Why bring your own wine?

[RickT]

I see this post has gotten a little off topic (for the record, I agree that Champagne only comes from France :p ). We often bring our own wine on board and will also pick up some in port if we find what we like. There are many reasons for doing this.

 

1) Selection. Although Princess has a decent wine list, there are a number of our favourites that you cannot get (Wolf Blass for example). Also, on our recent cruise, they were out of a large number of their selection further reducing the available options.

 

2) Price. Even with the corkage fee, it is often less expensive to bring your own. Also, we sometimes open a bottle in the room (no corkage fee) and enjoy a nice glass of wine before dinner or at sail away.

 

3) Lack of Sommellier. Without an expert guiding us through new wine choices, it is often better to stick to what you know. As mentioned, when ordering wine from the asst waiter, you often didn't get the bottle until your meal had already been served.

 

As far as bringing wine on board, we've generally brought two bottles in our carry on and when picking up wine in port have left it in the shopping bag. No hassles or problems.

[drakes2]

Can you purchase vodka from the onboard duty free in San Juan. I was on the Crown this past spring but never bothered to stop and look as I drink mainly wine. We are travelling with my sister and Mom and they would like to purchase some vodka. Can you take it to your room to enjoy a drink before dinner or do they hold until the last night of the cruise? BTW: We were on th Golden last in 2006 and I purchased a bottle of Wolf Blass to drink at dinner even though it was slightly more than twice the price of what I pay at home.

I see this post has gotten a little off topic (for the record, I agree that Champagne only comes from France :p ). We often bring our own wine on board and will also pick up some in port if we find what we like. There are many reasons for doing this.

 

1) Selection. Although Princess has a decent wine list, there are a number of our favourites that you cannot get (Wolf Blass for example). Also, on our recent cruise, they were out of a large number of their selection further reducing the available options.

 

2) Price. Even with the corkage fee, it is often less expensive to bring your own. Also, we sometimes open a bottle in the room (no corkage fee) and enjoy a nice glass of wine before dinner or at sail away.

 

3) Lack of Sommellier. Without an expert guiding us through new wine choices, it is often better to stick to what you know. As mentioned, when ordering wine from the asst waiter, you often didn't get the bottle until your meal had already been served.

 

As far as bringing wine on board, we've generally brought two bottles in our carry on and when picking up wine in port have left it in the shopping bag. No hassles or problems.

[VibeGuy]

Princess's wine list is heavy on crowd-pleasers. Lots of California chardonnay, lots of merlot, lots of higher-priced cabs.

 

The thing is, I find non-California pinot noir (ie, Oregon, Burgundy), Rhone reds, meritage (whites and reds) and serious Rose (Tavels, a few Spanish choices) all a *lot* more interesting to drink with dinner; they're more tolerant of the "wrong" glasses, they easily pair with things my partner and I like to eat, they're suitable for opening and drinking without decanting, and they're just more....fun.

 

When we travel with friends, it's also a nice chance to share some things from the cellar that I've maybe been hanging on to, or that we've enjoyed together on other occasions. New tablemates often get to try things that aren't widely-distributed or that are from years that are no longer available in the broader marketplace.

 

The net dollar expenditure is probably slightly *more* than we'd spend onboard ordering from their lists - the only "great" values I see in the Princess lists are up in the upper echelons where taxes and duty matter - I've actually found their prices on Opus One competitive with Costco, and their midmarket-to-better sparklers are a pretty good deal. But in the under-$50 range, I'd rather take the time and effort to put together a mixed case packed for travel (hint: get the styrofoam shippers that pack into a plain cardboard overbox like wine-by-mail clubs use - I've *NEVER* lost a bottle) . It's just that if I'm going to spend $50/bottle, I'd rather have it be an interesting $35 wine that I'm wild about than something I see on every steakhouse wine list.

 

E

[spongerob]

We often bring wines produced locally (believe it or don't, there are some very good vintners here in flyover country) and share them with tablemates. It's a good conversation starter. I'm actually more comfortable with run-of-the-mill table wines that seem to go with everything and don't carry a pretentiousness surcharge.

[Coolmama_1]

DH loves Hendry Cabernet and it is hard to find. Only one wine store in town carries it.

[Hiwayman]

Two-buck Chuck. :D

 

 

 

Leaving home in 17 hours 22 minutes for LAX-LHR-Southampton!!!!!!

 

Grand Princess, here we come....

 

WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

(um, sorry...) :rolleyes:

 

Two-buck Chuck isn't really that bad. In a pinch it would do just fine. I used to be exclusive Chardonnay drinker but in the last year or so I have developed a particular fondness for Merlot. BV and Mondavi are some of my favorites, but a new one I discovered a few months ago at the grocery store here in S. Central California called "Smoking Loon" is quite good at $7 buck a bottle. It's an upscale version of 2 buck Chuck! :D

[Hiwayman]

We often bring wines produced locally (believe it or don't, there are some very good vintners here in flyover country) and share them with tablemates. It's a good conversation starter. I'm actually more comfortable with run-of-the-mill table wines that seem to go with everything and don't carry a pretentiousness surcharge.

 

That's the way we are. We rarely indulge in expensive wine because here in California there are so many good choices under $10 a bottle. "Smoking Loon" (actually Sebastiani, Napa Valley) is a great conversation starter as is wine made by Francis Ford Coppola.

[julie aka social director]

Actually just off Carnival cruise and we brought our own wine. Reason being, is I investigated the on-ship prices and it was worth buying our own and paying corkage fees. It does say in the brochure that a limited amount of fine wine is allowed, but who is to determine fine wine. Prior to sailing from Miami, we spent two days in Miami Beach and purchased several bottles of wine to bring on board. Some of them were very inexpensive(but we enjoy them) and they were the l.5L bottles. Had no problem carrying them to dinner. I guess it is up to the waiter as to whether or not to charge you a corkage fee. We did not pay one, but instead tipped the waiter and asst. accordingly. We also purchased bottles of wine at dinner too. So, my reason for bringing my own wine comes down to price!

[Tina G]

Another vote for two buck Chuck. My DH does not appreciate expensive wine, but it's nice to enjoy something on the balcony, and I can spend the differnce on little old me!:D

[drakes2]

I prefer to bring my own wine and drink it on the balcony. When I was on the Golden last year, I purchased a bottle of Wolf Blass in the dining room and on my second night the waiter could not find it and by the time he did I had finished my meal. DH doesn't drink so it takes me a couple of evenings to finish a bottle of wine. This year we will be with other members of my family, and are planning on making martinis to drink in our cabins as well as some wine. Personally, I prefer making my own as opposed to ordering from the bar, tastes better. I'm bringing my own mini cocktail shaker and some small bottles.

Another vote for two buck Chuck. My DH does not appreciate expensive wine, but it's nice to enjoy something on the balcony, and I can spend the differnce on little old me!:D

[DeRon]

What is 2 buck chuck?:o

[jff50]

Another vote for two buck Chuck. My DH does not appreciate expensive wine, but it's nice to enjoy something on the balcony, and I can spend the differnce on little old me!:D

Is this wine still two buck chuck in some locations? Here in the Minnesota Trader Joes it is now three buck chuck.

[ck53]

NJ too, $3 chuck.

[snoopy124]

when bringing your own wine, do you also need to bring a bottle opener if you are going to have a drink in your room? or does the grand princess have them in the rooms?

[drakes2]

I always bring one from home unless you have wine with the screw top caps. If you do need a corkscrew you can always request room service to bring you one. They are not supplied in the cabins, neither are wine glasses.

when bringing your own wine, do you also need to bring a bottle opener if you are going to have a drink in your room? or does the grand princess have them in the rooms?

[LonghornKJK]

We forgot our corkscrew on the Dawn and asked our room steward about it. He said we could call him whenever we needed to open a bottle but he couldn't leave it with us. We checked the Dawn's store and they sold a combination corkscrew/bottle opener that even says Princess Cruises on it with the logo for less than $5. So we got ourselves a nice souvenir. I'd still plan on bringing one but it's nice to know there are alternatives in case it is forgotten.

[Logie]

I think the wine list is very good. I remember a few years ago I could get a bottle of Caymus for $65 and Opus One for $114. The prices have gone up, but they ate resonable.

 

I too bring wine on to save money and to have some for the cabin. We also love Moet White Star at dinner and they do not carry that anymore so we bring that on too.

[KNITWITS]

Is this wine still two buck chuck in some locations? Here in the Minnesota Trader Joes it is now three buck chuck.[/quo

still 1.99 + tax at Trader Joe's here in San Jose, CA:D