Select dining Sommelier

[aquidneck1]

We are traveling on the Equinox in Select dining in January. Wondering if there are more than 1 sommeliers to cover this area. If so, I want to ask the Maitre D to sit us with someone who is well informed. Thanks for the info.

[flyingv4me]

I've found the service spotty at best, and bar service next to non-existent.

 

I've always had select dining and, while the sommeliers have all been knowledgeable, they are spread way too thin over the dining room.

 

This has been my experience. YMMV.

[texkan]

We are traveling on the Equinox in Select dining in January. Wondering if there are more than 1 sommeliers to cover this area. If so, I want to ask the Maitre D to sit us with someone who is well informed. Thanks for the info.

 

Yes there are Sommeliers in Equinox Select Dining but as the above poster stated Sommeliers are spread thin.

Edited December 16, 2015 by texkan

[aquidneck1]

Thank you for the information. Wonder if it is any better in Blu. So sad for people interested in wine that this service has been degraded - especially considering the cost of the wines.

[az_tchr]

Straff costs money and people want cheap fares.

 

If you want good wine and help from the wine steward it is easy. On the first day ask your waiter to have them come to your table. Discuss briefly a bottle and purchase it. Ask for a repeat visit and if excellent wine slip the sommelier $5. You will find the sommelier attentive and always available.

[neverbeenhere]

Straff costs money and people want cheap fares.

 

If you want good wine and help from the wine steward it is easy. On the first day ask your waiter to have them come to your table. Discuss briefly a bottle and purchase it. Ask for a repeat visit and if excellent wine slip the sommelier $5. You will find the sommelier attentive and always available.

 

 

That's the ticket.

 

 

 

 

 

Lorelei, let's live together

Brighter than the stars forever

Edited December 16, 2015 by neverbeenhere

[richsea]

We sailed on Equinox last month in Select dining & had the best sommelier in a number of years. Her name is Yulana from Croatia. I am not a wine expert, & only had the classic package, & ordered by the glass. She was most helpful & after asking me a few questions brought wine for me to taste (I was only ordering by the glass). All of her selections tasted fine to me, & on the 3rd night, she brought one that was my favorite, & thereafter, my glass was never empty! We tended to sit at the same table nightly, so she was always around. She even showed me the two story wine cellar, explaining how they find the various selections.

[aquidneck1]

I am willing to tip and Mait're D and the Sommelier to have a good experience. Just wanted to know ahead, if possible, what to expect. Sounds like there might be turnover before we get there in late January.

[richsea]

Straff costs money and people want cheap fares.

 

If you want good wine and help from the wine steward it is easy. On the first day ask your waiter to have them come to your table. Discuss briefly a bottle and purchase it. Ask for a repeat visit and if excellent wine slip the sommelier $5. You will find the sommelier attentive and always available.

 

Good advice to ask your waiter to send the sommelier, & to have a discussion with them to let them know you are interested in wine. However, it shouldn't be necessary to slip them money to keep them coming back. If you want to, that's fine, but not necessary if the sommelier is doing their job. On our recent cruise, we did tip, but on the last evening, to show that we appreciated her attention for the entire cruise.

[texkan]

We sailed on Equinox last month in Select dining & had the best sommelier in a number of years. Her name is Yulana from Croatia. I am not a wine expert, & only had the classic package, & ordered by the glass. She was most helpful & after asking me a few questions brought wine for me to taste (I was only ordering by the glass). All of her selections tasted fine to me, & on the 3rd night, she brought one that was my favorite, & thereafter, my glass was never empty! We tended to sit at the same table nightly, so she was always around. She even showed me the two story wine cellar, explaining how they find the various selections.

 

We were seated in Yulana's area but she was always busy. We did purchase a bottle of wine. Could Not get her to table to serve bottle of wine on second night. We moved to another area (table) Select Dining and found that it is hit and miss for service by sommelier. IMO staff is short handed $$$ :(

 

IMO you should Not have to tip to get good service. If you feel that service was great, leave an extra tip at end of cruise.

Edited December 16, 2015 by texkan

[richsea]

We were seated in Yulana's area but she was always busy. We did purchase a bottle of wine. Could Not get her to table to serve bottle of wine on second night. We moved to another area (table) Select Dining and found that it is hit and miss for service by sommelier. IMO staff is short handed $$$ :(

 

IMO you should Not have to tip to get good service. If you feel that service was great, leave an extra tip at end of cruise.

 

You are probably right about them being short handed. That seems to be the case pretty much ship wide recently. I do recall noticing that our table location (near the kitchen in close proximity to where she kept the open bottles for glasses, & that may have had something to do with our outstanding service? Inany case, she was one of the best we've ever had.

[celebritydave]

I have had pretty good experiences with the Sommeliers in the MDR. I have the waiter bring them over, and then order my wine and when I sign for it I always leave an extra 2$ or 3$. I never have a problem after the first night.

 

I do the same thing at the martini bar and I have the bartenders saving us seats and giving us free drinks.

 

A few extra dollars gets a lot better service. I know it's not supposed to be that way, but like everything else in life, it is what it is.

 

I am on vacation, so I want to enjoy myself.

 

Dave