4* Wine Tasting Benefit?

[FlaMariner]

We will have 4 stars on our belly when we cruise next...in October.

 

Can those that have already earned their coveted 4th star, enlighten me on how one takes full advantage of the wine tasting?

 

Do I sign up?  Do I get an invite?  The fine print says "James Suckling wine tasting".....Is that all of the wine tastings that I see on the daily program or just certain ones?

 

[Crusin-Suzan]

Just now, FlaMariner said:

We will have 4 stars on our belly when we cruise next...in October.

 

Can those that have already earned their coveted 4th star, enlighten me on how one takes full advantage of the wine tasting?

 

Do I sign up?  Do I get an invite?  The fine print says "James Suckling wine tasting".....Is that all of the wine tastings that I see on the daily program or just certain ones?

 

You will receive an invitation in your cabin a day or two before!   

[colbe]

Just now, FlaMariner said:

We will have 4 stars on our belly when we cruise next...in October.

 

Can those that have already earned their coveted 4th star, enlighten me on how one takes full advantage of the wine tasting?

 

Do I sign up?  Do I get an invite?  The fine print says "James Suckling wine tasting".....Is that all of the wine tastings that I see on the daily program or just certain ones?

 

You will receive a printed invitation to one of the tastings. You take that with you.

[Daisyloo]

We are 4 star and have been to the wine tasting several times.  Yes, you will get an invitation a day or two before.  

On my upcoming cruise  I will be sailing with my mom and sister who are both one star.  We are all in the same cabin.  My question is, will they be invited to the wine tasting with me?  Or will I go alone?

[DaveOKC]

5 minutes ago, Daisyloo said:

We are 4 star and have been to the wine tasting several times.  Yes, you will get an invitation a day or two before.  

On my upcoming cruise  I will be sailing with my mom and sister who are both one star.  We are all in the same cabin.  My question is, will they be invited to the wine tasting with me?  Or will I go alone?

Assuming that they are in the same cabin with you, at least one will be included, but not sure if both will.

[CruiserBruce]

As the wine tasting is for 4 star Mariners, not sure why somebody who is one star would be invited. Its for eligible people, not per cabin.

[FlaMariner]

49 minutes ago, colbe said:

You will receive a printed invitation to one of the tastings. You take that with you.

 

Thanks Colbe.....I meant to click the thanks button and not the laugh.

 

49 minutes ago, Crusin-Suzan said:

You will receive an invitation in your cabin a day or two before!   

 

Thanks Crusin-Suzan!

 

Looks like both of you responded at the same time......we look forward to our invite for wine tasting...and our free laundry....and our half off wine package......and the "special" line.....and Her Majesty is thinking she may partake of half off fancy coffee......Earning 4*s on Holland America Line is much more preferred to any "employee award" from work days!

Edited July 8, 2023 by FlaMariner

[POA1]

51 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

We will have 4 stars on our belly when we cruise next...in October.

 

This made me think of Dr. Seuss. "We star-bellied Sneetches are some wine-tasting beetches."

[POA1]

@FlaMariner

 

While we loves us some half priced wine & specialty dining, our favorite 4* perk is the laundry and pressing. Returning from vacation with the only dirty clothes being what you wore off the ship is a great feeling.**

 

**- I realize that you probably have both what you wore on the last day and what you wore off the ship, but that doesn't sound quite as good.

 

[Editor's Note: Yet somehow adding the footnote makes it read better?]

 

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, Daisyloo said:

On my upcoming cruise  I will be sailing with my mom and sister who are both one star.  We are all in the same cabin.  My question is, will they be invited to the wine tasting with me? 

According to the answers on Mariner FAQ, then yes, they will be invited too.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

 

All guests sharing a stateroom as part of the same booking will receive the benefits earned by the guest at the highest Star level. Guests sharing a stateroom under different booking numbers receive individual Star level benefits (this includes 3rd & 4th guest sharing the same stateroom). 

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

While we loves us some half priced wine & specialty dining, our favorite 4* perk is the laundry and pressing.

 

Agree!

 

The free laundry was the goal for us......and we thought of nothing else until I looked at the list today!

 

We agree.....we have used the unlimited laundry and love it....but we will love it even more when FREE...as well as the other cool discounts/freebies.

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

This made me think of Dr. Seuss.

 

Exactly!  

 

...and the way we HAL cruisers compare our stars makes me think about the sneetches......

[Daisyloo]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

According to the answers on Mariner FAQ, then yes, they will be invited too.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

 

All guests sharing a stateroom as part of the same booking will receive the benefits earned by the guest at the highest Star level. Guests sharing a stateroom under different booking numbers receive individual Star level benefits (this includes 3rd & 4th guest sharing the same stateroom). 

Thank you VMax,  I wondered if that was the case.  

[Riversedge]

We used to enjoy the free wine tasting but in the past they had nice little food/cheese offering with it.  Last time it was paltry…maybe a few grapes. The wines (3 red and 3 white) were chosen by HAL and were nothing I would run out and order.   Tasted like Aldie’s cheapest bottle.  Still, we usually go because there’s not much else to do!  Nice way to meet a few people at your table.  

[CruiserBruce]

39 minutes ago, Riversedge said:

We used to enjoy the free wine tasting but in the past they had nice little food/cheese offering with it.  Last time it was paltry…maybe a few grapes. The wines (3 red and 3 white) were chosen by HAL and were nothing I would run out and order.   Tasted like Aldie’s cheapest bottle.  Still, we usually go because there’s not much else to do!  Nice way to meet a few people at your table.  

Obviously HAL failed because they didn't know what wines might interest EVERYONE at the tasting...

[canadianbear]

1 hour ago, Riversedge said:

We used to enjoy the free wine tasting but in the past they had nice little food/cheese offering with it.  Last time it was paltry…maybe a few grapes. The wines (3 red and 3 white) were chosen by HAL and were nothing I would run out and order.   Tasted like Aldie’s cheapest bottle.  Still, we usually go because there’s not much else to do!  Nice way to meet a few people at your table.  

I’ve gone a couple times and liked 1 wine only.  Wasn’t impressed.

 

@FlaMariner make sure you check your bill.  We got charged for it which was reversed but still had to go to guest services about it.  

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

To me this is one of the less impressive benefits of the 4 star level.  I’ve gone once in about the 20 times I’ve had an invite.  The guy went on and on and on about the wine.  I just want t taste it already.

[Florida_gal_50]

11 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Obviously HAL failed because they didn't know what wines might interest EVERYONE at the tasting...

Yes how dare someone not like two buck chuck 🙄.

[POA1]

OK... Now we are definitely going to go on our cruise in December. Y'all have sold me!

 

We haven't been to a HAL wine tasting since 2014, but now it's on my must-do list. I'm pretty good with a wine list, but I always try to learn something.

 

Here is the sum total of what I learned that I didn't know (1). Beaujolais pairs really well with white chocolate. I learned this on the Ryndam in 2005. The excellent wine director, whose name escapes me, did a really nice presentation. I have never had to use this information, but I feel good having it ready to go in case the Easter Bunny invites me over. And, (2) I don't know how HAL manages this, but they always manage to recruit at least one wine snob for my amusement. These people are great. They've "been to Napa," or they decant everything. Top flight entertainment. This year I'm hoping to get someone who wants prattle on about biodynamic wines or their deep, deep feelings about malolactic fermentation. Can't wait! I just hope that the wine tasting isn't up against steel drum lessons.

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

27 minutes ago, POA1 said:

OK... Now we are definitely going to go on our cruise in December. Y'all have sold me!

 

We haven't been to a HAL wine tasting since 2014, but now it's on my must-do list. I'm pretty good with a wine list, but I always try to learn something.

 

Here is the sum total of what I learned that I didn't know (1). Beaujolais pairs really well with white chocolate. I learned this on the Ryndam in 2005. The excellent wine director, whose name escapes me, did a really nice presentation. I have never had to use this information, but I feel good having it ready to go in case the Easter Bunny invites me over. And, (2) I don't know how HAL manages this, but they always manage to recruit at least one wine snob for my amusement. These people are great. They've "been to Napa," or they decant everything. Top flight entertainment. This year I'm hoping to get someone who wants prattle on about biodynamic wines or their deep, deep feelings about malolactic fermentation. Can't wait! I just hope that the wine tasting isn't up against steel drum lessons.

 

 

You are sweetening the pot for me to make a second appearance 😛.  Now if they would hold it outside I’d be sold.

[whogo]

My invitation had a misprint. I was invited to a James Suckling wine. Figured it was a wine tasting, not an opportunity to hear Suckling whine about something or other. I reported the following on my 2022 Zaandam  live thread:

 

 

I am not a wine drinker. I like beer, would rather drink a mediocre American lager than a fine wine, don't have the patience for another winery tour and only attended my first wine tasting so I could report here. There was a bit of thrill, though. I checked in at the Club Orange location, my loyalty status qualified me for the 'free' tasting, walked in as if I had paid more for my cabin, although those in the know greeted the cellar master by name. My name was on page two without the orange highlight.

 

Tables were all set up with four glasses of wine already poured plus a cheese and fruit plate, no crackers. Holland America does not do crackers. I thought everything would move right along. Nope. The cellar master dinged his glass with his fork twenty times more than he needed to, spent fifteen minutes telling about his home country of the Philippines, spoke about wine growing areas [Philippines is not one], found out where everyone was from (Argentina, 1; Canada, 3; USA 25), introduced three assistants and asked for applause for each. I thought of leaving, discretely but rudely checked my phone instead, yeah, I was that guy. We took our first sniff and sip of wine at 2:15, a Riesling with “crisp apple aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes.” Table mates nodded in agreement with this assessment. I thought of the cartoon where the patron complains, “Waiter, this wine has an oaky, smoky flavor with hints of cherries and chocolate. Bring me a bottle that tastes like wine.”

 

Sipped the same wine again after a taste of Edam cheese and again table mates nodded with the cellar master's description. So it went with three more wines. The final presenter regretted that he could not offer the bleu cheese that the Cabernet Sauvignon called for and had us taste it with cheddar. The cellar master paraded through the tables with a chunk of cheddar on his fork to show us which cheese to taste with this wine, perhaps he did the same with the other three cheeses, if so, this reporter missed it. Two sips of each of the four wines and I sneeked out. I remain a beer drinker.

[*Miss G*]

54 minutes ago, POA1 said:

This year I'm hoping to get someone who wants prattle on about biodynamic wines or their deep, deep feelings about malolactic fermentation.

 

I feel if they wish to do this they should have to drink at least half a bottle then say it five times fast first. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

OK... Now we are definitely going to go on our cruise in December. Y'all have sold me!

 

We haven't been to a HAL wine tasting since 2014, but now it's on my must-do list. I'm pretty good with a wine list, but I always try to learn something.

 

Here is the sum total of what I learned that I didn't know (1). Beaujolais pairs really well with white chocolate. I learned this on the Ryndam in 2005. The excellent wine director, whose name escapes me, did a really nice presentation. I have never had to use this information, but I feel good having it ready to go in case the Easter Bunny invites me over. And, (2) I don't know how HAL manages this, but they always manage to recruit at least one wine snob for my amusement. These people are great. They've "been to Napa," or they decant everything. Top flight entertainment. This year I'm hoping to get someone who wants prattle on about biodynamic wines or their deep, deep feelings about malolactic fermentation. Can't wait! I just hope that the wine tasting isn't up against steel drum lessons.

 

 

 

(1) I usually find your information helpful, but I dislike white chocolate (an abomination, that leaves out the best part of chocolate), so now I don't know what to have with Beaujolais.

 

(2) I've been fortunate to have been spared the snobbiest of wine snobs at most tastings, but at one, a couple went on and on about the various "notes" they could taste and others were so impressed that they would say "oh yes!" or nod their heads in agreement to every observation. I wanted to say "I can taste notes of peanut butter!" just to see if anyone would agree. 

 

I've been to Napa and I can tell red from white. I always decant my wine---into a glass. 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

From the tasting on Eurodam this winter. I prefer the bread to crackers, but there should have been a bit more for between tastes. I don't remember which wines we had, but they weren't $100 bottles, of course. But a few steps above Ripple.

 

[AncientWanderer]

I love it when they get the pairings just right: "Take a bite of the yellow cheese and then take a sip.  Do you taste the apricots?"

Some of the sommeliers really nail it.  Not all, but when they do, it's fun.