Dining Package Wine Discount

[Notaworryintheworld]

Hello! We are going without the beverage package for the first time on serenade next month (unless there’s an amazing deal for Black Friday but not counting on it). Does anyone have experience using the 40% off wine discount with the UDP? Can it only be used in the specialty restaurants? I assume so but figured I’d ask. And if so, can we just go in to chops and buy one even if we’ve already had dinner? Any issues ordering a bottle basically to go at the end of dinner? Thanks!

[sheezsmith]

has anyone tried this?

[foxgoodrich]

I can't provide any firsthand info about the UDP wine discount, but I don't think you'll be able to get a bottle to go at the end of dinner.  Our unfinished wine was always labeled and saved for us and was available for our next dining venue.  (You also cannot buy a bottle of liquor and take it back to your cabin - it's held for you and delivered to your cabin on the last night of your cruise.  Same with bottles of wine or liquor you purchase in port.  It's saved for you and delivered the last night.)  You can carry a glass of wine out of your dining venue, but not a bottle.  

 

Also - You can bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin in your luggage when you board the ship to begin your cruise.  Those you can keep in your cabin.  Your room steward will provide you a corkscrew and glasses.

[not-enough-cruising]

19 hours ago, Notaworryintheworld said:

Hello! We are going without the beverage package for the first time on serenade next month (unless there’s an amazing deal for Black Friday but not counting on it). Does anyone have experience using the 40% off wine discount with the UDP? Can it only be used in the specialty restaurants? I assume so but figured I’d ask. And if so, can we just go in to chops and buy one even if we’ve already had dinner? Any issues ordering a bottle basically to go at the end of dinner? Thanks!

I have left a restaurant after eating with a bottle of wine many times. 
Regarding the 40% discount, there are no restrictions on using your discount with the Deluxe beverage package, I can’t imagine why their would be restrictions on the UDP discount. 

[foxgoodrich]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I have left a restaurant after eating with a bottle of wine many times. 
 

WOW!  I need a crash course on how to do this.......the one time we asked, we were told we couldn't get a new bottle to go, but we could take a partial with us if there was something left.  

Maybe it depends on the server??  

 

 

[MrMarc]

I usually buy a good bottle of Champaign on the first night at dinner and carry it around for the rest of the night or until it is empty, whichever comes first, and take a Champaign sealer to keep it longer.   I have gotten glass and an ice bucket from other bars onboard. 

[foxgoodrich]

Okay, I can see how they would do that with champagne since even with a sealer, it might not be the same delicious bubbly the next day.  We usually choose a Sauvignon Blanc as one of our D+ gifts, and they always equip us with a corkscrew and an ice bucket to keep it cold in the cabin.  

 

We also bring our allotted 2 bottles aboard, and we usually kill a bottle at dinner.  Then we just go with by-the-glass wine with vouchers, so I have no real complaint.  But I'm going to ask to take the remainder of bottles with us now.

 

(I am working on maintaining my "functional wino" identity aboard ship.)  

Edited November 16, 2021 by foxgoodrich
added a sentence

[MrMarc]

8 minutes ago, foxgoodrich said:

Okay, I can see how they would do that with champagne since even with a sealer, it might not be the same delicious bubbly the next day.  We usually choose a Sauvignon Blanc as one of our D+ gifts, and they always equip us with a corkscrew and an ice bucket to keep it cold in the cabin.  

 

We also bring our allotted 2 bottles aboard, and we usually kill a bottle at dinner.  Then we just go with by-the-glass wine with vouchers, so I have no real complaint.  But I'm going to ask to take the remainder of bottles with us now.

 

(I am working on maintaining my "functional wino" identity aboard ship.)  

On the C cruise line, it's 50% off any wine if you eat in a specialty restaurant, so I bought a bottle of Dom.  I got a lot of funny looks wondering around with the bottle to myself.  On RCCL that's above the price limit, so I don't do it.

[foxgoodrich]

Oh My Dear, any time you can get Dom for 50% off, the wine gods require you to comply!  And you should carry that bottle around like a badge of honor.  (We functional winos will totally get it.)

 

And I would never give you a funny look...I would just assume you were a guy with exceptional taste.  Actually, I might give you a very friendly look as I complimented your taste and secretly hoped you would share a glass with me as I sent DH off to the pub for a scotch or a beer...  

[MrMarc]

1 hour ago, foxgoodrich said:

Oh My Dear, any time you can get Dom for 50% off, the wine gods require you to comply!  And you should carry that bottle around like a badge of honor.  (We functional winos will totally get it.)

 

And I would never give you a funny look...I would just assume you were a guy with exceptional taste.  Actually, I might give you a very friendly look as I complimented your taste and secretly hoped you would share a glass with me as I sent DH off to the pub for a scotch or a beer...  

I have to admit it felt very decadent. 

[AustinCruise]

I have left the MDR with an open bottle of wine purchased there. They really don’t care from what I can tell. They generally want you happy. 

[Merion_Mom]

I usually take my bottle with me after dinner.  I have had them "lose" it when I tell them, for example, in Chops that I left it at Giovanni's and they send someone for it and "no one can find it."

 

DON'T MESS WITH MY WINE!!  😄 

[Sunshine3601]

We also use the 40% and take whatever remains in the bottle with us.  I.e. on of our last cruises we order bottle in chops and drank the whole bottle and then ordered a 2nd one and took it back to our cabin.  The following night was lobster night in mdr so we took that bottle with us to the mdr.  No problem.

[Sms1973]

Along the same lines, has anyone seen a complete current wine by the bottle list from RCCL. I’ve seen the bar menu one, and I struggle to believe that’s the extent of the offering - pretty limited and mediocre.     Please share if you’ve found it!

[JuliaMS]

I know selection will vary greatly as well as price on each ship but what is the typical price range for a moderate bottle of wine? (Not the cheapest but not a splurge)

[George C]

On 11/15/2021 at 5:11 PM, Notaworryintheworld said:

Hello! We are going without the beverage package for the first time on serenade next month (unless there’s an amazing deal for Black Friday but not counting on it). Does anyone have experience using the 40% off wine discount with the UDP? Can it only be used in the specialty restaurants? I assume so but figured I’d ask. And if so, can we just go in to chops and buy one even if we’ve already had dinner? Any issues ordering a bottle basically to go at the end of dinner? Thanks!

We loved the 40 percent discount last week it’s for bottles under 100 , 20 percent if over. Allure had a different wine list in all specialty and also suite lounge, some real bargains. They do add a 18 percent service charge after the 40 percent off but even with that the wines are very reasonable compared to any restaurant. You can buy bottles in vintages also,  when we did that they just gave me the bottle and glasses .

[George C]

On 12/5/2021 at 2:17 PM, Sms1973 said:

Along the same lines, has anyone seen a complete current wine by the bottle list from RCCL. I’ve seen the bar menu one, and I struggle to believe that’s the extent of the offering - pretty limited and mediocre.     Please share if you’ve found it!

Wine list was really nice Silverado Cabernet was only 70 something before the discount , duckhorn merlot was 90 something, each restaurant had a slightly different Giovanni’s had a really nice large list had a very nice Italian bottle there a few times. 

[Notaworryintheworld]

7 hours ago, George C said:

We loved the 40 percent discount last week it’s for bottles under 100 , 20 percent if over. Allure had a different wine list in all specialty and also suite lounge, some real bargains. They do add a 18 percent service charge after the 40 percent off but even with that the wines are very reasonable compared to any restaurant. You can buy bottles in vintages also,  when we did that they just gave me the bottle and glasses .

You were able to get the dining package discount in vintages?

[George C]

15 minutes ago, Notaworryintheworld said:

You were able to get the dining package discount in vintages?

Yes, first they were going to sell it at full price, but I told them we had package, they gave me the 40 percent, just need to tell them you have drink package, again I was extremely happy with the wine list and prices we drink lots of wine both at home and restaurants.

[Notaworryintheworld]

9 minutes ago, George C said:

Yes, first they were going to sell it at full price, but I told them we had package, they gave me the 40 percent, just need to tell them you have drink package, again I was extremely happy with the wine list and prices we drink lots of wine both at home and restaurants.

Oh I’m not doing the drink package this time, just the dining. 

[George C]

19 minutes ago, Notaworryintheworld said:

Oh I’m not doing the drink package this time, just the dining. 

Sorry I meant to say dining package, we also didn’t have drink package last week (since we already had 5 free drinks for diamond plus), drink package also gives you same discount 

[Notaworryintheworld]

52 minutes ago, George C said:

Sorry I meant to say dining package, we also didn’t have drink package last week (since we already had 5 free drinks for diamond plus), drink package also gives you same discount 

Oh ok well that’s great! I’ll be trying this on serenade later this week so fingers crossed!

[MommaBear55]

On 12/5/2021 at 3:17 PM, Sms1973 said:

Along the same lines, has anyone seen a complete current wine by the bottle list from RCCL. I’ve seen the bar menu one, and I struggle to believe that’s the extent of the offering - pretty limited and mediocre.     Please share if you’ve found it!

Each restaurant and each ship have different menus, there's not one consolidated source. The bars generally have better "wines by the glass" than the restaurants, so we generally pick up a glass of white to carry into a restaurant. I can usually find an acceptable red in the restaurants. My theory is they really want to push people into buying a bottle.  

[George C]

32 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Each restaurant and each ship have different menus, there's not one consolidated source. The bars generally have better "wines by the glass" than the restaurants, so we generally pick up a glass of white to carry into a restaurant. I can usually find an acceptable red in the restaurants. My theory is they really want to push people into buying a bottle.  

Another advantage on buying a bottle is it is chilled to the correct temperature, also wine can be sitting around and go bad ( this is for red wines) , allure really didn’t have a good selection of red wines by the glass.

[happy cruzer]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:01 PM, Notaworryintheworld said:

Oh ok well that’s great! I’ll be trying this on serenade later this week so fingers crossed!

Booking Serenade, so very interested if you were able to get wine to go or in Vintages?

 

What was your results?

 

Thanks.

Edited February 15, 2022 by happy cruzer