Wines and corkage and bars, Oh my! (Signature Beverage Pkg, Beverage Cards & Corkage)

[POA1]

Lucky you! ;) For me it took over 10 hours, involving one bus transfer, two flights & a taxi ride! :eek:

 

Yes. DSIL & DBIL had to fly from FLL to Atlanta, then on to Philadelphia, and then a 90 minute drive home - or longer since it's going to be rush hour.

 

I sent them a text at 9 AM to let them know that we were home and fully unpacked, with a load of laundry in the washer. They told me that we suck. :D

Edited March 10, 2014 by POA1

[AlohaPride]

Yes. DSIL & DBIL had to fly from FLL to Atlanta, then on to Philadelphia, and then a 90 minute drive home - or longer since it's going to be rush hour.

 

I sent them a text at 9 AM to let them know that we were home and fully unpacked, with a load of laundry in the washer. They told me that we suck. :D

 

LOL, that's nice. I would have said something more colorful than, "you suck."

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

[VermeulT]

I don't know the answer to the carafe question, but I will ask tonight. I imagine we'll get a funny look given that we will be toting a red and a white to dinner, but it's a good question and one that deserves an answer.

 

I don't know if carafes are a different wine than the by the glass pours, but I will check.

 

Just off the Eurodam... On vacation, not going research.....

The Ruffino Pinot Grigio I aware was $14 for the carafe... It was a Pinot that was 10 or 11$ for 1 glass or the carafe for $15, so the carafe was a given. I doubt you can split the cost because it is 1 purchase... It would be like splitting the cost of a bottle of beer.

 

Btw, you scientists are awesome!

 

 

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[POA1]

Just off the Eurodam... On vacation, not going research.....

The Ruffino Pinot Grigio I aware was $14 for the carafe... It was a Pinot that was 10 or 11$ for 1 glass or the carafe for $15, so the carafe was a given. I doubt you can split the cost because it is 1 purchase... It would be like splitting the cost of a bottle of beer.

 

Btw, you scientists are awesome!

 

 

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Thanks. Unfortunately our research grant ran out this morning. :( Now we have to compile our copious notes and write up our conclusions. We also have to to get back on the wagon. Remember when you were a little kid and wagons were fun?

[VermeulT]

You can always go my favorite gluten free route - Bourbon. :beer:

 

I have been amused by your research to say the least... But this one had me seriously LOL.

Thank you POA. Tis has been awesome.

 

 

 

 

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[VermeulT]

It would be my absolute pleasure. The reason we do all this original research is to help people.

 

When you get in line for boarding, you will pass through security. Your carry on bags will be scanned. If you have wine in your bags, you will be directed to a table where you give your stateroom number and show your wine. A sticker was placed on each bottle for which corkage is paid. We paid corkage on everything because we were taking wine with our meals (just like medicine, or vitamins.) When you bring your wine to the dining room, Pinnacle, bar, or stairwell, the wine stewards will see the sticker and know you've paid your corkage.

 

If you are taking "room bottles," I think you get a different color sticker, but I'm not sure. Your free room bottles cannot be consumed outside your stateroom or you will be charged corkage. (Pretend I typed out the whole carry on policy here and that you followed the rules. I'm a scientist, not a lawyer. ;)

 

Because the corkage fees are paid prior to check in, you are charged on a paper ticket. You don't have a key card yet and there's no point of sale system in the terminal.

 

I don't know the answer to the whether or not the system knows that you didn't bring on wine or if you have used your allotment. I would guess that it's something you could handle once you're onboard - either through the front office or with the concierge.

 

FYI. I boarded 8 days ago. We had 2 bottles of wine (for 2 adults over 21). We were not told to go to the wine table. We simply filled out the health questionnaire and proceeded to check in. Perhaps they direct you there if you have more that the 1 bottle per person.

 

 

 

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[POA1]

Yes indeed. The tables I've Caesar was back. However, the restaurant was packed so it was more like "across the room from the table-side" preparation.

 

DW had both the MDR and PG Caesar and said that the PG one was better. To be honest, I was looking forward to the deconstructed version. Clearly, I am in the minority, so I am happy for everyone else who likes their old school steak house Caesar.

 

No return of Steak Diane. Want to make yourself depressed? Read the Steak Diane entry in Wikipedia.

 

Just realized that this auto corrected. I meant that the tableside Caesar was back.

[POA1]

LOL, that's nice. I would have said something more colorful than, "you suck."

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

 

It was a little more colorful. I edited it down as this thread is really popular with the Club HAL set.

[POA1]

FYI. I boarded 8 days ago. We had 2 bottles of wine (for 2 adults over 21). We were not told to go to the wine table. We simply filled out the health questionnaire and proceeded to check in. Perhaps they direct you there if you have more that the 1 bottle per person.

 

That's good to know. It should speed things up. When we boarded, there were two beverage stewards manning the table and there was no line. I didn't see anyone checking in wine other than our laboratory technicians.

[runnergirl71]

That's good to know. It should speed things up. When we boarded, there were two beverage stewards manning the table and there was no line. I didn't see anyone checking in wine other than our laboratory technicians.

 

 

With the paper ticket they give you, do you turn that in at guest services for it to go on your account? Or does someone on the ship manually put it on your account? Or do you pay then and there?

 

 

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[POA1]

With the paper ticket they give you, do you turn that in at guest services for it to go on your account? Or does someone on the ship manually put it on your account? Or do you pay then and there?

 

 

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It's manually posted to your account, much the same way as a Half Moon Cay charge or bottle of water on the gangway are billed.

[runnergirl71]

It's manually posted to your account, much the same way as a Half Moon Cay charge or bottle of water on the gangway are billed.

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

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[Schnauzers4us]

I did not realize there was a restriction on what liquid refreshment could be brought aboard. Is it stated in any of HAL's information?

What is everyone's experience? When we traveled on Celebrity we were not restricted.

[POA1]

I know that I owe you a full report, but I wanted to post this information ASAP in case anyone is cruising soon.

 

If you are planning to purchase the Signature Beverage Package, I strongly recommend that you do so before you leave home via the HAL website, or buy it onboard before you get any beverages.

 

There are some serious accounting problems with the plan implementation and execution. I don't know if they're Noordam-specific, or if they're fleet wide. All I know is that it's a really good thing we were in cabin 7057. For those unfamiliar with the Noordam deck plans, 7057 is directly across from the starboard entrance to the Neptune lounge. That means we could stay on top of our account pretty easily. It was a fair amount of work getting everything fixed. In fact, the other two scientists in our party didn't get their account corrected until debarkation morning - if it was indeed fixed. (They're just getting home, so I won't know until tomorrow.)

 

 

As part of the account clean up procedure, they had to relinquish their SBP cards the last afternoon of the cruise. That deprived them of important lab time. To make matters worse, someone zeroed out their remaining drinks when they did get the cards back. To keep the peace, I just charged a few rounds to our stateroom so that we could continue our work.

[baytraller]

Is it possible to have one or more cartons of wine delivered to the ship

 

On embarkation day or on a port day

[travelinjones]

Thanks. Unfortunately our research grant ran out this morning. :( Now we have to compile our copious notes and write up our conclusions. We also have to to get back on the wagon. Remember when you were a little kid and wagons were fun?

 

Forget the wagon -- how about booking your next scientific project right now?

 

We've got a suggestion -- how about the 11-day Singapore to Mumbai cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn departing on March 29th? http://www.seabourn.com/find-luxury-cruise-vacation/FindCruises.action?cfVer=1&destCode=W&dateCode=&shipCodeSearch=SJ&durationCode=2&portCode=

 

There's plenty of sea days, an entire list of complimentary wines to research and caviar with all of the proper fixings is just a room service call away 24 hours a day.....

 

We would be delighted to assist you with your scientific endeavor...

 

Thanks for all of the fun posts!

Edited March 11, 2014 by travelinjones

[POA1]

I did not realize there was a restriction on what liquid refreshment could be brought aboard. Is it stated in any of HAL's information?

What is everyone's experience? When we traveled on Celebrity we were not restricted.

 

It's in the Know Before You Go information from HAL. They recently changed their carry on policy for wine. (If you do a search on CC/HAL you will find threads that cover the topic in excruciating detail.)

 

We mounted our expedition of discovery to get to the bottom of how the new programs work. We're like Lewis & Clark in that way. Or maybe Aldrin & Armstrong.... No, strike that. The explorers we're most like are the famous wilderness pioneers Bartles and Jaymes.

[POA1]

Is it possible to have one or more cartons of wine delivered to the ship

 

On embarkation day or on a port day

 

No. You have to carry your wine onboard according to the new policy.

[POA1]

Forget the wagon -- how about booking your next scientific project right now?

 

We've got a suggestion -- how about the 11-day Singapore to Mumbai cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn departing on March 29th? http://www.seabourn.com/find-luxury-cruise-vacation/FindCruises.action?cfVer=1&destCode=W&dateCode=&shipCodeSearch=SJ&durationCode=2&portCode=

 

There's plenty of sea days, an entire list of complimentary wines to research and caviar with all of the proper fixings is just a room service call away 24 hours a day.....

 

We would be delighted to assist you with your scientific endeavor...

 

Thanks for all of the fun posts!

 

That sounds like an outstanding research opportunity. We have to head back to the Hall of Science (aka the office) and get back to work. If we make a breakthrough on our synthetic liver project in the next week or so we'll be sure to call. ;)

[POA1]

Forget the wagon -- how about booking your next scientific project right now?

 

We've got a suggestion -- how about the 11-day Singapore to Mumbai cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn departing on March 29th? http://www.seabourn.com/find-luxury-cruise-vacation/FindCruises.action?cfVer=1&destCode=W&dateCode=&shipCodeSearch=SJ&durationCode=2&portCode=

 

There's plenty of sea days, an entire list of complimentary wines to research and caviar with all of the proper fixings is just a room service call away 24 hours a day.....

 

We would be delighted to assist you with your scientific endeavor...

 

Thanks for all of the fun posts!

 

Whoa! Just saw the caviar part of your post. I chirped and answered too quickly. Maybe we can whip up an activated charcoal smoothie and get back into fighting trim.

[POA1]

This is half the caviar service in the Pinnacle. Since DW and I split it, they gave us two plates. There is no creme fraiche despite the menu's indication to the contrary. We also expected to see some capers, but the menu didn't say anything about them, so they might not be part of HAL's caviar set up.

 

 

It's not the most attractive caviar service we've ever had. Face it. It's downright pedestrian. But for $45 an ounce, it is a good deal. It would be even better if it had the creme fraiche. The Pinnacle on our Noordam voyage was a huge source of complaints from our fellow passengers, so it might be better on other ships.

 

Would we order it again? Of course.

[AlohaPride]

That's a pretty big serving. Bigger than I thought it would be.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

[POA1]

That's a pretty big serving. Bigger than I thought it would be.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

 

Remember that the photo is only my half. DW had the same serving size on her plate. (She totally had more. Not that I'm bitter...) ;)

[SeaWatch]

LOVE your comments - what a refreshing (pun intended) thread. So....we have the SBP on an upcoming cruise that ends with an overnight in Venice. Based on your experience, when do you think we will have to surrender the vaunted card?

[Cristiano]

LOVE your comments - what a refreshing (pun intended) thread. So....we have the SBP on an upcoming cruise that ends with an overnight in Venice. Based on your experience, when do you think we will have to surrender the vaunted card?

 

SeaWatch see you on board and we can share an SBP cocktail :)

 

Ciao,

 

Cristiano