Recent wine list? 70% price increase for NCL east/west blend....

[erdoran]

In another topic here talking about seafood going missing from the Encore MDR lunch menu, someone noted that the two recommended wines - both NCL East/West blends - are $17, which is above the $15 threshold and represents a 70% price increase.  

 

I want to see if this is widespread  across the fleet, and if there are other wines included in UBP, or if all of them are now extra, even with UBP.  

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by erdoran

[jimdee3636]

I've had only the white East-West (primarily a Sauvignon, as I recall), and it was decent but not worth $17.00 a glass. However, given NCL's "pay only the difference" beverage plan policy, it would cost you only $2.00 (plus 20% tip on the $2.00), which is tolerable. However, I think there's a Sancerre on the list at $22.00 or so (basically the same grape variety but a much more complex wine), that is well paying $5.00 more for than the E-W. Of course, I'm assuming that the Sancerre is still $22.00. If the East-West price increase is part of an across-the-board wine price increase, I may be done with NCL.

[trummy]

This sounds like what is happening on many levels with NCL. Customers have shown that they will pay extra for things that used to be included, and that are free on other lines. So, it only makes sense that NCL will push as far as they can. They are in it for profit after all.

[coastcat]

I noticed the price change when BirdTravels posted the menus from the Encore cruise. In comparing those menus to ones posted last July, it looks like only the two NCL-branded wines leapt up in price.

 

There's a Chilean Sauvignon blanc listed along with the NCL East & West; I'm betting that the latter is not worth $9 more per glass than the former. I didn't even try the red East & West - it's a blend, for crying out loud, why would I pay extra for that over an actual cab or merlot?

 

East & West Sauvignon blanc was okay but I'm not paying an upcharge for just okay.

[Trimone]

East and west Sauvignon Blanc is not worth $17 a glass, you wouldn’t pay that for a bottle. NCL is getting silly 

[jimdee3636]

15 hours ago, coastcat said:

I noticed the price change when BirdTravels posted the menus from the Encore cruise. In comparing those menus to ones posted last July, it looks like only the two NCL-branded wines leapt up in price.

 

There's a Chilean Sauvignon blanc listed along with the NCL East & West; I'm betting that the latter is not worth $9 more per glass than the former. I didn't even try the red East & West - it's a blend, for crying out loud, why would I pay extra for that over an actual cab or merlot?

 

East & West Sauvignon blanc was okay but I'm not paying an upcharge for just okay.

The fact that a wine is a blend is not, per se, a sign of lower quality. Virtually all the great Bordeaux wines, for example, are blends, including Chateau Lafite, Chateau Latour, Petrus, and Mouton Rothschild. You'll pay upwards of $1,000 a bottle in wine stores for some of these. And "real" French Champagnes are almost always blends. I'm not suggesting that the NCL East-West blends are high-quality wines, but it's wrong to say that all blends are inferior to single-grape wines.

[coastcat]

21 minutes ago, jimdee3636 said:

The fact that a wine is a blend is not, per se, a sign of lower quality. Virtually all the great Bordeaux wines, for example, are blends, including Chateau Lafite, Chateau Latour, Petrus, and Mouton Rothschild. You'll pay upwards of $1,000 a bottle in wine stores for some of these. And "real" French Champagnes are almost always blends. I'm not suggesting that the NCL East-West blends are high-quality wines, but it's wrong to say that all blends are inferior to single-grape wines.

 

True. So let me amend that to “I’m not paying an upcharge on what is likely a $8 bottle of red blend with a NCL label stuck on it.” 🍷

[Travelicious]

It seems like the NCL proprietary wines used to be North & South, not East and West.  I wonder if they are different wines.

[firstimer2009]

I bet that people were having 3-4 glasses each during dinner at the MDR instead of buying a bottle of wine so they want to recoup some money.  Or deter people from ordering it there.

 

We only ate once at the MDR on our trip for lunch.  I did have two glasses of the white and our waiter had to get it WAY across from the room.  It took so long when she delivered the first one I ordered a second.  During dinner people likely order multiple glasses at a time.

Edited December 2, 2019 by firstimer2009

[Jan_In_Maine]

We just got off the Gem on 11/21 and at that time there wasn't an upcharge on the east-west red blend (it was very good) ... at the beginning of the cruise 11/8 they still had some North-South left.  

 

I'm disappointed that they are upping the cost!  Jan

[seemoreroyals]

4 minutes ago, Jan_In_Maine said:

We just got off the Gem on 11/21 and at that time there wasn't an upcharge on the east-west red blend (it was very good) ... at the beginning of the cruise 11/8 they still had some North-South left.  

 

I'm disappointed that they are upping the cost!  Jan

Are they doing away with the North - South blended red?  If so I hate to hear that.  If they are keeping it,  is it still going to be priced under $15 per glass so it can be purchased under the standard drink package? 

[Jan_In_Maine]

Just now, seemoreroyals said:

Are they doing away with the North - South blended red?  If so I hate to hear that.  If they are keeping it,  is it still going to be priced under $15 per glass so it can be purchased under the standard drink package? 

I was told by a bartender that there is no more north-south only east-west now .... but, everything is always subject to change.  Jan

[erdoran]

Good news if it’s only those two wines, although there really were very few under the $15 limit...it reminds me of last January and the uproar about a lot of the booze being repriced above the $15 threshold...I hope this is NOT the beginning of a trend, because it makes me concerned that there will be zero “free” wine other than the gross fake champagne available without upcharge, and even at $2.40/glass it will add up.  I’m not a huge drinker and $20/day is enough for me to spend on booze!

[seemoreroyals]

2 minutes ago, Jan_In_Maine said:

I was told by a bartender that there is no more north-south only east-west now .... but, everything is always subject to change.  Jan

I guess we will find out next week.  We really liked the north-south and have yet to try the east west.  Hate to hear that the east-west may be over the $15 threshold.  We may splurge and try a glass or two.  We have some OBC to use up and that may be a good way to use part of it.

[erdoran]

@seemoreroyals please report back about if other wines are marked up like that, and if anything is left that isn’t $$extra!

[seemoreroyals]

4 minutes ago, erdoran said:

@seemoreroyals please report back about if other wines are marked up like that, and if anything is left that isn’t $$extra!

Will do.  We are on the 8th-15th sailing.  Surely they have something left to offer under $15 a glass.  Of  all the blended reds I can recall trying on various NCL cruises,the North - South blend was by far our favorite.

[Jan_In_Maine]

I am a red wine drinker ... but found that I really enjoyed the Voga Moscato ... alot ... not fruity and not bubbly (don't say it too loud ... they might re-price that also!)  Jan 

[erdoran]

Just read through Bird’s review - seems most wines are same price as our last sailing, so the majority under $15/glass.  These price increases really stick out - NCL testing the waters, or they are just low on stock of their wines and want to discourage consumption?  

[kdmbluerzr]

Following.  We will be sailing on the Getaway out of NOLA January 26. NCL north south red blend has been my go to favorite on past cruises, hopefully the new east west is as good. And hope the cost remains under the $15 beverage package limit! Otherwise might have to find a new go to fav. 

[Travelicious]

Anyone have a photo of the current list of free wine for platinum dinner?

[roger001]

Some of the drink and wine by the glass prices are total insanity.  I cannot imagine anyone paying those prices.  I assume most persons that drink are on the unlimited package.  I'll never be paying $17 for anyones' 5 ounces of wine.  As you said, the whole bottle is only $8 or so retail.  

[luv2kroooz]

48 minutes ago, roger001 said:

Some of the drink and wine by the glass prices are total insanity.  I cannot imagine anyone paying those prices.  I assume most persons that drink are on the unlimited package.  I'll never be paying $17 for anyones' 5 ounces of wine.  As you said, the whole bottle is only $8 or so retail.  

The most insane might be the Veuve Cliquot at $34.95 per glass plus a $6.99 "service charge". What could that possible represent? I asked a bar waitress while sitting in Magnum's one night when was the last time she sold a glass of that. She said never and she had been onboard for 2 months. During my many cruises, I've yet to see someone order a glass, but I'm sure some will, especially if you have the premium plus package.

[stefmaia]

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

The most insane might be the Veuve Cliquot at $34.95 per glass plus a $6.99 "service charge". What could that possible represent? I asked a bar waitress while sitting in Magnum's one night when was the last time she sold a glass of that. She said never and she had been onboard for 2 months. During my many cruises, I've yet to see someone order a glass, but I'm sure some will, especially if you have the premium plus package.

On our September cruise my husband surprised me with the beverage upgrade. Let me just say that many,many,many bottles of Veuve were drunk in that 7 day period.At least 3 bottles a day were consumed between us, maybe more. I do know that the bar-staff were ordering extra bottles every day. We got our monies worth out of that package. (And I was determined to do this after the Starbucks person told me that the specialty coffees were not included in the beverage upgrade, a statement which is still not proven on all ships)

[Liljo22]

This is the wine list at TopMast from Birdtravels live review.  On this list the blends are the only ones over $15.  I know this is not the full list though.  I would think they are having issues with their supplier right now for the NCL branded wines.  

 

[Liljo22]

More from his review.