Wine Serving during Dinner

[graphicgal]

A couple of years ago we were newbies on the Island Princess to Alaska and had an incident in the dining room that was quite embarassing. At home, we always order a bottle of wine with dinner and prefer to pour our own. On this cruise we had a terrible kerfuffle with the waiter over who was going to pour the wine: him or us. It was a huge problem evidently because even his supervisor got involved.

 

First of all, he placed the wine a very long distance from the table, certainly out of our reach, and never ON the table. Then he poured very large servings nearly filling the glass, which we knew would empty the entire bottle in a short time. I'm sure it was convenient for him because he would not have to keep watch to see if our glasses were empty. But it would have been so much more convenient if he had let us pour our own. Then he would not have needed to keep watch.

 

It was quite embarassing for us as well as the waiter. We were not aware of any protocol requiring us to let the waiter pour our wine. No one explained anything to us at the time so we were unsure if the problem was our expectations or the waiter's mistake, and we never heard any more about it.

 

Is there any official "policy" that would cause this to happen or was it just that particular server? We are going again in January on the Emerald and I would like to avoid a repeat.

[shredie]

Once we were having dinner and DH poured himself another glass of wine. The waiter rushed over and took the bottle from his hand and told him it was not his job to pour his own wine. Then he chastised the junior waiter for not being there to do the pouring. We found it very uncomfortable, as if we had gotten the junior waiter in trouble. Now, DH looks around to see if anyone is looking before he picks up the bottle. As you say, it's good to pour out your own glass to get as much as you want without having to wait for a waiter to appear and telling him when to stop pouring.

[GUT2407]

Perhaps they are worried that if everyone starts pouring their own, assistant waiters will become a thing of the past.

[Thrak]

Try putting your own napkin in your lap! Pouring the wine for you is one of their "upscale" things just like putting the napkin in your lap. Neither is worth getting upset about. Enjoy your cruise and accept the wine pouring as a bit of pampering - whether it feels that way or not.

[GUT2407]

Try putting your own napkin in your lap! Pouring the wine for you is one of their "upscale" things just like putting the napkin in your lap. Neither is worth getting upset about. Enjoy your cruise and accept the wine pouring as a bit of pampering - whether it feels that way or not.

 

I always put my own napkin on my lap.

 

Told the jnr waiter last cruise that he was just trying to play with my leg, he liked that one.

[Colo Cruiser]

If there is a policy I don't think it followed. We have seen it served several different ways over the last 4 cruises this year.

[graphicgal]

Try putting your own napkin in your lap! Pouring the wine for you is one of their "upscale" things just like putting the napkin in your lap. Neither is worth getting upset about. Enjoy your cruise and accept the wine pouring as a bit of pampering - whether it feels that way or not.

 

Well it could be something to get upset about if we had wanted the bottle to last throughout dinner without having to purchase a second one. Or that we might have preferred to drink only half of it and save the remainder for another meal. Either way, no one asked our preferences, and they should have.

[capriccio]

Well it could be something to get upset about if we had wanted the bottle to last throughout dinner without having to purchase a second one. Or that we might have preferred to drink only half of it and save the remainder for another meal. Either way, no one asked our preferences, and they should have.

 

Wouldn't you have just told him "no thank you, we're going to save the remainder for tomorrow's dinner?" Then he wouldn't have poured it.

[graphicgal]

Wouldn't you have just told him "no thank you, we're going to save the remainder for tomorrow's dinner?" Then he wouldn't have poured it.

 

If it's truly "upscale" service, I would say no to your question. However, my original question had more to do with how it was handled and the embarassment everyone suffered because we just didn't know. The error was committed only once and the server's reaction was over the top. Nothing was explained to us. And we still don't know if the error was ours or the waiter's.

 

Next time we will speak up at the beginning just in case it's a company-wide policy.

[oskidunker]

I had bad service including no wine pouring and the bottle put far from the table on a cruise to Mexico last April. When I got up and took the bottle,the waiter ran over and I firmly said'forget it,I am pouring the wine"

 

They did not like it but to bad since they left empty glasses fir over 10 minutes.

 

There are too many tables assigned to each waiter. End of Story.

[davekathy]

Try putting your own napkin in your lap! Pouring the wine for you is one of their "upscale" things just like putting the napkin in your lap. Neither is worth getting upset about. Enjoy your cruise and accept the wine pouring as a bit of pampering - whether it feels that way or not.

 

Thanks for the laugh and agree.

[VTX-AL]

We like to "go at our own pace" as well when pouring and drinking the wine. After the initial glass is poured we simply politely advise the waiter that we will take care of it ourselves from then on. Applies whether on a cruise ship or in a restaurant.

 

...VTX-Al

[MaynrdG]

Just back from the Royal Princess 10-day on Sunday. Service in the main dining room was so bad that if we had waited for any of the wait staff to pour our wine for us the bottle would still be there. Poured our own and nobody even noticed.

[westwind6371]

Hi Graphicgal;

 

We will be on the Emerald, hope we share a table!

 

One of the reasons we prefer Traditional dining, is our wait staff usually picks up on our preferences in a very short time. We usually bring or order a bottle or more, (red and a white) depending on the menu, with each dinner. If our needs are out of sync with the wait staff after the first night, I have a quick discussion with our waiter, in private, on our preferences. If they appear very busy, I offer to do the pouring myself, if that will help them. Most wait staff really want to give great service, differences in expectations and service received are usually solved with a little friendly communication. Of course we reward outstanding service at the end of the cruise.

 

A good waiter should never make the guests feel uncomfortable. Sounds like your waiter on the Alaska cruise needed a little training in that area.

 

Fair winds

Dave

[Griller]

At Chef's Table the waiters always insist on pouring the wine, they kept the bottle on a buffet, trouble was they poured only about an inch at a time, hardly a mouthful.

I had quite a discussion with them about pouring a fuller glass for me but they were very reluctant, of course the wine is not charged extra for at Chef's Table so the less they pour the less it costs Princess.

So we don't do Chef's Table any more, what with that and the fact its nearly always veal on the menu which we don't like.

[Bruinboy]

Graphical, great, great, great post. My wife and I really enjoy wine. We have a wine cellar at home and usually have wine five or six times a week. I would prefer the bottle left on our table after the initial pour. If the server does not get to refilling our glass in a timely manner, I want the freedom to do so. West wind, your tip about discussing your preferences with the waiter was something I had not considered. I certainly will the first night as we prefer Traditional dining. Thanks, both of you.

 

Richard

[graphicgal]

Graphical, great, great, great post. My wife and I really enjoy wine. We have a wine cellar at home and usually have wine five or six times a week. I would prefer the bottle left on our table after the initial pour. If the server does not get to refilling our glass in a timely manner, I want the freedom to do so. West wind, your tip about discussing your preferences with the waiter was something I had not considered. I certainly will the first night as we prefer Traditional dining. Thanks, both of you.

 

Some good ideas here. Thanks to everyone for some excellent suggestions. We will try discussing with the waiter first. This cruise we are doing traditional dining which should make it much easier having the same waiter each evening.

[iceleven]

In the dining room generally white wine is kept in a bucket with ice and often that bucket is shared with a nearby table. In that case, I have no problem with relegating that bottle to the waiter to serve. Having to reach over to the bucket, wiping the bottle down with (what?) can be a bit clumsy. They generally will nod and ask for approval if/when you want another glass poured. However, when it comes to red wine, I prefer either myself or my husband control the pour as a good wine does need to breath in the glass and short pours tend to be preferable. Talking to your waiter ahead of time should prevent any confusion for all involved.

[billyball69]

We were on the Ruby to Hawaii in November. The waiter and assistant waiter were both busy at nearby tables so I poured wine for myself and a table mate. The waiter came rushing over and informed me that was his job and I was not to pour the wine. I told him you appeared to be busy so I thought I would just pour the wine myself. He said he is in trouble because of this. I asked to talk to whomever chastised him but he asked me not to do that. We have cruised a lot and this is the first time this has happened.

[luckymike]

If the head waiter sees a passenger pouring his own wine, then the waiter or asistant waiter will get in trouble with the head waiter.

We always advise the head waiter that we will pour out wine and also advise our waitstaff that the head waiter has been informed.... We've never has issues over this matter.:):)

[pris993]

You are the customer, you can insist that the wine be put in a bucket at your table if white, or on the table if red. My dh worked in the industry and always does so. He pours his own wine when he wishes, if waiter occupied and does not let the waiter pour more wine then we want. Don't let the staff make you feel guilty for enjoying yourself.

[keithm]

A couple of years ago we were newbies on the Island Princess to Alaska and had an incident in the dining room that was quite embarassing. At home, we always order a bottle of wine with dinner and prefer to pour our own. On this cruise we had a terrible kerfuffle with the waiter over who was going to pour the wine: him or us. It was a huge problem evidently because even his supervisor got involved.

 

First of all, he placed the wine a very long distance from the table, certainly out of our reach, and never ON the table. Then he poured very large servings nearly filling the glass, which we knew would empty the entire bottle in a short time. I'm sure it was convenient for him because he would not have to keep watch to see if our glasses were empty. But it would have been so much more convenient if he had let us pour our own. Then he would not have needed to keep watch.

 

It was quite embarassing for us as well as the waiter. We were not aware of any protocol requiring us to let the waiter pour our wine. No one explained anything to us at the time so we were unsure if the problem was our expectations or the waiter's mistake, and we never heard any more about it.

 

Is there any official "policy" that would cause this to happen or was it just that particular server? We are going again in January on the Emerald and I would like to avoid a repeat.

Judging by your post, if you've ever dined in a fine restaurant(which seems doubtful)The wine is always poured by the waiter/Sommelier. It is in a ice bucket(if a white wine) This IS standard procedure on ANY cruise ship or decent restaurant. Just let the staff do their job!

[keithm]

At Chef's Table the waiters always insist on pouring the wine, they kept the bottle on a buffet, trouble was they poured only about an inch at a time, hardly a mouthful.

I had quite a discussion with them about pouring a fuller glass for me but they were very reluctant, of course the wine is not charged extra for at Chef's Table so the less they pour the less it costs Princess.

So we don't do Chef's Table any more, what with that and the fact its nearly always veal on the menu which we don't like.

An inch hardly a mouthful? A good wine is to be savored, not downed like a 2 buck chuck!

[oskidunker]

Actually I am coming to dread this confrontation. They simply do not have enough staff. They should give up this policy and let us pour our own wine.

[keithm]

Actually I am coming to dread this confrontation. They simply do not have enough staff. They should give up this policy and let us pour our own wine.

I totally agree that staff seems to be getting cut(didn't see it on Celebrity as yet)but we still let the staff pour our wine.