Wine.. ...?????

[san diego spartan]

I believe that I've heard since we have booked several cruises that the signature beverage packages have changed. Does anyone know what the current offerings are for wine???

 

I ask because I just read a review that said that there was only Chardonnay and Merlot available. That's extremely disappointing since I'd like neither of those wines.

 

Add a question how much is it to upgrade to the premium beverage package and do it just do that when I get on board?

[Hoosier Grandaddy]

Just finished a cruise with K-dam. There is no Cabernet in the MDR under the plan. A Sangiovese is the substitute. What purports to be a Cabernet is served at the bars, however.

 

[kazu]

Upgrading to the Elite package is 10 pp + service charge, I believe, so $11.50 pp per day if you pre- purchased the SBP. You upgrade it on board but do it before you order your first drink.

 

Wine choices are much better with the Elite package for sure.

 

I believe this is list is still current:

 

[ski ww]

And there is also this list.

 http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Wine-Packages.pdf

[fatcat04]

On NA now. Here is the mdr wine by the glass list. We have the elite pkg and have gotten our money's worth so far in wine alone... the cocktails, cognac, and the mixology class we did yesterday were just gravy. 

[Bethcb]

6 hours ago, san diego spartan said:

I believe that I've heard since we have booked several cruises that the signature beverage packages have changed. Does anyone know what the current offerings are for wine???

 

I ask because I just read a review that said that there was only Chardonnay and Merlot available. That's extremely disappointing since I'd like neither of those wines.

 

Add a question how much is it to upgrade to the premium beverage package and do it just do that when I get on board?

Hey, if you are a MSU Spartan, email me at sparcat@gmail.com. We live in SD too and cruise a lot.  Go Green! 

[san diego spartan]

3 hours ago, fatcat04 said:

On NA now. Here is the mdr wine by the glass list. We have the elite pkg and have gotten our money's worth so far in wine alone... the cocktails, cognac, and the mixology class we did yesterday were just gravy. 

Thanks for the picture.  So very helpful!  Looks like super minimal offering on the SBP.  Ugh.  Disappointed HAL made these changes.

If you have a chance to post pics of any of the other bar menus that eould be great.

[san diego spartan]

2 hours ago, Bethcb said:

Hey, if you are a MSU Spartan, email me at sparcat@gmail.com. We live in SD too and cruise a lot.  Go Green! 

Go White!! Yes we are both Spartans. Will send you an email.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, san diego spartan said:

Thanks for the picture.  So very helpful!  Looks like super minimal offering on the SBP.  Ugh.  Disappointed HAL made these changes.

If you have a chance to post pics of any of the other bar menus that eould be great.

 

Here is the HAL general bar menu but it is supposed to be changing by April:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Pool-Bars.pdf

 

MDR beverage menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MDR-Beveragee-Menu.pdf

[rkacruiser]

Yes, the wine list has changed and not for the better in my opinion.  Prices seem to have been increased and my favorite wine is no longer available by the glass or bottle.

 

A bartender told me that there is a new executive in Seattle who overseas beverages.  It was his opinion that the wine list needed to be improved.  Maybe the definition of "improved" was to increase the price of the wines available.  For example, my favorite, Villa Maria, whose price for a bottle was $41, was replaced with Cloudy Bay which sells for $70/bottle.

[Overhead Fred]

The MDR beverage menu link posted by @Crew News two posts ago goes to the old one. There was a brand new wine list/MDR drink menu on our January 6-20 Nieuw Statendam cruise. The picture posted by @fatcat04 is from the new wine list - higher prices mostly!

[Crew News]

1 minute ago, Overhead Fred said:

The MDR beverage menu link posted by @Crew News two posts ago goes to the old one. There was a brand new wine list/MDR drink menu on our January 6-20 Nieuw Statendam cruise. The picture posted by @fatcat04 is from the new wine list - higher prices mostly!

 

The new HAL beverage vendor is not able to stock the Nieuw Statendams wine list for all HAL ships until April per the Beverage Manager on the Konigsdam.  Until then, the menus that I have posted are still being used. 

[scokely]

14 hours ago, kazu said:

 

 

@Kazu where did you come across this listing? I didn't realize the mixology classes were included in the Elite Package, but if so I'm far happier about my husband's insistence on us getting it!

[kazu]

9 minutes ago, scokely said:

@Kazu where did you come across this listing? I didn't realize the mixology classes were included in the Elite Package, but if so I'm far happier about my husband's insistence on us getting it!

 

I believe I “stole” this from POA1’s LIVE thread in December, 2018.

 

I was trying to determine if Elite was the right thing and wanted to show DH. 

 

I didn’t know either until I looked at this and it isn’t a bad deal if you like this stuff.  For certain wines, it is a good deal for me. 😉

 

MInd you, things can change but this is quite recent.  I’ll report in April on my LIVE thread 😉

 

[kazu]

11 hours ago, fatcat04 said:

On NA now. Here is the mdr wine by the glass list. We have the elite pkg and have gotten our money's worth so far in wine alone... the cocktails, cognac, and the mixology class we did yesterday were just gravy. 

 

Thank you kindly for taking the time to post this 🙂. 

I really appreciate it and now my mind is made up.  Now, to see if we can get the Elite package - LOL.

[san diego spartan]

Thanks to all.  Seems recent  changes  are making the SBP undesirable for those who love wine.   Disappointing for  sure.  We will sail in April and  May.   Missing Celebrity  already.  Guess we will need to  upgrade.   Heard that is hit or miss depending on the bar venue.  Any recommendations on the best way to do this on a Niuew Amsterdam

[ottahand7]

On 2/5/2019 at 11:52 PM, san diego spartan said:

Thanks to all.  Seems recent  changes  are making the SBP undesirable for those who love wine.   Disappointing for  sure.  We will sail in April and  May.   Missing Celebrity  already.  Guess we will need to  upgrade.   Heard that is hit or miss depending on the bar venue.  Any recommendations on the best way to do this on a Niuew Amsterdam

If you are sailing out of San Diego bring your own selections on the ship.  Even with the $18 corkage per bottle + the purchase cost it will be a good option if you like nice wine.  If you only drink a glass or 2 at dinner it can be enjoyed over several nights.  There are good wine shops in San Diego that can recommend some cabernets that you  would enjoy.  That way if you have the Signature package you can use that for your liquors, beers, coffees etc. which most are $9 or less.  With all the great information on CC we have figured out that we are better off hauling the bottles onto the ship.  

[kazu]

On 2/6/2019 at 12:52 AM, san diego spartan said:

Thanks to all.  Seems recent  changes  are making the SBP undesirable for those who love wine.   Disappointing for  sure.  We will sail in April and  May.   Missing Celebrity  already.  Guess we will need to  upgrade.   Heard that is hit or miss depending on the bar venue.  Any recommendations on the best way to do this on a Niuew Amsterdam

 

Nothing wrong with upgrading 😉. The price is not unreasonable for more choices. And some pretty good ones IMO 😉 

 

I think this is much easier now.  POA1 recommends that you do it for before you order your first drink.  Hopefully he will see your post and come on.

 

Of course, you can bring bottles of wine on too.  First one for each of you is no charge and after that corkage of $18 per bottle.

 

Whichever works best for you.

[corkpopr]

Right, we are san diego to Vancouver on the 28th and will bring 6 bottles with us.

[san diego spartan]

Yes, we live in San Diego - so will bring a few bottles with us.  However, we enjoy spending time in the lounge/bar venues and prefer to have wine there too.  We have 2 cruises in the next several months on HAL - so might we how it goes with the first one, but I'm certainly leaning towards the upgrade with the limited wine choices posted.

 

[VennDiagram]

26 minutes ago, san diego spartan said:

Yes, we live in San Diego - so will bring a few bottles with us.  However, we enjoy spending time in the lounge/bar venues and prefer to have wine there too.  We have 2 cruises in the next several months on HAL - so might we how it goes with the first one, but I'm certainly leaning towards the upgrade with the limited wine choices posted.

 

 

You can, if you wish, take one or some of the bottles you pay corkage on to any of the bars.  I've done that a couple of times. 

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

I was typing as VennDiagram was posting. Once corkage is paid you can bring wine anywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope
someone else said the same thing

[POA1]

On 2/5/2019 at 11:52 PM, san diego spartan said:

Thanks to all.  Seems recent  changes  are making the SBP undesirable for those who love wine.   Disappointing for  sure.  We will sail in April and  May.   Missing Celebrity  already.  Guess we will need to  upgrade.   Heard that is hit or miss depending on the bar venue.  Any recommendations on the best way to do this on a Niuew Amsterdam

 

19 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Nothing wrong with upgrading 😉. The price is not unreasonable for more choices. And some pretty good ones IMO 😉 

 

I think this is much easier now.  POA1 recommends that you do it for before you order your first drink.  Hopefully he will see your post and come on.

 

Of course, you can bring bottles of wine on too.  First one for each of you is no charge and after that corkage of $18 per bottle.

 

Whichever works best for you.

 

We spoke to the first beverage server we encountered. It was in the Lido pool area. I was holding down the fort while DW and her dad grabbed lunch. (I was bag-sitting because our rooms weren't quite ready.) We had the SBP as part of Explore 4 and I knew that it could be tricky to upgrade using OBC. I specifically purchased enough OBC to upgrade us. 

 

I ordered drinks for us and I tipped on the order. (Just a couple dollars. I'm all about establishing a good relationship up front.) I made sure our drinks were covered by the SBP so we would not need an adjustment later. 

 

I told the beverage server that we were interested in upgrading. He grabbed a bar manager for me. I explained that we PURCHASED OBC so we could upgrade. (We had other OBC as well.) He said he would check for me. I assume he looked at the account to see if I was telling the truth. He came back shortly and told me that he had upgraded us. 

 

We got a confirmation card in our cabin a few hours later, but in plenty of time for dinner. We did not order anything above the SBP limit until we knew that the upgrade posted. I hate jerking around with adjustments if I don't have to. Once I knew the upgrade had posted, we were free to have Champagne. And we did. 

 

My advice is to upgrade ASAP. If you get any resistance, find a bar manager. Be nice, but explain that you wish to PAY for the upgrade. You're giving them the choice of whether or not to get more revenue from you. 

 

Hope that helps. 

[san diego spartan]

Yes.  Thanks.   Very detailed and helpful. However do I have to have OBC to do this?

Edited February 9, 2019 by san diego spartan
Typo

[kazu]

13 hours ago, san diego spartan said:

Yes.  Thanks.   Very detailed and helpful. However do I have to have OBC to do this?

 

No you shouldn't have to have OBC.  You will obviously be paying for it if it is charged to your ship board account and there is no OBC.

 

I think POA1 was pointing out that if you have gifted OBC, it may bemore difficult as you aren't 'paying for it' yourself.  I am in the same situation with some OBC from HAL, CCL & my TA but, I did buy additional OBC knowing I would need it so I appreciate him pointing this out as I will mention I purchased enough to cover the upgrade too 😉