Complimentary wines

[Vineyard View]

26 minutes ago, AmateurGO said:

If Mateus had been on the list when we were on our cruise, I might have ordered it in memory of long ago when I was about 25 (or younger) and would sometimes "splurge" on Mateus (or Lancers).  In those days, when its primary competition was Boones Farm and Gallo Burgundy (in the half gallon jug),  it was considered one of the "upscale" wines.😉  In the 50 years since then, both my tastes and wine quality in the US have changed a bit.

Flashback!

But that bottle made a cool candle holder. 😂
 

Regardless, the current list is pretty appalling. 
It would be really interesting to see HAL wine lists. I wouldn’t doubt that there is crossover. 
I hope people keep writing to Natalya. 
 

[Basfla]

59 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I was about 25 (or younger) and would sometimes "splurge" on Mateus (or Lancers). 

 

59 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

But that bottle made a cool candle holder. 😂

Yes it did. But even cooler was that at some point the Lancers came with caps to turn them into a salt and pepper shaker set. I grew up with these on the dinner table at our house.

 

[Sunprince]

On 9/14/2024 at 6:07 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

 

I'm not sure if you're joking.  In case you're serious please let me know if you find anything "fine" on the included list I have attached.

 

Currently on Pursuit.

 

We had a rude altercation with a waiter.  When I asked him what else he was pouring he said "what do you want?".  I expressed my desires and he didn't know what that was. Then he just walked away.  Came back 10 minutes later with more plonk. I asked if there were any "fine " wines like advertised. He snapped this is all we have - order from the revenue list. Then turned and disappeared. We have now been sitting for 20 minutes.  No one else was offered any wine.  Ultra luxury, I think not. We finally grabbed the restaurant manager who clearly was tired of the wine complaints.   Got some Champagne and placed a food order.

 

Eventually the Head Sommiler showed up. He was very kind, conciliatory and apologized for the problem with the included wines. He gave us a list, finally!  Agreed they were plonk.  Asked us to contact the head office. What a sad state of things.

 

We will be meeting with the HD about the rudeness.  The wine is a lost cause.

 

 

 

Any wine list (whether fine or otherwise) that lists a Beringer White Zinfandel in the category of Rose wine, is a joke (and not a funny one). Whether it is a corporate produced list or one developed by the ship doesn’t matter, it just tells me that whomever developed that list knows nothing about wine, and likely doesn’t care either.  

[highplanesdrifters]

8 minutes ago, Sunprince said:

Any wine list (whether fine or otherwise) that lists a Beringer White Zinfandel in the category of Rose wine, is a joke (and not a funny one). Whether it is a corporate produced list or one developed by the ship doesn’t matter, it just tells me that whomever developed that list knows nothing about wine, and likely doesn’t care either.  

 

We are still laughing about the Berringer.  Seriously!

 

An update to the wine saga on Pursuit.   The Head Sommelier sought us out last night.  He believes he has permission from corporate to buy some wine in Papeete.   I had earlier told them the the CareFour there was ramping up their wine section. Technically the wine will come from a grocery store, but they have always had a decent selection.   He was also kind enough to ask us what are wine drinking preferences were.    Stay tuned.

[Huggsy]

Hubby and I are embarking on our first SB cruise next June - all these reports of downgraded wines and the non existence of cognac are sounding very unattractive indeed. Doesn't exactly add to the excitement of looking forward to our trip.

 

[Sunprince]

57 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

The Head Sommelier sought us out last night.  He believes he has permission from corporate to buy some wine in Papeete. 

Perhaps Seabourn should try a new option of “shopping with the Sommelier”. At least then you could tell the Sommelier what to buy!

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, Sunprince said:

Perhaps Seabourn should try a new option of “shopping with the Sommelier”. At least then you could tell the Sommelier what to buy!

 

Don't laugh....we discussed that possibility for Papeete.   At least they listened and are trying to rectify the situation.  

[Vineyard View]

3 hours ago, Huggsy said:

Hubby and I are embarking on our first SB cruise next June - all these reports of downgraded wines and the non existence of cognac are sounding very unattractive indeed. Doesn't exactly add to the excitement of looking forward to our trip.

 

Maybe, Write an email to Natalya stating just this. 

[brittany12]

Maybe the Seattle team, which if they are smart, as we must assume they are and actually have some person monitoring these comments to learn what their customers really think, would see the effect of the bad vibes being passed along by frequent sailors to repeat customers and prospective new sailors. None of us though should expect anything more by comments here and writing to Natalya than maybe, maybe, removing the real dregs like the $4.49 Beringer White zin  from the lists and no major flip to across the board high complementary quality wines. They can't because they have, and have always had, and need now more than ever, a business model seeking greater revenue from forcing us to go to the premium lists in frustration and disgust with their lower end offerings. At a minimum, they should finally change their dishonest marketing ploy "fine wines" to just "wines."

[stan01]

Just curious, if people have written to Seabourn on the quality of wines and spirits what was their response?

[galeforce9]

Not complimentary but glad to report that the Retreat champagne mid cruise has taken a turn for the better 😀🥂🍾

[brittany12]

Several have said they have written and gotten mostly cut and paste "thank you for your comments" and "there's always the premium list you can choose from" replies. Put another way, I have seen no one say that what they got one was a "We've listened to your comments about our complementary wines very carefully, and those from others,  and are pleased to let you know we are going to do something significant about it." We can wait a long time for that one.

[Viking1966]

I am glad this topic is garnering some interest. Our last Seabourn cruise was in October last year and currently no plans to sail again in the next 12 months (normally cruise once a year at least with Seabourn). The included (not complimentary) wine list is an embarrassment and an insult regardless of whether you are a wine connoisseur or casual wine drinker. La Scolca Gavi should be the lowest quality wine on the list and don't get me started on Beringer White Zinfandel. This is unfortunately a symptom of a much bigger problem.

Ultra Luxury is at a minimum: 

Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio, not Tatachilla Pinot Grigio 

Fever Tree Tonic, not Polar tonic 

Luxardo cherries, not Maraschino Cherries

Cognac VSOP, not Cognac VS

 

On our last cruise served a corn chowder with no potatoes or bacon. The chronic problem of food descriptions not matching what is presented on the plate was commonplace and very disappointing. Food and Beverage on Seabourn is not an ultra-luxury experience.

 

I could go on, but a systematic downgrading of products will not change unless you vote with your pocketbook. The home office is aware of the situation, it is their policy to save money. Hope to sail with Seabourn again, but not until this changes. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sunprince]

I would be really interested is seeing the current wine list from the Odyssey farewell cruise. Can someone post it please. I’d like to know if they are serving the Beringer White Zin (and other sub-par offerings) to the longtime Seabourn guests on that sailing…or is the wine list better for that sailing??

[marazul]

1 minute ago, Sunprince said:

I would be really interested is seeing the current wine list from the Odyssey farewell cruise. Can someone post it please. I’d like to know if they are serving the Beringer White Zin (and other sub-par offerings) to the longtime Seabourn guests on that sailing…or is the wine list better for that sailing??

And have any of the current Odyssey passengers raised this issue with the executives who are on this sailing? 

[Robisan]

2 hours ago, Viking1966 said:

I could go on, but a systematic downgrading of products will not change unless you vote with your pocketbook. The home office is aware of the situation, it is their policy to save money. Hope to sail with Seabourn again, but not until this changes.

Last fall we booked 46 days LA to Sydney on Quest this November. Due to significant health issues (thankfully OK now) we very reluctantly cancelled in June prior to penalty. We very much hoped to rebook if/when we were well enough to go. However, the fare has now increased fully 30% and combined with the troubling changes of late - particularly liquor degradation and apparent (cash flow related?) shortages and venue rationing of usual supplies - we cannot justify rebooking this cruise or any cruise with SB until it firmly resolves just what product they are going to be.

[Covepointcruiser]

On 9/13/2024 at 7:42 PM, Vineyard View said:

I have responded to the ‘scripted’ email I received in response. I have no problem pushing back on smoke and mirrors positioning. I channeled the current list on some ships, and felt that these changes were in the wrong direction. I suggested that Natalia, from what I have heard and read, would probably want to be made aware of the increased levels of dissatisfaction. 
who knows, might be a huge waste of time and energy. 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

Probably a waste of time to email Natalia.   If whoever reads the email is smart they will know the number of passengers who recently sailed against the number of complaint emails.    We don’t want the fares to increase and readily use our onboard credit to purchase the wine we like.   We don’t want to pay higher fares for your higher end alcohol.

[Sunprince]

15 hours ago, marazul said:

And have any of the current Odyssey passengers raised this issue with the executives who are on this sailing? 

I would also be interested in knowing the answer to that question.  Based on multiple daily postings on that other social media site, they all seem to be having a jolly time and are quite enthralled with the crew. Something tells me they aren’t being served the White Zin!

[brittany12]

I think the group of us who care about Seabourn meeting its promise to supply those of us who choose to buy their product that incudes "fine wines," and gaining traction here with our very mostly common views that what they are doing is wrong, and maybe the many thousands of other cruisers out there who don't know about or go on cruisecritric.com and just silently accept the free wines they find onboard or buy the better product for cash or OBCs, would be satisfied if Seabourn would even meet a new standard of just providing what I would call good and decent wines.

 

As part of this, they should stop the false "fine wines" advertising that sucks in hopeful but gullible people and does not give those of us who have bought their product based on the seller's total promise the benefit of the bargain we have purchased. It's just not puffery, it's very possibly consumer fraud. Advertising has to be honest....on land and sea, whether a car or a cruise. If a car manufacturer would advertise that its car had "fine leather upholstery" and instead the car you bought came with polyester seats, that would be consumer fraud. 

 

 

[Lemorvan]

On 9/17/2024 at 9:33 PM, Sunprince said:

Any wine list (whether fine or otherwise) that lists a Beringer White Zinfandel in the category of Rose wine, is a joke (and not a funny one). Whether it is a corporate produced list or one developed by the ship doesn’t matter, it just tells me that whomever developed that list knows nothing about wine, and likely doesn’t care either.  

Why have they listed the Louis Latour Ardèche wine twice in the same category?

[Mahogany]

6 minutes ago, Lemorvan said:

Why have they listed the Louis Latour Ardèche wine twice in the same category?

To pad the list? Make it look longer, and think we might not notice? 🤣

[2SailingNomads]

On 9/15/2024 at 5:11 PM, diebroke said:

Just saw this included wine list on Explora Journeys. Looks nicer.

 

Much better and they don't run out... unlike on our recent Encore cruise.

[Lemorvan]

Not a single red or white Burgundy on that list.