Whining about wine selection and prices

[dans0202]

I feel the need to whine about wine
I think the purpose of these boards is to educate, learn and exchange information.  I hope my comments don't result in insults.

I have been on 10 plus NCL cruises just for some background
I know and accept that NCL is and has been known for nickle and diming people.  Get them in cheap and then slowly take more.  I am all for making money and free competition.  I spend lots of money and just hope to get what I perceive as value for it.

All that said I am for some reason very bothered by NCLs wine by the glass and price list.  Year after year they reduce the list of wines covered by the beverage package and raise prices,  This year they took their $8 bottle of house wine (my best guess based on research I have done) and made it $17 a glass.  At 5 glasses a bottle that is $85 a bottle and a multipler of over 10.  A typical resturant has a multipler of 3 to 4 on a low end bottle and 2.5 to 3 on a high end bottle.  A 10 multiplier is insane IMO.

So what's a customer to do when they feel they are being fleeced.

Here are the options I came up with.  Fell free to add to list and critque.

1) accept the situation, pay a few bucks for average at best wine and perhaps vent to others about it.
2) be angry and do not order the wine
3) order even cheaper wine, hate it, not drink it and contribute to global waste
4) complain to NCL management and have your comments fall on deaf ears
5) complain to NCL front line staff but have them not follow up with management for fear of reprisal by management
6) order the average at best wine, pay $2 a glass, go to front desk and reduce your daily tips accordingly.  Tell staff if they want a fair wages (which everybody is entitled to) to tell management  to stop screwing customers and then people will not screw them in return.

Not sure I have the willingness to take option 6 but wish I did as this is the only way I see NCL getting the message as I am not prepared to be the never again with NCL person over $2.
 

[Zippeedee]

What about just pay the $15 and bring what you enjoy? I am the last person to ever "take a picnic" if there is anything I can conveniently buy that is better, but I will bring my own champagne on my next cruise. I am just beyond annoyed at the prices and lack of reasonable alternatives. 

After seeing a bartender at the theater bar on the Getaway carefully try to keep the label hidden on what turned out to be the same junk they give away for Latitudes Bronze and above, I have given up.

[DinaS]

You forgot option 7.

 

Don't cruise NCL.

 

The idea of reducing daily tips to the staff in order to punish NCL for their pricing decisions is really, really bad.  (And that's the only polite thing I can think of to say.)

[Greek Boss]

Either do Option 2 or just don't cruise with them anymore. Best thing you can do is protest by not giving them your money. Let the market decide their fate.

[SeaShark]

44 minutes ago, dans0202 said:

  A typical resturant has a multipler of 3 to 4 on a low end bottle and 2.5 to 3 on a high end bottle.  A 10 multiplier is insane IMO.

 

Maybe, but a "typical restaurant" doesn't require a staff of over 1,000 people, doesn't operate 24/7/365, and doesn't cost anywhere near where it does to build and operate a cruise ship. Don't see how that comparison isn't just apples and oranges.

[FLAHAM]

7.  Have a beer or cider (or a cocktail) with your meal.

8.  Bring your own wine and pay the $15/bottle corkage.

9.  Cruise on another line.

 

Choice 6 is a terrible idea. 

[Starry Eyes]

The OP’s options seem to be based on the premise that one has the beverage package and dislikes the less expensive wines by the glass on NCL’s wine list.  When I recently looked at the list, I am not surprised that it is an issue; the chooses did seem rather limited and overpriced.  

 

Rather than get the beverage package, we tend to bring bottles of wines we really enjoy and pay the corkage fees.  If it were not convenient to carry the wine on board, we might buy the multi bottle wine packages rather than the drink package.