Welcome Champagne

[drakes2]

On 3/3/2022 at 4:37 PM, cruisestitch said:

This is not true.  Many people cruise without a drink package.  There have been lots of special fares which did not include drinks packages, even some involving suites as shown by a very long around here on Cruise Critic.  And There are still a lot of bookings out there which were “lifted and shifted” and which did not include drinks packages.  

I did not have a drink package on my recent Edge cruise and missed not having the welcome cocktail. I prefer kir royal to a mimosa. Hope its offered on the Eclipse sail to Hawaii in April 

[anniedave]

Yes we had a premium drinks package this week on the Millrenium & still got through complimentary bottle of fizz.. but I missed the glass of prosecco on arrival...it adds to the experience...we were offered paper cups of water as we entered the ship....not the same thing at all!!! 

[terrydtx]

It was discontinued on post covid cruises to keep less contact and more social distancing as we board the ship.  I remember pre-Covid, the crowds congregating around the ship's entrance trying to grab their free glass of sparkling wine. It was nice before but finally being able to board a cruise ship is 100 times nicer. If you need that first glass of sparkling wine, go to one of the bars and enjoy a glass of Prosecco for $9 or free if on a SBP.

Edited March 5, 2022 by terrydtx

[zitsky]

Aren’t there lots of places people congregate?  The bars in particular?  Or have they done something to space people out?

[lexmiller]

12 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

They still have Cellar Master on Solstice, Eclipse and Reflection on Deck 4.  I believe only Silhouette has been converted to Craft Social on S-Class. 

Equinox has been converted to Craft Social.  I loved Cellar Masters but it never got the foot traffic that Craft Social gets.  It's lovely to walk by and see it humming with people.  When we were onboard, the Olympics were playing on all of the many TVs (sound is off on the TVs, which is a good decision) and the area felt great, a nice vibe, a convivial gathering place - and not rowdy as some I think feared it might be.  

[terrydtx]

4 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

Equinox has been converted to Craft Social.  I loved Cellar Masters but it never got the foot traffic that Craft Social gets.  It's lovely to walk by and see it humming with people.  When we were onboard, the Olympics were playing on all of the many TVs (sound is off on the TVs, which is a good decision) and the area felt great, a nice vibe, a convivial gathering place - and not rowdy as some I think feared it might be.  

We enjoyed the Craft Social on the Equinox last year; they have a better selection of premium whiskeys and beers than other bars on the ship and it is really close to the Gelato bar😁

[zitsky]

6 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

Equinox has been converted to Craft Social.  I loved Cellar Masters but it never got the foot traffic that Craft Social gets.  It's lovely to walk by and see it humming with people.  When we were onboard, the Olympics were playing on all of the many TVs (sound is off on the TVs, which is a good decision) and the area felt great, a nice vibe, a convivial gathering place - and not rowdy as some I think feared it might be.  

I will check out CM on my next cruise if it happens.  I prefer a quiet wine bar to a sports bar.

[hrt4girls]

I was on the February 17th sailing on the Millennium and there was no welcome glass of anything as we boarded.  I did miss the celebratory atmosphere of it.

 

[zitsky]

Where is the best champagne on X?  I may order a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for the cabin but last time I did that it wasn’t chilled when we got it.  
 

I liked the champagne bar on NCL.

[drakes2]

5 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Where is the best champagne on X?  I may order a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for the cabin but last time I did that it wasn’t chilled when we got it.  
 

I liked the champagne bar on NCL.

I love veuve but pricey by the bottle. How much is a glass. I can pay the upcharge with the PBP?

[zitsky]

3 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I love veuve but pricey by the bottle. How much is a glass. I can pay the upcharge with the PBP?

I will try to find one of the VC threads.

 

In NC retail is $57.  In sail-away gift website the price is $131.  At the restaurant I think it’s less.

 

Maybe y’all can come to my cabin on the Reflection in September.

Edited March 5, 2022 by zitsky

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Where is the best champagne on X?  I may order a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for the cabin but last time I did that it wasn’t chilled when we got it.  
 

I liked the champagne bar on NCL.

We had a bottle waiting for us when we boarded, and it was in an ice bucket but not chilled with ice. As soon as we entered our cabin our butler put it on ice. He explained they do not pre chill as they never know what time a passenger will board. It was a bottle of French Champagne private labeled for Celebrity, by the time we did the Sailaway at 5pm it was well chilled and very good on a hot summer day. Our butler brough a second bottle on day 2 of the cruise NC.

 

If you are on the Premium BP you will find several decent champagne options at the $15 price point by the glass. I remember one French and a couple of California ones. If on the SBP the only offering I remember was a Prosecco at $9 a glass.

Edited March 5, 2022 by terrydtx

[cangelmd]

We had welcome aboard champagne in August, on Equinox, but not in January on Reflection during the height of Omicron. I do hope they bring it back, very nice gesture and appreciated

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

We had welcome aboard champagne in August, on Equinox, but not in January on Reflection during the height of Omicron. I do hope they bring it back, very nice gesture and appreciated

We were on the Equinox last August and I do not remember any champagne when we boarded, but maybe since we were in the Retreat and escorted to our cabin from the VIP lounge in the terminal, we bypassed it. We did get a glass in the VIP lounge before we boarded.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

It was discontinued on post covid cruises to keep less contact and more social distancing as we board the ship.  I remember pre-Covid, the crowds congregating around the ship's entrance trying to grab their free glass of sparkling wine. It was nice before but finally being able to board a cruise ship is 100 times nicer. If you need that first glass of sparkling wine, go to one of the bars and enjoy a glass of Prosecco for $9 or free if on a SBP.

 

X reasoning was most likely cost cutting as plenty of people still crowd the bars during peak times all sailing long.

 

50 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I love veuve but pricey by the bottle. How much is a glass. I can pay the upcharge with the PBP?

 

Remember that you can carry on two bottles for free, if you're traveling with a significant other, you can each carry two bottle on if you both act like solos while at the XRay machine...

[zitsky]

I see this suggestion often, “just bring your own wine”.  My next cruise is in Rome so I need to find a wine shop.  It is so nice to just get it on board.

[LMHSRN]

25 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

X reasoning was most likely cost cutting as plenty of people still crowd the bars during peak times all sailing long.

 

 

Remember that you can carry on two bottles for free, if you're traveling with a significant other, you can each carry two bottle on if you both act like solos while at the XRay machine...

However, you will pay corkage for all the bottles you bring....No more free beeies

[terrydtx]

15 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I see this suggestion often, “just bring your own wine”.  My next cruise is in Rome so I need to find a wine shop.  It is so nice to just get it on board.

I do not know about Rome Cruise port, but last time we cruised out of Barcelona there was a wine shop located after you check in on the way to board the ship. That was several years ago however.

Edited March 5, 2022 by terrydtx

[davekathy]

13 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

However, you will pay corkage for all the bottles you bring....No more free beeies

No corkage fee for bringing wine onboard. Only if you take a bottle of wine into one of the dining venues. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by davekathy

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, LMHSRN said:

However, you will pay corkage for all the bottles you bring....No more free beeies

 

No corkage fee to bring it onto the ship, they supposed to charge a corkage fee if you bring it into a dining venue but in practice this doesn't always happen.  Many have reported giving the staff a $5, asking not to be charged and them not being charged since apparently the corkage fee all goes to X and not the dining crew.

[blueboro]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

It was discontinued on post covid cruises to keep less contact and more social distancing as we board the ship.  I remember pre-Covid, the crowds congregating around the ship's entrance trying to grab their free glass of sparkling wine. It was nice before but finally being able to board a cruise ship is 100 times nicer. If you need that first glass of sparkling wine, go to one of the bars and enjoy a glass of Prosecco for $9 or free if on a SBP.

We got it for sure on our September Equinox cruise...just slightly away from the main gangway

[zitsky]

33 minutes ago, davekathy said:

No corkage fee for bringing wine onboard. Only if you take a bottle of wine into one of the dining venues. 

What is corkage fee in dining venue?

[Denny01]

I know it’s not a big deal, but I just love the glass of bubbly/champagne/Prosecco/whatever as we step on…..just a nice touch.

 

And they had it just a bit away from the entry on our Apex Nov ‘21 cruise, more spread out…..and of course I sipped mine, and then came back and had another. I’m just that kind of cheater!! The waitstaff lady just giggled as I handed my empty glass and took another…hehe. 

 

Den

 

 

[davekathy]

23 minutes ago, zitsky said:

What is corkage fee in dining venue?

$25.00.

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, Denny01 said:

I know it’s not a big deal, but I just love the glass of bubbly/champagne/Prosecco/whatever as we step on…..just a nice touch.

I enjoyed it also, even though I have the beverage package.