Complimentary wine selection

[little britain]

Here is the answer from Mr P:

Within our series of new, inclusive amenities will be a seven-day wine menu cycle; that is, each day, we will feature one selection of white, and one red, each of which will be offered complimentary at lunches and dinners. Studying and selecting quality wines is actually a hobby of mine, and I’m happy to tell you that my team and I have selected some absolutely wonderful boutique wines from Australia, South Africa, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Portugal and other regions. Due to regional availability, the list of each featured wine will be published daily onboard. Cheers!

 

Hmmmm- I don't drink red, so that is 50% of my choice gone, and I don't drink Chardonnay or sweet stuff like Zin so suddenly, IMO, the complimentary wine is not looking so encouraging - at least I can now bring my own wine on board!:rolleyes:.

[WooKeef]

Maybe they will have some nice whites you may like. I too do not like chardonay, but I am fortunate because I really only drink reds:p...so it will be awesome. I am sure there will be alot to try and you never know you may find something you like.;)

[Bollinge]

I wonder what their budget for these "free" wines will be.........

 

Something they can buy duty-free for around £3-4, $5-7 USD, I suspect!

[Susan-M]

What is it in Mr. Pimentel's comment that makes one think the wines are going to be cheap and unenjoyable? :confused:

 

I think this sounds quite promising, "Studying and selecting quality wines is actually a hobby of mine, and I’m happy to tell you that my team and I have selected some absolutely wonderful boutique wines from Australia, South Africa, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Portugal and other regions."

[LBLB]

How rude can you people be? Your comments are astounding! What did you expect him to offer?......A 1960 rothshcild in blue or green, and then to present you the wholesale price for $30 a bottle? You gotta be kidding with your comments.....

[California Native]

I'm very excited about the boutique wines!!!

I live near Napa and Sonoma in California and we are fortunate to have boutique wineries surrounding us..

it is such a treat to taste what they produce.

Also, when we've travelled throughout the world, it's been quite the adventure to sample wines

In Croatia where it is said that the original zinfandel grape stock came from...

In the tuscan countryside the small wineries hidden within the winding hills were fabulous

and to sample numerous ports from oporto made me a true believer!

Not only did Mr. Pimentel indicate this was his hobby, I can only imagine what a resource the extremely talented and knowledgeable Food and Beverage staff from many different countries are able to suggest!!!

 

I certainly wouldn't mind a Brunello di Montalchino...but a $6.00 bottle of wine at Trader Joes has also been a hit with many wine snobs I know!!!

[Blue Lagoon]

Anyone have an idea of what the quota/limit of wine per passenger will be?

 

Years ago on I believe it was Costa (the 1980's) on a cruise to Alaska, we were offered a bottle of wine each evening at dinner to share as a couple.

 

Thanks for any input.

[almare]

Anyone have an idea of what the quota/limit of wine per passenger will be?

 

Years ago on I believe it was Costa (the 1980's) on a cruise to Alaska, we were offered a bottle of wine each evening at dinner to share as a couple.

 

Thanks for any input.

 

On Silversea, which has complimentary wine, your wine steward keeps your glass filled with your choice of red or white. One would assume that Azamara would handle it in the same manner. I'm on board April 9 so I'll let you know.

_________

Ron

[WooKeef]

How rude can you people be? Your comments are astounding! What did you expect him to offer?......A 1960 rothshcild in blue or green, and then to present you the wholesale price for $30 a bottle? You gotta be kidding with your comments.....

for once we are in total agreement. and just as an additional comment, there are some fantastic wines out there that are very inexpensive...so never assume a wine is bad just because it is low in cost...it may be a value.

[uktog]

I love watching Saturday Kitchen here in the UK where wine experts pair chefs food with supermarket wines. Many times top chefs - and I am talking Michel Roux; Raymond Blanc etc have been bowled over by £5 bottles the expert has found often saying that tastes like a £30 bottle you surprise me

 

I think experimentation is going to be great fun - on a two week trip as we will be having we will get two shots at each "country"

 

My only criticism is there are no Rose wines - I have found some fabulous boutique Roses in recent years, but of course they may emerge in the selection over time and I am sure I can force myself to drink red and white each day :)

 

I really look forward to being able to pair colours with each food as opposed to the tricky decisions we have often had to make (aka your starter is a; mine is b. your main is c mine is D we really need red and white but only want one bottle)

[Bollinge]

I am just going to Aldi to buy their white Burgundy for about £4.99 ($7) which includes almost £2 liquor duty and sales tax @ 17.5%. So I am not over-impressed by prices of wines. I drink a $40 Champagne which is the equal of Krug @ $180

 

However, on American-type ships I tend to drink La Crema or Kendall Jackson style wines for around $35 + service. I see the retail price for these is around $14, and somehow I don't think they'll be the ones dished out for "free".

 

I've just had the final invoice and am travelling in June, so I'll let you all know what was offered, my tasting notes and and a round-up of the retail prices then.

[katkell]

As an Australian, and living in the Swan Valley in WA (large wine producing region), we have good ones and bad ones. We were on Celebrity Galaxy in 2006 and they had a couple of Australian wines that we are very familiar with, so that was fantastic, but there are also some really bad ones out there. I know that some Australian Wine companies export some brands exclusively to overseas, and being familiar with the companies, it will be very interesting to see what Azamara has on offer from Australia. There are some brands I wouldn't touch.

 

I am also interested in how they will offer the complimentary wine with meals, will it be by the glass or bottle, will it be unlimited......... time will tell

[little britain]

As an Australian, and living in the Swan Valley in WA (large wine producing region), we have good ones and bad ones. We were on Celebrity Galaxy in 2006 and they had a couple of Australian wines that we are very familiar with, so that was fantastic, but there are also some really bad ones out there. I know that some Australian Wine companies export some brands exclusively to overseas, and being familiar with the companies, it will be very interesting to see what Azamara has on offer from Australia. There are some brands I wouldn't touch.

 

I am also interested in how they will offer the complimentary wine with meals, will it be by the glass or bottle, will it be unlimited......... time will tell

If they bought on a case of Houghtons White Burgundy HWB I would be very happy indeed!:D

[1westover]

Can anyone answer about bringing:confused: wine on board the ship for our own consumption. I thought it was a limit of 2 bottles. Has that changed? Do they check in each port when we board for bottles of wine?

 

Has anyone had this experience to relate the current answer. Thank you. Susan

[Hot2Travel]

Can anyone answer about bringing:confused: wine on board the ship for our own consumption. I thought it was a limit of 2 bottles. Has that changed? Do they check in each port when we board for bottles of wine?

 

Has anyone had this experience to relate the current answer. Thank you. Susan

I brought wine aboard the Journey, purchased in a cruise port without any question.:)

[little britain]

Can anyone answer about bringing:confused: wine on board the ship for our own consumption. I thought it was a limit of 2 bottles. Has that changed? Do they check in each port when we board for bottles of wine?

 

Has anyone had this experience to relate the current answer. Thank you. Susan

 

The paragraph you're looking for is on page 7 of the "ABOUT YOUR VOYAGE" insert tucked into the pocket on the last page of the new brochure.

 

"Azamara Club Cruises offers a great selection of international liquors, beer and fine wines aboard. Guests wishing to bring their own favorite liquor, beer or wine may do so for private consumption in their suite or stateroom. If guests wish to consume their liquor, beer, or wine in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $10.00."

[cruiseyguy]

I seriously doubt there will be any quota or limit to the complimentary dinner wine except common sense. Most likely it will be poured by the glass, as most other inclusive lines do.

[1westover]

The wine at dinner was not my question. Many of us will have 1 glass with our meal and that takes care of that. I am wondering, if prior to dinner, we want to sit out on our veranda and enjoy a pre-dinner glass of wine. If we have used up the bottle we are allowed to bring on the ship, can we, during the cruise, purchase more off the ship, return it to the ship and keep it when we re-board. I thought there was a limit of how much we can bring on.

 

I have seen no update on this.:confused:

[little britain]

The wine at dinner was not my question. Many of us will have 1 glass with our meal and that takes care of that. I am wondering, if prior to dinner, we want to sit out on our veranda and enjoy a pre-dinner glass of wine. If we have used up the bottle we are allowed to bring on the ship, can we, during the cruise, purchase more off the ship, return it to the ship and keep it when we re-board. I thought there was a limit of how much we can bring on.

 

I have seen no update on this.:confused:

 

See post #16.

[1westover]

Thank you for the wine/cocktail answer. That is very fair. Just did not want to go to the bar from the cabin to get a glass of wine all the time. It is nice to find some time for relaxation.:)

[katkell]

If they bought on a case of Houghtons White Burgundy HWB I would be very happy indeed!:D

 

I totally agree, Houghtons is just down the road from me, haven't been there but its on my "to do list"

[MightyQuinn]

The paragraph you're looking for is on page 7 of the "ABOUT YOUR VOYAGE" insert tucked into the pocket on the last page of the new brochure.

 

"Azamara Club Cruises offers a great selection of international liquors, beer and fine wines aboard. Guests wishing to bring their own favorite liquor, beer or wine may do so for private consumption in their suite or stateroom. If guests wish to consume their liquor, beer, or wine in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $10.00."

Azamara really needs to get their act together on how they communicate this info. They are still sending conflicting messages in their printed material.

 

We'll be on Journey for the very first sailing when they go to semi-inclusive & their alcohol policy changes to what you quoted. However, we just received our docs for that sailing & the info about alcohol still reads as follows:

 

"Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them at the beginning of a cruise may do so, limited to two (2) bottles per stateroom, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00." It goes on to say that alcoholic beverages purchased in ports will be stored by the ship until the last day of sailing. And in even stronger language, they warn that security personnel will be on the look-out for booze being carried in unlikely containers. :p:p

 

So I'm going to print the revised policy from their website & bring it along (with our wine) for good measure. Not off to a "premium" start with Azamara Club Cruises.

[1westover]

This is exactly why I posted the question about what is allowed to be brought on board and are we still checked.

 

Is this normal procedure? Our most recent cruises have been so different, there was no policy. Bergen Cruise Lines down the coast of Norway and Alaska Sightseeing, so I do not have much to compare.

 

I do understand the reason behind this, but I am starting to feel a little controlled. So, if I want to buy a bottle of wine in port, it will be taken away from me if I brought 2 bottles in the beginning. Correct?:confused:

[Albert Ross]

This is exactly why I posted the question about what is allowed to be brought on board and are we still checked.

 

Is this normal procedure? Our most recent cruises have been so different, there was no policy. Bergen Cruise Lines down the coast of Norway and Alaska Sightseeing, so I do not have much to compare.

 

I do understand the reason behind this, but I am starting to feel a little controlled. So, if I want to buy a bottle of wine in port, it will be taken away from me if I brought 2 bottles in the beginning. Correct?:confused:

 

Why not let ACC get their first cruise under the new regime out of the way so they can iron out the fine details ?

 

To me "Azamara Club Cruises offers a great selection of international liquors, beer and fine wines aboard. Guests wishing to bring their own favorite liquor, beer or wine may do so for private consumption in their suite or stateroom. ..." says I can bring on wine whenever I want, as it does not specifically state only to be bought on at point of embarkation.

It all depends how you want to read and interpret it.

[palamoh]

The post on the bottle of Bruenello got my attention. In your wildest of dreams do not expect to see Bruenello as a free pour on ANY Cruise Line.:)