Wine package question

Hi all, we will definitely be ordering a wine package once on board our August 27th sailing (Zaandam). Not sure where we will be dining and when due to the active itinerary. Was thinking to easier to just have the bottles delivered to the room and then just bring a bottle to share to the venue we choose. Is this possible without incurring additional corkage? Seems more convenient for all just wanted to double check. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, we will definitely be ordering a wine package once on board our August 27th sailing (Zaandam). Not sure where we will be dining and when due to the active itinerary. Was thinking to easier to just have the bottles delivered to the room and then just bring a bottle to share to the venue we choose. Is this possible without incurring additional corkage? Seems more convenient for all just wanted to double check. Thanks in advance.

HAL's bottles and wine packages have no corkage fee. No worries. They know what they have on board. ;)

You can also pop a bottle off early to the MDR, Lido, specialty dining - wherever you are dining if is one that has to be chilled and they will label it and bring it to you. No problem.

Excellent! Thanks much for your reply.

Hi all, we will definitely be ordering a wine package once on board our August 27th sailing (Zaandam). Not sure where we will be dining and when due to the active itinerary. Was thinking to easier to just have the bottles delivered to the room and then just bring a bottle to share to the venue we choose. Is this possible without incurring additional corkage? Seems more convenient for all just wanted to double check. Thanks in advance.

I guess you can do that but not sure why? We have long purchased wine packages (we love our 50% discount) and simply request what we want when in the dining room. Since we usually do not know what wine we want until we look at the menu and decide what we will eat, keeping a stash in our room would not be practical. We often will only drink half a bottle and have the remainder stored for another night. Sometimes we will have 2 half-full bottles in storage (red and a white) and its easy to tell the wine steward to get one or both bottles. DW and I tend to dine late and might spend 1-2 hours in a lounge pre-dinner. The last thing we want to do is lug around a bottle (or two) of wine....not to mention the issue of keeping those bottles at something close to the proper temperature.

Hank

Thanks Hank and Kazu for your information (and your posts over the years-so helpful!) clearly not our first cruise with Holland but our first time with a wine package! (3 star turning 4 on this trip!) We usually order a bottle of choice where we dine and most of the time sadly don't have enough leftover for safekeeping :))) Just to clarify that I am understanding correctly...We order the package of 8 and decide not to have it delivered directly to the cabin. Confirming no matter where we decide to dine, (Pinnacle, Canaletto, Lido, Dive In, or our cabin) it can be located and delivered timely on request?

Hi Susan, we have been sailing with HAL probably as much as you have :-) and always purchase a wine package (from 3 star Mariner start with discount!). These packages were changed in spring 2018 (we sailed on Koningsdam in May) and the packages provide a discount from a smaller/select choice of wines printed a special menu. This means that you receive a smaller special wine list every day and you can choose any wine you like until your package is finished. All wines are within the price range that you will pay. So it is not that are 'stuck' to pre-purchased a number of bottles (white and/or red) but you get the choice of any wine from that particular wine list every day. In fact we liked a certain wine so much, we had it ordered many times. We feel that these packages help us to maintain costs within our budget. Also: if there is wine left, it will keep for the next days and if you decide to move from the MDR to a speciality restaurant, it helps that you tell your wine steward, either the night before or before you go for dinner. On this board I read a variety of comments of experiences about the service of wine stewards. We experienced never a problem on any HAL ship (Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam or Koningsdam); each and one of the wine stewards were kind, helpfull and informative. They are all proud about their job and they showed it to us many times.

I have added a photo of the Cellar Package number 2 (white & red wines) . Enjoy!!!!! Moby and Dick

I would wait until you get to the dining venue of your choice in the evening before ordering a bottle of wine. That way you can view the menu and decide what you want.

It shouldn't take too long for the wine steward to find your wine.

Thanks Hank and Kazu for your information (and your posts over the years-so helpful!) clearly not our first cruise with Holland but our first time with a wine package! (3 star turning 4 on this trip!) We usually order a bottle of choice where we dine and most of the time sadly don't have enough leftover for safekeeping :))) Just to clarify that I am understanding correctly...We order the package of 8 and decide not to have it delivered directly to the cabin. Confirming no matter where we decide to dine, (Pinnacle, Canaletto, Lido, Dive In, or our cabin) it can be located and delivered timely on request?

That is correct. When you purchase a wine package it is noted on a computer file that can be accessed by any wine steward (or bar) on the ship. So you simply tell the wine steward your selection and mention that you have a wine package. They will verify that info (in their computer system) and bring your wine. If you save a partially used bottle they will label it with your name and folio (account number). You simply tell the wine steward that you have a bottle saved and they will find it.

As to not having any wine left over, we used to be in that crowd :). But a few years ago DW and I decided to try (we emphasize try) to limit ourselves to half a bottle at dinner. Our reason is to simply reduce calories and try to maintain our waist lines (which is nearly impossible on a cruise). We know our strategy is terribly flawed (we do have pre-dinner cocktails and post dinner drinks) but sometimes it OK to fool one's self :). And our family physician is impressed when we tell him this strategy...although we know he would never leave a half bottle of wine.

Hank

Thank you all so much for clarifying and for the additional information. I thought we had to choose all wines at the time of purchase from the list, hence my initial confusion. Knowing now how this works we will indeed wait and order where we decide to dine. Again, many thanks for taking the time to break this down for us wine package newbies!

As long as we are talking wine packages and most of the experts are on board, an adjoining question. My first experience with wine packages was last November on the Prinsendam. I remember looking at the statement and laughing, 25% off, 15% back on. Now, just checking out wine packages for the next cruise I see the price includes the 15%. Did that just change ?

As long as we are talking wine packages and most of the experts are on board, an adjoining question. My first experience with wine packages was last November on the Prinsendam. I remember looking at the statement and laughing, 25% off, 15% back on. Now, just checking out wine packages for the next cruise I see the price includes the 15%. Did that just change ?

If you order on line, the price normally includes the 15% service charge whether it be a bottle or a package.

But, on board, the 15% is added to the cost. 3, 4 & 5* Mariners get the wine package with their respective discount but they do pay the 15% on the full price. That way, the wine stewards still get their fair compensation.

Example - wine package is $200. 4* Mariner gets 50% off. So they are charged $130. (1/2 the price of the $200 & the 15% gratuity on the full $200).

... 3, 4 & 5* Mariners get the wine package with their respective discount but they do pay the 15% on the full price. That way, the wine stewards still get their fair compensation.

 

Example - wine package is $200. 4* Mariner gets 50% off. So they are charged $130. (1/2 the price of the $200 & the 15% gratuity on the full $200).

Thanks. This I did not know. Not that I have any objection to tipping on the total, since we normally do that in real life.

Thank you for the heads up on this. The added 15% was not on my radar but does make sense.

Wow ! Thanks Pro's!

This throws a couple more balls in the air. If I buy ahead of time, I can save 15 %, does that count towards OB spending for Mariner status ?

Seems it should, tours count don't they ?

Part 2, this next cruise I have a ton of OBC to spend, I was counting on wine packages to lighten the load.

My goal in life is free laundry. ( and the 50% on wine packages.)

This cruising is not easy.:cool:

Wow ! Thanks Pro's!

 

 

This throws a couple more balls in the air. If I buy ahead of time, I can save 15 %, does that count towards OB spending for Mariner status ?

Seems it should, tours count don't they ?

 

Part 2, this next cruise I have a ton of OBC to spend, I was counting on wine packages to lighten the load.

 

My goal in life is free laundry. ( and the 50% on wine packages.)

 

This cruising is not easy.:cool:

Wow ! Thanks Pro's!

 

 

This throws a couple more balls in the air. If I buy ahead of time, I can save 15 %, does that count towards OB spending for Mariner status ?

Seems it should, tours count don't they ?

 

Part 2, this next cruise I have a ton of OBC to spend, I was counting on wine packages to lighten the load.

 

My goal in life is free laundry. ( and the 50% on wine packages.)

 

This cruising is not easy.:cool:

Tons of OBC and your goal in life is free laundry. Shouldn't be too hard to move forward on that! Just enjoy your cruise and drink a lot!

Wow ! Thanks Pro's!

 

 

This throws a couple more balls in the air. If I buy ahead of time, I can save 15 %, does that count towards OB spending for Mariner status ?

Seems it should, tours count don't they ?

 

Part 2, this next cruise I have a ton of OBC to spend, I was counting on wine packages to lighten the load.

 

My goal in life is free laundry. ( and the 50% on wine packages.)

 

This cruising is not easy.:cool:

As to your part 1 - You DO NOT save the 15% if you buy the wine package ahead of time. It is a different price to include the 15% than it is on board. At least that is the way it has been when I have checked.

There is no benefit to buying it in advance ;)

As to your part 1 - You DO NOT save the 15% if you buy the wine package ahead of time. It is a different price to include the 15% than it is on board. At least that is the way it has been when I have checked.

Alas, at rest. Thank you all. That might of been tougher then figuring out a tour.