BTB and wine package

[dcassetta]

My folks are doing a BTB are are thinking of buying a wine package. Has anyone ever bought a package on the first leg and then used some of bottles on the second?

 

[Ralph&Pam]

My folks are doing a BTB are are thinking of buying a wine package. Has anyone ever bought a package on the first leg and then used some of bottles on the second?

Interesting question. I’d like to know as well.

I try to avoid having any wine left over, even when we’ve done back-to-backs (twice now) but our assistant server on a back-to-back in January assured me that I could order any remaining bottles from the package on the last night of the first leg, take them to my stateroom unopened, and then bring them to the MDRs as I wanted to use them on the second leg without paying a corkage fee, so long as I had the same serving team on the second leg. That doesn’t work for me, since I usually decide on the wine to drink once I’ve made my dinner choice (nothing snobbish, but having done a wine tasting on every one of our 14 cruises, I have developed some preferences). I don’t know whether what my server told me actually applies across the ship or if the assistant server was encouraging me to purchase a larger wine package the first night. As it turns out, we had the same head server and server but a different assistant server on the second leg, so it would have been an interesting test if I’d had any bottles to carry over.

I don’t see how it could work if they didn’t close out the package selections by the end of the first cruise, since I’d think the bookkeeping would require a full accounting. No way to hold some bottle credit in reserve for the second cruise and still keep the accountants happy, since the assistant server has to scan the KTTW card for every bottle.

 

[BCV23]

We did this on a B2B a couple years ago. Bought it on the first cruise and were assured we could use the plan throughout both cruises. It worked just fine. No need to take bottles to our cabin at the end of the first cruise. They kept track of the wine without any problems even though we had a different serving team on the second cruise.

The charge was on the first cruise since that it when we purchased it. My only regret is that I imagine the first asst server received the entire gratuity while the second asst server received none. Hope I am wrong about that. I need to try to remember to ask.

 

[dcassetta]

We did this on a B2B a couple years ago. Bought it on the first cruise and were assured we could use the plan throughout both cruises. It worked just fine. No need to take bottles to our cabin at the end of the first cruise. They kept track of the wine without any problems even though we had a different serving team on the second cruise.

The charge was on the first cruise since that it when we purchased it. My only regret is that I imagine the first asst server received the entire gratuity while the second asst server received none. Hope I am wrong about that. I need to try to remember to ask.

Thanks! That's a good point about the gratuity. I wonder who gets the gratuity if you buy the package before boarding.

 

[mom4mad]

We bought a 7 day wine package on a b2b 4/3 night Dream cruise. Drank wine over both cruises, no issues.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Thanks! That's a good point about the gratuity. I wonder who gets the gratuity if you buy the package before boarding.

As I understand the beverage operations, the 15% autogratuity that is added to your beverage check goes into a pool that is shared by all the members of the beverage serving team. That includes the MDR server(s). Any extra gratuity you add to a beverage check goes to the specific server who provided the service. I always add an additional gratuity to bring the total to at least 20% and to reward the person providing the service. When I have had the wine package, the server always presents a check with a zero balance as he/she keeps track of the number of bottles I’ve consumed from the package. I add the extra gratuity to this check, usually $2 or so.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks! That's a good point about the gratuity. I wonder who gets the gratuity if you buy the package before boarding.

The auto gratuities on beverages (packages or single drinks) is pooled to be shared by all drink servers & bartenders.

 

[kid-at-heart]

What if you buy a wine package and then do not finish it? Are you given the reminder to take with you when you leave the ship?

 

[hnthomps]

What if you buy a wine package and then do not finish it? Are you given the reminder to take with you when you leave the ship?

You can take an opened bottle back to your cabin that night. Whether you can take if off the ship depends on where you are going next.

 

[BCV23]

As I understand the beverage operations, the 15% autogratuity that is added to your beverage check goes into a pool that is shared by all the members of the beverage serving team. That includes the MDR server(s). Any extra gratuity you add to a beverage check goes to the specific server who provided the service. I always add an additional gratuity to bring the total to at least 20% and to reward the person providing the service. When I have had the wine package, the server always presents a check with a zero balance as he/she keeps track of the number of bottles I’ve consumed from the package. I add the extra gratuity to this check, usually $2 or so.

That is interesting. I had read that was true in lounges and for room service charges but had never heard it included the MDRs. I always add a bit to make it to at least 20%, too.