Has anyone tried the World Wine Tour? $20

[vtcruising]

1 minute ago, JerseyGirlatHeart said:

 

Have done the Riedel and really enjoyed the experience.  Will likely do it again.

We've done it 3 times and it was different each time. We always learn something new. We have always had a knowledgeable person lead that class.

[cruise kitty]

42 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Riedel seems pretty expensive for what you get?

 

When we did it they had a supply problem with the glasses, so we were able to o the class only for a really steeply discounted rate.   

 

If they are offering the high quality glasses, it's pricey, but worth it in my opinion, it was really a lot of fun & very informative.  

[vtcruising]

We have done the Riedel class twice without the glasses (maybe ~ $35) - just ask, they don't list that option. You can buy the glasses on Amazon and may get free shipping, if you decide to buy them. The price stated the last time we did it (2017), you would receive a certificate for the glasses and had to pay shipping. Back in 2012, when we first did it they had the glasses onboard and we carried them off (or could have had them ship them). We still have them and love them. 🙂

Edited November 15, 2019 by vtcruising

[cruise kitty]

1 hour ago, vtcruising said:

We have done the Riedel class twice without the glasses (maybe ~ $35) - just ask, they don't list that option. You can buy the glasses on Amazon and may get free shipping, if you decide to buy them. The price stated the last time we did it (2017), you would receive a certificate for the glasses and had to pay shipping. Back in 2012, when we first did it they had the glasses onboard and we carried them off (or could have had them ship them). We still have them and love them. 🙂

 

Super helpful,  I didn't realize the no glass option was always available,  thanks :)

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, vtcruising said:

We have done the Riedel class twice without the glasses (maybe ~ $35) - just ask, they don't list that option. You can buy the glasses on Amazon and may get free shipping, if you decide to buy them. The price stated the last time we did it (2017), you would receive a certificate for the glasses and had to pay shipping. Back in 2012, when we first did it they had the glasses onboard and we carried them off (or could have had them ship them). We still have them and love them. 🙂

 

You use the Riedel glasses while tasting right?  Otherwise what's the point?  You just don't buy them to take home?

[LucasLounger1]

We did the World Wine Tour a few years ago. It was fun, but not if you're a real wine lover. None were particularly good, and we were given one hour to get through as much as we could. They even counted it down.  It quickly became a cheap way to get as much wine as everyone could. So, more like binge drinking than wine tasting.  I had a ball! 

[vtcruising]

6 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

You use the Riedel glasses while tasting right?  Otherwise what's the point?  You just don't buy them to take home?

You use their Riedel glasses. The ones we brought home were brand new in a sealed box. As I said, I think now (or at least the last time we did it), they didn't give you a box of glasses to take home - you received a coupon to get free glasses (maybe on Amazon or some other online company - not sure where since we didn't want more glasses so just paid for the class).

Edited November 15, 2019 by vtcruising

[vtcruising]

These are similar to the Riedel glasses we took home:

https://www.amazon.com/Riedel-5884-47-19-Performance-Glasses/dp/B07NY2LH3F/ref=sr_1_30?hvadid=4967904080&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvqmt=p&keywords=riedel+wine+glass+sets&qid=1573851876&sr=8-30

 

They give you Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet/Merlot glasses, as well as a "Joker" glass that is a cheap wine glass. They have you taste a Sauvignon Blanc, Chard, Pinot and Cab in the various glasses to see the difference. It is pretty amazing how a wine can taste bad or mediocre in the joker glass or the wrong-shaped Riedel glass and then taste very good in the correct glass (and then just to make sure it isn't a fluke, they have you try it again in the joker glass and it is blah again).

 

Since our first class we have asked for Riedel glasses onboard. They don't always have enough. We were very happy that the Edge uses Riedel glasses in all of their restaurants (and I think the Revolutionized ships).

 

Edited November 15, 2019 by vtcruising

[drakes2]

20 hours ago, vtcruising said:

Although we order a few of the Classic wines (DH likes the Shiraz on the Classic list), my go-to wines are from the Premium list:

Montaudon Champagne (not sparkling wine)

Mer Soleil - not a Chard fan, but really like this wine

Decoy Cab - like this one with beef or lamb, unless I spring for the Caymus at extra cost

Villa Maria for Sauv Blanc is quite good

Cherry Tart Pinot is also quite good

Red and White Conundrum are both very good

I like Sonoma Cutrer chardonnay but have never seen onboard.

[drakes2]

2 hours ago, LucasLounger1 said:

We did the World Wine Tour a few years ago. It was fun, but not if you're a real wine lover. None were particularly good, and we were given one hour to get through as much as we could. They even counted it down.  It quickly became a cheap way to get as much wine as everyone could. So, more like binge drinking than wine tasting.  I had a ball! 

I do the world wine tour on most cruises but recently on the Equinox they raised the price to closer to $30 for the tasting, reason cited was they are serving better quality wines but I didn't bite. 6 reds 6 whites from different regions. You have an hour to try them all and they do not have the scoring sheets any longer. On a recent cruise they ran out of the last tasting which was a red cab from Argentina;  actually very good. The sommelier was nice enough to find us a bottle which 4 of us enjoyed. I'm on the Apex in May and depending on where they host the event and wines served I may give it a try again. If they do it on my Med cruise sailing into one of the nice ports on a deck outside with some nice Chianti or French wines, I AM IN !!! 

[Straughn]

I have done this tasting twice. The first time, on Equinox, was crowded, and clearly most participants were there to see how much wine they could consume in an hour. Not a lot of fun. The second time, on Infinity, was a whole different experience. Knowledgeable sommeliers at each station, not overly crowded, and a lot of fun. It may have helped that it was a nice, sunny day after some less than optimal pool days. I think the experience depends on a length of cruise, people’s interest in something different, and the weather. Do they offer high end wines for an oenophile-no. But it is fun.

[amunhbuu]

We did it several years ago on the Equinox.

 

It was a decent time.  As others have stated, it was some stations of white and red and you just walked around and sampled them.  I would not equate it to being educated on the wines, rather a wine drinking hour.  The knowledge was not there even compared to my local liquor store when they do tastings.

 

We had the premium beverage package. In hindsight, it was kind of a waste of money.However, our sommelier was very nice throughout the cruise and we bought it from her.  I know they get the gratuity / kickback on their sales, so I have no issues with the money we spent. 

[drakes2]

25 minutes ago, amunhbuu said:

We did it several years ago on the Equinox.

 

It was a decent time.  As others have stated, it was some stations of white and red and you just walked around and sampled them.  I would not equate it to being educated on the wines, rather a wine drinking hour.  The knowledge was not there even compared to my local liquor store when they do tastings.

 

We had the premium beverage package. In hindsight, it was kind of a waste of money.However, our sommelier was very nice throughout the cruise and we bought it from her.  I know they get the gratuity / kickback on their sales, so I have no issues with the money we spent. 

I was not aware the sommelier got the kickback but makes sense as my table sommelier tried to push ever so slightly but it was more expensive and in all honesty the wines served have diminished in quality. I remember one tour several years ago a Pouilly Fuisse from France was offered as a tasting and sold onboard for $70 per bottle but those days are gone. They need to make more of a profit. I did enjoy 2 glasses of the Pouilly Fuisse though. 👍