Can you believe that I am now consumed with planning the details of my December cruise!! Air tickets were purchased yesterday so all that is left is the excursions and of course, the wine.
We usually pick up a couple of bottles and carry on before we sail to drink in the room. And we also have champagne ordered in the room for the cast away.
But what about wine at dinner. Last cruise we bought it by the glass but that turned out to be about $7 a glass!!!

Is it true that we can order a bottle at the table and then have the wine steward give it to us by the glass over a few nights? Sounds rude but I don't want to order a bottle and have to share it with the entire table and I only like a glass to help the 4 dinner rolls I will eat go down before the food arrives.

Also, has anyone ordered the wine card through the gifts on line. Looks like a bargain at $41.40 for 10 glasses compared with $7 a glass. Can this be used at dinner?
I must add that I am not a wine connoisseur so house wine is okay for me.

BTW....I am sober while on board. I just love a glass before dinner while getting ready and then a glass with the meal. I would never waste a minute of a cruise drunk or with a hangover. I can do that at home.

How nice of you to order champagne for the castaway; how do they go about deciding who is going to be cast away?

Seriously, yes, you can buy a bottle at dinner and drink as much or as little as you like. Your waiter will keep it for you and serve it the next night, or whenever you wish.

I almost went for the wine card but we only had four glasses in ten days so it worked out better by the glass. And $7.00 is not bad for a decent wine. Oh, yes, the card is good for dinner.

HOH, You have it really bad. Good for you!
Hello, My name is Ken and I'm a cruise-holic!

I feel so much better know there are others out there.

Sensible approach to wining and dining.
Happy planning.

Please, Rick tell me I spelled it wrong.

$41.40 for 10 glasses is a great deal. I usually purchase the bottle since my hubby doesn't like wine the bottle lasts me a few nights. It doesn't surprise me planning now for a December cruise, heck I'm planning for next December.

LOL...........thanks for your understanding.
I am unashamed. I am a cruise-a-holic and planning is part of the fun. Maybe it is a female thing - planning the details so far in advance. I want to get the excursions booked within the next month so I get all of my 1st choices.
Do the married male cruisers on this board take part in the planning of the details (room location, wine arrangements, excursions, dinner service, etc) or do your wives do this?

quote:

Originally posted by Hooked-on-HAL:
And we also have champagne ordered in the room for the cast away.

Awww, I misread this. I thought it said stowaway whereby, I would have applied for the position.

And you would be hired. We need someone to carry our wine on board.

I do all the planning with a little bit of input from my better half at the very beginning of the process. Then she grades me. So far, I've got an "A" average. Then again, like in so many arenas, you're only as good as your last effort!

quote:

Originally posted by Hooked-on-HAL:
Do the married male cruisers on this board take part in the planning of the details (room location, wine arrangements, excursions, dinner service, etc) or do your wives do this?

I know I do. This is about the only vacation that I actually enjoy planning. It's always nice to have wine or champagne waiting in the room, and/or a romance package waiting. Also, in addition to the shore excursions, I enjoy reading about the history of the ports. This usually helps jog my memory later, after the numerous complimentary rum punches back to the ship wear off.

I, like G.C., do all the planning, with a little input on the shore excursions. I pretty much ask, "do you want to do this?"; amd the answer determines whether I book for one or for two.

Naw, just kidding--sort of. We do take independent trips on occasion. But I even do the planning for her trips. It's simple--I enjoy it; she dosen't.

quote:

Originally posted by Hooked-on-HAL:
LOL...........thanks for your understanding.
I am unashamed. I am a cruise-a-holic and planning is part of the fun. Maybe it is a female thing - planning the details so far in advance. I want to get the excursions booked within the next month so I get all of my 1st choices.
Do the married male cruisers on this board take
part in the planning of the details (room
location, wine arrangements, excursions, dinner
service, etc) or do your wives do this?

My husband doesn't do any planning or booking of holidays. Leaves it all to me. I don't mind tho because then I get to book what I want!!
He just pays for it!!

Sounds like a pretty nice arrangement--for you!

Of course if he dosen't want to or like to make arrangements, it works out good for both of you.

Still if he doesn't, "he pays for it." (An expression that can be used a couple of ways.)

Yeah, works out well for both of us. He doesn't do it because I'm so fussy!!

The last time he arranged something was six years ago as a surprise for my 40th birthday. It was to New York. Unfortunately, the trip took place just after 9/11. A very sad time.
Perhaps we will return again one day.

Anyway back to topic. If we have wine at our table and we don't finish bottle, can we take it back to our stateroom to finish. Or is this a no no.

I don't believe this has ever come up before; but I can't imagine them telling you that you can't take the rest of a bottle of wine that you bought and paid for with you if that is your wish.

I have never seen a bottle of wine being taken away from the dining room by a passenger. I wouldn't think the management would like uncorked bottles being walked through the ship. Perhaps an unfinished bottle can be delivered to your cabin? That would be great.
What does happen to the unfinished bottles? Is it served as glasses of wine on the next cruise. Surely it does not end up down the drain?

Not to worry; it certainly does not go down the drain--and it dosen't wind up as glasses on the next cruise.

You bought the wine; it is yours! Usually your waiter puts it in a cabinet with your name on it and serves it to you the next night or nights, until it's gone.

And I have seen people taking unfinished bottles out of the dining room with them--sometimes to the showroom or another lounge. The "management" may not like it but I've never seen anyone challenged. And when you think about it, is there really any difference between walking into the dining room with drinks and walking out of the dining room with drinks?

I'd rather finish it at the table than let it go down the drain!!

Have done it on holiday before. It's nice to sit on balcony, at the end of the evening with a glass of wine, listening to the sea and looking at the night sky.

I agree Kentishgirl. The only drain that wine would be going down would be mine!