**NEW** Wine (by the bottle) Pricing List and Market Comparisons

[Cruise Junky]

Sorry, ridiculous money. I like my wine but these prices are silly money. We have sailed with Celebrity as well as P&0 so know the score re US prices etc, but looking at it afresh we will probably go for a land holiday.

 

Our percentage of land trips vs cruises has sky rocketed lately.

[Presto2]

Our percentage of land trips vs cruises has sky rocketed lately.

 

Can see why and it is good to know that it isn't just us being miserable. We had looked forward to the cruise lines showing their 2019 cruises as we wanted to book a special cruise for our 25th anniversary. Well, we couldn't be more disappointed as the prices are sky high. We are in good jobs but can not justify paying these prices with all of the add ons --- flights, drinks, excursions, select dining etc

[Astro Flyer]

Okay I'm asking here because it seems you guys know your wine.

 

I rarely drink because I do the driving and frankly I'm a lightweight where alcohol is concerned.

 

I have on a couple of occasions asked the bar tender in a restaurant to surprise me with what they thought was an appropriate glass of wine to accompany my meal and have had what I thought was a good glass. One bartender actually took the glass back and gave me a different glass of wine because he said he could tell by my face that I really didn't like what I had just tasted. The second glass was better but I thought the first glass was okay.

 

Since the Captain does not need me to help pilot the ship would Vines be a good place for me to try a different glass each day and would they give me a bit of education about what I am drinking? Or is that expecting to much?

 

Another option at Vines are their “wine flights” with 3 different wines with flights based on region or type of wine. As I recall it’s around $15 and it might be another option to consider.

[Woodinville]

Thank you kindly for this spreadsheet @Steelers36 ... came in useful for checking if our favorites were available (not a single one) and with a quick survey of local big box beverage store about a mile from Port Everglades, we determined, exactly what your spreadsheet advises ... in most cases, you are better off bringing your bottle on board and paying the corkage. This way, we're sure what we are drinking is what we will like.

 

Added bonus: The store advises they will have our "box" waiting for us, so we'll swing by, pay for it and then continue to embarkation with a "box" to carry-on.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Thanks again!

--

CB

[CMHCruiseCouple]

Steelers36 - Thank you much for your analysis; it is very helpful and confirms some of our suspicions of trends over time. We tend to drink higher end CA reds and truly appreciate Princess corkage fees (as opposed to other lines' draconian policies). Still, wines like Don Maximiano, one of our favorites, are not commonly available when we do our pre-cruise shopping so we always buy a few bottles on board. Cheers!!

[indygirl99]

Thank you for all the answers to my brief hijack of this thread.

 

I will now budget for some "wine education" on my next cruise.

 

Mr Indy is always in favor of education so I'm sure this will go right on past him. ;)

[Steelers36]

I am just delighted and humbled a bit to read about so many having been helped by the wine spreadsheet. I plan to keep it going as long as I can get current information.

[vino100]

Thanks for your thoughts on the red wines. I will definitely try Mondavi Reserve at Crown Grill.

 

We love the Mondavi reserve. The wine steward brought it to the MDR. Great service.

cruising rabbit .... Hope there is some left for our Ca coastal in 2019 ! 🍷

[koolforkatz]

Excellent source of information, Steelers36 - thanks for taking the time to do this!

[XBGuy]

Thank you for all the answers to my brief hijack of this thread.

 

I will now budget for some "wine education" on my next cruise.

 

Mr Indy is always in favor of education so I'm sure this will go right on past him. ;)

 

IndyGirl, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse, but I truly love introducing people to wine. If you and your husband would like to try some experiments--in the interest of education, of course--I have another idea.

 

It is interesting to compare wines, especially, wines made from the same grape variety. It is also interesting to compare "Old World" wines with "New World" wines.

 

In another thread, somebody displayed a picture of the Vines wine list.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=54775683#post54775683

 

The Ruffino Chianti Ducale Reserva is an Tuscan wine made from the Sangiovese grape. Right below it you'll see a Sangiovese wine from the Silverado winery of California. If you and your husband order one each of these, you can make your own comparisons between an Italian Sangiovese and a California one. Which one is fruitier? Which won is more tart? Any other differences?

 

You can do a similar test with Chardonnay-based wines. Compare the Seigneurie de Tanlay Chablis with, either the Chamisal "Stainless" Chardonnay or the Sanctuary Chardonnay. My guess is that you will find the Chablis more similar to the Chamisal than the Sanctuary (which I have never tried). Since both the Chablis and the Chamisal were not oaked, they should seem "leaner" and more acidic--the fruit flavors tend more towards citrus. Oak will give more buttery or caramel flavors.

 

But wait, here's another pair. The "Roc de l'Abbaye" Sancerre and the Silverado Sauvignon Blanc. For some reason or other, California makers of Sauvignon Blanc seem to go over-the-top with grapefruit flavor, the Sancerre should have much less up-front fruit. Sancerre is in the Loire Valley of France. While I don't get too wrapped around the axle about wine pairings, I love Loire Valley whites with oysters on the half-shell. If they are offering sushi at Vines, that should go well with either of these wines.

 

Most importantly, however, have fun.

[RocketMan275]

 

It's unfortunate they cannot put a little more effort into finding good value wines at a little higher price point and offer them at a "friendlier" mark up. I don't know the costs or situation for them, but those lowest cost wines pretty much in all cases have the biggest mark ups. I guess they just simply want to make a set amount per bottle and no regard for what it costs. Yes, I know land-based restaurants can have large mark-ups too, but some are not so bad compared to others.

 

The beverage manager at my golf club said that just doesn't work. He said the majority who order wine make their selections like this: they pick red/white based upon their entree, then they pick the cheapest red/white on the wine list. BTW, the house wine is La Terre. He does stock some slightly better selections but he is very limited by how expensive he can stock. He recommended we bring our own. Corkage is $15 PB.

[RocketMan275]

Thank you kindly for this spreadsheet @Steelers36 ... came in useful for checking if our favorites were available (not a single one) and with a quick survey of local big box beverage store about a mile from Port Everglades, we determined, exactly what your spreadsheet advises ... in most cases, you are better off bringing your bottle on board and paying the corkage. This way, we're sure what we are drinking is what we will like.

 

Added bonus: The store advises they will have our "box" waiting for us, so we'll swing by, pay for it and then continue to embarkation with a "box" to carry-on.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Thanks again!

--

CB

 

I would truly appreciate any who have "pre-ordered" provide an assessment of how this process worked. Was the "box" really ready?

 

Also, Total Wine says they can deliver in the local area. One wonders if that would work too?

[Woodinville]

I would truly appreciate any who have "pre-ordered" provide an assessment of how this process worked. Was the "box" really ready?

 

Also, Total Wine says they can deliver in the local area. One wonders if that would work too?

 

My experience (local branch) ... order online ... give at least 24 hours advance notice, and followed-up online order with a phone call a few hours later. Next day, walked in, went to customer service and they pointed me in the right direction to pick up my order.

 

Re delivery - that is a separate company (InstaCart) doing the shopping and then delivery -- they are contracting with a number of entities to do the delivery for them including supermarkets (QFC for instance). If they say they can do it in an hour or two, imagine they can come close.

 

Realize everyone's mileage may vary, I will repost if the above isn't our experience next week ... when we put it to the test in Fort Lauderdale. A store by the way that our previous transit time was less than a half-hour when we walked in cold and wandered the aisles pre-cruise, picking out a few of our favorites

 

Happy Holidays!

CB

[indygirl99]

IndyGirl, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse, but I truly love introducing people to wine. If you and your husband would like to try some experiments--in the interest of education, of course--I have another idea.

 

It is interesting to compare wines, especially, wines made from the same grape variety. It is also interesting to compare "Old World" wines with "New World" wines.

 

In another thread, somebody displayed a picture of the Vines wine list.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=54775683#post54775683

 

The Ruffino Chianti Ducale Reserva is an Tuscan wine made from the Sangiovese grape. Right below it you'll see a Sangiovese wine from the Silverado winery of California. If you and your husband order one each of these, you can make your own comparisons between an Italian Sangiovese and a California one. Which one is fruitier? Which won is more tart? Any other differences?

 

You can do a similar test with Chardonnay-based wines. Compare the Seigneurie de Tanlay Chablis with, either the Chamisal "Stainless" Chardonnay or the Sanctuary Chardonnay. My guess is that you will find the Chablis more similar to the Chamisal than the Sanctuary (which I have never tried). Since both the Chablis and the Chamisal were not oaked, they should seem "leaner" and more acidic--the fruit flavors tend more towards citrus. Oak will give more buttery or caramel flavors.

 

But wait, here's another pair. The "Roc de l'Abbaye" Sancerre and the Silverado Sauvignon Blanc. For some reason or other, California makers of Sauvignon Blanc seem to go over-the-top with grapefruit flavor, the Sancerre should have much less up-front fruit. Sancerre is in the Loire Valley of France. While I don't get too wrapped around the axle about wine pairings, I love Loire Valley whites with oysters on the half-shell. If they are offering sushi at Vines, that should go well with either of these wines.

 

Most importantly, however, have fun.

 

XBGuy

 

Thank you so much for this suggestion. This sounds like a fun afternoon activity on board.

 

None of our friends or local family drink or are interested in going to wine tastings and since we are adamant about not driving after drinking, local wine tastings are off the table.

 

But Vines would be a great "excursion". And the $8-12 a glass is about what I see for wines at our local restaurants.

 

If we are ever on the same cruise I will let you introduce me to some wines you find enjoyable.

[XBGuy]

XBGuy

 

Thank you so much for this suggestion. This sounds like a fun afternoon activity on board.

 

If we are ever on the same cruise I will let you introduce me to some wines you find enjoyable.

 

Deal.

 

My next cruise is on the Emerald Princess, April 27--Los Angeles-Alaska-Los Angeles.

 

Oh, and one more "education" idea. In Vines they offer "wine tastings" that are much more fun than the events that are offered in the dining rooms. Ask one of the Vines servers-- if there are any Stammtisch events scheduled for your cruise. These events are not well-advertised/promoted. You won't see it in the Princess Patters. You may see sign-up sheets in Vines. A Stammtisch is a tasting for a small group (10, or so) facilitated by one of the Vines servers. It is held at the large communal table, there, in VInes, and will also be on a sea day--usually, mid-afternoon. Each Stammtisch has a theme, such as "New World Reds" or "Old World Whites." Three wines will be tasted ("taste" is the operative word, not "glass") and little plates of noshes will be available--and these are, usually, pretty good. As I said on of the Vines guys will guide you through the event, but, again, in my view, much of the commentary seems to perpetuate wine mythologies. However, the pairing recommendations are, usually, pretty good. So, if you are tasting white wines, and he suggests you try the shrimp with it, he will usually add some good commentary about why the flavors of the wine and the shrimp complement each other. After you go through the three wines the facilitator will, usually, ask th

[XBGuy]

XBGuy

 

Thank you so much for this suggestion. This sounds like a fun afternoon activity on board.

 

If we are ever on the same cruise I will let you introduce me to some wines you find enjoyable.

 

Deal.

 

My next cruise is on the Emerald Princess, April 27--Los Angeles-Alaska-Los Angeles.

 

Oh, and one more "education" idea. In Vines they offer "wine tastings" that are much more fun than the events that are offered in the dining rooms. Ask one of the Vines servers if there are any Stammtisch events scheduled for your cruise. These events are not well-advertised/promoted. You won't see it in the Princess Patters. You may see sign-up sheets in Vines. A Stammtisch is a tasting for a small group (10, or so) facilitated by one of the Vines servers. It is held at the large communal table, there, in VInes, and will also be on a sea day--usually, mid-afternoon. Each Stammtisch has a theme, such as "New World Reds" or "Old World Whites." Three wines will be tasted ("taste" is the operative word, not "glass") and little plates of noshes will be available--and these are, usually, pretty good. As I said, one of the Vines guys will guide you through the event, but, again, in my view, much of the commentary seems to perpetuate wine mythologies. However, the pairing recommendations are, usually, pretty good. So, if you are tasting white wines, and he suggests you try the shrimp with it, he will usually add some good commentary about why the flavors of the wine and the shrimp complement each other. After you go through the three wines the facilitator will, usually, ask the group which of the three was the favorite. He will then open up another bottle or two and leave it on the table and the group can sit around, sip more wine and chat. It's really a pretty nice event. The tarriff is $15 pp.

[Steelers36]

XB - Thanks for the great suggestion about Vines. I am not sure I was aware of these. Sounds interesting and I will remember this. Unfortunately, there is no Vines on Island for our 60-nighter.

[Sugarmag13]

Thank you so much for all your info.

 

I have a question....how does everyone carry all their wine aboard?

I dont know how to manage more than 2.

[RocketMan275]

Thank you so much for all your info.

 

I have a question....how does everyone carry all their wine aboard?

I dont know how to manage more than 2.

 

Wife and I normally do seven day cruises. We each have a airline carry on sized roller luggage.

In the past, I have also brought a computer backpack I got at Walmart. I extend the handles on the roller bag, place the backpack on top of the roller bag, and use a couple of bungee cables to secure the backpack to the extended handles. The backpack will easily carry six bottles of wine and some additional stuff like phones, etc.

My latest plan is to use one of these wine carriers. I can either use the over the shoulder carry strap or attach it to the roller bag.

 

http://www.wineenthusiast.com/6-bottle-waxed-canvas-weekend-wine-bag.asp

 

We have been driving to the port. We fly on our next cruise so we will stop at total wine.

 

The website I link has other options.

[Sugarmag13]

THANKS!

 

That is a great idea to carry the wine onto the ship. AND a great birthday gift. My husband is a big wine guy and was totally laughing and appreciative of your list! We live in NY so will be getting a ride to the ship and that works for us.

 

This is why I love message boards!

[mnocket]

Newbie question... When arriving at the port and checking your baggage, how do they handle charging and marking your wine bottles?

[XBGuy]

Newbie question... When arriving at the port and checking your baggage, how do they handle charging and marking your wine bottles?

 

Discussed very nicely by Steelers36 in the first response to this thread:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2574556

 

Wine that you are bringing on board should be carried on--not packed in your checked baggage.

[Ginnyfyr]

That might not be a bad idea. I have only visited there on rare occasion so IDK if they tend to staff the bar with available bar tenders, or whether they staff it with crew that have had some training in wine-making and viticulture

 

Okay I'm asking here because it seems you guys know your wine.

 

I rarely drink because I do the driving and frankly I'm a lightweight where alcohol is concerned.

 

I have on a couple of occasions asked the bar tender in a restaurant to surprise me with what they thought was an appropriate glass of wine to accompany my meal and have had what I thought was a good glass. One bartender actually took the glass back and gave me a different glass of wine because he said he could tell by my face that I really didn't like what I had just tasted. The second glass was better but I thought the first glass was okay.

 

Since the Captain does not need me to help pilot the ship would Vines be a good place for me to try a different glass each day and would they give me a bit of education about what I am drinking? Or is that expecting to much?

 

Vines is my wine-loving husband's favourite spot on the ship, lol. I have found that the bartenders we've encountered there do tend to know their stuff and enjoy chatting about wine, so I think you will pick up some good information there.

[oskidunker]

The worst prices are on the French Champagne, which is very disappointing tome. I used to buy several bottles of Mums from France on every cruise. I think the Price was $55.00. They don,t have it anymore and the Cliquot price is ridiculous. Not going there. Not even one of my favorite champagnes. I now just drink Chandon which I like a lot. The Don Perignon used to be a fair price.

 

So is their goal to shove this stuff on people celebrating a special occasion who don’t know much about wine.

 

I have a wine cruzer which ai may start using again. Only really good wine seems to be Silverado right now. I do not like Shiraz. I agree the list is dumbed down ,not very interesting and over priced.

 

 

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[DaveinWhales]

There were definitely no wine packages available on a 14 night Sapphire Princess cruise last month.We asked several times to make sure.

Other than the 15 drink extortionate one the only package for alcohol was the buy 4 get 1 free beers .