Latitudes Rewards: free sparkling wine

[brainbucket]

I was just looking at the rewards for bronze latitudes members. Does anyone know what kind of sparkling wine will be provided and is there a non-alcoholic version available?

 

[PATRLR]

I don't know what kind, other than it's a very, very cheap kind.  Good for mixing with OJ, but that's about it in our experience.  I think the last couple cruises we've been on, we've left the bottle behind on departure.

Sorry, I don't know if you can request a non-alcoholic bottle.

Edited January 4, 2019 by PATRLR

[fabnfortysomething]

agree that its not nice and I am anything but a wine snob

with the UBP we left the bottle unopened in the room 

[stampincrazyinTX]

It's not good at all.  We don't even open it anymore.  I'd rather have some sparkling water instead.

[david_sobe]

42 minutes ago, stampincrazyinTX said:

It's not good at all.  We don't even open it anymore.  I'd rather have some sparkling water instead.

 

 

Exactly. I would settle for any kind of water over this.  If anyone is on the same cruise as me and I am in a suite, contact me and the sparking wine is YOURS.

When I first started cruising NCL suites in 2010 they would give you 2 one liter bottles of spring water.  Now I believe they give one 32 oz bottle of Aquafina.  That always made no sense to me.  You are cruising with 2-4 people in a suite and one personal bottle of water?  Is everyone supposed to take a sip or fight over it?  A few 12 oz bottles of water would be a nice gesture.

 

Edited January 4, 2019 by david_sobe

[kochleffel]

It's French, iirc, but bulk-process and not especially good. On the other hand, it's also not horrible; it doesn't taste like paint thinner, for example (not that I have ever tasted paint thinner). On my October cruise on the Gem, the solos group consisted of only about six regulars and four of us had it. We brought it to dinner on the last night and the dining stewards, in the Asian fusion restaurant, were happy to chill and serve it. I will say that having it with Asian food may have affected our perception, since no wine goes especially well with it.

 

We took the rest to the activities that evening in the Spinnaker Lounge and the bartenders there also provided glasses.

[ColinIllinois]

I think it's the Dollar Store brand.

[dolita22]

It's called Duc de Valmer Brut. I have an unopened bottle sitting right in front of me, brought home from our last cruise. Our plan is to mix it with OJ for mimosas. If it's not good, we'll toss it. (We drive to the port, so not a big deal to haul home if it ends up being terrible.)

[stampincrazyinTX]

10 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

 

 

Exactly. I would settle for any kind of water over this.  If anyone is on the same cruise as me and I am in a suite, contact me and the sparking wine is YOURS.

When I first started cruising NCL suites in 2010 they would give you 2 one liter bottles of spring water.  Now I believe they give one 32 oz bottle of Aquafina.  That always made no sense to me.  You are cruising with 2-4 people in a suite and one personal bottle of water?  Is everyone supposed to take a sip or fight over it?  A few 12 oz bottles of water would be a nice gesture.

 

Seriously!  It's like the cheapest thing on the ship.  The Latitudes 'free bottle of water' perk has been a 12 oz bottle on our last 2 cruises.  Couldn't just spring (no pun intended) for a one liter bottle per person?  It would maybe cost them 5 cents more.  

[BirdTravels]

Yum

Edited January 4, 2019 by BirdTravels

[kevmoley]

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yum

 

Exactly what I received as well. I saved it and had it at home. I found it to be fine. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad as well. It is amazing what people will complain about these days.

[Trimone]

Handy if you need to paint anything, you can wash your brushes in it afterwards...

[PTC DAWG]

7 minutes ago, kevmoley said:

 

Exactly what I received as well. I saved it and had it at home. I found it to be fine. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad as well. It is amazing what people will complain about these days.

Agree, certainly not worth complaining about...drink it, or not. 

 

http://www.winesale.co.nz/wine-categories/wine-detail.php?del=1&wine=5178

Edited January 4, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[don't-use-real-name]

Buying a new boat you could use it to christen the craft - but then Good Luck may not follow.

There are other convenient uses - a door stop - a gift to unwelcomed guests - drain cleaner -

oh what the heck there are some things that are just not even worth trading it for - can't think

of anything even water sets a low threshold.

But in a fix mix it with something out of the spigot at the buffet - it might be passable in other ways.

[stampincrazyinTX]

I don't think anyone was complaining about it - we're just expressing our opinion on the taste.  I wouldn't call up Guest Services and say 'this is gross, I demand something else.'  That, to me, would be complaining.

 

 

 

 

[FLAHAM]

i'm complaining about it.  It speaks poorly of NCL to furnish such a truly lousy wine as a Latitudes "benefit,"

[KateQ22003]

The stuff is awful. Mixed with juice it's palatable, but by itself? Just awful. I agree with those saying it's no benefit!

 

[yankees111]

Good job NCL giving away a free bottle of champagne!!!👍👍

[BirdTravels]

Agreed. Great benefit for sail away. People complain, but lots and lots of empty bottles on the ship. 

[newmexicoNita]

3 hours ago, brainbucket said:

I was just looking at the rewards for bronze latitudes members. Does anyone know what kind of sparkling wine will be provided and is there a non-alcoholic version available?

 

I would think you could ask for something non alcoholic. The bottle will be in your cabin when you arrive. Either try and request via latitude prior to sailing or ask a bar tender or cabin steward when you get to your cabin. As has been mentioned, of curse it is cheap but does work well for mixing. When it comes to sparkling, it is the bubbly most of us like, not necessarily the quality. What we have done on the last several cruises is, taken it to the M&G to share. We make mimosas with it. 

[steveweese]

We always give it to someone on the ship.

[newmexicoNita]

1 hour ago, kevmoley said:

 

Exactly what I received as well. I saved it and had it at home. I found it to be fine. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad as well. It is amazing what people will complain about these days.

thank you: my thoughts exactly. If they offered better sparkly think of the cost when they offer to so many. 

[newmexicoNita]

38 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

i'm complaining about it.  It speaks poorly of NCL to furnish such a truly lousy wine as a Latitudes "benefit,"

oh for heavens sake!! Do you have any idea how many latitude members sail on a single cruise? If they were to offer even 1/2 decent wine it would cost a few pennies.. 

[sverigecruiser]

 

It was a few years since we cruised on NCL so I'm not sure that what we got then is the same that is given away now but we thought that the wine we got was decent. It was defenitely not great and far from even the cheapest Champagnes I have tried but it was okay to drink.

 

I'm not a snob but when it comes to sparkling wines maybe I am because I really LOVE Champagne. I very seldom drink Dom Perignon or Krug which are often mentioned as exclusive Champagne brands because I think that they are overrated.

 

We have some favorite houses, number one is Gosset, but when it comes to Champagne it's mainly about which year they are produced. (A bad house can't make a perfect Champagne any year but the better houses can!)

 

If I shall recommend a standard Champagne number one is Gosset but Bollinger and Jaquesson are always good too.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2019 by sverigecruiser

[PATRLR]

9 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

oh for heavens sake!! Do you have any idea how many latitude members sail on a single cruise? If they were to offer even 1/2 decent wine it would cost a few pennies.. 

Sure.  

 

Of course those passengers who are most loyal to NCL, those who chose to spend their $$ time and again with NCL, ought to be worth a few pennies to NCL, don't ya think?

Edited January 4, 2019 by PATRLR