Celebrity - Cellar Masters

[rosepetals]

Has anyone had any experience with how this works? Are the wines of good quality? Are the quantities of wine selected simply charged to your account? If you have a Classic Beverage Package, is it included? Any feedback on your actual experience would be appreciated.

Edited June 17, 2016 by rosepetals

[awhfy]

Most of the wines in CellarMasters are above the Classic limit; therefore, you pay the entire amount for the glass. We upgrade to the Premium package ($11ish a day, which is one glass of wine) for CellarMasters, Martini Bar & my Pellegrino water, well worth it for us. If a wine is above the Premium limit you just pay the difference.

 

There are different wines on each ship & sometimes each sailing. I throw myself on the mercy of the CellarMasters sommelier & have not been disappointed with their selections. If you plan on taking your wine into the dining room, tell them upfront, they'll use a different glass

 

If you're talking about the enomatic machine wine dispenser, I haven't seen them in quite awhile.

 

Hope this helped

[El Crucero]

If you're talking about the enomatic machine wine dispenser, I haven't seen them in quite awhile.

 

I had a chat with F&B Manager aboard Infinity last month about the wine dispensers. He said that the wine dispensers have been removed from all Celebrity ships because of technical problems. He said they were constantly breaking down and malfunctioning. Consequently, they were removed. He said they were very popular with the guests. Celebrity is now working on a similar concept at this time and it is under development. He said to watch for installation in Cellar Masters at some time in the future.

Edited June 17, 2016 by El Crucero

[NanaChar]

The last time I was in the bar, there were enomatic dispensers. (I heard a rumor these might be going away.). These are not covered by any drink package. You buy a card from the attendant then pick what you want on your own. You slip the card into the machine that has your wine. Then you pick the wine and the size you want.

There are some amazing wines available that you would rarely, if ever, served by the glass.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

The wine dispensers have gone from the Eclipse now but on our previous sailings we never saw anyone use them. It wasn't particularly clear how to plus with many having drinks packages I think few would choose to pay for them.

 

 

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[Cruise Raider]

You can get wines from either the classic or premium package at Cellar Masters. Just inform the attendant (oftentimes a sommelier) of which package you have. As mentioned, if you have the premium package and you want a wine above the $13 limit (or whatever the current limit is), you will just pay the difference. The attendant, if time allows, will oftentimes recommend a specific wine, based on your tastes, and let you taste it before purchasing the full glass. If busy, you may not get such specialized attention but it is nice when it happens.

The classic package wines will be quite limited ... probably the same ones you can get at any of the bars on the ship listed under that package....but they do have them. I find it to be a very relaxing place to have a glass of wine and maybe even listen to some music.

[NCHPcruiser]

It's interesting that the F&B manager said the dispensers were popular. Perhaps they are however I've spent quite a bit a time in Cellar Masters and never saw anyone use them. Has Cellar Masters been changed to Gastro Pub on some ships?

[Cruise Raider]

It's interesting that the F&B manager said the dispensers were popular. Perhaps they are however I've spent quite a bit a time in Cellar Masters and never saw anyone use them. Has Cellar Masters been changed to Gastro Pub on some ships?

 

It is now the Gastro Pub on the Equinox.

We saw some people using the dispensers on the Solstice a couple of years ago. With so many people having the beverage package now, not sure if they were getting used with any regularity, though.

[Jo42]

The Glassware in Cellarmasters is Reidel which makes even an average wine taste better! Previous poster is correct though, if you want to take your wine away e.g. into the dining room you must have it decanted into a standard issue glass :(

[wallie5446]

Has anyone had any experience with how this works? Are the wines of good quality? Are the quantities of wine selected simply charged to your account? If you have a Classic Beverage Package, is it included? Any feedback on your actual experience would be appreciated.

 

There are hundreds choices on the wine list, the wine tower has 5-600 different bottles. It is a bar dedicated to wine and a few beers, tho the Som gets testy if you order a beer there. :eek: No mixed drinks at all.

 

Every wine $9.00 or under is covered by the Classic, and every wine $13.00 or under is covered by the Premium. If you get a glass over the $9.00 with a Classic, you pay it all. With the Premium, go over the $13.00 and you only pay the difference.

 

We liked Cellar Masters on the Reflection, but really enjoyed the GastroBar on the Equinox the last 2 cruises. Our now go to bar!

 

Oh, yes, everything is charged to the Sea Pass account for your cabin, no different from any other cruise line, no CA$H.

Edited June 17, 2016 by wallie5446

[kevinyork]

There are hundreds choices on the wine list, the wine tower has 5-600 different bottles. It is a bar dedicated to wine and a few beers, tho the Som gets testy if you order a beer there. :eek: No mixed drinks at all.

 

 

 

Every wine $9.00 or under is covered by the Classic, and every wine $13.00 or under is covered by the Premium. If you get a glass over the $9.00 with a Classic, you pay it all. With the Premium, go over the $13.00 and you only pay the difference.

 

 

 

We liked Cellar Masters on the Reflection, but really enjoyed the GastroBar on the Equinox the last 2 cruises. Our now go to bar!

 

 

 

Oh, yes, everything is charged to the Sea Pass account for your cabin, no different from any other cruise line, no CA$H.

 

 

 

Isn't the wine tower in the main dining room? The waiter in the Cellar Masters fetched mixed drinks from the Martini Bar on Eclipse. If they didn't then they would have had even less customers.

 

 

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[wallie5446]

Isn't the wine tower in the main dining room? The waiter in the Cellar Masters fetched mixed drinks from the Martini Bar on Eclipse. If they didn't then they would have had even less customers.

 

 

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Yes the tower is in the MDR, and it is the main display place for all the different wines. There of course is a storage area in CM as there is at all the bars on ship, for the more asked for bottles.

 

When we were on the Reflection having a table server in Cellar Masters was a 50/50 chance. When the Som was by themselves she/he would not go fetch, anything, and said so.

 

The service in the GastroBar has been 10 times better than we had in CM. They even kept the wifesters wine in stock so I didn't have to go fetch when I wanted a craft beer.

[s2kreno]

You can get wines from either the classic or premium package at Cellar Masters. Just inform the attendant (oftentimes a sommelier) of which package you have. As mentioned, if you have the premium package and you want a wine above the $13 limit (or whatever the current limit is), you will just pay the difference. The attendant, if time allows, will oftentimes recommend a specific wine, based on your tastes, and let you taste it before purchasing the full glass. If busy, you may not get such specialized attention but it is nice when it happens.

The classic package wines will be quite limited ... probably the same ones you can get at any of the bars on the ship listed under that package....but they do have them. I find it to be a very relaxing place to have a glass of wine and maybe even listen to some music.

We were on the Summit last year and were told that our premium plan would did not include the enomatic wines. And if you ordered a drink that was $15, $2 more than your plan limit, you did not pay the $2 difference for that drink. You paid the entire $15. That's why we went to the premium plan in the first place -- so many drinks were priced just .50 higher than the classic plan limit and you'd have to pay the entire price.

[wallie5446]

our premium plan would did not include the enomatic wines.

 

No package has ever included the now removed wine dispensers.

Had to buy a separate card that only worked in the machines, and not at any other bar, or if we ordered wine from the Som.

[jelayne]

Isn't the wine tower in the main dining room? The waiter in the Cellar Masters fetched mixed drinks from the Martini Bar on Eclipse. If they didn't then they would have had even less customers.

 

 

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DH gets his wine from Cellar Masters & brings it to the Martini Bar. Unless there is a wine tasting event we have never seen more than 4-5 people in there at the same time.

[onespots]

Best thing that could ever happen to Cellar Masters.

 

Our premium beverage package was very limited on available wines which could only be obtained from the sommelier. Downside was he or she was always swapped with customers, especially if we wanted a glass to take into the dinning room for early seating or not in the room at all.

 

This prompted me to purchase a $100 wine card to use in the machines during our cruise & experience some very unusual or expensive wines. Purchase was made on the first day of the cruise. Downside was the machines never worked properly & no one around to assist you. On a 12 night cruise during the inaugural voyage of the Celebrity Reflection, I was only able to use the machines up to 50% of the value of the card. Therefore we purchased several bottles of wine at dinner throughout the cruise. So much for 24 hour availability & self-service. ( assumed it was first voyage jitters )

 

We found the wines offered at the various bars around the ship on the premium beverage package extremely limited. After day 2 never asked for a glass of wine from the bar.

 

The concept of this room is great & the execution & service very poor. Later in 2 sailing on the Silhouette & we gave Cellar Masters another attempt. Once again the machines were either not working or the bottles I was interested in, were empty. Guess I have a black cloud over my head. As much as we love the location & ambience of the room, I have finally given up.

 

Delighted the machines are gone. ( why did it take so long ? )

Whatever the new concept is for Cellar Masters, likely we will give it an opportunity to be functionally.

 

Finally, we are not wine snobs & just a decent glass of red or white will do.

We have met some really nice people in Cellar Masters, just tried of having to go to bar for a cocktail, & leaving nice company.

 

John

[jagoffee]

We were on the Summit last year and were told that our premium plan would did not include the enomatic wines. And if you ordered a drink that was $15, $2 more than your plan limit, you did not pay the $2 difference for that drink. You paid the entire $15. That's why we went to the premium plan in the first place -- so many drinks were priced just .50 higher than the classic plan limit and you'd have to pay the entire price.

 

Based on our experience you are 100% correct about the enigmatic wine machines not being included and 100% incorrect about what you pay if a drinks cost more that the premium limit. You were either given incorrect information or misunderstood. I would assume you never really purchased anything over your limit or you would have been pleasantly surprised. The paying the difference with the premium package is well know and I am shocked that you did not know.

 

Now you know for sure for your next cruise.

[s2kreno]

Based on our experience you are 100% correct about the enigmatic wine machines not being included and 100% incorrect about what you pay if a drinks cost more that the premium limit. You were either given incorrect information or misunderstood. I would assume you never really purchased anything over your limit or you would have been pleasantly surprised. The paying the difference with the premium package is well know and I am shocked that you did not know.

 

Now you know for sure for your next cruise.

Not sure why you'd find it "shocking" that I did not know this. That was our first Celebrity cruise. The site does not include details. I asked a bartender; he answered and I took him at his word, as I imagine most people would. I did order a couple of more expensive wines but don't customarily audit my bill if the total appears reasonable. Edited June 18, 2016 by s2kreno

[KateWes]

 

Every wine $9.00 or under is covered by the Classic, and every wine $13.00 or under is covered by the Premium. If you get a glass over the $9.00 with a Classic, you pay it all. With the Premium, go over the $13.00 and you only pay the difference.

 

I wonder why this is? Surely classic package should be able to pay the difference also.. like every other bar!

 

We also really enjoyed the gastro bar on the equinox... disappointed to hear its cellar masters instead! Definitely keeping an eye on this thread to see what others say on the removal of the machines etc or how new ones will work!

[jelayne]

I wonder why this is? Surely classic package should be able to pay the difference also.. like every other bar!

 

We also really enjoyed the gastro bar on the equinox... disappointed to hear its cellar masters instead! Definitely keeping an eye on this thread to see what others say on the removal of the machines etc or how new ones will work!

 

This thread is 2 years old so info is no longer correct. You can pay the difference between the Classic package limit and the cost of your wine/cocktail. The Equinox does have the Gastrobar but no Cellar Masters; the other ship have Cellar Masters.

[mmsJack]

Not sure why you'd find it "shocking" that I did not know this. That was our first Celebrity cruise. The site does not include details. I asked a bartender; he answered and I took him at his word, as I imagine most people would. I did order a couple of more expensive wines but don't customarily audit my bill if the total appears reasonable.

 

Not sure when you took your last cruise but I do believe the bev policy changed sometime last year. Old policy was exactly as you were told, you paid the full price if you ordered a drink above your package limit. I can't say for sure when but I think early last year X changed to (a much more customer friendly) policy of only charging cruisers the difference plus 18% grat between your bev policy limit and the cost of the drink.

 

If the drink is $12 and the limit based on your package is $9 you pay $3 + 18%.

 

I think the roll out of this change was staggered fleet wide so perhaps your last cruise was still operating under the old policy or also quite likely - the crew member you asked just hadn't gotten the memo about the change?

 

Either way (& maybe because I'm old and road weary) it takes a lot more than a misunderstanding about X beverage policy details to shock me...

[cachouonacruise]

We went to Cellar Masters both on Solstice (2017) and on Infinity (2018).

 

With a name like Cellar Masters, my expectations regarding the wine experience were high, and may be our timing wrong. But, in both cases, I found the service below expectations and wine selection limited.

 

On Solstice, we participated to a wine tasting in Cellars Masters and did not enjoyed the experience. It was nothing like a wine tasting in main dining rooms HAL or even Infinity.

 

On Infinity, I went to Cellar Masters and was greeted with a short list wine menu, and the mention: we don’t have this one, this one, 6 times. ... The bar tender was alone and completely disinterested. I had gone to this bar to make a new discovery... instead he gave me a known wine from the premium list to get rid of me.

 

In short, going to Cellar masters, I expected to find «*fancier*» wines, more in depth expertise and suggestions to make this visit memorable.

 

Instead, I felt almost the same way I would have felt if a Martini Bar Attendant would have told me there was no Martini. ...

 

May be my expectations were too high. I will try it again on a future X cruise, but this bar, so far was my only disappointment on our last two cruises.

 

I hope it will improve!

 

 

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