Typical cost of a bottle of wine

[summersigh]

If you're going to drink wine on a cruise ship - accept that it's going to cost way more than the grocery and get on with it. They're all high. Actually with Happy Hour wine on Hal can end up cheaper than Carnival :-)

 

On hal, in the past, it was $3-5 cheaper a bottle if you got the package (assuming they have what you like/want in a package )

 

Hard liquor for the cabin on hal can be cheaper as well.

We paid $85 on Carnival

We paid around $48 on HAL

[dakrewser]

If you're going to drink wine on a cruise ship - accept that it's going to cost way more than the grocery and get on with it.

 

I can never understand why people compare wine and liquor prices on a cruise ship to retail. The only valid comparison is to a reasonable restaurant. Of course, maybe they only go out to eat at places that don't serve wine.

 

[RocketMan275]

I can never understand why people compare wine and liquor prices on a cruise ship to retail. The only valid comparison is to a reasonable restaurant. Of course, maybe they only go out to eat at places that don't serve wine.

 

 

I'm not comparing cruise ship prices to a "reasonable restaurant". I'm comparing the prices to retail, plus corkage, to see how much I can save by taking my own wine aboard. BTW, I do dine, usually once a week, at a "reasonable restaurant" that serves wine. Usually, these reasonable restaurants will allow you to bring your own and pay corkage. When I can save $30 per bottle, I will do so.

Edited March 22, 2016 by RocketMan275

[Lizzie68]

I'm not comparing cruise ship prices to a "reasonable restaurant". I'm comparing the prices to retail, plus corkage, to see how much I can save by taking my own wine aboard. BTW, I do dine, usually once a week, at a "reasonable restaurant" that serves wine. Usually, these reasonable restaurants will allow you to bring your own and pay corkage. When I can save $30 per bottle, I will do so.

 

I am happy to take my usual wine - which is definitely not expensive - and pay corkage on each bottle, and still come out way ahead, and know that I have a wine that I enjoy. I freely admit that I am a "wine heathen" and never profess to be a connoisseur. I even enjoy the HAL house white wine (bleeeeugh to the red:eek:).

[sail7seas]

I'm not a wine connoisseur either--by any stretch of the imagination. I like a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay but wouldn't be able to tell you if it was a cheap wine or an expensive wine in a blind test.

I have never bought a wine package before but think I may on our upcoming cruise.

 

Certainly if you don't taste a difference from a lower to a higher priced wine, by all means why spend the extra money? More costly does not always mean a 'better' wine and it is all individual taste.

 

However, there are those wine experts (I am not one of them :)) who rate and rank various vineyards/wines/vintages and using them as something of a guide can be helpful.

 

Edited March 22, 2016 by sail7seas

[USN59-79]

The Mariner Four/Five Star discounts on wine only apply to those wines included in the packages. It does not apply to any and all wines on the wine list.

 

Before purchasing a Navigator or Admiral Wine Package, ask to see the list from which wines you can choose. The one time we bought it, we canceled quickly as there were no wines available that interested us. There were a few on the list that would have been 'ok' but they were not in stock on the ship.

In 2014 we took the second half of the WC (56 days). I bought the 12 bottle Navigator package with my 4-star discount and chose a merlot. At the 6th bottle they ran out of that, so I chose a malbec. They ran out of that so they allowed me to choose any bottle on the wine list priced at $49 or less. Worked out OK for me.

[RocketMan275]

I am happy to take my usual wine - which is definitely not expensive - and pay corkage on each bottle, and still come out way ahead, and know that I have a wine that I enjoy. I freely admit that I am a "wine heathen" and never profess to be a connoisseur. I even enjoy the HAL house white wine (bleeeeugh to the red:eek:).

 

We tried the house red and agree with your assessment.

[sail7seas]

In 2014 we took the second half of the WC (56 days). I bought the 12 bottle Navigator package with my 4-star discount and chose a merlot. At the 6th bottle they ran out of that, so I chose a malbec. They ran out of that so they allowed me to choose any bottle on the wine list priced at $49 or less. Worked out OK for me.

 

Happy it worked out well for you. They did the right thing.

When we got the package, at the time we were ordering our first bottle, they were already out of our first two picks. :rolleyes:

 

[POA1]

On a somewhat serious note - If you are taking on your own wine, it should be something that's not on the regular wine list. If you take on a wine that's on the list, it's really bad form. I know that it can happen because it's difficult to keep up with all the wines, all the lists, and all the changes - but aim for something unique in your carry on wines.

[kazu]

I find HAL wine prices to be obnoxiously high, but that's me. The "packages" offer some savings but the selections within the packages are basic, generally inexpensive (at retail...not on HAL) wines. Buying a package only makes sense to me if you have a good Mariner discount. I have complained often about the HAL wine program but my voice is not heard in Seattle.

 

I guess my experience is limited, but I find HAL prices more reasonable than other lines I have been on. If you don't like their mark up, don't sail Oceania ;)

[kazu]

I'm not a wine connoisseur either--by any stretch of the imagination. I like a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay but wouldn't be able to tell you if it was a cheap wine or an expensive wine in a blind test.

I have never bought a wine package before but think I may on our upcoming cruise.

 

If you like whites Sapper, some of the HAL wines in the packages are well rated. I actually prefer the Navigator pack for whites (assuming they have the wines they did last time from Down Under). Check it out when you are on board.

[dakrewser]

On a somewhat serious note - If you are taking on your own wine, it should be something that's not on the regular wine list. If you take on a wine that's on the list, it's really bad form. I know that it can happen because it's difficult to keep up with all the wines, all the lists, and all the changes - but aim for something unique in your carry on wines.

 

Well said.