Silver Spirts Included wines

[MikeyB]

20 hours 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

What is listed as cocktails is $9.50 with the only exception being a White Lady at $11.50

[Mackdogmolly]

4 hours ago, MikeyB said:

What is listed as cocktails is $9.50 with the only exception being a White Lady at $11.50

Oh! Then the bar list must have been recently updated!  @MikeyB, did you see this onboard?

[MikeyB]

16 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Oh! Then the bar list must have been recently updated!  @MikeyB, did you see this onboard?

I was looking at the menu as I wrote it.

[MikeyB]

That was from the Explorer's Lounge.

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, MikeyB said:

I was looking at the menu as I wrote it.

Thanks! Can you post it!

[cmmaxwell03]

Apologies if this has been asked before 🙂

 

We have the SSBP.  When ordering, will the waitress/bartender/etc. let us know if something is not included in the package?  For example, if I asked for a glass of champagne but only prosecco is included, will they remind me that the item is excluded from the SSBP or just pour the champagne and charge us?  I'm trying to be savvy since we are planning to book some of the more expensive excursions.

 

We know there are obvious exclusions from the package due to reading the info about it.  But I could not find anything specific in regards to my question above. 

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, cmmaxwell03 said:

Apologies if this has been asked before 🙂

 

We have the SSBP.  When ordering, will the waitress/bartender/etc. let us know if something is not included in the package?  For example, if I asked for a glass of champagne but only prosecco is included, will they remind me that the item is excluded from the SSBP or just pour the champagne and charge us?  I'm trying to be savvy since we are planning to book some of the more expensive excursions.

 

We know there are obvious exclusions from the package due to reading the info about it.  But I could not find anything specific in regards to my question above. 

I believe champagne is now included. But don’t forget to have a dialog with your server.

[duquephart]

I would ask. The tendency, I believe, is to bring you what you ordered.

[wine-wine-wine]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

I would ask. The tendency, I believe, is to bring you what you ordered.

It may vary. I recall being asked for confirmation if we off roaded from the package…

[allyg]

My husband and I just returned from the Reykjavik-NYC cruise. It was our first Viking cruise so we decided to go with the drink package. While, financially, it may not be the best decision, we are so glad we had it and just considered it a treat. My husband loves a martini (or 2) and I enjoy a nice brut champagne so we were pleased. We also loved our Chef Table meals and their upgraded wine pairings were delicious. We told our server we had the package, gave them our cabin number, and made sure, once we ordered, that our choice fell within the package. It always did. I very much liked having a drink at times outside of meals. We will do it again.

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, allyg said:

My husband and I just returned from the Reykjavik-NYC cruise. It was our first Viking cruise so we decided to go with the drink package. While, financially, it may not be the best decision, we are so glad we had it and just considered it a treat. My husband loves a martini (or 2) and I enjoy a nice brut champagne so we were pleased. We also loved our Chef Table meals and their upgraded wine pairings were delicious. We told our server we had the package, gave them our cabin number, and made sure, once we ordered, that our choice fell within the package. It always did. I very much liked having a drink at times outside of meals. We will do it again.

 

As has been pointed out ad nauseam, you can "very much" like "having a drink at times outside of meals" regardless of how payment is arranged. And, just out of curiousity, what is the correlation between first cruise and decision "to go" with the package?

[islandchick]

I'm a little surprised at all the confusion regarding the ss drink package and drink prices. I will try to break it down so as to ease some of the confusion.

 

Without the Silver Spirits Package- You get complimentary wine - house red or white (maybe rose if you ask) at lunch and dinner. Anyone can purchase anything off the menu at any time including bottles of wine. Anyone can bring wine onboard at anytime and there is no corkage fee. 

 

Here is the info direct from the Viking website about the drinks package

 

Silver Spirits Package

Upgrade and enjoy unlimited beverages in all dining venues and bars throughout the duration of your cruise. Our newly enhanced Silver Spirits Beverage program is now $25 USD per night. The package includes:

• Any drinks up to $18.00 USD including premium wines by the glass, cocktails & aperitifs
• Now includes house champagne by the glass
• Premium wines by the glass, cocktails and aperitifs
• Selection of applicable wines change twice per cruise
• 30% discount on premium beverages above $50.00 USD
• 50% discount for premium tasting events
• The Chefs Table premium wine pairing
• Wide range of upgraded selection of whiskeys & whisky’s
• Wide range of upgraded wines and spirits
• Soft drinks & juices

Onboard Beverages
Your onboard lunches and dinners are always accompanied by complimentary hot or iced tea, coffee, house wines, beers and soft drinks. Our bartenders and waitstaff are always available to recommend:

• Cocktails
• Aperitifs
• Specialty coffees & teas
• Champagnes & sparkling wines
• Beers
• Juices

Please note you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. Both guests in a stateroom must purchase the package for the full length of the cruise in order for it to be valid. A 15% service charge per person is included with the price

[Escaper]

I cruise to relax.

I like the SS package because we can get what we want, when we want, whenever we feel like it.

I have never sat down and tried to calculate whether or not a good deal or not.  We are not heavy drinkers, but simply want to order without worrying about the extra cost.  We also like diet Coke, and don't want to pay for that if we want some.

 

Final note:  It also lets you try some different spirits and liquors you might not otherwise try.  See a Bourbon you have not tried before, order it!  Not sure about a particular wine, no sweat.

 

Cheers!

[MELSMOM47]

3 minutes ago, Escaper said:

I cruise to relax.

I like the SS package because we can get what we want, when we want, whenever we feel like it.

I have never sat down and tried to calculate whether or not a good deal or not.  We are not heavy drinkers, but simply want to order without worrying about the extra cost.  We also like diet Coke, and don't want to pay for that if we want some.

 

Final note:  It also lets you try some different spirits and liquors you might not otherwise try.  See a Bourbon you have not tried before, order it!  Not sure about a particular wine, no sweat.

 

Cheers!

That sounds good but on our cruise the Bourbon selection was extremely thin. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Hobson1754]

14 hours ago, Escaper said:

Final note:  It also lets you try some different spirits and liquors you might not otherwise try.  See a Bourbon you have not tried before, order it!  Not sure about a particular wine, no sweat.

Yes, that’s part of our reasoning too.  I like to try different cocktails & you can do that - if you don’t like it, try another without feeling guilty or (too) wasteful.

[Mackdogmolly]

15 hours ago, MELSMOM47 said:

That sounds good but on our cruise the Bourbon selection was extremely thin. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@MELSMOM47, do you recall what the bourbon choices were?

[MELSMOM47]

35 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

@MELSMOM47, do you recall what the bourbon choices were?

Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels. Then about halfway into the cruise they got some Four Roses. It seems bourbon isn’t a big thing in Europe. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Clay Clayton]

5 minutes ago, MELSMOM47 said:

Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels. Then about halfway into the cruise they got some Four Roses. It seems bourbon isn’t a big thing in Europe. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Interesting, last time we were aboard-July 2021 Iceland-they had those and Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford. Hope they have one of those three onboard in July🤞

[MELSMOM47]

6 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Interesting, last time we were aboard-July 2021 Iceland-they had those and Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford. Hope they have one of those three onboard in July🤞

Wow. That would have been nice. Those are some of our favorites. When we travel we try local bourbons and like to bring a bottle home. 🥃

[Mackdogmolly]

12 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Interesting, last time we were aboard-July 2021 Iceland-they had those and Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford. Hope they have one of those three onboard in July🤞

That would be MUCH better!!

[Stickman1990]

The wines on Viking Juniper at the moment 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lextrvlr]

Am I correct in remembering that "included house wines" are served in tumblers while stemware is used "premium" wines? Would stemware be offered for bring-your-own or purchased bottles?

[CCWineLover]

13 minutes ago, lextrvlr said:

Am I correct in remembering that "included house wines" are served in tumblers while stemware is used "premium" wines? Would stemware be offered for bring-your-own or purchased bottles?

You are correct - stemware for Silver Spirits and tumblers for included house wines.  That is so that that waiters can quickly tell who gets what.

 

When we've brought our own bottles to dinner, we've been served in stemware if we had SSBP and tumblers if we didn't.  So now, we have our steward supply us with a couple of stemware glasses in the room.  We take those to dinner.

If going to Explorer's Lounge, we do the same thing - take our own glasses (with some wine in them this time).

As far as when you purchase a bottle from the bottle list, I don't know.

Lastly, one can always ask for stemware regardless and see what they say.

[lextrvlr]

Thanks CCWineLover. If I were to buy a bottle from their wine list costing $50+ and it was poured it into a tumbler, because I didn't have SSBP, I would be more than a little unhappy! I will inquire shortly after boarding and before I decide to buy SSBP or their bottles.

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, lextrvlr said:

Thanks CCWineLover. If I were to buy a bottle from their wine list costing $50+ and it was poured it into a tumbler, because I didn't have SSBP, I would be more than a little unhappy! I will inquire shortly after boarding and before I decide to buy SSBP or their bottles.

Before they started pouring I would stop them.  But actually when I bought the bottle I would not ask, I would simply say "please pour this nice bottle into stemless glasses"  >  🙂