Included Wine Quality & Selection

[Jimmycruiser]

Last cruised on Azamara January 2020 and only real disappointment as always was the quality and variety of the included wines. Usually bought our own in port or bought the premium wine with dinner. Wondering if it has improved with new ownership? Would love to see an included wine list as well as premium wine list with prices from a recent cruise.

Edited October 30, 2021 by Host Jazzbeau
fixed date, removed OT discussion of Azamara history

[uktog]

The included wine list was not something they could share when I asked  in September - there were some new wines we had not seen before and some of the regulars from before.  We were on the upgraded package so cannot comment other than to say the reason we upgraded was because the included rose wine which I absolutely hated but that is a question of my taste!  I did not hear any adverse comments about the wine on the cruise which is different from previous trips.  Now whether that was because the guests were just happy to have wine served and to be on holiday, they weren't "wine snobs", they were too polite to say or the wine had truly improved I am afraid I cannot answer. 

But as provisioning was still subject to RC contracts I do not think the new owners have had the opportunity to make changes yet - same applies to the spirits, beers etc onboard.

[Jimmycruiser]

59 minutes ago, uktog said:

The included wine list was not something they could share when I asked  in September - there were some new wines we had not seen before and some of the regulars from before.  We were on the upgraded package so cannot comment other than to say the reason we upgraded was because the included rose wine which I absolutely hated but that is a question of my taste!  I did not hear any adverse comments about the wine on the cruise which is different from previous trips.  Now whether that was because the guests were just happy to have wine served and to be on holiday, they weren't "wine snobs", they were too polite to say or the wine had truly improved I am afraid I cannot answer. 

But as provisioning was still subject to RC contracts I do not think the new owners have had the opportunity to make changes yet - same applies to the spirits, beers etc onboard.

Thanks! I hope it improves as their pricing for a Club Continent Suite has increased significantly and very close to the luxury lines for similar itinerary.

[Kitekat]

There is definitely some suggestion that RCI have fobbed off a whole bunch of not very wonderful wines as part of their sale of Azamara. Some of them are past their best - slightly oxidised white wines and others are just simply bland. The premium package does produce some better quality but the wine packages are better still. 

Oh and a full inventory has not been done. We asked about some Tio Pepe... They found an opened bottle with about a quarter in it. The colour was a deep yellow - well oxidised - and the best before date was in 2013!!! Goodness knows how long it had been open and where it had been hiding.

[Ayden]

3 minutes ago, Kitekat said:

There is definitely some suggestion that RCI have fobbed off a whole bunch of not very wonderful wines as part of their sale of Azamara. Some of them are past their best - slightly oxidised white wines and others are just simply bland. The premium package does produce some better quality but the wine packages are better still. 

Oh and a full inventory has not been done. We asked about some Tio Pepe... They found an opened bottle with about a quarter in it. The colour was a deep yellow - well oxidised - and the best before date was in 2013!!! Goodness knows how long it had been open and where it had been hiding.

I'm afraid I will have to agree with you regarding the enjoyment of the wine on our October cruise.  The choices were extremely limited and for the first time I was drinking rose as my most tolerable  choice of the constant same three choices  in white being offered night after night.  I can understand why those were remaining stock, if what you are reporting is the case as they weren't very appealing especially after 12 nights.

On past Azamara cruises  there were many offerings including some local wines which appeared on occasion and we hope this start up cruise works the kinks out before we have the pleasure to sail again.  

All in all, it was a fabulous cruise!

[takemewithyou]

 

1 hour ago, Kitekat said:

There is definitely some suggestion that RCI have fobbed off a whole bunch of not very wonderful wines as part of their sale of Azamara. Some of them are past their best - slightly oxidised white wines and others are just simply bland. The premium package does produce some better quality but the wine packages are better still. 

Oh and a full inventory has not been done. We asked about some Tio Pepe... They found an opened bottle with about a quarter in it. The colour was a deep yellow - well oxidised - and the best before date was in 2013!!! Goodness knows how long it had been open and where it had been hiding.

 

 

Ok, I was thinking of the ultimate package or what ever it is called, but I will have a look at the wine packages before I make my decision.

[Kitekat]

Wine selection by the glass is improved but a much better range of spirits in the ultimate package. The wine package is just that - wines only.

[GlobalMethod]

We are avid wine drinkers, although not quite as particular as some posting.

 

I posted on this Sycamore Partners acquisition some time ago in cc, but it finally seems to have come about; Azamara's parent company now owns a large wine organization.

 

I expect these brands to have a presence in the Azamara wine list portfolios soon. We have tried most of these labels and, generally speaking, enjoy the Ste. Michelle Wines Estates products.

 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sycamore-partners-completes-acquisition-of-ste-michelle-wine-estates-301389844.html

 

Cheers To All!

 

 

[excitedofharpenden]

12 hours ago, Kitekat said:

There is definitely some suggestion that RCI have fobbed off a whole bunch of not very wonderful wines as part of their sale of Azamara. Some of them are past their best - slightly oxidised white wines and others are just simply bland. The premium package does produce some better quality but the wine packages are better still. 

Oh and a full inventory has not been done. We asked about some Tio Pepe... They found an opened bottle with about a quarter in it. The colour was a deep yellow - well oxidised - and the best before date was in 2013!!! Goodness knows how long it had been open and where it had been hiding.

The past their best thing is something I can relate to. Some of the red wines pre pandemic could be a reasonable wine, but really beyond their drink by date for the quality they were. I don't think the pause in cruising will have helped. I'm not a great wine officianado, but when I've had the Ultimate package that helped. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

It does seem that the current purchasing and provisioning of beverages is still not right. We cut them slack eight weeks ago re cheap nasty tonic and sparkling water with no bubbles in it but from reports onboard it’s still a problem with the current excuse “we had stock but it’s out of date” appearing in several reports. 
 

They need to up their game in the soft drinks provision as well as the wine. Find and maintain a supply of sparkling water with bubbles - or is this a ploy to get us to upgrade to packages to get drinkable stuff. Sadly if you’re upgrade calculator also includes gin or another spirit that requires tonic it’s not worth adding the cheap apology for tonic they keep sneaking back to so the packages become less attractive. 
 

Schweppes at the very minimum should be the onboard product. If Fevertree or another Artisan tonic is too expensive for general consumption include it in the beverage package so as to give a decent g and t.

 

But shouldn’t a premium line just include decent tonic as standard? 

[coldweathergirl]

We just got off the Journey last week.  
 

The wines offered by the glass were very repetitive and definitely didn’t rotate varieties like I remember in the past.  They had two reds and two whites daily and maybe one rose or sparkling.   Most days it was the same wine as the previous day or the day before.  
 

I’m not an expert palate but some tasted like they were past their best before date.  I had commented to a server and he said they were using up the supply that had come from RCCL and soon would have their own private labels from the winery they own. 
 

As for tonic, they had Schweppes on board.  
 

Despite the less than stellar included wine, we had a fabulous trip.  The crew were outstanding as was the food. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by coldweathergirl

[GlobalMethod]

1 hour ago, coldweathergirl said:

We just got off the Journey last week.  
 

The wines offered by the glass were very repetitive and definitely didn’t rotate varieties like I remember in the past.  They had two reds and two whites daily and maybe one rose or sparkling.   Most days it was the same wine as the previous day or the day before.  
 

I’m not an expert palate but some tasted like they were past their best before date.  I had commented to a server and he said they were using up the supply that had come from RCCL and soon would have their own private labels from the winery they own. 
 

As for tonic, they had Schweppes on board.  
 

Despite the less than stellar included wine, we had a fabulous trip.  The crew were outstanding as was the food. 

I saw your profile comment about liking champagne ... 🙂 ... Azamara's parent now owns the brand, which we have enjoyed on Azamara for years as part of their top tier drink package ... An excellent French brand, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

 

We're glad to see it will stay no matter how their beverage portfolio changes!

[uktog]

2 hours ago, coldweathergirl said:

We just got off the Journey last week.  
 

The wines offered by the glass were very repetitive and definitely didn’t rotate varieties like I remember in the past.  They had two reds and two whites daily and maybe one rose or sparkling.   Most days it was the same wine as the previous day or the day before.  
 

I’m not an expert palate but some tasted like they were past their best before date.  I had commented to a server and he said they were using up the supply that had come from RCCL and soon would have their own private labels from the winery they own. 
 

As for tonic, they had Schweppes on board.  
 

Despite the less than stellar included wine, we had a fabulous trip.  The crew were outstanding as was the food. 

Sad to read Journey has similar bad stock. Hope you were able to feed back to the Hotel Director and in your online survey. 

[Kitekat]

They have had some Slovenian wines which are Azamara branded and were ordered from a vineyard pre-pandemic. These came onboard at Koper and are often used at special events for B2Bers or higher tier cruisers. 

The sparkling is more demi-sec than brut but will certainly suit some palates. The red, white and rosé are quite ordinary but at least they are fresh! A bit sad as there are some excellent wines from the country.

[coldweathergirl]

44 minutes ago, uktog said:

Sad to read Journey has similar bad stock. Hope you were able to feed back to the Hotel Director and in your online survey. 

Yes I made sure to comment about the included wine when completing the online survey.
 

We did have one server who searched out a bottle of the Chilean Chardonnay from days before but that was the only time.   I think many people on board had the premium beverage package from the current sale so were less affected by the wine of the day offerings.  

[ElmaLee]

6 hours ago, coldweathergirl said:

We just got off the Journey last week.  
 

The wines offered by the glass were very repetitive and definitely didn’t rotate varieties like I remember in the past.  They had two reds and two whites daily and maybe one rose or sparkling.   Most days it was the same wine as the previous day or the day before.  
 

I’m not an expert palate but some tasted like they were past their best before date.  I had commented to a server and he said they were using up the supply that had come from RCCL and soon would have their own private labels from the winery they own. 
 

As for tonic, they had Schweppes on board.  
 

Despite the less than stellar included wine, we had a fabulous trip.  The crew were outstanding as was the food. 

Can I ask what types of white wines were available as part of the standard package?  My better half prefers Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to Chardonnay, so hopefully at least one of her preferences will be available. Thanks

[coldweathergirl]

2 hours ago, ElmaLee said:

Can I ask what types of white wines were available as part of the standard package?  My better half prefers Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to Chardonnay, so hopefully at least one of her preferences will be available. Thanks

Funny thing is that Sauvignon Blanc esp if from NZ used to be my favourite but over the last year I’ve developed a taste for unoaked Chardonnay.   
 

I can’t remember all the wines (and they didn’t have very many different varieties so maybe I drank more than I thought lol) but I believe they had a Chilean Chardonnay, a Chilean SB and an Italian Viognier.   Maybe one other type but not all rotated equally. 
 

Sorry I can’t be of more help.  

[JL87]

6 hours ago, GlobalMethod said:

I saw your profile comment about liking champagne ... 🙂 ... Azamara's parent now owns the brand, which we have enjoyed on Azamara for years as part of their top tier drink package ... An excellent French brand, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

 

We're glad to see it will stay no matter how their beverage portfolio changes!

I haven't seen anything on Sycamore buying Nicolas Feuillatte. If you have a link or more info I would like to see it. It is a very good Champagne at a reasonable cost. I hope Azamara continues to carry it in their portfolio. As far as BTG selections, there are no cruise lines that offer the kinds of wines I normally drink. The included wines are almost all mass produced wines that offer lots of availability and consistency. Nothing really wrong with that and it's pretty much by necessity. I'll try and few and find something that I can drink with a meal. If not, then I default to Champagne which I think pairs extremely well with a lot of different foods. I also plan on buying some interesting wines in port and bringing them onboard. I have no problem with the corkage policy. I haven't sailed Azamara yet but have a cruise booked for next year. 

[ElmaLee]

2 minutes ago, coldweathergirl said:

Funny thing is that Sauvignon Blanc esp if from NZ used to be my favourite but over the last year I’ve developed a taste for unoaked Chardonnay.   
 

I can’t remember all the wines (and they didn’t have very many different varieties so maybe I drank more than I thought lol) but I believe they had a Chilean Chardonnay, a Chilean SB and an Italian Viognier.   Maybe one other type but not all rotated equally. 
 

Sorry I can’t be of more help.  

Thanks.  We will not go thirsty!

[Kitekat]

There are a number of SB's but the one that keeps doing the rounds is an Italian. It I paid more than £5 for it in my home supermarkets then I would be very disappointed. I don't connect Italy with Sauvignon Blanc. it was tasteless. There was a Chilean and a NZ but not often served. 

[Dylandude]

1 hour ago, JL87 said:

I haven't seen anything on Sycamore buying Nicolas Feuillatte. If you have a link or more info I would like to see it. It is a very good Champagne at a reasonable cost. I hope Azamara continues to carry it in their portfolio. As far as BTG selections, there are no cruise lines that offer the kinds of wines I normally drink. The included wines are almost all mass produced wines that offer lots of availability and consistency. Nothing really wrong with that and it's pretty much by necessity. I'll try and few and find something that I can drink with a meal. If not, then I default to Champagne which I think pairs extremely well with a lot of different foods. I also plan on buying some interesting wines in port and bringing them onboard. I have no problem with the corkage policy. I haven't sailed Azamara yet but have a cruise booked for next year. 

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates who Sycamore  have purchased are the US distributor for Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne.

Nicolas Feuillatte would be a difficult brand ( not impossible) to purchase as it is a cooperative of 4000+ small producers, and is planning on merging with another large cooperative.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 minute ago, Dylandude said:

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates who Sycamore  have purchased are the US distributor for Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne.

Nicolas Feuillatte would be a difficult brand ( not impossible) to purchase as it is a cooperative of 4000+ small producers, and is planning on merging with another large cooperative.

I have seen that champagne mentioned as the house brand on some cruise ships [Crystal] so it must be possible to provision.

[Dylandude]

18 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have seen that champagne mentioned as the house brand on some cruise ships [Crystal] so it must be possible to provision.

Crossed wires.
I was implying that it would be a difficult brand to purchase outright, ie ownership of the brand.

Im quite sure Nicolas Feuillatte will sell bottles to anyone or any cruise line if the price is right.

[Host Jazzbeau]

7 hours ago, Dylandude said:

Crossed wires.
I was implying that it would be a difficult brand to purchase outright, ie ownership of the brand.

Im quite sure Nicolas Feuillatte will sell bottles to anyone or any cruise line if the price is right.

Ah, got it now.  But if Sycamore owns the US distributor, that should make their provisioning even easier.

[Dylandude]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Ah, got it now.  But if Sycamore owns the US distributor, that should make their provisioning even easier.

Most certainly.