First Time Cruisers - Drinks Questions

[PhilUK73]

Evening folks,

 

We will celebrating our honeymoon on the Sea Princess in June, as we are first time cruisers I wanted to get the low down on the cost of drinks, we do like a good bottle of wine and the occasional bottle of a vintage champagne but was wondering how extensive the wine & champagne lists are, and how the general day to day costs of drinks add up.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Phil

[RSWBADGER]

Evening folks,

 

We will celebrating our honeymoon on the Sea Princess in June, as we are first time cruisers I wanted to get the low down on the cost of drinks, we do like a good bottle of wine and the occasional bottle of a vintage champagne but was wondering how extensive the wine & champagne lists are, and how the general day to day costs of drinks add up.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Phil

 

Here's a Wine list from April 2008 (Coral Princess)

 

Click to Enlarge

]

[blindrid]

Evening folks,

 

We will celebrating our honeymoon on the Sea Princess in June, as we are first time cruisers I wanted to get the low down on the cost of drinks, we do like a good bottle of wine and the occasional bottle of a vintage champagne but was wondering how extensive the wine & champagne lists are, and how the general day to day costs of drinks add up.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Phil

 

Wine lists are "OK" - it just depends what you consider what a good bottle is as it's very subjective. I've had high priced wines I didn't like and cheap ones I did - go figure.

 

Drinks run about $5-8 and beer around $4-5. Everything has a 15% gratuity added to the cost.

 

Here's a drink list from the CB. I'm guessing your's would be similar:

http://www.cruisingthecaribbeanprincess.com/fromthebar.pdf

 

Sorry I couldn't come up with a wine list. I'm sure you'll find something to your liking......

[PhilUK73]

Thanks a lot folks. I have also heard you can pre pay for coffees and sodas - good idea or not?

 

Phil

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Thanks a lot folks. I have also heard you can pre pay for coffees and sodas - good idea or not?

 

Phil

 

Soda card is good for convenience and if you are going to drink 2 or more a day.

Coffee card is limited to 15 specialty coffee's, some ships will give you free brewed witht he card too.

[PhilUK73]

Thanks thats a great tip.

 

Phil

[negn]

You really dont want a super expensive wine or champagne as the rocking and movement of ship is not the best way to store the wine Save those for time on land

[PhilUK73]

Really? Surely it doesnt affect it that much?

[alphazeta]

Evening folks,

 

We will celebrating our honeymoon on the Sea Princess in June, as we are first time cruisers I wanted to get the low down on the cost of drinks, we do like a good bottle of wine and the occasional bottle of a vintage champagne but was wondering how extensive the wine & champagne lists are, and how the general day to day costs of drinks add up.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Phil

The passage contract states you may bring on as much wine and champagne you want, at least my last contract stated this. Make sure by reading your contract. Last cruise in Feb to the Panama Canal, my wife & I bought 6 bottles of wine at a wine store before we boarded. There is a $15 corking fee if you drink it in the ship's restaurants. But a lot of the time they didn't charge us. Plus, I could pick and choose my wine by buying it before time. There are a lot of good wines in the $10-$15 area. We got some of these plus some $30-$40 wines. If you keep the lower price stuff for your room and have the higher priced stuff at dinner, it still is cheaper bringing on your wine and getting the $15 corking fee, which, as I've said, they don't charge some times.:)

[paul929207]

Soda card is good for convenience and if you are going to drink 2 or more a day.

Coffee card is limited to 15 specialty coffee's, some ships will give you free brewed witht he card too.

 

Actually, you need to drink at least 3 sodas per day to make it worth while. The soda card is $4.25/person/day. Sodas are $1.50 each. Both prices are plus 15% tip.

[jfv379]

Here is a comparison for you. Just off the Crown last month and a bottle of Kendal Jackson Cabernet was $31.00 at dinner. In the lounges the same wine was $7.75 per glass for DW and for me Hennessey VSOP was $6.00, with or without, a club soda on the side. I told DW that I never thought I would be saving money by drinking Cognac.:D

[jfv379]

Sorry, it was Remy Martin VSOP.:D

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Actually, you need to drink at least 3 sodas per day to make it worth while. The soda card is $4.25/person/day. Sodas are $1.50 each. Both prices are plus 15% tip.

 

On our last cruise the card was still 3.95 + grat, I did hear they had gone up, thanks for the reminder.

We also bought soda's and they were $2.02 including grat.

I always ask for a large light ice when ordering from the bar:)

[islasisterchick]

Just an FYI, 7 days of rocking on a ship won't hurt wine. You just don't want long term storage like that (ie. 4 months +.) Heat is way more damaging than rocking.

Secondly, it doesn't look like you'll find vintage anything on the ship as there are no years listed on the wine list. Vintage is just the year the grapes were picked. If you want a certain vintage, I would definitely say to bring your own. Sorry, but I market wine for a living so had to put my 2 cents worth in. LOL

[blindrid]

There is no way that short term storage on a rocking boat will hurt a wine. It's not like it's in a blender......

 

I did have a thought that I carried a few bottles and they did not charge a corkage fee that may be your best bet.

[symo]

Just an FYI, 7 days of rocking on a ship won't hurt wine. You just don't want long term storage like that (ie. 4 months +.) Heat is way more damaging than rocking.

Secondly, it doesn't look like you'll find vintage anything on the ship as there are no years listed on the wine list. Vintage is just the year the grapes were picked. If you want a certain vintage, I would definitely say to bring your own. Sorry, but I market wine for a living so had to put my 2 cents worth in. LOL

 

Now there's two cents worth a buck, or two :D

 

symo

[PhilUK73]

Some really useful tips here folks! Thanks! I know there is literature talking about an extensive list of champagnes, but as you have pretty much confirmed it is all non vintage. I will just have to bring my own along!