Opera Wine Package

I understand the wine package consists of 7 bottles of wine. We will be

doing back-to-back cruises totaling 14 days. Does anyone know if it's OK

to use just a half bottle of wine at dinner and have the other half the next

day. We would like to have a glass or two of wine each night but a full

bottle would probably be too much. On cruises where a bottle of wine is

purchased individually, the wine steward will cork the bottle and bring it

back to the table the following night. Has anyone had any such experience

with MSC?

We always found that the staff were very happy to re-cork a bottle and bring it back next day.

If you enjoy wine, I would strongly recommend this package. The selection of 3 reds, 3 whites and 1 rose (from Italy, France and USA) was well thought out in terms of region and variety and for $91 was truly excellent value for money. With the package, you are also provided with 7 bottles of mineral water (either carbonated or not - your choice). Our wine steward was very knowledgable about each of the wines and the areas they came from and would do anything to make your dining experience more enjoyable - including recorking partially finished bottles. When you buy the wine package he will give you a little book of vouchers and you then choose what you want and when you want it.

Thank you so much for your replies. I definitely will go with the wine package . Have cruised before but not on MSC and I'm definitely looking forward to it. I love the smaller ships and the European influences sounds terrific.

We bought 2 x the wine/water package at $91, 7 bottles wine (well 6 and not quite a half as one is a small sparkling wine).

MSC Lirica ran out of the published wines and substituted with others, all were acceptable. Having said that I can buy many of the same wines in Walmart here in Fl for just over $3 a bottle, but thats not on a cruise ship served to me in the dining room.

The winewaiter was very happy to save part drunk bottles and also to just give me the water unopened for shore excusions or the cabin.

The Rumanian winewaiter I had was trained by MSC for several weeks from knowing nothing about wine - and still knew just about nothing but brought what we ordered so that was OK.

All the wines were fine, to my taste the Californian were superior but the French were Ok and there was nothing wrong with the Italian.

There were also small jugs of housewine available, I do not know how they cost but were apparently not too wonderful. If it was the same stuff that was available free by the pizza station on deck 11 the day we embarked then you would be better off just tipping down the toilet. It was truly awful.

Does anyone have names of the wines (brands, types) that are included in this pkg?

No because part way thru the cruise they ran out of most of them and had to substitute others. If you said you didn't like the other wine they would go and get a different one for you. I actually got several more expensive bottles than should have been in the package like this.

There were Californian Cabernet Sauvignons, French Bordeaux Blanc, Italian red wines and an Italian sparkling wine half bottle not dissimilar to a reasonable champagne.

These are not expensive wines but were all drinkable, if you are a wine buff they have 65 dollar bottles tooi f you want to splurge.

Since I am not much of a drinker, I am the official "cheap date" of our group.

While I'm sure others would share a sip of their wine package, is there any kind of package available for diet sodas?

"is there any kind of package available for diet sodas?"

yes of course there is - its called a 12 pack from Walmart for $3.28

But seriously - no - they don't have an unlimited soda card like Princess. There is some kids package available for non aloholic cocktails but it didn't work out much less than just buying them as you went along..

Its a couple of dollars each for cans of diet coke, they have no rule about bringing your own on so if you want it in your cabin just take it.

I saw no one drinking coke at dinner, but plenty were drinking wine, just the opposite scenario from Princess or Hal cruises I have been on.

If you ask you can get a jug of iced tea or iced water or both waiting for you at your table, if your waiter doesn't do it then just be polite but firm and explain that you WILL expect it in future. if it still doesn't materialise just speak to the head waiter for your section or the restaurant manager. They are usually to be found on the way out after meals.

There are also comment cards you can fill in, they DO read them and act on the comments, I saw one waiter replaced after a number of negative comments.

Thanks MiKe!

You are absolutely right. I like the humor and am very appreciative of all the time you've taken to answer my questions as well as those of many others.

We packed the mini-fridge on the Zuiderdam and will have the opportunity to stock up in FLL for the Opera. Thought I'd get an idea for comparison as my DH is not always thrilled about my "pack mule" ideas. :)

Blessings,

Gail