UUNetBill Posted August 16, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I'll try and keep this fairly short, but I wanted to share my thoughts about our recent 12 night Mariner cruise.* There have been some issues voiced lately and I wanted to post my impressions. Bottom line up front:* Yes, there were some issues.* No, they weren't serious.* We would sail Regent again...fact, we're already booked for next year. We felt the ship was in great condition.* It was clean and well maintained.* About 99% of the crew were cheerful and professional. Cabin service was excellent, as always.* We were in Cat F on Deck 8 and had no noise or vibration issues other than kids running rampant.* This cruise had more kids on it than any other Regent itinerary we'd sailed before, to include Alaska.* I'm sure Regent had some cheap fares for kids in conjunction with the European school holidays.* I'm fine with kids as long as they're not being obnoxious, which unfortunately, most of this gang was.* I put most of the blame on the 'parents' but I also put some of it on Regent for not enforcing rules.* I won't go into details, but suffice it to say we'll be keeping a closer eye on school calendars for future bookings. There were some minor issues in Compass Rose, the lounges, and pool bar where I feel that service wasn't up to previous standards, but when I say minor, I mean minor.* Nothing that would keep me away.* In fact, we ran jnto our butler from two years ago, and he remembered us.* He even went so far as to set us up with another amazing feast of Indian cuisine in CR even though he wasn't our butler this trip.* That was nice. I'd have to say that the included shore excursions were probably my biggest gripe.* They weren't bad, really, but they weren't all that good.* On the flip side, though, the added cost trips were fantastic. As I said, crew was great.* We encountered one surly dude in Destination Services.* That left a sour taste... We thought the food was good, in CR as well as specialty restaurants.* La Veranda was often crowded and sometimes items were allowed to run empty.* Room service was often quick, and always hot (except for one breafast - lesson learned). I had some impromptu discussions with other guests in the Connoisseur Club and most people agreed that even with some fairly minor issues this was an excellent cruise.* The worst comments I heard were: 1)* No teaspoon on my saucer for my morning coffee. 2)* LaVeranda served wine in a water glass (by policy, not by mistake) 3)* Room stewards missed my turndown service one night. 4)* As I recall, a certain brand of cognac or armangac wasn't available. These people voicing these complaints were pretty adamant that these egregious infractions warranted a Regent boycott and an immediate return to Crystal.* I've never sailed Crystal so I can't compare, but if these minor annoyances are such major issues to Crystal patrons, well, I'm not so sure I want to sail with people like that. To summarize, my wife and I both agreed that this was probably our best cruise, noisy kids notwithstanding.* Regent has some minor issues to work out, but we both agreed that the positives far outweighed the negatives - and we can't wait to be back onboard next summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 16, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Thank you so much for posting such a well thought out review! You described exactly why we try not to cruise when school is not in session. While we have been on cruises with a few children that were amazing, all it takes is a few unruly ones to disturb the peace on the ship. Have to laugh about someone thinking that wine was being served in water glasses in La Veranda. Have they not heard of stemless wine glasses (I don't like them either but do recognize the difference between a stemless wine glass and a water glass). We will be on the Mariner next month - would you mind sharing who the G.M. and Cruise Director on board were. I know that Franck Galzy left for vacation but do not know who replaced him. Thanks much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UUNetBill Posted August 16, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I'd have to check on the GM, but we had Capt, uh, Teo, and Margaret was the CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 16, 2015 #4 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Thanks much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warburg Posted August 16, 2015 #5 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Thank you UUNetBill, for your highly informative post. We are sailing Mariner next year, and are really looking forward to it. We loved Navigator and have fond memories of our cruise on her. For the last couple of years we have been cruising on Oceania. We love the line but decided on Mariner because we liked the itinerary. In June we did the Panama Canal LA to Miami on Insignia. Our previous three cruises were on Marina and Riviera. I agree with Travelcat2 that such trivial complaints must come from serial whiners. For us, one exposure to people like that is enough. Fortunately, we haven't run into that type recently. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted August 17, 2015 #6 Share Posted August 17, 2015 As Travelcat beat me to pointing out, the glass used to serve wine in La veranda is a stemless wine tumbler, not a water glass. We use these at home as George is notorious for breaking the stems on wine glasses. And they are much safer to use to avoid spills and breakage in rough seas. If someone was complaining, they were just showing their ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishwitchy Posted August 17, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 17, 2015 If they serve all kinds of wine in those glasses I would complain also. If you ever take a Riedel class on wine glasses, those one size fits all glasses will do a disservice to many wines. I would also ask for the proper glass, especially if I was ordering a bottle of wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catpow Posted August 17, 2015 #8 Share Posted August 17, 2015 They use Riedel glasses throughout the ship and those Riedel 'O' series glasses used in La Veranda come in different sizes as well. Stemless glasses are pretty common in restaurants in Europe; using the 'O' series glasses in La Veranda reflects this as well as the more casual approach to dining the restaurant epitomises. Also, as it has an outdoor dining area, it limits (somewhat) breakages. Love Setti Mare in both its Italian and French guises and, if you ask for an espresso, has the best coffee on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincslady Posted August 17, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I think I was on the same cruise as the OP. We are gold Regent members, but have not cruised with them for about 6 years, having defected to Seabourn. Never sailed Crystal. Our experience was somewhat different from his - we were lucky enough to have a very quiet corridor on our deck 8 suite. The only time we were annoyed by children was on the first day, when there was one group in and around the pool screaming and shouting. For some reason we did not hear them again during the cruise. The other children seemed to be with very nice families who made sure they behaved pretty well, though there was a bit of running about by toddlers in the Veranda which could have been dangerous. We had no objections to the wine glasses in the Veranda at lunchtime, however what we did not care for was that when the wine server was asked where her sauvignon blanc was from, she said she only knew it was called Terra! This applied to pretty well all the wine servers on board. They had no knowledge about wines at all. Also, we too felt that the food in the Veranda was not tidied or replaced properly. A very small point, but to me a good comparison with Seabourn, was that if you did order something like a burger for lunch the 'condiments' came in plastic squeezy bottles in a metal container, plonked on the table, whereas on Seabourn they are brought by a waiter, on a tray, in china containers and he/she serves them. A very small thing, but to me epitomises the difference between the lines. What also seemed strange was that the food served in Signatures, Sette Mari, and especially at the brunch for Society members was infinitely better than the general run of food - they can do it when they want to. We felt that the budget for most meals was under par for a 'luxury' line. I am sure that if we cruised Regent again we would learn how to get better wines provided etc., but will not be doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted August 17, 2015 #10 Share Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) We are not long off Voyager and I also do not like the wine tumblers, however, a jokey word with the sommelier on the second day ensured our white wine was served in a stemmed glass from that point on - 'problem' solved. Generally I liked my Regent cruise with only a couple of very minor issues which in no way spoiled my holiday! My biggest gripe was, like lincslady said, a lack of knowledge from some of the lunchtime sommeliers about the wine available. There is a 'ginormous' list of the spirits available on board, however I rarely drink spirits but do enjoy a glass of wine but when asked which White wines were available I was told Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon blanc. When I asked where the wines came from a list of countries was recited but not linked to the individual wines. I admit I made it my mission to try to identify what was available and failed miserably! There was a wine tasting on our sea day with 4 reds and 4 whites. I asked the cellar master if these were all the included wines and was told yes although if I asked for a wine and they had it then I could order it but no they had no Pouilly Fume or Chablis which I believe have been previously available. I think it was TC2 who asked the general manager for a list of included wines so off I trotted to see Michael the GM and was told no there is no list as it changes each cruise and that he thought 4 reds and 4 whites on offer was good as there were only 2 available whe he started cruising! I asked on the half way through the cruise comment card why the wines available were such a closely guarded secret but got no response. It wasn't a massive issue, just irritating. I am no wine connoisseur but some of the nicest wines were the house wines in the speciality restaurants but unless you had eaten there you wouldn't know about them. Surely it is not outside the realms of possibility to have a list of the included wines somewhere on board which would not take much time to amend each cruise which anyone who is interested could ask to see and get a copy of. Those who are happy with the choice on offer can continue in blissful ignorance and the whingey women like me could cheerfully identify what I liked! Edited August 17, 2015 by Techno123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 17, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 17, 2015 It is very interesting that the response to a request for the included wine list depends upon the person you ask. It has not been our experience that the wine changes every cruise and that response, IMO, does not make sense. While they may pick up some new wines at a port stop, they do not replace the entire wine list every cruise. Some of the included wines have been on the list for a very long time. I will print the include wine list that I posted on our last cruise - earlier this year and take it with us when we board the Mariner next month and see how it compares to what is being served now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted August 17, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 17, 2015 It did seem ridiculous that they were so unwilling to let me know what the included wines were! I couldn't believe either that they completely refresh the wine cellar at the start of every cruise. I understand that the way Regent operate is to have a couple of wines available each evening but even the best sommelier cannot match one or two wines to such a diverse menu even though most people are happy with what is available, it can't be that difficult to have something to show those customers who would like to know what else is available. It should not be about who you know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liptastic Posted August 17, 2015 #13 Share Posted August 17, 2015 We were on the same cruise on Mariner but it was in June. While we very much enjoyed the cruise we also noticed similar problems with slower service in Compass Rose and an obvious lack of wait staff at certain times. It was noticeable but didn't spoil our cruise. I didn't ask for a wine list, there was usually a wine I liked and enjoyed, but there were quite a few wines that ran out during the voyage and also this was quite an issue with beers. Spirits are plentiful, but it seems to be an issue if more and more people are finding short comings with the included wines and beers. It's not been a problem we have found on our previous Regent cruises but it's one that seems to be mentioned here in regular posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted August 18, 2015 #14 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I don't know if it is anything to do with nationality with some preferring wine and others spirits but wine is becoming more and more popular even in the UK and I think Regent and other cruise lines need to take this into account. Looking back to Seabourn which was our first cruise 3 years ago they also just provided the 'wines of the day' but again you could ask for a wine from a previous day and they would provide it with a smile (just like Regent). I think it was probably because Oceania provides their wine by the glass menu, which are also included in the alcohol packages, so you can choose what you would like to drink rather than get what you are given which I liked and just wondered why other cruise lines can't do the same (procurement issues taken into account of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincslady Posted August 18, 2015 #15 Share Posted August 18, 2015 We found that the 'wines of the day', certainly at lunchtime, were the same cheapos every day, with no encouragement to have anything else, which was not the same on Seabourn, where in any case most of the wines were of better quality, and the shelf of reds and cooler of whites always contained several different wines. I had forgotten to mention that we did actually have quite a good lunch at the Pool Grill near the end of the trip,called French lunch. What was interesting was that there was a small display of wines at the buffet, including Macon Lugny, several grades better than the normal offerings. I asked the Sommelier (who happened to be there) if it was an included wine, and we then were provided with a bottle! So obviously it pays on Regent to be 'in the know' about what is available; I am sure they do not encourage this. What is odd is that there are many expensive spirits freely poured, and we found all bar drinks very good. Just a big contrast to the wine situation, sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare forgap Posted August 18, 2015 #16 Share Posted August 18, 2015 It is very interesting that the response to a request for the included wine list depends upon the person you ask. It has not been our experience that the wine changes every cruise and that response, IMO, does not make sense. While they may pick up some new wines at a port stop, they do not replace the entire wine list every cruise. Some of the included wines have been on the list for a very long time. I will print the include wine list that I posted on our last cruise - earlier this year and take it with us when we board the Mariner next month and see how it compares to what is being served now. I searched the forum and couldn't easily find the list. Travelcat, do you mind posting the list again or sharing the link? We leave for the Baltics in a month. Loved the Sancerrre and the Minuty Rose on the last trip! Thanks, Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzy Posted August 18, 2015 #17 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Since this subject has been an ongoing topic for so long, why wouldn't the official board readers at Regent suggest that the list be provided to each cabin at the start of each cruise? Obviously something could run out during the voyage but it would put an end to the speculation about "who you know". With the amount of flyers and notices that get delivered daily, one more piece of paper shouldn't be a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincslady Posted August 18, 2015 #18 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Since this subject has been an ongoing topic for so long, why wouldn't the official board readers at Regent suggest that the list be provided to each cabin at the start of each cruise? Obviously something could run out during the voyage but it would put an end to the speculation about "who you know". With the amount of flyers and notices that get delivered daily, one more piece of paper shouldn't be a big deal. I can think of one very good reason - they would prefer people not to know about the better ones. Sorry, very cynical of me.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liptastic Posted August 18, 2015 #19 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Fizzy your idea is excellent. The wine list should be available for everyone to read. The cabins provide the list for the prestige pay for wines, so why not the included list too. It's not good having to keep asking what other options are available and getting no constructive answer. Jean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 18, 2015 #20 Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Jennifer - don't mind posting it at all...... see below: INCLUDED WINE LIST – 4/2015 Compass Rose White Pinot Grigio, USA, Trinity Oaks Chardonnay Avant, USA, Kendall Jackson Avant Frascati, Italy, Frascati Candida Sauvignon Blanc, Chile, Tributo Calettera Macabeo, Chardonnay, Spain, Bodegas Castano Alicante DO Chardonnay, Australia, Jackaroo Grechetto/Procanico/Verdello Canaiolo Bianco, Italy, Rulffino Orvietto Classico Insolio, Italy Insolio Corvo Chardonnay, France, Macon-Lugny Saint Pierre Compass Rose Red Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, Santa Gloria Cabernet Reserve Shiraz, Australia, Weighbridge by Peter Iehmann Pinot Noir, Canada, Backhouse Zinfandel, USA, Cline Ancient Merlot, USA, Paso Robles Passo Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, Hess Select Malbec/Syrah/Merlot, Chile, Etnico L.E. Reserve Nero D'Avoio, Italy, Nero D'Avolo Corvo Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, France, M. Chapoutier Bila-Huat Signatures (Mariner and Voyager) Pouilly Fuisse, France, Laboure Sanceer, France, Le rand Buis Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Petit Verdot, France, Chateau Haut-Bourcier CV Bordeaux Chateau Neuf de Pape, France, Les Grama Chais de France La Veranda Cortese di Gavi, Italy, Principessa Gavia Gavi Pinot Gris, Italy, Santa Margehrita (think they misspelled this) Sangiovese, Italy, Placido Chianti Edited August 18, 2015 by Travelcat2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 18, 2015 #21 Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) IMO, the reason Regent does not hand out the included wine list to everyone is because this would require having all of them on hand at each meal. CR has 20 wines on the list. I cannot imagine how many of each wine would have to be available within easy access of CR in accommodate every person's desired wine. I could also imagine some people asking for tastes of multiple wines which could be a burden on an already busy Sommelier. We have never had difficulty getting a wine from a previous night. Sometimes it takes time for someone to go to the basement and retrieve the wine but we do not find this to be a problem. Also, if we are not happy with the wine of the day, we ask the Sommelier for something else (after describing what type of wine we like). We really do not need a list for the Sommelier to find a wine that suits our taste (in fact, although I had a copy of the included wine list, it was in our suite and I really did not refer to it.) BTW, many of their included wines are available when Regent does wine tasting (I think this is done on most cruises that have sea days). It seems that only the Sommelier knows the different types of wines and nuances of each offering. The wine servers in LV at lunch do not have that knowledge. If you are in LV and have a question about wine, I suggest you ask a wine server to speak with a Sommelier. Edited August 18, 2015 by Travelcat2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFr Posted August 18, 2015 #22 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Here is the list I posted on my Mariner cruise in November 2014. A Pouilly-Fuisee was added to the list in the middle of the cruise: I boarded Mariner in Los Angeles and obtained the Complimentary Wine List. No NZ Sauvignon Blanc but a number of decent wines. Although the list is shown by restaurant, you can ask for any wine in any restaurant. Here's the list: Compass Rose White Pinot Grigio - USA - Trinity Oaks Trebiano, Malvasia - ITALY - Frascati Candida Sauvignon Blanc - CHILE - Tributo Caliterra Macabeo/Chardonnay - SPAIN - Bodegas Castaño Alicante Chardonnay - AUSTRALIA - Jackaroo Grechetto/Procanico/Verdello Canaoilo Bianco - ITALY - Ruffino Orvietto Classico Insolia - ITALY - Insolia Corvo Chardonnay - CANADA - Pelee Island Compass Rose Rosé Granache, Syrah - FRANCE - Chateau Minuty Compass Rose Red Cabernet Sauvignon - CHILE - Santa Gloria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - Hess Select Merlot - USA - Passo Creek Pinot Noir - USA - Backhouse Zinfandel - USA - Cline Ancient Vines Shiraz - AUSTRALIA - Weighbridge by Peter Lehmann Syrah, Grenache & Carignan - FRANCE - M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Malbec/Syrah - CHILE - Etnico L.E. Reserve Nero D'Avola - ITALY - Nero D'Avola Corvo Malbec - ARGENTINA - Reto Cabernet Sauvignon - ARGENTINA - Reto Mariner/Voyager Signatures Chardonnay - FRANCE - Macon-Lugny Saint Pierre Sauvignon Blanc - FRANCE - Sancere Le Grand Buis Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot - FRANCE - Chateau Haut-Bourcier CV Bordeaux Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre - FRANCE - Chateauneuf de Pape Les Grama Chais de France La Veranda Pinot Grigio - ITALY - Santa Margherita Cortese di Gavi - ITALY - Principessa Gavia Gavi Sangiovese - ITALY - Placido Chianti Corvina, Molinara, Rondinela - ITALY - Valpolicella Classico Superiore Prime 7 Chardonnay - USA - Hogue Genesis Sauvignon Blanc - USA - Rodney Strong Meritage - USA - Robert Mondavi Private Selection Champagne & Sparkling HP Champagne - FRANCE - Montaudon In Suite Champagne - FRANCE - Jacquart Brut Mosaique HP Sparkling - FRANCE - Phillipe Dublanc Sparkling Setti Mari - ITALY - Prosecco Val Doca Other Wines Alcohol free White Wine - USA - Ariel Chardonnay Alcohol free Red Wine - USA - Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon Riesling - GERMANY - Piesporter Riesling Deinhaed Riesling - AUSTRALIA - Grand Barossa Tanunda Chardonnay - USA - La Terre White Zinfandel - USA - Woodbridge White Zinfandel Muscatel - CHILE - Santa Gloria Late Harvest Merlot - FRANCE - Côté Soleil IGP Merlot - USA - Murphy-Goode Côte du Rhone - FRANCE - De Beauchene Marselan, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot - ITALY - Eccomi Super Premium Red Wine Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - Paripaso Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - La Terre Carignane, Mourvedre, Syrah - FRANCE - Domaine Ligneres Aric Blend I have a feeling that TC was not given the entire list but only those wines categorized by restaurant. My experience has been that the complimentary wines remain relatively static from cruise to cruise. My rule of thumb is: If you don't want the offered wine at lunch or dinner, ask about what else is available. Think proactivly. :D I've always been able to find a decent wine doing this. You might have to wait a few minutes while they get the wine but that's not a problem for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted August 18, 2015 #23 Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) It was definitely LV that had problems with the wines so we tended to go with the Italian Pinot Grigio and the Sancerre at lunch CR was much better. What really got up my nose, unfortunately, was that when I asked the cellar master during the wine tasting whether the 8 wines on offer were the only included wines I was told they were which was not actually the truth. I agree with TC2 that the logistics of everyone having the wine list would be a nightmare for the sommeliers and most people appeared perfectly happy with the evenings offerings. For the fussy amongst us, being able to request a copy of the list shouldn't cause too many problems and would have made me a much happier bunny! Thanks DaveFR - a lot more than 8 wines then! And yes in the evening we tended to tell the sommelier what we liked and they readily got it for us. Edited August 18, 2015 by Techno123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted August 18, 2015 #24 Share Posted August 18, 2015 (edited) Dave - it is good to note differences between the list I posted in April, 2015 (previous page) and your November 2014 list. Not sure if they gave me the entire list or not - your list seems to have more choices. I'll try to do a comparison below - noting which are the same and which are different -- just to see how much things change in 5 months. Hope I didn't mess up your list - as you know, when you start adding colors the text becomes difficult to read until it is posted. Compass Rose White Pinot Grigio - USA - Trinity Oaks Trebiano, Malvasia - ITALY - Frascati Candida (not on new list) Sauvignon Blanc - CHILE - Tributo Caliterra Macabeo/Chardonnay - SPAIN - Bodegas Castaño Alicante Chardonnay - AUSTRALIA - Jackaroo Grechetto/Procanico/Verdello Canaoilo Bianco - ITALY - Ruffino Orvietto Classico Insolia - ITALY - Insolia Corvo Chardonnay - CANADA - Pelee Island (not on new list) Chardonnay Avant, USA, Kendall Jackson Avant (NEW) Frascati, Italy, Frascati Candida (NEW) Compass Rose Rosé (Rose's did not appear on my list) Granache, Syrah - FRANCE - Chateau Minuty Compass Rose Red Cabernet Sauvignon - CHILE - Santa Gloria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - Hess Select Merlot - USA - Passo Creek Pinot Noir - USA - Backhouse Zinfandel - USA - Cline Ancient Vines Shiraz - AUSTRALIA - Weighbridge by Peter Lehmann Syrah, Grenache & Carignan - FRANCE - M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Malbec/Syrah - CHILE - Etnico L.E. Reserve Nero D'Avola - ITALY - Nero D'Avola Corvo Malbec - ARGENTINA - Reto - not on April list Cabernet Sauvignon - ARGENTINA - Reto Mariner/Voyager Signatures Chardonnay - FRANCE - Macon-Lugny Saint Pierre (not on new list) Sauvignon Blanc - FRANCE - Sancere Le Grand Buis (not on new list) Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot - FRANCE - Chateau Haut-Bourcier CV Bordeaux Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre - FRANCE - Chateauneuf de Pape Les Grama Chais de France Pouilly Fuisse, France, Laboure (added to new list as noted in your post) Sanceer, France, Le rand Buis (on new list) Prime 7 Chardonnay - USA - Hogue Genesis Sauvignon Blanc - USA - Rodney Strong Meritage - USA - Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Paripaso (on new list) Champagne & Sparkling HP Champagne - FRANCE - Montaudon In Suite Champagne - FRANCE - Jacquart Brut Mosaique HP Sparkling - FRANCE - Phillipe Dublanc (not sure if this is the same as below) Sparkling Setti Mari - ITALY - Prosecco Val Doca HP Sparking, France, Bouvet Signature Brut Other Wines Note: Our lists differ the most here. It is possible that my list is correct and they discontinued several or I did not get the entire list. They did change the bar menu dramatically right before our cruise in April. In any case, I put an "*" next to wines that are the same and added items that are on my list *Alcohol free White Wine - USA - Ariel Chardonnay *Alcohol free Red Wine - USA - Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon * Riesling - GERMANY - Piesporter Riesling Deinhaed Riesling - AUSTRALIA - Grand Barossa Tanunda *Chardonnay - USA - La Terre White Zinfandel - USA - Woodbridge White Zinfandel (Beringer is on my list) Muscatel - CHILE - Santa Gloria Late Harvest Merlot - FRANCE - Côté Soleil IGP * Merlot - USA - Murphy-Goode Côte du Rhone - FRANCE - De Beauchene Marselan, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot - ITALY - Eccomi Super Premium Red Wine Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - Paripaso *Cabernet Sauvignon - USA - La Terre Carignane, Mourvedre, Syrah - FRANCE - Domaine Ligneres Aric Blend Pinor Noir, Chile, Puerto Viejo (on my list) Pinot Noir, USA, Phanter Creek (on my list) Edited August 18, 2015 by Travelcat2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlondon Posted August 18, 2015 #25 Share Posted August 18, 2015 This is a very interesting discussion, but I can say from my experience that persistence will win out in getting a wine that meets your requirements. We have cruised Regent several times always on Voyager. On the first night, actually every night, we try to be among the first in the CR. We get a two top by the porthole and try to use the same table every night we're not in a specialty. The first thing we do, even before ordering, is try to meet with our sommelier. We explain that we like wine and would like to meet with him every night to find out about the evening's choices as well as what might be in reserve. Some times the original pours are quite satisfactory, other times we move to the next level. We have NEVER had resistance to this sequence of events; in fact we have had informative and fun conversations as a result. When we cruised Venice-Istanbul a few years ago we had Katarina as a sommelier, best fun. Conclusion, there is good wine to be had; don't be put off or intimidated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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