Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

How do you get embarkation champagne chilled?

dadecitycruiser

By dadecitycruiser,
in Holland America Line

Recommended Posts

CowPrincess

CowPrincess

Posted
Posted

I wish HAL would do better at this :) We have had that experience, too -- oh yummy -- warm sparkling wine :rolleyes: As I was typing, it occurred to me that possibly not everyone who GETS "champagne" has actually ordered it, and possibly will want to trade it in for a red or white???? And if the champagne bottle label has been ruined, that bottle can't be re-sold???

 

 

What I did was track down my cabin steward and ask for SEVERAL buckets of ice, once I got to my cabin. Dumped them on the wine bottle in the sink. Not nearly as appealing as already-chilled-and-waiting, but it was good and chilly for sailaway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted

Every single cruise, our Welcome Aboard Champagne has always been in an ice bucket being chilled. Certainly, in time, the ice will melt but you need only ask for more ice to keep it chilled.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
I wish HAL would do better at this :) We have had that experience, too -- oh yummy -- warm sparkling wine :rolleyes: As I was typing, it occurred to me that possibly not everyone who GETS "champagne" has actually ordered it, and possibly will want to trade it in for a red or white???? And if the champagne bottle label has been ruined, that bottle can't be re-sold???

 

 

What I did was track down my cabin steward and ask for SEVERAL buckets of ice, once I got to my cabin. Dumped them on the wine bottle in the sink. Not nearly as appealing as already-chilled-and-waiting, but it was good and chilly for sailaway.

 

Ask for a champagne bucket and ice. Actually, there is usually one in the cabinet in our cabin but we always find our champagne has been put on ice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CowPrincess

CowPrincess

Posted
Posted
Every single cruise, our Welcome Aboard Champagne has always been in an ice bucket being chilled. Certainly, in time, the ice will melt but you need only ask for more ice to keep it chilled.

 

 

And the few times I've ordered it, there it has sat, on the dresser, room temperature, with no bottle-sized ice bucket to be seen. Of course, this might be another of those "different ships do things differently" things. Or possibly it is because you're always in a suite, whereas DH and I are cellar dwellers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HAL4ME

HAL4ME

Posted
Posted
I wish HAL would do better at this :) We have had that experience, too -- oh yummy -- warm sparkling wine :rolleyes: As I was typing, it occurred to me that possibly not everyone who GETS "champagne" has actually ordered it, and possibly will want to trade it in for a red or white???? And if the champagne bottle label has been ruined, that bottle can't be re-sold???

 

 

What I did was track down my cabin steward and ask for SEVERAL buckets of ice, once I got to my cabin. Dumped them on the wine bottle in the sink. Not nearly as appealing as already-chilled-and-waiting, but it was good and chilly for sailaway.

 

Euueew warm Goat Urine ...that's a big no no in my books. I can't do warm Champagne at all...it;s got to be Glacier Cold! and especially if it's the cheap stuff....LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
And the few times I've ordered it, there it has sat, on the dresser, room temperature, with no bottle-sized ice bucket to be seen. Of course, this might be another of those "different ships do things differently" things. Or possibly it is because you're always in a suite, whereas DH and I are cellar dwellers?

 

 

Hopefully on your upcoming cruise when you won't be a 'cellar dweller', you will find your champagne, in bucket, on ice. :) I hope you do and that you enjoy it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jo-Bob

Jo-Bob

Posted
Posted
Ask for a champagne bucket and ice. Actually, there is usually one in the cabinet in our cabin but we always find our champagne has been put on ice.

 

 

This has been my experience also. Really nice to arrive and have it ready for us. I love HAL:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fann1sh

fann1sh

Posted
Posted
Yes. It may be a suite thing VS other rooms. We had a veranda room last time and there it sat, on the table.

 

DCC

 

Yes, it's a suite thing, in my experience. But asking nicely is a good idea.

 

And, yes, the "welcome aboard" champagne is goat urine, warm or cold.

 

If they have Veuve, I order that. If they don't, or it's outrageou$, at least Chandon is better than goat urine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted

Yes -- the suites will (or should) find their sparkling wine chilled when they get to the cabin -- that is routine.

But all other cabin categories you will need to track down one of your cabin stewards and ask for a bucket of ice.

When we get to the cabin -- we pull out the free sprakling wine and dry off the bottle -- in a day or 2 we do exchange it for something better that we like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HAL4ME

HAL4ME

Posted
Posted
I have only had a 'suite' once, but in all cruises, (admittedly not that many) it has been chilled. Can we quit calling it goat urine, please? Just a gross saying, whether you like the stuff or not.

 

I call the CHEAP stuff that by name..sorry no offense meant personally but not my pig not my farm as I would say.;):D;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CowPrincess

CowPrincess

Posted
Posted
Hopefully on your upcoming cruise when you won't be a 'cellar dweller', you will find your champagne, in bucket, on ice. :) I hope you do and that you enjoy it.

 

I'll make note. :D

edited to add: I might even take a picture, and add it to the list of "stuff I won't get again on a cruise ship for a long, loooooooong time :D

 

>SNIP<

When we get to the cabin -- we pull out the free sprakling wine and dry off the bottle -- in a day or 2 we do exchange it for something better that we like.

 

Thanks for that tip. I only order it when I'm travelling with friends and can share with them. DH won't drink champagne, and I don't want to be responsible for an entire bottle :eek: ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Live4cruises

Live4cruises

Posted
Posted

We were in an SC suite in December. Our complimentary bottle of champagne was waiting for us, but just on the counter, definitely not on ice. This was ok with us as we took it to dinner and traded it in.

I would hope that if we ORDERED a bottle of champagne to be waiting that it would be chilled, but not sure what magic it would take to make that happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Linda&Vern

Linda&Vern

Posted
Posted

In our first Deluxe Suite experience (November Zuiderdam) our complimentary bottle of champagne was waiting for us in a champagne ice bucket. Unfortunately I didn't notice until sail-away that there was no "ice" in the bucket. :eek: We drank it later in the week. I've had better ... but I've had a lot worse too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jcrandle

jcrandle

Posted
Posted
I have pre-ordered champagne before for delivery to the room on the first day and it is just sitting there on the table. Not in a bucket of ice. I would really like it to be ready when we get in the room. How do you do that?

 

Any ideas?

 

DCC

 

Put them in the macrowave! Isn't it obvious, if a MICROWAVE heats things, a MACROWAVE would chill them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Willsot

Willsot

Posted
Posted

On the Rotterdam our bottle of champagne was on the counter, not on ice, but right next to a champagne bucket full of ice. We had arrived fairly early and put the bottle in the ice, went off to lunch and by sail away it was nicely chilled. This was our first deluxe suite stay, so I do not know what is "normal" these things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Special Event: Q&A with Laura Hodges Bethge, President Celebrity Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...