Sommeliers on Princess

[Texas]

On our last Princess cruise in 2013 we heard that Princess was doing away with the Sommeliers on their ships. Has anyone sailed on Princess lately and know if that is true? My husband and I love the wine tastings in the Vine bar. Hope they are still doing the wine tastings.

[Talisker92]

We cruised the Golden Princess in March, and they had wine tastings. For lunch one day we had a bottle of wine at Vines and had tapas and sushi

[Flatbush Flyer]

Please realize that these "sommeliers" are nothing more that waiters who have received some instruction about the wines they carry. A real sommelier is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and you'd have to search far and wide before you find one on a cruise ship. That said, if the head sommelier on your ship is a Fresno State or UC Davis oenology grad, you may have someone who can talk to you intelligently about wine.

 

 

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[SharkieRools]

Of course the Court of Master Sommeliers is but one of many organizations worldwide offering sommelier certifications. Saying someone is not a sommelier because they don't have a certification is akin to saying someone is not a project manager because they don't have a PMI certification, or not a chef because they didn't go to culinary school

 

In any case Princess still does wine tastings onboard, but its been sometime since I've seen dedicated sommeliers on Princess

[rockdoctor]

Wine in the dining rooms is generally handled by the Assistant Waiter. I have no recollection of the speakers at wine tastings introducing themselves as Sommeliers. But they do a nice job.

[John Bull]

I've always found on a number of cruise lines, including Princess, that wines in the MDR are handled by bar staff. Very nice folk but no, they certainly don't know their wines.

 

But you only need one expert for a talk & wine-tasting, this is perhaps what the OP is referring to.

 

JB :)

[Texas]

Thanks everyone for your replies. John, you are correct. My husband and I always enjoy talking with the sommelier, but it is the wine pairings done at the Vine Bar that we enjoy most. First thing we do upon boarding the ship is sign up for the wine tastings. Always fun.

[trish1c]

It was a while ago but no matter how hard I looked or how well I tipped when I did locate the guy, the sommelier was very hard to find on the Caribbean Princess.

[zoncom]

The days of the Italian Sommeliers and wait staff are long gone.I am talking 80s I guess. They were good looking too. Now we have wine sellers. Had a lady one on Celebrity who put her fingers in used wine glasses. Ugh.She knew nothing about wine but won top wine seller on cruise.

[Laughing Angel]

Please realize that these "sommeliers" are nothing more that waiters who have received some instruction about the wines they carry. A real sommelier is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and you'd have to search far and wide before you find one on a cruise ship. That said, if the head sommelier on your ship is a Fresno State or UC Davis oenology grad, you may have someone who can talk to you intelligently about wine.

 

 

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Fresno State and UC Davis have an oenology program? :confused:

 

Wow. Who knew...

[Flatbush Flyer]

Fresno State and UC Davis have an oenology program? :confused:

 

 

 

Wow. Who knew...

 

I trust that you're pulling our legs!

There's an old saying in the wine industry:

"If you want to learn how to make wine, go to UC Davis. If you want to make wine, go to Fresno State."

There are other oenology programs (Cornell). But California is ground zero for wine!

 

 

 

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[sail7seas]

Of course the Court of Master Sommeliers is but one of many organizations worldwide offering sommelier certifications. Saying someone is not a sommelier because they don't have a certification is akin to saying someone is not a project manager because they don't have a PMI certification, or not a chef because they didn't go to culinary school

 

In any case Princess still does wine tastings onboard, but its been sometime since I've seen dedicated sommeliers on Princess

 

Please realize that these "sommeliers" are nothing more that waiters who have received some instruction about the wines they carry. A real sommelier is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and you'd have to search far and wide before you find one on a cruise ship. That said, if the head sommelier on your ship is a Fresno State or UC Davis oenology grad, you may have someone who can talk to you intelligently about wine.

 

 

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In order to avoid this sort of confusion or misconception, HAL has a great plan........ they term the person who is their 'wine expert' Cellar Master. :D No need to quibble about their title that way. :D

 

[donaldsc]

In order to avoid this sort of confusion or misconception, HAL has a great plan........ they term the person who is their 'wine expert' Cellar Master. :D No need to quibble about their title that way. :D

 

 

Which means absolutely nothing. If you really know and are knowledgeable about wine, bring it on board and pay the corkage fee.

 

DON

[sail7seas]

Which means absolutely nothing. If you really know and are knowledgeable about wine, bring it on board and pay the corkage fee.

 

DON

 

 

I don't want to lug heavy bottles. I purchase wine from the wine list. I manage to find wine I can enjoy. :)

 

[Nitemare]

In order to avoid this sort of confusion or misconception, HAL has a great plan........ they term the person who is their 'wine expert' Cellar Master. :D No need to quibble about their title that way. :D

 

 

Oh yeah?

 

I had a few dates with a girl just after college . . . until I found out she worked as a "Cellar Master". I thought she just liked leather boots!

[slidergirl]

"psst, wanna be our sommelier/cellar master/wine expert??? Here - read this list of our wines and recite to our guests." Anyone can read information about a small wine list and be able to recite it back. Doesn't make anyone a sommelier.

 

What is that old saying: you can put lipstick on a pig, it may make the pig prettier, but it is still a pig…

[donaldsc]

I don't want to lug heavy bottles. I purchase wine from the wine list. I manage to find wine I can enjoy. :)

 

 

Where are you cruising from? You can probably have it pre-ordered at a local store that carries wine. Take a taxi to the port and stop at the store and pick it up. Once you get to the ship, the porters will handle it.

 

We have done that several times.

 

DON