Wine shop near Sydney pier?

[Janman]

We will be departing on the Pacific Princess from Sydney (Darling Harbor Pier I think) and would like to purchase wine to take onboard. Does anyone know of a wineshop near the pier area?

Janet

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Hi Janet,

If you were leaving from Circular Quay no problem,but the bottle stores or wine shops could be a fair walk from Pier 8. at Darling Harbour.

In Australia wine is also sold from most supermarkets.

Just as a suggestion, try posting your question on the P&O Cruise Critic message board as that is very active now with people cruising with P&O Australia,and all their cruises leave from Darling Harbour.

David.

[maxx]

There are plenty of pubs with bottle shops close by, also duty free shops close to the wharfs.

[CKforensic]

Thanks maxx. Do you typically find cheaper prices for wine and liquor in bottle shops or grocery stores? Also, do you know if Smirnoff vodka is readily available in the area?

 

Thanks much!

[Janman]

In viewing th P&O website I found a link to http://www.viewsydney.com which refers to the Australian Wine Emporium, corner of Cumberland and Gloucester in The Rocks district.

Thanks for the other suggestions close to Pier 8 Darling Harbor.

Janet

[maxx]

Thanks maxx. Do you typically find cheaper prices for wine and liquor in bottle shops or grocery stores? Also, do you know if Smirnoff vodka is readily available in the area?

 

Thanks much!

If you are travelling you can get duty free alcohol. I'm not aware of any supermarkets selling alcohol, some have liquor shop next to them. Alcohol is a lot more expensive here compared to US prices. Smirnoff would be anywhere from $au25 up for 700 mls in a bottle shop, $26 duty free for 1 Litre.

http://www.downtowndutyfree.com.au/ has some prices and locations. I know they have a big shop 1 or 2 blocks from Circular Quay, an easy walk.

[Janman]

Since I am only looking for wine, a supermarket or wine store near Pier 8, Darling Harbour will work for me. We will probably bring a couple of special bottles with us but would like a few more for the 3 week trip. Don't want to lug much in our bags. Will probably head out for some after we board . We will need to do some walking around to stay awake after flying all the way from NH. We did the "Bridge Climb" in Sept. so know where Cumberland and Gloucester streets are.

Janet

[maxx]

You'll have no problem finding wine.

[m steve]

He's the scoop. You leave from Circular Quay terminal and just a short walk to the opposite side of the train tracks, about 3 blocks, is a very large wine shop with whatever you need and a vast selection at good prices. There are hundreds of vinyards so do your research ahead so you don't end up with Yellowtail of some other plonk. Buy at least a $15-25 bottle or you do just as well on the ship. We wnt to Hunter Valley andbought at the vinyards and they averaged $25-30 for their best Shiraz.

Noe to liquor. Buy it from room service on the ship. A ltr bottle of Stoli was $20 and no tip added, same for Smirnoff. We arranged for a big bucket of ice to be delivered to room every afternoon and they did. If you want mixers there are supermarkets in every port for club, tonic, etc. 7-11 type shops get $2-3 for less than aqt. and the Woolworths or other markets get $1 for a ltr or more. Samr for bottled water.

If you snack in cabin there are great cheeses especially soft blues available in both countries.

You'll have a great trip. By the way for scotch drinkers the serve JW Blue in the bars at$10 and a reasonable shot.

[Janman]

Hi Steve,

Nice to run into you again! (Sun 3/17/05). Followed some of your Australia posts last fall as we did a land tour there for 3 1/2 weeks. We will be on the "Islands of the Pacific Theater" cruise 4/26. We will be leaving out of Pier 8 in Darling Harbour instead of Circular Cay but I'm sure we'll have no trouble finding some good wine. Should have known you'd know a place to go. I know you had "experience" buying in St. Lucia.

Happy Cruising!

Janet

[CKforensic]

Thanks for the great info, maxx and Steve!!! :) That is very helpful.

[kaseyoz]

if any of you do go to the wineries in the hunter valley, the wine they sell there is cheaper in the bottle shops in sydney.

I am pretty sure no supermarkets sell wine, they are not licensed, but you should be able to find "bottleshops" and hotels that sell wine to take away at much cheaper prices.

We do have some lovely wines in australia, I am not a wine buff so cannot recommend any sorry.

[m steve]

I don't remember any special wine shops in the Darling area but I am sure there are some. I think that the supermarkets don't sell wine, just water and mixes. I am not sure that the prices at the Cellar Doors in Hunter Valley are chaper but there are special bottlings availablke there and you can buy small battlings that are premium bottles and you can taste them before purchasing. We discovered several that were great and not listed in thebooks we took with usto select which vinyards to visit. Many have excellent restaurants associated with them in very interesting building. All are close together-3-5 minutes apart.