Current Princess Plus and Premium Wine Lists

[martin jenkins]

16 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, $6 extra a glass. That's $6 too much IMHO. 🤣 

 

I grew up in NZ and the Cloudy Bay marketing story was an interesting lesson in marketing. When I moved to Australia, 26 years ago, I was very tempted to try to offer a wine class on the ABCB of NZ wines - Anything But Cloudy Bay! But life was too busy back then, and now I've completely lost touch with the NZ wine industry.

yeah no what you mean, lived in chch for 20 years and spent a lot of time in summer up in Blenheim and nelson, there are other great wineries but rarely see there wines over here, please post what wines you recommend as we are on the coral 22nd july, enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We ventured into the land of Premium wines tonight.

 

The Leasingham Riesling was very pleasant and went well with our seafood appetiser.

 

The Henchke GSM was gorgeous.

 

Rolf said the Shaw + Smith Chardonnay was a touch overoaked for his taste but he enjoyed the Noble One.

Is it the Grange or the Lafite tomorrow night?

[NSWP]

13 hours ago, windsor26 said:

Let us hope that supply problems are sorted by the world 2023 cruise   There is only 1 cider and that has a lime taste added  urg    no white zin etc  very poor selection for us  but we will get tasters before we order the final glass each

I am a cider drinker, one pathetic cider on the list. Not even Strongbow or Magners.

[plettza]

This was our first Princess and our first alcohol drinks package so we didn't know what to expect but I was surprised to see so few wines varieties for both Plus and Premier packages;  I thought there'd be more types.  We're not big wine drinkers but often, the boss'll have a pinot grigio or riesling which wasn't on the list (at least for Plus) and I'll have sauvignon blanc.  She ended up drinking mostly SSB or the rosé and I mostly had the SSB or the sparkling Willowglen brut in Bordeaux.  We mostly had wine at lunch and dinner when in Bordeaux and cocktails, and scotch for me, elsewhere.

 

I'd get the Plus package next time still; it met my needs even with the wine list they had.

 

I can't say I disliked any of the wines I tried though.  As, I said, I'm not a big wine drinker so I wouldn't know what these bottles cost in the outside world.

[arxcards]

A bit hard to compare the best available price when Dan's doesn't have any. From what I can tell, the base bottle price of Dom looks really competitive. When you apply the 25% plus package discount, $214 looks to be a pretty good deal. I can recall we paid nearly $200 on Princess 15 years ago. Sure, their buying power means they are still making some money, but they are keeping it chilled and pouring it for you for a similar price to what Dan's would have off the shelf.

 

But no, I will be drinking my included plus range spirits & cocktails instead.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I think we've decided to stick with the Plus package as it covers internet, coffees, cocktails and bottled water. For wines we will pay the difference for the Premium wines, plus we enjoy the rosè and the merlot on the Plus package. We've tried most of those (except the CB which I wouldn't drink even if someone paid me to) and they are very decent wines. We might spring for a bottle of pinot grigio occasionally.

 

We'll review the situation after a couple more cruises but I think we're still saving on the deal.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, plettza said:

This was our first Princess and our first alcohol drinks package so we didn't know what to expect but I was surprised to see so few wines varieties for both Plus and Premier packages;  I thought there'd be more types. 

I was absolutely shocked at the limited range of wines offered. And even more shocked when I tasted some of those Plus wines.

[MicCanberra]

Might be a beer cruise for me.

[arxcards]

26 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I was absolutely shocked at the limited range of wines offered. And even more shocked when I tasted some of those Plus wines.

You would think they would allow more of the $70ish bottles to be available by the glass, but they may be concerned about having enough to go around.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

You would think they would allow more of the $70ish bottles to be available by the glass, but they may be concerned about having enough to go around.

Apparently that is part of the problem. Supply issues in the US meant they couldn't get supplies of the wines on their old wine list. They kept what they could get for US cruises and sourced some Australian wines for our cruises. IMO there is a wine supplier somewhere in Australia rubbing his hands in glee at pulling a swifty over Princess.

[arxcards]

9 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Apparently that is part of the problem. Supply issues in the US meant they couldn't get supplies of the wines on their old wine list. They kept what they could get for US cruises and sourced some Australian wines for our cruises. IMO there is a wine supplier somewhere in Australia rubbing his hands in glee at pulling a swifty over Princess.

Or Princess are rubbing their hands together in glee at pulling a swifty over their passengers 😁

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

Or Princess are rubbing their hands together in glee at pulling a swifty over their passengers 😁

Nope! They are getting too much flack to be doing that. I suspect they are losing customers too - people who were trying Princess for the first time as they wanted a cruise fix and their regular cruise line isn't here yet. They won't come back. Ditto people who are new to cruising and who enjoy wine with their meals.

 

We get the impression that Princess management, or whoever is in charge of ordering wine supplies, really doesn't know much about wine, and doesn't understand Australian wine trends. The packages are very old fashioned, pre-2000 IMHO. Heavy on the SB and oaked chardonnays, shiraz and cab sauv. Pinot noir has been recognised, but no pinot grigio which is becoming very popular these days. 

[Jean C]

Slightly off topic but I think Princess is being very fair to passengers. I fully understand people's gripes about the quality of wines available, I like a decent wine but will happily go without rather than spend on cheap plonk. But back to my point, Princess fares are still very reasonable (except of course compared with same duration US cruises, but that again is a different issue). Have you looked at airfares lately? Air NZ have almost doubled their fares this last month, citing fuel costs, which make up one-third of airfare, and increased catering costs due to increased food costs. Princess have those same additional costs to bear but their fares don't hike at every available opportunity. I  think Princess is doing a sterling job in the current climate and can't wait to get back on a ship in 19 days 🛳 🥳

[Jean C]

PS, to boot, our upcoming cruise, as I am sure is the case for many passengers, is a freebie due to the generous bonus FCC Princess offered passengers at the start of Covid cancellations.

[Russell21]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:14 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

Rolf said the Shaw + Smith Chardonnay was a touch overoaked for his taste but he enjoyed the Noble One.

The Noble One is an outstanding example of a Botrytised wine, it is so good that for many years now it has not been entered in competitions due to the continued winning to the point of almost embarrassment.

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 hours ago, Russell21 said:

The Noble One is an outstanding example of a Botrytised wine, it is so good that for many years now it has not been entered in competitions due to the continued winning to the point of almost embarrassment.

It certainly is outstanding.

[OzKiwiJJ]

On our way down to Coffs Harbour we detoured off the highway looking for somewhere nice for lunch. We stopped at Ripples Licensed Cafe in Hastings Point where we had a delicious lunch. Although we didn't have any wine with our lunch I took a photo of their wine list. Very interesting when you compare it with the Princess Plus list.

 

 

[NSWP]

On 7/2/2022 at 7:05 PM, MicCanberra said:

Might be a beer cruise for me.

Cider cruise for me on HAL @US$7 a bottle, 2 bottles per day., one before dinner and one with dinner in MDR or Lido Buffet. Do me.

Edited July 3, 2022 by NSWP

[Emma Chisit]

Thanks OzKiwiJJ for posting all this information. The wine by the glass selection for those with a Plus package is depressing, especially for predominantly white wine drinkers like me.     I hope it improves, Princess clearly is able to offer a better selection overseas.  This was posted on the main Princess board from a Majestic Princess cruise in March 2022.

https://profcruise.com/oceannow-delivery-menu-2022/

The same blogger also posted a selection of beverage menus collected from multiple Princess ships in May 2022:

https://profcruise.com/princess-bar-and-drink-menus-2022/

Again, a lot more variety than is being offered on the current Coral Princess cruises.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 minutes ago, Emma Chisit said:

Thanks OzKiwiJJ for posting all this information. The wine by the glass selection for those with a Plus package is depressing, especially for predominantly white wine drinkers like me.     I hope it improves, Princess clearly is able to offer a better selection overseas.  This was posted on the main Princess board from a Majestic Princess cruise in March 2022.

https://profcruise.com/oceannow-delivery-menu-2022/

The same blogger also posted a selection of beverage menus collected from multiple Princess ships in May 2022:

https://profcruise.com/princess-bar-and-drink-menus-2022/

Again, a lot more variety than is being offered on the current Coral Princess cruises.

Yes, the white wine selections are abysmal. Try the rosè, it's very, very nice and works well as a substitute for a crisp white wine.

[Emma Chisit]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, the white wine selections are abysmal. Try the rosè, it's very, very nice and works well as a substitute for a crisp white wine.

Thanks  it sounds good.  I just looked it up because not familiar with Makepeace.  ( Not precious but I tend to stick with whites because I often get headaches from reds so has made me a bit risk-averse.  Actually used to prefer reds) We are doing a short Coral Princess cruise in October in the same cabin we booked for next year's world cruise.  Booked as a try-out for the cabin - but might end up being a try-out for the wine!😀  Frankly the thought of 107 days with that selection of wines depresses us both, and DH drinks anything.   

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Emma Chisit said:

Thanks  it sounds good.  I just looked it up because not familiar with Makepeace.  ( Not precious but I tend to stick with whites because I often get headaches from reds so has made me a bit risk-averse.  Actually used to prefer reds) We are doing a short Coral Princess cruise in October in the same cabin we booked for next year's world cruise.  Booked as a try-out for the cabin - but might end up being a try-out for the wine!😀  Frankly the thought of 107 days with that selection of wines depresses us both, and DH drinks anything.   

I had the same problem with reds until I learnt to avoid most cabernet sauvignons and some Australian shirazes. The Masterpeace merlot is also very drinkable, goes well with most red.meats, and extremely well with the Princess Love Boat Dream dessert which is chocolate and raspberry.

 

Also the Premium wines are good, although the chardonnay is still bit too oaky for us. You only pay the difference above $16 if you choose a Premium wine.

 

We're doing the 2024 world cruise and had the same concerns as you. 

 

Hopefully Princess will listen to the feedback they are getting about those crappy wines.

[Emma Chisit]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Hopefully Princess will listen to the feedback they are getting about those crappy wines.

Agree  - and hope someone from Princess reads these threads  because they seem to have better wine offerings on their overseas cruises.  

Also thanks for the wine tips! 

[NSWP]

3 minutes ago, Emma Chisit said:

Agree  - and hope someone from Princess reads these threads  because they seem to have better wine offerings on their overseas cruises.  

Also thanks for the wine tips! 

I think the Aussies are being dudded again. No wine shortages here, they could source plenty.

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

I think the Aussies are being dudded again. No wine shortages here, they could source plenty.

Yes, they certainly could but I suspect the problems are they don't understand the Australian wine trends, and they don't have a decent buyer here.

 

But things like delivery costs have skyrocketed here in the past few months due to fuel increases and driver shortages so prices are likely to be higher than usual. Remember they didn't have that much notice that Australia would let them operate here.

 

But that doesn't explain why two wines that cost $15 a bottle from the winery is $12 by the glass, and $53 for the bottle, when a wine that sells for $3.99 at Dan's is $15 by the glass and $68 for the bottle. Go figure!

 

Oh, silly me, the $3.99 wine is a Pinot Noir so of course it has to be priced higher than a Rosè or a Merlot! At least in the US it would be! 🤣🤣🤣

Edited July 4, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ