Silver Spirits Drinks Package

[Twitchly]

Were these wines included or were they extra? (Assuming no drinks package.) 

[stretchcruz]

2 hours ago, deec said:

I have written myself the name of the Chardonnay to try and find on the Panama Cruise..  Hoping CCWine Lover will offer suggestions during our TA cruise...maybe we can have our own wine tasting !!!  Order room service cheese and bread and meet in Explorer's Lounge....sounds like a perfect SEA DAY...knowing the great Viking bartenders they will find all the wines we want to sample!

Sure wish I could sail with you again! Someday....

[deec]

Fingers crossed ...It will happen!!! We will be re-crating part of that GREAT Baltic Trip we shared ( our first on Viking) this spring....starting in Barcelona( after the South America and Trans Atlantic crossing) going to Bergen (so not as far ) and back to Amsterdam!  Best part we stay in the same room for the entire journey!!!

[LinnieRed]

17 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

As Andy says, the white and red house wines vary depending on the cruise and what they've stocked.  Not always publicized, but we had house sparkling wine available at every meal as well.

Viking must have a deal with some suppliers, as we found a particular Chardonnay we enjoyed (buttery, not steely fruity) on one cruise, and we've had it on every single one since, including Post-COVID.

Mer Soleil Chadonnay - Monterey County (just north of us on the Central Coast (California)). 

"Santa Lucia Highlands, Central Coast, CA- Classic example of the big, bold, buttery style, produced by the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Layered aromas and flavors of tropical fruits, mango and coconut, rich and complex, deftly balanced on the long buttery finish."

Thanks.  I’m not a Chardonnay drinker and am using this as my mental justification for the Silver Sprits package. We are not big drinkers and I’m sure the standard program would be just fine, but I don’t want to spend 33 days upgrading to a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio 😁. Easier to just spend the $ and start out getting what I want. 

Edited October 28, 2021 by LinnieRed

[Gator Princess]

Hello, Is there any benefit to buying the SSDP ahead of time - or after we board?

[uktog]

Looking at the £ vs $ cost the rate we in the UK are being charged pre cruise isn’t a good one compared to current exchange rates, so we will wait unless someone shares a good reason to “ go now”

[Mrs Miggins]

Agree, we will just book onboard.   We will be forced to stay onboard more than usual (start in Civitavecchia then 2 days in Livorno) on our New Year cruise, so will definitely have extra time to order a cocktail or three.

[deec]

on a RIVER cruise it is beneficial for USA citizens to pre-pay for the SSPackage...before cruise you are charged in USD once onboard Euros are the currency.  Viking DID give a refund once we got home and realized that there was fair amount $.  Lesson learned for our next RIVER Cruise.  I don't think it matters for an Ocean and it is easy sign up once onboard ANY bartender will do it!

[lovemycruisetoo]

Does anyone have a full list of wines available with the SSDP?  I can only find a sample one and don’t know it it’s current. TIA

[deec]

It will change....

[Blackduck59]

Well earlier I was interested in getting the SSDP, it seemed a good deal. Then we took a closer look when we were booking today. I think for our personal purposes just paying a la carte, We aren't wine connoisseurs so hope the house wine suits our taste, if not we can bring a couple bottles of what we like on board. I also find the bar prices to be very reasonable. I'm sure that for some the package will be good value for us I don't think so. Cheers everyone.

[CCWineLover]

21 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Well earlier I was interested in getting the SSDP, it seemed a good deal. Then we took a closer look when we were booking today. I think for our personal purposes just paying a la carte, We aren't wine connoisseurs so hope the house wine suits our taste, if not we can bring a couple bottles of what we like on board. I also find the bar prices to be very reasonable. I'm sure that for some the package will be good value for us I don't think so. Cheers everyone.

You are absolutely right!  It totally depends on the passenger(s), the itinerary, the weather even, and maybe how fully booked your days are off the ship, perhaps on a port-intensive cruise!

In some places you have easy access to a number of great wines by the bottle that you can pick up at local stores, or even at the port itself (like in Barcelona).  We've done it both ways, SSP and not.  Our preference is not, if there are ports to pick up good bottles of wine or itineraries where we are so busy off the ship during the day . . .  and then getting SSP for an itinerary with lots of sea days.

[KBs mum]

Last cruise the drinks package cost £580 for the two of us. Without it the bar bill would have been around £3000.  

We don't use the restaurants at all, and the buffet only if we didn't have lunch ashore somewhere, so don't drink the included wines much. A few beers and/or wine when we get back to the ship cocktails, and a nightcap soon rack it up. 

The prices are similar to UK pubs, or US bars when tip taken in to account, so if you would ordinarily spend more than the package cost per day on holiday buy it, if not, pay as you go

 

[deec]

Do you only get room service?

[KBs mum]

16 hours ago, deec said:

Do you only get room service?

If the question was for me?

Breakfast in the buffet, lunch ashore or in the buffet, we usually don't eat in the evenings. We get room service as and when. We are fresh air fanatics so if its not raining we will be on the terrace. 

 

The restaurants take up too much time and we like to be able to see out. We find the food is good but not worth the faff of queuing or booking to get it

 

[PKNC]

Has Viking carried Bailey's Irish Cream on recent 2020-2021 cruises? We have the Silver Spirits package and hope to enjoy some with hot chocolate or coffee after dinner.

[millybess]

We were on a Viking Ocean cruse in February 2020 and they had Bailey's.

[deec]

pre-covid Viking always had Bailey's....one of my go to desserts is Bailey's on ice cream!!!  also over ice enjoying the nightly show!  I bet the bar at the back of the Star Theatre goes through many botlles each night!!!  We ran out for a time on the 2017-2018 WC!  I learned to like a Rusty Nail but not one ice cream :)!!!

 

[duquephart]

What does a rusty nail have to do with Bailey's? Or ice cream?

[Mrs Miggins]

Not up to your usual one line intervention standard.

 

A mixture of Drambuie and Scotch Whisky just does not taste as good as Baileys (when available) on ice cream.

[Twitchly]

They have Bailey’s?? 
 

I may have to reconsider this whole drinks package idea …

[zelker]

Since we're on the subject of adult beverages, does anyone know if they carry Bundaberg Ginger Beer onboard ... it's our fav and the only brand we use for Moscow Mules.

[FlyerTalker]

16 hours ago, zelker said:

Since we're on the subject of adult beverages, does anyone know if they carry Bundaberg Ginger Beer onboard ... it's our fav and the only brand we use for Moscow Mules.

 

No.  But maybe on a cruise that goes to Australia.

[zelker]

6 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

No.  But maybe on a cruise that goes to Australia.

Yes, I know it's from OZ which is where we were first introduced to it but we can buy it in Colorado at Costco, Target, Walmart, pretty much everywhere so that would have no bearing on a ship having to be in OZ to stock it. 

 

So is your "no" a definitive "no", as in you know for sure they don't stock it?

 

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by zelker

[KBs mum]

1 hour ago, zelker said:

Yes, I know it's from OZ which is where we were first introduced to it but we can buy it in Colorado at Costco, Target, Walmart, pretty much everywhere so that would have no bearing on a ship having to be in OZ to stock it. 

 

So is your "no" a definitive "no", as in you know for sure they don't stock it?

 

 

It's widely available in the UK as well, just looked it up out of curiosity.