Type of included wine with meals?

[Snowcat1]

We are probably not going to get the SSP, but just have the included wine with meals. Is there just one white and one red wine served or do you get to choice from the menu which type of wine you would like with your meal?

[susiebobtail]

Just one type of each I believe.

[TayanaLorna]

Just one red and one white but the type changes every couple of days.  I think beer is also included with lunch and dinner too.

[LindaS272]

But of course, if you don’t like the included, you can pay a la carte—I think wines by the glass are about $8 now?

[oskidunker]

The whites were always good. We did not care for the reds. They have a few reds by the glass that are reasonable 

[austinetc]

Advice on this subject depends largely on how serious one is about wine. Back in our White Zinfandel days, what they pour would be fine. Now, their $8 wines leaves much to be desired. We're bringing wine with us.

 

If the only alcohol you plan to consume is wine at meals, the SSBP is certainly not a good idea. Keep in mind that you can not only order an $8 glass, but also purchase a bottle for as little as $30. They'll save open bottles for you. Also, in my experience they will let you taste as many $8 wines as you'd like before you choose a glass. They also pour very generously.

 

 

[CILCIANRQTS]

After spending $10k+ for a cruise, the SSP is a small price to pay for your choice of some pretty good wines.

[SJD117]

7 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

After spending $10k+ for a cruise, the SSP is a small price to pay for your choice of some pretty good wines.

One doesn’t have to buy the SSP to gain access to “pretty good wines.” The same wines can be purchased a la carte, i.e., by the bottle or by the glass. The SSP is a form of payment, not availability.

[CILCIANRQTS]

6 hours ago, SJD117 said:

One doesn’t have to buy the SSP to gain access to “pretty good wines.” The same wines can be purchased a la carte, i.e., by the bottle or by the glass. The SSP is a form of payment, not availability.

I obviously was assuming one would be enjoying more than 1-2 glasses of wine daily.

[Frenchberet]

You also have the option of picking up a bottle of local wine and bringing it on board.  Viking will serve it to you with no corkage fee.  I sailed (once) with another cruise line where folks devised all sorts of crazy ways to smuggle in their beverages. Thankfully, need to resort to that on Viking!

[Frenchberet]

“No need” to resort to that on Viking!

[photopro2]

In fact, there are three types of included wine available - red white and sparkling.

 

The house sparkling wine is usually a dry German variety, normally the same one you might be offered on embarkation day or at the captain's reception etc. However, you can ask for it whenever the included wines are being served at any point on the voyage,

 

For us it has become our standard sail-away drink and we sometimes take a glass to compliment a plate of sushi as an "opener" for our evening dining.

🙂🍾

[Clay Clayton]

I’ve also had good luck when I found one of the complimentary ones to my liking asking if there happens to still be a bottle of it available when the wine changes.

[Snowcat1]

Thanks everyone for your responses, very informative.

I have another wine question, if I may. We have a PV room and will ask for wine to be the alcohol in our fridge. Do we get to choose the type of wine? Are they regular bottles and small bottles like you get on a plane?

[SantaFe1]

1 hour ago, Snowcat1 said:

Thanks everyone for your responses, very informative.

I have another wine question, if I may. We have a PV room and will ask for wine to be the alcohol in our fridge. Do we get to choose the type of wine? Are they regular bottles and small bottles like you get on a plane?

They will bring you a full bottle of wine, not the little ones.  But except on the WC, we have not been able to get the wine of our choosing for the fridge.  They would only bring us a bottle of the generic red or white they serve at meals if you don’t have the SSBP.  And only one bottle at a time.  So not great if one wants red and the other wants white.  We really didn’t much like the generic wine, and ended up just bringing back a glass to the room from dinner, or a bar, during the day.  

[janetcbl]

14 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

They will bring you a full bottle of wine, not the little ones.  But except on the WC, we have not been able to get the wine of our choosing for the fridge.  They would only bring us a bottle of the generic red or white they serve at meals if you don’t have the SSBP.  And only one bottle at a time.  So not great if one wants red and the other wants white.  We really didn’t much like the generic wine, and ended up just bringing back a glass to the room from dinner, or a bar, during the day.  

We were able to get  bottles of red and white wine in exchange for the liquor in the mini fridge.

[FetaCheese]

On Venus , Dec 2021, wanted a different white, Resiling, than the house pour.  Asked, no problem, they brought one, no SSBP, and n/c.

 

Everything:  staff, crew, dining, entertainment, lectures, was terrific on that voyage.

[SantaFe1]

4 hours ago, Snowcat1 said:

Thanks everyone for your responses, very informative.

I have another wine question, if I may. We have a PV room and will ask for wine to be the alcohol in our fridge. Do we get to choose the type of wine? Are they regular bottles and small bottles like you get on a plane?

4 hours ago, Snowcat1 said:

Thanks everyone for your responses, very informative.

I have another wine question, if I may. We have a PV room and will ask for wine to be the alcohol in our fridge. Do we get to choose the type of wine? Are they regular bottles and small bottles like you get on a plane?

Well, I stand corrected.  I must say that different ships have have more or less restricted rules.  But on our Med cruise in Feb-March, we were t able to choose, and could only get one bottle a day.  I must get more assertive!  We board Orion on May 30. We shall see!