Wine Packages

[krystal cruser]

Perhaps this is a silly question. I have never bought a wine package before, but I am considering doing so on my next cruise (not long to wait now). My question is is the wine package only usable in the MDR or can you go to any bar and collect a bottle of wine from the package?

[dgs1956]

As far as I know you can use the vouchers at any restaurant but not the bars. In saying that, some restaurants other than the MDR don't always have the full selection. You can take unfinished bottles from the MDR to consume in the bars or ask it to be kept for the following evening. Sadly I have never needed to do either. :)

[caber]

On Ventura you could use the vouchers (they are little stubs from a book of vouchers) in bars also but as the previous poster said, all the bars don`t stock the full range of wines.

[Charleyben]

On a recent cruise on Oceana I attempted to buy a bottle of prosecco in the Yacht & Compass Lounge using one of my slips from the Commodore Wine Package. Despite the fact that they sold prosecco in that bar which was exactly the same as that on the Package they were unable to comply. They explained that they would have to go to the dining room to obtain it and that they were too busy.

 

I attempted to explain that they could simply provide one of the bottles from behind their bar and get it back from the dining room to replace their stocktake a time to suit them. This did not compute.

 

We then went into Magnums Bar where I asked the same question and received a totally different response and also a bottle of prosecco. Some waiters have a can do attitude and use their discretion others sadly do not.

 

We also experienced difficulties at the alternative dining venues. There seemed to be some reluctance to get your requested wine as it entailed someone going to the MDR to fetch it and then when it arrived we well into our meal.

 

I raised this issue in the mid cruise critique and a F & B officer tracked me down one evening to discuss the problem. He was most helpful and recommended when I booked the table I informed them of the wine I wanted.

 

When I tried to do this again it did not compute until I explained my conversation with the F & B officer and it was eventually sorted out.

 

I think the problem arises from the fact that when you buy the package it is charged against and the wine provided by the MDR to which you have been assigned.

 

I fully understand that requesting a particular wine in a bar that do not normally stock it, at busy times, is an unreasonable request. However if they do have that particular wine, they should provide it.

 

It is a shame that their internal procedures should impact upon the service that they provide. This clearly not a unique problem and it is one that could be easily resolved.

 

In answer to your question - maybe, maybe not!

 

Good luck.

[the english lady]

Which is strange, because we have purchased wine packages in the past (2nd set sitting in the mdr) and when we were going to dine in a select venue, we told the waiters/wine lady the evening before...we are not fussy drinkers, we just said we would go with the next one on the list....and when we went to the select venue the following night, our wine was ready and waiting.

Must admit I have never tried using it in any of the bars...

[wilson2579]

Is it worthwhile buying the wine packages as hubby and I only drink wine but are quite happy with the house wine. Is there much savings??

[Wull92]

My wife bought the 9 bottle Captains Collection at a cost of £135 last year for our Christmas cruise. She bought it not long after booking as the choice had at least 3 white wines that she liked. When we boarded and got into our cabin all the vouchers were in it that she had pre-booked and prepaid all except the wine voucher. When she discussed this with the wine waiter that night he said no problems and produced the small booklet for her and got her to sign for it. She asked for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and was told it was not available, she then asked for another bottle of white wine which was on the list but again was not available. She didn`t think to question it at this point. She settled for a Chardonnay but in her words she couldn`t drink a full bottle, so that`s bad :rolleyes:. To explain she normally takes the half empty bottle back to the cabin and it goes in the fridge for a glass of wine before dinner the next night.

 

The next night she again asked for a bottle of Pinot and again she was told it was not available. She questioned this as it was on the Captains collection which she had pre paid for. The wine waiter brought her the listing for the Captains Collection and right enough it was not on the list, neither was the other 2 wines that she fancied. The wine waiter said if it`s not in the selection it was not available to her. Her argument was it was on the list when she bought it and therefore her purchase should be honoured. This proved to be unconceivable to the waiter. So again she had to choose a wine that she really didn`t want. After our meal and on leaving the MDR she asked to speak to the Head wine waiter and laid out her grievance. He said he could only allow the wines on the list to be served but he would look into it. The next night he approached my wife as we were entering the MDR and asked if she had proof of what she had ordered, by luck my wife keeps everything and takes it with her, this was on her IPad in an email. I was sent back to the cabin to retrieve it for her as she did want her Pinot. She produced the email to the sommelier,this flung the cat amongst the pigeons as it clearly stated 3 different white wines. It was explained to her that the Captains Collection had been changed since she had purchased it. My wife's argument to that was she should have been told and then she would have had an informed choice and to cancel if she wanted to. She stuck to her guns and asked for a bottle of Pinot Grigio the sommelier honoured her request this time. She was asked to forward this email by the sommelier to P&O as they had to have proof so that they could then give my wife what she had ordered. Bureaucracy had gone into overdrive. What beggars belief is the three white wines my wife liked were on the wine list but they could not give her any of them as they were not on the Captains Collection list.

 

My wife found this very annoying as she is very organised and to her it was one hassle that should not have happened. The sommelier said as she had asked for the Pinot a few times he would inform the wine waiters to give her that if she asked for it. So the Captains Collection became one choice. By this time she just wanted it sorted out and was happy enough at the time.

 

To add insult to injury 5 days into the cruise we were checking the on-board spend on the cabin TV,there was a purchase made in the MDR for £135 on our first night. To say the air was blue is an understatement my wife lost the plot. Now she had a Captain Collection with one choice of wine and she was paying twice for it. Again we had to go and see the Sommelier in the MDR with yet another issue, so with IPad in hand we approached him. We explained we had told the wine waiter on the first night we had not received the Voucher to hand over and he seemed to understand our position and said he would sort it out. Two days later the Sommelier approached us with the lost voucher. My wife had to sign it. Three days later the overcharge was removed.

 

In hindsight she should have went to reception and asked to be refunded and paid for the 3 bottles of wine she had. The package she bought was not honoured by P&O. She ended up saying to our friend to choose a bottle wine for her dinner on a few occasions.

 

Would she buy the package again that would be a definite NO . For what you save and the hassles that could happen it`s just not worth it. Choose what you fancy on the night that`s her motto now

 

This is a long winded story about a whine package :D

 

Regards to all

W & P

Edited April 11, 2015 by Wull92

[krystal cruser]

Gosh, that sounds like exactly the sorts of problems you want to avoid when you go on holiday. I think perhaps I'll stick to just ordering a bottle on the night each night... Does anyone know which bars sell wine by the bottle on Britannia?

[wilson2579]

Thank you, that has made me decide to stick to my pinot grigio house white.:confused:

[jaceyar]

Is it worthwhile buying the wine packages as hubby and I only drink wine but are quite happy with the house wine. Is there much savings??

They do half litre carafes of white, rose or red wine for £9.75. Perfectly drinkable.

[wilson2579]

They do half litre carafes of white, rose or red wine for £9.75. Perfectly drinkable.

 

Yes, I do like their white:D:D

[fliss59]

We are on Azura on 22nd May and have been wondering about a wine package. Having read this thread which has been really useful we probably won't bother as would want to choose different every night but prefer Italian wines tbh. I think the house wine is Italian so that will probably suit us fine.