Neptune Suite "champagne"

[OTOW guy]

are real champagne not the stuff they usually give away. I guess friends sent that as a gift and not provided comp from the ship.

[POA1]

Just curious- is there a better brand in the PS when you board?

We've always had the regular cremant plus a better bottle. It used to be Mumm Cordon Rouge, but the past few years it's been Nicolas Feuillatte blue label.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We've always had the regular cremant plus a better bottle. It used to be Mumm Cordon Rouge, but the past few years it's been Nicolas Feuillatte blue label.

 

 

How did you get 2 bottles in the PS?

We used to get one from American Express plus the one from the captain and hotel manager. But now that American Express has stopped that perk, we only get one bottle.

[david,Mississauga]

The newer stuff is better than the Pol-something they used to give. You want dreadful, try Cunard's Pol Acker. :eek:

 

To my surprise, the bubbly we got in our Neptune stateroom and the lounge - I think it was Duc de Valmer - was respectable. As 3rdGenCunarder says, Pol Acker is dreadful. I can't understand why Cunard still gives this to everyone except those in Queen's Grill (Neptune-sized suites and larger) who get real Champagne.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Pol Clement is the cheap sparkling junk that HAL serves for free.

[showgirl85]

thanks for the tip. After several stays in a Neptune Suite, I never thought of asking for a swap. I will definitely try that (assuming the sparking wine is still a perk) in a couple weeks when we sail to Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

[POA1]

How did you get 2 bottles in the PS?

 

We used to get one from American Express plus the one from the captain and hotel manager. But now that American Express has stopped that perk, we only get one bottle.

 

It might have been the Amex bottle. It's been a couple of years. We also had TA bottles, but I wasn't including them.

 

We usually bring a bunch of our own as well, paying corkage of course.

Edited August 11, 2016 by POA1

[Bostonjetset]

To my surprise, the bubbly we got in our Neptune stateroom and the lounge - I think it was Duc de Valmer - was respectable. As 3rdGenCunarder says, Pol Acker is dreadful. I can't understand why Cunard still gives this to everyone except those in Queen's Grill (Neptune-sized suites and larger) who get real Champagne.

 

 

I can't believe the dreadful Pol Acker has infiltrated the HAL board now too!! There is no escaping [emoji23][emoji23].

 

 

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[corkpopr]

Oh, I remember the name now, it's called "headache in a bottle"

[TurtleDriver]

What we got is Marchesini Brut Vina Spumante. I'm not sure if it's from HAL or AmEx Platinum travel. We were told in the Neptune Lounge it was 'free'. We haven't opened it yet, probably tonight as we turn back to Amsterdam.

[kazu]

(underline mine) There's the difference right there. When you want to exchange a bottle of wine, and pay the upcharge to whatever you want, just go straight to the source. Bring the bottle to the dining room and complete the transaction with the wine steward.

Very simple; very easy.

 

Just because you have access to the concierge, doesn't mean you have to use them. ;)

 

So true ;) we always just ask our wine steward to either trade or trade up. :D

 

Never been a problen.

[Krazy Kruizers]

What we got is Marchesini Brut Vina Spumante. I'm not sure if it's from HAL or AmEx Platinum travel. We were told in the Neptune Lounge it was 'free'. We haven't opened it yet, probably tonight as we turn back to Amsterdam.

 

American Express Platinum stopped gifting bottles of wine a little over a year or so ago -- now we get 6 chocolate covered strawberries (besides our shipboard credit).

[Hlitner]

Last winter (on Oosterdam) we got "Duc de Valmer," a French blanc de blancs. Better than what they used to give. They also were offering a glass of it in the Neptune Lounge on embarkation day.

 

This "sparkling wine" is available from retail stores for as little as $7.99 (maybe less if on sale). HAL would pay less for this wine (since they buy in bulk and can purchase "in bond"). Mighty generous of HAL to provide such as high quality product to those spending big bucks on a Neptune Suite :).

 

Hank

[3rdGenCunarder]

Pol Clement is the cheap sparkling junk that HAL serves for free.

 

Thank you, I could not remember the name of that stuff. That was bad, but the bottle we had last time was not Pol Clement. The Duc de Valmer was OK. Not great, but not gross, either.