Elite Wine Tasting

Check the schedule of the wine tasting on the Patter. You might miss it.

Check the schedule of the wine tasting on the Patter. You might miss it.

When there are many Elite level passengers they've had a Princess Grapevine wine tasting exclusively for Elite passengers which wasn't shown in the Patter & only on the invitation sent to cabins.

When there are many Elite level passengers they've had a Princess Grapevine wine tasting exclusively for Elite passengers which wasn't shown in the Patter & only on the invitation sent to cabins.

Since there are no more glasses being given out I suspect the large crowds of the past might be gone & they can put everyone together at the same sitting.

1st time being Elite! Do they send an invitation to your cabin? Or, is this something you have to sign-up for?

Your room steward will deliver your invitation. It only includes those who are elite. If someone wants to attend who's not elite, it is a nominal $9 charge.

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Your room steward will deliver your invitation. It only includes those who are elite. If someone wants to attend who's not elite, it is a nominal $9 charge.

 

 

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Thanks! We'll both be Elite next cruise.

Thanks! We'll both be Elite next cruise.

One of the perks we enjoy a lot. On our last two cruises it was on a sea day. Once at 11:00 am (seemed a little early) and once at 2:00 pm. We were sad that on b2b cruises we had the same wine served, but you can't beat free!

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We've been Elite for some time, but stopped going to wine tasting when the shot glasses were eliminated. Now it just seems like an opportunity for the Head Waiters to pontificate and practice their stand up routines.

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We've been Elite for some time, but stopped going to wine tasting when the shot glasses were eliminated. Now it just seems like an opportunity for the Head Waiters to pontificate and practice their stand up routines.

 

 

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Look at all the money Princess is saving by eliminating those glasses. :D

I have been elite for quite some time , went to the wine tasting once. And once was enough! Not even worth the free glass.

What I can't see is someone actually paying for it. :rolleyes:

My mom is going to become an Elite passenger on her next cruise, however she is the only one in our party that is up to this level in cruising. She probably won't want to go to the wine tasting alone. I don't drink, so I was wondering would they let me in the wine tasting room just so I can keep her company?

you wrote she will become elite on her next cruise. the elite benefits won't start until she is already elite. so the cruise after this one.

Even someone who pays for it would probably enjoy it once.

It allows them to taste some wines in the $30-ish range to determine if they enjoy the taste. When Princess had sommeliers they told me that sales of those wines dramatically increased after the wine tasting. That may be why they keep a lower $9.50 price for the tasting because it generates more wine sales in dining rooms.

I asked why they didn't vary the wine tasting & he agreed having suggested that to decision makers numerous times. Instead of listening to their sommeliers, they eliminated them.

We already have multiple frosted shot glasses & even before their elimination stopped attending the Grapevine tasting. Five small tastes of the same wines on each cruise in about 45 minutes of talking is no longer worthwhile for us...even though it's free. Princess doesn't really care about us freeloaders attending just as long as paying passengers keep attending. ;)

I'd rather go to Vines to pay for one of their wine flights or to enjoy a glass of wine in our cabin. We've attended the Super Tuscan ($40) and Maître d' Wine Club ($25) which was originally the Sommelier Wine Club before they were eliminated. Both of them had higher quality more expensive wine but now we mostly do our wine tastings at dinner using the Gold wine package. :wine-glass:

We (elite) have three sets of the shot glasses they give out and do not attend anymore. It is/was $9 for others and really not worth it.

My mom is going to become an Elite passenger on her next cruise, however she is the only one in our party that is up to this level in cruising. She probably won't want to go to the wine tasting alone. I don't drink, so I was wondering would they let me in the wine tasting room just so I can keep her company?

Probably not. On one of our cruises, we were elite and went to the wine tasting. It isn't anything to write home about. This woman had her elite card in hand and 10 members of her family in tow. She demanded that they be let into the wine tasting. The waiter told her that they would have to pay since she was elite and they were not. She was screaming and yelling, the waiter wouldn't give in, and why should he? So, highly unlikely you will be let in without being charged. We give our invitation away to anyone we meet who would like to go.

What I can't see is someone actually paying for it. :rolleyes:

That's true. While eating lunch at the buffet the first day, the waiters are hitting you up to purchase the wine tasting. I rarely ever see anyone purchasing the wine tasting. We always purchase the wine package and get the wines we like. Don't forget Happy Hour, BOGO for $1 which I think is a good deal.

Since there are no more glasses being given out I suspect the large crowds of the past might be gone & they can put everyone together at the same sitting.

I'm not sure about that. The last two times we attended, it was more crowded than ever. I am not sure if it was just the itinerary or what ... but it was full to the brim. What was off putting, but I understand it, was that they split everyone into two very long lines and allowed the paying customers to all enter first and then the elite passengers were seated at the back of the room. Besides being the last tables to have our wine poured, it was noisy back there and you couldn't even hear the sommelier (or whatever he / she may be) speaking. He would be talking about the next wine and we didn't even have it in our glass yet ... but that's ok, because as I said, couldn't hear him anyway. I usually enjoy wine tasting and even if it is not the best wine but these last two times, it was so packed, it was anything but enjoyable.

I will have the beverage package on my next sailing so will do my wine tasting in Vines instead. They are so nice there .... at least in my experience.

I have been elite for quite some time , went to the wine tasting once. And once was enough! Not even worth the free glass.

We have been Elite for a long time also and I agree with you. I gave the glasses away the three times we went there.

Tony

I'm not sure about that. The last two times we attended, it was more crowded than ever. I am not sure if it was just the itinerary or what ... but it was full to the brim. What was off putting, but I understand it, was that they split everyone into two very long lines and allowed the paying customers to all enter first and then the elite passengers were seated at the back of the room. Besides being the last tables to have our wine poured, it was noisy back there and you couldn't even hear the sommelier (or whatever he / she may be) speaking. He would be talking about the next wine and we didn't even have it in our glass yet ... but that's ok, because as I said, couldn't hear him anyway. I usually enjoy wine tasting and even if it is not the best wine but these last two times, it was so packed, it was anything but enjoyable.

I will have the beverage package on my next sailing so will do my wine tasting in Vines instead. They are so nice there .... at least in my experience.

It could be the reason for eliminating the glasses. They've just about gotten rid of the Elites and now have all the extra room for paying customers who never realized there were glasses at one time.

So no souvenir glasses at all?

So no souvenir glasses at all?

They've eliminated the glasses about a year or two ago. We haven't been to wine tasting since then so I'm not sure what they use for the dessert wine now.