Wine packages on Carnival

[jeanarch]

Is there any way to go ahead and order a package and have it paid for before the cruise???

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Is there any way to go ahead and order a package and have it paid for before the cruise???

Not specifically, but you can purchase funship dollars to "pay ahead" your onboard purchases. Do a thread search on funship dollars for more info.

[fuggle11]

I plan on purchasing the Premium package for my upcoming 7-night Pride cruise. I also did an analysis of the cost of the package versus purchasing our preferred package-eligible wines by the bottle off the wine list. All costs are inclusive of the 15% automatic gratuity that is added to individual bottle prices as well as the $150 package price:

 

Costs by the individual bottle:

 

(2) Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay: $87.40

(1) Rutherford Hill Merlot: $42.55

(1) Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio: $42.55

(1) Wolf Blass Shiraz: $43.70

 

Total by the bottle: $216.20

Package Price: $172.50

 

Savings by using the package: $43.70

 

A similar analysis of the Deluxe package yielded a savings under $10, so we're going with the premium.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Domaine Chandon, Brut 3.00 savings

Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio 7.00 savings

Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc 1.00 savings

William Fevre Chablis $2.00 more

Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 8.00 savings

Jekel Pinot Noir ??

Rutherford Hill Merlot 7.00 savings

Wolf Blass President Select Shiraz 8.00 savings

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon ??

Castillo D’Albola Chianti Classico Reserva ??

 

Costs by the individual bottle:

 

(2) Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay: $87.40

(1) Rutherford Hill Merlot: $42.55

(1) Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio: $42.55

(1) Wolf Blass Shiraz: $43.70

 

Total by the bottle: $216.20

Package Price: $172.50

 

Savings by using the package: $43.70

 

A similar analysis of the Deluxe package yielded a savings under $10, so we're going with the premium.

I was thinking the same thing. Even with the deluxe package you get some savings, but seems like premium is a much better discount.

 

Judging by your SN and siggy, you are a beer person. Brewer? Homebrewer? Aficionado?

[fuggle11]

I'm an avid homebrewer, and have been for many years. I have a nice Baltic Porter aged in a bourbon barrel on tap at home right now, and 10 gallons of American Pale Ale to keg when I can find some time. I've often wondered if it would be possible to smuggle a 2.5 gallon keg on board. I've got a great CO2 cartridge picnic tap set that would work beautifully - imagine drawing a fresh homebrew out on the balcony...nice.

[GinnyJ]

I think we might try this on our next cruise.

I like a sweet wine. Not a port but sweet. Can anyone tell me what to choose from the list?

Thank you,

Margi

[firefly4423]

seems like a pretty good idea. Might have to try this next time.

[AKsaluki]

I think we might try this on our next cruise.

I like a sweet wine. Not a port but sweet. Can anyone tell me what to choose from the list?

Thank you,

Margi

 

 

There aren't really any sweet wines in the package. I'm not a sweet wine drinker but I did notice that they had QUADY on their wine list. I would recommend that if you like dessert/sweet wines. They are LOVELY.

 

Otherwise, the chablis and chardonnay are your best bet on that list. They won't be sweet sweet, but they won't be as dry as the rest. Usually a Reisling, Gewürztraminer, or Port are going to be sweet wines.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Jamie

[Thirsty Cruiser]

I'm an avid homebrewer, and have been for many years. I have a nice Baltic Porter aged in a bourbon barrel on tap at home right now, and 10 gallons of American Pale Ale to keg when I can find some time. I've often wondered if it would be possible to smuggle a 2.5 gallon keg on board. I've got a great CO2 cartridge picnic tap set that would work beautifully - imagine drawing a fresh homebrew out on the balcony...nice.

Very cool. I love to homebrew but just can't make the time as much as I'd like to. I have a christmas ale aging in the bottle, and a raspberry double chocolate stout that I just finished in secondary and bottled 2 days ago. I am getting ready to send in to sam adams - I won category in the boston region last year. Hoping to do a bit better but it's a crap shoot. Glad the hops are easier to get and cheaper this year at least!

Cheers!

I think we might try this on our next cruise.

I like a sweet wine. Not a port but sweet. Can anyone tell me what to choose from the list?

Thank you,

Margi

Go for the Beringer White Zin. It is as sweet as it gets outside of late harvest and dessert wines.

[robtx100]

Nope, that is steep. There are many great wines at 1/3 that price. Most people couldn't even tell the difference between the two.

They really tried to upsell me on the wine the first time I went to the supper club. I had to be persistent to keep it under $50, but the sommelier had major attitude. The next time, I brought a wine from my local wine shop for around $30 and paid the $15 corkage. I paid $45 for a wine that would go for $70-80 on their list (including tip),

Funny thing is the sommelier opened the wine and brought it over, and started telling me about the wine (I had already had it so knew it was great). So I offered him a glass and he said "Oh, I already tasted it".

D'oh! Kind of forward of him to help himself, I thought. Anyone know if that is SOP?

 

It may be possible that he meant to say that he had the wine before. Meaning he tasted it on his own dime or while he was learning. That's how I would have taken it.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

It may be possible that he meant to say that he had the wine before. Meaning he tasted it on his own dime or while he was learning. That's how I would have taken it.

No, he made it clear that he tasted that particular bottle. I really don't mind that he did, in fact as I stated I offered to give him a glass anyway.

[Alanscruise]

Does one have to purchase the coupons before the cruise or can they be purchased on board and if they can be purchased on board where does one get them?

 

Thanks' date='[/quote']

Here you go,

 

"To purchase a "Cruise the Vineyards" wine package during your cruise,

visit the Formalities Shop or ask your Dining Room waiter."

[MattInSoCal]

At the risk of over-analyzing the wine issue, here is a quick comparison of wine prices that I could find with the program and without.

 

Sorry to dredge up a thread from the past but I saw it referenced elsewhere. Since I have no life and I was curious I did a simple exercise of looking up the retail prices - remember that wholesale prices (what Carnival pays) are about 20% less. For the prices I used the best price that I could find from what seemed to be a legitimate retail source. Note that the Vouvray in the cheaper package didn't seem to be for sale at any US retailer so I copied the price from a German site.

 

$104 Deluxe package ($119.60 with gratuity)

• Korbel, Brut 9.99

• Beringer White Zinfandel 5.99

• Robert Mondavi Private Selection Chardonnay 8.99

• Folonari Pinot Grigio 6.99

• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc 8.99

• Alban St. Pré Vouvray 4,80 € ($6.38)

• Rex Goliath Pinot Noir 7.95

• McGuigan Merlot 5.99

• Black Opal Shiraz 6.97

• Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon 6.99

• George Duboeuf Beaujolais Village 6.95

 

$150 Premium package (172.50 with gratuity)

• Domaine Chandon, Brut 15.98

• Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio 16.98

• Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc 15.99

• William Fevre Chablis 17.97

• Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 15.99

• Jekel Pinot Noir 12.95

• Rutherford Hill Merlot 16.97

• Wolf Blass President Select Shiraz 15.79

• Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon 12.55

• Cast[e]llo D’Albola Chianti Classico Reserva 16.99

 

Hmm, I'll have 5 bottles of the Sebastiani Cab Sauv, please.

 

~ MattInSoCal