Viking Beverage Package

[GBinVA]

We are going to be on the Tir next year for the Grand European Tour.  On our last river cruise the beverage package included bottle wines, which you could order at the dinner table, instead of the house wine.  The beverage menu is different from the one that we had in France, the bourbons and single malt scotch are different.  It also does not mention ordering bottle of wines.  Has anyone used the beverage package for the Grand European Tour?  Are you aware if you can order a bottle of wine.  Thanks

[tipsygirl]

We were not happy with the provided wines on our last Viking cruise, and did not like the wines included in the beverage package either.  Since Viking does not charge corkage we purchased wines at wine shops or grocery stores at each of our stops and took our own bottle to dinner each night.  Also found a nice cognac to sip after dinner.

[cruiselvr04]

We used the Silver Spirits package on our Grand European in June. We really enjoyed having the package and felt it was worthwhile.  We ordered a bottle of wine every night at dinner.  Not a huge amount of choices but we found ones we liked. We would have gotten tired of the same house wines every night. In addition to that we enjoyed a cocktail before dinner and sometimes after.  Although we could have brought wine on board we didn’t want to search for a bottle every day or two in port.

[3rdCoastFan]

If it's helpful, below is the wine list from my Rhine Getaway last spring. This should give you an idea of the variety available - many of these were available via the Silver Spirits package, too. 

[Capt_BJ]

IME on VR Danube and on VO Norway

 

there is a 'house red and white' each day but they are not the same wine every day .... IME it was different every day, usually aimed to accompany the menu esply on the river cruise where the menu adjusted to cuisine of the night's location

 

And as I recall with SS you get a discount on a bottle but a bottle was not included.  HOWEVER if your choice was available by the glass this WAS included and if Mrs and I each ordered a glass they were typically opening a bottle for us ... two glass each and we'd kill the bottle and 'by the glass' IS included in the SS

[pontac]

On 7/21/2019 at 1:19 PM, GBinVA said:

We are going to be on the Tir next year for the Grand European Tour

 

We travel with Viking most years and note there are changes from year to year, so what happens this year isn't necessarily going to happen next year.

 

The river fleet is now so large (70 boats) there's not identical house wines or wine lists on every cruise. 

 

But on every cruise we have been on those with the SS package could have any wine on the list that did not have the dreaded asterisk next to it (which are the most interesting and expensive wines). You are not restricted to wines they sell by the glass, as you can see from the list posted by @3rdCoastFan

 

You do not have to book SS in advance, you can wait till you get on board and check the bar menu and winelist for your cruise to see if SS is worthwhile.

[GBinVA]

Thanks for everyone's replies they have been helpful.

[Kenster]

We've done three Avalons and no other lines.  I am into fine wines and I can assure you that the wines served at dinner on our Avalon cruises were top notch and varied each night by the region we were sailing through.   On one cruise, there was one wine I liked so much that our waiter kept a couple of bottles stashed away for me, though I always tried the new ones each night.   I'm more of a red wine person but the various whites and blushes were all very good each night.  Free flowing and plentiful.  I can't imagine needing to buy a package when such high quality beverages are included.  I don't even think Avalon sells a  beverage package.  Maybe other lines pour the cheap stuff at dinner in hopes of people purchasing the premiums.