Help! Champagne emergency!!!

[Notamegagirl]

Is Veuve Clicquot available in atrium bar??Boarding soon, know there has been bar menu changes, adore the atrium bar (but not previous bubbly selections.) Thanks everyone for their advice and insight....

[Nachosdelux]

since you're boarding soon, perhaps you can quite easily find the answer yourself.  Bon Voyage!

[ChiefMateJRK]

Despite what others have recently experienced, you won't really know until you arrive at the bar.  Even more scary, they may have it on Monday but not the rest of the week! I suggest you drink as much of it on Monday as you can, "just in case." 😎

[All-ready2cruise]

I agree, bring your own.  

[Sydneyberlin]

2 hours ago, Notamegagirl said:

Is Veuve Clicquot available in atrium bar??Boarding soon, know there has been bar menu changes, adore the atrium bar (but not previous bubbly selections.) Thanks everyone for their advice and insight....

Despite some rather silly responses on here, I’m with ya. Not being able to get Veuve upon boarding (or anywhere during your cruise, really) would be a real drama. Especially if you have paid through the roof for the plus package. 
 

Honestly, also curious to hear how you went, we’re going in 3 weeks time and are counting on our Veuve.

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 minutes ago, Sydneyberlin said:

Despite some rather silly responses on here

Silly?? Perhaps you sir are the silly one!  "Real drama?"  Surely (Shirley) you jest. 🤣

[All-ready2cruise]

I love my wine/champagne (not necessarily sparkling wine) real Champagne but enjoy of many different wines.  I might bring my own wine if I'm fearful I won't be able to get the Veuve, however, for the most part I am confident enough that I'll be able to find the Veuve easily enough to fine a bottle to share with some friends. I've heard that some passengers will order a bottle of Veuve every evening which means it does get used up before the end of the cruise.  

[All-ready2cruise]

8 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Silly?? Perhaps you sir are the silly one!  "Real drama?"  Surely (Shirley) you jest. 🤣

I wonder about that comment as well... really? Nasty? a bit IMO, yes. 

[Sydneyberlin]

Well- just don’t find it helpful if people answer “why don’t you look for yourself”, it doesn’t help anyone but maybe that poster’s ego.

 

And when it comes to “real drama”, oh dear, there are plenty of posts on here where I just roll my eyes and think “people have problems”. But it will be an issue for the person asking, so why the nastiness.

 

People are also all different- for me personally, looking forward to the unlimited Veuve that I’ve paid top Dollars for by upgrading to the Premium Plus package and then there is none, is would indeed be a real issue for me, it would even make or break the cruise for us, I think (unless there’s a half way comparable alternative, we won’t die from unlimited Möet instead). On the other hand, some issues (like the ole whinge about the bathrooms on Epic or anything to do with kids’ activities and do on), I couldn’t care less about. But I fully understand if the people who do care about it, are really concerned. I’m not telling a mom who wonders about the opening hours of the kids club “why don’t you go and see on the ship yourself” either.

[Panhandle Couple]

Which ship?

Which port?

OK, Atrium bar.

Which bartender?

 

Which year vintage do you desire?

 

 

 

 

[rather be in Hawaii]

Vueve is only included by the glass and no longer included by the bottle with meals on the premium plus beverage program. If I am incorrect please let me know.😊🍾

[Sydneyberlin]

43 minutes ago, rather be in Hawaii said:

Vueve is only included by the glass and no longer included by the bottle with meals on the premium plus beverage program. If I am incorrect please let me know.😊🍾

I thought it was Möet for a while instead and now it’s Veuve again? Very frustrating tbh- I wouldn’t care as much if the Premium Plus wasn’t THAT expensive but with a price tag like what they are charging, NCL really open themselves up to o tense discussions like this or complaints even.

 

And supply chain issues are not an excuse anymore as you can pick up a box of Veuve pretty much anywhere that sells booze.

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, Sydneyberlin said:

People are also all different- for me personally, looking forward to the unlimited Veuve that I’ve paid top Dollars for by upgrading to the Premium Plus package and then there is none, is would indeed be a real issue for me, it would even make or break the cruise for us, I think

Make or break the cruise?  Really?  I'm guessing this is hyperbole, right?

[Sydneyberlin]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Make or break the cruise?  Really?  I'm guessing this is hyperbole, right?

Nopey. We wouldn’t chose Norwegian if there wasn’t an option to upgrade to unlimited French champagne. Something you can’t even do on many of the more expensive chains. Each to their own mate!

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 minutes ago, Sydneyberlin said:

Nopey. We wouldn’t chose Norwegian if there wasn’t an option to upgrade to unlimited French champagne. Something you can’t even do on many of the more expensive chains. Each to their own mate!

Wow.  That's really interesting.  I would never let a variety of booze "make or break" my amazing vacation.  I could still have a fantastic time with only PBR (something that was greatly appreciated for those of us who lived for years on a college kid budget).  I might not be happy about that minutia, but life really is too short.😎  Are you really serious about this?  Lack of fancy champagne could ruin your cruise?  Yikes!!

[Sydneyberlin]

7 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Wow.  That's really interesting.  I would never let a variety of booze "make or break" my amazing vacation.  I could still have a fantastic time with only PBR (something that was greatly appreciated for those of us who lived for years on a college kid budget).  I might not be happy about that minutia, but life really is too short.😎  Are you really serious about this?  Lack of fancy champagne could ruin your cruise?  Yikes!!

Again- the cost paid for the upgraded package comes into the count here too. Of course I’d probably enjoy a cruise with it any booze even (maybe not without any- that would be rather boring I think personally). But there’s lots of competition and if it wasn’t for the champagne thing, then yes, we’d indeed probably be on a different cruise line.

 

So given we’ve paid for the Plus package now, yes, not getting what I’ve paid for would probably ruin the cruise for me. So I’m actually not kidding, it’s important for us. As might be the shows, dinner options or whatever it might be for others. We’re MUCH easier with many of those things.

[KeithJenner]

The problem with questions like this is that there is no way of us answering them.

 

I did two cruises last year where Veuve was available in multiple bars (although not the Atrium bar either time) and we got through plenty of it. Meanwhile, a poster who I trust recently posted that they were unable to get it anywhere other than with meals.

 

It depends on the ship, itinerary, staff, stocking issue, so many factors. As the OP hasn’t specified the ship then it is even harder to give an answer which has a chance of being helpful.

 

As for the “ruining the cruise” thing, given the cost of upgrading it can certainly be something that will impact someone’s enjoyment and their feeing towards NCL. However it is dangerous these days to pin your enjoyment of anything on the availability of one thing at the moment, but relying on NCL for things such as this is particularly risky.

[Mississippian]

4 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

I love my wine/champagne (not necessarily sparkling wine) real Champagne but enjoy of many different wines.  I might bring my own wine if I'm fearful I won't be able to get the Veuve, however, for the most part I am confident enough that I'll be able to find the Veuve easily enough to fine a bottle to share with some friends. I've heard that some passengers will order a bottle of Veuve every evening which means it does get used up before the end of the cruise.  

They have changed things, and Veuve is supposed to be served only by the glass. Some have reported that this is being ignored. Others have reported the opposite.

[Sydneyberlin]

3 minutes ago, Mississippian said:

They have changed things, and Veuve is supposed to be served only by the glass. Some have reported that this is being ignored. Others have reported the opposite.

Oh dear- consistently inconsistent seems to be the motto with NCL. But I’ve heard very similar stories about other cruise lines as well. 
 

And as I’ve said before somewhere else on this forum- if they refuse to serve us by the bottle in violation of what was promised months ago when we paid for the package upgrade, and after maybe trying to argue with someone of “manager status”, then I will make the booze servers life hell, as much as I feel sorry for them personally. Meaning: Constant nagging about where my next drink order is, constant follow ups with the waiters to see where that drink waiter is and on it goes. Especially in the MDR, the drinks have always been slow (on other lines too) and I’ve always had a suspicion that this might be on purpose to not give you too many refills.
 

Something tells me that very quickly we will have a bottle of Veuve on our table and so we should.

[KeithJenner]

On our cruises last year the champagne by the bottle was Moet, with Veuve by the glass.

 

More often than not, if we asked for glasses of Veuve then they bought a bottle over and left it near our table, so we effectively had bottles to ourselves anyway, including taking the bottle with us after the meal on a couple of occasions.

[DCGuy64]

7 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

However it is dangerous these days to pin your enjoyment of anything on the availability of one thing at the moment,

Exactly my view, 100%. If you upgraded to Premium+ for a range of options, then great. But paying that upcharge for just ONE particular beverage? Bad idea. Just pay as you go or, even better, bring your own and pay no corkage fee if you have the regular UBP. Super easy, cheaper and no worries about supply.

[DCGuy64]

6 hours ago, Sydneyberlin said:

then I will make the booze servers life hell,

Let us know how that strategy works out for you.

[hawkeyetlse]

Even though (or perhaps because) I live in France, I have no particular fascination with champagne. We basically bathe in the stuff, or we would, if only we ever bathed… 😎 But Moët and VC are not everyday brands, so I guess I can see the appeal of being able to drink as much as you want. And the crazy prices on NCL's drink lists, that no one is actually paying, should make them taste even better.

 

But why make the servers' life hell? Just ask them to please keep your glasses filled, and they'll pretty much have to bring the bottle to your table. You can go through several bottles of champagne this way, and you won't even have used your one bottle allowance for that dinner. Champagne emergency averted!

 

[Sydneyberlin]

14 minutes ago, hawkeyetlse said:

But why make the servers' life hell? Just ask them to please keep your glasses filled, and they'll pretty much have to bring the bottle to your table. You can go through several bottles of champagne this way, and you won't even have used your one bottle allowance for that dinner. Champagne emergency averted!

 

Well- first, you obviously are not French but only live there (not that I really care).

 

But more importantly: Have you ever tried to keep your glass filled in a MDR? Good luck, and that’s my whole point: It usually takes ages to even get your order in, let alone keeping “your glass filled”. What you are expecting is what maybe happens on a good airline’s business or first class but most definitely not in mainstream cruise line’s dining room. 
 

I certainly don’t want to make anyone’s life hell but I’ve paid for that premium package (and it’s not cheap!) so I’d like to get what I’ve paid for. 

[PTC DAWG]

11 hours ago, Sydneyberlin said:

 

 

People are also all different- for me personally, looking forward to the unlimited Veuve that I’ve paid top Dollars for by upgrading to the Premium Plus package

I too spring for the upper drink package..with the original "free at sea" you are looking at around $55 PPPD...I have paid more than this for Royal's drink package, a good bit more, and they had shortages of liquor too...it can happen.  I guess my point is the upper package on NCL is a pretty good deal for what all it includes....now if they (all cruise lines) can just figure out how to get stock consistently.  

 

I'm sailing Joy this Saturday, and hope they have a good stock of the "good stuff"...