Wintergarden

[duquephart]

Usual times? How many "spots" to sit? Seating hard to come by?

[Moonlion]

It's a lovely setting but was almost empty every time we walked by.  I believe they serve afternoon tea there but we never made it.  

[eylarson]

Afternoon tea usually around 4pm   Never any problem getting served.  They even serve in the hallway beside and will bring to the pool area if demand is that high.  

[molymoo]

Most of the time this area is pretty empty.  Tea time brings out the "crowds".  During the pre-COVID (ie: full passenger load) time it could get very busy ... especially on sea days.  We had trouble finding seating several times and learned to get there early.  On the one cruise we have done since COVID we had little difficulty with seating, although it still was quite busy.

[Azulann]

Space that has been used for CC meet and greets. But  those are on hold for now.

Has also been used for the resident historian  small group discussions in the past. 

 One can always just go in anytime you would like and relax. It is the most beautiful space IMO.

[Let Me Travel!]

I can’t wait to sample a true “tea”…I’m planning on copying them un- ashamedly … I’m having a party in July to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee… I’ll make an attempt to make the foods!

[TayanaLorna]

3 hours ago, duquephart said:

Usual times? How many "spots" to sit? Seating hard to come by?

The Wintergarden is almost always open.  Tea can get very crowded and they begin setting up around 3 pm.  Other times there is lots of seating on sofas and comfy chairs.  It was used more often during our 2 cruises in 2021 during Covid.  Small groups would gather to play games or cards trying to social distance from others.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Agreed, pre COVID Wintergarden gets very crowded...tea time is popular especially on sea days, but really not something to be missed.  Let Me Travel, the scones are delightful, and the tea good.  I didn't find the other foods exciting, but their presentation makes up for that!  I may have come home and ordered little individual tea pots to use when I serve scones! 

[duquephart]

I was hoping to try the tea service once but not if too crowded. What time to get there to find a nice spot?

[Selion]

6 minutes ago, duquephart said:

I was hoping to try the tea service once but not if too crowded. What time to get there to find a nice spot?

4PM worked for us during our March cruise, but it was an all port-days itinerary with 500 pax.

[CILCIANRQTS]

16 minutes ago, duquephart said:

I was hoping to try the tea service once but not if too crowded. What time to get there to find a nice spot?

We go just a few (10?) minutes early to get a choice of seats.

[Let Me Travel!]

5 hours ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

Agreed, pre COVID Wintergarden gets very crowded...tea time is popular especially on sea days, but really not something to be missed.  Let Me Travel, the scones are delightful, and the tea good.  I didn't find the other foods exciting, but their presentation makes up for that!  I may have come home and ordered little individual tea pots to use when I serve scones! 

You are absolutely invited....we are doing teas, scones, cucumber sandwiches etc...and of course, a My Fair Lady sing-a-long...come on!

[austinetc]

We loved tea time. The experience was the height of extravagant living for us. 

 

The sight of some passengers attending the event in bathrobes was a real downer though. Not very posh.

 

 

[Blackduck59]

2 hours ago, austinetc said:

We loved tea time. The experience was the height of extravagant living for us. 

 

The sight of some passengers attending the event in bathrobes was a real downer though. Not very posh.

 

 

 

I don't want to sound like the fashion police but really? I thought there were rules about bath robes. Even on a ship with a casual vibe, bathrobes should not be in food service areas. I guess even Viking has a few guests with no sense of decorum.

[duquephart]

"the height of extravagant living"

[Blackduck59]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

"the height of extravagant living"

 

Clearly you are trying to be irritating, I hope I never meet you on a cruise. In the meantime I guess I'll have to ignore you

[Jim Avery]

I suppose the best you could say is the bathrobes cover up the Speedos.  Too lazy to change out for tea.  Must go back to the pool.....  Bet they even left books, etc. to "reserve" their loungers.  Seems like a fit.😱

[duquephart]

I thought inconsiderate slobs were confined to the "other" cruise lines.

[Jim Avery]

30 minutes ago, duquephart said:

I thought inconsiderate slobs were confined to the "other" cruise lines.

Hahahahahaha.....🥃

[Mrs Miggins]

From an English perspective the afternoon tea was nice, and the setting is lovely especially as often there is live music.

However,  sometimes they didn't have English Breakfast Tea (doesnt have to be served at breakfast but it is nearest to 'ordinary' tea).  They had a huge selection of other sorts of teas, which apart from Earl Grey, would not be the norm.  The scones are OK but should be served warm and the cream was not the correct Clotted Cream although I understand from this board that it is available on special request.  The jam should be strawberry, although raspberry or blackcurrant are allowed too.

In London afternoon tea at the Savoy starts at £65 per person.

The Lanesborough is offering a Bridgerton Afternoon tea, again starting at £65.  If you add a glass of champagne or a cocktail  it is £80.

Bath robes would not make it through the door, although some in the room may well be inconsiderate.

[sugarside]

A word of warning.

Maybe don’t plan on having a special meal in the evening.

You won’t have room.🤔😂

[Blackduck59]

Afternoon tea is a lovely thing. We will certainly enjoy it at least once on our cruise, especially because it is "included in the fare". There is a very famous Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel here in Victoria, we have never gone because of the unreasonable price. It is very hard to justify $89.00 per person for a few sandwiches and pastries. The are other places much more reasonable, or I could just make it at home

 

 

This was Mother's day a couple of years ago, I put this together for my Mother in Law. The fresh scones (NO Raisins) are just about ready. It didn't cost $89.00 per person and the selection and quality was better.

So I'm happy we will have Afternoon tea served in the Wintergarden include in our cruise fare.

Edited April 6, 2022 by Blackduck59

[Mickey111]

6 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

From an English perspective the afternoon tea was nice, and the setting is lovely especially as often there is live music.

However,  sometimes they didn't have English Breakfast Tea (doesnt have to be served at breakfast but it is nearest to 'ordinary' tea).  They had a huge selection of other sorts of teas, which apart from Earl Grey, would not be the norm.  The scones are OK but should be served warm and the cream was not the correct Clotted Cream although I understand from this board that it is available on special request.  The jam should be strawberry, although raspberry or blackcurrant are allowed too.

In London afternoon tea at the Savoy starts at £65 per person.

The Lanesborough is offering a Bridgerton Afternoon tea, again starting at £65.  If you add a glass of champagne or a cocktail  it is £80.

Bath robes would not make it through the door, although some in the room may well be inconsiderate.

I take my tea bags and coffee bags everywhere totally love afternoon tea so rarely get time

[millybess]

15 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Afternoon tea is a lovely thing. We will certainly enjoy it at least once on our cruise, especially because it is "included in the fare". There is a very famous Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel here in Victoria, we have never gone because of the unreasonable price. It is very hard to justify $89.00 per person for a few sandwiches and pastries. The are other places much more reasonable, or I could just make it at home

 

 

This was Mother's day a couple of years ago, I put this together for my Mother in Law. The fresh scones (NO Raisins) are just about ready. It didn't cost $89.00 per person and the selection and quality was better.

So I'm happy we will have Afternoon tea served in the Wintergarden include in our cruise fare.

That looks lovely and scrumptious Blackduck.  We did the Empress Tea a few years ago, mainly because we had been there several times and had never done it before.  It was every bit as stuffy as we thought it would be, but it was a lot of fun and not a bathrobe to be seen anywhere!

[FetaCheese]

We always went to the V tea, time permitting.  1st V cruise, Dec 2021. Excellent service, quality, and very relaxing.  A nice chance to meet fellow pax, even with distancing and masking.  Don't miss it!