sparkling wine - ugh!

[Tony UK]

Now I'm not a connoisseur, but I do like a glass or more of wine! I wrote a comprehensive review of our recent Millenium cruise but forgot to mention how very poor the sparking wine given to concierge guests was. It was just undrinkable.

 

For a cruiseline looking for modern luxury Celebrity wants to either find a new supplier or stop giving this embarrassing offering!

Angie

[CathyCruises]

Why didn't you just trade it in for a bottle of your choice?:confused:

[miched]

It is not for drinking. It is to take to the sail away party, stand on the open deck overlooking the pool area, shake it up and then pop the cork spraying the passengers below. :D.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[cle-guy]

It is pretty rough.

 

When I host sailaway parties, I always ask guests to carry on a bottle or bring one from the cabin if they have one, so we have plenty to go round.

 

Last party, i ended up with 12 undrank bottles of the celebrity stuff, and 18 downed of the random stuff people brought....Even those that had the Celebrity sparkling wanted to give it away, as if an old fashioned fruit cake.

 

In pinch it works, I just like to have it what platter of Tums or Rolaids as an accompaniment.

 

But as it's free, who am I to look the gift horse it he mouth.

 

Another thing I noticed, was several people (me included) got both a free sparkling and white wine in cabin complimentary, specifically in Aqua Class and Suites - not sure of concierge. Is this new? the white didn't have any card or anything about price or who left it (i.e. captains club, concierge, because we were in a group etc). Several people brought both to the party. No one I know of was billed for consuming it as if it were a mini bar item. It was full-sized bottle.

[DavidYYC]

Oh good lord. Don't drink it then...

 

What do you expect Taittinger? Bollinger ?

 

We take two bottles of Veuve Clicquot on as our wine allocation. But wine "snob" that I am - I can happily finish the Celebrity plonk as well. Maybe I'm just a cheap drunk?

[acstall]

Oh good lord. Don't drink it then...

 

What do you expect Taittinger? Bollinger ?

 

We take two bottles of Veuve Clicquot on as our wine allocation. But wine "snob" that I am - I can happily finish the Celebrity plonk as well. Maybe I'm just a cheap drunk?

 

 

I'm with you! Sure, I may prefer my Duval Leroy or even Mumm Cuvee M. But it's sparkling, wet and festive. I'll drink the Celebrity sparkling any day. It means I'm on a cruise!

[BourbonNBluesLuvr]

I, on the other hand, LOVE it !! :D and certainly have never felt "embarrassed" to enjoy every drop of it !

 

Of course, part of the reason is probably because I enjoy it on our balcony, with my wife and travel friends, as we embark on another wonderful vacation, on a gorgeous ship, with great expectations of receiving the same fantastic service and attention we did on our last cruise...which was probably wayyyyyy tooooo long ago !

 

The start of a cruise could probably make the taste of the buffet coffee taste good to me !! :p

 

BBL

Edited January 4, 2015 by BourbonNBluesLuvr

[TeaBag]

I, on the other hand, LOVE it !! :D and certainly have never felt "embarrassed" to enjoy every drop of it !

 

Of course, part of the reason is probably because I enjoy it on our balcony, with my wife and travel friends, as we embark on another wonderful vacation, on a gorgeous ship, with great expectations of receiving the same fantastic service and attention we did on our last cruise...which was probably wayyyyyy tooooo long ago !

 

The start of a cruise could probably make the taste of the buffet coffee taste good to me !! :p

 

BBL

Great attitude! I bet you never have a bad cruise. I can never understand why people complain about a gift no matter how plebian it might be. Give it away if you don't like it. Trade it if you can.

[WestLakeGirl]

It works for mimosas

[Caribbean Chris]

We rolled off the ship with two bottles in our little overnight bag (ours and our relatives' since they were flying and we were driving.) We conspired to foist it off on the other relatives at Christmas dinner three days later, which worked out quite well since they went for the mimosa idea.

 

Love that fruit cake analogy, Curt.

[Mac7881]

On our Reflection cruise in late November we "traded up" to something we could enjoy. We were given a credit of $34.00 plus applicable gratuities towards a wine of our choice in Blu. No problems or issues at all.

[Northern Aurora]

I also love the fruitcake analogy.

 

But we also check with our sommelier and receive a credit toward a better quality wine.

[OuiOnboard]

We will do the upgrade maneuver in future also. Thanks for the tip.

[ghstudio]

We view it as a $28 credit towards a drinkable bottle of wine which we've always been offered.

 

 

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[clr315]

Wait what? Tell me how to do this trade up thing! I would get 34 towards a bottle of my choice???

[Cruise Raider]

It works for mimosas

 

Yes it does!! If we have the beverage package, we just leave it for our room steward. Don't know if that is a small gift or an insult now.

[ghstudio]

When you go to dinner the first night, ask the sommelier if you could exchange the sparkling wine for something more drinkable. Don't bring the wine, just ask. In every case we have been offered a $28 credit towards another bottle...except one where they exchanged it for the house wine. Bring the bottle the second night. Hint: take the bottle out of the ice so the label doesn't come off :)

 

 

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[cle-guy]

Yes it does!! If we have the beverage package, we just leave it for our room steward. Don't know if that is a small gift or an insult now.

 

I think they stash them and offer them to various guests as a courtesy as they note a birthday, special occasion or gathering etc., hoping for an appropriate commission, er, uh, tip for the gift.

 

I've had parties in my suite, and purchased several bottles on board, and my butler has provided 3 extras, mixd varieties, as his "gift to me". As they were mixed, I assumed he'd been gathering leftovers, and know I've left several bottles behind on various cruises myself, labels somewhat tattered from being chilled etc., and therefore not really resellable.

[cruisinp]

We just got off the Silhouette today. On the first day I asked to exchange my bottle for something different and they wouldn't. We brought it home for our daughter.

[NLH Arizona]

I'm not a fan of the sparkling wine, so I just give it away to someone who will enjoy it.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We like good wine, as evidence our wine bill, but enjoy the sparkling wine at sail away. After all, we are on a cruise. :D

 

Mary Lou

[Duanerice1]

Not the best in the world but drinkable. And yes, mimosas are the best use. We brought ours home and used it at a New Years Eve party. Heck, they were already drinking so no one noticed what brand it was.

 

Wouldn't think it was that important to create a separate post complaining about free sparkling wine was in order but eh, to each their own.

[Tony UK]

Overall we love Celebrity and if you read our Millennium review you would see that - we loved it. That said if something needs attention we'll mention it!

 

Yes we drink sparkling wine at home, love a glass of Prosecco , Cava and the good stuff too!

 

Cant swop the bottle once you have opened it! However if so many people swap it then it says something about the quality of the product!

 

We do take a bottle of Champagne with us!

 

In the past we have drunk the Celebrity sparkling and found it OK especially in a kir royale or Mimosa, however on this occasion it really was undrinkable. We love to cruise and are not complainers. I did wonder if Celebrity had changed the supplier and wanted to draw attention to it.

[Bosjoe]

That Celebrity swill they gave us in concierge the past December,was bad. At least last year we got Moet Chandon Brut classic, a lot better then their private swill.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Bosjoe

[Beh789149]

Save it for mimosa's in the morning on the lanai!