Wine questions & Radiance

[travel with kids]

Is there a sommelier in the main dining room on the Radiance of the Sea?

 

I have read (somewhere) that there is a wine package (but have yet to find the list), does anyone know which wines are on the list and how much the package cost?

 

Thanks

[cruisenfever]

Is there a sommelier in the main dining room on the Radiance of the Sea?

 

I have read (somewhere) that there is a wine package (but have yet to find the list), does anyone know which wines are on the list and how much the package cost?

 

Thanks

There is no sommelier in the main DR on Radiance. They offer several wine packages, unfortunately I do not have that information. The wine packages are available on embarkation day and you can purchase them right outside the WJ where the Welcome Aboard Luncheon is held.

 

Your waiter is actually the one who will serve the wine to you at dinner.

[cathyr4561]

There is no sommelier in the main DR on Radiance. They offer several wine packages, unfortunately I do not have that information. The wine packages are available on embarkation day and you can purchase them right outside the WJ where the Welcome Aboard Luncheon is held.

 

Your waiter is actually the one who will serve the wine to you at dinner.

 

 

Speaking of wine packages does anyone know if Freedom of the Seas offers this package also. I have a balcony cabin and would like to enjoy a glass of wine on my balcony. Would I be able to do this if I had the wine package or is it for dinner only?

[skandls]

Check the RCCL website for the Wine and Dine packages. You can take the wine back to your cabin from the dining room if you did not finish it at that night. Or I believe you can go to one of bars and request a bottle.

 

There are much better wines on board than offered with the Wine and Dine. Also there is a Vintages on the Freedom - with a better selection of wines - you can buy by the bottle or the glass.

[cathyr4561]

Check the RCCL website for the Wine and Dine packages. You can take the wine back to your cabin from the dining room if you did not finish it at that night. Or I believe you can go to one of bars and request a bottle.

 

Thanks I will check out the Wine and Dine packages.

 

 

There are much better wines on board than offered with the Wine and Dine. Also there is a Vintages on the Freedom - with a better selection of wines - you can buy by the bottle or the glass.

 

I heard of Vintages but I thought you can only buy a bottle to take home. I don't want to take a bottle home and can buy wine for home at home but can I buy a bottle of wine at Vintages and enjoy it on my balcony in my room?

[skandls]

You can buy a bottle or glass of wine and take it back to your cabin if you wish. They have 'tasting' size pours (you still have to pay) but you can try a wine before you buy a whole bottle.

[FitzLA]

I heard of Vintages but I thought you can only buy a bottle to take home. I don't want to take a bottle home and can buy wine for home at home but can I buy a bottle of wine at Vintages and enjoy it on my balcony in my room?

 

You can buy bottles in vintages for consumption onboard. Vintages is a wine bar. Would be pretty silly to have a wine bar and not be able to drink the wine. :D ;)

[robtulipe]

On the RCCL web site select Deal & Gifts, Shop Gifts & Gear, Wine & Dine, then click here for wine selection for each package. On our last two cruises we were drinking bottles of wines that cost $32 or $33 plus the 15% gratuity if ordered individually while with the Gold Wine & Dine pkg our cost was $22.60 plus the 15% gratuity for a savings of $11 to $12 per bottle.

[FitzLA]

But remember, the wine list for the wine & dine is about 1/8 of the wine list onboard. It really stinks.

[FitzLA]

Double post:(

[Annie3468]

If you order the wine package you can call room service and have a bottle delivered to your cabin. I like to keep a bottle to enjoy a glass on the balcony before dinner. Even if you don't buy the package you can still order a bottle to keep in the cabin. They will bring it in a bucket of ice if you are ordering white wine and you can store it in the fridge for the next nights. They will bring glasses and a cork skrew for you to keep. You can then order another to drink in the dinning room for the next nights.

The only problem I have found with this is if we go to one of the lounges before dinner you just have to order by the glass, we left a couple of bottles the last time so I will probably order one of the smaller packages next time.

I hope this helps.

 

Annie:)

[WinterEscape]

Personally, I am not a fan of the majority of the wines included in the wine package. Perhaps I have become a bit of a wine snob, but I not willing to pay for a wine package that includes several bottles I know I won't like. You can definately find better wine on board.

[robtulipe]

But remember, the wine list for the wine & dine is about 1/8 of the wine list onboard. It really stinks.

 

Personally, I am not a fan of the majority of the wines included in the wine package. Perhaps I have become a bit of a wine snob, but I not willing to pay for a wine package that includes several bottles I know I won't like. You can definately find better wine on board.

It's all a matter of your taste I guess.

We really like the Danzante Pinot Grigio from Italy. the Lindeman's Semillion/Chardonnay from Australia and the Caliterra Merlot from Chile that are offered as selections in the Gold W&D Pkg and all three offer a very good value in this package compared to their regular cost on board.

[travel with kids]

On the RCCL web site select Deal & Gifts, Shop Gifts & Gear, Wine & Dine, then click here for wine selection for each package. On our last two cruises we were drinking bottles of wines that cost $32 or $33 plus the 15% gratuity if ordered individually while with the Gold Wine & Dine pkg our cost was $22.60 plus the 15% gratuity for a savings of $11 to $12 per bottle.

 

Thank you so much!! I was having a very hard time find that information! ...Even after a "search" on the RCCL site.

 

I am not impressed with the wine package list. So, I will probably not get it. My DH and I cruised on X last year and was intoduced to some very interesting wines because of suggestion of the sommelier. At first my DH thought she would recommend the over pricey bottles. But, no, she would first find out what we were having for our meal, then recommend a wine. Sometimes it was cheaper then the one we had picked out. We were so impressed with her knowledge and recommendations.

[pa-annie]

I see that you can order the "Wine & Dine" packages on the RC website in advance of your cruise at a 25% discount over the per/bottle price you would normally pay. But ..... can you get the same deal if you sign up on the ship?

 

Thanks - Annie

[robtulipe]

I see that you can order the "Wine & Dine" packages on the RC website in advance of your cruise at a 25% discount over the per/bottle price you would normally pay. But ..... can you get the same deal if you sign up on the ship?

 

Thanks - Annie

Yes, you can order the W&D pkg at exactly the same price when onboard but it must be done on the first (embarkation) or second day onboard, after then it is not available.

[FitzLA]

It's all a matter of your taste I guess.

We really like the Danzante Pinot Grigio from Italy. the Lindeman's Semillion/Chardonnay from Australia and the Caliterra Merlot from Chile that are offered as selections in the Gold W&D Pkg and all three offer a very good value in this package compared to their regular cost on board.

 

Definitely a matter of taste. But what I should have said is that the wine list outside of the w&d packages is much more extensive, and one is more likely to find a wine to their liking. I am sure there are good wines on the package, but I like having a much larger selection. I guess I could be considered a wine snob. :D ;)

[dct]

Will there be wine tasting on the Mariner. We have enjoyed this on most of our cruises.

 

Thanks

[robtulipe]

Will there be wine tasting on the Mariner. We have enjoyed this on most of our cruises.

 

Thanks

There has been a wine tasting session on every one of our RC cruises. Remember you have C&A Gold status or above you get to do this for no cost as there is a coupon to do this for free in your member coupon book.

On our last cruise the Danzante Pinot Grigio and the Lindeman's Semillion/Chardonnay , which we like so much, were part of the wines featured in the wine tasting.

[cathyr4561]

But remember, the wine list for the wine & dine is about 1/8 of the wine list onboard. It really stinks.

 

 

I did check the wine list and you are right - it sticks. None of the packages has a wine I would like.

[skandls]

I did check the wine list and you are right - it sticks. None of the packages has a wine I would like.

 

Just be prepared. We end up paying $45-65 per bottle inorder to get something decent. The markups on the higher priced wines are not as bad as the stuff on the Wine and Dine. On our last couple of cruises we have found we liked the Byron Pinot Noir (sorry I don't remember the year.) We did try a couple of the French wines and decided we liked the Byron. (We don't go over $70 a bottle anywhere as we choose to pay corkage when we dine out.) If you like whites - try the Conundrum. Vintages on the Freedom has a lot of wines by the glass or tasting pour (2oz).