Unfinished wine in Open Seating dining

[Caribbean Chris]

Wine stewards in the fixed seating always offer to mark and hold an unfinished bottle of wine, and bring to the table the next evening. We sometimes buy the multi-bottle wine packages.

 

But of course there are specific wine stewards serving specific sections. We just switched to open seating for our next cruise.

 

Do the downstairs wine stewards have a system to hold your unfinished ones and/or to track the number of bottles that remain on your wine package?

[pam vessels]

Yes, we have done this many times and have had no trouble. Have a great trip.

[taxmantoo]

Wine stewards in the fixed seating always offer to mark and hold an unfinished bottle of wine, and bring to the table the next evening. We sometimes buy the multi-bottle wine packages.

 

But of course there are specific wine stewards serving specific sections. We just switched to open seating for our next cruise.

 

Do the downstairs wine stewards have a system to hold your unfinished ones and/or to track the number of bottles that remain on your wine package?

 

Yes, they do but it will take longer for them to retrieve your bottle. It will not be on the table when you show up.

[Padraic]

They mark it with your cabin number and they will find it.

[cruisinggranmama]

On our recent cruise we had open seating. Not a problem getting our wine bottle each evening. We had a little problem getting them to tell us how many bottles we had used. At one point, the wine steward told us he could not find out. Funny how they found out in the end. In fact, we had asked if we had bottle left when he brought us our bottle that had only a little left on the last night. Not enough for all of us to have a nice glass. We ordered another bottle thinking we still had a bottle left as he did not indicate we had used our last bottle. As it turned out we didn't have another bottle. We would have had wine by the glass that night had we known we did not have a bottle left.

 

Next time, I will keep track myself and/or ask them to put the number on the bottle.

 

On the other hand, the wines in the 5-bottle package were very good.

[Bearnaise]

On our recent cruise we had open seating. Not a problem getting our wine bottle each evening. We had a little problem getting them to tell us how many bottles we had used. At one point, the wine steward told us he could not find out. Funny how they found out in the end. In fact, we had asked if we had bottle left when he brought us our bottle that had only a little left on the last night. Not enough for all of us to have a nice glass. We ordered another bottle thinking we still had a bottle left as he did not indicate we had used our last bottle. As it turned out we didn't have another bottle. We would have had wine by the glass that night had we known we did not have a bottle left.

 

Next time, I will keep track myself and/or ask them to put the number on the bottle.

 

On the other hand, the wines in the 5-bottle package were very good.

You really couldn't remember whether you drank all 5 bottles already? I've done that too, but only after drinking all 5 bottles at once :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our recent cruise we had open seating. Not a problem getting our wine bottle each evening. We had a little problem getting them to tell us how many bottles we had used. At one point, the wine steward told us he could not find out. Funny how they found out in the end. In fact, we had asked if we had bottle left when he brought us our bottle that had only a little left on the last night. Not enough for all of us to have a nice glass. We ordered another bottle thinking we still had a bottle left as he did not indicate we had used our last bottle. As it turned out we didn't have another bottle. We would have had wine by the glass that night had we known we did not have a bottle left.

 

Next time, I will keep track myself and/or ask them to put the number on the bottle.

 

On the other hand, the wines in the 5-bottle package were very good.

 

 

You have brought up a good point -- about having different wine stewards in Open Seating -- and having wine packages.

Maybe you should have mentioned this on your comment card -- that way they can devise a system to keep track of the bottles used.

 

[cruisingxpert]

We had the same Wine Steward in Open Seating and he found our wine every time and brought it to the Pinnacle on the 3 nights we dined there as well.

He was great.

[cruisinggranmama]

You have brought up a good point -- about having different wine stewards in Open Seating -- and having wine packages.

 

Maybe you should have mentioned this on your comment card -- that way they can devise a system to keep track of the bottles used.

 

 

We did. It was actually the only negative comment I had. The cruise was great.

[cb at sea]

You can also take the unfinished wine with you...to go!

[Caribbean Chris]

We had the same Wine Steward in Open Seating and he found our wine every time and brought it to the Pinnacle on the 3 nights we dined there as well.

He was great.

 

Wow, I never thought you might be able to use at Pinnacle as well.

 

Thanks to everyone for the great responses. I'm surprised and pleased that it sounds like a non-issue.

[colbe]

Wow, I never thought you might be able to use at Pinnacle as well.

 

Thanks to everyone for the great responses. I'm surprised and pleased that it sounds like a non-issue.

 

Our wine followed us to all the restaurants on the ship. No problems at all.

[jayteeaitch]

Personally - I am a lover of our Australian 4 litre wine casks - (and I'm not the only one) - and I will be taking 2 on board for a tipple on the balcony.:) - 1 Chard - 1 Cab.M

 

This thread has given me an "evil" question to ask you all - since I havent seen it asked before;)

 

What do you think the reaction would be - re the $18 corkage if I carry one into the MDR/Pinnacle - asked the waiter after dinner - to please store it for the next night - and the next night - and the next night etc:eek:

 

Thinks ???? - wine cask $13 +$18 corkage -divided by 4 litres = 0.86/glass

(8 glasses per litre). Now - how much is it by the glass inc 15% sc. - served at table from the wine list???

 

Has anybody ever tried this:rolleyes:

[maxmia]

We have just returned from a 23 day cruise LA to Sydney. We had no trouble retrieving our unused wine, from Main Dining room, Pinnacle Grill or Lido, even with open dining. We also bought the wine package, pre cruise, but waited 3 days into cruise for it to be implemented. After contacting the front office, the 7 bottle were brought to the cabin. We just carried a bottle to dinner when we required it. We liked the red selection in the package.:D

[RuthC]

What do you think the reaction would be - re the $18 corkage if I carry one into the MDR/Pinnacle - asked the waiter after dinner - to please store it for the next night - and the next night - and the next night etc:eek:

I think the reaction from the wine steward would be the same professional courtesy that would be shown had you brought the finest bottle possible.

[jff50]

If you bring your own bottle on board, and pay the $18 corkage--will they store the open bottle and bring it to you the next night.

[RuthC]

If you bring your own bottle on board, and pay the $18 corkage--will they store the open bottle and bring it to you the next night.

Sure will. Paying that corkage fee buys you the exact same service as a bottle purchased on the ship.

[rkacruiser]

Yes, the wine will follow you in whatever dining venue you choose. The only problem I experienced was when I purchased a bottle in the Pinnacle Grill and dined in the MDR the next evening. At first, the wine steward said that he could not find the bottle. He engaged the help of an Assistant Dining Room Manager and the bottle was found.

 

I always offer a gratuity to the wine steward each evening when I use As You Wish Dining since the person did not receive the initial 15% when I bought the wine.

[taxmantoo]

I always offer a gratuity to the wine steward each evening when I use As You Wish Dining since the person did not receive the initial 15% when I bought the wine.

 

Nice gesture but you should know that the 15% does not go to the wine steward who charged you the corkage fee but goes into the general waiters' tip pool from which they ALL share. So actually, in your case, only the second steward gets to keep whatever surplus you hand over PLUS getting a share of the overall tip pool. ;)

[travel123456]

just to stir the pot.

 

Say I order a glass of wine with dessert...and don't end up drinking it all...heaven forbid I down it before I leave...can I take it with me from the dining room???

 

forgive me ...it has been a while since I cruised...can you walk around the ship with your drinks???

[Boytjie]

just to stir the pot.

 

Say I order a glass of wine with dessert...and don't end up drinking it all...heaven forbid I down it before I leave...can I take it with me from the dining room???

 

forgive me ...it has been a while since I cruised...can you walk around the ship with your drinks???

 

Yes, you can walk around with a drink on the ship.

[molly2kit]

There is not a problem at all with them finding your wine.

 

On my first cruise my friend bought a bottle of wine at every bar and in the dining room - no matter where she was she had a bottle there for a glass of wine. On the last night she had a partially used bottle of wine in the dining room and didn't come to dinner - they sent the part bottle to the room.

 

I thought this was a great idea and have done this every cruise since then (and every cruise line I have been on)

 

We often start on a glass of wine in our room before dinner, walk around the ship and even go into dinner with it - then if we have another glass we get it from the bottle that we have ordered and they have stored.

[colbe]

just to stir the pot.

 

Say I order a glass of wine with dessert...and don't end up drinking it all...heaven forbid I down it before I leave...can I take it with me from the dining room???

 

forgive me ...it has been a while since I cruised...can you walk around the ship with your drinks???

 

 

Yes, no problem. I often carried my pre-dinner drink into the dining room with me and finished it at the table.

[Boytjie]

Yes, no problem. I often carried my pre-dinner drink into the dining room with me and finished it at the table.

 

That's my solution for slow wine steward service in the MDR: get a glass of wine at a bar or lounge before heading in for dinner. :)

[travel123456]

Sounds perfect to me....

 

:)