5 Best River Cruise Tips for Wine Lovers in 2023

River Cruise Tips for Wine-Lovers

While on a cruise, it is important to have fun by participating in various activities onboard and visiting various new places. But that’s not all, drinks are a big part of the vacation. When it comes to drinks, one of the most important aspects that cruise lines focus on is wine, which is why they offer wine tastings, presentations, and other onboard experiences. Cruise lines offer the best wines wherever you go on a journey and the best time to go on a wine themed cruise is during the harvest season, which is September and October.

Top 5 River Cruise Tips for Every Wine Lovers

Spending time with loved ones and fellow passengers while having a glass of wine can be a wholesome experience.

Here are top 5 river cruise tips for wine-lovers that can make your vacation more special.

1. Participate in cruise drink tasting events

Drink tasting events are a major part of the cruise journey, where tasting events are organized for wines, cocktails, beers and martini. These events are paid activities where reservation has to be done in advance to try several beverages including wine during a fun and informative presentation. These events are of good value where wine is the major attraction and you get to try a lot of different wines you might not have thought to try before. This also provides a great opportunity to talk to fellow passengers and make new friends. When you go on a cruise vacation, always check the daily itinerary for these tasting events and reserve your spot ahead of time.

2. Buy a wine package to save money

If you are a wine lover and also want to save money then you should buy the package where you will get a certain number of bottles at a reduced price. These wine packages can range between 3 bottles, 5 bottles to 7 bottles. When planning a cruise vacation, try to estimate the amount of wine you will consume and then purchase the most appropriate package. Also, remember to purchase these packages ahead of time before embarking on your journey to take advantage of larger discounts. When you purchase these packages, you will not have to worry about paying separately for each wine bottle you purchase.

3. Bring your own wine bottles

In most of the cruise ships travelers are allowed to bring their own wine but the rules can vary from one cruise line to another, so always check for the rules before doing so. Some cruise lines allow you to bring a few bottles with you, while some will charge corkage fees, and some ships do not allow any alcohol on board. Corkage fee is basically the amount that will be charged when you consume the wine in the dining hall, restaurant or any other public area. Before you board your cruise ship, you will be told to keep your wine bottles separate from your luggage.

4. Avoid paying corkage fee

Many cruise ships will allow you to bring your own wine but will charge you a corkage fee if you pour it in the glass in the main dining hall or other public places. This fee can vary from one cruise line to another and range anywhere around $10 to $20. In order to avoid this fee it is best to drink the wine in your cabin or suite. You can also ask your room attendant to bring you some wine glasses and an ice bucket so you can chill the wine. It is definitely one of the top 5 cruise tips for wine-lovers.

5. Buy a bottle instead of buying a glass of wine

Never order a glass of wine while traveling on a cruise ship instead buy a whole bottle of wine because by doing so you can save a good amount of money. When you order a wine bottle while dining and don’t finish it, your server will re-cork the bottle so that you can enjoy it later. Also you can request the server to deliver the bottle with remaining wine to your cabin. So, as long as you can finish an entire bottle during the duration of your cruise trip, there’s no purpose of ordering a glass of wine.

Conclusion

A cruise journey always provides an unmatched vacation experience with lots of lovely memories, and a tasty wine can play an important role in elevating this experience. Wine lovers on a cruise ship always enjoy spending their time with a glass of wine in hand. Cruise lines, particularly in wine-producing regions, offer wine-themed events onboard, such as wine tastings, wine blending, and wine pairing. To enjoy the best cruise journey keep in mind the top 5 best cruise tips for wine-lovers mentioned above.

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