Sommelier Suite Packages...not to be consumed in public bars and lounges???

[SonuvaBeach]

Has anyone encountered this? We have always been able to use the Som Suite Packages in the bars and lounges...

Additional 3-Star and above Mariner Loyalty discounts apply.
Please note that packages are nontransferable and may not be consumed in public bars and lounges.

Effective: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

Is this true???? Say it ain't so!!

[kazu]

I didn’t see any enforcement last year on the Oosterdam.  

 

Technically speaking it is supposed to be only in the restaurants or your cabin now but we had no difficulty.  Mind you, we didn’t take a bottle with us every night but there were a couple of times we did.

[SonuvaBeach]

Just now, kazu said:

I didn’t see any enforcement last year on the Oosterdam.  

 

Technically speaking it is supposed to be only in the restaurants or your cabin now but we had no difficulty.  Mind you, we didn’t take a bottle with us every night but there were a couple of times we did.

Last year on the Noordam  we had no problem ordering bottles off our Som Suite packs in the bars. We had a card( like the coffee card) and the bar tenders just punched it when we used a bottle...BUT...this new policy may have gone into effect on Jan 1, 2023..

[FlaMariner]

We have not tested ordering our Sommelier wine bottles at the bars but we did comply w/this new requirement on our two cruises in 2023.

 

We leave the MDR with full wine glasses (the waiters are fine with that and help us w/our "to go" cup).

 

We also keep a bottle in the room for "refills". 

 

We enjoy the Sommelier package (and especially now with the Mariner discount) and the new "rule" does not stop us from enjoying. 

 

[ottahand7]

We were on Volendam in January.  Due to no beverage package on a long voyage and no happy hours at outset it was the only way to enjoy the bars.  Our Ocean bar bartenders were happy to pour our package wine.  No problem all the way through March. 

[kapitch]

No issue using a bottle from my wine package in the Rolling Stone Rock Room this past October, in fact, the server in the bar asked if I wanted to keep a bottle there, which I did.

[SonuvaBeach]

13 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

We were on Volendam in January.  Due to no beverage package on a long voyage and no happy hours at outset it was the only way to enjoy the bars.  Our Ocean bar bartenders were happy to pour our package wine.  No problem all the way through March. 

Excellent! Thank you...this is just what I wanted to know.

[SonuvaBeach]

9 hours ago, kapitch said:

No issue using a bottle from my wine package in the Rolling Stone Rock Room this past October, in fact, the server in the bar asked if I wanted to keep a bottle there, which I did.

Thank you! That has always been our experience as well! Let's hope this continues in 2024!

[Mosaic]

Interesting, I tried once ---this year---and was told NOPE!

[WriterOnDeck]

One issue may be where opened bottles are held. If in the dining room (typical), the bar might need to send a bartender there to find and retrieve it -- tough during busy times -- and then later to return it. The bars don't have much storage for individually owned open bottles.

That being said, in my experience the bartenders are happy to help the few passengers who typically request this, and of course they get bonus $ for selling the packages.

[Dutchman48]

On 11/26/2023 at 8:51 AM, SonuvaBeach said:

Has anyone encountered this? We have always been able to use the Som Suite Packages in the bars and lounges...

Additional 3-Star and above Mariner Loyalty discounts apply.
Please note that packages are nontransferable and may not be consumed in public bars and lounges.

Effective: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

Is this true???? Say it ain't so!!

Like others I have not tested bringing a bottle, but I always leave the diner meal with a double glass of wine. Never been questioned bringing walking around with a glass of wine.

[Real NHDOC]

You can absolutely bring a bottle of wine with you where ever you want to enjoy it on the ship so just order a few to your cabin if you don't want to order one in the bars. 

 

We have asked for a bottle from our package in the various bars onboard and were almost always accommodated except one time when the bar was very busy and they were short of servers.  I was told because the server has to go get the specific wine which they don't keep at that bar from another part of the ship they could not spare one to do that for us at that time.  No problem.  But nobody has ever enforced the rule of "not consuming the wine from the package in bars", ever.

[kazu]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:17 AM, Mosaic said:

Interesting, I tried once ---this year---and was told NOPE!

 

Could you elaborate on this please?  Did you ask them to get you a bottle or bring one with you?