Question about wine packages

[CowPrincess]

The current plan under discussion for my upcoming "girls cruise" is to order a wine package. One of the party is now saying she "might not" be drinking wine but "isn't really sure".

 

So here's my question: if we order a 5-bottle wine package, what happens if we don't use it all? Do we get handed the leftover bottle(s) the night before disembarkation? Or is it more "you pay your money and you take your chances", i.e., if we don't drink it we lose any leftovers.

 

(As an aside, no one who really knows me would ever believe I'm wondering about NOT drinking all the available wine :D )

[taxmantoo]

If you have any unopened bottles left, on the day before disembarkation just ask your wine steward to deliver them to your room. They are yours!

[innlady1]

The current plan under discussion for my upcoming "girls cruise" is to order a wine package. One of the party is now saying she "might not" be drinking wine but "isn't really sure".

 

So here's my question: if we order a 5-bottle wine package, what happens if we don't use it all? Do we get handed the leftover bottle(s) the night before disembarkation? Or is it more "you pay your money and you take your chances", i.e., if we don't drink it we lose any leftovers.

 

(As an aside, no one who really knows me would ever believe I'm wondering about NOT drinking all the available wine :D )

 

LOL...Anyway, not to worry, CowPrincess. I bought a 5 bottle package - had 2 left over - and asked the wine steward for them the last night of the cruise. It would have been nicer if they just delivered them to the room...but they didn't. I had a couple wine skins packed so put them in my luggage.

[jtl513]

If you have any unopened bottles left, on the day before disembarkation just ask your wine steward to deliver them to your room. They are yours!

What if you don't want them because of the weight and/or fear of breakage in luggage when flying? You can't get any credit at all for leaving them? Edited February 28, 2014 by jtl513

[cruz chic]

I believe they will credit you for them. It always takes a long time for my wine pkg to be charged to my account. When I asked why they told me in case people change their mind about how many they want. I've never tested the theory.

[jaspersmycat]

Two years ago my DH and I ordered a 7 bottle package. When we realized that we would only be able to drink 5 of them, we had the wine steward change it so we were only billed for the 5 bottle package.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Last spring when we were on the Westerdam, we ordered a 5 bottle wine package and were charged right away for it.

I check our shipboard account about every 3 days.

[kazu]

Cow Princess,

 

I think your questions have been answered - yes you can get the leftovers ;)

 

But, a suggestion - if it looks like the one person is not drinking and you will have wine left over - why not ask for a bottle to be sent to your cabin or use it in a bar? That way those of you who are drinking can enjoy it at your leisure on board. We have done that in the past :)

[HALrunner]

Thanks to the disabled search option, I am going to hijack your thread;)

 

Does anyone have the current wine lists for the packages? I would like to set up a little at home wine tasting before we board next month.

 

Thanks!

[POA1]

Thanks to the disabled search option, I am going to hijack your thread;)

 

Does anyone have the current wine lists for the packages? I would like to set up a little at home wine tasting before we board next month.

 

Thanks!

 

We are boarding the Noordam this afternoon. I'll try to snap pictures of the lists and post them for you. :thumbup:

[HALrunner]

We are boarding the Noordam this afternoon. I'll try to snap pictures of the lists and post them for you. :thumbup:

 

What a funny coincidence! I originally had typed "I wish I would have snapped a picture of the list while on the Noordam earlier this month!"

 

I am sure you will have a great cruise- Mario the cruise director is a lot of fun and Mark Pells is the Hotel Director. Happy travels!

[kazu]

Thanks to the disabled search option, I am going to hijack your thread;)

 

Does anyone have the current wine lists for the packages? I would like to set up a little at home wine tasting before we board next month.

 

Thanks!

 

I believe the wines that are supposed to be included in the packages are listed on the HAL site under Indulgences - Beverages. The packages are the same throughout the ships BUT not all ships have all the wines and sometimes there are substitutions. You don't know that until you board.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are right Kazu.

That happened to us on the Amsterdam a couple of years ago. They were out of a couple of the listed wines. Thankfully there were a couple of wines that we did like.

We thought the Admiral's package was better than the Navigator's package.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Dave -- Retired Mustang -- posted the wine packages -- they are presently on the Ryndam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[catl331]

How many bottles can you have "active" at a time? I presume you could have a red and a white for different people, but what about a 3rd bottle also opened? Can people on different bookings at the table share in the package, or would that be "extending" our 25% discount to some not eligible for it?

Edited February 28, 2014 by catl331

[kazu]

Dave -- Retired Mustang -- posted the wine packages -- they are presently on the Ryndam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks KK, I came back to say that they were now published on halfacts.com - but I see you have taken care of things :)

[kazu]

How many bottles can you have "active" at a time? I presume you could have a red and a white for different people, but what about a 3rd bottle also opened? Can people on different bookings at the table share in the package, or would that be "extending" our 25% discount to some not eligible for it?

 

If you want to order wine packages and treat some of your table mates with it, there is nothing wrong with that. The max we have had open at one time is a red and a white - however, if there is little left our wine steward will usually ask which one we want opened next.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I remembered that Dave had posted them and he said that any of us could use any of the information as needed.

[CowPrincess]

Thanks for the replies, and the suggestions. Thanks for answering the question I'd forgotten to ask -- if we drink only 3 of 5 bottles, can we "downgrade" to the 3-bottle package.

 

HALrunner, no worries ;)

 

Personally I'd prefer to carry wines onboard and pay the corkage, but this whole cruise is being run by committee, so I'm taking the path of least resistance :D

[innlady1]

Dave -- Retired Mustang -- posted the wine packages -- they are presently on the Ryndam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for bringing that over, KK. I have that menu from the Noordam but no idea how to post it here!

[NanaLiz]

It would be nice if the wine choices changed once in a while, these are the same wines we have had before.

How can there be leftover wine at the end of a cruise though? I've never experienced that anytime :p

[OVgirl]

We just finished 21 days on Noordam. We inititally asked for a 7 bottle Navigator package. Towards the end of the cruise we knew that we would only be able to use 5 bottles. The wine steward said that the 7 bottle pkg would be refunded and a 5 bottle pkg added. We did get a copy of our on board account on the last day to be sure it was done properly. No problems at all.

[CowPrincess]

How can there be leftover wine at the end of a cruise though? I've never experienced that anytime

 

I know, right? A completely new experience for me :D

 

OVGirl thanks for your recent experience. I think we will go with the 5 bottle package if I can't think of a no-fuss, no-muss, no-whiiiiiiiiiiiiiining way to convince the others we should bring our own and pay corkage ;)

[Hlitner]

Lets think about leftover wine. The two HAL packages (Navigator and Admiral) are populated with low cost drinkable wines that will not be winning many prizes among oenophiles. If you have a left over bottle, and are flying home, you will need to pack up that wine very carefully and put it into a checked piece of luggage. If it breaks in that luggage, the damage will far exceed the land price of that wine (many of the package wines can be purchased for less then $10 on land).

 

Bottom line is have a nice last evening wine party and enjoy it all on the ship :)

 

Hank

[CowPrincess]

I know, right? A completely new experience for me :D

 

 

Oooops, not quite a new experience -- I left a bottle of wine behind post-cruise once, we'd purchased too much and didn't want to carry it home on the plane.

 

... and that gives rise to another consideration. If we take wine onboard, and pay the corkage, and don't drink it, we've paid corkage for no benefit. Sigh....

 

Hlitner, I will not fly with wine in my suitcase ;) I'll give it away before I do that. I'm personally such a bad flier, I'd probably have to just watch the party, if that's what ends up happening. I can't imagine how badly I'd do flying with a hangover. :eek: