wine packages

[TheRabbit]

What are peoples plans for wine on this cruise. (We enjoy one glass with dinner each evening.) Usually we have stops where we can pick up bottles on a wine tour somewhere, but on this cruise it is not the case (no pun intended). I know about the wine packages, but I have also heard they are not offered some times. So as of right now, we are contemplating bring a couple of cases of wines we like along with a few high end ones on and paying the corkage. Would like to hear if anyone has another idea.

 

John and Cheryl

I posted this earlier today on our cruise thread for this fall and had no responses, so I thought I would re-post it here and see if there are any ideas we had not come across. We are taking a car to and from the cruise.

[rkacruiser]

Maybe that’s an appropriate description because both are under the same CCL subgroup...Holland America Group.

 

Since Seabourn and P&O Australia are in the same group wonder if they’re also consistently inconsistent? ;)

 

Your thinking is the same as mine. Same CCL subgroup when CCL Corporate encourages "Best Practices" among all of their Brands: I find it difficult to understand why such "inconsistencies" to the Guest Experience exist.

 

I don't follow the Seabourn forum so I don't know what those people think. I would think that an inconsistent experience from cruise to cruise, ship to ship would make for some difficult days for the ship's Hotel Director and Guest Relations Manager. Or, whatever their titles may be on Seabourn.

[wheezedr]

I posted this earlier today on our cruise thread for this fall and had no responses, so I thought I would re-post it here and see if there are any ideas we had not come across. We are taking a car to and from the cruise.

If you are driving I would just bring some wine yourself and pay the corkage. I have done that in the past. You have many more choices as their wine list is quite limited and you can generally do better on the bottom line as well.

[Cruisedafewtimes]

Sorry I am elite but I do not drink but my wife does and of course I would like to save money. 
You are suggesting bring your own case of wine if you drive and they won’t do anything other than the dining room corkage fee ? 
Or are you suggesting the regular two per? 
 

 

Edited October 25, 2019 by Cruisedafewtimes

[XLVIII]

1 hour ago, Cruisedafewtimes said:

Sorry I am elite but I do not drink but my wife does and of course I would like to save money. 
You are suggesting bring your own case of wine if you drive and they won’t do anything other than the dining room corkage fee ? 
Or are you suggesting the regular two per? 
 

 

You are allowed 1 bottle each without corkage fee (although you cannot bring these to the dining room) and as many bottles you would like with a $15 per bottle fee that can be brought to dining. There will be a table set up past security to pay corkage where they will apply a sticker to your additional wine so that dining room staff know that corkage has been paid.

[jennybenny]

1 hour ago, Cruisedafewtimes said:

Sorry I am elite but I do not drink but my wife does and of course I would like to save money. 
You are suggesting bring your own case of wine if you drive and they won’t do anything other than the dining room corkage fee ? 
Or are you suggesting the regular two per? 
 

 

To add to what XLVIII said, the 2 bottles that are included will incur an additional corkage fee if taken to be opened in a dining room. Only the bottles with the stickers will not have additional corkage fees anywhere on the ship. 

[voljeep]

2 hours ago, Cruisedafewtimes said:

Sorry I am elite but I do not drink but my wife does and of course I would like to save money. 
You are suggesting bring your own case of wine if you drive and they won’t do anything other than the dining room corkage fee ? 
Or are you suggesting the regular two per? 
 

 

ALL passengers can bring wine on board .. subject to Princess T&C's ... has nothing to do with loyalty level .. yet

[sunsetme]

what is the difference between the wine cards when they are offered?

[Astro Flyer]

54 minutes ago, jdechter said:

what is the difference between the wine cards when they are offered?

 

The Silver has been cancelled & only the Gold is an option.  Whether it’s available has been more inconsistent on my cruises including a recent 28 day cruise without a wine package...very disappointing.

 

Add 18% tip to these prices:

 

Gold Package (wines up to $45 per bottle list price)

7 bottles -- $217 (average of $31 per bottle)

10 bottles -- $290 (average of $29 per bottle)

12 bottles -- $336 (average of $28 per bottle)

Edited January 23, 2020 by Astro Flyer

[TheRabbit]

On 10/25/2019 at 8:15 AM, Cruisedafewtimes said:

Sorry I am elite but I do not drink but my wife does and of course I would like to save money. 
You are suggesting bring your own case of wine if you drive and they won’t do anything other than the dining room corkage fee ? 
Or are you suggesting the regular two per? 
 

 

Here is a link to a doc I put together in 2018 on the subject when we took 3 cases on board.

 

LINK

[vcgeno]

We were on the Royal earlier this month and was able to purchase a 7 day wine package so they may be offering it on the one week cruises now.  We were on the Crown last summer and were able to do the 14 bottle package on that cruise as well. 

[Astro Flyer]

2 hours ago, vcgeno said:

We were on the Royal earlier this month and was able to purchase a 7 day wine package so they may be offering it on the one week cruises now.  We were on the Crown last summer and were able to do the 14 bottle package on that cruise as well. 

 

Last Spring we were on B2B 7-day cruises & were able to purchase a Gold wine package on the first day from our MDR waitstaff.  We’re doing the same cruises this Spring & it’s encouraging to know that you could buy it.  And that’s why we were so disappointed on our 28 day Sky cruise to not have it available.

 

On the Royal our maitre’d was Generoso & I thanked him for having a wine package available for a 7 day cruise.  He said he never understood why it’s not routinely sold on 7 day cruises...was he your maitre’d?

 

I don’t know who makes the decision to offer wine packages...maybe the maitre’d or the F&B manager? 🤔

[Cruisedafewtimes]

On 1/23/2020 at 2:37 PM, TheRabbit said:

Here is a link to a doc I put together in 2018 on the subject when we took 3 cases on board.

 

LINK

OK 

 

I am learning ! So say I have a case of 6 bottles of wine to drink on the balcony of our cabin ? 
How much does Princess charge ? 
Next, say talking about the same 6 bottles I want to take them to them to the MDR . 

What is the corkage fee ? I am talking Diamond Princess. 
 

I know you probably don’t work for Princess but a guess would be great ! 
 

Thanks 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Cruisedafewtimes

[TheRabbit]

4 hours ago, Cruisedafewtimes said:

OK 

 

I am learning ! So say I have a case of 6 bottles of wine to drink on the balcony of our cabin ? 
How much does Princess charge ? 
Next, say talking about the same 6 bottles I want to take them to them to the MDR . 

What is the corkage fee ? I am talking Diamond Princess. 
 

I know you probably don’t work for Princess but a guess would be great ! 
 

Thanks 

They will charge you for four no matter where you drink them.

With a sticker on the bottle, you can ask a bar server anywhere to open it. 

[Pstcrik]

I agree with all those who have had difficulties trying to get a wine package on those trips when we believe they should be available.

I now bring my own wine onboard and pay the $15. 

You not only resolve the Princess problem of not being consistent but you get the wine of your choice.

[Cruisedafewtimes]

2 hours ago, Pstcrik said:

I agree with all those who have had difficulties trying to get a wine package on those trips when we believe they should be available.

I now bring my own wine onboard and pay the $15. 

You not only resolve the Princess problem of not being consistent but you get the wine of your choice.

Is the price $ 15 per bottle ? 

[Pstcrik]

You can bring one bottle per person on free but then they are suppose to collect $15 per bottle beyond that.  Doesnt always happen, again its hit and miss with Princess.