Wine drinker...plus package warning.

[Ombud]

17 hours ago, Hillmom said:

Also you must arm wrestle for a decent wine glass.  Apparently guests steal them....sigh.

I didn't "steal," I grabbed one for the bottle in my room bc I couldn't get a glass from my steward (he was too busy). I'm not waiting for a wine glass when they're within reach. Any old wine glass will do. Doesn't need to be Reidel.

 

Adding: It's still on the ship & I'm home now. If the ship wants to resolve this issue they can let stewards have clean wine glasses in their carts like they have clean highball glasses. They know the minibar is often traded for a bottle of wine (I traded for Charles & Charles Rose)

 

 

Edited April 30 by Ombud

[XBGuy]

I am a card carrying wine snob.

 

The Princess policy for carrying on your own wine is excellent.  A poster here on Cruise Critic once reported that he brought three cases on board.  I don't know if that is any kind of record, but it is the most I have ever heard about.

 

People have different reasons for bringing their own wine.  All are good reasons.  I agree that the wines currently offered on Princess are uninspired.  There are a couple that I am happy to order, but bringing your own wine is a great way to supplement the Princess list.

 

I agree with the above reports that a standard pour for a glass of wine is five ounces--five glasses per bottle.  I am very surprised to read a report that Princess is stretching six glasses from a bottle. 

 

I understand why Princess is reluctant to let people walk off with the stems from Vines.  I'm not sure that I understand why people might steal them.  Wouldn't that be a pain to pack?  However, I do understand that they might be concerned about breakage--they are fairly delicate.  I can see a glass being knocked over by somebody having an animated conversation.  OK, I can see this because I have done it.  😮

 

[memoak]

31 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I didn't "steal," I grabbed one for the bottle in my room bc I couldn't get a glass from my steward (he was too busy). I'm not waiting for a wine glass when they're within reach. Any old wine glass will do. Doesn't need to be Reidel.

 

Adding: It's still on the ship & I'm home now. If the ship wants to resolve this issue they can let stewards have clean wine glasses in their carts like they have clean highball glasses. They know the minibar is often traded for a bottle of wine (I traded for Charles & Charles Rose)

 

 

If everyone took one glass for their stateroom and didn’t return them Vines would run out of glasses. Yes that is stealing. In every cabin I have been in regular wine glasses were in the cabin 

[voljeep]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

 

deleted

[Ombud]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

If everyone took one glass for their stateroom and didn’t return them Vines would run out of glasses. Yes that is stealing. In every cabin I have been in regular wine glasses were in the cabin 

Well they weren't in mine so I grabbed one from Crooners. I am the lowlife that only cruises in a balcony, apparently suites set-ups are different 

[suzyed]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Does anyone know if PCL has actually reduced the size of WBTG in ounces?  Should be (ideally) 4 glasses per bottle for approx 6oz glass.  I imagine Princess was doing 5x 5oz pours (150ml).  Doing 4oz pours is terrible - never seen any restaurant be that chintzy.

I have!  LOL

[Cruisemeister2002]

Don't know if this wine get's to the US. But I really like a red called 19 crimes imported from Australia. I am also partial to Chateaux neuf de pape from France , but that comes in over double the price of 19 crimes which can vary from around £7.50 to £9 a bottle with the Chateaux at around £20-£25 a bottle. Will be disappointed if you can't get a decent glass of vino collapso onboard for $15. First time virgin for the Plus package as we normally go P&O and have never had a package deal before.

[symui]

2 hours ago, STEVENJAN said:

We are going to be on the 51 day around South America and was thinking of more than 10 bottles. Seems like a lot to carry-on but worth it. 

 

I was on the Sapphire last Dec/Jan in South America and the ports in Chile and Argentina have a very good selection of wine.  I would tour the port etc during the day and pickup a few bottles on the way back to the ship.  Usually no corkage fee charged when boarding but even when they do I'm still ahead $ wise with much better wine than is generally available on the ship.

 

Be sure to bring a credit card with NO foreign transaction fees.  Every place I went to gladly accepted CC for wine purchases - and just about everything else.

[suzyed]

1 hour ago, Projunior said:

I find it strange that Princess, who has traditionally played up a linkage to Italian food, wine and culture, does not offer a single Italian white or red wine by the glass on either the Plus or Premium list. Hard to believe they can't find an inexpensive chianti or sangiovese to offer. 

They do? Never got that impression of a linkage to Italian food, wine and culture? Perhaps dining in Sabatini's?  Hmmm..

 

Edited April 30 by suzyed

[suzyed]

9 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Don't know if this wine get's to the US. But I really like a red called 19 crimes imported from Australia. I am also partial to Chateaux neuf de pape from France , but that comes in over double the price of 19 crimes which can vary from around £7.50 to £9 a bottle with the Chateaux at around £20-£25 a bottle. Will be disappointed if you can't get a decent glass of vino collapso onboard for $15. First time virgin for the Plus package as we normally go P&O and have never had a package deal before.

We do have 19 Crimes in the US.  

[Cruisemeister2002]

Just now, suzyed said:

We do have 19 Crimes in the US.  

Do you like it ?

[suzyed]

6 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Do you like it ?

Yes we do. But lots of others that we enjoy too. 

Edited April 30 by suzyed

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Do you like it ?

it's one of my go to ... when it's bogo at Publix

[suzyed]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

it's one of my go to ... when it's bogo at Publix

I will have to keep an eye out for the BOGO..

Edited April 30 by suzyed

[Cruisemeister2002]

7 minutes ago, voljeep said:

it's one of my go to ... when it's bogo at Publix

What's the price in dollars and are Publix to be found in most places ?

[suzyed]

6 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

What's the price in dollars and are Publix to be found in most places ?

There are many varieties of 19 Crimes....all seem to be below $20US with the priciest the Snoop Dog variety. 
Publix are in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

[STEVENJAN]

2 hours ago, symui said:

 

I was on the Sapphire last Dec/Jan in South America and the ports in Chile and Argentina have a very good selection of wine.  I would tour the port etc during the day and pickup a few bottles on the way back to the ship.  Usually no corkage fee charged when boarding but even when they do I'm still ahead $ wise with much better wine than is generally available on the ship.

 

Be sure to bring a credit card with NO foreign transaction fees.  Every place I went to gladly accepted CC for wine purchases - and just about everything else.

I thought they confiscated any alcohol you bring on board at the ports. 

[Ombud]

5 minutes ago, STEVENJAN said:

I thought they confiscated any alcohol you bring on board at the ports. 

No. There's often a wine table right after security. In heavy wine producing areas (Chile, Argentina, France, Italy, Australia) they don't seem to care about 1 bottle of unfortified wine but charge $20 (A$30) for each bottle over that. Anyway that's been my experience.  YMMV

 

See you in January!!

[Cruise Raider]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

Kendall Jackson Chardonnay $12

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $40

 

Yeah, more expensive doesn't always mean preferred by individual palates. I prefer Whiskers Blake Tawny Port to Taylor's. (1st choice still Sandemans 20 yr)

Exactly!  
they could get a Bogle Chardonnay for $8 a bottle and I’d be happy.   Flowers just doesn’t have any character.  

[suzyed]

6 hours ago, STEVENJAN said:

I thought they confiscated any alcohol you bring on board at the ports. 

But not wine.

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

13 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Nobody even bats an eye when we ask for a decent glass.

I’m hoping this will be the case on the Ruby when I start sailing her out of SF this Nov. (& then January,  & June). But I’ll still pack mine for my room.  

[Cruise Raider]

9 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I’m hoping this will be the case on the Ruby when I start sailing her out of SF this Nov. (& then January,  & June). But I’ll still pack mine for my room.  

My fingers are crossed, too. I even see where the app includes so many more wines than they used to have.  

[Mike A]

22 hours ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Don't know if this wine get's to the US. But I really like a red called 19 crimes imported from Australia. I am also partial to Chateaux neuf de pape from France , but that comes in over double the price of 19 crimes which can vary from around £7.50 to £9 a bottle with the Chateaux at around £20-£25 a bottle. Will be disappointed if you can't get a decent glass of vino collapso onboard for $15. First time virgin for the Plus package as we normally go P&O and have never had a package deal before.

I have had 19 crimes in New York. It is very nice. 

[Cruisemeister2002]

16 minutes ago, Mike A said:

I have had 19 crimes in New York. It is very nice. 

Was it the last one when th NYPD arrested you ? Kidding of course.

[cruisinsince75]

On 4/30/2024 at 3:03 AM, Ombud said:

No and factor in that they tend to do 6 pours per bottle so you can factor that in the when determining costs. 

 

FWIW Kim Crawford Chardonnay is A$18 per glass. 6×18=A$108+18%. For a A$22 bottle. 

 

BUT my bottles tend to be a lot more (I just used KC as an example as it was the one I took to our roll call wine sharing event). I usually carryon 3+ and am prepared to pay corkage 

 

If they are squeezing 6 glasses out of a 750 mil (25.36 oz) that is some serious nickel and diming.  Guess I'm a lush.  At home it only gets me 4.