Where to find fancy wine on S-class, now that Cellar Masters is disappearing?

[zitsky]

7 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Craft Social isn't like all the others at all, it is genuine 'Sports Bar' with the atmosphere to match.

 

Now I can well understand that you might not want a sports bar in place of Cellar Masters, but last time i was on a ship with a Cellar Masters it was empty the majority of the time whereas Craft Social on a recent cruise with only 50% capacity onboard was lively and had a great atmosphere every night. 

 

X could have promoted CM better. Had more wine tastings, classes etc.  Call me a snob but I think X is going down to the lowest common denominator with Craft Social.  

 

Edit:  I won't be on a ship with CS anytime soon but I would like to know if they have any porters, stouts or IPAs or is just Heineken and junk like that?

Edited October 15, 2021 by zitsky

[Bo1953]

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

X could have promoted CM better. Had more wine tastings, classes etc.  Call me a snob but I think X is going down to the lowest common denominator with Craft Social.  

z- who could call you a snob??? Just particular...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[TeeRick]

One of the things I enjoyed about CM was it's quiet atmosphere to get a last drink at night before retiring to my cabin.  And also that CM actually had one of the best selections of whisky/whiskey on board the ship in addition to wine.

[zitsky]

5 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

z- who could call you a snob??? Just particular...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

 

You know you're dealing with a master when you don't know if you've been insulted or paid a compliment.  😊

[Bo1953]

32 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

You know you're dealing with a master when you don't know if you've been insulted or paid a compliment.  😊

Grasshopper - know that I do not do this often or do I?

 

😎

 

bon voyage

[markeb]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

X could have promoted CM better. Had more wine tastings, classes etc.  Call me a snob but I think X is going down to the lowest common denominator with Craft Social.  

 

Edit:  I won't be on a ship with CS anytime soon but I would like to know if they have any porters, stouts or IPAs or is just Heineken and junk like that?

Did you look at the link that was posted? Dogfish 90 and Rogue 7 Hop, Chimay Red and Blue, Delirium Tremens. Plus an entire specialty list of mostly very high end and high ABV Belgians. There are some more pedestrian beers, but it’s a heck of a beer list. And beer definitely has a best by, so there’s a decent investment in getting it right if that’s representative of what’s onboard. 

[zitsky]

36 minutes ago, markeb said:

Did you look at the link that was posted? Dogfish 90 and Rogue 7 Hop, Chimay Red and Blue, Delirium Tremens. Plus an entire specialty list of mostly very high end and high ABV Belgians. There are some more pedestrian beers, but it’s a heck of a beer list. And beer definitely has a best by, so there’s a decent investment in getting it right if that’s representative of what’s onboard. 

 

No.  Are you referring to the link to Celebrity.com or is there a separate list for Craft Social that I missed?  I only saw a very ordinary short list on X.com.

Edited October 15, 2021 by zitsky

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

X could have promoted CM better. Had more wine tastings, classes etc.  Call me a snob but I think X is going down to the lowest common denominator with Craft Social.  

 

Edit:  I won't be on a ship with CS anytime soon but I would like to know if they have any porters, stouts or IPAs or is just Heineken and junk like that?

If you won’t be on anytime soon then why would you care?!

[downsmead]

The Silhouette had hardly any Craft beers when we sailed on her in July, my husband was very disappointed in the offering.

[zitsky]

9 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

If you won’t be on anytime soon then why would you care?!

 

And since this is not my last cruise I would like to know about other ships as well as my own.

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by zitsky

[Beachlover1989]

5 hours ago, canderson said:

Q for those who might know:

 

What's up with these Celebrity-Grgich Hills 'co-sponsored' wines, or whatever you would call them?

 

Chardonnay, Opulence by Celebrity Cruises and Grgich Hills

Cabernet Sauvignon, Opulence by Celebrity Cruises and Grgich Hills

 

Grgich makes pretty drinkable stuff.  Anyone tried either of them?

 

 

 

canderson, On our last several cruises, including on the Millennium in August, we have really enjoyed the Opulence Chardonnay at, I think, about $1.20 a glass over the PBP.  Pretty inexpensive compared to a bottle of Grgich Hills Chardonnay you can get on land. I highly recommend it.

[zitsky]

I found this Craft Social menu from last year.

 

 

[canderson]

2 hours ago, Beachlover1989 said:

canderson, On our last several cruises, including on the Millennium in August, we have really enjoyed the Opulence Chardonnay at, I think, about $1.20 a glass over the PBP.  Pretty inexpensive compared to a bottle of Grgich Hills Chardonnay you can get on land. I highly recommend it.

Will definitely give it a try.  Rumor has it (on Vivino, anyway) that the oak is pretty minimal.

[the penguins]

16 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

So instead of a nice bar for wine drinkers, it's just one more ordinary bar, just like all the others???

Not like any other, now it's a sports bar, lots of screens. Cellar Masters was a dead space on recent Slhouette with 50% capacity Craft Central was always busy. 

[chemmo]

2 hours ago, the penguins said:

Not like any other, now it's a sports bar, lots of screens. Cellar Masters was a dead space on recent Slhouette with 50% capacity Craft Central was always busy. 

We visited just to see the glasses fill up from the bottom!!!

 

 

[upwarduk]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

We visited just to see the glasses fill up from the bottom!!!

 

 

Our only visit was as an exit from the ship for a tour. 😱

I was very surprised that there was a way out.

I did notice quite a few screens, I would describe it as a Sports Bar.

[jg51]

On 10/15/2021 at 8:44 AM, FLCruiser97 said:

Maybe some one can post a wine list.

 

23 hours ago, canderson said:

Here is what I received earlier this week from the shore-side folks:Wine List - By the Glass and Bottle Pricing.pdf 312.93 kB · 68 downloads

 

23 hours ago, zitsky said:

...  Isn't it true that each venue has a slightly different list?  I am searching for a Blu wine list.  ...  I recall seeing that some venues would have the Zonin Rose but not the Zonin Prosecco, which I like.

.

The wines-by-glass pages of the above-linked list show what is availabe in the MDR.  From recent experience on Equinox, we know the following:

 

(1) Only some (usually far fewer than half) of the wines listed on those pages can be found at most other venues (the various bars).  {Sorry, "z," but we don't know how many of them are on the Blu list; maybe all of them are.  Almost certainly all are available in Luminae [sic].}

 

(2) Some of the specialty restaurants have their own supplemental wines-by-the-glass lists, which include products that are not on the list that is linked above.  Tuscan Grille and Murano, for example, each had almost ten kinds of wine (available by the glass) that are not on the list that is linked above.  You can view them ...

... here ...

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2796219-live-equinox-81521-ultimate-caribbean-it’s-finally-here/?do=findComment&comment=61705302

... and here ...

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2796219-live-equinox-81521-ultimate-caribbean-it’s-finally-here/?do=findComment&comment=61682214

 

For "zitsky" (despite past sarcasm) ...

We were unable to find a Blu wine list for you.  However, we are CERTAIN that you will enjoy viewing the following page from a 2018 cruise (which reveals that some Blu menus mention some wines that are not on the current MDR list):

http://thepreismans.com/suez_italy_menus_blu.htm

 

Have fun!

.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by jg51

[zitsky]

7 hours ago, the penguins said:

Not like any other, now it's a sports bar, lots of screens. Cellar Masters was a dead space on recent Slhouette with 50% capacity Craft Central was always busy. 

 

Are those TVs on mute or are they blaring all day?

 

@jg51 thank you for the wine lists.

Edited October 16, 2021 by zitsky

[jg51]

9 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

Are those TVs on mute or are they blaring all day?

 

@jg51 thank you for the wine lists.

.

On Equinox, the TVs were muted.  The CSB is a pleasant place, in our opinion.

[zitsky]

37 minutes ago, jg51 said:

.

On Equinox, the TVs were muted.  The CSB is a pleasant place, in our opinion.

 

Oh @jg51 I am so disappointed. I thought you would join me in my crusade against CSB.  😂

[Mark_T]

On 10/15/2021 at 4:19 PM, zitsky said:

 

X could have promoted CM better. Had more wine tastings, classes etc.  Call me a snob but I think X is going down to the lowest common denominator with Craft Social. 

I don't know how much more they could have tried to promote the various tastings and classes on our previous cruise on Millennium, we did try one of each and generally were unimpressed. 

 

I think the problem is really the wine list and the markup.

 

If they make it interesting with the better quality wines the cost would be prohibitive, if the price is right they are limited to much less interesting wines.

 

CM as an evening destination just wasn't working when we last saw it.

 

CS very clearly was.

 

A sports bar really does seem to hit a point that all the other don't, there are plenty of 'sophisticated' bar options where you might try to relocate some of the better wines perhaps, but a wine bar as a destination in itself just doesn't seem to draw enough people to make it worth doing on Celebrity. 

 

[zitsky]

52 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

I don't know how much more they could have tried to promote the various tastings and classes on our previous cruise on Millennium, we did try one of each and generally were unimpressed. 

 

I think the problem is really the wine list and the markup.

 

If they make it interesting with the better quality wines the cost would be prohibitive, if the price is right they are limited to much less interesting wines.

 

CM as an evening destination just wasn't working when we last saw it.

 

CS very clearly was.

 

A sports bar really does seem to hit a point that all the other don't, there are plenty of 'sophisticated' bar options where you might try to relocate some of the better wines perhaps, but a wine bar as a destination in itself just doesn't seem to draw enough people to make it worth doing on Celebrity. 

 

 

Very disappointed.   I was getting my tux dry cleaned for my next visit to Cellar Masters.  I guess now all I'll need are jeans and a backwards baseball cap for Craft Social?

 

🤣

[drakes2]

3 hours ago, Mark_T said:

I think the problem is really the wine list and the markup.

I agree. Even though I'm upgrading to the PBP its not for the wine selection. I plan to try some of the specialty coffees, a baileys in the evening and the better water.   I have some fabulous cabs at home which I will  bring onboard.

[bikerunner]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

Very disappointed.   I was getting my tux dry cleaned for my next visit to Cellar Masters.  I guess now all I'll need are jeans and a backwards baseball cap for Craft Social?

 

🤣

Damm I’ll miss seeing the people who think they are more refined drinking in cellar masters    Met more real people in jeans and baseball caps then those who dress in tuxes. 

[zitsky]

24 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

Damm I’ll miss seeing the people who think they are more refined drinking in cellar masters    Met more real people in jeans and baseball caps then those who dress in tuxes. 

 

All kidding aside, I'm sure they did marketing surveys and 80% said they want a beer cave.  So that's what they did.  I guess those of us looking for a nice wine experience can get lost.