Question about Oceania house wines

[zteamtwo]

At the bottom of the Oceania webpage there is an item "Bon Voyage gifts"--there are 2 house wines listed there at reasonable prices ($36)--does anyone have any opinion of these wines.  Thanks.

307 Oceania Club Cyclo Sauvignon Blanc, Central Valley, Chile $36         416 Oceania Club Cyclo Cabernet Sauvignon, Maule Valley, Chile $36

 

[LHT28]

Are you buying  a gift  for someone going on the ship or for yourselves?

 

If for yourselves  I would  just pick some up before you board  or  buy a bottle from the wine list onboard

JMO

I am sure you will get some expert opinions on the quality of those wines

[zteamtwo]

Just trying to reduce the hastle and weight of putting wines in our checked luggage on Delta.  The wine would be for us.  Would this wine be subject to the $25 corkage fee if we take it to a speciality restaurant?

[LHT28]

Just now, zteamtwo said:

Just trying to reduce the hastle and weight of putting wines in our checked luggage on Delta.  The wine would be for us.  Would this wine be subject to the $25 corkage fee if we take it to a speciality restaurant?

no

If  purchased from Oceania   no corkage fee

 

Depending on the port it may be worthwhile  to stop on the way to the ship & pick some up  

You can get  something you know you will like  that way

YMMV

[zteamtwo]

Thanks for the replies.  I see that there is a "Total Wine & More" store that appears to me very close to the ships--it is a little East of the port.  Has anyone had experience with this store?  My port is Miami.  I do not think there are any bottles of wine on Riveria that are anywhere close to $36.

Edited March 8, 2019 by zteamtwo
Added info.

[docmark]

1 hour ago, zteamtwo said:

Thanks for the replies.  I see that there is a "Total Wine & More" store that appears to me very close to the ships--it is a little East of the port.  Has anyone had experience with this store?  My port is Miami.  I do not think there are any bottles of wine on Riveria that are anywhere close to $36.

Yes, for $36 you can get a 5 times  better wine at TOTAL wine store than wat is on the ship,

[docmark]

sorry for the spelling (wat=what)

 

A $7.99 (red wine) bottle at store is listed at $50 on ship menu

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, zteamtwo said:

Thanks for the replies.  I see that there is a "Total Wine & More" store that appears to me very close to the ships--it is a little East of the port.  Has anyone had experience with this store?  My port is Miami.  I do not think there are any bottles of wine on Riveria that are anywhere close to $36.

 

Yes!

Based upon suggestions here, I phoned ahead, after browsing through their website (each store is different), and then we stopped off in our taxi "en route" (it wasn't but it was still well worthwhile) from our hotel to the ship.

But note that finding that particular Total Wine is NOT simple.  We had trouble finding the right place for the taxi to stop, and that was just the beginning.  It was quite a maze situation, but very much worth it 

 

GC

[LHT28]

We are not wine specialists  so I have  gotten some wine in Publix  when we stay in Miami 

There  are few places close to the port to buy wine  if you  are not looking for  special wines  (not that I would know one  if it hit me in the head )

CVS & I think Whole Foods also carry some wine  

whether they suit your palate or not is  another matter

Just offering  options 😉

[zteamtwo]

March 15, 2019 06:30 PM - 08:30 PM     TOTAL WINE & MORE

Miami Beach

Fifth & Alton

1139 5th St

Miami Beach, Florida, 33139

(786) 276-6545

 

Geezer---is this the store you had trouble finding?  It is just east of the cruise port in Miami.

[GeezerCouple]

4 hours ago, zteamtwo said:

March 15, 2019 06:30 PM - 08:30 PM     TOTAL WINE & MORE

Miami Beach

Fifth & Alton

1139 5th St

Miami Beach, Florida, 33139

(786) 276-6545

 

Geezer---is this the store you had trouble finding?  It is just east of the cruise port in Miami.

 

Yup, that's it.

And on the mapping software, it looks obvious.

 

But we couldn't find it.

It's really on that same road that comes right off the causeway, but on the other side of the street (the side heading back to the port).

Turns out there is a big complex, and I wish I could remember what we pulled up in front of, but it was sort of the middle of the block with an "open area' between two sides of the building.

Then, to the left but still "in" that open area, is an elevator.  From there, there are markings.  When you get out of the elevator, you'll turn left and follow the signs.  And then another elevator.

IF someone else here can give an easier way, please do!

 

But it was a big wine/liquor store.  We didn't have time to browse (taxi running!), but if we did, I've have loved spending some time there.

Anyway, the clerk there had no idea what I was talking about, until I gave the manager's name, and suddenly, a box with our 6 bottles appeared, all exactly as we had requested.

Quick charge process, and back I was retracing my steps.

 

In our case, we didn't save much money, because we got some very nice bottles, but we got so much better wine that we'd have gotten on the ship for even close to the same prices, where there weren't too many good choices, at least to our tastes.

(That's our splurge in terms of "drinking"  )

 

VERY much worth the relatively modest extra taxi fare.  It was mid-day, and no traffic, of course.

 

GC

Edited March 9, 2019 by GeezerCouple

[Mura]

A bit off the topic but as I recall when we were driving through Lima on the way to the ship our driver stopped so we could do some wine shopping.  We just went to a grocery store that had a large selection of wines.  Obviously not wines that would satisfy true oenophiles (and we do have a few here, I know) ... but we were pleased with the few bottles we purchased.

 

The prices were right and they weren't the typical kind of supermarket wines we find in NYC.

 

If you are on a private tour it never hurts to ask the driver if there will be a time for a stop like that to pick up a few bottles of wine -- or hard liquor for that matter.

 

Mura

 

[CintiPam]

16 hours ago, Mura said:

If you are on a private tour it never hurts to ask the driver if there will be a time for a stop like that to pick up a few bottles of wine -- or hard liquor for that matter.

 

Mura

 

Good idea; I never have thought of doing that unless we were visiting a winery as part of our day.

[azam71209]

I'm not a wine connoisseur but I have found it interesting to just go to a local grocery or liquor store and see what the locals are buying. That's how I stumbled on Malbec years before it became popular. I generally stay away from the tourist focused shops near the dock. 

 

Mary

[zteamtwo]

Great answers.  Another slightly different question. We will be stopping in Roatan, Honduras---Santo Tomas, Guatemala---Harvest Caye, Belize--and Havana on our March cruise.  Does anyone know of a quick place to buy wine at any of the ports?

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, zteamtwo said:

Great answers.  Another slightly different question. We will be stopping in Roatan, Honduras---Santo Tomas, Guatemala---Harvest Caye, Belize--and Havana on our March cruise.  Does anyone know of a quick place to buy wine at any of the ports?

truthfully never noticed any  wine places  at those ports  

Have not been to Harvest caye  but maybe if you can get to the mainland there are shops on the regular tender port  in Belize

Havana  maybe in the port building  ..usually people buy rum there

JMO