Wine Tasting

[78232]

Does the westerdam still include wine tasting as one of their on board activities? Is there an extra charge for this?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes - they still have the wine tasting -- it is $35 per person + a 15% gartuity. It is held near the end of the cruise.

[cf_chuck]

Does the westerdam still include wine tasting as one of their on board activities? Is there an extra charge for this?

 

HAL advertises 2 different wine tastings which are independent of the specific ship. The "Standard" and the "Premium". The standard happens early in the cruise and the premium toward the end. The cost for the standard is less (I think in the $15 - $20 range /pp plus tip).

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our last few cruises only the premium wine tasting was offered -- I am refering to the 7 day cruises.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is from the daily program that I listed for our Westerdam cruise:

 

Day #6 - Ketchikan

 

7 AM - Docked

 

8 AM - Fitness class (aerobics)

 

8:30 AM - Walk-a-mile

 

11:30 AM - Shuffleboard shootout (dam dollars)

 

11:30 AM - 1:30 Pm - Great Alaskan Cookout

 

12:30 PM - All Aboard

 

1 PM - Alaskan gold event in the shops

 

1:15 PM - Naturalist Presentation

 

1:30 PM - Scavenger hunt

 

2 PM - Russian Amber event in the shops

 

2 PM - Spa secrets (Burn the fat fast)

 

2 PM - Environmental presentation

 

2 PM - $500 Blackjack tournament qualifying rounds

 

2 PM - 4 PM - Card players get together

 

2:14 PM - No limit Texas Hold'em Poker tournament

 

2:30 PM - Rapid fire art auction preview

 

3 PM - How to be a savvy cruise buyer

 

3 PM - Premium wine tasting ($35 per person + 15% gratuity)

 

3 PM - team trivia challenge

 

3 PM - 4 PM - Indonesian Tea Company

 

3:45 PM - $100,000 Chocolate exchange bingo

 

4 PM - Spot the fake Amber Competition Drawing

 

4:15 PM - Signature shops seminar: Alaskan Jade

 

5 PM - Mass is celebrated

 

5 PM - $500 Blackjack tournament grand finale

 

5 PM - Friends of Bill W meet

 

6:45 PM - Showtime: Stage & Screen

 

8 PM - Tara Vanessa ring collection show

 

8 PM - Name that tune (Northern Lights)

 

8:45 PM - Showtime: Stage & Screen

 

9:45 PM - Dance throught the decades

 

9:45 PM - Name that tune - Piano Bar

 

10:15 PM - The Love & Marriage Game

 

11:15 PM - midnight -'70's music hour

 

 

Crow's Nest -- 9 PM - midnight - Alan Hawkins at the Piano

 

Ocean Bar -- 6 PM - 7 PM - Alan Hawkins at the Piano

7 PM - midnight - Dance to the music of Sea Sharp

 

Queen's Lounge -- 9 PM - 10 PM - Charlie & the HAL Cats

11:15 PM - midnight - '70's music hour

 

Explorer's Lounge -- 6:30 PM - 11 PM - Intermezzo String Quartet

 

Piano Bar -- 9:15 PM until close - Jimmy Maddox at the Piano

9:45 - name that tune (one hit wonders)

 

Northern Lights -- 9:15 PM - close - DJ spins the hits

 

Movie: I Am Legend: 11 AM & 6 PM

[dvanlinge]

When do you sign up for the wine tastings, On our first cruise on the Ooseterdam my wife and I showed up at the time of the tasting and they acted like we should have already signed up and paid for it earlier?

[cf_chuck]

When do you sign up for the wine tastings, On our first cruise on the Ooseterdam my wife and I showed up at the time of the tasting and they acted like we should have already signed up and paid for it earlier?

 

From my experience, you sign up prior to the tasting. If you ask the wine steward the first night at dinner, they can help. You can also ask one of the bartenders or bar service staff to either set you up or get someone that can (generally, the wine service staff is the place to go, but in many cases they also serve as bar staff during the day). Also, when you board, there will likely be a table set up (usually in the Lido indoor pool area) promoting the wines on board, the various wine packages, wine cards and the wine shop (if your ship has one). You can also go to the wine shop.

[jtl513]

When do you sign up for the wine tastings, On our first cruise on the Ooseterdam my wife and I showed up at the time of the tasting and they acted like we should have already signed up and paid for it earlier?

IIRC on the Zuiderdam we were solicited by our dining room wine stewardess to sign up on our 2nd night or so, so that's whom I would ask.

[cf_chuck]

On our last few cruises only the premium wine tasting was offered -- I am refering to the 7 day cruises.

 

OK, I was simply pointing out what HALs web site advertises. I haven't been on a 7 day cruise in many moons, and the wine tastings have definitely changed since those days. On the last three cruises, more than 7 days each, both were offered as I stated.

[cruiseapril]

Hi- We did the initial wine tasting on the Westerdam in April- it was $15- they then invited everyone to a second, more upscale, wine tasting a few days later- for $35.

 

We enjoyed the first wine tasting- it was well done- very enjoyable.