Riedel Glass Workshop - warning for non US passengers

Recently did the workshop on the Solstice. We have done it previously on the Solstice and a couple of times with Riedel.

Its a good experience to do the workshop. Normally its an absolute bargain as you get to keep the set of glasses for roughly half the retail cost. Unfortunately Celebrity now only ships the glasses {on all previous times we got the glasses at the workshop) and the shipping fee is horrendous which rips all the value out of it. Sadly we did not find out that we would not get the glasses at the workshop or the eye watering shipping cost until after the event.

A friend purchased an Omega watch onboard earlier this year. Apparently it was a limited edition and a good deal. He wanted to wear the watch home and have the rather large box posted home, which according to the sales people was no problem.

On the last night he went to arrange this only to be told that the shops are only allowed to post packages to the continental US. Buyers beware and all that...

I suspect that if the ship docked at Southampton things would have been different. But this was in Miami.

Several years ago and was able to take my glasses right off with me, it was very convenient as I lived within driving distance from the port. Sorry to hear that you have a trouble, it's definitely better if they let you known up front.

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h - sorry you had this challenge. When we first took the tasting we thought that we could take them off the ship with us, only to find that was not true.

After returning home and search here, I found that had been the case for some time. This is due to breakage, mostly.

Since our first tasting, I Am told that a no-glass option is now available, but have not verified this at all...

At any rate, I trust you enjoyed the tasting and saw value otherwise.

btw - what is cost of similar glasses in your home country vs the shipping costs (we had to pay a fee for shipping here in the U.S. as well).

bon voyage

WHAT? I will be boarding the Equinox this Friday, round trip from Miami and we are driving home the port. We were looking forward to this workshop because this is the first cruise where we will be driving. Are you saying I can't carry the glasses off the ship?

I have tried to book this online- I get an error every time. Do you have to book it before boarding? Is the price $86 the one that includes the glasses? Can a second person attend- one pays the cost- and you share the tasting? We have done this with martini tastings before. Do you get your choice of glasses to order then?

Thanks!

WHAT? I will be boarding the Equinox this Friday, round trip from Miami and we are driving home the port. We were looking forward to this workshop because this is the first cruise where we will be driving. Are you saying I can't carry the glasses off the ship?

c - that is correct, there are no glasses given out after the tasting, only certificates which are redeemed online.

This has been the case for several years and posted as such on CC.

bon voyage

Retail here a set of Vinum costs roughly AUD200 and a set of Veritas roughly AUD250

With the eye watering post cost, we have paid more or less full retail. If I had of known before would not have done it on the cruise/

Last time we did it at the Melbourne food and wine festival we paid AUD100 and got a set of Veritas.

h - sorry you had this challenge. When we first took the tasting we thought that we could take them off the ship with us, only to find that was not true.

 

After returning home and search here, I found that had been the case for some time. This is due to breakage, mostly.

 

Since our first tasting, I Am told that a no-glass option is now available, but have not verified this at all...

 

At any rate, I trust you enjoyed the tasting and saw value otherwise.

 

btw - what is cost of similar glasses in your home country vs the shipping costs (we had to pay a fee for shipping here in the U.S. as well).

 

bon voyage

That's the way they run it.

WHAT? I will be boarding the Equinox this Friday, round trip from Miami and we are driving home the port. We were looking forward to this workshop because this is the first cruise where we will be driving. Are you saying I can't carry the glasses off the ship?

A voucher lets you order 2 pairs of vinum series glasses. There are four shapes available on the Celebrity glass website. You can only use 1 voucher per order which adds to the postage cost.

I have tried to book this online- I get an error every time. Do you have to book it before boarding? Is the price $86 the one that includes the glasses? Can a second person attend- one pays the cost- and you share the tasting? We have done this with martini tastings before. Do you get your choice of glasses to order then?

 

Thanks!

Retail here a set of Vinum costs roughly AUD200 and a set of Veritas roughly AUD250

 

With the eye watering post cost, we have paid more or less full retail. If I had of known before would not have done it on the cruise/

 

Last time we did it at the Melbourne food and wine festival we paid AUD100 and got a set of Veritas.

h - for the Veritas set you got a GREAT deal... that is for sure. Alas, you were closer to home to.

bon voyage

We have done the workshop 3 times. The first time (about 5 years ago) they had the glasses onboard and we could carry them off or have them shipped. We carried them off and got them home safely as carry ons on our flights.

The last two times we did the wine workshop only, without the glasses (we went with other people who hadn't done it). The first time we did it without paying for the glasses was about 2 years ago and it was advertised on the ship as available with or without the glasses. I can't remember what we paid, but it seems like it was $25-30 PP.

A few weeks ago on the Reflection we were with people who wanted to go so we went again. This time it was advertised as $87 PP+ gratuity, without a choice of doing it without glasses (the small white card with the list of wine events that you can pick up at Cellar Masters and other places said "Riedel glass set included. The glass set will be shipped to your home. Shipping charges apply." The notice in the daily did not mention that glasses were included or that there were shipping charges).

When our sommelier in Blu asked about whether we wanted to do the Riedel event, we said that we would only do it without the glasses since we had the glasses already and our cruise mates were from New Zealand and didn't want to pay shipping. He called the head sommelier and he said that "just for us" he would do it (I doubt it was just for us :)). We were charged $25 PP+ gratuity. When we went, there were only about 10 people (the others we had been to were very well-attended).

It is worth asking about doing it without the glasses, if you don't want to pay the shipping cost or don't need the glasses. We've learned a lot in these classes - it has been different every time.

I had prebooked this event using our OBC but have since cancelled after learning about the shipping issue. We will try and book it onboard without the glass purchase option.