Wine Prices too high??

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do you think HAL charges too much for a bottle of wine?

[Orcrone]

Yes, I think many things on board are priced too high. $7.00 (with tip) for a mixed drink is even more outrageous. But you're on vacation and you can't step out to go to the local ABC store, so I just figure it's part of the cost.

 

I should add that the price of wine bothers me even when dining out. When I go to a restaurant the cost of the meal is much more than the cost of the ingredients. But the food has to be cleaned, prepared, cooked and then cleaned up afterwards to make it a meal. But I've never understood why the large markup on a bottle of wine which only requires removing a cork and pouring it. (Or removing the bottle cap if you're a connoiseur like me;) ).

[babyher]

A friend of mine's father worked in catering and food and beverage services for years.

 

He always said the too biggest rip offs were the prices they charged for liqour and pizza , and that was regardless of where you went.

 

A certain % was profit margin, which is to be expected. After that its anything goes. (why a mixed drink is $4.50 in a corner joint and $11.95 in a some trendy club for the same thing.)

[Golfette]

Orcrone, I don't know - here in CA a martini - house brand vodka (small to large depending on the restaurant)usually costs about $8.50 (without tip) and some more, so $7 (if that includes a martini) sounds good to me.

 

How much is a typical bottle of Chardonay at dinner?

[jhannah]

He always said the too biggest rip offs were the prices they charged for liqour and pizza ...

What's worse, IMO, is popcorn and soda in a movie theater. It's the same principle. You're a captive audience. You want the wine/popcorn/whatever. They know you'll pay through the nose to have your fix. And to get a handsome markup for something that takes little effort (manpower) is all the more better.

[hammybee]

Restaurants, bars, hotels, resorts and movie theatres charge what the market will bear.

 

It is what it is and it's all discretionary.

[CDRMark]

What's worse, IMO, is popcorn and soda in a movie theater. It's the same principle. You're a captive audience. You want the wine/popcorn/whatever. They know you'll pay through the nose to have your fix. And to get a handsome markup for something that takes little effort (manpower) is all the more better.

"The other day I got kicked out of the movie theater for bringing my own food. My argument was that the concession prices are outrageous, and I hadn't had a good barbecue in ages". -Steven Wright

 

I think the wine prices are a little high for what they deliver. There are some unique costs in logistics of wine on a cruise ship tho. The mixed drink prices seem fine to me. I'll pay a little more for the ambience (and view!) of the Crow's nest.

Cheers

Mark

[bepsf]

Prices are no worse, and in some cases better, than what we pay here in SF...

Would they sell more if prices were cheaper?

Sure, but that's not the point - this isn't WalMart...

[mr green]

Two things hurt.

 

In the first place I come from wine country in British Columba, where the price of the average bottle of wine is high, but not nearly as bad as the prices on any cruise line.

However, worse yet while two glasses of wine at dinner may cost about $15.00, the cost of a bottle of whiskey may often be purchased in the duty free shop on any ship, at well below this price.

 

john

[WeLoveCruising]

I do think the wine is a little higher than what we might see here at home, but not outrageously so. In general, most places we go on vacation charge are more pricey for food and drink than some of our local places at home. We live outside Saratoga Springs, and the summer menus for tourists are always a few dollars higher than what they are are during the rest of the year.

 

The cocktail prices, though, I think are pretty reasonable. Similar drinks in an upscale bar here would cost $8-$11, plus tax and tip. I think they're even better since HAL updated their recipies a few years ago with fresh juices.

[fcorey]

I think the prices are about average for bottles of wine. I ordered a bottle of Conundrum one night, was $49, I can buy it in the local liquore store for $23-$24 , so yes the mark up is a bit high, but its what I've seen in most restaurants locally.

[babyher]

What's worse, IMO, is popcorn and soda in a movie theater. It's the same principle. You're a captive audience. You want the wine/popcorn/whatever. They know you'll pay through the nose to have your fix. And to get a handsome markup for something that takes little effort (manpower) is all the more better.

 

 

Oh definately popcorn too.:(

 

The Comedienne Rita Rudner has a joke

 

"How can a movie theater charge $5.00 for a small bag of popcorn , when on the commodities market popcorn goes for like 13 cents a silo" :)

[cruiserfromohio]

This is a particular sore point with me. HAL's markup is too high! My classic example of a Beringer Napa Chardonnay, which retails for $9 a bottle in Ft Lauderdale. Based on that retail price, a reason price for this wine is in the $18 - $22 per bottle range. HAL in the last cruise I was on in Nov of last year was charging $29 per bottle plus tip -- even more if you buy it by the glass. The same is true for other wines on their list.

 

I live in Ohio -- a state with really high wine prices. Yet the restaurants that want people to drink wine with their meals all subscribe to a reasonable markup policy on their wines -- 100% - 150% of retail, depending on retail price and the amount of given wine they expect to sell.

 

With all the sales data HAL has and the need to have a list that is populated by readily available high production wines, HAL can probably forecast to within a couple of case the amount of any given wine they will sell on a cruise. That should allow them to minimize excess inventory and keep their inventory investment low. That should translate into reasonable wine pricing. It has not. HAL values their profits over their passengers pocketbooks.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Not to sound negative to the OP or those that agree but have you been out to dinner recently in any major city or tourist location? We live in Las Vegas and a bottle of wine is going to cost you at least $45 for a cheapy. I pay on a average $8.50 plus tax and the tip for a Korbel split at any restaurant here in Las Vegas. That sure is a lot cheaper than it was for my Henkel splits on the ship. If you buy the wine card I found it to be a great deal for a glass of Pinot Grigio compared to what I paid for the same glass of basic Pinot at a restaurant when we got home Sunday night.

If you find the prices too high then just bring some on the ship with you. HAL still allows wine and champagne to be brought on board. I sometimes get really frustrated when posters want to compare the price to what they pay at home in their local store for a bottle of wine. It is like comparing staying at the Hyatt to staying in a Motor Home down at the lake. There is NO Comparison.

 

I find the prices that HAL charges to be quite fair on pretty much everything they offer. They are in the business to make money just like any other business is. In comparing it to any other mode of vacation where I am not roughing in a camper I find it to be a bargain.

[gizmo]

I think the prices are too high. You cannot compare this to what is charged in the states. The cruise lines get their booze duty free.

What a mark up !

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I think the prices are too high. You cannot compare this to what is charged in the states. The cruise lines get their booze duty free.

What a mark up !

 

gizmo, as far as I am concerned Duty Free is a Joke and if one thinks they are really saving big dollars in most duty free shops then the theory that there is a sucker born every minute falls true. Just because they tell you that you are pay No Duty the consumer thinks they are saving money which is far from the truth. You don't think that that a large restaurant chain any where in the US does not get a large discount. It is all in the negotiation of the buyer for the company and I would venture the Duty Free has very little to do with it.

[DedeM]

I'm a wino and I think the prices are kind of high for wine, but they don't bother me too much. Worse than that are the prices for champagne and sparkling wines. It's totally a rip off and that ticks me off. It ticks me off in restaurants too. :mad:

[cnvh]

Don't get me started on the movie theater popcorn prices... one of the theaters near us has a nasty habit of serving STALE leftover popcorn the next day. Hubby and I prefer to go to early (late morning-early afternoon) showings, and we stopped ordering popcorn because it is invariably last night's (stale) leftovers.

 

At what they charge for a SMALL bag, and they can't even be bothered to make a fresh batch in the morning?!?!?! :eek:

 

As for wine prices onboard, it's rather horrifying. Fortunately neither hubby nor I are much into alcohol; I don't drink at all, and he might order the drink of the day once or twice, but that's it. Our daily tabs tend to be pretty reasonable thanks to this. :)

[WeLoveCruising]

I sometimes get really frustrated when posters want to compare the price to what they pay at home in their local store for a bottle of wine.

 

I agree with Lisa. I can go to the supermarket and buy a steak, potato and vegatable for far less than it would cost to eat the same meal in a restaurant. YOu cant compare the price of things at a store vs on a ship or restaurant or resort.

[gizmo]

gizmo, as far as I am concerned Duty Free is a Joke and if one thinks they are really saving big dollars in most duty free shops then the theory that there is a sucker born every minute falls true. Just because they tell you that you are pay No Duty the consumer thinks they are saving money which is far from the truth. You don't think that that a large restaurant chain any where in the US does not get a large discount. It is all in the negotiation of the buyer for the company and I would venture the Duty Free has very little to do with it.

 

I don't agree with this. I have saved a considerable amount when buying liquor in St. Thomas at duty free prices.

 

As far as large restaurant chains go, sure they get a discount BUT they still pay all the taxes on liquor which is what drives the prices up.

 

The cruise lines are not only getting a discount, but there are no taxes involved. There was a time when liquor and wine prices were VERY RESONABLE, but that is long gone.

 

There was a time when we ordered a wine package. The prices increased so much we stopped ordering it. The same wine has not gone up in my local wine stores.

[ekerr19]

I can understand the increase in cost for a prepared meal, but I'm with the poster who says what's so hard about opening and pouring wine?

 

However, I also really don't mind paying for good wine. Especially on vacation.

 

That said, when I see Sutter Home White Zinfandel on HAL's wine list for $28, I have to cringe. I have never seen a bottle of that stuff cost as much as it seems to on HAL. I guess it's popular or something, but since I've never even seen it on a wine list here at home; I don't understand how they justify $28 for that $5 bottle...

[Sea King]

Do you think HAL charges too much for a bottle of wine?

 

what do you think KK:confused:

 

it's your thread:eek:

[Sea King]

Do you think HAL charges too much for a bottle of wine?

 

what do you think KK:confused:

 

it's your thread:eek:

[bepsf]

As far as large restaurant chains go, sure they get a discount BUT they still pay all the taxes on liquor which is what drives the prices up.

 

Um, No they don't...

...they have something generally called a "Reseller's Tax ID" (named depending on the state that issues it)

Effectively, it allows stores, restaurants, etc. to purchase items for resale tax-free as long as they keep resale records and pass along to the state, on a quarterly basis, the tax dollars which you pay based on the retail price that you pay.

As far as cruiselines go, they are also required to pay sales-taxes for any items sold within the 12-Mile-Limit to the port-state, even though they didn't necessarily purchase those items for resale within the state. This is why all the shops are closed and the shipboard bars charge you tax during sailaway from US ports until the ship is 12 miles from port..

[Sea King]

Do you think HAL charges too much for a bottle of wine?

 

what's your opinion KK

 

it's your thread