Are NCL doing wine cards yet?

[colmil]

We have cruised twice with NCL and found the price of a bottle of wine prohibitive.

 

We have recently returned from a HAL cruise and they have a wine card for house white or red for $67 for 20 glasses, which was excellent.

 

The wine was perfectly acceptable and lasted us the weeks cruise easily.

 

Do NCL offer anything like this?

[TPEINC1958]

We have cruised twice with NCL and found the price of a bottle of wine prohibitive.

 

We have recently returned from a HAL cruise and they have a wine card for house white or red for $67 for 20 glasses, which was excellent.

 

The wine was perfectly acceptable and lasted us the weeks cruise easily.

 

Do NCL offer anything like this?

 

NCL does not offer a wine option like HAL.

 

When you say NCL's wine prices were prohibitive, what exactly were you looking for? All cruise lines (and land based restaurants) mark up wine about 4 times from a typical retail price. We have found a few very reasonably priced wines on NCL's wine list. Yes, they do have some moderatly expensive ones along with some very expensive ones.

 

John

[senoraberg]

I have to agree with the first post. The wine list was very expensive. We found bottles to cost at least twice what they would in a nice restaurant at home. Add to that the fact that bottles purchased onshore are often confiscated when you get back on the ship from port, and NCL has a captive audience. After all, you can't exactly move to another restaurant if you don't like the price! that is really my only complaint about NCL-I love everything else. The wine card sounds like a fabulous idea, but I doubt NCL would ever do it-they would lose too much money on it.

[TPEINC1958]

I have to agree with the first post. The wine list was very expensive. We found bottles to cost at least twice what they would in a nice restaurant at home. Add to that the fact that bottles purchased onshore are often confiscated when you get back on the ship from port, and NCL has a captive audience. After all, you can't exactly move to another restaurant if you don't like the price! that is really my only complaint about NCL-I love everything else. The wine card sounds like a fabulous idea, but I doubt NCL would ever do it-they would lose too much money on it.

 

That's funny, I found the price list to be very similar to what a nice restaurant in our area would charge. The going rate is about 4 times the retail price. Some higher some lower.

 

The wine you bring on board can be consumed if you pay a corkage fee of $15.00 per bottle. That would make a $10 bottle of wine form the port $25.00 with your dinner instead of about $40.00 from the wine list. So, you are not quite the captive audience you suggest. And don't say that NCL is nickel and diming you by charging a corkage fee for tour wine. All line do it and some charge even more for the service.

 

 

 

So, do you think HAL is NOT losing too much money on this??:confused:

 

....Or are they losing just enough??

 

....Or are they making money on really cheap wine??:rolleyes:

 

....Or is NCL too stupid to make money without nickel and diming passengers??

 

....Or, .........never mind this is just another dead horse wannabe

 

John

[briangl]

I have to agree with the first post. The wine list was very expensive. We found bottles to cost at least twice what they would in a nice restaurant at home. Add to that the fact that bottles purchased onshore are often confiscated when you get back on the ship from port, and NCL has a captive audience. After all, you can't exactly move to another restaurant if you don't like the price! that is really my only complaint about NCL-I love everything else. The wine card sounds like a fabulous idea, but I doubt NCL would ever do it-they would lose too much money on it.

 

Which bottles were you thinking of? I found the wine list very reasonably priced.

 

Veuve Clicquot "Yellow Label" $65 (this is usually in the $30's at Costco

Chateau La Nerthe white Chateauneuf du Pape $64 (I've seen this for sale in the high $40's)

Argyle Nuthouse Chardonnay $52 (this is usually around $30 in the store)

1996 Chateau Beaucastel $98 (This is going to cost $80 - $90 if you can even find it)

 

On average NCL marked up the bottles a very reasonable 2x. Most of the resturants in Seattle mark it up at least 2.5x and usually 3x. The only resturant I've heard of that has decent prices on fine wines in Bern's in Tampa.

[dadof2]

We have cruised twice with NCL and found the price of a bottle of wine prohibitive.

 

We have recently returned from a HAL cruise and they have a wine card for house white or red for $67 for 20 glasses, which was excellent.

 

The wine was perfectly acceptable and lasted us the weeks cruise easily.

 

Do NCL offer anything like this?

 

That makes your choice for the week "the house red or white"? What was your choice, chardonnay, riesling, zinfandel, merlot, sparkling, etc.? How is this done?

 

Do they pair the house wine with your entree order:confused:

 

We haven't found the price of wine on NCl prohibitive at all. Actually, we were very surprised on our first NCL sailing how reasonably priced the wine lists were:)

[garycarla]

I think the wine is a bit expensive, but not too bad. For those of us that drink wine more often than just at dinner,it can add up.

 

Meanwhile,that wine card sounds like one heck of a deal, at $3+ per glass. Assume they are fair size wine glasses?

[dadof2]

Meanwhile,that wine card sounds like one heck of a deal, at $3+ per glass. Assume they are fair size wine glasses?

 

:confused: What wine. Fair size of what?

[cruzinfamly5]

We actually found NCLs wine prices to be very comparable to what you'd pay in a restaurant. One of the wines we purchased was a Sena, produced in Chile, and it was SOOOOOO good ... we asked about the price if we purchased more bottles to take home ... were quoted $50/bottle. Thinking that might be too high, we passed ... dumb move. That's the cheapest we can get this wine, even through our local wine store by the case. Usually it goes for more. And, now we have to pay taxes on it ... so, price is relative. By the glass it's always more. If you make good use of your wine steward on board (we had a ball with ours), he or she will make recommendations you'll love and you'll find that you may actually get some bargains!

[mbisson]

I think the wine is a bit expensive, but not too bad. For those of us that drink wine more often than just at dinner,it can add up.

 

Meanwhile,that wine card sounds like one heck of a deal, at $3+ per glass. Assume they are fair size wine glasses?

 

 

I agree with all you said :D

[newmexicoNita]

No matter how you look at it, the wine prices are high on ships, but NCL is actually a tad bit cheaper than most lines. Do I wish they had a card like HAL? Boy do I as my best friend is my wine glass. The wine card must be new to HAL, we cruised them twice in the past year and neither time did they offer this.

 

So while I wait for the beloved wine card I will continue to do what I have to do. BTW they used to offer a buy 5 bottles, get the 6th one free. Even that was better than nothing.

 

NIta

[colmil]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

 

I initially saw the wine card in the brochure in advance of our cruise which offered a lot of items such as cigars, dressing gowns, et

 

If the wine offered had been of the vinegar variety, rest assured it would not have been accepted!

 

I told three fellow passengers about the card who all ordered it, they all found the wine acceptable.

 

Greetings from England.

[retiredonthesea]

We cruised the Pearl in Mar. and they where still offering the buy 5 bottles get 6th free. You had to save receipts (just sign for them like any drinks save copy) and show all copies to get the 6th bottle of wine free. We always got our bottle with dinner.

 

Retiredonthesea

[The Nice Family]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

 

I initially saw the wine card in the brochure in advance of our cruise which offered a lot of items such as cigars, dressing gowns, et

 

If the wine offered had been of the vinegar variety, rest assured it would not have been accepted!

 

I told three fellow passengers about the card who all ordered it, they all found the wine acceptable.

 

Greetings from England.

 

Aha! Your greetings clarify things for me. I lived in the UK for six years (I am Canadian, husband a Brit). When we moved to Canada 4 years ago I couldn't BELIEVE the cost of wine compared to England. Gosh, I SO miss my Somerfield's forays that regularly nabbed me decent Riojas for a mere $6 (equivalent) a bottle! Our local fancy schmancey restaurant in Sidmouth used to clear the shelves practically every week then put the bottles on their menu at 5x the price!

 

I try not to think about the wine prices on board (or when I eat out) as it's never a pretty comparison but then, I AM sipping on a luxury cruise ship and enjoying a 4 course meal rather than slurping beside the BBQ while my weinie roasts :) . i.e. It's worth the extra!

 

p.s. I think the 6 bottles for price of 5 still works - they don't promote it but, if you ask the right people and are persistent, you should get it to work for you.

[newmexicoNita]

We cruised the Pearl in Mar. and they where still offering the buy 5 bottles get 6th free. You had to save receipts (just sign for them like any drinks save copy) and show all copies to get the 6th bottle of wine free. We always got our bottle with dinner.

 

Retiredonthesea

I certainly hope they still offer it. Cruising with my favorite cousin, no free booze in the casino, we will need that free bottle after buying 5.

 

Nita

[Cubechick]

Yes, they do still offer the buy 5 get the sixth free.

 

Another nice thing that you can do is order a bottle of wine with dinner and if you don't finish it, they'll put your name & stateroom number on it so you can have it later.

 

I also agree that the prices for wine on NCL were pretty good. Some bottles were even cheaper than I've found locally.

[colmil]

thanks to the Nice Family, its good to hear from a fellow Brit!

 

You are right, my favourite saying is 'How much???

 

We hsve just spent three nights in Vancouver and found prices very good, at $2 to the £, they would be!

 

We'll have to see how the prices on the Gem work out, I can feel my arm being twisted right up my back already............

[The Nice Family]

thanks to the Nice Family, its good to hear from a fellow Brit!

 

You are right, my favourite saying is 'How much???

 

We hsve just spent three nights in Vancouver and found prices very good, at $2 to the £, they would be!

 

We'll have to see how the prices on the Gem work out, I can feel my arm being twisted right up my back already............

 

Isn't it more like "HOW Muuuucccchhhhh???" - I can hear my husband now!

 

Go on, let loose, you'll be back in the local, sniffing stale beer fumes and hearing the same old stories soon enough (sounds kinda nice, in a second-homesick sort of way) - enjoy!

 

When my hubby starts to roll his eyes at the prices I just paraphrase Del Boy "This time next year, we could be millionaires!". Not at the rate I'm spending on cruises though;) .