Are the wine Packages still available

[Phils01]

Hi all,

 

This question is solely aimed at people who have just returned from an NCL cruise in the last two weeks

 

Is the wine package still available on cruises from the US ?

 

It's called the Viva Vino package where you can buy 4,6 or 8 bottles of wine.

 

I'm asking as I was reading another thread that someone said it was not available on their European cruise that they had just returned from

[jay_arr]

We just returned from the Sun and the package was available.

[msmoger]

We just returned from the Sun and the package was available.

 

Where was it purchased? Was there a table when you first board?

 

Thanks,

[BlueLadyBlue]

:):) Just off the Star yesterday and the wine package was available. We thought it was a great deal. We enjoy a glass or two but don't have a sophisticated palate so were quite happy. We bought the eight bottle package for IIRC $196.00 plus 15% grat. Individual bottles were $37/$39 per.

If you don't finish your bottle you can take it with you or they will keep it for another time or if you want wine for your cabin you can pick up a bottle from the bar and take it to your room. We tried to get one from the Red Lion but they only have a limited selection and they suggested we get it from Gatsby's (? - the bar outside of the Italian restaurant) which worked well.

[Phils01]

:):) Just off the Star yesterday and the wine package was available. We thought it was a great deal. We enjoy a glass or two but don't have a sophisticated palate so were quite happy. We bought the eight bottle package for IIRC $196.00 plus 15% grat. Individual bottles were $37/$39 per.

If you don't finish your bottle you can take it with you or they will keep it for another time or if you want wine for your cabin you can pick up a bottle from the bar and take it to your room. We tried to get one from the Red Lion but they only have a limited selection and they suggested we get it from Gatsby's (? - the bar outside of the Italian restaurant) which worked well.

 

Hi,

 

That's a great answer - just what I wanted to hear :D

 

We are on the Star in two weeks time

[jay_arr]

Where was it purchased? Was there a table when you first board?

 

Thanks,

There was indeed. On the Sun at least, it was right in front of the Java Cafe. You got a sheet of wines to choose from; we took the sheet to lunch without any issue and brought it back after making our choices.

[kirsty_r]

Phew!! I was also wondering the same...

[msmoger]

There was indeed. On the Sun at least, it was right in front of the Java Cafe. You got a sheet of wines to choose from; we took the sheet to lunch without any issue and brought it back after making our choices.

 

Thanks for the response!! :)

[cloudydrms]

I know this is a silly question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. You can buy more than one wine package, right? We're going on a 9 night cruise and I know we'll drink a bottle a night at dinner and then I might want to have some in the room or out and about the ship. I was thinking I might get a wine package of 8 and 4.

 

Cindy

[Richpontone]

And bought the vino package on the first day of the cruise. If you buy six bottles on embarkation day, you get a 20 percent discount. As a previous poster said, you can get the vino package order form from a special table next to the Java station on the seventh floor atrium area only on the first day of the cruise. However, you can fill it out any day of the cruise and give it to the bar tender at the Java station. He gives you individual sheets of paper with each bottle you ordered. You can give it to any bar tender or waiter and they get you that bottle and even open it for you. I took the four bottles for 99 dollars. It came out to 112 dollars, that includes the auto gratuity.

I liked the Estancia Pinot noir, the Avalon Cabernet and the Rancho zinfandel. You can search the vino package on this message board for the order form. You won't find it on the NCL website. I loved taking my bottle to the MDR and having it opened and served to me by my waiter. Best on board purchase that I made.

However if you are a wine gourmet and like high priced wines not found on the vino package, it might be better to buy your own and pay the 15 dollar per bottle corkage fee.

[don't-use-real-name]

There was indeed. On the Sun at least, it was right in front of the Java Cafe. You got a sheet of wines to choose from; we took the sheet to lunch without any issue and brought it back after making our choices.

 

Did NCL Sun have the wine bottles out and available for inspection and/or selection or just the printed selection menu ?

Did any or all the selections require a corkscrew or where some of them

with a twist off cap. Handy in that you don't have to search out for the

corkscrew.

Wines delivered to your stateroom timely or much later ?

Presume that your selection was billed on your On Board Account ?

 

Pleased with your selections and how the system worked ?

 

Thanks for any and all answers.

[aussiecruzer]

Anyone know if the wine package will be available on Norwegian Epic, we are sailing 5th May from Barcelona. If so where would it be available for purchase on embarkation day?

[jay_arr]

I know this is a silly question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. You can buy more than one wine package, right? We're going on a 9 night cruise and I know we'll drink a bottle a night at dinner and then I might want to have some in the room or out and about the ship. I was thinking I might get a wine package of 8 and 4.

 

Cindy

Yes. We bought 6 and 6.

[jay_arr]

Did NCL Sun have the wine bottles out and available for inspection and/or selection or just the printed selection menu ?

Did any or all the selections require a corkscrew or where some of them

with a twist off cap. Handy in that you don't have to search out for the

corkscrew.

Wines delivered to your stateroom timely or much later ?

Presume that your selection was billed on your On Board Account ?

 

Pleased with your selections and how the system worked ?

 

Thanks for any and all answers.

The bottles were out and available. We filled out the sheet over lunch, so we looked the wines up on the 'net (we were still in port so we still had service). (The prices are basically $price + slight surcharge + $15 corkage fee)

Some were corked, some were capped. There was a corkscrew in our room -- not sure if this is normal, but it was there -- but we never had to open one ourselves, see below.

You're given a slip for each bottle that you give to the waiter or bartender, they go find the wine, bring it back, and (we had ours at dinner, so) they open it for you. We ended up ordering two too many, and we gave the slip to... someone.. and the wines were delivered to our stateroom that night.

The selections were billed to our onboard account.

We were pleased with the wines and the system.

[BlueLadyBlue]

Did NCL Sun have the wine bottles out and available for inspection and/or selection or just the printed selection menu ?

Did any or all the selections require a corkscrew or where some of them

with a twist off cap. Handy in that you don't have to search out for the

corkscrew.

Wines delivered to your stateroom timely or much later ?

Presume that your selection was billed on your On Board Account ?

 

Pleased with your selections and how the system worked ?

 

Thanks for any and all answers.

Don't know about the Sun but the Star had the bottles on display.

One of our booking perks was a bottle of wine and there was a bottle of red wine in our cabin when we boarded together with two wine glasses and a NCL corkscrew.

If you don't get a corkscrew just ask for one. They look give-a-ways.

We didn't have our wine delivered. When we went to MDR'S for dinner, we got it here or if we wanted it for our room, we picked it up at the bar along with a couple of wine glasses.

FYI A - you can pick up a bucket of beer (buy five, get six) and take that to your room as well. We enjoy having a drink on our balcony.

Cheers.

[kirsty_r]

Another question, if we buy the package whilst in port do we also pay sales tax? Just asking as on the epic I didn't pay the tax when still in port for the soda package as I think they charged the package via a bar after leaving port.just read on another thread to factor this in...

[Richpontone]

To escape the local sales tax. However, the NCL staffer handing the vino package order form, told me that the ship registers the sale the next day to escape the sales tax. As for the order form, do a search for the vino package list on this message board to get it. You won't find it on the NCL website. As for the free wine in your room from your TA, you get a wine from Tisdale which is low priced swill. And I am not a wine gourmet to know that it was terrible.

[lambchoplady]

The winw package was available on the Epic (just got back today). We bought 2 packages from the bartender at the Atrium cafe. It was charged to our account the following day under Taste (the MDR).

[don't-use-real-name]

The bottles were out and available. We filled out the sheet over lunch, so we looked the wines up on the 'net (we were still in port so we still had service). (The prices are basically $price + slight surcharge + $15 corkage fee)

Some were corked, some were capped. There was a corkscrew in our room -- not sure if this is normal, but it was there -- but we never had to open one ourselves, see below.

You're given a slip for each bottle that you give to the waiter or bartender, they go find the wine, bring it back, and (we had ours at dinner, so) they open it for you. We ended up ordering two too many, and we gave the slip to... someone.. and the wines were delivered to our stateroom that night.

The selections were billed to our onboard account.

We were pleased with the wines and the system.

 

Thanks for the info! - Point of clarification ?

 

" (The prices are basically $price + slight surcharge + $15 corkage fee) "

 

So that is price of the bottle of wine from the wine menu + the 15%

gratuity charge AND THE DAMN $15 CORKAGE FEE ???

Shouldn't NCL be selling the wine with the corkage fee already included ?

At this point it would be better to haul your own wine on board and pay

the corkage fee and be ahead. Adding $15 per bottle to the prices that

are posted with a limited selection is gross overkill on the part of NCL!

Even if NCL grants a 20% discount for the total wine purchase the first

day of the cruise that is only enough to cover the fee on maybe 3 bottles!

 

In sprite of the corkage fee the rest of the information was greatly

appreciated in preparation to planning a pleasant uncomplicated cruise

free of nickle and dime surcharges; gratuities and fees.

 

Thank You !

[aussiecruzer]

The winw package was available on the Epic (just got back today). We bought 2 packages from the bartender at the Atrium cafe. It was charged to our account the following day under Taste (the MDR).

 

Thank you so much. Hope it's still available in May from Barcelona. I shall look for it on boarding day at the Atrium cafe :)

[Ron the Rev]

Hello aussiecruzer. We are doing the same cruise early in June. Do us all a favour and let us know the situation when you get back.If possible would you please get a list of what is on offer, scan it and post it on this board. Thanks:cool:

[cv322]

This is all good information. Thanks. ;)

[june123]

Thanks for the info! - Point of clarification ?

 

" (The prices are basically $price + slight surcharge + $15 corkage fee) "

 

So that is price of the bottle of wine from the wine menu + the 15%

gratuity charge AND THE DAMN $15 CORKAGE FEE ???

Shouldn't NCL be selling the wine with the corkage fee already included ?

At this point it would be better to haul your own wine on board and pay

the corkage fee and be ahead. Adding $15 per bottle to the prices that

are posted with a limited selection is gross overkill on the part of NCL!

Even if NCL grants a 20% discount for the total wine purchase the first

day of the cruise that is only enough to cover the fee on maybe 3 bottles!

 

In sprite of the corkage fee the rest of the information was greatly

appreciated in preparation to planning a pleasant uncomplicated cruise

free of nickle and dime surcharges; gratuities and fees.

 

Thank You !

 

when hubby and i were on the sun recently we bought 2 x 8 vino packages ;) .

we were charged for wine + 15% BUT NOT $15 CORKAGE .

as far as i`m aware you only get charged the corkage on wine you bring onto the ship . not wine you buy whilst onboard .

[BlueLadyBlue]

Thanks for the info! - Point of clarification ?

 

" (The prices are basically $price + slight surcharge + $15 corkage fee) "

 

So that is price of the bottle of wine from the wine menu + the 15%

gratuity charge AND THE DAMN $15 CORKAGE FEE ???

Shouldn't NCL be selling the wine with the corkage fee already included ?

At this point it would be better to haul your own wine on board and pay

the corkage fee and be ahead. Adding $15 per bottle to the prices that

are posted with a limited selection is gross overkill on the part of NCL!

Even if NCL grants a 20% discount for the total wine purchase the first

day of the cruise that is only enough to cover the fee on maybe 3 bottles!

 

In sprite of the corkage fee the rest of the information was greatly

appreciated in preparation to planning a pleasant uncomplicated cruise

free of nickle and dime surcharges; gratuities and fees.

 

Thank You !

We weren't charged a corkage fee for the Vino Vinto package. We paid IIRC $196. Plus 15% gratuity for eight bottles. No corkage, no tax. Thought it was a good deal. There was a slightly less expensive and a more expensive package as well. We decided on the mid priced one.

[jdvmd]

If you purchase wine from NCL, there is NO CORKAGE FEE added on. You will pay a 15 percent automatic gratuity but no additional charge beyond that.