Exchanging "Welcome" Bottle of Wine

[Tiggertastic]

We've ended up leaving it in the cabin every time as we don't drink sparkling wine. Will have to give it a try, we can't lose anything seeing as we normally leave it.

[bEwAbG]

Having printed vouchers takes away from the nicety of a welcome gift. It'd be like getting a coupon book for free hugs! I do agree that there should be the ability to swap it for something non-alcoholic if you don't drink, though.

 

The sparkling wine isn't the best I've ever had, but it's not swill either. I think their idea is that you will use it for sailaway and to get in the vacation mood. I find it a rather nice gesture.

[Pipo]

What category of cabins (or elites) receive the complimentary sparkling wine?

[Azulann]

Used my bottle of sparking wine for a later sail away from our balcony in AQ. Did have it nicely chilled.Had friends over for the occasion.

If you do not drink I would gift it to someone else on board.:)

[smtcan]

What category of cabins (or elites) receive the complimentary sparkling wine?

 

Concierge cabins and above get the sparkling wine. It is nicely presented in an ice bucket with flutes on a 'silver' tray. It does look welcoming when you enter the cabin, even if you don't particularly enjoy the wine. It has nothing to do with Captain's Club level.

 

Sheila

[BosoxI]

Was the credit only for the purchase of a different or more expensive wine or could you use it towards a nice cognac or craft beer that was over and above the premium package limit?

 

Invariably, the sommelier says it will show up on our account as a credit, and sure 'nuff, it does. So we can spend it as though it were an OBC, on anything we want.

[jsf]

Not much of a gift if you don't drink alcohol. :rolleyes:

 

Most posters never think of that or they have their own agenda's.

J.

[tangerinebunny]

Are we talking a bottle of wine that would retail on land for $10? more? less?

Two Buck Chuck or a bit better?

 

I'm assuming that if someone got $24 credit, that would be a cruise line mark up.

[kenevenpar]

how does one get a complimentary bottle of wine in the first place? CC and above

 

We had a "gift" from our travel agent last cruise - which was a white zinfandel (not to our taste) and we had drink packages. We just left it in the room, and mentioned to the room steward that he could have it or give it away.

 

T-Shirt in Napa "Friends don't let friends drink White Zinfandel"

 

Are we talking a bottle of wine that would retail on land for $10? more? less?

Two Buck Chuck or a bit better?

 

Not quite that bad, but not good.

Edited June 8, 2015 by kenevenpar

[ailetoile]

LOL. I read this just as I was wondering (except for Jane - thanks for the mimosa idea!) if *anyone* drank the gift bottle.

 

My dad drank the whole thing on his own on the first night of our cruise. My husband and I, sadly, are not fans of the sparkling wine. We ended up giving ours to my dad so he could have a second round of his wine party. :D

[varoo]

......I have had 100% success since then by going to dinner the first night and asking the sommelier if I could bring the bottle of sparkling wine the next night and either exchange it or get credit towards another bottle of wine. Once, the sommelier just did a flat exchange for a bottle of celebrity house red...every other time, they have just given us a $28 credit towards another bottle.

This has been our experience as well.

Sometimes they offer us a celebrity house wine, and sometimes a California label for an even exchange.

 

We prefer having the sommelier do the exchange because we get to pick the wine we want, either an even exchange or paying the difference to get a more expensive bottle.

Besides which, this way we get to taste it first before accepting it.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

T-Shirt in Napa "Friends don't let friends drink White Zinfandel"

 

 

 

.

 

lol

[Azulann]

My dad drank the whole thing on his own on the first night of our cruise. My husband and I, sadly, are not fans of the sparkling wine. We ended up giving ours to my dad so he could have a second round of his wine party. :D

 

What a thoughtful daughter.:D

[UniPac]

I started changing the sparkling wine to a white wine or red wine as I enjoy both more than the sparkling wine.

Most times the cabin attendant was able to do it (and was tipped afterwards), only on one cruise we have been told that he can't do it. But he told us to call the concierge, so we did. And the bottle was exchanged!

 

So if the cabin attendant can't do it, give it a try with the concierge.

[sdnich]

I like to save for my first sea day and order breakfast with some fresh oj and enjoy on my balcony ! :)

[Tiggertastic]

I started changing the sparkling wine to a white wine or red wine as I enjoy both more than the sparkling wine.

Most times the cabin attendant was able to do it (and was tipped afterwards), only on one cruise we have been told that he can't do it. But he told us to call the concierge, so we did. And the bottle was exchanged!

 

So if the cabin attendant can't do it, give it a try with the concierge.

 

 

Great tip

[travlr21]

We have never had success asking our room attendant to change our sparking wine for a bottle of red. What has worked for us is asking at Guest Relations. A couple of times we were told it was not possible. We would wait and ask again of someone different at GR, and eventually we would get a yes. Funny thing on our last cruise, we asked and got a yes, but he forgot. We bumped into him a couple of days later while on shore and he remembered then that he had forgotten. He then told us he would send up 2 bottles. Which he remembered to do!

[UniPac]

We have never had success asking our room attendant to change our sparking wine for a bottle of red.

 

We always leave the choice to them, but I think we always got white wine.

 

Normally whites are cheaper then reds - maybe that's why it never worked for you and that's why we always got white wine?