Drinks at Trad Dining - delicate question - help needed

[Kernel Fudge]

Hi all, I wonder if you would be kind enough to advise on the correct 'form' regarding this question which is troubling me a bit :o

My wife and I are 1st timers, booked trad late, 8-up. I'm more than happy with that and I know if the need should arise there are alternatives available.

I enjoy a beer or glass of wine (:) ), but how does it work normally regarding ordering/payment with a larger table (or any table for that matter)? I'm happy to 'stand a round' etc, but what normally happens? What if my dinner guests only quaff vintage Krug :eek: !

I'm an easy-going guy and normally just go with the flow but I wouldn't wish to feel embarrassed or indeed make anyone else feel obliged.

Your thoughts would be appreciated :)

[edste]

The choice will be yours. You can just order your drinks and put it on your room card. If you get very friendly with your table mates it might be nice to buy them a drink, but certainly not necessary.

[cusyl]

When you order a drink or wine the Sommilier (sp?) will ask for your sign and sail card and put the charge on it.

Since it's an individual thing it is not normally expected that you would buy a round. Each couple would order their own drink if they wanted one.

 

On occasion, if you have made good friends with your table mates and you want to ask if they would want to share a bottle a wine that would be up to you.

[Colo Cruiser]

The server will take your cruise card your drink order and it will totaled seperatly with a seperate bill from everyone else and given to you to sign at the table. :)

 

Anytime you want to pay for anothers drinks just ask for it to be aded to your bill.

[bjboothman]

I've been on 8 cruises and never had my tablemates offer to buy a round. I understand that it happens to others occasionally, but generally it is just expected that each individual/couple buys their own. If you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish it the first night your waiters will put it away and bring it back to you the next night, so don't worry about leftovers.

[Coral]

I've been on 8 cruises and never had my tablemates offer to buy a round. I understand that it happens to others occasionally, but generally it is just expected that each individual/couple buys their own. If you buy a bottle of wine and don't finish it the first night your waiters will put it away and bring it back to you the next night, so don't worry about leftovers.

 

I am surprised. On every cruise that I have had Traditional dining - we have had this. Most of the time, people have brought wine on board or received wine gifts from their travel agent so they bring these to the table and share with the rest of the table.

[smoothdancer]

Yes, one time tablemates received a gift of redwine, which either one of them drank. They saw we were red wine drinkers and offered it to us... Very nice!

[dennbr9]

Normal procedure I have seen is that you buy and pay for your own drinks. If you order a bottle of wine or Champagne, you can drink it yourself or offer a glass to others as you feel comfortable. Or just order the wine by the glass the first night and see how it goes.

 

I once ordered a nice bottle of Champagne and had the waiter pour a glass for all at the table. I then watched most of it go to waste as some only had a sip and left the rest. Better to order the bottle and then when it arrives ask the others if they would care for some.

If they do not reciprocate the next evening, then you know and drink your own. Relax and enjoy!

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

On one cruise we had at out table a very nice New York Lawyer he loved wines and the ships staff loved him he would order different types of wine at different times in the meal, some of these wines would be most expensive on the ship,

 

we on the other hand with our bottle of beer were just as happy mind you we did use a glass atleast on formal nights.

 

yours Shogun

 

This is your cruise do what makes you happy.

[dsfitz]

Yes, you needn't feel embarassed. As mentioned above, sometimes someone at the table buys drinks for others, but it isn't common (at least in my experience) and certainly isn't expected.

[from the desert]

One of the nicest things about traditional dining is that the wait staff knows who you are before you even sit down the first evening. Since your cabin #s match they will know who is traveling with whom. This makes it great because if you are traveling as a couple they will place your individual drinks on a single tab. If you have the same room # but different last names they will discern the first evening how you want the alcohol billed. I have never felt uncomfortable with ordering whatever I want even though I may be a beer drinker among wine aficianados (sp) or the occasion teetotaler.

 

I would hope that my table mates (hopefully new friends) would never feel uncomfortable ordering a drink without offering me one.

[Lovely_Star]

Does Princess list the prices of their alcoholic drinks? I know at some restaurants they do not list the prices of alcoholic beverages and you just get suprised when the bill comes :eek: we are first timers too :)

[KruisingKaren]

Yes, Princess lists their prices for drinks. No surprises.

[donna5]

Does Princess list the prices of their alcoholic drinks? I know at some restaurants they do not list the prices of alcoholic beverages and you just get suprised when the bill comes :eek: we are first timers too :)

 

You should never be surprised by the cost at a rest. or anywhere else, if the price isn't listed you should always ask the price. I do and if they say they don't know, I ask them to find out.

[GloriaF]

We have been offered a glass of wine or champagne from a bottle that our tablemates had, and reciprocated. There have also been instances of us or our tablemates arriving at the table with their unfinished pre-dinner drinks already prior to dinner. I don't think the waitstaff gives it a second thought, either way. I think anything goes, and all is acceptable. I personally think it is a little awkward to have an unfinished bottle at the table and not offer the others a drink, but that is just me. If you do not wish to share the bottle, you could ask the servers (in private) to pour your glass without bringing the bottle to the table, I suppose. Just wait and see and do what feels right at the time. And don't worry about it - have a great time!

[2theship]

In many cruises, no one has ever offered to share wine with us. Sometimes we buy a bottle which we never finish and save for another night. Sometimes we buy it by the glass. It's never an issue. The waiters treat the drink orders individually and always assume that you are ordering a bottle just for your party. As someone already mentioned, they know what people are together and who needs to pay for what. It's all very simple and unobtrusive.

[Kernel Fudge]

Excellent answers and all very much appreciated ! :)

As I said originally, I was unsure of the 'norm' and now I know. Perhaps I should have posted on 'First Time Cruisers' , I'm sure there must be others with the same query.

Thank you all once again. We are very much looking forward to our cruise and the 'Cruise Experience' and look forward to posting our verdict (I have a feeling it will be good ! :D )