Champagne - NOT - your opinion?

[2ladies]

Just off Infinity and had a blast. All very nice except one or two small glitches.

 

Want opinions on this please: was Concierge Class and part of the deal is Champagne in the room.

 

1. This is sparkling wine not Champagne - do I sue Celebrity for deception? Will I receive free cruises for the rest of my life if I promise not to sue?

 

2. More seriously, I was irritated that having not drunk this "plonk" (English slang for gut-rot wines) I decided to take it to Casual Dining, where we had eaten every night and made friends with a couple of other like-minded people. This was the last night and we just wanted to use it for a "goodbye" toast.

 

Yes, you all know what is coming, don't you? Yup - they wanted to charge me $15 corkage. This is on their wine for which I had paid!!! (Stated in Concierge Class package). They wanted twice over for a bottle of wine which I don't believe costs them more than a dollar!!! (If that!).

 

Having tipped over the suggested amount each night, was rather surprised by the attitude!!! Unfriendly and not apologetic!! Gave the bottle to the other passengers as I did with one which I was given for being the stooge on stage for the comedian!!!

 

This left a worse taste in our mouths than the wine would have done!!!

To happen on the last night means you disembark with negative thoughts!!

 

We have travelled on the Constellation many times previously and believe the attitude and friendliness on the Connie far away and above the Infinity.

 

Exceptions of course: Belinda, Damian and my darling Denniz!!!!! Also the cast of dancers - especially Mr. Rock n'roll - Brian!!

[ocngypz]

I have never paid a corkage fee for a freebie bottle from Celebrity, nor have I paid a fee for gift bottles delivered to my cabin. If the bottle originated with Celebrity.. no corkage fee.

 

You may have gotten a newbie to the line.

[greyblueseas]

When I was on the Summit I noticed that the promised champagne wasn't. I took it home with me and gave it to someone :) What irked me wasn't so much that it wasn't proper champagne (i.e. French from the Champagne region), but wasn't even one of the excellent wines from New Zealand ot California etc. that are just as good but can't call themselves "champagne". It was cheap sparking wine; not much of a welcome! I consoled myself with a glass of something nice at the Champagne Bar (now they know their stuff).

[flashdog_1]

When we were in concierge class the bottle said BRUT on it and was nice. In a suite it was different, but I don't remember what it was. Maybe they are not consistent with what they deliver to the rooms.

 

I'd read a post months ago where someone wanted to substitute the free champagne for a sparkling wine and they wouldn't let her! Weird

[Leela]

Yes it's sparkling wine, but the thing is so many people mistakenly call anything white and sparkly (i.e., created via the methode champagnoise) champagne that it's practically splitting hairs to complain that the bottles we get in CC or the Suites aren't actually from the Champagne region of France.

 

I usually save mine for the next morning, order up a nice room service breakfast with a couple glasses of orange juice, and make mimosas from it. Very enjoyable!

[2ladies]

OCNGYPZ - not a newbie!! This went from wine waiter to maitre d' and on to a manager according to them!!!!

 

Anyway, we have a nice group photo featuring the offending bottle of "wine"!!??

 

However, there is still the fact that my CC Package included a bottle of Champagne and I didnt receive it!!!!!!

[flamingos]

Too funny! We won a bottle of 'sparkling wine' on an RCCL cruise once. When we took it to the dining room, not only was there going to be a corkage fee, but the look on the sommelier's face when we showed him the bottle was priceless. When we told him we had won it on board ship, he lost all expression altogether, and then didn't speak to us at all.

 

 

We ended up taking it home and giving it as a gift; the recipients promptly gave it back to us for the next occasion. We traded it back and forth for months until we finally decided to share it - we each took a tentative sip and spit it out. Swill, indeed.

[2ladies]

Flamingos - hilarious isn't it?

 

I am still on the floor laughing at your post!!! Why didn't I think of giving it to my least best friend?

 

Actually, instead of corkage, THEY should be paying US to drink it!!!

 

Now, if I could only work out how to do it, I would put up a photo of our group with the offending (or offensive - depends on how you look at it) bottle!!!

[dmarch@islc.net]

It's a matter of principle....TOO THE WALL WE GO!

[greyblueseas]

Yes it's sparkling wine, but the thing is so many people mistakenly call anything white and sparkly (i.e., created via the methode champagnoise) champagne that it's practically splitting hairs to complain that the bottles we get in CC or the Suites aren't actually from the Champagne region of France.

 

I usually save mine for the next morning, order up a nice room service breakfast with a couple glasses of orange juice, and make mimosas from it. Very enjoyable!

 

"Methode champagnoise" is what I meant when I referred to the good stuff from somewhere other than France (and they can say that on the bottle). The stuff I had hadn't been made that way, it was cheap white wine that had been injected with carbon dioxide in the same way that you make soda :eek: Hence my disappointment... It's wrong of X to say they provide "champagne" and then actually supply something entirely different; not what I had been expecting at all. They are obviously counting on people not knowing the difference, which is scamming people, and that's why it's worth another post IMHO.

[jeffkauf]

Hi flamingos,

 

Question: You said, "but the look on the sommelier's face when we showed him the bottle was priceless." So if the bottle was priceless you should have been most grateful. Am I missing something here? (Sorry, couldn't resist).

 

The fee gift "champagne" on Celebrity and almost every other line (exceptions being Crystal, Silversea etc.) is too dreadful for words. When they give these things away it should be on the following basis: First prize; One bottle, Second prize; Two bottles.

[woodofpine]

Greek hotel management! Just be glad it wasn't a carafe of retsina with a bottle of seltzer on the side!

[susietb]

Just sailed on the Constellation, February 25th. Three of the couples at the table brought the champagne from the cabin to share on three separate nights. There was no charge at all, we just tipped the wine steward very generously.

[ocngypz]

What was the label on the bottle you received?

 

I've always received a bottle which said..whether in a suite or otherwise..

 

"Celebrity VIintage"

 

Blanc de Blancs

 

Vin Mousseaux de Qualite

 

Methode Traditionnelle

 

Product (sic) in France, La Tete Noire SARL ** 13340 Rognac France

 

I still have a couple of bottles in the refrigerator!

 

Now the stuff they serve at embarkation is god awful.... Duc de Valmer or something along those lines. Just dreadful.

[cloveygrl]

In America Champagne is commonly used to refer to sparkling wine as opposed to just sparkling wine from Champagne. So you're screwed there...

 

and as far as I'm concerned...free wine=bad wine. :p

[2ladies]

Cloveygrl - problem is, mine was far from free!! Almost the only tangible offering is Champagne when booking Concierge Class!!! The rest is "use of"!!

 

Actually, my gripe was really with the corkage demanded!!!

 

In retrospect, maybe it was revenge of the wine waiter.

 

Every evening he would arrive with two bottles of water - and I would ask for Infinity water!!!! He obviously didn't think it funny (I did) and took his revenge!! I resent someone selling me untested bottled water when I have the option of clean tested water. I can understand that in some countries where there are problems with the water, bottled water is necessary. I believe that this is one of the greatest rip-offs of all time!!!

 

Even in America sparkling wine does NOT mean champagne - at least not among the Americans I know!!! I may be screwed among your friends, but not mine. Champagne is a patented name, same as Gucci. Target does not call its handbags Gucci!!!??? Gotcha cloveygrl!!!!!

[jessemon]

Hey 2ladies,

Try this the next time. I can only drink one glass of "Champagne" real or not. Then I turn into a 15 year old high school girl with the giggles. That's embarrassing:o being a 50 year old man.

I always get to know the sommelier/wine steward quickly. Always do the wine tasting the first sea day also. I turn in the wine that the TA buys us and the "Champagne" then. I just look at the price list for those items when I buy the wine package I want and they deduct that amount from the package. Everyone is happy.:)

[Cruise Junky]

Even in America sparkling wine does NOT mean champagne - at least not among the Americans I know!!! I may be screwed among your friends, but not mine. Champagne is a patented name, same as Gucci. Target does not call its handbags Gucci!!!??? Gotcha cloveygrl!!!!!

 

It is not however breaking the law doing that in the US. This was an agreement under one of the War treatys The US didn't sign it as it was during prohibition. The usually don't do it out of respect, but alas, they can. Sucks and is definitely one of my pet peeves. I've been known to send things back that have been promised as Champagne and were Sparking Wine.

[dspencer]

I am really shocked to read this.

I admit I was expecting a glass each rather than a bottle of the good stuff but didn't dream it would poor quality!

Shame on you celebrity.

Least a nice californian!

[jessemon]

Ok...here we go. Let's try to settle down. Believe it or not.."Champagne" is a sparkling wine. It just happens to be produced in the "Champagne" region of France. It is a blend of three grapes that can be grown most anywhere grapes can be grown. Then blended and bottled. Then sugar is added and is rebottled to get the bubbles just right. In olden days they used to think that if the wine had bubbles in it it was cheap and inferior...

Maybe instead of "Champagne" in the cabin they should leave a "Good bottle of Wine". :)

[Leela]

Champagne is a patented name, same as Gucci. Target does not call its handbags Gucci!!!??? Gotcha cloveygrl!!!!!

Neither "Champagne" nor "Gucci" are patented names. It's not possible to patent a name. "Gucci" is a trademark, and "Champagne" is an apellation controllee (controlled name), meaning that the French government regulates what sparkling wines may be called "Champagne."

 

The international wine making industry respects the apellations, which means you won't find the words "Champagne" on a bottle of Gloria Ferrer or Moet et Chandon from California. However, a lot of people will colloquially call such methode champagnoise libations "champagne," even though strictly speaking they are not champagne because they did not come from the Champagne region of France.

 

I've drunk a lot of bubbly ranging from el cheapo Frexinet (a Spanish methode champagnoise) to good old Dom Perignon, and I don't find the Celebrity-included glass/bottle to be that disgusting. It sure is nicer than nothing, or a kick in the head.

 

If someone is booking Concierge Class just to get the bottle of bubbly, they can save some angst and money and book a verandah or ocean view cabin and buy their own good bottle of the real stuff. Champagne can be ordered as a bon voyage gift through Celebrity.

 

Sure, it would be great to get a nice bottle of Perrier-Jouet in the cabin after embarcation, but the truth is that Celebrity is not that high-end of a line. If it were, the cruises would be more expensive and then people would be complaining about that....

[thomasale]

Here, here Leela, besides its' just the French!!! (now that oughta bring some Rain)

[2ladies]

This is fun - all I objected to really, was being charged $15 for plonk I had already paid for!!!

 

Now we are receiving lessons in winemaking!!! Patent or not, (seems to be wrong word - but works the same) - if you are on land (except, it seems, U.S.) you cannot sell this 'stuff' as champagne or you get sued!! And people/companies have been sued for this!! Its just like calling your burger a McDonalds!!!!!

 

You are all RIGHT, but have missed the point!! I agree with you - it never occurred to me previously that this should be REAL champagne until they tried to charge me $15!!!!!

 

My feeling is that this 'stuff' is given away as prizes etc. because it is 'plonk' or fun stuff!! However, CELEBRITY are ceasing to make it fun by trying to charge $15 just for a quick "end of cruise" toast!!! We don't really drink - prefer to donate the funds in the casino - and gave away both bottles.

 

Hey, have none of you ever acted on PRINCIPLE?? If I have paid for Concierge (as I have many times) and they try to charge me an extra $15 on something that I have already paid for - then it should be something decent - yes, even a bottle of good regular wine!!! There are excellent sparkling wines in California etc. but they are buying rubbish in France - cheaper!! And of course, as a true blue Brit - let's say no more about the French!!!

 

I did ring Celebrity to complain about the corkage on a bottle of THEIR plonk (for which I had already paid) - but the 'person' on the end was abrupt to the point of rudeness. G-d forbid I had a REAL complaint - beginning to understand the SMITH'S POINT OF VIEW THERE!! I wouldn't want to try to sort out a serious problem with such a person. I have been in PR for many years, and my complaint was handled very badly. Hence this thread!!!

 

I did tell them I would bring it up on this site - I wonder if all the posters on here are genuine or from Celebrity?? Anyone thought about this?

[tbelian]

I wonder if all the posters on here are genuine or from Celebrity?? Anyone thought about this?

 

Yes.

 

Oh Please!

 

If Celebrity is wasting time strolling through the boards, then there really IS a problem that goes beyond cheap sparkling wine.

[2ladies]

You will obviously be shocked to learn that cruise lines DO look at these boards. As a PR person, I know that this is a good way of learning about views of pax!!! How can it be a waste of time to learn about complaints or what your competitors are up to?

 

This site could almost be considered a free survey by cruise lines!!

 

I have various friends who work for the cruise lines and find these boards extremely useful!! And very amusing!!!

 

I KNOW that in the past travel agents and cruise lines have posted.

 

Anyway, another poster misses the point - have you no sense of humour at all? This site is supposed to be fun!!! I think!!! Although it draws attention sometimes, to failings on board the ships.

 

Of course, I can afford to buy champagne anyway, if I am paying extra for Concierge Class - it was the pettiness of the cruise line I am pointing out!!

 

If I were better on the computer, I would have posted a photo of the six of us holding the bottle of wine - the wine waiter refused to appear in it!! We laughed for ages about it - just how petty can you get?