Veuve

[Cruiseingbug]

So if you are doing the Premium drink package +, do they offer Veuve in all the Speciality restaurants as wells MDR on the Escape. Also could we ask when we board and confirm our dinner times and see if Veuve can be available to us?

[phillygwm]

I was on the Joy in October and had FAS+.  I rarely had an issue getting Veuve.  Not in every bar, mind you, but always at A List, Observation Lounge, and maybe some others I don't recall.  They also had it at all the restaurants I dined in (all specialty; can't speak to MDR.)  They also had Moet by the bottle in the restaurants I frequented.  The only problem was when we were in a Canadian port, there was an issue getting drinks from one of the few open bars to the restaurant but that's an aberration.

 

Obviously, everything is subject to supply chain etc. so if you're getting P+ (as opposed to FAS+) it may be prudent to wait until you're onboard.  

Edited January 2, 2023 by phillygwm

[KeithJenner]

We have never had any trouble getting Veuve in any restaurant, speciality or MDR.

 

We didn’t try in Teppanyaki though, and I doubt it was available in o’Sheehans.

[ziggyuk]

Breakaway not Escape but my experience 3 weeks ago.

On two occasions were told in the MDR we could only have Pommery rose and several other occasions we were that we could only have Veuve by the glass, I had to insist on a bottle which resulted in the manager coming over and a long wait to get a drink.

I had not tried Pommery before and really liked it, I preferred it to Veuve.

One time they tried to palm us off with glasses of Prosecco thinking we would not notice.

[Erekosse]

We were on the Escape in early December. No problems anywhere we asked that included Cellars, Atrium, Whiskey Bar, MDR, Le Bistro, Tepenyaki, and the bar between Taste and Savor.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

One time they tried to palm us off with glasses of Prosecco thinking we would not notice.

 

Would like the details on this incident. 

[RocketMan275]

My local publix was selling Veuve for $52.5 per bottle.

[FLcruisergrl]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

Breakaway not Escape but my experience 3 weeks ago.

On two occasions were told in the MDR we could only have Pommery rose and several other occasions we were that we could only have Veuve by the glass, I had to insist on a bottle which resulted in the manager coming over and a long wait to get a drink.

I had not tried Pommery before and really liked it, I preferred it to Veuve.

One time they tried to palm us off with glasses of Prosecco thinking we would not notice.

Well Veuve is technically only by the glass on the P+ package. Although, many bartenders/sommeliers will get creative and input 5 glasses and give you the bottle.

[gmbhardy]

Great post and feedback.

[ziggyuk]

59 minutes ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Well Veuve is technically only by the glass on the P+ package. Although, many bartenders/sommeliers will get creative and input 5 glasses and give you the bottle.

 

True but the point being they had nothing else except the two occasions they spirited up the Pommery, that was the case throughout the trip, hardly any premium wines and almost no premium spirits, even Hedrick's gin was a challenge to find. It was a joke trying to get anything I had paid a lot of money for.

 

[gmbhardy]

13 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

True but the point being they had nothing else except the two occasions they spirited up the Pommery, that was the case throughout the trip, hardly any premium wines and almost no premium spirits, even Hedrick's gin was a challenge to find. It was a joke trying to get anything I had paid a lot of money for.

 

Did you complain to the beverage manager or ask for your money back?

[FLcruisergrl]

34 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

True but the point being they had nothing else except the two occasions they spirited up the Pommery, that was the case throughout the trip, hardly any premium wines and almost no premium spirits, even Hedrick's gin was a challenge to find. It was a joke trying to get anything I had paid a lot of money for.

 

Did you ask for a bottle of Moët? That one is available by the bottle. 

[ziggyuk]

9 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

Did you complain to the beverage manager or ask for your money back?

 

I asked for a meeting with the beverage manager to discuss the issues, she told me the Kraken rum was now deleted from NCL stock but she had a few and would get them to the atrium bar, also she would ensure the Hendrick's was also available there.
None of these things happened, and additionally the wine dispensers (only place to get decent wine outside the restaurants on the Breakaway) were constantly empty, I collared her again to express my disappointment and she did get the wine dispensers refilled but claimed there was no more Hendrick's or Kraken.
I did not ask for my money back and to be fair we did get value from the package, just not what I paid for or expected, I was planning on enjoying Monkey Shoulder gin but they had none.
The biggest issue for me was the constant fight to get anything, whenever I asked for a bottle of Champagne we always went through the same old script "How about Prosecco?", "We can do Champagne by the glass." and finally "Let me get the manager" by which time we had finished our food.

[ziggyuk]

1 minute ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Did you ask for a bottle of Moët? That one is available by the bottle. 

 

They did not have any Moet or Mumm's on board, we managed to get two bottles of Pommery but after that they only had Veuve on the ship.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

One time they tried to palm us off with glasses of Prosecco thinking we would not notice.

 

So did someone actually put prosecco in front of you served in a glass and tell you it was champagne? Hoping to get the story so we can be prepared in March.

[CruzinMel]

I'm on Escape.now.  I haven't tried the dining rooms, but going from.bar to bar on the ship, not every one had Veuve.  In the buffet, the bartender looked at my card, told me all he had was Prosecco, and encouraged me to go to the places that had Veuve.  

[gmbhardy]

8 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

I asked for a meeting with the beverage manager to discuss the issues, she told me the Kraken rum was now deleted from NCL stock but she had a few and would get them to the atrium bar, also she would ensure the Hendrick's was also available there.
None of these things happened, and additionally the wine dispensers (only place to get decent wine outside the restaurants on the Breakaway) were constantly empty, I collared her again to express my disappointment and she did get the wine dispensers refilled but claimed there was no more Hendrick's or Kraken.
I did not ask for my money back and to be fair we did get value from the package, just not what I paid for or expected, I was planning on enjoying Monkey Shoulder gin but they had none.
The biggest issue for me was the constant fight to get anything, whenever I asked for a bottle of Champagne we always went through the same old script "How about Prosecco?", "We can do Champagne by the glass." and finally "Let me get the manager" by which time we had finished our food.

Thanks for posting. Good things to know. I’ll be on the Bliss on Saturday for a 15 day Panama Canal cruise. I purchased the plus package, but I’m having second thoughts, especially because of the length of the cruise.

[ziggyuk]

36 minutes ago, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

One time they tried to palm us off with glasses of Prosecco thinking we would not notice.

 

So did someone actually put prosecco in front of you served in a glass and tell you it was champagne? Hoping to get the story so we can be prepared in March.

 

Yes in the MDR at lunch I asked for Champagne, they delivered two already poured glasses to the table, I sent it back as bad, they then opened a bottle of Veuve at the table.
I think some waiters in the MDR think the term "Champagne" covers anything sparkling, the amount of times I asked for Champagne to be told "We have Prosecco." was ridiculous. I spent my whole time saying "No, I want Champagne, what do you have?".
It really was tiring having to insist on having what I wanted rather than what they wanted to provide.

[ziggyuk]

39 minutes ago, gmbhardy said:

Thanks for posting. Good things to know. I’ll be on the Bliss on Saturday for a 15 day Panama Canal cruise. I purchased the plus package, but I’m having second thoughts, especially because of the length of the cruise.

 

In fairness we did have value from the package, we had a bottle of Acqua Panna & San Pellegrino with every meal, Champagne either by the glass or bottle for lunch and dinner. Fresh orange juice at breakfast every morning (I did overhear one table think we were drinking screwdrivers 😂) and lots of Starbucks throughout the day.

While I did not get my Monkey Shoulder gin and my fall back of Hendricks was in short supply I don't mind a Tanqueray Ten.
As I say the biggest issue was the rigmarole of having to insist on what we wanted, most days we were half way through our food before we finally got our Champagne, in fact I started refusing to place my food order until my drinks arrived.
I think the experience would have been better on a ship with a wine/Champagne bar, on the breakaway there were no decent wines or Champagne outside the restaurants except the wine dispensers which were a godsend (when working).
I am told there was more choice (possibly including Champagne) at Prime Meridian but we did not use that bar until the end of the trip.

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, gmbhardy said:

Thanks for posting. Good things to know. I’ll be on the Bliss on Saturday for a 15 day Panama Canal cruise. I purchased the plus package, but I’m having second thoughts, especially because of the length of the cruise.

On the Bliss right after you. Please save us some. 

[cruisebeachgirl703]

thank you to ziggyuk for the prosecco/champagne details. helpful!!!

Edited January 2, 2023 by cruisebeachgirl703
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[New2cruise2022]

For any that may not now the differences:
 

https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/champagne-vs-prosecco/

[gmbhardy]

51 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

On the Bliss right after you. Please save us some. 

I’ll try😉. I will also post about my plus experiences on the ship (if the terrible wifi allows me to).

[Kirstys1]

when dining i order a bottle of proper champagne from the premium plus wine list and only order veuve by the glass at the bars, never had an issue except on the pool bars. 

[gmbhardy]

22 minutes ago, Kirstys1 said:

when dining i order a bottle of proper champagne from the premium plus wine list and only order veuve by the glass at the bars, never had an issue except on the pool bars. 

What ship were you on?