Champagne

[Forresters]

Hi. Please can anyone currently on Silhouette tell me if proper French champagne is being served as part of the premium drinks package? If not what’s sparkling glasses of wine are on offer? We start our cruise next Tuesday and so so hoping to enjoy some decent fizz 🥂🥂 many thanks for your help.

[barneyboy]

4 minutes ago, Forresters said:

Hi. Please can anyone currently on Silhouette tell me if proper French champagne is being served as part of the premium drinks package? If not what’s sparkling glasses of wine are on offer? We start our cruise next Tuesday and so so hoping to enjoy some decent fizz 🥂🥂 many thanks for your help.

We were on Silhouette at the beginning of July and I couldn’t find real champagne anywhere. I didn’t like the substitute and ended up drinking Prosecco. I liked the rose Prosecco which I could only find at the Sunset Bar. We’ve already upgraded to Premium for our next cruise but thinking in future we may stick with the classic, especially as the cost has doubled to upgrade. 

[Esprit]

I was on Reflection last month and always got real Champagne at the Passport bar. No problem either in Morano on the two occasions we ate there.

 

Strangely, I had to ask for French Champagne to get the real stuff otherwise they would palm you off with what the crew have nicknamed "Chateau de Gangway".

[Esprit]

On 11/23/2021 at 11:35 PM, wrk2cruise said:

The Matre'd gave me a bottle due to an issue we had in the dining room.  I brought it home.   This is from Equinox in September.

 

 

We had this in Murano aboard Reflection last month

[Prada Cowboy]

As per my upcoming cruise in November on Summit, they will serve M. Haslinger & Fils, which has a 3.9 rating and cost $27 at retail. Another downgrade.

[Forresters]

Thanks for all comments - much appreciated - won’t mind if it’s monopole as decent enough but not montaudon which is def not to my taste…...on sale in Aldi for £13 a bottle - never come across haslinger but willing to give it a go…..I only drink fizz so it’s important to my cruise experience - thanks for the tip of ordering French champagne as opposed to simply asking for sparkling…..hoping this leaves less to chance 🥂 

[Whinenowine]

We’re on the Edge now and both our SS cabins came with a bottle of “real” champagne.  Though still the lower end of “quality” (which is subjective of course). 

[Chrisclaire]

On 8/25/2023 at 9:29 AM, Forresters said:

Hi. Please can anyone currently on Silhouette tell me if proper French champagne is being served as part of the premium drinks package? If not what’s sparkling glasses of wine are on offer? We start our cruise next Tuesday and so so hoping to enjoy some decent fizz 🥂🥂 many thanks for your help.

Hi All

Similar question, we are on Solstice in October and wondered if anyone has info on Champagne?

Brand?

Most likely bar to get it?

Our previous cruise on Constellation,  we had to wait an age for the bar tender to source it.

Continually trying to seve us horrible cheap fizzy stuff!

Definitely not Champagne (which is listed as an option on the premium package)

Thanks in advance 😊

[wineoclock]

Anyone know if they have Cremant on board? Better than a lot of the cheaper champagnes and far better than any Prosecco imo. 

[Chrisclaire]

2 hours ago, wineoclock said:

Anyone know if they have Cremant on board? Better than a lot of the cheaper champagnes and far better than any Prosecco imo. 

Agree! 

But don't know 😊

[wrk2cruise]

On 8/25/2023 at 12:58 PM, Forresters said:

thanks for the tip of ordering French champagne

 

Just be careful though as the Celebrity Vintages crap is a French Sparkling wine.  The first night in the dining room when asking for real French Champagne on the premium package they tried to serve that crap. 

 

I had to settle for Chandon the whole 38 days as there was no French Champagne available.  Oh $22 by the glass was available.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Just be careful though as the Celebrity Vintages crap is a French Sparkling wine.  The first night in the dining room when asking for real French Champagne on the premium package they tried to serve that crap. 

 

I had to settle for Chandon the whole 38 days as there was no French Champagne available.  Oh $22 by the glass was available.

The Celebrity Vintage is crap unless you ask for the 1972 Vintage.  That was a good year.  😂

Edited August 28, 2023 by zitsky

[sixpackeddie]

This champagne is currently on the Edge, much better then Chandon

[zitsky]

This is good news.  I hope they have it on the Eclipse in December.

 

I did my own tasting of a few different champagnes years back.  That was not my favorite but it’s perfectly fine.  I also had Dom at the same time and it didn’t “wow” me.

[neverlaysup]

On 8/25/2023 at 5:07 AM, Esprit said:

I was on Reflection last month and always got real Champagne at the Passport bar. No problem either in Morano on the two occasions we ate there.

 

Strangely, I had to ask for French Champagne to get the real stuff otherwise they would palm you off with what the crew have nicknamed "Chateau de Gangway".

There is a ton of FRECH Champagne that is no better than Chateau de Gangway. Just because all other sparkling wines CAN"T be called Champagne does not mean that french is always better. I have bottles of California sparkling wines produces in the EXACT same manner as champagne that will blow the french wines out of the water. Perhaps the offerings on board are not so great but I find the misunderstanding or the lack of knowledge between Champagne and properly produced sparkling wines to be hilarious. 

[Turtles06]

6 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

There is a ton of FRECH Champagne that is no better than Chateau de Gangway. Just because all other sparkling wines CAN"T be called Champagne does not mean that french is always better. I have bottles of California sparkling wines produces in the EXACT same manner as champagne that will blow the french wines out of the water.

I agree with you that there are some terrific California sparkling wines produced by the traditional French method that can go toe to toe with champagne. Roederer Estate L’Ermitage is one.  Doubt anyone will find it on a cruise ship though.  And especially for the price point, Domain Chandon is a good choice. I have seen that on ships. 

[bikerunner]

1 hour ago, neverlaysup said:

There is a ton of FRECH Champagne that is no better than Chateau de Gangway. Just because all other sparkling wines CAN"T be called Champagne does not mean that french is always better. I have bottles of California sparkling wines produces in the EXACT same manner as champagne that will blow the french wines out of the water. Perhaps the offerings on board are not so great but I find the misunderstanding or the lack of knowledge between Champagne and properly produced sparkling wines to be hilarious. 

Its all perspective, many just have it stuck in their head that it has to be French to be the best etc.  I get it completely, after helping form wine lists for restaurants.   Some people will just order the most expensive wine on the list when if you knew just basics the cheaper bottles are probably better.  Never been a fan of Don Perignon overall, many many better choices out there.  I been fine if I cant find anything Ill go with the Prosecco which are usually good and passing, especially for Caribbean voyages.  But I usually have luck with getting the bar I tend to order the most from to be able to stock either the wine or Champayne/sparkling/prosecco etc.  

[zitsky]

4 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

Its all perspective, many just have it stuck in their head that it has to be French to be the best etc.  I get it completely, after helping form wine lists for restaurants.   Some people will just order the most expensive wine on the list when if you knew just basics the cheaper bottles are probably better.  Never been a fan of Don Perignon overall, many many better choices out there.  I been fine if I cant find anything Ill go with the Prosecco which are usually good and passing, especially for Caribbean voyages.  But I usually have luck with getting the bar I tend to order the most from to be able to stock either the wine or Champayne/sparkling/prosecco etc.  

 

I drink $7 Costco Prosecco $12 Gruet from New Mexico, $12 Korbel and $200 Dom.  I stick with $60 Veuve Clicquot, despite people telling me it’s no good.

[ccqueenanne]

12 hours ago, Chrisclaire said:

Hi All

Similar question, we are on Solstice in October and wondered if anyone has info on Champagne?

Brand?

Most likely bar to get it?

Our previous cruise on Constellation,  we had to wait an age for the bar tender to source it.

Continually trying to seve us horrible cheap fizzy stuff!

Definitely not Champagne (which is listed as an option on the premium package)

Thanks in advance 😊

 

Solstice had M. Haslinger & Fils earlier this month, which I thought was fine. I was able to get it in MDR, Blu and Martini Bar. I was unsuccessful at World Class and Ensemble. Also the Domaine Chandon was widely available.

Edited August 28, 2023 by ccqueenanne
Adding bar locations.

[Knights on the Beach]

On 8/28/2023 at 4:18 PM, ccqueenanne said:

 

Solstice had M. Haslinger & Fils earlier this month, which I thought was fine. I was able to get it in MDR, Blu and Martini Bar. I was unsuccessful at World Class and Ensemble. Also the Domaine Chandon was widely available.

 

Do you recall how much Domaine Chandon was per glass? 

[Forresters]

Came off Silhouette yesterday and those who enjoy champagne will be sorely disappointed with what’s available. Chandon is available almost everywhere at 16 dollars a glass. We had the premium package and occasionally managed to get a glass of Haslinger in the sunset bar, craft social and Blu but more often Montaudon at these bars which is not to my taste. No champagne to be seen at lunchtime anywhere……or in the theatre and very hit and miss in all other bars. I raised concerns day 3 with guest services as we felt poor not premium quality being offered. No premium rose wine only classic and very narrow range of both white and red. Cellarmaster intervened and said if I asked for French champagne and itvwas not forthcoming to ask the bar staff to phone him and he would get a bottle delivered. Okay in theory but felt awful making bar staff do extra work when they are so stretched….also took away enjoyment and made me feel like a diva despite paying fir premium so mainly drank Chandon to avoid any difficulty. Feeling short changed and not in a rush to sail celebrity soon - we are Elite Plus and saddened by this and other cutbacks on quality.

[hcat]

I seem to recall that there used to be a Champagne Bar on X..but now only the Martini Bar..  (on one ship the M Bar was ice,)

 

Also seems the self serve wine dispensers are also gone??

 

Fewer choices, higher prices!

[zitsky]

6 hours ago, Forresters said:

Came off Silhouette yesterday and those who enjoy champagne will be sorely disappointed with what’s available. Chandon is available almost everywhere at 16 dollars a glass. We had the premium package and occasionally managed to get a glass of Haslinger in the sunset bar, craft social and Blu but more often Montaudon at these bars which is not to my taste. No champagne to be seen at lunchtime anywhere……or in the theatre and very hit and miss in all other bars. I raised concerns day 3 with guest services as we felt poor not premium quality being offered. No premium rose wine only classic and very narrow range of both white and red. Cellarmaster intervened and said if I asked for French champagne and itvwas not forthcoming to ask the bar staff to phone him and he would get a bottle delivered. Okay in theory but felt awful making bar staff do extra work when they are so stretched….also took away enjoyment and made me feel like a diva despite paying fir premium so mainly drank Chandon to avoid any difficulty. Feeling short changed and not in a rush to sail celebrity soon - we are Elite Plus and saddened by this and other cutbacks on quality.

It sounds like you expressed a concern but didn’t let them act on your feedback.  I think it’s nice to be nice, but if we don’t ask (demand) that they do something about the poor quality wine, then nothing will change.

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

I seem to recall that there used to be a Champagne Bar on X..but now only the Martini Bar..  (on one ship the M Bar was ice,)

 

Also seems the self serve wine dispensers are also gone??

 

Fewer choices, higher prices!

There was a champagne bar on NCL 5 years ago.  They served Veuve Clicquot and maybe others too by the glass.  It was marvelous!

[Turtles06]

35 minutes ago, zitsky said:

There was a champagne bar on NCL 5 years ago.  

Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar, still there (at least on the Jewel-class ships).