Silver Spirits Beverage Package Option

[SantaFe1]

But that sparkling  wine they leave in the minibar is just dreadful.  We have them take it away upon embarking.  Give me a nice California Schramsberg any time!

Edited April 16, 2021 by SantaFe1

[Twitchly]

2 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

We were on four Viking cruises—July 2019/Baltics—Sept. 2019 No. Trans-Atlantic—Nov. 2019/SE Asia—Feb/Mar. 2020 in PVs. Coke of our choice, tonic water, beer. Alcohol was mini-bottles of whisky (usually Dewar’s); gin (Beefeaters); vodka; white rum. Definitely able to get soft drinks of choice, mini alcohol not so much (no mini Bailey’s :-(). And then the PV inclusive fine bottle of French champagne.

As I recall, we were able to swap out the rum for more gin and vodka. That was the extent of our ability to customize the booze. Soft drinks were more flexible. (We were also in a PV.) 
 

I’m quite impressed Andy was able to get an entire bottle of Grand Marnier! Makes me perhaps reconsider that Silver Spirits plan …

[SantaFe1]

And we don’t drink soda, so was able to get it swapped out for Pellegrino.  Just ask!!

[Twitchly]

9 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

But that sparkling  wine they leave in the minibar is just dreadful.  We have them take it away upon embarking.  Give me a nice California Schramsberg any time!

 

Yeah, it was pretty unremarkable, wasn’t it? I’ll have to check out the Schramsberg …

 

DH just tonight suggested we pick up a few bottles of wine during our pre-cruise excursion to Tuscany. Anybody able to recommend some lovely Tuscan wines? Or maybe some Grappa … I wonder how many bottles we could clank up the gangway …

[SantaFe1]

Well, the Schramsberg isn’t available  on the ship that  I have ever seen.  But my fav California sparking.  In Tuscany, you can hardly go wrong, even with table wine.  But try a big Brunello from Montalcino.  

[Azulann]

12 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

. Anybody able to recommend some lovely Tuscan wines?

Red: the best is Brunello 

White :Vernaccia  , from grapes  only found  on the hills outside of San Gimignano

Love Italian wine. 

[Jim Avery]

30 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

As I recall, we were able to swap out the rum for more gin and vodka. That was the extent of our ability to customize the booze. Soft drinks were more flexible. (We were also in a PV.) 
 

I’m quite impressed Andy was able to get an entire bottle of Grand Marnier! Makes me perhaps reconsider that Silver Spirits plan …

And we had full bottles of Baileys for coffee.  Along with Jack and vodka 

[Little Monty]

 

 

 

Photos of mini bar, cabin 7002 - Viking Orion, 2019.

 

On arrival there was a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne (which we don't drink). I left a note on the desk asking for that to be replaced with a sav blanc or something similar. 2 hours later we returned, Aussie sav blanc in mini bar as requested.

 

If the bottle was opened but not finished (yes I know, how likely is that) the steward added an extra bottle when he did his daily check. Obviously if the bottler was finished it was replaced.

 

We don't drink spirits so the Barcardi etc remained untouched throughout.

 

Given 7002's proximity to Explorers Lounge if I needed something special (glass of red wine, aperol spritz etc) I just went into the lounge.

 

For those who are tea drinkers, initially I went into the lounge each morning and made 2 cups of tea and took them back to the cabin. After spilling most of what was in the cups for the first couple of days I started ordering room service.

 

A pot of tea, some milk, 2 cups and 2 tea bags. Delivered hot to our door on request by room service.

 

It was the perfect start to our day.

 

Lastly ... remember the SS package and the in-cabin mini bar are two different situations with their own rules. Don't expect to use the SS package to stock up your mini bar.

 

LM

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Little Monty]

Just to clarify - Don't expect to use the SS package to stock up your mini bar ...  if what you want is something that you wouldn't be entitled to if you 'only' had the mini bar but not the SS package. 

 

I'm not sure that makes more sense, but hopefully you get the point. 

 

LM

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Now, does anyone know if the have Caspian Sea (farmed, of course) caviar available, free or purchased?  Yes, yes, I’m a snob about my fish ovum....

 

Whichever caviar it is they are serving on board, it is not free. I saw it listed on some menu, maybe appetizer in the MDR.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Now, does anyone know if the have Caspian Sea (farmed, of course) caviar available, free or purchased?  Yes, yes, I’m a snob about my fish ovum....

 

At the Farewell Luncheon on Viking Sun they served Malossol Paddlefish Caviar as a starter. 

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, Little Monty said:

 

 

 

 

For those who are tea drinkers, initially I went into the lounge each morning and made 2 cups of tea and took them back to the cabin. After spilling most of what was in the cups for the first couple of days I started ordering room service.

 

A pot of tea, some milk, 2 cups and 2 tea bags. Delivered hot to our door on request by room service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are primarily tea drinkers, so on each cruise we ask our cabin steward first thing to take away the coffee service and replace it with a kettle for boiling water. Then we have room service leave us a small pitcher of milk to leave in our mini bar. I can’t do caffeinated tea so I always travel with a big supply of Barry’s Irish Decaff Tea. We’re happy.

Edited April 16, 2021 by LindaS272

[Jazmyn49]

We pack insulated cups with handles and tight lids.  That way we can take coffee from the World Cafe or the Viking Bar and not worry about spilling.  I can even grab handrails and open the cabin door with the 2 cups in one hand.  DH wants to awaken to what he considers the best coffee on the ship and that's from the Viking Bar.  And yes, there are reciprocal paybacks later from my getting 2 cups from there early in the morning and putting them plus a munchie on the bedside table.

[Dukefan]

Viking is very accommodating with changing out the mini-bar.   We are not fans of vodka or rum and are not big beer drinkers.  Therefore we ask that the beer be replaced with wine and that the rum & vodka be replaced with extra mini bottles of scotch, bourban if they have it and if not gin.   We also ask for a fresh lime each day and request the cans of soda be changed out with more tonic and club soda.  In other words, when you get to your cabin with a mini-bar, look at what is in there, decide what you would like to change out, and tell your steward. Since we change out so much of the mini-bar it often takes a couple of days before we get it just like we want it.  The bottle of red and white wine they leave us is not a 90+ rated wine but it is quite drinkable. Even though we always have had the mini-bar, we still get the SSBP to get a better wine selection at dinner, for pre-dinner cocktails at our table or in one of the bars, and for drinks in the theater but also for the convenience.

 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, Jazmyn49 said:

We pack insulated cups with handles and tight lids.  That way we can take coffee from the World Cafe or the Viking Bar and not worry about spilling.  I can even grab handrails and open the cabin door with the 2 cups in one hand.  DH wants to awaken to what he considers the best coffee on the ship and that's from the Viking Bar.  And yes, there are reciprocal paybacks later from my getting 2 cups from there early in the morning and putting them plus a munchie on the bedside table.

 

Haha, those were busy mornings, as if memory is correct, before heading to the Viking Bar you were heading to the laundry, as I headed for my walk.

 

After breakfast, Judi headed down to the Viking Bar with her cup, where Milka made her tea every sea day. Similar to coffee, it was the best tea on the ship and they always kept a stash of our favourite English breakfast. Great times.

[duquephart]

11 hours ago, Little Monty said:

 

 

 

Photos of mini bar, cabin 7002 - Viking Orion, 2019.

 

On arrival there was a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne (which we don't drink). I left a note on the desk asking for that to be replaced with a sav blanc or something similar. 2 hours later we returned, Aussie sav blanc in mini bar as requested.

 

If the bottle was opened but not finished (yes I know, how likely is that) the steward added an extra bottle when he did his daily check. Obviously if the bottler was finished it was replaced.

 

We don't drink spirits so the Barcardi etc remained untouched throughout.

 

Given 7002's proximity to Explorers Lounge if I needed something special (glass of red wine, aperol spritz etc) I just went into the lounge.

 

For those who are tea drinkers, initially I went into the lounge each morning and made 2 cups of tea and took them back to the cabin. After spilling most of what was in the cups for the first couple of days I started ordering room service.

 

A pot of tea, some milk, 2 cups and 2 tea bags. Delivered hot to our door on request by room service.

 

It was the perfect start to our day.

 

Lastly ... remember the SS package and the in-cabin mini bar are two different situations with their own rules. Don't expect to use the SS package to stock up your mini bar.

 

LM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wine was replaced? I thought it was a one shot deal.

[Clay Clayton]

31 minutes ago, Dukefan said:

Since we change out so much of the mini-bar it often takes a couple of days before we get it just like we want it. 

 

I’ve found that writing down our preferences and leaving the note in the fridge seems to shorten the time it takes. Unless I’m mistaken, the room steward isn’t the minibar crew so additionally nothing gets lost in translation. 

[Dukefan]

37 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’ve found that writing down our preferences and leaving the note in the fridge seems to shorten the time it takes. Unless I’m mistaken, the room steward isn’t the minibar crew so additionally nothing gets lost in translation. 

Yes, the Steward communicates with the crew member doing restocking.  Good idea about leaving a note on preferences in the mini-bar.  I'll do that next time.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Completely off topic, but “Sea-anchor” has been born 🙂  He is either the one with green collar or the yellow collar.  So much for cruising for a while...

 

[Mich3554]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’ve found that writing down our preferences and leaving the note in the fridge seems to shorten the time it takes. Unless I’m mistaken, the room steward isn’t the minibar crew so additionally nothing gets lost in translation. 

They’re not.

 

I have always communicated my wants to the room steward, but I have run into the person who fills the mini bar on more than one occasion.

 

The room steward is usually very observant.  When I put a bottle of white from one of our vineyard visits into the fridge to chill for drinking later, inevitably there would be a tray of fresh glasses and a wine bucket left on our room.   Fabulous service.

[Little Monty]

5 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

The wine was replaced? I thought it was a one shot deal.

Sorry I don't understand your question ? From the Viking website ...

 

Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks (replenished once daily);

 

So yes, everything which is consumed one day is replaced the next day. 

 

Or do you mean substituted ?

 

As in "I don't like the choice of wine in the mini bar please bring me another variety". Again, no problems. As outlined above and by others, ask and you shall receive. No reasonable request is denied.

[duquephart]

I've

20 minutes ago, Little Monty said:

Sorry I don't understand your question ? From the Viking website ...

 

Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks (replenished once daily);

 

So yes, everything which is consumed one day is replaced the next day. 

 

Or do you mean substituted ?

 

As in "I don't like the choice of wine in the mini bar please bring me another variety". Again, no problems. As outlined above and by others, ask and you shall receive. No reasonable request is denied.

 

I've heard of trading the wine (bubbly) for the liquor. The bubbly in our mini bar was not replaced ----- the rest was.

[Clay Clayton]

Just in case someone else reads this-no alcohol in the fridge in V or DV. V drawers do not get replenished (unless you do it yourself which is what we did). DV gets refilled Dailey with soft drinks. 

[Jim Avery]

Depends on the voyage 😎🍸

[deec]

Jim....In our experience only on a WC is every desire fulfilled!!!!  Other times SSP comes a close second!!!

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by deec