Drink package upgrade

[jg51]

1 hour ago, jg51 said:

.

Hello, "Purplsmurf."

You enjoy a $15 glass of champagne on board?

What is that -- the Domaine Chandon Brut, or something else?  (If it is something else, where do you go to obtain it?)

Thanks.

.

.

We withdraw that question.  We think that it is instead the Cattier Icone Brut, which we had forgotten.

[publicpersona]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

Did you report your experiences to the Food & Beverage Manager aboard ship?  Were those experiences with the same bartender, or did the problem occur more broadly? 

 

I did not, although I mentioned it on the post-cruise survey the several times it has happened. As I said, I've not had that issue in the dining room, but rather the at the bars where they are more used to selling Bahama Mamas than wines. If you order a chardonnay and they see a bottle of chardonnay in the dishpan that's open, that's what they want to pour. Never mind that you have a premium package and asked for the Mer Soleil stainless chardonnay that's on the menu card. That La Terre(-ible) is convenient, open, and cold. Pool bar and Sunset Bar mostly. However, it was in the Sky Lounge that the bar keep insisted that the menu card was a "guideline" and "examples of wine" and you can't really order based on it.

[D C]

7 hours ago, publicpersona said:

If you are a wine drinker, you'd want to know that there is often a difference between the wine you order and the wine you are served, particularly at the bars that don't get too many wine drinkers.

 

Order the specific $12 New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on the menu at the Sunset Bar, and you'll probably get whatever bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that is in the dishpan full of ice, which is probably the $6 California one. If you ask politely, they will sometimes get you the one you ordered, but more often I've been told "It's the same thing" or "That's the only one we have". One time I pointed out (politely) that it wasn't the one I ordered from the menu and was told "That's not a menu. That's just a guideline."

 

This is why I don't upgrade based on wine alone. With Cellar Masters gone, there is less opportunity for wine drinkers to get something good outside of dining/specialty. I have found sometimes in MDR, the converse is true .. order a chardonnay from the Classic level and get served something quite a bit better just because someone else nearby just ordered a glass of it.

The servers at the Sunset, in our experience, have always gone out of their way to first tell me that they don't have my requested wine, asked if a substitute is acceptable, and most  managed to procure the requested wine, even if it takes a little while. 

[canderson]

Just now, D C said:

The servers at the Sunset, in our experience, have always gone out of their way to first tell me that they don't have my requested wine, asked if a substitute is acceptable, and most  managed to procure the requested wine, even if it takes a little while. 

Explaining an availability problem is the minimum that's acceptable.  Pouring whatever is handy when a patron 'calls his brand' isn't acceptable *anywhere*.  Good to hear they did usually go the extra mile.

[the penguins]

On 8/7/2021 at 8:40 PM, mklions said:

Upgrading is IMHO does not make any commercial sense.

If you want a drink not included in the classic package then you only pay the difference in costs

 

. In most cases that will be a couple of dollars.

 

You have to drink a lot of premium drinks to warrant the upgrade, or am I missing something?

Mklions

You are not missing anything and you are correct. My rule of thumb is " the more Celebrity push or promote something the less likely it is to be good value for the average passenger". For some the upgrade will be good value for most it won't otherwise Celebrity would lose out.

[D C]

On 8/27/2021 at 9:52 PM, canderson said:

Explaining an availability problem is the minimum that's acceptable.  Pouring whatever is handy when a patron 'calls his brand' isn't acceptable *anywhere*.  Good to hear they did usually go the extra mile.

I think it helps that we frequent the Sunset and get to know the servers in short order.   

[canderson]

Re the actual topic ...

Am hearing live from Equinox that if your preference is wine, the difference between what you get on Classic vs Premium package by the glass is considerable -- to the extent that it is possible, most of the time, to stick to by-the-glass offerings at no additional or very low $ rather than having to buy bottles to get something you'll really enjoy.

[Keys Kathy]

2 hours ago, the penguins said:

You are not missing anything and you are correct. My rule of thumb is " the more Celebrity push or promote something the less likely it is to be good value for the average passenger". For some the upgrade will be good value for most it won't otherwise Celebrity would lose out.

The drink package upgrade works for us for the wines and the after dinner drinks. Signing all those slips and piling them up in a drawer was annoying. I prefer to know what I am paying in advance. 

 

We figured out that a bloody mary with breakfast, a specialty coffee, a pre-lunch cocktail, wine with lunch, a mid afternoon Margarita, cocktail before dinner, wine with dinner and a little after dinner sherry, yep, worth it.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, Keys Kathy said:

The drink package upgrade works for us for the wines and the after dinner drinks. Signing all those slips and piling them up in a drawer was annoying. I prefer to know what I am paying in advance. 

 

We figured out that a bloody mary with breakfast, a specialty coffee, a pre-lunch cocktail, wine with lunch, a mid afternoon Margarita, cocktail before dinner, wine with dinner and a little after dinner sherry, yep, worth it.

Sounds like we think/drink alike, I'll meet you at Friend's of Bill!

[Keys Kathy]

9 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Sounds like we think/drink alike, I'll meet you at Friend's of Bill!

LOL! I'm married to Bill! 

 

Does anyone have feedback on the bars on the Apex? We love the Passport on the S ships, and we are trying to find the replacement on the Apex. Something with that social type vibe.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Keys Kathy said:

LOL! I'm married to Bill! 

 

Does anyone have feedback on the bars on the Apex? We love the Passport on the S ships, and we are trying to find the replacement on the Apex. Something with that social type vibe.

On APEX they have a new bar, Craft Social, I have seen several people comment on it, some very positive, some meh.

[Bo1953]

On 8/27/2021 at 3:12 PM, LGW59 said:

This is where an early tip may pay dividends at a favorite bar or two.

This may be a situation where if one was familiar with the Food & Beverage Manager, then an intervention would be in order!!! LOL

 

After all, they are there to insure that everything runs smoothly and when it does not, F&B can make sure you get the best of the best after the report... Yes, I know from experience and application.

 

I do enjoy a good intervention, especially when the Top Dog swoops in and corrects the staff.

 

Afterwards, I then tip the staff as a reminder... 😎

 

They then remember me for the balance of the sailing.

 

Cheers and bon voyage

Edited August 29, 2021 by Bo1953

[Bo1953]

On 8/7/2021 at 3:40 PM, mklions said:

Upgrading is IMHO does not make any commercial sense.

If you want a drink not included in the classic package then you only pay the difference in costs

 

. In most cases that will be a couple of dollars.

 

You have to drink a lot of premium drinks to warrant the upgrade, or am I missing something?

Mklions

You are missing something IF you are only referring to alcoholic beverages, then you are correct AND if you do not drink beyond the CBP very often.

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Bo1953 said:

This may be a situation where if one was familiar with the Food & Beverage Manager, then an intervention would be in order!!! LOL

 

After all, they are there to insure that everything runs smoothly and when it does not, F&B can make sure you get the best of the best after the report... Yes, I know from experience and application.

 

I do enjoy a good intervention, especially when the Top Dog swoops in and corrects the staff.

 

Afterwards, I then tip the staff as a reminder... 😎

 

Cheers and bon voyage

a "good intervention" LOL, Bo, it sounds like you will be meeting with me and Keys Kathy at "Friends of Bill", we can walk together after a few libations at Craft Social.

[canderson]

Just noticed something odd.

In comparing the Classic vs. Premium lists, I see no Irish Whiskey on either side of the chart.  Doesn't seem possible, as they always used to have at least some Jameson aboard.  Can anyone cruising recently provide any additional detail?  I take it that the comparison list isn't all inclusive (to use the expression in the more traditional sense!)

Edited August 29, 2021 by canderson

[Bo1953]

9 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

a "good intervention" LOL, Bo, it sounds like you will be meeting with me and Keys Kathy at "Friends of Bill", we can walk together after a few libations at Craft Social.

I could not imagine having better drinking companions... on a ship or on land....

 

bon voyage

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

I could not imagine having better drinking companions... on a ship or on land....

 

bon voyage

Right back at you, sir!  Luckily my husband does not drink, so any of us needing assistance back to our cabins, he will be happy to assist.  It will be “always included “ for any friends of Bill.

[canderson]

11 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

I could not imagine having better drinking companions... on a ship or on land....

 

bon voyage

Hey, I even offered you an optional liver transplant in the Bahamas using my OBC after we emptied the bars of Blanton's!  At least good for an honorable mention, yes? 😜

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

Hey, I even offered you an optional liver transplant in the Bahamas using my OBC after we emptied the bars of Blanton's!  At least good for an honorable mention, yes? 😜

c - it is clearly a tie for First Place...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[Bo1953]

On 8/27/2021 at 9:40 PM, publicpersona said:

 

I did not, although I mentioned it on the post-cruise survey the several times it has happened. As I said, I've not had that issue in the dining room, but rather the at the bars where they are more used to selling Bahama Mamas than wines. If you order a chardonnay and they see a bottle of chardonnay in the dishpan that's open, that's what they want to pour. Never mind that you have a premium package and asked for the Mer Soleil stainless chardonnay that's on the menu card. That La Terre(-ible) is convenient, open, and cold. Pool bar and Sunset Bar mostly. However, it was in the Sky Lounge that the bar keep insisted that the menu card was a "guideline" and "examples of wine" and you can't really order based on it.

YIKES good thing I do know about those bars... LOL

 

Sky Lounge, eh? The F & B Manager would have heard from me on that one, for sure. Were the brand I requested was not aboard, I would request the next best 'upward' to be available for my consumption at no additional charge, of course. They comply more often than not.

 

A good tip for those who do not have great experiences with bartenders/ barkeeps, find the F & B Manager who is almost always hanging out somewhere trying to fix a challenge and initiate the conversation as follows:

 

Are you available to assist me with a small challenge I Am having in XXX bar or with YYY bartender/barkeep?

 

In inevitably (97% of the time) the answer is "Yes, I will try, what is the challenge".

 

Comment cards written on same day of the incident(s) can go a long way to help too, either positive for helping out or negative for pushing it off...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

[RICCruisers]

If you are cruising on Edge the best reason to upgrade is for bottled water that does not come in those awful metal cans. I don’t know if all ships have changed over to metal vs plastic, but assume Apex and Beyond will be included in the tin revolution. 

[D C]

2 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

YIKES good thing I do know about those bars... LOL

 

Sky Lounge, eh? The F & B Manager would have heard from me on that one, for sure. Were the brand I requested was not aboard, I would request the next best 'upward' to be available for my consumption at no additional charge, of course. They comply more often than not.

 

A good tip for those who do not have great experiences with bartenders/ barkeeps, find the F & B Manager who is almost always hanging out somewhere trying to fix a challenge and initiate the conversation as follows:

 

Are you available to assist me with a small challenge I Am having in XXX bar or with YYY bartender/barkeep?

 

In inevitably (97% of the time) the answer is "Yes, I will try, what is the challenge".

 

Comment cards written on same day of the incident(s) can go a long way to help too, either positive for helping out or negative for pushing it off...

 

Cheers and bon voyage

Nice way to phrase it, Bo! 

 

We've brought food-related issues (non-food stuff in the food) to their attention in the past and they are on top of it instantly. 

[T^2]

4 hours ago, canderson said:

Just noticed something odd.

In comparing the Classic vs. Premium lists, I see no Irish Whiskey on either side of the chart.  Doesn't seem possible, as they always used to have at least some Jameson aboard.  Can anyone cruising recently provide any additional detail?  I take it that the comparison list isn't all inclusive (to use the expression in the more traditional sense!)

Long way to my point, but when my brother forced me to take a shot of Jameson as soon as our wives and we boarded a cruise a couple of years ago, it has now been a 2 cruise tradition and I plan to make it a third cruise in Dec.  I saw the same (hopefully) oversight on the beverage package sheet.  Luckily my loving bride was able to calm my fears and found Jameson listed at one of the bars through the Celebrity app at a price indicating it was part of the classic beverage package.

Here's to hoping...

Edited August 29, 2021 by T^2

[canderson]

Appreciate that she took the extra time for both of us!

[Cruisernewbie44]

This may be a dumb question, but here goes.  Always Included is the classic package which is usually $59.  The Cruise Planner says the Premium Package is $69.  Is that what you have to pay to upgrade?  It would be really hard to justify $69 more per day with the amount I drink ( one cocktail and one or two glasses of wine/day)

Paying the $10/day is another thought process altogether