How much wine is included in Classic package?

[chris_kelowna]

We are new to Celebrity and will be traveling to Antarctica in Jan 18. I have been able to find a wine list for the Classic package but I have no idea how much wine the package includes. Is it a number of bottles? Glasses? Sorry if this has been covered before but I have not been able to find. Thanks

[Sheeba67]

We are new to Celebrity and will be traveling to Antarctica in Jan 18. I have been able to find a wine list for the Classic package but I have no idea how much wine the package includes. Is it a number of bottles? Glasses? Sorry if this has been covered before but I have not been able to find. Thanks

 

As much as you care to drink, as long as the price per glass is within your package limit.

[Cruise Raider]

The classic package only includes wines by the glass but is essentially unlimited. It does not include wines by the bottle, though.

 

Under this package, you can order glasses of wine up to $9 per glass. There are about 10 different wines available onboard that are in that price range. None of these are top notch wines, although the Wente Cab isn't too bad. If you prefer better wines, it almost pays to go for the premium package which allows you to purchase wines up to $13 per glass and pay the difference only for wines above that limit. If you want a better wine with the classic package, you pay for the entire charge. Also, with the premium package, there is a discount on bottles of wine that can be shared with others that don't have the package. I think the discount is around 20%.

[RickT]

While the actual number of glasses is unlimited, they need to be ordered one at a time (ie, you can't order two glasses at a time). We've sailed with the classic package and survived however on our last two cruises we paid to upgrade to the premium package. The premium package gives you a better selection of wines as well as some other drink s that you may find worthwhile. As mentioned, one of the big pluses of the premium package is the ability to get any glass of wine and only pay the difference between $13 and the full cost. Comes in handy when you see a $20 glass of wine that you'd really like to try.

 

I suggest you try living with the classic package for a day or two and upgrade only when you are sure you need to.

[El Crucero]

Yes, wine by the glass is unlimited on the Classic package almost 24 hours per day! Get to know your sommelier well. We try to become "best friends" with him/her. In the past they have offered us complimentary premium wines with our Classic package. They would say, "this bottle of premium wine is almost empty (it was 3/4 full) would you like a glass to finish the bottle?" Or, "our Classic wine does not pair well with what you ordered, may I offer you a premium wine that will pair better?" wink, wink. :p They made us an offer we couldn't refuse!

[1982CruzStart]

On our cruise in September/October on the Equinox we had a very hard time finding many wines in the classic package. My DH upgraded the very first day as the choices were so terrible and so few. I found 1 red wine i would drink in the classic package and that was what i was stuck with for red wine the entire cruise. We were in a suite so i could get whatever i wanted at Micheal's so i decided i wasn't spending the extra money. Our sommelier took pity on me and would sometimes bring something not on the classic list as a change. I was angry that Celebrity included this 'great' perk and then it was virtually useless. I con't recall specifically but seemed to me there was only 2 or 3 whites, maybe 1 or 2 prosecco and maybe 1 or 2 red wines and that was it for the classic package. When we had it the year before we had no trouble finding wine to drink on that package but not this year. It was very disappointing.

 

Also remember with the classic package if you want to try a more expensive wine you have to pay the entire price not just the difference.

[SHIP TRAVELER]

My DH and I found the Classic Package to be doable. Maybe the sommelier took pity on us sometimes because the wines she chose for us in the MDR were different than the wines during the Elite Happy Hours.

 

I think it really depends on what your tastes are and what you drink at home.

We generally drink "value" wines under $10 per bottle at home so for us there was really no big difference.

We like some wine with dinner and were satisfied with the included wines.

 

We have friends that enjoy wines in the $50-75 range (Total Wine prices- not ship prices) so we do know that there is a big difference to some people.

 

To each his own. Enjoy.

[steve ch]

In Blu in September, there was only one red, a pinot noir, in the classic price range, although three or four were available in other restaurants and bars. Luckily the sommelier took pity on us and managed to find the odd bottle of included wines from elsewhere.

 

I can't understand why the wine list in Blu should be different to the wine list in, for example, the Lawn Club Grill.

[Tedferg]

How many Sommelier are there in MDR ?

 

Also could someone post the list of wines that fit in Classic package. No doub t we will upgrade, so just curious - first time on Celebrity.

[Charles4515]

How many Sommelier are there in MDR ?

 

 

 

Also could someone post the list of wines that fit in Classic package. No doub t we will upgrade, so just curious - first time on Celebrity.

 

 

 

In June there were enough wines that fit. What I found that worked best was tell the sommelier in the MDR that I had the classic package and ask them to bring a red or white. They would bring the bottle to pour the glass and show me the label. Whatever they brought was fine.

 

 

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Edited November 23, 2016 by Charles4515

[Straughn]

In Blu in September, there was only one red, a pinot noir, in the classic price range, although three or four were available in other restaurants and bars. Luckily the sommelier took pity on us and managed to find the odd bottle of included wines from elsewhere.

 

I can't understand why the wine list in Blu should be different to the wine list in, for example, the Lawn Club Grill.

 

Get to know your sommelier. I have cruised once in Aqua, with the premium package. I made friends with him when I took two sips of the Celebrity Chardonnay and said Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve. ( Yes that is what it was at the time. If it wasn't, you needed the winemaker to define the difference.) I would ask him to bring me something to go with my meal selection. We got into a routine of him bringing me a wine and I would try to name the varietal. I was right about 70% of the time. I know I drank wines that were not included in the premium package and only once did he charge me the difference. I tipped him well at the end of the cruise. They want to please, not only for tips, but for name recognition in the comment card/end of cruise survey.

[Tedferg]

Get to know your sommelier. I have cruised once in Aqua, with the premium package. I made friends with him when I took two sips of the Celebrity Chardonnay and said Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve. ( Yes that is what it was at the time. If it wasn't, you needed the winemaker to define the difference.) I would ask him to bring me something to go with my meal selection. We got into a routine of him bringing me a wine and I would try to name the varietal. I was right about 70% of the time. I know I drank wines that were not included in the premium package and only once did he charge me the difference. I tipped him well at the end of the cruise. They want to please, not only for tips, but for name recognition in the comment card/end of cruise survey.

 

Good advice, thanks. However just wondering if there is more than one sommelier in MDR - seems like a lot of people to cover.

[Charles4515]

Good advice, thanks. However just wondering if there is more than one sommelier in MDR - seems like a lot of people to cover.

 

 

 

There certainly is more than one wine steward in the MDR. Not sure the exact number but at least three, maybe more on each floor of the MDR.

 

 

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Edited November 26, 2016 by Charles4515

[Tedferg]

There certainly is more than one wine steward in the MDR. Not sure the exact number but at least three, maybe more on each floor of the MDR.

 

 

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OK makes sense now, I thought there was just one.:o

[DZalumni]

The Celebrity House Cabernet Sauvignon is Murphy Goode

http://www.murphygoodewinery.com/wine/california-cabernet-sauvignon

 

If you don't like it you'll need to upgrade to the premium package.

[karpela]

We are just off the Eclipse. The Castle Rock Pinot Noir was very good as was the Rioja, both on the Classic Package and the Sommelier would leave my husband and I the bottle on the table. We were Select Dining and had a different sommelier most nights and each one did the same 👍

[wallie5446]

How many Sommelier are there in MDR ?

 

Also could someone post the list of wines that fit in Classic package. No doub t we will upgrade, so just curious - first time on Celebrity.

 

Each SOM has 15-18 tables, and there are 150+ tables. Probably well over a dozen on duty every service. Then you have all the other dining venues. Needless to say, there are a lot of them! :D

 

We have upgraded on our last 3 cruises simply for the wifesters better choices of a red. The one she found last was $13.50 a glass, she would have 2-3 at dinner, without the upgrade that would have cost $47.79 just for dinner.:eek:

 

The $11.80 per day up charge was well worth it for us.

EW

[Tedferg]

Each SOM has 15-18 tables, and there are 150+ tables. Probably well over a dozen on duty every service. Then you have all the other dining venues. Needless to say, there are a lot of them! :D

 

We have upgraded on our last 3 cruises simply for the wifesters better choices of a red. The one she found last was $13.50 a glass, she would have 2-3 at dinner, without the upgrade that would have cost $47.79 just for dinner.:eek:

 

The $11.80 per day up charge was well worth it for us.

EW

Thanks Wallie - we will both upgrade too. On our last Princess cruise DW had Beverage package, mostly because of convenience. She did explore some daily cocktails that she might not have done otherwise.

 

Only sailed Princess previously and have a vague memory of a SOM. Will be nice to have some professional advice.

[Charles4515]

Thanks Wallie - we will both upgrade too. On our last Princess cruise DW had Beverage package, mostly because of convenience. She did explore some daily cocktails that she might not have done otherwise.

 

 

 

Only sailed Princess previously and have a vague memory of a SOM. Will be nice to have some professional advice.

 

 

Princess eliminated wine stewards years ago and gave the wine duty to the waiters and assistant waiters. Thus on Princess you don't get much help although there is a sommelier over the dining room they don't take the orders or serve the wine. Sometimes on Princess I have had difficulty getting the wine menu and placing and order. That is the reason for your vague memory. Surprisingly and happily Celebrity has chosen not to take that cost cutting measure.

 

 

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Edited December 1, 2016 by Charles4515

[wallie5446]

Thanks Wallie - we will both upgrade too. On our last Princess cruise DW had Beverage package, mostly because of convenience. She did explore some daily cocktails that she might not have done otherwise.

 

Only sailed Princess previously and have a vague memory of a SOM. Will be nice to have some professional advice.

 

Ya'll are in for a treat!

We first sailed Princess in 1992, our last time was Nov 2012 on the Ruby. It was good, but nothing like Celebrity.

 

The upgrade to Premium will cover any thing liquid :eek: except the mini bar in the cabin, and if you order liquor thru room service. And if one of you like craft beer, there are 35 choices covered too!

 

No coffee card to have to buy either, it is all covered with the package!

 

And in Cellar Masters there is a full time SOM to help! Tho at times they will get a bit stuck up!

Edited December 1, 2016 by wallie5446

[2theship]

We've only had the Classic package so far and have never had a problem finding something we like. We dine in Blu and the sommeliers have always been exceptional and provided a reasonable selection of choices. Next year we have the Premium package and I'm afraid that there will be no turning back from there.:eek: