Complimentary wine seminar event

[Nashna]

We have just reached "Select" in the Captain's Club. One of the benefits is the complimentary wine seminar event. What is this? We are traveling with another couple who will be on Celebrity for the first time, can we bring them to this event? What about the special senior captains cocktail party?

[az_tchr]

It is a wine tasting. If your friends are select then you may bring them. The event is only for passengers that are Select or above in the Captains Club. Sorry

[Nashna]

I was afraid that might be the case. This is their first Celebrity cruise so I'm sure they would not be included unless they might pay their own way. They are into wine so this might be something that they wish to do on their own.

 

Thank you for the quick reply.

[Northern Aurora]

Nashna: We are Elite+ and through the years have attended a number of these events, although not recently. We have found them to be very basic wine tastings, although a number of years ago an excellent sommelier did a great wine pairing event on the now long gone Mercury. If they enjoy nice wines I suspect your friends would not be that impressed with the selection.

[wallie5446]

Last Nov there were OVER 100 EMPTY places. There is no one checking for CC status at the door. Take your friends, you will have a list of when it is set up in your cabin.

Edited January 14, 2016 by wallie5446

[az_tchr]

Wallie - appreciate your enthusiasm, but if everyone attended including those not eligible then these events will begin to go away. Same situation for the nightly cocktail party - there is often nobody checking IDs, but does that make it right to go? On Connie last May they actually did ask to see your SeaPass if the CClub host did not know you. I would be pretty embarrassed if I went there and was asked to leave.

 

On Princess you get basically nothing after even 20 cruises!

 

I would suggest the OP go to the Captains Club host and ASK if they could bring a couple in their party with them. Likely to get an invitation. Why not do it the right way?

Edited January 15, 2016 by az_tchr

[CHEZMARYLOU]

If your friends are "into wine" they will find the free event not worth the price. :D There are several wine events for a nominal fee that they might be interested in. Just check in Cellar Masters or with any sommelier who will be happy to provide the list of events.

[We're The Groupnors]

If your friends are "into wine" they will find the free event not worth the price. :D There are several wine events for a nominal fee that they might be interested in. Just check in Cellar Masters or with any sommelier who will be happy to provide the list of events.

 

Agree! There is often a wine tasting event hosted by Cellar Masters that anyone can attend for a fee of $20 (if I remember correctly); it's called World Wine Tasting, or something like that. It's fun and interactive, and you can enjoy it with your friends. I have always liked the Select and above wine tasting, but everyone is just sitting at tables listening to the sommelier. At the Cellar Masters hosted event it is much more casual and fun with everyone mingling and exchanging opinions on the wines they're tasting.

[jelayne]

The complimentary Captains Club wine tasting is pretty basic- did the same wines with a variety of foods on Carnival about 10 years ago. Actually better than the CC where you have basic wines and bread.

 

We did a wonderful wine tasting event on the Reflection last fall, as I recall it was around $100 for the 2 of us-not a meal but a wonderful tasting.

[prim8keeper]

In addition to the World Wine tasting the Riedel glass wine tasting is also worth the price if you like wine. When we did it a few years ago it was $15 without the glasses once on board (although I'm not sure if it has gone up in price). As others have said, the one for captain club members is pretty basic.

[Nashna]

Thank you all for your advice. I would be really uncomfortable taking our friends along without prior approval. So we will probably just take our pick of the pay-to-go wine tastings.

[north29]

In addition to the World Wine tasting the Riedel glass wine tasting is also worth the price if you like wine. When we did it a few years ago it was $15 without the glasses once on board (although I'm not sure if it has gone up in price). As others have said, the one for captain club members is pretty basic.

 

We were at one a couple of years ago and it was really good. However they were trying to sell Riedel glasses, and we are addicted to Riedel glasses for wine. On the last cruise on the Equinox over Xmas and N.Y. it would be hard to call it basic is was Winking Owl or below LOL. All they talked about was buying Champagne for New Years eve. There were not enough people there to even have it and lots of wine on tables. If they still have it I'm willing to bet that anyone can get in.

[Banjo]

I did this Select Level wine tasting several times. Most recently last month on the Silhouette. Some are better then others and that opinion is based on the sommelier's explanations of the wines. I did pick up a few good tips from these presentations I did not know when selecting a wine. It is free and it is nice diversion on a sea. I didn't feel any sales pressure and that may have to do with most passengers now having beverage package.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Banjo

[jpcello]

In addition to the World Wine tasting the Riedel glass wine tasting is also worth the price if you like wine. When we did it a few years ago it was $15 without the glasses once on board (although I'm not sure if it has gone up in price). As others have said, the one for captain club members is pretty basic.

 

I've done every wine tasting on every cruise I've ever been on. The Riedel tasting was the most informative I've ever attended. I learned so much that day and now I only buy Riedel glasses.

[Nashna]

All the input is very helpful. We live in Virginia wine country and are members of three vineyards. We spent a week last year on a wine river cruise in the South of France. So we already have the basic wine lecture down. However, you can always learn something new with every adventure. I'll post when we return in April and let you know what we did on the cruise.

[prim8keeper]

I've done every wine tasting on every cruise I've ever been on. The Riedel tasting was the most informative I've ever attended. I learned so much that day and now I only buy Riedel glasses.

 

We also do that now. It turned into a very expensive wine tasting...haha

[wallie5446]

All the input is very helpful. We live in Virginia wine country and are members of three vineyards. We spent a week last year on a wine river cruise in the South of France. So we already have the basic wine lecture down. However, you can always learn something new with every adventure. I'll post when we return in April and let you know what we did on the cruise.

 

Ahhh, then you would be board stiff at the 'free' tasting. A waste of time if you have any concept about wine. We only went to get a pic of the setting.

[wallie5446]

Wallie - appreciate your enthusiasm, but if everyone attended including those not eligible then these events will begin to go away. Same situation for the nightly cocktail party - there is often nobody checking IDs, but does that make it right to go? On Connie last May they actually did ask to see your SeaPass if the CClub host did not know you. I would be pretty embarrassed if I went there and was asked to leave.

 

On Princess you get basically nothing after even 20 cruises!

 

I would suggest the OP go to the Captains Club host and ASK if they could bring a couple in their party with them. Likely to get an invitation. Why not do it the right way?

 

The CC Hostess, Rosie, was front and center at the Elite HH door last Nov on the Equinox, and was asking every person for their proff of eligibility to enter! :D. She turned many away. Tho we had a lot of Elite, Elite+, and Zenith level members on that sailing, it was sparsely attended every night. That is what will spell the end to the Happy Hour's.

 

But never would I try and take a non Elite to the HH or breakfast. The Wine 101 should be RSVP so the staff will not set a place for every eligible member on the ship, which would help reduce wasted product and lost staff time. Maybe then we would get back our daily water in Aqua ;)

[Cruise Raider]

Wallie - appreciate your enthusiasm, but if everyone attended including those not eligible then these events will begin to go away. Same situation for the nightly cocktail party - there is often nobody checking IDs, but does that make it right to go? On Connie last May they actually did ask to see your SeaPass if the CClub host did not know you. I would be pretty embarrassed if I went there and was asked to leave.

 

On Princess you get basically nothing after even 20 cruises!

 

I would suggest the OP go to the Captains Club host and ASK if they could bring a couple in their party with them. Likely to get an invitation. Why not do it the right way?

 

Absolutely! Well said. It will stop being offered if abused by others that haven't earned it.

 

However, we've also been on over 20 cruises on Princess and they give us the following:

 

Wine tasting event

Mini bar set up

Free laundry and dry cleaning - unlimited

Free internet - not unlimited but more than I can ever use

10% off all your boutique purchases onboard

Discounted cocktails between 5-7 - limited menu but top shelf liquor

Special tea time event

Additional OBC for every cruise over 20, more as your number of cruises goes up

Captain's Club party (or whatever they call it)

Past passenger rates

 

While the perks on Celebrity meet our needs a little better, I would hardly say Princess gives us basically nothing.

[Caribbean Chris]

Agree! There is often a wine tasting event hosted by Cellar Masters that anyone can attend for a fee of $20 (if I remember correctly); it's called World Wine Tasting' date=' or something like that. It's fun and interactive, and you can enjoy it with your friends. I have always liked the Select and above wine tasting, but everyone is just sitting at tables listening to the sommelier. At the Cellar Masters hosted event it is much more casual and fun with everyone mingling and exchanging opinions on the wines they're tasting.[/quote']

 

Completely agree. The World Wine Tasting is worth attending and paying the small fee. The wines were marvelous.

 

Once on Century we went to a champagne tasting where they slashed the bottle's neck with a sabre and poured from it. Very fun!

[dutchclogs]

Completely agree. The World Wine Tasting is worth attending and paying the small fee. The wines were marvelous.

 

Once on Century we went to a champagne tasting where they slashed the bottle's neck with a sabre and poured from it. Very fun!

 

Thanks for the tip -- I'll look out for the world wine tasting on Connie this summer.