Silver Spirts Included wines

[LindaS272]

I think it’s gone up to $8 a glass. SSBP is just another way to pay. The price per glass is for a la carte—available to anyone.

[JerryInIL]

4 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

I think it’s gone up to $8 a glass. SSBP is just another way to pay. The price per glass is for a la carte—available to anyone.

Thank you. So, if wife and I each have a glass of “house” wine before dinner and then another glass or 2 of house wine with dinner, our cost would be about $16 (2x$8) vs. $50 per day for the SSBP, with the dinner house wine “free”.  Am I figuring this correctly?

[dd57]

1 hour ago, JerryInIL said:

Thank you. So, if wife and I each have a glass of “house” wine before dinner and then another glass or 2 of house wine with dinner, our cost would be about $16 (2x$8) vs. $50 per day for the SSBP, with the dinner house wine “free”.  Am I figuring this correctly?

That's correct.  And if you can't finish that 3rd glass of wine and take it with you, that's OK.

 

Some people go to the World Cafe for appetizers and a glass of included wine and then later go to the Restaurant for dinner.  

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, JerryInIL said:

Thank you. So, if wife and I each have a glass of “house” wine before dinner and then another glass or 2 of house wine with dinner, our cost would be about $16 (2x$8) vs. $50 per day for the SSBP, with the dinner house wine “free”.  Am I figuring this correctly?

I wouldn’t call the before dinner wine “house” wine—it’s whatever you order on the wine list, including bottles. But yes, by the glass is $8 now. And the “included” wines at dinner are rotating red or white, though I’ve heard some say you can request a rose’. 

[SantaFe1]

We are on the Orion now.  The wine selection is very limited compared to other cruises we’ve taken.  My husband likes a good Pinot and there are none.  And only one New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for me, while usually there are several.  They said that’s all they could get for this voyage.  I guess Alaska is a long way away from wine country (but it’s not, really). Very disappointing.

[MELSMOM47]

Just returned from the Viking Neptune. We found that the included wines were hit or miss. However, once we found one we liked our waiter was happy to continue to have it available. 

[MikeyB]

On the Neptune now and looking at the menu in the Explorer's lounge.  They offer a house white, red or rose at $7.  The silver spirit wines can be separately purchased at $8.

And I need to add that "supply chain " issues continue.

Beverage Manager tells me that Viking got  a new European distributor.

I believe I heard that one before.

[Meander Ingwa]

On 5/31/2023 at 6:56 PM, SantaFe1 said:

I guess Alaska is a long way away from wine country

Washington and Oregon have HUGE and excellent wine industry.  NO excuses

[Carolfay]

36 minutes ago, Meander Ingwa said:

Washington and Oregon have HUGE and excellent wine industry.  NO excuses

Hear, hear!

[SantaFe1]

On 5/31/2023 at 5:56 PM, SantaFe1 said:

 I guess Alaska is a long way away from wine country (but it’s not, really). Very disappointing.

You took me out of context.  Yes, my point exactly!!  And Northern California, too.  

[calvin81]

I'm new to Viking so am not sure what the included wines with meals will be - just a choice of a red or white? Do they vary the choices during the cruise? I like a decent Chardonnay, but don't care for even the "best" pinot grigio. Are the included wines a known brand? 

[LindaS272]

Yes, yes, & sometimes (?) There’s an a la carte wine list for a few wines by the glass, & bottles you can purchase. Many will buy bottles onshore and bring them onboard. The waiters will pour it for you—no corkage fee—or you can just enjoy it in your room or anywhere on the ship.

[CCWineLover]

3 hours ago, calvin81 said:

I'm new to Viking so am not sure what the included wines with meals will be - just a choice of a red or white? Do they vary the choices during the cruise? I like a decent Chardonnay, but don't care for even the "best" pinot grigio. Are the included wines a known brand? 

We also like a decent Chardonnay.  However, the included wines don’t have Chardonnay that many days.  Rotates around through the various whites a given ship has in inventory and needs to get rid of.

someone has said if you find one tell the waiter to keep pouring it even if it isn’t the wine of the day.  We never had success with that.

solution:  we bring our own bottles onboard and problem solved.

[Mackdogmolly]

This is not about the SS wines, but the SS package in general. From what I can see, it looks like the price of most cocktails is pretty inexpensive, about $8, and the current price of the SS package is $25 per day, so it would take quite a few drinks to make it worthwhile. Or have the cocktail prices gone up?

TIA

[MELSMOM47]

2 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

This is not about the SS wines, but the SS package in general. From what I can see, it looks like the price of most cocktails is pretty inexpensive, about $8, and the current price of the SS package is $25 per day, so it would take quite a few drinks to make it worthwhile. Or have the cocktail prices gone up?

TIA

I can’t swear they were all $8 but we found them to be very reasonable. Wines with lunch and dinner were hit or miss but once we found one that we liked the staff could easily get it and have it available for future meals. That meant that we didn’t need to spend money to upgrade at mealtimes and only had to spend in between. Our final bar bill was less than $300 and we always had wine or a cocktail before and after dinner on a 15 day cruise. 

[calvin81]

To be clear, if you liked a house wine one day, you made note of that and asked for it future days? On Oceania we bought bottles and they kept them corked and chilled for the next day if we didn't finish them - is this possible on Viking? How they handle any bottles you bring onboard yourself? 

[MELSMOM47]

17 minutes ago, calvin81 said:

To be clear, if you liked a house wine one day, you made note of that and asked for it future days? On Oceania we bought bottles and they kept them corked and chilled for the next day if we didn't finish them - is this possible on Viking? How they handle any bottles you bring onboard yourself? 

Yes. I took a photo of the bottle and asked for it at my next meals. It was not an issue. If you purchased a bottle and did not finish it, they would have it available wherever you chose to dine for your next meal. And there is no corkage fee if you bring your own. 

[Azulann]

21 minutes ago, calvin81 said:

To be clear, if you liked a house wine one day, you made note of that and asked for it future days? On Oceania we bought bottles and they kept them corked and chilled for the next day if we didn't finish them - is this possible on Viking? How they handle any bottles you bring onboard yourself? 

It is the same as Oceania . You can bring wine and liquor on board. Take your bottle of  wine to dinner and staff will keep the rest for next meal for you. 

[deec]

no corkage fee on viking either for your own wine.

[calvin81]

Thank you for the replies. My future cruise is Asia, and I wonder if wine will be easy to find at a store near where the ship is? 

[Haqdeluxe]

4 hours ago, calvin81 said:

Thank you for the replies. My future cruise is Asia, and I wonder if wine will be easy to find at a store near where the ship is? 

In the Asian market I suspect "easy to find" won't be the issue as much as the selection and the cost will be.

My thoughts go straight to buying liquor in Norway. Not hard to find but quite costly once found. 

[duquephart]

28 minutes ago, Haqdeluxe said:

In the Asian market I suspect "easy to find" won't be the issue as much as the selection and the cost will be.

My thoughts go straight to buying liquor in Norway. Not hard to find but quite costly once found. 

 

As is everything in Norway.

[CCWineLover]

7 hours ago, MELSMOM47 said:

Yes. I took a photo of the bottle and asked for it at my next meals. It was not an issue. I

It must vary between different ships (similar to other policies that do seem to vary depending on the ship).  Again - we did the exact thing and were told by every waiter we asked, that only the specific wine of the day was available for us.  It was always an issue.  Oh well.  Guess you were fortunate.  As much as I like Viking Ocean cruises, they do have a huge consistency in policy issue among the ships.  They don't all operate the same.  (Training?  Education?  Managers given latitude to enforce or not the rules/guidelines?)

 

We do bring our own bottles now - to have some contraol.

Edited June 3, 2023 by CCWineLover

[calvin81]

I find the "wine included at dinner" claim to be very disappointing. Part of what I liked about Viking is it seemed more inclusive, less nickel and dining. Offering one white wine is not what I was expecting, or hoping for. Even mid to lower end restaurants offer 2 or 3 choices of a house white. I don't drink enough to buy the package, and buying bottles of my favorites to bring onboard will probably be challenging in Asia. Guess I'll be buying glasses onboard.

[Moonlion]

2 minutes ago, calvin81 said:

I find the "wine included at dinner" claim to be very disappointing. Part of what I liked about Viking is it seemed more inclusive, less nickel and dining. Offering one white wine is not what I was expecting, or hoping for. Even mid to lower end restaurants offer 2 or 3 choices of a house white. I don't drink enough to buy the package, and buying bottles of my favorites to bring onboard will probably be challenging in Asia. Guess I'll be buying glasses onboard.

Calculate what you think you will drink before, during (if not the included wines and beers) and after dinner and include the premium wine pairings at the Chef's Table ($25 pp - unless you go with the included wines).  If more than 3 drinks per day, the SSBP may be worth it for you.  If not, buy by the glass.