No More Veuve, No More Grey Goose

[Arrow34]

Agreed. The rose is a good champagne, but there should be a non-rose alternative. 

[dachengdao]

29 minutes ago, BostonGal35 said:

 

 

honestly, some days, i wish theyd revert back to the days when you had to buy the package.  making it free for all has just lessened the quality of everything (pre-mixed, watered drinks at pool bars for example).

From a business standpoint, 'comping' the drink package for early bookings is a smart marketing move because they get the gratuities upfront, folks are more likely to upgrade to the P+ package before they cruise (not after they embark), and the earlier the booking, the more pre-cruise experiences they sell.  They just announced this during their earnings call this morning. They did not address anything relating to this thread or my customer service improvement question I had posted in advance, but here are the slides they presented, if anyone is interested. They are doing very well financially and even saving on fuel costs, so that makes the loss of the Veuve, ice wines, and other favorites perplexing.

 

earnings call_norwegian050123.pdf

[aubreyc1988]

20 hours ago, WexIrl said:

Grey Goose and pineapple juice is my drink or Belvedere if the Goose was absent, (and I have even managed to convert my wife to it also for the past 2 cruises).

If you haven't tried it, please give it a try over ice, its very refreshing in the sun & heat.  

I am not on the plus package so this does indeed dampen my cruise buzz a bit.

#1st world problems! 
I am from Ireland, I do not like whiskey or gin, tried lots.. I do however like vodka, but I have experienced a lot of vodka that is like paint thinners that makes my throat sore (Grey Goose & Belvedere however does not 😁 ) and that new NCL vodka list from the 1st of May might aswell be a whiskey list from what is listed on it 🤣 .



 

Have you tried Titos before? I like it when I can't get Belvedere or Greygoose. 

[redmomof4]

1 hour ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Still showing as a gift purchase on the website.  I ordered it for my up-coming cruise in August.  Hope I didn't just waste $144 on a no-name champagne!!

I’d totally cancel that order, buy your own for $60 or less and then with no corkage fee if you have the beverage package bring it on board! 

[2Cruise4Ever]

3 minutes ago, redmomof4 said:

I’d totally cancel that order, buy your own for $60 or less and then with no corkage fee if you have the beverage package bring it on board! 

I already paid for it.  And, we are flying in.  I'm not comfortable putting wine or champagne in my checked luggage... my luck, they'd break.  I ordered this as a surprise for my daughter.  This is a special mother-daughter cruise.

[WexIrl]

39 minutes ago, aubreyc1988 said:

Have you tried Titos before? I like it when I can't get Belvedere or Greygoose. 

Hello there,  yes I have, and we had a bit of craic with the barman on the Escape last summer, he poured out Titos, Grey Goose and Belvedere neat to see if I could tell the difference. I did.

Titos is nice, but I find it has a bit of a cut to it similar to Smirnoff black label.

Edited May 1, 2023 by WexIrl

[kirtihk]

2 hours ago, BostonGal35 said:

Tito's is disgusting and Absolut is what kids in college drink.

 

they used to have all the flavors of grey goose back in the day.  then the cut down to just the plain.  now this.

 

honestly, some days, i wish theyd revert back to the days when you had to buy the package.  making it free for all has just lessened the quality of everything (pre-mixed, watered drinks at pool bars for example).

"They are all made from the same stool" - that's a Russian expression I grew up with in Leningrad (I left USSR in 1991) which is almost true for most vodkas.

[fastpitchdad]

2 hours ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by fastpitchdad

[Tijmen]

Update from the Gem. Veuve still available. Pommery Rose out of stock 🧐

[gmbhardy]

3 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

On the BA in March Diamonds were offered a cocktail event which was a tasting of 8 sustainable cocktails.  Yes, they were made from everything like used coffee grounds to fruits rinds.  Only one was halfway drinkable, the others, a sip was all I could stomach.  But I saw people drinking them and at a premium price!  My advice is, if you are invited to this event, don’t go.  Likewise the wine tasting was pretty awful, also.  The only thing I found drinkable was the Santa Margarita (?) Pinot Grigio.  It was nicely done but the wines were disappointing.

We found the tasting quite enjoyable. Some are better than others but it’s the intent of the initiative that’s very interesting. We would definitely encourage fellow Diamond cruisers to attend the event.

[Arrow34]

Just boarded the jewel as of may 1, Veuve is by the bottle only. Charge

[sid_9169]

13 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Is Veuve Rose sold at Le Bistro worse than plain veuve?

The rose costs more, and is considered more exclusive in all different brands of champagne. It's not that it's any "better or worse", it's just different. I worked in the wine business for a long time, and drunk (drank?) hundreds, maybe thousands of different wines from all over the World. One of the best lessons I learned regarding wine, is that if you like it, then it's good... Nothing else matters...

[dachengdao]

44 minutes ago, Tijmen said:

Update from the Gem. Veuve still available. Pommery Rose out of stock 🧐

Thanks for the update! Hope you are having a blast!

[dachengdao]

19 minutes ago, Arrow34 said:

Just boarded the jewel as of may 1, Veuve is by the bottle only. Charge

At least they have it, but try to argue at the service desk against the charge. That’s really not right to have this spring on you last minute. Other than that, hope everything else is wonderful for you guys!

[dachengdao]

6 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

The rose costs more, and is considered more exclusive in all different brands of champagne. It's not that it's any "better or worse", it's just different. I worked in the wine business for a long time, and drunk (drank?) hundreds, maybe thousands of different wines from all over the World. One of the best lessons I learned regarding wine, is that if you like it, then it's good... Nothing else matters...

Very wise words, Sid! 

[breadandbutter]

17 hours ago, dachengdao said:

Wow - not even one brand??? At least we still have the Pommery, even if it is a Rose.

The actual champagne,  Cartier.

There was sparkling wine available but that's not what I'd paid for

[SakeDad]

6 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

On the BA in March Diamonds were offered a cocktail event which was a tasting of 8 sustainable cocktails.  Yes, they were made from everything like used coffee grounds to fruits rinds.  Only one was halfway drinkable, the others, a sip was all I could stomach.  But I saw people drinking them and at a premium price!  My advice is, if you are invited to this event, don’t go.  Likewise the wine tasting was pretty awful, also.  The only thing I found drinkable was the Santa Margarita (?) Pinot Grigio.  It was nicely done but the wines were disappointing.

The nice thing about having the PLUS package is I can order and taste anything and if I don't like it order something else. This way I can avoid all the tasting classes...lol

[purpleally]

5 hours ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Still showing as a gift purchase on the website.  I ordered it for my up-coming cruise in August.  Hope I didn't just waste $144 on a no-name champagne!!

If you bought it, you will get it. The title of this thread is a bit misleading. It’s gone from premium plus, not the ship

[dbrown84]

7 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

The most discussed brand of alcohol on this entire NCL site. I've yet to try it...and probably won't. I'm not a champagne kind of guy. Too fancy for my taste buds! 

Funny.  I had the exact same question when I started seeing all the posts about this.  I thought I was the only person in the world that never heard of it.  Like you, I'm not a champagne drinker 

[dbrown84]

5 hours ago, dachengdao said:

The name threw me off, but it is one of their premium brands listed. I will tell DH to get this on day one and raise a toast to chillyw!

I tried whistle pig on my last cruise since I had upgraded my package.  It was pretty good.  I drank Macallan enigma and Hennessy XO for the most part 

[2Cruise4Ever]

30 minutes ago, purpleally said:

If you bought it, you will get it. The title of this thread is a bit misleading. It’s gone from premium plus, not the ship

I thought they said both were removed completely...  maybe I read that wrong.  Thanks!

[purpleally]

3 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

I thought they said both were removed completely...  maybe I read that wrong.  Thanks!

Or maybe I read it wrong

but I’m sure you will get Veuve for your special cruise

[2Cruise4Ever]

38 minutes ago, purpleally said:

Or maybe I read it wrong

but I’m sure you will get Veuve for your special cruise

I really hope so!  Thanks!

[SakeDad]

1 hour ago, purpleally said:

Or maybe I read it wrong

but I’m sure you will get Veuve for your special cruise

Well, it has been removed from the Drink Packages menu for sure. Not sure if you will be able to only buy it through amenities department now or not. 

[KeithJenner]

7 hours ago, dachengdao said:

They are doing very well financially and even saving on fuel costs, so that makes the loss of the Veuve, ice wines, and other favorites perplexing.  

I've not read the attachment, but doing very well financially probably doesn't even scratch the surface of the debt, which explains the cost cutting.

 

There are some very hard years ahead for all the cruise lines, regardless of their profitability before interest, and then they need to pay down the debt.