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.
 

[mjkacmom]

We bring wine on and pay the corkage fee.

[trivimp]

7) Order a martini 

[All-ready2cruise]

The one and only way to have wine that your want, your way, is to bring your own wine. Simple. 

 

[dans0202]

I do agree with the bring your own and will do that in the future.

I sail in a few days and picked the free drinks.  My mistake which I will not make in the future.

 

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, dans0202 said:

I do agree with the bring your own and will do that in the future.

I sail in a few days and picked the free drinks.  My mistake which I will not make in the future.

 

 Would you prefer a different perk for this sailing in a few days?  If so, you may be able to change your perk if you act quickly.  Can somebody remind me, please...is the cut off 2 days before sailing?

[steelersfan4ever]

7) Try a different cruise line

[ColeThornton]

17 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

 Would you prefer a different perk for this sailing in a few days?  If so, you may be able to change your perk if you act quickly.  Can somebody remind me, please...is the cut off 2 days before sailing?

 

 

From the T/C's of the CURRENT promotion:

 

Free at Sea choice(s) must be selected at least 24 hours prior to sailing and cannot be changed on board.
Bookings made within 24 hours to departure can choose promotion at time of booking.

[seemoreroyals]

8.) Don't get the drink package.

 

One piece of good news though.  We just got off the joy and the blended East West was back to $9 a glass throughout the ship.  

 

 

[Pens fan]

Are the wine prices ridiculous?  Of course, they are.  But at the end of the day we aren't going to let it spoil our fun.  Our strategy is pretty simple:

 

1.  Bring on a couple bottles of wine and pay the corkage fee.

2.  Try some new cocktails.  We rarely drink anything but wine at home, so it's nice to have the freedom to try new things and know the drink package covers it.

3.  Occasionally pay the small upcharge for a better glass of wine, though we've usually managed to find at least one or two decent wines that fall under the drink package limit.  That's the beauty of the package.  If we don't like the wine, we order a different one until we find one we do enjoy.

 

At the end of the day we are probably out less than $50 for upcharges / corkage fees at the end of the cruise.  I'm not going to sweat about that on vacation, but that's just me.

[miataman19]

I have the Premium Plus upgrade so I'll be drinking my wine in The Cellars Wine Bar on Escape. Also a Bourbon drinker so I'll also be ordering some better Bourbons. Oh, I'll be ordering some  Veuve Clicquot “Yellow Label” Champagne with each dinner so I'll be OK...lol

[dgreeney]

You can bring as many bottles of wine on board. Carry on good wine and pay the $15.00 corkage fee. That works out to about $2.50 a glass.  That is a lot better than paying an exhorbitant price for mediocre wine. 

Also consider that you are paying at least double the price of wine per bottle in a restaurant.

If you are lucky, the desk where you pay the corkage fee may be busy and you could walk right by it without paying.  I wouldn't do that but I've seen others do it and comment about it on Cruisecritic.