Wine Prices too high??

[hammybee]

Hi WM,

 

I believe there is one Cellar Master per ship, who is in essence the head sommelier. He is usually in the main dining room each evening, but have seen him in the PG at at times.

 

Joanne

Thanks Joanne. I think it probably makes sense for those who prefer better wines to seek him out, before dinner. No way can he find all suite pax, VIPs and serious wine drinkers unless those wishing his advise, make themselves known to him.

[WeLoveCruising]

Yes Hammy, I agree. I just re-read the job description and I have to correct my last post.....it says he needs to introduce himself to suite pax and VIP's in 24 hours...wine lovers are "early in the sailing". If wine is important for someones dining experience, I think they should just seek him out.

[WeLoveCruising]

Winemistress,

 

I just found my review from last Christmas cruise. I cut and pasted the section on the Wine Tasting here for you:

 

 

Premium Wine Tasting

All the HAL ships now have Cellar Masters, who are sommeliers and there to enhance the wine experience. The Cellar Master on the Maasdam was a guy by the name of Fernando. Fernando was very informative, and very patient in helping with wine selections. He was more visible in the dining room than any other Cellar Master I’ve seen, and made a point to stop by our table to ask about our wine each night.

 

We attended Fernando’s premium wine tasting ($29 each) one afternoon on a sea day. We tasted 5 wines:

Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc

Jordan Chardonnay

Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir

Grgich Hills Cabernet

Moet & Chandon Brut

 

I was expecting sample pours on each, but each glass was a full pour. Each guest was given a plate of food to sample with the wine: shrimp, smoked salmon, brie, duck pate, and chocolate. We learned a lot and needless to say got very drunk from five full glasses of wine! We slept until dinner

[winemistress45]

Hi WM,

 

 

The CM will also conduct a premium wine tasting once or twice on the cruise. I believe its somewhere around $20-$30. I have a review of it somewhere from my last Christmas cruise, I'll try to dig it up for you and post it here if I can find it.

 

Joanne

 

Thanks Joanne -- I would LOVE to get any info you have on the tastings!

 

And yes, I know what you mean about the perfect temp -- I keep my wine storage at 55 degrees!

[winemistress45]

Hi WM,

 

I believe there is one Cellar Master per ship, who is in essence the head sommelier. He is usually in the main dining room each evening, but have seen him in the PG at at times. I happened to google HAL Cellar Master for you, and found the following interesting link to a job posting for one. It describes the responsibilities.

 

http://www.hcareers.com/seeker/search/view?jobAdId=56C895C66636B082

 

 

Joanne

 

Wow -- I just read that job description!

 

They do require a lot from the CM and the pay is horrible!

 

Do you tip them a lot extra above and beyond what is automatically applied to your account?

[Krazy Kruizers]

WOW - I never realized that the red wine was around 80 - 85 degrees. We have done quite a few kitchen tours, saw the liquor and wine area -- but never thought abbout that.

[m steve]

I hope they have that every day and I'll be there. That sounds better than dinner or even drinks on the balcony.

[DedeM]

I hope they have that every day and I'll be there. That sounds better than dinner or even drinks on the balcony.

I know, right? I'd love to do that too.

 

On our mediterranean cruise it's so port intensive (11 days at a port, 1 at sea), I doubt we'll be able to do it.

 

On our southern caribbean cruise, all bets are off! :D

[winemistress45]

Have done some research on this subject.

 

Best was to ship anything is not to the ship. Locate the UPS store closest to the dock and then call them to coordinate them takeing delivery of boxes and holding them for you. Ship the boxes to that store via UPS. Make sure you have the time to go by the store and pick the boxes up on the way to the port.

 

When we fly we cannot carry all we need so we are having it sone that way.

 

Thewre are a couple services out there that will deliver to the ship but they are very expensive. $200.00 for a suitcase....

 

Good luck

 

Ruth & Jim

 

great idea! thank you -- I will check into the UPS store thing today!:)

[winemistress45]

Winemistress,

 

I just found my review from last Christmas cruise. I cut and pasted the section on the Wine Tasting here for you:

 

 

Premium Wine Tasting

All the HAL ships now have Cellar Masters, who are sommeliers and there to enhance the wine experience. The Cellar Master on the Maasdam was a guy by the name of Fernando. Fernando was very informative, and very patient in helping with wine selections. He was more visible in the dining room than any other Cellar Master I’ve seen, and made a point to stop by our table to ask about our wine each night.

 

We attended Fernando’s premium wine tasting ($29 each) one afternoon on a sea day. We tasted 5 wines:

Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc

Jordan Chardonnay

Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir

Grgich Hills Cabernet

Moet & Chandon Brut

 

I was expecting sample pours on each, but each glass was a full pour. Each guest was given a plate of food to sample with the wine: shrimp, smoked salmon, brie, duck pate, and chocolate. We learned a lot and needless to say got very drunk from five full glasses of wine! We slept until dinner

I hope the CM comes over to chat with me -- I live with Parker''s book by my bedside and would really enjoy talking with him or her about the selection on board and the latest boutique wines!

 

The wine tasting sounds great -- did you find out about it the first day when you boarded or did it come up last minute?

 

I'd hate to miss it because I had something else going --- like spa or something (which I know we have to book early and quickly).

 

How many people in the wine tasting?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We went to one of the premium wine tastings a couple of years - Zuiderdam - in the Pinnacle. For $29 - 4 wines - barely an ounce of each. We did not think it was worth the price.

 

Sounds as though things have changed.

[winemistress45]

We went to one of the premium wine tastings a couple of years - Zuiderdam - in the Pinnacle. For $29 - 4 wines - barely an ounce of each. We did not think it was worth the price.

 

Sounds as though things have changed.

 

I'm on the Zuidy -- hopefully we get Fernando as our CM!!!!

 

Is there anyway to find out who the CM is on any given cruise ahead of time?

 

:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our Zuiderdam cruise was in May of 2005.

 

I haven't any way of finding out who will be the CM on any ship.

 

I would just like to know in adavnce if it is going to 4 or 5 wines and exactly how much we will get. If it is as good as one posted said, then we would love to go to them again.

[winemistress45]

Our Zuiderdam cruise was in May of 2005.

 

I haven't any way of finding out who will be the CM on any ship.

 

I would just like to know in adavnce if it is going to 4 or 5 wines and exactly how much we will get. If it is as good as one posted said, then we would love to go to them again.

 

I hope on your very long 23 day cruise (which by the way, I think is just amazing), you will have more than one tasting and they will be big full glasses of wine!:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did a similar cruise in 2004 which was 21 days - only one wine tasting.

 

Got to figure out if it will be worth it to go.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I will be the first to admit I do not follow the wine prices that closely. There are a few things I drink both on the ship and here at land base restaurants in Las Vegas. But I ran across a link to wine and champagne prices on Carnival. I realize Carnival is obviously part of the CCL family but maybe those that know the prices HAL charges can look and see if Carnival's pricing is the same.

http://www.carnival.com/BonVoyage/Default.aspx?cat=Wine+Cellar&ccat=Most+Popular+Wines

[WeLoveCruising]

I realize Carnival is obviously part of the CCL family but maybe those that know the prices HAL charges can look and see if Carnival's pricing is the same.

 

Hi Lisa, they look to be the same ballpark, some of the HAL wines are a few dollars more based on the list Dede posted a few days ago. Carnival looks to have more lower end selections to me though, and less of the more expensive stuff.

 

We went to one of the premium wine tastings a couple of years - Zuiderdam - in the Pinnacle. For $29 - 4 wines - barely an ounce of each. We did not think it was worth the price.

 

KK, I dont know if we were just lucky or not...I wasnt expecting full glasses, it really was quite a bit of wine for the middle of the afternoon. We did the wine tasting a few years back on the Westerdam, and I dont think they were exactly full glasses, but they were more than the ounce that you received. The wines they were serving are usually $8-$10 per glass I would think so I dont know if our full glasses were just a fluke (it wasnt just us, though...everyone at our table was poured the same).

 

The wine tasting sounds great -- did you find out about it the first day when you boarded or did it come up last minute?

 

I'd hate to miss it because I had something else going --- like spa or something (which I know we have to book early and quickly).

 

How many people in the wine tasting?

 

WM,

The dining room steward told us about it, I dont recall seeing it in the daily program, but I dont read them to closely. We've done it twice - on the Westerdam it was held in the PG on a sea day, and on the Maasdam it was held in the main dining room. I think both times there were 20-25 people.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On all of last cruises, it has been advertized in the daily program - no mention of prices.

[Marmarjudy]

For the first time, we took several bottles of wine onboard on our last cruise. I cannot possibly justify paying almost NINE times what my preferred, albeit cheap, wine costs - and more than twice what it costs in a restaurant locally. We found the wine card to be a good value and we'd go that route again. We used to buy the wine packages, but I think the wine card allowed more flexibility and was a relative bargain. We had a 20 glass card which worked out perfectly.

 

We are big wine drinkers, both at dinner and in the bars. Would someone please explain the wine card and the wine package...choice, price, etc.

 

First time on Holland....We are almost booked on Westerdam in January.

 

Thanks!

Judy

[jazncruiser]

Ok we sailed with HAL October 2006, the wine I liked, I think was either a merlot or cab was 6.95 a glass, but the one I really like was a shiraz and I think was 7.50. Are they still the same or have they gone up per glass. We are sailing on Noordam and I need to know whether to bring my own or buy the wine card.

 

Thanks,

 

Patti

 

P.S. When we first started sailing in 1995, it cost 3.95 a glass, what a change in 10 years!!!:rolleyes:

[DedeM]

We are big wine drinkers, both at dinner and in the bars. Would someone please explain the wine card and the wine package...choice, price, etc.

 

First time on Holland....We are almost booked on Westerdam in January.

 

Thanks!

Judy

I'm thinking if you're big wine drinkers you would be better off with a wine bottle package instead of a wine card (by the glass).

This is the 5-bottle Navigator package for $171.35. There are better wines from which to choose in the Admiral package for $229 (I can't find that yet)

 

Choose any five of the following:

 

White wine: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Riesling (CA), Monkey Bay Chardonnay (New Zealand), Caliterra Chardonnay (Chile), Danzante Pinot Grigio (Italy), Blackstone Sauvignon Blanc (CA).

 

Red Wine: Twin Fin Shiraz (CA), Three Blind Moose Cabernet Sauvignon (CA), Veramonte Merlot (Chile), Ravenswood Zinfandel (CA), Marchesi Di Frescobaldi Remole (Italy), Kiara Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (CA), Laboure-Roi Pinot Noir (France).

 

 

Ok we sailed with HAL October 2006, the wine I liked, I think was either a merlot or cab was 6.95 a glass, but the one I really like was a shiraz and I think was 7.50. Are they still the same or have they gone up per glass. We are sailing on Noordam and I need to know whether to bring my own or buy the wine card.

Here's the wine list:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=630801

[DedeM]

5-Bottle Admiral Wine Package $229

This upgraded package allows you to choose 5 wines of a wonderful selection that includes Four Emus Chardonnay, Gewuerztraminer Columbia Winery, Silverado Sauvignon Blanc, Laboure Roi Macon Villages, Franciscan Chardonnay, I AM ROSE, Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon, The Jobe Pinot Noir, Niner Merlot, Chianti Castiglioni Frescaboldi, Blackstone Syrah and Icon Ravenswood.

[ekerr19]

We've done the wine tasting a few times and really enjoyed it. The best was on Noordam in the PG - a bit more pricey, $49 pp, I think - but an awesome wine selection.

 

We used to always buy a wine package - loved it, until a few years ago. The price per bottle vs. selection just wasn't appealing any longer. The offerings seemed to be low quality - and tasted like it.

 

I also agree with the poster (Joanne, I think it was you) who made the observation about the mark-up on premium wines. I agree with that - I hadn't really thought of it before, but I see the mark-up tends to be higher on the inexpensive bottles.

 

I won't bring my own wine onboard because it's just too much trouble for us to do so. We usually order a couple bottles of decent quality Merlot and a couple bottles of good Chardonnay from Ship Services in advance so they are in the cabin when we arrive.

[tbmulligan]

Would it not be simpler just to bring your wine on board, ie a case from the Total Wine place as someone pointed out in another thread? That is what we are thinking of doing, but its our first time, so not so sure. I believe you can bring your bottle to the table and pay a corkage fee. Or maybe we will just drink a whole whack of wine before we leave our room, and not have the need than perhaps one drink at dinner! HA! HA! Just wondering.....

[capnjoe]

I for one think it is crazy what they charge for "cheap"wine. The bottles they sell for $28 I can buy at 1/4 the price. I on my upcoming cruise am bringing several bottles of wine. I will pay the fee's they charge and enjoy a "good" bottle of wine. I would have no trouble paying if the wine the offer is of good quality but i flat refuse to pay $28-45 for average at best wine...not happening! I understand Hal needs to make a profit but thats robbery.

Of course this is my opinion.

With that said my bar bill averages $500-600 per cruise, my wife always feels the need to buy jewelry and other goods on the ship, my normal closing statement on the ship is almost always exceeding my cruise fare.

I don't mind paying for things but refuse to ripped off.:mad:

Capn