Question Regarding Onboard Wine Tasting Activities

[mahdnc]

For our Solstice Trans-Pacific 17 night sailing next year, I am thinking or participating in some of the wine tasting activities.  Up to now, I have not done any of them including the Captains Club Wine Tasting.  So I would appreciate everyone's feedback on the following activities (comparative feedback would be the most helpful, of course):

 

Captains Club Wine Tasting

Food & Wine Pairing ($51.99 pp)

World Wine Tour ($51.99 pp)

Riedel Wine Workshop ($51.99 pp)

Riedel Comparative Wine Crystal Workshop ($82.99)

Premium Wine Tasting ($188.99)

 

 

 

 

Edited August 28 by mahdnc

[jelayne]

We haven’t done the Captains Club wine tasting in a few years.  Our experience was 60+ people, very entry level wines. 
 

We did the World Tour once.  Group for that was about 25-30.  It was okay, wines were better and since our sommelier ran it he took the best wines left and served them to us at dinner.

[redjetz]

We did the Premium Wine tasting and it was enjoyable; good well-chosen wines of several countries, though at a lower price point just 18 months ago. We had a plate of cheeses, meats, and fruits and were led through tastings with them showcased each wine’s characteristics. 
 

The World Tour and Captains Club tastings were basic, and as Jelayne said, the World Tour was better. Both a one-and-done, I think.

 

The Reidel tastings using the company’s crystal glasses designed for each wine type vs. a plain, generic wine glass was fun and worth the time and money, I thought.

[bikerunner]

The world wine tour is okay, 2 wines, red and white from various countries.  Nothing special overall but if you can get it good price I would do it.  The premium they upped in price a lot.  I think when I did it, it was like 100 pp and it was enjoyable.  I know on my TA in April this year they added the Veuve Cliquot tasting, was never listed in cruise planner and only found out about by asking one of the wine stewards when on board and purchased it.  That was lots of fun and well worth it overall.  The wine and food pairing, if you have not done anything like it before it is very good, but if you know wines and some semblance of food pairing not worth it overall.  Tho Ill admit I did learn one thing doing it, I am overall not a fan of cabernet sauvignon, more Pinot Noir overall, but found it palatable with the tasting/pairing of parmesan Reggiano   

[LB_NJ]

I wouldn't pay more than around $30 pp for the world wine tour.  Have done it a couple of times.

 

The wines are not the best.  Probably $10-$25 dollar range in a liquor store.  You will probably get to try better wines at your local wine store for free when they have tastings.  However, it can be fun and if you don't have a drink package it is OK.  They also put out a spread of cheese and fruit.

 

It also depends on the quality of the people running the tasting.  IF THEY ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE it helps.  

[canderson]

6 hours ago, mahdnc said:

For our Solstice Trans-Pacific 17 night sailing next year, I am thinking or participating in some of the wine tasting activities.  Up to now, I have not done any of them including the Captains Club Wine Tasting.  So I would appreciate everyone's feedback on the following activities (comparative feedback would be the most helpful, of course):

 

Captains Club Wine Tasting

Food & Wine Pairing ($51.99 pp)

World Wine Tour ($51.99 pp)

Riedel Wine Workshop ($51.99 pp)

Riedel Comparative Wine Crystal Workshop ($82.99)

Premium Wine Tasting ($188.99)

Can comment only only a few of these:

 

Food & Wine Pairing -

If you've not ever done one of these before, and aren't already fairly experienced, if nothing else, it will get you thinking about what wines you'll most likely enjoy with what food.  Why in the world would a person want a sweeter Riesling (Spatlese) with a pork loin cooked in apples and onions?  If finding out why there are some 'standard' pairings that work pretty well for everyone is of interest, give it a try.

 

World Wine Tour -

IIRC, either four or six tables with 2 whites and 2 reds each.  Nothing truly outstanding is likely to be served, but you may be introduced to some grape varietals that you'd never tried before and could now identify, and may want to try again, perhaps in a better quality bottle.  As I noted in another thread, watch for any silent auction on odd bottles that the host always forgets to announce.

 

Riedel Wine Workshop -

If this is the one we did years ago, they were supplying a 4 pack of fairly nice glasses and a coupon for 4 more at a discounted price that you could order once you got home.  At $51.99 in 2024 dollars, not likely that they're including these now.  That said, you'll have a chance to see if you agree with the concept that the shape of the bowl and opening of a wine glass has a substantial impact on your sense of the taste of the particular wine served in it.  While it can be demonstrated to most objective observers that there are differences (which is why no one would ever think to serve a Pinot Noir in a Champagne flute), whether it matters to the extent that Riedel claims with their many different styles within each family of their stemware is something you'll have to judge for yourself.  We found it interesting, but like any company with a product to sell ...

 

Premium Wine Tasting -

Whoa - this one can be all over the map.  First, it depends upon what's being offered on a given cruise.  Equally important, it depends upon who is doing the presentation, whether they know their stuff, and whether you can understand what they're saying given venue, accent, etc.  We've had both very good and very mediocre experiences.  If you have some extra OBC, it's a fun roll of the dice.

 

[markeb]

I've done the World Wine Tour in at least two different formats, and the Premium Wine Tasting. 

 

As others have said, the World Wine Tour can be all over the place. I've had a really nice one, and in my pseudo review of Equinox from last November I believe I said I couldn't recommend it in that format. It was a zoo, the wines were generally not great (some were arguably food wines and this was a pure wine tasting), and there were more than a few people who just seemed to be trying to get slammed. The previous World Wine Tour, also on Equinox, was in Craft Social and was actually very nice. One of the sommeliers (real one; had worked in London) was great and gave us a restaurant recommendation in London that we loved. The wines are from various countries, the red and white per country is the newer format and there are too many pourers who don't really know their wines. A little unfortunate

 

The Premium Tasting (which was NOT that expensive!) was a different animal. They're still limited by what they have on the ship, and they're not opening a 15-20 year old Gaja Barbaresco, but they were better wines. The reds were still way too young, but the whites were nice. A seated tasting, and in my case there were no shows for already poured wines. Win! But no way I'd pay $200 for it! I've never paid that much for a winery tasting in Napa! And this wasn't that..

 

No experience with the Riedel events. I've tasted enough out of Riedel varietal glasses to believe them. That historically was a glassware sales event, and as stated at least at one time included the glassware. Probably not at that price. If you've never done that style of tasting, it could be a fun experience.

[DaKahuna]

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

For our Solstice Trans-Pacific 17 night sailing next year, I am thinking or participating in some of the wine tasting activities.  Up to now, I have not done any of them including the Captains Club Wine Tasting.  So I would appreciate everyone's feedback on the following activities (comparative feedback would be the most helpful, of course):

 

If you decide to do some of these most likely I will be joining you.  Just depends.

 

 

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Captains Club Wine Tasting

 

 One and done.  Very basic wines as other have mentioned. 

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Food & Wine Pairing ($51.99 pp)

 

 Have done this one a couple of times.  I have enjoyed it but the wines were really nothing special.  All were available on the Premium Package the last time I did it. 

 

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

World Wine Tour ($51.99 pp)

 

 This was my favorite of all that we have done. 

 Ours was held in Cellar Masters and there were six different regions represented with at least one red and one white for each reason.  You were given a glass and went to each of the stations and a sommelier was there to explain the wines of that region to you.  They also had some crackers and pictures of water set up on a central table you could use to clean your palate between tastings.  You could drink as many samples as you felt like during the period the event was held. 

 

Unfortunately it was cancelled on our last cruise as not enough people signed up for it. 

 

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Riedel Wine Workshop ($51.99 pp)

Riedel Comparative Wine Crystal Workshop ($82.99)

 

  I have never done either of these.  Interestingly enough, Riedel wine glasses are used in the Retreat and Luminae.  They are not the same ones used for this event according to my conversations with people who have attended.  Those with more refined palates than mine have commented that they can taste the difference in wine served in a glass designed for that specific wine, e.g drinking pinot noir from a glass designed for pinot noir versus a common red wine glass.  Who knew... 

 

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Premium Wine Tasting ($188.99)

 

 Have only attended this one once.  I did it and was introduced to wines that I otherwise would not have thought to order.  I am hoping this is available on our cruise. 

 

 

 

 

 

[mahasamatman]

At 10% of the listed prices, they might be worthwhile.

[mahdnc]

What time of day are these wine events typically held?  Morning or afternoon?  I presume it's for the afternoon.

 

Please ignore the question.  The Cruise Planner tells you the time of day and it is indeed an afternoon activity.

Edited August 29 by mahdnc

[mahasamatman]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

What time of day are these wine events typically held?  Morning or afternoon?

Remember you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning...

[sdnich]

I did the food and wine pairing on the Edge last year and enjoyed it.None of the wines were really high end but I enjoyed them . The sommelier was knowledgeable and also funny.There was probably about 25-30 people there.We were given a discount at dinner a few nights before by our sommelier. We are going to do it again on our Solstice cruise to Hawaii since we have many sea days.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

At one time or another, we did all the wine events, some more than once. We always enjoyed the World Wine Tour. We had mixed reviews with the premium tasting. The last one we did we did not care for the style of the wine. Anymore, we save the $ to purchase some good bottles of wine or champagne.

 

If you've never done them I do recommend you give them a try.