Wine by the glass on Australia/New Zealand cruise

[LabMom57]

We are leaving on a cruise from Sydney to Auckland in a few weeks, and I am concerned that I should not have bothered to purchase the Classic Beverage package. My husband drinks mostly chardonnay by the glass. On looking at some recent posts, it doesn't appear that he will be able to find a glass of chardonnay that will be covered by the drinks package. Am I seeing correctly? 

 

My original plan was to pay as we go on this cruise. I'm thinking I should cancel the package and go back to that. Has anyone seen a chardonnay by the glass on this itinerary for $12 or less?

[RichYak]

You can order wines that are > $12. You'll get a $12 discount on each glass. Multiply that by however many glasses you'll drink per day (also add everything else you'll drink) and decide if keeping the Classic package is worth it.

[cruisestitch]

1 hour ago, LabMom57 said:

We are leaving on a cruise from Sydney to Auckland in a few weeks, and I am concerned that I should not have bothered to purchase the Classic Beverage package. My husband drinks mostly chardonnay by the glass. On looking at some recent posts, it doesn't appear that he will be able to find a glass of chardonnay that will be covered by the drinks package. Am I seeing correctly? 

 

My original plan was to pay as we go on this cruise. I'm thinking I should cancel the package and go back to that. Has anyone seen a chardonnay by the glass on this itinerary for $12 or less?

Remember that you might be seeing price lists for other itineraries, not for the Australia itineraries. They do the pricing different for Cruises down under. There the printed price includes the gratuity instead of having the gratuity tacked on. The total comes out the same it’s just how they present it.

[Bullswood]

As above, you need to calculate whether a package is worthwhile with a lot of shore days etc. Also the per glass prices are often high for mediocre wine compared with bottle prices (see lots of other threads on this forum), probably to encourage people to take the package, and ridiculously so compared with on-shore supermarket prices. Don't forget that you can bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom plus apparently as many soft drinks that you can hand carry when you first board, though they'll charge you corkage if you drink in the restaurant.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Bullswood

[Jim_Iain]

I've posted the Wine List from Fine Cut twice now... You should be able see it at   Has both prices by glass or full bottle.   Prices on Australia cruises include the 20% gratuity on the list.

 

[LabMom57]

54 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I've posted the Wine List from Fine Cut twice now... You should be able see it at   

 

Thanks Jim. I did see your post. That is where I learned there are no chardonnays by the glass that fall within the classic beverage package price (which is $12 a glass for Australia cruises). I am disappointed in Celebrity. When I booked the cruise, I believe there was a chardonnay in the price range. Even with a 20% gratuity included, the price is absurd for a glass of chardonnay compared to other lines we sail. Guess we will suck it up for this cruise!

[MandL]

If it was me, I would purchase a couple of bottles of wine in Australia before boarding and take it on.  They have great wines!!  Also, in all our cruises with Celebrity, we've never been charged a corkage fee.  Enjoy your cruise.

[jelayne]

4 minutes ago, MandL said:

If it was me, I would purchase a couple of bottles of wine in Australia before boarding and take it on.  They have great wines!!  Also, in all our cruises with Celebrity, we've never been charged a corkage fee.  Enjoy your cruise.

If you have an alcohol beverage package there is no corkage fee.  Without a package the corkage fee is $25.

Sometimes they haven’t charged the fee but lately they are charging for anything they can so I would count on being charged and if you aren’t consider yourselves lucky. 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, LabMom57 said:

Thanks Jim. I did see your post. That is where I learned there are no chardonnays by the glass that fall within the classic beverage package price (which is $12 a glass for Australia cruises). I am disappointed in Celebrity. When I booked the cruise, I believe there was a chardonnay in the price range. Even with a 20% gratuity included, the price is absurd for a glass of chardonnay compared to other lines we sail. Guess we will suck it up for this cruise!

 

That is really doesn't sound fair.    May I suggest you go to the app and take a look at the MDR Menu-

I'm looking at Solstice (non-Australian Cruise April 25)    They have 2296 Chardonnay, The Seeker at $10

 

As I'm typing I just checked Edge -  Sydney New Zealand and they are showing 2296 Chardonnay, The Seeker at $12.   

 

The Wine Enthusiast -  This decent-quality, medium-bodied wine shows a brassy-brownish tinge in the color and mostly tangy apple-cider flavors. — Jim Gordon    They gave it a blind tasting score of 84 (Good - Suitable for everyday consumption, often good value.