On Explorer now - sommeliers pushing “featured” wines

[cwn]

2 hours ago, MarEll1 said:

My last comment on this topic - never had an issue on Celebrity with any of the sommeliers in Luminae (the restaurant for suites) or the specialty restaurants recommending specific wines that would go with our meals. So I expected the same service on Regent - clearly my mistake. Lesson learned.

There is no perfect line. Each line is different and does things differently some more to one’s liking others not as much. 
 

Hope the rest of your cruise is wonderful.

Over the years we have sailed with SS, Seabourn, Cunard, Celebrity, HAL and years ago Princess and NCL and others. IRegent checks most boxes that are important to us now. It all boils down to personal preferences.

[rcandkc]

On Regent all of us are seen as equal…except maybe only a handful of suites…so it would be hard to give the level of wine service you describe. I would think they might if ordering special not included wines.  

[carolina cruisin]

Will add that I have not encountered this issue in any of the 4 Regent cruises.  They normally do present the featured wines of the day but in every instance - if I have asked for something else they have accommodated me with a smile.  Hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

[rcandkc]

10 minutes ago, carolina cruisin said:

Will add that I have not encountered this issue in any of the 4 Regent cruises.  They normally do present the featured wines of the day but in every instance - if I have asked for something else they have accommodated me with a smile.  Hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

I have to…I think the poster is wanting advice with dinner pairings that has not been happening.  It sounds like with the special suite level on Celebrity that is what they are used to.  I can understand that they were puzzled. 

[frantic36]

6 hours ago, rcandkc said:

I have to…I think the poster is wanting advice with dinner pairings that has not been happening.  It sounds like with the special suite level on Celebrity that is what they are used to.  I can understand that they were puzzled. 

 

Someone posted about the Celebrity Suite level and their Sommeliers there on Seabourn board recently wondering why not the same level of service on Seabourn. I wondered if it was because the maximum amount of passengers in the Celebrity dining room was 100 pax throughout an evening and also some of those pax may be dining at speciality dining venues at times.

 

Whereas the MDR on Seabourn could have 200 - 300 on Odyssey class ships and well over 400 on Encore class ships. With only 1 Sommelier and 1-2 assistants in the MDR they can't give that same level of discussion for people wanting to discuss included wines. They will try if they have time. They are usually busy with those people buying revenue wine. Though I have found quite a few of the normal waiters had good knowledge of the included wines. 

 

Is this the same on Regent?

[jeb_bud]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:20 AM, Eno-Bob said:

We have always found that there are a couple of the sommeliers working in La Veranda during lunch on the day you board.  Again, look for the red vest and tastevin.  You can request the list of included wines and, if your interested, this is the perfect time to tell the somm if your interested in the wine lunch.  The lunch has limited seating so if you want to reserve a seat you need to do it early.  When we sailed in April the lunch was $169 pp.  There is also a tasting of some of the included wines in the atrium early in the cruise.  If there’s a sea day within the first couple of days, it will be at 10:30 AM.  However, if there are ports every day, they may set it up with at an earlier time before the tours leave – we’ve seen it as early as 9:00 AM.  A great way to start the day!

Thanks Eno-Bob. I’ll put your advice to use on 20 October when we board Mariner in Montreal. We have surplus OBC that I hope to spend on the wine lunch. 

[CruiserFromMaine]

I will also add that on our (two) Regent cruises, the early-cruise wine tasting  of the included wines was not listed in the chronological list of daily events but as a special off in the margin. We missed it the first cruise. But still lived, obviously…

[Eno-Bob]

19 minutes ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

We missed it the first cruise. But still lived, obviously…

Glad to hear you survived!

Another way to taste a few of the included wines is to catch one of the Somms at La Veranda during lunch.  They usually have a small table set up with 8 or 10 of the more popular wines so they can just grab and pour.  You can always ask them for a “taste” of the different wines to find a couple that you like and then just ask for one of those for dinner. 

[Techno123]

It can make a huge difference, though, having the expertise of the sommelier for food and wine pairings and having something you like isn't always the best match for the food. I would never have thought to try Pinot Noir with fish if it had not been suggested by the asst somm on Navigator.

 

 

[WNcruiser]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:30 PM, MarEll1 said:

First Regebt cruise - we are on day 4 and have dined at Prime 7, Chartreuse and Compass Rose. Very disappointed with the sommeliers is all 3, although Chartreuse was better once we explained what we wanted. There is a featured red and white each night and they really push them. We have sailed Celebrity in Retreat previously and are used to them inquiring what we like and what we’re ordering and then making recommendations specific to our meal. Have asked for that all 3 nights but other than some success in Chartreuse, we’re not really getting anywhere. Really surprised and disappointed. Amy suggestions from seasoned Regebt cruisers on how to remedy this for the duration of the cruise? We are not wine snobs by any means, but don’t want to be pushed into one red and one white choice each night. 

I am currently on Voyager and not experiencing anything like this. In fact the sommeliers are all willing to get any wine for you in any venue.
 

Yes they have a red and white but we have never had anyone pushing them on us. After a week the sommeliers and head waiters all know what I drink and have it ready for me. I would speak with the head sommelier and let them know your feelings. Ours on Voyager is extremely friendly and approachable.

[Pcardad]

During the first few days, they suggest a red and a white. Both meet Regent standards or they wouldn't be served but they might also be something there is a lot of on board. Ask for the wine list and ask for a taste of whatever looks good. Then you all know what you like.

[2012_Alaska_bound]

And when reading Passages each evening don't just read the daily schedule. Also read all those things that look like ads because the will announce an event that may not be listed on the schedule.examples are included wine tasting (often called wines of the Old and New Worl) and the Sunday Brunch.

[Andiamoci]

On 8/19/2023 at 2:07 PM, labonnevie said:

We always get the sommelier to send a list of the included wines to our cabin on day one. Then we know which wines we would like with our appetizer and mains when we go to dinner each night.

This is a great idea, thank you so much for the suggestion! 
This is my first cruise on Regent; are the featured wines usually from the "included" list, or are they extra? Does the wine list note which wines are included and which are extra?

[cwn]

39 minutes ago, Andiamoci said:

This is a great idea, thank you so much for the suggestion! 
This is my first cruise on Regent; are the featured wines usually from the "included" list, or are they extra? Does the wine list note which wines are included and which are extra?

Yes feature dinner wines are included. There are a number of included wines on each cruise. Be sure and go to the wine tasting usually in the morning the first or second day. Look in passages, it is usually listed like an feature not in the hourly daily schedule but in the body of the news letter. They will spend time helping you find included wines you like. Ttgen you just tell the steward at the meal what you want. I take my phone and take a picture so I remember.

[labonnevie]

17 hours ago, Andiamoci said:

This is a great idea, thank you so much for the suggestion! 
This is my first cruise on Regent; are the featured wines usually from the "included" list, or are they extra? Does the wine list note which wines are included and which are extra?

The included wines are a separate list from the “pay for “ list. Each night there is a featured white and a featured red from the included list. Getting the list of all the included wines early in the cruise means you don’t need to wait several nights to find your favorite wines from the featured wines. 

[docmark]

Just finished our FIRST Silversea cruise, will do a review, mainly comparing with Regent on Silversea forum (if anyone interested), but I can say here that we definitely have enjoyed wine (primarily red) service on Regent MUCH more than Silversea, they had very limited Cabernet, NO Zinfandel or Malbec on the "covered" wines. Agree with the advice that you should attend the (free) wine tasting on second morning of cruise.

[Flgreg]

3 hours ago, docmark said:

Just finished our FIRST Silversea cruise, will do a review, mainly comparing with Regent on Silversea forum (if anyone interested), but I can say here that we definitely have enjoyed wine (primarily red) service on Regent MUCH more than Silversea, they had very limited Cabernet, NO Zinfandel or Malbec on the "covered" wines. Agree with the advice that you should attend the (free) wine tasting on second morning of cruise.

 

At the free wine tasting early in the cruise are there containers to spit the wine out after tasting? This is of particular interest since I really don't care to drink in the morning but I would like to taste the options.

 

Thanks.

[Pcardad]

30 minutes ago, Flgreg said:

 

At the free wine tasting early in the cruise are there containers to spit the wine out after tasting? This is of particular interest since I really don't care to drink in the morning but I would like to taste the options.

 

Thanks.

Yes.

[Kwaj girl]

2 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Yes.

NO!  You do NOT spit into the buckets! Those are for emptying any wine from your glass that you do not care for. Water is there to rinse your glass between tastes if need be.

 

 

[Pcardad]

4 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

NO!  You do NOT spit into the buckets! Those are for emptying any wine from your glass that you do not care for. Water is there to rinse your glass between tastes if need be.

 

 

We were given glasses if we did not want to drink the wine.

[zitsky]

Are you all talking about bottles of wine?  Are there wines by the glass on the “pay for” list?  I’m thinking about Regent.

 

[cwn]

The free  wine tasting is sampling by the glass, wines that are free/include and are served at meals. 
The for a few wines are served by the bottle (you have to buy a whole bottle). The restaurant staff will save the bottle for you to enjoy at another meal or you can have it deliecered to you suite. 

[cwn]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

Are you all talking about bottles of wine?  Are there wines by the glass on the “pay for” list?  I’m thinking about Regent.

 

The free tasting is by the glass. There is no free tasting for fee wines and you buy them by the bottle.