Next Cruise - No more Free Champaign

[SG65CB]

10 hours ago, nelblu said:

Have booked so many times on board and never received any wine or champagne.  The only offer was for the raffle and never an announcement as to who won.😁

 

I won the raffle once. The cruise director called my cabin and recorded a video of him talking to me on the phone, and played it during his next daily morning show on TV. 

 

My friend answered the phone "pizza shop", the CD paused and then asked for me. During the call he accidentally hung up on me and called me back - twice. 

 

[NoShoes2]

19 hours ago, soremekun said:

Robin Leach!

 

Lifestyles of the rich and shameless... I mean famous LOL

[bob@karen]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:59 AM, scatmanjack said:

 

Got a bottle of Vigne Dei Conti Espumoso Vino Spumante Extra Dry last week (03/13/2023) on Adventure for booking a 4 night in 2024...

 

Also won another bottle at Shore Excursion/Travel Trivia... (gave it away to young couple...)

So did you try it? That’s what we got from Next Cruise on Navigator of the Seas this week. I’m afraid to try it because it’s Extra Dry, not the Brut which we prefer. I’m encouraged that it’s an Italian made wine but I think we’re going to give it away, too. 

[Big_G]

When we first started cruising wife and I thought we were Bonnie and Clyde sneaking our bottle of bubbly up to the pull deck in her big old beach bag with 2 full glasses of OJ to make Mimosas when no one was looking. We were bad@ss cruisers back in those days. Now we're just old and get them at the bar.

[lovelife]

Have booked a next cruise dozens and dozens of times and never received anything but an e-mail confirmation. ☹️

[mets123]

Got it on the Anthem last week. I think you had to book during the first two days to get it. Checked it out at my local liquor store, it's worth $15.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:58 AM, karena1 said:

We just cruised the beginning of March and I got a bottle of champagne and also won the raffle!  I always go the first day and book, and always get a bottle of champagne.

Not anymore. 

[island lady]

19 hours ago, lovelife said:

Have booked a next cruise dozens and dozens of times and never received anything but an e-mail confirmation. ☹️

 

Needs to be booked on the first two days.  They get really busy with pax towards the end of the cruise, so they offer this to thin out the customers, like C&A offers BOGO to specialty restaurants on first two days.  

[Viajera7]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:25 PM, Tlbecker1 said:

They only give them out the day you arrive on the ship.

That explains why I didn’t get one when I booked my Rhapsody’s cruise last year when I was on the Ovation.

[Mum2Mercury]

I didn't know they ever did this, but I've never hurried to book my Next Cruise immediately upon boarding.  I do know not to wait until the last day -- by then people are standing in line. 

 

As to the quality of the free champagne, why do some people feel the need to criticize everything?  I think people think it makes them look knowledgeable and cultured, but they actually come off as small and petty.  One of the things I like best about myself and my family is that we are able to be happy; that is, we're happy sleeping in a tent and eating hot dogs cooked on a stick, and we're happy in a 5-star oceanfront resort eating surf and turf.  

[cruisegirl1]

On 5/4/2023 at 5:39 PM, Big_G said:

When we first started cruising wife and I thought we were Bonnie and Clyde sneaking our bottle of bubbly up to the pull deck in her big old beach bag with 2 full glasses of OJ to make Mimosas when no one was looking. We were bad@ss cruisers back in those days. Now we're just old and get them at the bar.

No need to sneak.  We often bring our bottle of  champagne to the Solarium, Coco Cay or Labadee. Staff will even add ice to the ice bucket for us. 

 

M

[djvcr]

You can always give your free wine/sparkling wine/extra water etc to your room steward as part of their tip if you don't really want it. I have have had mixed luck with this though so worth asking your first - Oasis in March the steward said no he can't accept it but a month later on Harmony the steward said yes as long as we leave a note that it is for him so it doesn't look like he is stealing it from the room.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

10 hours ago, djvcr said:

You can always give your free wine/sparkling wine/extra water etc to your room steward as part of their tip if you don't really want it. I have have had mixed luck with this though so worth asking your first - Oasis in March the steward said no he can't accept it but a month later on Harmony the steward said yes as long as we leave a note that it is for him so it doesn't look like he is stealing it from the room.

We've given our steward beer, wine, soda, water but would never think of it as part of their tip. 

[djvcr]

12 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

We've given our steward beer, wine, soda, water but would never think of it as part of their tip. 

 

I didn't imply I gave less money because I left drinks, it was in addition to what I would normally tip. Reason I say as part of their tip is because I typically leave it with the envelope, hence they get it when they get their tip. Maybe I should have said "in addition to?"

 

Regardless, the point I was trying to make is that is there are options to share the wealth if you don't want the freebies. I also get wine from the casino and unless I am sailing out of NY, it always gets left for the steward.

Edited May 14, 2023 by djvcr

[PWP-001]

On 5/12/2023 at 8:36 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

I didn't know they ever did this, but I've never hurried to book my Next Cruise immediately upon boarding.  I do know not to wait until the last day -- by then people are standing in line. 

 

As to the quality of the free champagne, why do some people feel the need to criticize everything?  I think people think it makes them look knowledgeable and cultured, but they actually come off as small and petty.  One of the things I like best about myself and my family is that we are able to be happy; that is, we're happy sleeping in a tent and eating hot dogs cooked on a stick, and we're happy in a 5-star oceanfront resort eating surf and turf.  

Oh my gawd, you’re right!  Those people that criticize everything are almost as bad as those who criticize other people!

 

Perhaps it would be more effective to simply have open bottle of the sparkling wine available to drink by the glass on the first few days for those booking.

 

it could increase upsells that upon sobering up post cruise won’t be canceled for fear of losing the OBC.

[PWP-001]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:27 AM, suzyluvs2cruise said:

We've given our steward beer, wine, soda, water but would never think of it as part of their tip. 

Holy crap!  You said the “T” word!  You know where this thread is heading.

[karena1]

On 5/4/2023 at 7:56 PM, fredmdcruisers said:

Not anymore. 

we cruised first part of April and got my bottle of champagne as usual.  In fact, because it was a 7 night, I got 3 bottles.

[cruisegirl1]

11 minutes ago, karena1 said:

we cruised first part of April and got my bottle of champagne as usual.  In fact, because it was a 7 night, I got 3 bottles.

 3 bottles from Next cruise?  Or, the C&A gifts you pre selected? 

M

[karena1]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:

 3 bottles from Next cruise?  Or, the C&A gifts you pre selected? 

M

3 from my C&A choices, but if I book a cruise, I always get one from them also.

 

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, karena1 said:

3 from my C&A choices, but if I book a cruise, I always get one from them also.

 

Thanks - I think the OP as referring to the Next Cruise "Champagne."   

 

M

[cruisegirl1]

On 3/20/2023 at 10:50 AM, firefly333 said:

I seem to get random bottles of wine or champagne delivered. I wish they would quit. 

 

Sorry you didnt get one, you could have had mine. I give them away.

I think the OP was referring specifically to the  Next Cruise champagne. They may get others as well, no way to know.

M

[Morecruisesplz]

4 hours ago, karena1 said:

we cruised first part of April and got my bottle of champagne as usual.  In fact, because it was a 7 night, I got 3 bottles.

Can not be a policy. You just got lucky. 

[karena1]

13 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Can not be a policy. You just got lucky. 

I am Pinnacle so get 3 choices for Crown and Anchor gifts.  I choose 3 bottles of champagne and I get them.  Luck has nothing to do with it.  Once over 525 points, you get 3 gifts for a 7 night cruise.

[Morecruisesplz]

9 minutes ago, karena1 said:

I am Pinnacle so get 3 choices for Crown and Anchor gifts.  I choose 3 bottles of champagne and I get them.  Luck has nothing to do with it.  Once over 525 points, you get 3 gifts for a 7 night cruise.

This discussion was about a bottle for booking onboard. You can't include your C&A gift choices in that. You got 1 bottle for booking onboard. Period.

[karena1]

1 hour ago, fredmdcruisers said:

This discussion was about a bottle for booking onboard. You can't include your C&A gift choices in that. You got 1 bottle for booking onboard. Period.

yes, I misunderstood, sorry.