I gather, from a review of the latest PG brochure, that wine at lunch is no longer included. True?

Well, I had not noticed that but you are correct it is specifically NOT mentioned in the new brochure. I have not heard anything about this. Does not mean it is a fact of course and I will find out when RSSC opens next week. Sometimes the "items" written in the back of the brochures are not correct but this is certainly something I need to know and check out.

Thanks for pointing that out I will be back on this question.

We just received the Grand Circle Travel brochure which includes a voyage on the PG and it specifically says that wine is served with lunch and dinner. Ngaire, they are quoting $2295 for ten days including round trip airfare. This is for a Cat. F March 3rd. Other dates are higher and of course D & E cats. are higher. Don't know whether this is a good price or not.

Jean, Susan Walsh did some investigating for me,and found the cruise is a 7 day with land reset (altho they through in two free nights at the new Radisson hotel)...the r/t air is from LA only so
e.g. if you are like us that live in atlanta, expect to pay more than $400pp more..so if PIP or us and you booked early with RSSC our price is still better than GCT. if you go to the GCT website, the March sailing is no longer offered, just April-July and it does say wine with lunch and dinner...hope this helps..r/wes

I had noticed wine at dinner in a past brochure but when we were there in November there was wine both at lunch and dinner.

Susan, also in the recent RSSC mailer on the PG
I received yesterday, the forwarding letter signed by Mark Conroy said wine is included with
both lunch and dinner..r/wes

Since we are booked on the November 8, '05 Navigator cruise to FP (LA to LA), it was just curiosity that led me to post about GCT. I wondered if their deal was as good as RSSC. Naturally, I would prefer going on the Navigator and bypass those long plane rides. Oh, I guess it was the wine issue that started me on this thread! :D

The brochure is correct. Straight from Fort Lauderdale.

They are only offering wine with dinner, so that they can keep the fleet consistent.

They heard Sheri and I are coming...

I can already hear Suzanne and Sheri's carryons. Cling clang cling.

That is, of course, one way to make the fleet consistent. I'd prefer that they achieve consistency by making wine available at lunch on all the ships!

george

Not a good idea, to take away an amenity that has always been offered on the PG. Disappointed in RSSC! Have to say, when I wanted wine on the PG I had to ask for it. They weren't traveling around like they do at dinner to fill the glass. Do little things like this make a difference? I really don't normally have wine at lunch except at sea, and then maybe one glass.

Many web sites (probably mine and my report which I now need to fix) take a little while to catch up to new policies particuarly when they are not highly advertised like this. I am sure that the Grand Circle trips wont include wine either this just from old information.

I bet this has to do with the new owners as well, remember RSSC only manages the ships I am not sure where these policy changes come from RSSC or the new owners or both.

Ngaire, who owns the ships? I have heard that the PG and Diamond are leased, but are all the other ones leased as well?

Navigator, Mariner and Voyager RSSC has ownership.

Diamond they have a leased until December 06.

PG they have always only managed. Ownership has changed many times over the years. RSSC now scheduled to manage the PG through 06.

I wonder if beer will still be available at lunch & comp. cocktails at dinner (which I found out a lot of people didn't know about.) The new owners of PG better be careful, they might have a lot of angry past cruisers on their ship that are used to all the nice feebie drinks. Rlf

When my wife and I were on the PG last year, she had a little belly problem. I would order her beef broth from room service, and order me 6 beers. (Which I would stash in the mini fridge). I think they were saying:” if she is sick, why is she ordering 6 beers for lunch"!!!!
I sure did enjoy the free beer and lunch and the free drinks at dinner!!!

Bob

I agree with Olivia 100%. We will be on the PG in February. While this will not ruin our cruise experience, it does leave me feeling a little disappointed with RSSC. We will be introducing some friends of ours to the whole cruise/Radisson experience with this cruise. It's a shame they won't get to experience this extra little luxury.

We left Holland America a few years back because little by little, the overall experience was slowly becoming ordinary. I guess it comes down to the bottom line once again.

borntocruz, Our super T/A, susan walsh, checked
with RSSC for us yesterday (we are going b2b in March) and if you request it at lunch--it will be provided complimentary...cheers/wes

That is good to know, Wes. We only had it at lunch a few times but were disappointed to hear that it would not be offered in 2005.

Thanks for the good news Wes. Our cruise is ending as yours begins. I think we are in the same cabin--707? I will try to leave some notes for you regarding anything we think you would find of interest. This will be our second time on the PG, this is your first, correct? You and your wife are going to love this cruise!

Jacki

Jacki, right you are, our first time on the PG, only 63 days before we fly out. You too, have a blast! r/wes

All, as usual Ngaire is spot-on, Mark Conroy
wrote yesterday, explaining they made the
change (wine only with dinner) to match the rest of the fleet, and he pointed out they are being
squeezed a bit on the cost side with the strength of the Euro (the FP Franc matches the Euro). r/wes