Caymus winemaker dinner

[firsttimecruiser88]

So I got a shock of my life today when I receive the final journey account bill.

 

We went for the caymus winemaker dinner after being advised by the dinning line staff on the phone that it’s $45 per person cover charge. Well guess what it was $140!!!!! I wouldn’t haven’t gone had I known upfront it was that expensive (we are both not huge wine drinkers). And the 2 dinning team staff on the phone we spoke to before signing up both told us it’s $45.

 

So just to warn you, Caymus winemaker dinner is $140 cover charge per person!

 

I feel like I should make a complaint, but don’t even know how to. We’re already off the ship.

[Micahs Grandad]

Just before covid it was $ 35 pp if I remember correctly. I think they billed you incorrectly perhaps chefs table.

[Astro Flyer]

28 minutes ago, Micahs Grandad said:

Just before covid it was $ 35 pp if I remember correctly. I think they billed you incorrectly perhaps chefs table.

The WM Dinner was $40 but now I believe it’s $45 in Royal-class wine cellars located in the midship dining rooms.

 

The Caymus WM Dinner is $140 and not limited to Royal-class ships.

Princess Cruises Announces New Winemaker Dinner with Caymus Vineyards

 

https://www.princess.com/news/news_releases/2023/04/princess-cruises-announces-new-winemaker-dinner-with-caymus-vineyards.html

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/the-caymus-vineyards-wine-dinner-on-princess

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Astro Flyer

[sultan_sfo]

1 hour ago, firsttimecruiser88 said:

So I got a shock of my life today when I receive the final journey account bill

...

So just to warn you, Caymus winemaker dinner is $140 cover charge per person!

 

I feel like I should make a complaint, but don’t even know how to. We’re already off the ship.

We have always had to sign up for any special wine tasting events (eg Tuscan Dinner, Chef's Table, Wines-Of-World Lunch etc) and the slip shows the cost. The waiter also gets some credit for signing up the pax. I am surprised that you did not have to sign up.

Edited September 4, 2023 by sultan_sfo

[PapaGoose]

While  the cost is exorbitant, my DW is a huge Caymus fan! With the USD exchange to Canadian dollars we would be paying about $380 for two for this experience. We are sailing on the Sapphire in February 2024 on a South America cruise. Does anyone know if they offer this experience on the Sapphire?

 

I could earn serious bonus points with my beautiful better half on this…

[suekel]

1 hour ago, PapaGoose said:

While  the cost is exorbitant, my DW is a huge Caymus fan! With the USD exchange to Canadian dollars we would be paying about $380 for two for this experience. We are sailing on the Sapphire in February 2024 on a South America cruise. Does anyone know if they offer this experience on the Sapphire?

 

I could earn serious bonus points with my beautiful better half on this…

They did not have the Winemakers Dinner on the Sapphire this past spring, just the Chef's Table.  

[Steelers36]

@firsttimecruiser88, most of us regulars on here are well aware of the new Caymus WM Dinner event and we have wondered at the exorbitant price of $140 (which is more than Chef Table Lumiere).  Since it was announced, you are the first poster I have seen mention actually attending one and it has not been clear if they had even begun them as yet.  What ship were you on and what venue was it in?  The original WMD event was only on Royal Class ships and held in the Deck 5 mid-ship DR where there is a center section surrounded by wine bottles.  The used to be $40 and they raised it to $45 when Specialty Dining prices went up.  Obviously, the staff you spoke to on the phone were thinking of the original WMD and not this over-hyped Caymus thing.  Your situation is another example of why the cabin account should be checked every day and also before leaving the ship, so no surprises.  Your only recourse now is to write CustomerRelations@PrincessCruises.com and tell your story, including you would never have booked the event at $140/pp and ask for $95/pp refunded back to you for the excess over the quote you were given. 

 

@Micahs Grandad, you have probably realized if kept reading this thread that the old WMD at old price of $40/pp and now $45/pp is something different than the new Caymus event for $140/pp.  Now, other than the wine selections, I really don't see the difference between original WMD and Caymus WMD.  Perhaps @firsttimecruiser88 will tell us more about this meal.

 

For @Astro Flyer and others, do we even know if the original WMD is still held?  Is the same ship holding both original WMD and new WMD?  I understand Caymus WMD can be held on pre-Royal Class ships - probably in a SD location, but are they intending to keep both going on Royal Class ships?  I just cannot see guests paying extra $95/pp for a glass or two of the Caymus Cab (which is the star wine of the meal).

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, suekel said:

They did not have the Winemakers Dinner on the Sapphire this past spring, just the Chef's Table.  

That makes sense since Sapphire would never have had the original WMD and the new Caymus WMD had not begun at that time.

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

For @Astro Flyer and others, do we even know if the original WMD is still held?  Is the same ship holding both original WMD and new WMD?  I understand Caymus WMD can be held on pre-Royal Class ships - probably in a SD location, but are they intending to keep both going on Royal Class ships?  I just cannot see guests paying extra $95/pp for a glass or two of the Caymus Cab (which is the star wine of the meal).

The link I previously provided a CC contributor shared her experience on Majestic to Alaska.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles/the-caymus-vineyards-wine-dinner-on-princess

 

Her Caymus WMD was at a MDR table but stated on other ships it’s at the Crown Grill & that it’s available on all ships. Hopefully they keep the $45 WMD in a wine cellar because I’d never pay for the $140 Caymus version.

 

I found a 2023 menu for the $45 WMD on Majestic:

 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/beverages/wine-makers-dinner-silverado-vineyards.pdf

 

 

[echoshipmate]

We were on the Royal for 3 b2b's in July/August. We were invited to the Most Travellers Passengers dinner, called The Wine Makers dinner held in the back area of the dining room surrounded by the displayed wine bottles. Perhaps they were not able to sell enough takers for the WMD, as there are always lots of newer folks on Alaskan cruises. There was no charge to us as we were invited as were the other 8 guests. It was billed as a WMD, but only MTP attended. It was just as the old WMD, same menu, no Caymus wines, but all courses featured a different and good wine. We also attended the Chef's Table and it was horrible! I think our group was the guinea pigs for a new menu, nothing like the former menu. All good theater, lousy food. Biggest waste of $130 each. Made our opinion known to the DRO, nicely, to no avail. Was thinking maybe drop 1 of our covers, very disappointed in the attitude and the experience. Never again and this was probably the 5th or 6th we have attended.

Doug

[firsttimecruiser88]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

@firsttimecruiser88, most of us regulars on here are well aware of the new Caymus WM Dinner event and we have wondered at the exorbitant price of $140 (which is more than Chef Table Lumiere).  Since it was announced, you are the first poster I have seen mention actually attending one and it has not been clear if they had even begun them as yet.  What ship were you on and what venue was it in?  The original WMD event was only on Royal Class ships and held in the Deck 5 mid-ship DR where there is a center section surrounded by wine bottles.  The used to be $40 and they raised it to $45 when Specialty Dining prices went up.  Obviously, the staff you spoke to on the phone were thinking of the original WMD and not this over-hyped Caymus thing.  Your situation is another example of why the cabin account should be checked every day and also before leaving the ship, so no surprises.  Your only recourse now is to write CustomerRelations@PrincessCruises.com and tell your story, including you would never have booked the event at $140/pp and ask for $95/pp refunded back to you for the excess over the quote you were given.

Yes I figured that was the case too ie the dinning staff mistakened and gave me the quote for the normal WMD instead of the Caymus one. And like you said I would never have signed up if I knew the full price. I will email customer relation, see if I can get a refund back.

 

I was on Majestic Princess, they only have Caymus WMD and Chef Table, they do not have the normal WMD, however to make it confusing they also have some wine tasting events which cost $19, $29 and $35. Which is why when they told me the Caymus one is $45 I didn’t question it because the price sounds sensible compared to other things.

 

[LRCruzr]

On 9/3/2023 at 6:37 PM, firsttimecruiser88 said:

So I got a shock of my life today when I receive the final journey account bill.

 

We went for the caymus winemaker dinner after being advised by the dinning line staff on the phone that it’s $45 per person cover charge. Well guess what it was $140!!!!! I wouldn’t haven’t gone had I known upfront it was that expensive (we are both not huge wine drinkers). And the 2 dinning team staff on the phone we spoke to before signing up both told us it’s $45.

 

So just to warn you, Caymus winemaker dinner is $140 cover charge per person!

 

I feel like I should make a complaint, but don’t even know how to. We’re already off the ship.

Can you Prove it??

[Steelers36]

On 9/4/2023 at 2:23 AM, firsttimecruiser88 said:

Yes I figured that was the case too ie the dining staff mistakened and gave me the quote for the normal WMD instead of the Caymus one. And like you said I would never have signed up if I knew the full price. I will email customer relation, see if I can get a refund back.

 

I was on Majestic Princess, they only have Caymus WMD and Chef Table, they do not have the normal WMD, however to make it confusing they also have some wine tasting events which cost $19, $29 and $35. Which is why when they told me the Caymus one is $45 I didn’t question it because the price sounds sensible compared to other things.

 

Someone resurrected this thread with what I consider a silly question (obviously you cannot "prove" what happened, but I am taking your word for it and lots of people are unaware of changes PCL makes until a long time after regulars on here know about it).  But I am wondering if you did pursue this with PCL and did you get a resolution?

[kluv2cruz]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:12 PM, echoshipmate said:

We were on the Royal for 3 b2b's in July/August. We also attended the Chef's Table and it was horrible! I think our group was the guinea pigs for a new menu, nothing like the former menu. All good theater, lousy food. Biggest waste of $130 each. Made our opinion known to the DRO, nicely, to no avail. Was thinking maybe drop 1 of our covers, very disappointed in the attitude and the experience. Never again and this was probably the 5th or 6th we have attended.

Doug

We too attended Chef’s Table on Royal on Sept 19 and I agree, it was not anything like it has been and was not at all worth the $130 usd cost. I convinced my friend to do it telling her how OTT amazing it would be and was embarrassed at how ridiculously underwhelming it was. Oysters Rockefeller were gritty and impossible to eat. We were offered veal or salmon. Other than a pretty potato decoration on the salmon it was no better than MDR salmon. Did not receive the cookbook (which is fine as although I like to cook, the recipes are not practical and the book is just very heavy to transport home.) Won’t be doing Chef’s Table again, but I have memories of many amazing experiences, including on the old Royal.

 

Also did a $50 wine tasting in Sabatinis which was… strange. Not worth the cost. Included a small lunch.