Questions about alcohol onboard (merged)

[gatorphin]

Do they carry it on board? What is the beer selection?

[IMNiles]

I don't remember seeing michelob light, but I don't drink it so I may have missed it. The beer selection will vary a bit by ship and itinerary, and also by bar on the ship. All the bars will have the standard selection of domestics and imports light bud, bud light, miller lite, heineken, amstel light, fosters, etc. The draught beer is almost always heineken and amstel light. I think I've also seen one of the 'ultra' beers (maybe mich ultra), mgd, and red stripe, all in bottles. On some ships one or two bars will also have guinness and/or bass (Voyager ships with a pub on the promenade will have Guinness on tap, and Radiance had bass on tap back in the colony club). On Alaskan itineraries there are a couple of local Alaska beers, and I understand that the European itinerary selection is also different.

[kakinmt]

I'm a wine drinker and I'm trying to figure out the most cost effective way to have a glass of wine or 2 a day on board? What is a royal cocktail card? Is wine included and can you pick the brand? Can you use it all over the boat? Thanks all you wine drinkers for the info!!

 

Kaki

[cb at sea]

The only "all you can drink" card is for sodas! Sorry! I've been pushing for a "beer card", but no luck so far!

[IBookHePays]

You can order a bottle of wine from their not so great, but expensive wine list at dinner and they will keep it for you till the next night. I don't believe they will let you bring it back to your cabin, but at least dinner will be covered!

[Nanatravel]

They have a Wine & Dine program; it has 3 tiers by quality and you can buy 5 or 7 bottles so the total price does vary. However, this would be served to you at dinner or in the specialty restaurants. They will cap the bottles each night if not finished. I have read some ask to take the bottle back to their cabin, but I can't verify that this is true. The assortment is of Reds, Whites and Sparkling varitals. I plan to purchase the mid-range package for 5 bottles. DH likes red and I like white. I do advise you to pick the bottles you want on the first night, as they do run out of brands. Cost on average is low $100 to $200 plus 15% gratuity.

 

I read there is now a champagne card, but don't know if that is true.

[just4kixx]

my understanding of the champaign card is that it is a punch card that can only be used at the champaign bar. It works out to a set price for a set amount of drinks, not unlimited like the soda card.

 

A~

[Nitra]

The Royal Cocktail card is no longer.

[Pumbaamd]

With the wine package, you can take the bottle outta the dining room after dinner if you choose. You can also get your wine at the Windjammer, Chops and Portofinos, Seaview Cafe, etc.

[cruzkitten]

Hi - Cruising out on the Grandeur soon and wondered if anyone has a current price list for the various wine packages on this ship and where we go to buy one when on board? - RCCL website doesn't seem to give this info.

 

We cruised on Explorer last year and bought wine by the glass with dinner which worked out around $6 - $8 per glass - was thinking that buying a package could be better value especially if we got through 2 or 3 glasses per sitting?

 

 

We also have a JS this year and wondered if any wine bought in the package could be taken back to our room to enjoy on the balcony? - who would we arrange this? head waiter maybe???

 

Any thoughts welcome!

[shipper5]

Does anyone know if RCCL still offers a discoutned wine package on a 7-day cruise? I was on a cruise a few years ago and you were able to get a 10% discount.

[yankeejonw]

I read somewhere that you could buy a wine card (5 or 7 bottles) on RC Cruises. I was just wondering what types of wines you would have access to and the quality of them. Are there any other types of alcohol cards?

[sha88]

On our 7-day cruise on Empress recently, we bought the 5-wine package for $125 plus gratuity and we were pretty happy with it. We had a selection of white and red wines and the ones we tried were not bad at all, but we are NOT conniseurs.....(sp?) Just like a little wine with dinner :D

[yankeejonw]

that would be fine with us. we are college students and the only wine i really drink is with dinner. $125 isnt bad at all for five bottles.

[drpclarke]

Wine cards? Hot diggety. I thought there were only soda cards.

How about mixed drink cards?

Mango Tango cards? (Okay, I'm dreaming here)....

Any other cards besides wine and soda?

 

 

Rachel

Fantasy 12/00

Imagination 6/01

Splendour 6/03

Sovereign 12/04

Grandeur 4/07

[Merion_Mom]

There is no such thing as a "wine card". You can purchase a WINE PACKAGE, which gives you the right to a certain number of bottles from a certain section of the wine list for a set fee. There are three levels of package, and different numbers of bottles within each level.

 

No alcoholic beverage cards.

 

Just a soda/juice card; $6/day per adult (18 & up) and $4/day per child, plus 15% gratuity.

[megr1125]

they put a sticker on your seapass. there are 3 levels...gold, diamond and platinum. then there are 5, 7 and 9 nite packages. if you dont finish a bottle, they will save it for you. we got the 5 bottle middle (platinum) for our 7 nite serenade...worked great.

 

wound up having some left each night. the wines were good......also, there were some sparkling wines too. some of them are available at the local wine store for a great price.

 

i think the mid price package for 5 nights was 143 including the automatic 15% gratuity.

[KarinaGW]

Any other cards besides wine and soda?

Explorer has a champagne card buyable and usable in the Champagne Bar. The cost is 43.13 for 10 champagne cocktails (including gratuity).

 

Other ships that have Champagne Bars may have the same or a similar program. There is a project underway to ascertain that.

 

Here is what cocktails are covered by the card that we know about: http://www.cafekarina.org/explorer/scans/misc/pages/champcard.htm

 

Here is a link to the discussion about it that will probably answer any questions you may have about it including the status of Hassan the Champagne Guard: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=426022

[KarinaGW]

they put a sticker on your seapass. there are 3 levels...gold, diamond and platinum. then there are 5, 7 and 9 nite packages. if you dont finish a bottle, they will save it for you. we got the 5 bottle middle (platinum) for our 7 nite serenade...worked great.

 

wound up having some left each night. the wines were good......also, there were some sparkling wines too. some of them are available at the local wine store for a great price.

 

i think the mid price package for 5 nights was 143 including the automatic 15% gratuity.

Nope. The only sea pass sticker is for the soda package, you get a punch card for the wine package. The wine package is by number of bottles, not number of nights. Here is a 6 month old list that will show (more or less) what the assortment/prices are:

 

Gold Selection:

 

Korbel Brut Sparkling - California

Stone Cellars Chardonnay, Beringer - California

Lindemans bin 77, Semillon-Chardonney - Australia

Danzante Pinot Grigio - Italy

Caliterra Sauvignon Blance - Chile

Woodbridge White Zinfandel (Mondavi) - California

Georges duBouef Beaujolais Villages - France

Stone Cellars (Beringer) Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Woodbridge Twin Oaks - Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Vina Tarapaca Merlot - Chile

Footprint Shiraz - Australia

 

Prices:

 

5 bottles - Value $165; Price - $113

7 bottles - Value $231; Price - $158

10 bottles - Value $330; Price - $226

12 bottles - Value $396; Price - $273

 

 

Platinum Selection:

 

Korbel Brut Sparkling - California

Argyle Brut Sparkling - Oregon

Stone Cellars Chardonnay, Beringer - California

Badger Mountain Organic Chardonnay - Washington State

Lindemans bin 77, Semillon-Chardonnay - Australia

Chateau St. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling - Washington State (really)

Danzante Pinot Grigio - Italy

Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc - Chile

Woodbridge White Zinfandel (Mondavi) - California

Beringer White Zinfandel - California

Georges duBouef Beaujolais Villages - France

Stone Cellars (Beringer) Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Woodbridge Twin Oaks - Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Merlot - California

Vina Tarapaca Merlot - Chile

Faustino VII Rioja - Spain

Footprint Shiraz - Australia

Red Zinfandel - Cline - California

 

Prices:

 

5 bottles - Value $185; Price - $125

7 bottles - Value $259; Price - $173

10 bottles - Value $370; Price - $250

12 bottles - Value $444; Price - $299

 

Diamond Selection:

 

Korbel Brut Sparkling - California

Argyle Brut Sparkling - Oregon

Stone Cellars Chardonnay, Beringer - California

Meridian Vineyards Chardonnay - California

Badger Mountain Organic Chardonnay - Washington State

Lindemans bin 77, Semillon-Chardonnay - Australia

Chateau St. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling - Washington State (really)

Danzante Pinot Grigio - Italy

Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc - Chile

Woodbridge White Zinfandel (Mondavi) - California

Beringer White Zinfandel - California

Georges duBouef Beaujolais Villages - France

Stone Cellars (Beringer) Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Woodbridge Twin Oaks - Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Arboleda Carmenere - Chile

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Merlot - California

Vina Tarapaca Merlot - Chile

Beringer's Founder's Estate Pinot Noir - California

Faustino VII Rioja - Spain

Footprint Shiraz - Australia

Rosemount Shiraz - Australia

Red Zinfandel - Cline - California

 

Prices:

 

5 bottles - Value $190; Price - $137

7 bottles - Value $266; Price - $189

10 bottles - Value $380; Price - $274

12 bottles - Value $456; Price - $329

 

You have to pay the 15% gratuity on top of the price of any package, as with all drinks. Selections are available in the Main dining room, specialty restaurants and Windjammer. Selections are subject to availability and the line reserves the right to substitute a similar wine for one on the list if it becomes unavailable. Package is valid only on the voyage purchased and you may take home any unconsumed bottles.

[Merion_Mom]

Great info, Karina! (again!) You are quite the fountain of data on all things alcoholic! ;) ;) ;)

[gbgalnow]

Nope. The only sea pass sticker is for the soda package, you get a punch card for the wine package. The wine package is by number of bottles, not number of nights.

 

We purchased the Wine Package on our RCI cruise last week. We did get a sticker put on our sea pass. All we had to do was show it to our waiter and he took care of the rest.

[KarinaGW]

We purchased the Wine Package on our RCI cruise last week. We did get a sticker put on our sea pass. All we had to do was show it to our waiter and he took care of the rest.

This was just on Explorer on 9/22 that we got the punch card. Maybe it's a ship by ship thing or they've gotten wise. The card was kind of a pain especially as we had the 12-bottle package. On the other hand, the card (with the rules printed on it) was handy when we were wanting wine with lunch in the Windjammer.

[takeatrip]

Can you only get the bottles while in the dining room? Could we pick one up to take to the cabin? Any leftover bottles from dinner back to the cabin? Or, if we don't uncork part of the package can we take them home?

[miller1975]

We just returned from The Brilliance of the Seas Meditterean cruise. We put some alcohol in our checked bags, no problem. Also at the Barcelona port bought beer and coke and brought it right on board. You go through security before the stores so you carry it right on board. Several times at different ports friends bought something and brought it on with no problem. I did find we did not even have time to drink what we brought. It is a very busy cruise and we were always rushing off somewhere. I think the stateroom attendants end up with a lot of alcohol and cokes at the end. In the future I would bring less on board. Also tell your stateroom attendant you will be using the fridge. If you don't you maybe charged for some of the drinks you take out if she thinks you used them.

[monakayk]

I'm a wine drinker and I'm trying to figure out the most cost effective way to have a glass of wine or 2 a day on board? What is a royal cocktail card? Is wine included and can you pick the brand? Can you use it all over the boat? Thanks all you wine drinkers for the info!!

 

Kaki

 

I would suggest the wine package ONLY if you want to have one of your "2 glasses of wine a day" with dinner. They will bring out what bottle of wine you choose for that evening in the dinning room then if you DO NOT finish your bottle...they will keep it till the next night. For us...this was too restrictive. We do like wine with our dinner, but wanted a glass as a cocktail in our cabin before the evening, since we had the late night sitting. So we opt to order a bottle for our cabin or had cocktails at the bar before dinner. We could keep the bottle of wine there and have a glass anytime we wanted in our cabin. We even took our glass to the game room (deck 7) and enjoyed the public balcony there and enjoyed our drink.

If you want to have a glass of wine for dinner, you could buy one at the bar and bring it into the dinning room also. I am a slow drinker...so whenever we had cocktails before dinner, I sometimes had at least half a glass still full. I just carried it into the dinning room with me and finished my drink during dinner. No one said a word to me when I walked in with my DH and our 2 DFs who were with us on the cruise. So that is an option also.

:) Happy Cruising!:)