Premium package questions

[39august]

Just off Equinox on Feb. 5. When we boarded on Jan. 18, Decoy and Mer Soliel were NOT included on Premium package.  Decoy was $2 upcharge. Mer Soliel was sold my the bottle only. On Jan. 21, Decoy mysteriously returned to the Premium package. Toward the end of that cruise, ( Jan. 18-27) Mer Soliel became available for a $2 up charge. That cruise was from Jan. 27 - Feb. 5. During the first cruise I asked for Elegance chard (which is included on the Premium package) at Craft Social and was told there was a $2 charge. Since I knew this was wrong, I just went to another bar. It seemed to me that some of the bartenders did not know the Elegance and Kendall Jackson Chard were one and the same. So if you are denied Elegance chard, just ask for Kendall Jackson. The Elegance cab is still an up charge of $2 as of our departure. How is all this being handled on other ships, please? Is Decoy now available in Premium on all ships? How is Mer Soliel being handled on other ships?

[Shellyd22]

Wow what a way for Celebrity to confuse their passengers 🤨

[paulh84]

The biggest swindle of all is Decoy somehow becoming the benchmark for 'premium' wine. Our Luminae wine person was adamant on pouring $9 Chateau Souverain as the cab unless you specifically asked for something better. Aside from that, the bartenders on Ascent two weeks ago admitted all of the price changes were confusing. Half the time if you asked for an upcharge wine they just didn't charge or they charge one glass then pour freely after that. Decoy was definitely covered. Mer Soliel was covered and available at the Retreat sundeck and Sunset Bar for no upcharge. It's also pretty foul, but ymmv. 

[81Zoomie]

6 hours ago, paulh84 said:

The biggest swindle of all is Decoy somehow becoming the benchmark for 'premium' wine. Our Luminae wine person was adamant on pouring $9 Chateau Souverain as the cab unless you specifically asked for something better. Aside from that, the bartenders on Ascent two weeks ago admitted all of the price changes were confusing. Half the time if you asked for an upcharge wine they just didn't charge or they charge one glass then pour freely after that. Decoy was definitely covered. Mer Soliel was covered and available at the Retreat sundeck and Sunset Bar for no upcharge. It's also pretty foul, but ymmv. 

Chateau Souverain is undrinkable IMHO.  One of my disappointments with this latest X Winegate is that the prices of many wines by the glass were elevated out of the premium package.  Corporate received a lot of complaints.  However, they only slightly back tracked.  Of all the wines that left the premium package, only one red, one white, and one rose were returned.  Not certain about the bubbly. So you are left without much choice of what Celebrity labels premium.  It’s pretty limiting for those who upgraded in hopes of having more choice.  

[markeb]

6 hours ago, paulh84 said:

The biggest swindle of all is Decoy somehow becoming the benchmark for 'premium' wine. Our Luminae wine person was adamant on pouring $9 Chateau Souverain as the cab unless you specifically asked for something better. Aside from that, the bartenders on Ascent two weeks ago admitted all of the price changes were confusing. Half the time if you asked for an upcharge wine they just didn't charge or they charge one glass then pour freely after that. Decoy was definitely covered. Mer Soliel was covered and available at the Retreat sundeck and Sunset Bar for no upcharge. It's also pretty foul, but ymmv. 

 

Yep. I don't know how Decoy and Mer Soleil became benchmarks, but they have. There's nothing inherently wrong with either of them, but they're not great wines, and certainly not "premium". I just avoid cab sauv and California chard by the glass when cruising. Unfortunately, a lot of the good alternative reds and whites by the glass had dropped off. I've only been to a handful of restaurants anywhere that actually had an excellent by the glass program, and those were mostly Michelin starred places with a curated wine list matched to the menu by a master sommelier. On the cruise ship, the wine you buy at 4:00 in a bar may be the by the glass offering for dinner. Tough to be both.

 

On the other hand, at least from the app and our last cruise (our next cruise in in May), the by the bottle offerings, if available, remain excellent. That's what their awards are based on.

[countess5]

🤯

Think I’ll just stick with my Tito’s! Makes life a lot easier! 😂

 

Cheers! 

[YankeesFan4Life]

On 2/7/2024 at 8:10 AM, countess5 said:

🤯

Think I’ll just stick with my Tito’s! Makes life a lot easier! 😂

 

Cheers! 

Crazy to think that Tito's is on the Premium list...However, Wheatley is just as good of quality on the Classic package