Current wine list help

[federalexpress]

I'm new to Azamara and I gather the wine offering is in a state of flux right now but if anyone is onboard, I'd really appreciate it if you could post a pic of the current wine list, especially the Ultimate package options, or if recently returned just list what the current choice includes. I'm booked on a cruise in January 2023 and thinking about buying an Experiences package with Ultimate beverage package included, and am trying to figure out if it's worth it, given I barely touch spirits and cocktails. Appreciate what will be onboard in 6 months will possibly be different from today, but it would help to see whether standards are slipping as a few have suggested.I've seen the example on the website, which I assume is well out of date, but I'd be happy with the level on there, Whispering Angel rose, a Matanzas Creek Merlot, Sokol and Blosser Pinot Noir etc. Sort of stuff that would retail for USD25-30 or so.

[terry&mike]

We were on Quest in June, with the Ultimate Package. We enjoyed the Whispering Angel rose' for several lunches, and ordered the Matanzas Creek Merlot a few times at dinner. Don't remember if we saw the others you mention. I have a copy of the list from that ship sailing, I will try to upload it. 

 

[terry&mike]

Hope this works.....

[federalexpress]

16 minutes ago, terry&mike said:

Hope this works.....

Thank you that is very helpful indeed. I was perhaps a little unfair about the website because that is pretty much exactly what is on there and would be good enough for me to go for the package. It strikes me the reds are quite a bit higher quality than the whites and I note there's no dessert wine but I guess I can bring that onboard with me.

 

Can I also ask you, do they make sure your glass is topped up promptly at dinner or do you have to chase them a bit? I assume they don't leave the bottle on the table?

 

Also will they bring wine to your cabin before dinner and/or if you have room service? I'm in a suite so have this butler service, if that makes a difference.

Edited July 12, 2022 by federalexpress

[asnaleah]

I also noticed the white wines are nothing special. Disappointing.

[uktog]

Tops ups are unfortunately extremely regular at dinner 🙂

 

Never had package wines brought to me in a suite, maybe if you dine in your suite they would exceptionally leave a bottle.  If I wanted a pre dinner wine in the suite, DH went to the nearest bar and brought back my whispering angel.

 

I am relieved to see it on the menu.  Last month guests on Pursuit who bought the package were told it had been removed from the selection even though they did have the wine onboard.  Fingers crossed for Quest and Journey in the coming months

[federalexpress]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Tops ups are unfortunately extremely regular at dinner 🙂

 

Never had package wines brought to me in a suite, maybe if you dine in your suite they would exceptionally leave a bottle.  If I wanted a pre dinner wine in the suite, DH went to the nearest bar and brought back my whispering angel.

 

I am relieved to see it on the menu.  Last month guests on Pursuit who bought the package were told it had been removed from the selection even though they did have the wine onboard.  Fingers crossed for Quest and Journey in the coming months

 

Thanks, very useful insights. I also read the same comment about the rose disappearing, it's partly what prompted my post, and no offence to Beringer, but if I wanted a glass of rose, it would need to be something better than a white zinfandel!

[Mackdogmolly]

51 minutes ago, federalexpress said:

 

Thanks, very useful insights. I also read the same comment about the rose disappearing, it's partly what prompted my post, and no offence to Beringer, but if I wanted a glass of rose, it would need to be something better than a white zinfandel!

Whispering Angel was on Quest last month, unless I drank it all 😂

[laurieb]

2 hours ago, federalexpress said:

Thank you that is very helpful indeed. I was perhaps a little unfair about the website because that is pretty much exactly what is on there and would be good enough for me to go for the package. It strikes me the reds are quite a bit higher quality than the whites and I note there's no dessert wine but I guess I can bring that onboard with me.

 

Can I also ask you, do they make sure your glass is topped up promptly at dinner or do you have to chase them a bit? I assume they don't leave the bottle on the table?

 

Also will they bring wine to your cabin before dinner and/or if you have room service? I'm in a suite so have this butler service, if that makes a difference.

I believe that if you have the ultimate package, you can get it delivered to your suite

[uktog]

31 minutes ago, laurieb said:

I believe that if you have the ultimate package, you can get it delivered to your suite

When did they start that?  Never been able to have it even in the Owners suite

[excitedofharpenden]

33 minutes ago, uktog said:

When did they start that?  Never been able to have it even in the Owners suite

My understanding is if you buy a package you can get it on room service. It's a while since I looked in person, but I think you can also order the daily pour on room service to go with your meal. I saw it on the interactive TV. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

27 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

My understanding is if you buy a package you can get it on room service. It's a while since I looked in person, but I think you can also order the daily pour on room service to go with your meal. I saw it on the interactive TV. 

 

Phil 

Interesting, we asked two different butlers on cruises and were told they could not do it.  It was OK we just went and carried it back from the bar ourselves but it would have been nice to have had the drinks delivered pre dinner some evenings.  If they have changed their plan to over and above the daily pour for suites, that is good to read.

[terry&mike]

4 hours ago, federalexpress said:

Thank you that is very helpful indeed. I was perhaps a little unfair about the website because that is pretty much exactly what is on there and would be good enough for me to go for the package. It strikes me the reds are quite a bit higher quality than the whites and I note there's no dessert wine but I guess I can bring that onboard with me.

 

Can I also ask you, do they make sure your glass is topped up promptly at dinner or do you have to chase them a bit? I assume they don't leave the bottle on the table?

 

Also will they bring wine to your cabin before dinner and/or if you have room service? I'm in a suite so have this butler service, if that makes a difference.

Our experience with the wine at dinner is that we would order our wine with our waiter and he would go and bring back an unopened bottle and pour our wine. He would then keep it on his service station and continue to refresh our glasses when they were low, never waiting for them to become empty.  Never did we have to request a pour.

Our experience with wine at lunch was much more sporadic. We would each order a glass of the Whispering Angel, and they would bring us a glass each.  Then we would usually have to ask someone for another glass.  By the third day, we would order Whispering Angel and say "you should just bring a bottle close by, as we are going to drink it all". This worked well, and they would bring an unopened bottle and keep it nearby and regularly pour for us most of the time. 

We found value in the Ultimate Package for us, as hubby likes Highland Park Scotch Whisky before dinner, and we often like sparkling water with dinner rather than still water (along with our wine). After dinner, we often enjoy a port. Those things, along with enjoying the upgraded wines at both lunch and dinner daily gave us good value, but I understand it is not for everyone. 

 

As to wines being brought to your cabin with room service on the Ultimate Package, that is not a benefit. You can order beverages with room service, but there is a charge. We did as others have said, when we wanted something we just popped to a nearby bar and brought it back.  

[terry&mike]

Hubby just confirmed to me that we did have the Sokol Pinot for dinner on a couple of occasions, as well. This was on Quest in June. 

[federalexpress]

7 minutes ago, terry&mike said:

Our experience with the wine at dinner is that we would order our wine with our waiter and he would go and bring back an unopened bottle and pour our wine. He would then keep it on his service station and continue to refresh our glasses when they were low, never waiting for them to become empty.  Never did we have to request a pour.

Our experience with wine at lunch was much more sporadic. We would each order a glass of the Whispering Angel, and they would bring us a glass each.  Then we would usually have to ask someone for another glass.  By the third day, we would order Whispering Angel and say "you should just bring a bottle close by, as we are going to drink it all". This worked well, and they would bring an unopened bottle and keep it nearby and regularly pour for us most of the time. 

We found value in the Ultimate Package for us, as hubby likes Highland Park Scotch Whisky before dinner, and we often like sparkling water with dinner rather than still water (along with our wine). After dinner, we often enjoy a port. Those things, along with enjoying the upgraded wines at both lunch and dinner daily gave us good value, but I understand it is not for everyone. 

 

As to wines being brought to your cabin with room service on the Ultimate Package, that is not a benefit. You can order beverages with room service, but there is a charge. We did as others have said, when we wanted something we just popped to a nearby bar and brought it back.  

 Thanks, that is both informative and re-assuring. My cruise is around S America, so prime wine producing territory, which I guess means I can always bring a bottle or two of white onboard to keep in my cabin, if I'm too lazy to go and get wine to bring back from the bar.

 

I also like port but it likes me less well. Shame they don't seem to offer a dessert wine on the package- so maybe not quite 'ultimate'!

[laurieb]

9 hours ago, uktog said:

When did they start that?  Never been able to have it even in the Owners suite

we were able to both last fall and this spring on the Quest.  By the glass, only with ultimate package

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Can you get Irish whiskey if you don't get the Ultimate package?

[uktog]

5 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

Can you get Irish whiskey if you don't get the Ultimate package?

Yes you can buy it as you want to drink it. We call it pay as you go. 

[norn iron]

7 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

Can you get Irish whiskey if you don't get the Ultimate package?

They have two Irish whiskeys on board, Jameson and the oldest whiskey in the world, good old 'Bushmills'.

They used to carry Black Bush, it's more of an acquired taste.

[Lazy Sailor]

On 7/12/2022 at 1:03 PM, federalexpress said:

Thank you that is very helpful indeed. I was perhaps a little unfair about the website because that is pretty much exactly what is on there and would be good enough for me to go for the package. It strikes me the reds are quite a bit higher quality than the whites and I note there's no dessert wine but I guess I can bring that onboard with me.

 

Can I also ask you, do they make sure your glass is topped up promptly at dinner or do you have to chase them a bit? I assume they don't leave the bottle on the table?

 

Also will they bring wine to your cabin before dinner and/or if you have room service? I'm in a suite so have this butler service, if that makes a difference.

We have never had any problem with getting wine topped up at lunch or dinner - except you may have to ask a few times and/or make ot clear you enjoy your wine - and don't wait until your glass is empty! In "normal" times the waiters are all quite busy. Also, I think those who treat the waiters as people not servants do OK too.

[federalexpress]

2 hours ago, Lazy Sailor said:

We have never had any problem with getting wine topped up at lunch or dinner - except you may have to ask a few times and/or make ot clear you enjoy your wine - and don't wait until your glass is empty! In "normal" times the waiters are all quite busy. Also, I think those who treat the waiters as people not servants do OK too.

Good advice, thanks.

[DS]

We just got off the Pursuit on Saturday past.   I brought paper copies of all the beverage packages home and scanned them in.  (Assuming I can do things right...)  they are attached below.   Note that all of them say "All selections subject to change and availability"   ( although the Premium package says "all sections"...)

AZ Ultimate Beverage.pdf AZ Prem Beverage.pdf AZ Comp Beverages.pdf

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, DS said:

We just got off the Pursuit on Saturday past.   I brought paper copies of all the beverage packages home and scanned them in.  (Assuming I can do things right...)  they are attached below.   Note that all of them say "All selections subject to change and availability"   ( although the Premium package says "all sections"...)

AZ Ultimate Beverage.pdf 532.69 kB · 7 downloads AZ Prem Beverage.pdf 485.27 kB · 7 downloads AZ Comp Beverages.pdf 428.95 kB · 8 downloads

Well done. Thanks. Perhaps this post can be put on the Azamara useful info thread. 

 

Phil 

[lisiamc]

6 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Well done. Thanks. Perhaps this post can be put on the Azamara useful info thread. 

 

Phil 

Ooh, great idea!

[Host Jazzbeau]

14 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Well done. Thanks. Perhaps this post can be put on the Azamara useful info thread. 

 

Phil 

Done