Just one more question (or maybe not)-etiquette at dinner

[tradingspaces]

We have chosen to dine with others, on this our first cruise, and are currently seated at a table of 8 people whom we can't wait to meet:D . When you order a bottle of wine is it expected or appropriate to offer a glass to others at your table.

 

Laura

[hstrybuf]

You can offer or not. It's really up to you. We've offered to share and have had people both accept and decline. After that first bottle though, we don't usually offer.

[Janice M]

We have always been at large tables. Other people at our table have had wine and we did not expect an offer from them. One guy actually drank 1 bottle of wine each night. He also had 2 entrees every night. Have a great cruise. If you don't finish your bottle of wine the waiter will cap it and save it for the next night.

Jan

[LindaandJeff]

How did you find out how many people are assigned to the same table as you? :confused:

 

As for sharing your wine, my husband and I had the same discussion today as we were discussing whether to do "wine and dine plan" or not. I tend to only drink one glass while he may drink 2 or 3. I think bottles only hold about 4 or 5 glasses. That would certainly leave some "leftover" to share but not enough to give everyone at a table of 8 a glass full. If someone asked if we wanted to share some of their wine, we would accept only if they agreed that the next night we would buy the bottle. Or perhaps you can buy a bottle of white and another couple can buy a bottle of red and then there would be enough for the whole table to have what they want. The next night the other two couples could reciprocate. :)

 

Why not just wait to meet your tablemates and chat with them about the options. If you bought or received a bottle for a special occasion, I don't think anyone would think you were being rude if you didn't share.

[tradingspaces]

Linda and Jeff:

 

I cannot tell you exactly where I found out the number of people at our table because I have been reading so much information about this cruise over the last month that I have lost track. But I do remember reading this somewhere and this was particular to the ship we are on (Visions). Sorry I could not be more specific.

 

Thanks for the great advice, everyone!

[Folgy]

I'm with Hstry on this one. I usually share several bottles at a table of 8

wine/champagne on one night.

The rest of the nights just ourselves.

[katiel53]

We used to share wine or at least ask our tablemates if they wanted to share our wine. A few years ago, we didn't order wine and the others at our table did and they drank their wine and never shared. This happend several times that cruise as well as the next one we went on. So, now we don't ask about sharing wine. We drink what we want and if others offer to share, we always decline. So many things have changed over the years and I think the wine sharing is one of them.

[mortypro]

what is the wine and dine plan

haven't heard of it before

[deora24]

Since my husband doesn't drink, I never order bottles of wine at restaurants...just a glass...is that option available in the dining room?

[SA Traveler]

Yes, you can order wine by the glass at dinner. We ususally order bottles butther have been times when I wanted something different and ordered a single glass.

[jchiefs13]

Don't forget - if you order a bottle of wine the first night and don't finish it, they'll gladly store it for you and bring it out each night until you have finished the bottle. So, if you know what wines you like and don't want to venture out by trying a glass of this and a glass of that ... don't fear the full bottle.

 

JC

[kenandlaura06]

It seems like a nice gesture to offer a glass, but you would really need to assess your table situation are before you decide what you are going to do.

[mimikens]

Briefly, the wine and dine plan is where you buy wine, typically, for each night of the cruise (but I think a minimum of 3 nights). You purchase the package the first night of the cruise, and you get wine every night for dinner. The price is discounted, and there are 3 levels (and 3 prices) of quality. You choose your wine every night, but the wine has to come from the same level each night. For instance, you can choose white wine one night, red the next and champagne on another. But if you chose the mid-level category, all of those wines would come from the mid-level category. I don't know if that cleared it up or not.

[BobBeaSea]

I too get a wee bit concerned when meeting table mates for the first time and the "wine thing" enters my head. We get the wine package- the middle selection- and the two of us have no problem drinking it, it is a standard 750ml bottle, and two hours is a long time :). Do I offer to share-no, I treat wine as I would a pre-dinner drink. It's mine, mine , mine.....:D

 

Never had any problems with this approach, and no one thought we were mean or selfish........:)

[trish1c]

We have chosen to dine with others, on this our first cruise, and are currently seated at a table of 8 people whom we can't wait to meet:D . When you order a bottle of wine is it expected or appropriate to offer a glass to others at your table.

 

Laura -- Sharing is not expected. The server will pour for your party only. If you want to share that's nice, but people may not reciprocate & price / tastes can become an issue.

 

As you get to know people, opportunities may present themselves. I like white wine. My former traveling companion prefered reds. Last cruise we me a couple with the same "problem" so for drinking purposes at dinner we "swapped" partners.

 

As a table / group a # of couples had bottles of champagne in their cabins from TAs or winning contests. We agreed in advance to share them on formal night. BTW, there's no corkage fee if you get the champage from the cruise line, even if you didn't pay for it, per se.

 

To Deora24 who asked:

Since my husband doesn't drink, I never order bottles of wine at restaurants...just a glass...is that option available in the dining room?

Yes, you can order a glass in the dining room but the selection of wines by the glass isn't all that great. You can order a bottle of something better & save it all week. If you get a $30 bottle of wine & get 5 glasses out of it, with the 18% gratuity, it's about $7 a glass. I'd much rather pay that then $6 per glass for a wine I don't like as much.

 

Cheers everyone.

[Travelgrrl]

Just FYI, you may be in a smaller or larger table than that on Vision. I think that class of ship has "large tables" that hold as few as 6 or as many as 10 at a table; and "small tables" that hold as few as two or as many as 4. You can check your table assignment when you arrive onboard; and talk to the Maitre D' if it's not what you expected.

[DFritz]

Since I'm not willing to share my chocolate milk I wouldn't expect you to share your wine.

[tradingspaces]

LOL! DFritz:D I am really enjoying and appreciate the feedback I am receiving on this thread.

[msts]

tradingspaces,

 

Our last cruise (January 2006) we were seated at a table for eight, only six of us showed up, three couples who had never met. We ordered a bottle of wine and offered, a very nice English couple accepted, they bought the next bottle, same night. So that is the way it went for 11 nights, 2 bottles of wine every night, us purchasing one bottle and the English couple buying the other. Great time!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ssolomon56]

I enjoy a glass (or two) of wine with dinner. My DH HATES wine...and prefers iced tea or soda. Still, I always buy it by the bottle. The selection is much better, it's a better value, and more convenient. They will cork it, and save it for the next night - so you don't need to drink a whole bottle by yourself (burp!). We always share our table with groups of 4-10...we love meeting new people.

 

Anyway, out of all the cruising we've done we've only been offered wine once. One of our table mates brought a special bottle to the table, and offered it to everyone to toast their anniversary.

[suzeyQ]

I don't think it's necessary to share. I wouldn't offer my tablemates a taste of my dinner so I wouldn't offer them my mine either. I certainly wouldn't be offended if I wasn't offered either.

[msts]

I don't think it's necessary to share. I wouldn't offer my tablemates a taste of my dinner so I wouldn't offer them my mine either. I certainly wouldn't be offended if I wasn't offered either.

 

SuzeyQ,

 

Don't take this as a flame, because it is not! We didn't think it necessary to share either, but we enjoy sharing with others, without expecting anything in return. Just different points of view.

[2ladies]

I would never share again!! We ordered two bottles of wine on our first cruise for the large table. The next night everyone ordered their own wine and didn't even offer us a glass!!

 

Cheap lesson 30 cruises later!!!