Ding Dong, the Germain Champagne is Gone!

[Clutj]

For the very few who are interested, the Heidseck Monopole Blue Top has replaced the Germain as the house champagne on Vista as of the current Panama Canal Eastbound cruise Nov 2023.  Some menus are still catching up, but below is the Horizons proof.  While not up to Montaudon quality from several years ago, it is (to me) an improvement, less sweet… I have noticed a couple other ships getting this upgrade as well. My thanks to management!
(PS, the cookies are still terrible to my taste…)

[mauibabes]

Ditto on the cookies on the previous Vista cruise. I did try them daily however to see if perhaps they had mistakenly put out the sugar free version across the board but alas, they were lacking. Now then all the wonderful goodies in Baristas made up for a benign cookie 🤪👍. 
Maybe it was O’s effort to provide us with a Weight Watchers version of cookies. Has Oprah Winfrey joined the NCLH Board? 
So much for humor.

Mauibabes

[Hambagahle]

Absolutely delighted to learn this!!  Heidseick is an OK champagne.  OK - not Veuve Clicquot, but OK.  They had better stock up when my husband and I get on board!

[cruisingxpert]

That is wonderful news.  Like Hambagahle said, it's not Veuve but it is a lot better than the awful Germain.  I get on Marina on Nov 20th- here's hoping..

[pinotlover]

Hopefully Oceania had finally sold through that stock of plonk! Here’s to something a lot better!! 🥂

[zteamtwo]

Is the Blue Top available on the free wine/beer (Simply More package) as a choice for dinner and lunch?  On Vista Jan 24.

[ORV]

43 minutes ago, zteamtwo said:

Is the Blue Top available on the free wine/beer (Simply More package) as a choice for dinner and lunch?  On Vista Jan 24.

It's on the wine by the glass list so the answer should be yes. 

[zteamtwo]

WOW!    That's an $18 dollar glass of champagne!!  Clutj--can you check if this is true?

Hope this is true that it comes with the Simply More free wine/beer offer.

[zteamtwo]

Also--I previously saw that several of my favorite beers were not offered on Vista.  I now see them on your menu.  I do like Newcastle and Blue Moon (saw them on your menu).  My previous research said they were not available and I could get Speckled Hen.  I bought Speckled Hen at store and do like it.

[loge23]

We enjoyed the Heidsieck Monopole on the Regatta this past July.

...and you're right, Clutj, the cookies are blah (a good thing for me, according to my Doc!)

 

[Clutj]

On 11/13/2023 at 2:41 PM, zteamtwo said:

WOW!    That's an $18 dollar glass of champagne!!  Clutj--can you check if this is true?

Hope this is true that it comes with the Simply More free wine/beer offer.

Yes, it’s listed at $18.  

[rim2rimhiker]

Just got off the Sirena yesterday and they still have the Germaine as the top champagne by the glass.  One night in the Grand Dining Room they were offering the Heidsieck Monopole with the wine paring dinner, but not available by the glass throughout the ship.  One glass of Germaine was enough to know that I wasn't getting another one.

[pinotlover]

We still had the Germain in June. If, and that seems to be an if, Oceania transitions over to a different label, it will be a slow process as they pour out supplies in all of their different distribution centers. Quite possible to be having one bubbly on the ship, from the Embarkment port, and then get resupplied with Germain at the next Center.

 

This is the reason some of the wines hang around for years. Oceania bought them by the container load, few like the wine, and it takes years to pour ( serve) out.

[SSCAF001]

I will be onboard Marina next October. For those having sailed recently on this ship can you confirm that the champagne included in the simply more package is the Blue top Monopole. Thanks.

[ORV]

On 1/4/2024 at 8:14 AM, pinotlover said:

We still had the Germain in June. If, and that seems to be an if, Oceania transitions over to a different label, it will be a slow process as they pour out supplies in all of their different distribution centers. Quite possible to be having one bubbly on the ship, from the Embarkment port, and then get resupplied with Germain at the next Center.

 

This is the reason some of the wines hang around for years. Oceania bought them by the container load, few like the wine, and it takes years to pour ( serve) out.

I think you pointed this out when I mentioned it was what was being served on Regatta as of 2 weeks ago. 

9 minutes ago, SSCAF001 said:

I will be onboard Marina next October. For those having sailed recently on this ship can you confirm that the champagne included in the simply more package is the Blue top Monopole. Thanks.

When we were on Marina in Jan/Feb it was for sure Monopole, but Regatta 2 weeks ago had the rotgut Germain, we had Prosecco instead, it was drinkable, don't remember the brand. 

[jondfk]

I wonder if a change is coming for Regatta too.  As ORV stated, when we were on Regatta two weeks back Germain was the norm, HOWEVER, on two occasions I asked about champagne and was offered Monopole.  One hopes the stock of Germain runs down before we rejoin in August as it was not the worst I’ve ever had it was in no way special.

 

[ORV]

1 hour ago, jondfk said:

I wonder if a change is coming for Regatta too.  As ORV stated, when we were on Regatta two weeks back Germain was the norm, HOWEVER, on two occasions I asked about champagne and was offered Monopole.  One hopes the stock of Germain runs down before we rejoin in August as it was not the worst I’ve ever had it was in no way special.

 

Interesting, I actually had it served on Day 1 in the Terrace but I specifically asked for it multiple times after that and was always told Germain was all they had. On a related subject when we were on Marina the wine list by the glass had Raymond Red Field Blend 39, but it wasn't available on Regatta. Oddly enough I did see it listed by the bottle for $50 on Regatta. I actually had a case shipped to us as it's not available in our area, but it was around 13 a bottle. I like it as well as the Conundrum red. 

[oskidunker]

On the Vista in Feb 28 it was a good french Champagne. Cant recall name but. $40 a bottle offering. Retail

[AMHuntFerry]

5 hours ago, jondfk said:

I wonder if a change is coming for Regatta too.  As ORV stated, when we were on Regatta two weeks back Germain was the norm, HOWEVER, on two occasions I asked about champagne and was offered Monopole.  One hopes the stock of Germain runs down before we rejoin in August as it was not the worst I’ve ever had it was in no way special.

 

I'm on Regatta in a few weeks. We're not really champagne drinkers, but I may have one at some point and will try to spy the label on any bottles in my vicinity to report status in June.

[rim2rimhiker]

17 hours ago, oskidunker said:

On the Vista in Feb 28 it was a good french Champagne. Cant recall name but. $40 a bottle offering. Retail

We will be on the Vista late June and hoping they have some good Champagne. We were on the Sirena this past winter and it was mostly Germaine, although once during the wine pairing dinner in the Grand Dining Room they had the Heidsieck.

[cricketlover]

On The Vista two weeks ago we were served Montaudon.

[rim2rimhiker]

5 minutes ago, cricketlover said:

On The Vista two weeks ago we were served Montaudon.

Wow, that is awesome! They served that on our very first Oceania cruise back in 2013 on the Marina.

[EJL2023]

4 hours ago, rim2rimhiker said:

We will be on the Vista late June and hoping they have some good Champagne. We were on the Sirena this past winter and it was mostly Germaine, although once during the wine pairing dinner in the Grand Dining Room they had the Heidsieck.

We were on Sirena late January/early February and they were serving Monopole. 

[Vallesan]

We are on Marina next Saturday so we shall see!

[EJL2023]

16 minutes ago, Vallesan said:

We are on Marina next Saturday so we shall see!

Look forward to pictures of some of the updates!!