Included wines

[phillipahain]

On 3/1/2023 at 4:07 PM, cruiseej said:

Yikes, only four red wine on the included list?! That seems like a significant change from our past experiences on Seabourn. (There were 8 reds on the list I have from a cruise last year, and 13 on a cruise just before the Covid shutdown.)

Yes literally only 4 and on Grand Pacific 65day there were only 3 and only one was not full of sulphites ...we only drink red wines and never had problens on Regent and do not remember any on our First Seabourn but sure did on the 65 day .....

[Vineyard View]

We enjoy bubbles. We enjoy a glass of white on a warm day - 95% of the time we drink Red. That would be very disappointing to only have three. I would hope that there were decent reds available by the bottle at reasonable prices, however in researching Seabourn they point out “ultra luxurious personalized service is a way of life. Never lift a finger while you are a guest of ours, unless it’s to signal a waiter for another bottle of vintage Bordeaux from the stocked wine cellar”, also - “complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times” - these are published quotes that are on Seabourn’s website.

I have to say that the included wines shown on this thread have no place, as on zero, in the “fine wines” category. It is disappointing. It apparently is a big change from the Seabourn of past, so maybe the marketing materials need to be adjusted to reflect actual product offerings.
I recognize that supply chains have been disrupted for a lot of things in life. Living in a recognized wine region, I can attest to no wine supply chain issues here! So while bottles and cans, as mentioned previously, may be in short supply, the wineries aren’t discussing this, and the availability of wine has not diminished. Another record harvest was recently announced. So it’s puzzling - unless it just all boils down to cost cutting. 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Vineyard View

[SLSD]

22 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

So it’s puzzling - unless it just all boils down to cost cutting. 

I think it is cost cutting.  To me, that much is obvious.  

[Vineyard View]

I am not expecting the true definition of “premium”’ wines complimentary. But I did not expect supermarket $10-$15  wines. I would expect that on Princess 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Vineyard View

[Mr Luxury]

I say again,buy good wine from the wine list.

The prices are good and there are many excellent wines available also you can get a very good bottle of Champagne unlike the dreadful stuff that's included.

This is the way to eliviate coming on these boards and moaning about bad wine 😃

[florisdekort]

28 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

I say again,buy good wine from the wine list.

The prices are good and there are many excellent wines available also you can get a very good bottle of Champagne unlike the dreadful stuff that's included.

This is the way to eliviate coming on these boards and moaning about bad wine 😃

I actually think the Montaudon is quite nice compared to NF. It’s the only included wine we drink. White and red we purchase. I agree the prices are really good, and after the 25% loyalty discount, many are actually cheaper than in our local store. 
 

[Mr Luxury]

Just now, florisdekort said:

I actually think the Montaudon is quite nice compared to NF. It’s the only included wine we drink. White and red we purchase. I agree the prices are really good, and after the 25% loyalty discount, many are actually cheaper than in our local store. 
 

I have found this to be the best and safest bet over the years.

I'm on board to have a good time and enjoy myself.

I can't be doing with cheap plonk at my time of life.

Come to think of it I've never had much to do with cheap plonk when I was a young either 😀

[Vineyard View]

I don’t believe that a first time Seabourn guest receives any discounts off the bottles? 
 

I know what to expect now. Doesn’t match the description from Seabourn, but it is what it is. It’s okay to be disappointed in advertising that doesn’t ring true. It’s okay to raise a voice or concern. It Seabourn pax do not do this, nothing will change - but that Avenue won’t happen via CC. It needs to happen directly to Seabourn. I think it’s fair to do that. 

[saminina]

You are fortunate to learn this stuff prior to packing your bags.  Forget the wine.  The whole idea of advertising ultra luxury went out the window years ago.  Yes, I am repeating myself.....but for the new people they should get a grip on what to expect.  It's a nice, upscale cruise line.   Nothing more, and hopefully not much less.

[saminina]

38 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I don’t believe that a first time Seabourn guest receives any discounts off the bottles? 
 

 

Not sure they still do this, but.....ask the lead wine person shortly after boarding if they have special wine offerings scheduled.   I remember having a table set at Colonnade entrance offering discounts on bottles for future use.    That lead wine person might have authority to deal with you for something better than list price.   They did at one time, not sure about today.

[nowornever]

Somewhere on one of these boards was posted a menu of a "special" meal served onboard & the wines were Robert Mondavi Woodbridge white & red....those are supermarket $15- 1.5 L wines.  Really?  Say it isn't so!

[Vineyard View]

45 minutes ago, saminina said:

Not sure they still do this, but.....ask the lead wine person shortly after boarding if they have special wine offerings scheduled.   I remember having a table set at Colonnade entrance offering discounts on bottles for future use.    That lead wine person might have authority to deal with you for something better than list price.   They did at one time, not sure about today.

I think that I had better add this one to Seabourn notes on my phone. I don’t know I will remember this, and it’s a great tip. Thank you!

[Vineyard View]

34 minutes ago, nowornever said:

Somewhere on one of these boards was posted a menu of a "special" meal served onboard & the wines were Robert Mondavi Woodbridge white & red....those are supermarket $15- 1.5 L wines.  Really?  Say it isn't so!

Well, I started to type something…..but there just are no words. Well, there are, but I really better button it!  Holy moly. 
As Mr Luxury has suggested, I had better count on purchasing bottles! And bringing on board. So glad I asked prior and didn’t walk on board blind. 

[Catlover54]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

Well, I started to type something…..but there just are no words. Well, there are, but I really better button it!  Holy moly. 
As Mr Luxury has suggested, I had better count on purchasing bottles! And bringing on board. So glad I asked prior and didn’t walk on board blind. 

 

Many reviewers in the last few months (myself included, e.g.,  on the September Quest review I wrote and which I believe you had followed),  have cautioned that most of the included wines are pretty cheap and generally are not very appealing to most people who have a lot of experience with wine (e.g., most northern Californians who live near wonderful vineyards).  Sometimes you can be surprised that an included wine is drinkable, even if it is not great, but don't count on it.  And of course there are always exceptions (I was even a fan of "Two Buck Chuck" back in the day when I was on a serious budget 🙂).

In addition to the option of buying wine on board (with the upcharge, which can be substantial if you are not a veteran with status), if at all possible, and you really care about your pairings, I  resuggest that you  try to bring bottles on board from ports.  There is no charge to bring them on, and no corkage charge to serve them like on mainstream lines, even if you drink them in the restaurants, and you can even ask for a glass most appropriate to that varietal).  This unfortunately isn't possible on all cruises (e.g., it doesn't work  in very rural ports or ports where you don't have time to mess with getting to the wine shop for resupplies of something nice).

 

Also, in addition to asking for a printed copy of the included wine list the day you board (yes, they really can get it for you even if they initially say they cannot),  and making note of the potential ones that might be worth checking out, try and make friends with the somm, once you find him (assuming he is a real somm as opposed to just a designated wine pourer who was trained just a few weeks ago).  Sometimes they can "find" nice bottles (included or otherwise) that are not made public but they are happy to make them available to people who will appreciate them.

 

My guess is that you will have a wonderful cruise, even if  you land up paying a little more than you planned because you will not just be drinking the included wines.   

 

 

 

[margbem]

17 hours ago, lincslady said:

Pinot grigio tends to be regarded in the UK as a bit of a second class grape; people I know (including me) generally would rather drink  a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, if opting for an inexpensive wine.  Rather like prosecco has become a bit second class in many people's eyes, certainly to some of the French fizzies or cava.  Just pour me some Krug and I am a happy bunny (but  it is not included, sadly).

Yes - it tends to be the wine of hen parties! But there are some excellent ones around as well.

[Vineyard View]

Cat lover, thanks for further clarifying what we have decided to do with bringing some on board. I now know, and can act accordingly. Yours is the second suggestion regarding the Somme. I will certainly remember these tips as we have found out on other lines that can make a difference. 
 

Two buck chuck….that was quite the wine! Ha! I was involved in the industry at that time. You never knew which ‘juice ‘ went into making it. Was marketing genius though!

 

We plan on having a marvelous time!  Knowing these nits up front helps better pre-planning. We tend to pay up on wine…..it won’t be a deal breaker. Super excited for first cruise since Covid. Been WAY too long! And we are also very much looking forward to experiencing Seabourn….wine and all! That part is totally fixable. 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Vineyard View

[caviargal]

I am looking forward to the local wines in Spain and France and plan to bring some aboard every day.  Tasting and shopping for wine is fun!

[Vineyard View]

We totally agree. We generally do anyways. Just will up the volume! Ha!  Italy is always fun wine shopping, but looking forward to Croatia wine exploring. I am reading some nice reviews. 
France and Spain are winners for sure! Brought a case on years back when we had a lengthy cruise and had pre stay in Barcelona. Their Rojas! 

[diebroke]

Warning: I have been called a “wine snob” for my posts about wine on social media. I’m o.k. with that. So, feel free to join the party. I won't be offended.

I also live in Sonoma, CA, where we take our wine seriously most of the time.

My expectations for a wine are situational.

If I am at a cocktail party having wine as an aperitif & paying more attention to the conversation or music than to what I am drinking, the cheap stuff is fine – anything to make me a better conversationalist or laugh at bad jokes.

If I am engaged in fine dining & trying to appreciate the food & the wine, I prefer a wine that enhances the food & food that enhances the wine. For me, this pairing usually requires a wine of some complexity & that usually comes at a higher price point. I don't drink a first growth Bordeaux with my Big Mac nor do I drink 2 Buck Chuck with a Michelin starred meal.

Serving inexpensive included wines is not new for Seabourn in my experience. With some exceptions, the included wines on Seabourn were always of poorer quality than the wines I drink daily at home with dinner while the food on Seabourn was always higher in quality than my average nightly dinner at home. That mismatch bothered me & reduced my enjoyment of the meal. I expected both the food & wine to be of similar quality.

I found 4 solutions.

1) Keep searching as there are occasional higher quality included wines hidden among the cheap wines;

2) Purchase wines from the premium list. The wines are generally fairly priced at the U.S. retail level;

3) Bring wine on-board;

4) Complain. I once complained on a Seabourn cruise in the Spain & France region about the cheap U.S. included wines when there were so many interesting local wines available in our ports at reasonable prices. For the rest of the cruise, our table was served local wines that had been recently purchased in the ports. It was an enjoyable experience. Some worked, some didn’t, but it was fun to explore. It was one of those little things that made Seabourn special for us.

Most of my experience was on the former “little sisters” where I knew more about wine than the person they called the “Somm.” (And that is not because I have any advanced expertise.) I’m hoping on the newer, larger ships, they have upgraded the Somm position to a level so that she or he could be helpful.

[frantic36]

10 hours ago, diebroke said:

I’m hoping on the newer, larger ships, they have upgraded the Somm position to a level so that she or he could be helpful.

 

I can't attest for all the Sommeliers on all the ships but definitely Our Sommelier on Quest, Phillipe is very knowledgeable about wine. We have enjoyed two wine tasting lunches on board and are looking forward to two more. We haven't gone to all only because sometimes we already knew the wines being served.

[Mr Luxury]

31 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

We have enjoyed two wine tasting lunches on board and are looking forward to two more. We haven't gone to all only because sometimes we already knew the wines being served.

Yes,yes I believe you Julie.

How are you finding the sartorial elegance of other guests as Markham is not doing well with it.

I hope you are looking after him.

 

[hoya68]

Letting the Som or even the wine pourer know that you appreciate wine is a good start, but even better is to make sure that when you are drinking wine you bring aboard some is set aside for the Som so they can know your tastes and learn about wines they have never tasted before.

[Vineyard View]

7 minutes ago, hoya68 said:

Letting the Som or even the wine pourer know that you appreciate wine is a good start, but even better is to make sure that when you are drinking wine you bring aboard some is set aside for the Som so they can know your tastes and learn about wines they have never tasted before.

Totally agree!  Plus, it’s just a classy thing to do. Thanks for bringing this into the dialogue. 

[frantic36]

9 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes,yes I believe you Julie.

How are you finding the sartorial elegance of other guests as Markham is not doing well with it.

I hope you are looking after him.

 

 

Generally most are fine but I must admit to wondering what cruise line I was on yesterday evening about 7.15 pm when I man entered dressed in baggy shorts, a rumpled Hawaiian, short sleeved shirt and slip on sandals. I tried my best to be non-judgemental but did have to tell him to stop when he pulled his shirt up high exposing his large belly when talking with his friends. Even his wife told him to stop. 

 

Markham is doing okay and can still have a laugh.

[Mr Luxury]

1 minute ago, frantic36 said:

 

Generally most are fine but I must admit to wondering what cruise line I was on yesterday evening about 7.15 pm when I man entered dressed in baggy shorts, a rumpled Hawaiian, short sleeved shirt and slip on sandals. I tried my best to be non-judgemental but did have to tell him to stop when he pulled his shirt up high exposing his large belly when talking with his friends. Even his wife told him to stop. 

 

Markham is doing okay and can still have a laugh.

Why did you let him into your suite