Any news on Taittinger?

Any news on the Champagne front? Still NF?

When I was in the Quest in December I had a long talk with some senior crew and was told the issue was negotiating an acceptable price and no deal was imminent.

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I was told by Gunther, the corporate hotel manager, last month that, while SB recognizes the need for a change and is actively working on this project, they have not been successful yet on finding a replacement. He added that it was regretful that some inaccurate information had been leaked earlier.

(As we all know, there were quite a few discussions of Bollinger earlier on here, and I was told in October by Pepi, a new hotel manager to SB, that a deal had been signed with Taittinger... All not true, as it turns out.)

..... they have not been successful yet on finding a replacement....

Thanks. Oh well, but don't know why it's taking so long. We sail in four weeks. It would have been nice.

Thanks. Oh well, but don't know why it's taking so long.

They claim it's due to sourcing & availability issues - many of us think it's due to pricing.

They claim it's due to sourcing & availability issues - many of us think it's due to pricing.

Of course it's pricing. The bean counters are behind every decision these days. Not that I blame them, but just get on with it. A name brand champagne would do wonders for their image and cause more folks to consider trying/moving over to Seabourn from the competition. And as all us fan-boys know, once you try Seabourn there's a good chance you're hooked. How much is that worth in their business case?

At about the same time they change the Champagne, you can probably count on the complimentary caviar going away.

I'm surprised Seabourn still do it given that Silversea, Crystal & SeaDream have all enhanced their caviar away and quite some time ago.

Trouble is you become hooked with the very ordinary Champagne so why should they change? Personally I would happily go without caviar and get a better Champagne, but that's just me

Personally I would happily go without caviar and get a better Champagne, but that's just me

Not just you... me, too!

Trouble is you become hooked with the very ordinary Champagne so why should they change? Personally I would happily go without caviar and get a better Champagne, but that's just me

Me too 😀

[emoji137]Me too.

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Hubby is vegetarian and I don't like caviar, so us too!

Yep, me too. There a lot of nibblies that go better with champagne IMHO.

Trouble is you become hooked with the very ordinary Champagne so why should they change? Personally I would happily go without caviar and get a better Champagne, but that's just me

So true,

us too.

Sorry to disagree but I vote for caviar over a different champagne. I like champagne but I don't drink it every day on board and I would sorely miss the caviar. it's one of the great things that sets Seabourn apart from all the other luxury lines. And I don't see any Bollinger to Taittinger on those lines either.

I agree with you Wripro!

I'll keep the caviar too. If they do replace NF, you can be assured that the replacement brand will be the same or less $$$ per bottle. If you want something nicer, that is what "The Retreat" is for...

The champagne gets my vote - caviar is overrated!

Also go for better champagne over caviar

Maybe we can have dual system. You can either select upgraded Champagne and pass on the Caviar or Nicky Fooey and Caviar. I would definitely select the first option![emoji898][emoji847]

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For us, it's champagne and caviar. Nothing says holiday more than that. :cool:

If they do change the sparkling, it will be for something cheaper... agree with the comment about the better stuff being available in the retreat.

I'm afraid it's seeming to us that the new Seabourn world will be upselling. The egalitarian nature of the offerings and atmosphere on board was what attracted us to Seabourn in the first instance.

So, gleaning from recent posts the Encore designers are being blamed for the laundry and the retreat. Perhaps they are sourcing a champagne with a label to match the new décor so they can blame any fall out on the designers for an unpopular sparkling choice as well? While the bean counters are still counting their beans and the marketing dept has a scapegoat.

We prefer both! Nothing says I'm on holidays more than champagne and caviar :cool:

Agree with other posters about a cheaper product if there is any change and if you want something better, it will be "pay for the retreat".

Perhaps that's something else they will try and blame on the "designers". I note from a range of threads that all things subject to criticism are part of the designer's grand plan - laundry, retreat. Maybe they are currently sourcing champagne with labels to match the new décor. That way any grumblings can be deflected as part of the design plan and nothing to do with the bean counters, who will just keep counting their beans. Keeps things simple for the marketing dept also, when you don't have to "own" a problem.

Oh dear my cynicism is showing. I think I need a holiday!

They could always go the Silversea (sometimes Regent as well) and try to pass off Prosecco as Champagne.:eek:

Good grief. Even Australians haven't referred to our own sparkling products as "champagne" since the 70s. I think the last fool standing must have been Sir Les Patterson :D

Although in fairness, a decent sparkling wine can be far more palatable than a bad champagne