Premium Wine and Cocktail List

[lincslady]

I believe the OP on this particular topic said that they had the last bottle of NZ  sauv. bl. on board.  There may be all sorts of things on the complimentary list, but if they have run out there is not much to be done about it until fresh supplies arrive.

 

If a Chilean Chardonnay was the only dry white wine available on the included list |I would not be very impressed.

[lincslady]

Just seen the OP's reply, so my last sentence is not correct.

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

I was under the impression that you could ask for any of the wines off the complimentary list at any time.  Is that not the case and they only offer one complimentary white & red wine at meals?

If the evening paring is not to our liking we politely ask what else they are pouring. After a few nights you will find your favorites and staff will often keep them near your table. 

[lincslady]

Which is fine provided they have got it on board!

[RetiredandTravel]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

If the evening paring is not to our liking we politely ask what else they are pouring. After a few nights you will find your favorites and staff will often keep them near your table. 

 

Thanks.  I was left with the impression that not only didn't they have Sauvignon Blanc but they only had a Chilean Chardonnay.  I haven't seen a SS complimentary wine list, what is the process of knowing exactly what complimentary wines are available on SS when you board?  Regent for example will pour the less expensive Chilean Chard but they also have a nice French White Burgundy but the have to ask for it an it isn't widely publicized. 

 

All these lines should just have complimentary lists available, seems to be a big secret, but then not many would opt for the cheaper stuff. 

 

Hopefully they pick up some SB at the next port.

 

 

[DCCruiser57]

SS has a pretty comprehensive list of complimentary wines - probably 25 or so.  The problem with providing a complimentary list is that they run out of some wines and then guests are disappointed.  So, I believe the policy is to not provide a complimentary wine list.

 

[lincslady]

The easiest way - until you get to know what they have - is to say, when they approach, 'have you got a NZ sauv. bl., or French chardonnay' or whatever you prefer.  We have encountered this offering of the least interesting (and probably cheapest) of the included  wines happens on Regent, Seabourn, and Silversea.  Yes, the included list does change frequently, but they are all a bit secretive about handing it out.  To offer a Chilean chard. three nights in a row as the white for the night strikes me as very mean spirited, I have to say.

 

I have found Seabourn to be the most generous, and Regent the least, in being helpful with trying to give you a decent wine.  And the staff having at least a bit of knowledge of their offerings.  On Regent, when I asked where the white wine was from, the waitress said  'I dunno, is called Terra'.

 

 

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

…what is the process of knowing exactly what complimentary wines are available on SS when you board?

There is no process.  SS just doesn’t publish the list.

 

Try slipping a Benjamin to the sommelier for the Excel file that contains the list and report back here how it worked out. 😉

[RetiredandTravel]

54 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

There is no process.  SS just doesn’t publish the list.

 

Try slipping a Benjamin to the sommelier for the Excel file that contains the list and report back here how it worked out. 😉

 

Butler may be a better choice just have to find the weak link 🤠.  Operation Complimentary Wine List.

 

 

[Stumblefoot]

1 minute ago, RetiredandTravel said:

Operation Complimentary Wine List.

Love it.  I'm rootin' for you!

[RetiredandTravel]

22 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Love it.  I'm rootin' for you!

 

Thank you that makes it all worthwhile.  I don't care what it costs or what it does to my reputation 😏by God I'm going to find out what free wines are offered at Silversea.

 

 

[Randyk47]

1 hour ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

Thank you that makes it all worthwhile.  I don't care what it costs or what it does to my reputation 😏by God I'm going to find out what free wines are offered at Silversea.

 

 

Ahh….got you!  😀🙄 There are no “free” wines on Silversea.  There are included wines for which you paid.   That pointless point made good luck with your list.    👍

[RetiredandTravel]

1 minute ago, Randyk47 said:

Ahh….got you!  😀🙄 There are no “free” wines on Silversea.  There are included wines for which you paid.   That pointless point made good luck with your list.    👍

 

Haha   Yes my wife's biggest pet peev, luxury cruise lines saying "free".  Complimentary I stand corrected.

[rkacruiser]

It's becoming more difficult for me to find a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that I prefer on ships of any cruise line.  Villa Maria is my preference.  Properly priced (at least locally) and was once readily available aboard a ship.  Then, cruise lines changed Distributors and they did not sell that vineyards' wines.  What NZ Sauvignon Blancs that are available will always be Cloudy Bay (overrated and over priced in my opinion).  Usually, there will be a label of what I consider lesser quality.  I will drink that because I have no other choice.  

 

 

[Randyk47]

58 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

It's becoming more difficult for me to find a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that I prefer on ships of any cruise line.  Villa Maria is my preference.  Properly priced (at least locally) and was once readily available aboard a ship.  Then, cruise lines changed Distributors and they did not sell that vineyards' wines.  What NZ Sauvignon Blancs that are available will always be Cloudy Bay (overrated and over priced in my opinion).  Usually, there will be a label of what I consider lesser quality.  I will drink that because I have no other choice.  

 

 

 Could it be that Covid and the pandemic slowed down or even stopped exports from New Zealand?   My son owns a gin company and it was difficult to distribute during the pandemic.  Now his problem is trans ocean shipping containers are in high demand and hard to schedule and book.  

[KenzSailing]

I've found my personal complementary list:

 

White Plonk

Red Plonk

White little better

Red little better

White pretty good

Red pretty good

 

Not a knock on any of them. I've especially had good luck with Plonk White.

[Tothesunset]

My own preference is whatever my wife tells me it is. 

[lincslady]

5 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

 Could it be that Covid and the pandemic slowed down or even stopped exports from New Zealand?   My son owns a gin company and it was difficult to distribute during the pandemic.  Now his problem is trans ocean shipping containers are in high demand and hard to schedule and book.  

 

I suppose that is possible, but I have just checked  supplies at my local high-end supermarket, and they have many different NZ sauvignon blancs in stock, including Villa Maria, at £10 a bottle.

 

Lola

[jollyjones]

 

And for me Pink Anything at lunch in La Terrazza, followed in the evening by Fizzy Anything, then Unfizzy Anything.

Occasionally after dinner it'll be that sweet stuff, you know, the Car Wine.

 

I can't taste the difference. It's all good at sea. 

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

Could it be that Covid and the pandemic slowed down or even stopped exports from New Zealand

 

Covid has nothing to do with what I experienced.  What I posted was pre--Covid.  I am certain--based on what I learned on the ships from Food and Beverage Managers as well as bartenders--the reason was the change of wine distributors by the cruise lines.  

 

14 hours ago, lincslady said:

 

I suppose that is possible, but I have just checked  supplies at my local high-end supermarket, and they have many different NZ sauvignon blancs in stock, including Villa Maria, at £10 a bottle.

 

Lola

 

My wine store has several brands of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs including Villa Maria.  Throughout the pandemic, they have had no problem with keeping most of their wine racks full.  The price you saw for Villa Maria at GBP is just a few USD cents less than its price at my wine store.  

[Cancun01]

22 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

It's becoming more difficult for me to find a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that I prefer on ships of any cruise line.  Villa Maria is my preference.  Properly priced (at least locally) and was once readily available aboard a ship.  Then, cruise lines changed Distributors and they did not sell that vineyards' wines.  What NZ Sauvignon Blancs that are available will always be Cloudy Bay (overrated and over priced in my opinion).  Usually, there will be a label of what I consider lesser quality.  I will drink that because I have no other choice.  

 

 

Hate to break the news but on the Dawn in May there was a $9/glass charge for Cloudy Bay which I agree is way over-rated. The only reason I know is because at the Grill they brought the premium wine list as soon as we sat down.  I certainly wasn’t going to challenge the waiter as it is not his fault but I laughed that ss has enough nerve with the price of their cruise fares to charge for Cloudy Bay.  Seriously? I asked him to bring me a Pinot Grigio or SB that was complimentary.  It escapes me what he poured but it was fine. I think it was PG Santa Margarita.

[KenzSailing]

Getting back to the topic of premium, allow this potential SS cruiser a couple of questions, specific in our case to the Muse class, but maybe general across the classic fleet:

 

Does every restaurant have a premium list?

 

Do the lists vary between venues (eg, I assume La Muse would be more French intensive?)

 

Are the various lists available at some central spot onboard to peruse before the evening and venue in question?

 

Thanks much.

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Cancun01 said:

Hate to break the news but on the Dawn in May there was a $9/glass charge for Cloudy Bay which I agree is way over-rated.

 

What's the justification for this on a "luxury" cruise line?  Silly me.  I ought to have thought of the answer.  "Let's squeeze the guest a bit and try to help our bottom line."  

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, KenzSailing said:

Getting back to the topic of premium, allow this potential SS cruiser a couple of questions, specific in our case to the Muse class, but maybe general across the classic fleet:

 

Does every restaurant have a premium list?

 

Do the lists vary between venues (eg, I assume La Muse would be more French intensive?)

 

Are the various lists available at some central spot onboard to peruse before the evening and venue in question?

 

Thanks much.

 

 

 

 

Hi, the venue is actually called "La Dame" and yes, they have lots of wines in there. I can't say how many bottles are French but there are plenty of choices.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, KenzSailing said:

Does every restaurant have a premium list?

No.  One list per ship. It’s called the Connoisseur Wine List.