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[D C]

On 8/12/2023 at 8:21 AM, terrydtx said:

I would prefer to sit on a real open balcony with a blanket even in Alaska.

Amen! 

Looking at Alaskan scenery from INSIDE my room would suck. 

[Lynn2629]

On 8/14/2023 at 10:59 AM, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

So ultimately as I suspected, this is a skewed comparison. For double occupancy the Crystal cruise is still significantly more. 

So then I would say that for a SOLO traveler, you can enjoy a luxury cruise on Crystal for less than the price of a premium cruise on Celebrity. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lynn2629

[neverlaysup]

On 8/13/2023 at 12:42 PM, Gracie115 said:

The MDR used to have Sommelier's, haven't seen that in a long time.

We just sailed the Millie a few weeks ago.....lots of Sommeliers running around the MDR.

[Gracie115]

4 minutes ago, neverlaysup said:

We just sailed the Millie a few weeks ago.....lots of Sommeliers running around the MDR.

 

Yes, I have been corrected several times.  I just never saw one in MDR on Apex in April, must have been busy that night.

[neverlaysup]

6 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Yes, I have been corrected several times.  I just never saw one in MDR on Apex in April, must have been busy that night.

That's happened to us as well. On the Silhouette TA last October, for the first two nights in the MDR, the sommelier didn't even get to our table until mid entree.....I was pretty peeved since I had told my waiter a few times to either get the somm or deliver us some wine. Funny part was that the table next to us was an 8 top ordering nice bottles so the sommelier just fawned over them and ignored the rest of us.It got better after I had a few words with the head waiter but was pretty bad for the entire cruise. On the last few nights, the waiter just brought us the bottle of what we were ordering by the glass so we could pour our own.

Edited August 16, 2023 by neverlaysup

[Want2Cruise 701]

We were on our first Princess cruise to Alaska this summer. We did enjoy it very much. We sailed for much less including Princess plus than X for a base fare and non-refundable deposit. Our deposit with Princess was refundable if need be. 
 

I do like Celebrity a little better, and we are Elite but would not sail Celebrity if the cost was much greater. I don’t think the little extras are worth the increase X is charging these days. 
 

We also were in a regular veranda as opposed to Suites on our last 5 Celebrity cruises. The experience was still the same.  I didn’t miss the Retreat experience so on our next Celebrity cruise we are sailing in a regular veranda. 

[Whinenowine]

17 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

We just sailed the Millie a few weeks ago.....lots of Sommeliers running around the MDR.

Do you think they knew their stuff? Last year on both the Edge and MIllie there was a sufficient number of Somms...but I was disappointed with their general knowledge (or lack thereof)--including in Fine Cut/Tuscan Grill.

[doghog]

18 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

We just sailed the Millie a few weeks ago.....lots of Sommeliers running around the MDR.

Same with our last two cruises on the Summit and Apex. Our glasses were always topped off. We even had to tell the Sommeliers no more. We make it easy on them. We drink the wine we prefer, not what they suggest/recommend. We tell the Sommeliers our choice(s) of wine(s) when he/she introduces themselves to us. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by doghog

[zitsky]

Sommeliers can’t do much if the offerings are crap to begin with.  You shouldn’t have to buy a bottle to get good wine.

[poeticlicensed]

On 8/17/2023 at 9:14 AM, Whinenowine said:

Do you think they knew their stuff? Last year on both the Edge and MIllie there was a sufficient number of Somms...but I was disappointed with their general knowledge (or lack thereof)--including in Fine Cut/Tuscan Grill.

I have a neighbor who went to school to be a sommelier after be sold his company and retired. He told us a trained sommelier makes big $$$. No way can a cruise company afford to hire dozens of sommeliers for each ship Most likely is that the head sommelier on the ship is educated, and he/she gives training to the staff. Its fine with me, I know enough about wine to tell them what I like and have them bring me wines to try. 

[wrk2cruise]

I'm sure training to be a sommelier on Celebrity is a computer based training course and a quiz to pass.  Then pick up your vest.

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I'm sure training to be a sommelier on Celebrity is a computer based training course and a quiz to pass.  Then pick up your vest.

Our sommelier in Luminae couldn’t even tell me if I should have the Moscato or the Chardonnay with my burger.  He kept offering wines from some place I’ve never heard of called “Napa” when everyone knows the best wines are from Lodi. 🙄

 

Seriously these folks may be trained (I doubt it), but the product is sub par.

Edited September 2, 2023 by zitsky

[poeticlicensed]

9 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Our sommelier in Luminae couldn’t even tell me if I should have the Moscato or the Chardonnay with my burger.  He kept offering wines from some place I’ve never heard of called “Napa” when everyone knows the best wines are from Lodi. 🙄

 

Seriously these folks may be trained (I doubt it), but the product is sub par.

The thought of a Moscato with a burger makes me queasy. Thats really unfortunate. Even with limited training they should know the very basics. 

[hcat]

I believe accredited sommeliers have to study and pass levels to receive their pins. It is interesting to engage them in conversation to find out their background, and to push wines from Long Island NY!

[terrydtx]

40 minutes ago, poeticlicensed said:

I have a neighbor who went to school to be a sommelier after be sold his company and retired. He told us a trained sommelier makes big $$$. No way can a cruise company afford to hire dozens of sommeliers for each ship Most likely is that the head sommelier on the ship is educated, and he/she gives training to the staff. Its fine with me, I know enough about wine to tell them what I like and have them bring me wines to try. 

We had dinner last week at our favorite local 5 star restaurant and they have a sommelier that knew so much about every wine on their list I inquired about, I was very impressed. They have over 300 wines up to several thousands in cost. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

25 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Our sommelier in Luminae couldn’t even tell me if I should have the Moscato or the Chardonnay with my burger.  He kept offering wines from some place I’ve never heard of called “Napa” when everyone knows the best wines are from Lodi

You mean Chateau Gallo? 

Edited September 2, 2023 by terrydtx

[zitsky]

11 minutes ago, poeticlicensed said:

The thought of a Moscato with a burger makes me queasy. Thats really unfortunate. Even with limited training they should know the very basics. 

I was joking just a little.  I wasn’t joking about Lodi.  😂

 

I was given decent champagne one night then next night told he “got in trouble” for offering it.

 

The wines by the bottle may be ok but by the glass it’s terrible.

[zitsky]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

You mean Chateau Gallo? 

No.  That’s the good stuff.  😳

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, zitsky said:

No.  That’s the good stuff.  😳

As good as Two Buck Chuck AKA Charles Krug?

[xamsx]

25 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Our sommelier in Luminae couldn’t even tell me if I should have the Moscato or the Chardonnay with my burger.  He kept offering wines from some place I’ve never heard of called “Napa” when everyone knows the best wines are from Lodi. 🙄

 

Seriously these folks may be trained (I doubt it), but the product is sub par.

One of favorite NYS wineries is located in Lodi. I buy (too much of) their 76 West (Lamoreaux) every year.  it is inexpensive when young, and many years age well. 🙂

[terrydtx]

10 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I was joking just a little.  I wasn’t joking about Lodi.  😂

 

I was given decent champagne one night then next night told he “got in trouble” for offering it.

 

The wines by the bottle may be ok but by the glass it’s terrible.

Our favorite California wines are from Paso Robles and the Russian River area.

[poeticlicensed]

8 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

As good as Two Buck Chuck AKA Charles Krug?

Remember the two buck chuck phenom? Sometimes I can find a decent wine at TJs, but def not 2 buck chuck 

[hcat]

23 minutes ago, hcat said:

I believe accredited sommeliers have to study and pass levels to receive their pins. It is interesting to engage them in conversation to find out their background, and to push wines from Long Island NY!

https://professionaldrinking.com/2017/04/13/what-does-your-sommeliers-lapel-pin-mean/

[zitsky]

13 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

As good as Two Buck Chuck AKA Charles Krug?

You’re getting closer.

[zitsky]

12 minutes ago, xamsx said:

One of favorite NYS wineries is located in Lodi. I buy (too much of) their 76 West (Lamoreaux) every year.  it is inexpensive when young, and many years age well. 🙂

Everyone knows the best Lodi wines are from 5 miles north of town.

 

Like Terry, I prefer Central Coast.