Cellar Masters??

[spunke]

Will be departing on the Summit next week and I am a bit confused about Cellar Masters-

 

Can you purchase a bottle of Wine and not just a glass so you can take it to dinner?

 

Also, do you have to purchase a card to utilize the wine dispensing machines or will your sea card work as well??

 

Thank you

[redjetz]

Will be departing on the Summit next week and I am a bit confused about Cellar Masters-

 

Can you purchase a bottle of Wine and not just a glass so you can take it to dinner?

 

Also, do you have to purchase a card to utilize the wine dispensing machines or will your sea card work as well??

 

Thank you

 

Hi. To use the dispensing machines, you do need to purchase the special card.

 

You can, however, buy lovely glasses of wine not in the machines with your sea pass or you can buy bottles with the sea pass card. If you have the premium alcohol package, there are several nice wines you can get in cellar Masters.

 

Hope that helps.

[Hlitner]

We are not aware of them selling bottles, although we assume the Cellar Master Sommelier would do it if you wanted to pay the price. You have actually asked a great question since we have spotted some wines in Cellar Masters that we did not see on the MDR wine list. But most of the Cellar Master wines will also be found on the wine list in the dining room. To use the automatic cruvinets you have to purchase a special wine card that can only be used in Cellar Masters. We think Cellar Masters is a really net room, but on our few cruises on ships where it existed, it always seemed horribly underutilized. One big factor is that many passengers have drink packages (generally from the 1-2-3 promos) which are worthless in Cellar Masters.

 

By the way, they will have a premium wine tasting even in Cellar Masters, and we think it is the nicest wine tasting on the seas. You pay one fee (about $25) which gets you admission. They set up a group of stations (usually 6) inside the room and some right outside with each station pouring 2 different wines (a red and a white). You can drink as much as you please during the event (it lasts about an hour) so the $25 is actually a good deal. They also have a nice spread of snacks, cheeses, breadsticks, etc.

 

Last year they also did a similar tasting on the Silhouette except it was all Champagnes/Sparkling wines. They had several decent Champagnes on that tasting which was run just like the premium wine tasting. But on our recent Eclipse cruise we were disappointed to find that they did not offer that program.

 

Hank

[Wine-O]

Will be departing on the Summit next week and I am a bit confused about Cellar Masters-

 

Can you purchase a bottle of Wine and not just a glass so you can take it to dinner?

 

Also, do you have to purchase a card to utilize the wine dispensing machines or will your sea card work as well??

 

Thank you

 

You can purchase a bottle or a glass of wine at the Cellar Masters and take it into dinner with you, but instead, just go to dinner and order the wine from your Sommelier. No, you have to purchase a wine card to utilize their machines. Your seapass card won't work.

[Wine-O]

 

By the way, they will have a premium wine tasting even in Cellar Masters, and we think it is the nicest wine tasting on the seas. You pay one fee (about $25) which gets you admission. They set up a group of stations (usually 6) inside the room and some right outside with each station pouring 2 different wines (a red and a white). You can drink as much as you please during the event (it lasts about an hour) so the $25 is actually a good deal. They also have a nice spread of snacks, cheeses, breadsticks, etc.

 

Hank

 

I believe you're thinking of the "Around the World" wine tasting with the six stations. A few weeks ago on Reflection it costs around $22.50 which included the 15% gratuity. This is well worth attending. They are average wines, and when you find out which one you like, you hover around that station. ;)

 

The Premium Wine tasting was $75 +15% gratuity. I attended one on Summit 3 years ago, and it was not worth the fee for what you get to taste, in my opinion.

[BEAV]

We think Cellar Masters is a really neat room, but on our few cruises on ships where it existed, it always seemed horribly underutilized. One big factor is that many passengers have drink packages (generally from the 1-2-3 promos) which are worthless in Cellar Masters.

 

 

I thought you could get wines by the glass in Cellar Masters if you had one of the drink packages. And with the standard rules -- Classic package of wines up to $8 or $12 on the Premium package, with the ability to pay the difference on the Premium package for glasses over $12. We leave in a month and I was looking forward using my Premium package in Cellar Masters. Correct me if I'm wrong, please! :o

[dcdiva]

If you have the premium alcohol package, there are several nice wines you can get in cellar Masters.

 

I wasn't aware of this. Thought you needed to buy the special card or a bottle to take advantage of Cellar Masters. Thanks for the tip. I will definitely check it out in two weeks on the Summit. :D

[wpgcycler]

Here's a link to a cellar masters list showing many selections offered by the glass and/or bottle - in addition to those offered via the machines.

 

http://crew-center.com/sites/default/files/crew-board/files/celebrity-cruises-cellar-masters-wine-menu.pdf

[spunke]

Thank you for the information. It looks like a really nice wine bar via the web-

 

will add it to our review once we return. We opted out of the beverage package because we thought it might not be worth the price per day.

[luvs2fly]

I thought you could get wines by the glass in Cellar Masters if you had one of the drink packages. And with the standard rules -- Classic package of wines up to $8 or $12 on the Premium package, with the ability to pay the difference on the Premium package for glasses over $12. We leave in a month and I was looking forward using my Premium package in Cellar Masters. Correct me if I'm wrong, please! :o

 

We found some really great wines within the $12 range and we found some over. On the more expensive ones we only had to pay the difference.

[TommyD3]

Here's a link to a cellar masters list showing many selections offered by the glass and/or bottle - in addition to those offered via the machines.

 

http://crew-center.com/sites/default/files/crew-board/files/celebrity-cruises-cellar-masters-wine-menu.pdf

 

That list is from Feb 2008.

 

I was wondering if there is a newer list online?

 

Thanks.

[Kartgv]

... One big factor is that many passengers have drink packages (generally from the 1-2-3 promos) which are worthless in Cellar Masters...

 

We used our drink package (yes, free from the 1-2-3 promo) in Cellar Masters on our October Summit cruise with no difficulty. It's not good for the machines, but we were able to use it for several selections of wine in the very nice bar every night. The whole trip (14 nights), we only saw people utilize the machines 2 or 3 times, and they had difficulty every time, requiring help from the bartender. The bar is a great location, especially if you have Select dining, relatively quiet, yet great people watching as people head into and out from the dining room.

[cubswin2016]

Anyone with an updated Cellar Master list?

[WestLakeGirl]

The enomatic machines are no more. They are empty and in the process of being removed as of January 2014

Edited January 12, 2014 by WestLakeGirl

[bigeagle12]

The enomatic machines are no more. They are empty and in the process of being removed as of January 2014

 

Still on their website.

[WestLakeGirl]

On the website but not in operation

[Presto2]

Will be departing on the Summit next week and I am a bit confused about Cellar Masters-

 

Can you purchase a bottle of Wine and not just a glass so you can take it to dinner?

 

Also, do you have to purchase a card to utilize the wine dispensing machines or will your sea card work as well??

 

Thank you

 

Sorry to say this as we really liked the member of the crew in charge of Cellar Masters.

 

2 years ago we purchased $50 of wine each from Cellar Masters and used the dispensing machines. For us it was a waste of money as we didn't like any of the wines and felt like we tried lots of wine to use up the card. We love wines but on this occasion it wasn't worth it.

 

Yes you can take a glass with you anywhere - if you find one you like. :rolleyes:

[jeffg57]

My wife and I just left the Reflection yesterday - oh well, all good things must end.

 

The Cellar Masters room was open and all the machines were in operation. We generally went before dinner and there was usually 3 or 4 groups of 4 in the room. We used the machines and it was very easy and no help was needed. Many people were using the machines, but I am not sure if the total volume of business is sufficent for the space and labor allocated. There was no talk from the staff of shutting the machines down. Then again, if I were working here, I would not be advertising that the end was coming.

 

We simply bought wine here and then took the glass to Blu where we ate. There was a far better selection for us at Cellar Masters than there was at Blu. We were encouraged to do this by both the staff of Blu and Cellar Masters. I think that the Blu and MDR wine lists are posted somewhere on Cruise Critic and there are only 8 or 9 reds sold by the glass. maybe I was looking at some older lists.

 

You could not use the beverage package with the enomatic machines, but you could purchase wine by the glass off of the bar menu with the packages. there were many choices that would fit the "under 12" category - far fewer in the "under 8". The bar menu here was the most extensive wine menu of the ship. You could also purchase bottles but I did not see anyone do that.

 

Overall, I thought that Cellar Masters enomatic machines had a far larger selection than any of the restaurants. Lots of strong choices in the $15 per 5 oz pour category. Lots of different varietals from around the world. I can see how this might be a struggle and seem like random tasting if you have not had lots of wine and knew what something might taste like before you tasted it. Also we had the ability to try 1 oz and 2.5 oz pours so this was handy. We tended to add a 2.5 and a 5 to get enough for dinner (they had 12 or 14 oz glasses I think). For me, this is better than drinking 1/2 a bottle and storing overnight. Final point was that we received $230 worth of wine for $200 + 15% fee or $30. Basically, they gave us back the service fee in wine with no additional service fee. This is similar to the 15% discount on bottles that you get in specialty restaurants with captains club select level.

 

Jeff

[BEAV]

The enomatic machines are no more....They are empty and in the process of being removed as of January 2014

 

Now, now, now, WestLakeGirl......

 

You know a one sentence "announcement" like that, without any back up of where you heard this, who you heard it from, etc, is going to be taken very seriously. How about some "meat" to your bombshell claim! ;)

[cruisestitch]

I just disembarked Eclipse yesterday. Have posted in a different thread that the F&B manager,Shane, told me that the enigmatically were not maintained. The machinery was all still in place but there weren't any wine bottles in them. Shane aid that the machinery would eventually be removed from all there'll at Masters.

[geospyder]

If you purchase a bottle and do not finish the bottle they will hold it for you same as the MDR. Come back the next day and continue :)

[WestLakeGirl]

Sorry my last post was garbled. Was distracted by football playoffs and didn't spell check. Shane told me that the enomatic machines were not maintained. The contract withy the company that provided them is over. Shane said that the machinery would eventually be removed from all the Cellar Masters.

[BEAV]

I just disembarked Eclipse yesterday. Have posted in a different thread that the F&B manager,Shane, told me that the enigmatically were not maintained. The machinery was all still in place but there weren't any wine bottles in them. Shane aid that the machinery would eventually be removed from all there'll at Masters.

 

Sorry to hear, but thanks for clarifying the situation. I'm always disappointed to see Cellar Masters underutilized, because I really like a dedicated wine venue. Wine bars seem to be growing in popularity on shore, so I hope Celebrity maintains Cellar Masters until such time as that popularity catches up to cruise ships.

[Wine-O]

If you purchase a bottle and do not finish the bottle they will hold it for you same as the MDR. Come back the next day and continue :)

 

Yes, they will, but after 24 hours, it's pretty much oxidized and not worth drinking. They just stick a cork in it and hold it for you for the next day. They don't use a wine pump. If you have one, best to take it back to your room and then bring it back yourself the next evening. Better yet, finish it for lunch the next day. :rolleyes:

[wpgcycler]

Sorry to hear, but thanks for clarifying the situation. I'm always disappointed to see Cellar Masters underutilized, because I really like a dedicated wine venue. Wine bars seem to be growing in popularity on shore, so I hope Celebrity maintains Cellar Masters until such time as that popularity catches up to cruise ships.

 

I've seen lots of posts by folks who've never been to cellar masters as they are under the impression that all they have is machines and no bar service. I wonder if the elimination of these machines will help people realize that the venue is much more than the equivalent of a wine automat.