mosel, Germany

[kjunea]

 

Also, has anyone tried to just bring on the same bottles they sell through BV, and avoid the corkage fee in the dining room? I'm not opposed to the fee (it's $10 right?) but this seems like it might be pretty easy to do...

 

I've done this. No problems! I've also had the room steward bring me a corkscrew and glasses to my room and I've opened it there, then taken a glass with me to the Dining Room.

[willow0325]

Okay, so I'm a Carnival newbie having just booked our first cruise for Fall 2011. (oh why do I book so far out??? I suppose that's a post for another thread!) Anyway, having always cruised with RCI, they would have discount coupons for the wine packages when you board the first day. Does Carnival offer a discount if you wait to purchase when you board?

 

If I ordered a package through BV of 5 bottles, would all 5 be in our cabin when we arrive or do we request them somehow? I'm surprised to not see a Riesling on the list which is my favorite, though I can bring that with me. And I'm sorry to ask one other question which no doubt is explained 1,000 times on Cruise Critic, what size bottle can we bring with us when we board?

 

Thanks so much for being patient with me while I'm learning all the great things that Carnival has to offer! We're thrilled to be joining the "club"!

[willow0325]

Oops, one more question (though not likely my last!), where do I find the Bon Voyage listing? Thanks again!

[kjunea]

Oops, one more question (though not likely my last!), where do I find the Bon Voyage listing? Thanks again!

 

http://www.carnival.com/BonVoyage/Default.aspx?cat=Wine+Cellar

 

I think this is what you are looking for! have a great time planning!

[Sailingstagediva]

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

 

 

Can you bring these bottles to the dining room and drink them with no charge??

[Maxie Girl]

Does anyone know if you can pay for the Premium package $150 but choose 1 or 2 of the wines from the lower cost package. I like a combo from both. Otherwise I will have to buy both packages, which isn't the worse thing in the world, they wouldn't go to waste. Also, can you request one of your bottles from the package be delivered to your room to enjoy while getting ready for dinner or something?

 

Cork - Dork, I went to my local wine store with the list of white wines offered in the packages and they were able to get a bottle of most of them and they were all pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised that they were good, I am quite particular about my wine. I would love a bottle of the Viv Cliq. champagne but it is fairly pricey on the ship, $95. I pay about $40 at home. Might bring a bottle onboard with me instead. :p

 

So, if I read correctly I don't need to bring my own wine or champagne glasses, the room steward will bring them upon request?

 

Glad I stumbled upon this thread, very informative.

 

Lori

[pcrum]

The prices may be a bit out of date. On our 6/13/10 Freedom sailing, the price of the premium wine package was $160, the mid-ranged package was priced at $110 and the lower end was priced at $95. This is for 5 bottles. We went with the mid-ranged package and although I don't remember all the wines, I know it included Korbel champagne and Rex Goliath merlot, which I thought was a bit rich, considering it sells for $5.99 a bottle at our local Publix supermarket!

[ajhunt2]

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!

 

 

Can I have your job? LOL

 

Thanks for all the info though.

[ssca]

I just got off the phone with the BV dept and was told that the wine packages are 109.25, 126.50 and 184.00. This includes the 15% grat. You can not mix the wines from package to package. She said there is not a list on the web site but just read them off to me. Not sure if this is worth doing ahead or wait to get on board.

[pcrum]

The prices may be a bit out of date. On our 6/13/10 Freedom sailing, the price of the premium wine package was $160, the mid-ranged package was priced at $110 and the lower end was priced at $95. This is for 5 bottles. We went with the mid-ranged package and although I don't remember all the wines, I know it included Korbel champagne and Rex Goliath merlot, which I thought was a bit rich, considering it sells for $5.99 a bottle at our local Publix supermarket!

 

Oops, I forgot that they do add 15% gratuity on top of these prices!! My bad!!!

[pcrum]

I just got off the phone with the BV dept and was told that the wine packages are 109.25, 126.50 and 184.00. This includes the 15% grat. You can not mix the wines from package to package. She said there is not a list on the web site but just read them off to me. Not sure if this is worth doing ahead or wait to get on board.

 

There are plenty of tables set up the first day to purchase the packages when you board. No need to do it ahead of time.

[happy cruzer]

If you are in traditional dining, I suggest buying from your waiter at dinner. I bet they get the tip or at least some kind of incentive!