Tastings

[Anchors Away 2016]

I was very disappointed with the round of tastings available on my Nov 30th cruise. For some reason, most of them are for 10:30 pm, to include one on pirate night at that time. Does anyone else think that's weird that they would offer an alcohol tasting class when the fireworks are scheduled to go off?

Personally, I was in the opposite boat. Most of the tastings were in the afternoon and I would much prefer after dinner ones. During the day I wanted to be with my family, by the evening they were off doing their own things at the clubs or wherever.

But as PPs have said, if you are looking at the ones that are scheduled ahead of time, rest assured there will be plenty more once you get on the ship. They only put some of them online ahead of time.

 

[DCLDVC1]

The number of private classes scheduled through your cruise group can also impact the availability of tasting classes offered to everyone.

 

[All about me]

Still checking back. Still can't get a better time.

And of course, you COULD just TASTE each drink as opposed to drinking all of each one.

Bite. Your. Tongue.

You don't have to drink all of them right then and there, though. I brought an untouched drink to lunch and gave it to my husband after chocolate/liquor tasting. I left cognac tasting with one of mine. My mom left mojitos with 2 of hers, took her time sipping one and gave the other to my dad, and I left with one of mine. They really don't care if you take it to go, so don't feel the need to rush through the drinks.

You are my new best friend!

But as PPs have said, if you are looking at the ones that are scheduled ahead of time, rest assured there will be plenty more once you get on the ship. They only put some of them online ahead of time.

I bopped around the net for info on this and did not find a definite answer dating past Sept 2017 (which is during the time they were still working out the bugs of the system), so I contacted Disney by phone and, while on hold, did live chats with two different agents.

All three people said everything that is available is available on-line; they do not hold back spots so people can book them on-board. They also said people do cancel so I should keep checking back and, if that doesn't work, check at guest services on my first day. But there is no guarantee, so I should keep my present booking.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I bopped around the net for info on this and did not find a definite answer dating past Sept 2017 (which is during the time they were still working out the bugs of the system), so I contacted Disney by phone and, while on hold, did live chats with two different agents.

All three people said everything that is available is available on-line; they do not hold back spots so people can book them on-board. They also said people do cancel so I should keep checking back and, if that doesn't work, check at guest services on my first day. But there is no guarantee, so I should keep my present booking.

That's very interesting and helpful, but I'm still not certain it is clear. We may need the help of VERY recent cruisers to answer this.

I agree that for the tastings listed they don't hold back any seats, but are you SURE that ALL of the tastings they will do on the ship are listed online ahead of time (not counting privately arranged group ones). That would indeed be a big change and important to know.

Of course, even if that is what the DCL reps say, it isn't for certain. For example, they told me that NO ONE would be getting on the ship before 1:30, but I knew better from these boards.

So how about it DIS'ers? Can anyone confirm that ALL tastings are now listed online ahead of the sailing and that (other than closed private groups) they don't add any additional sessions on board the ship?

Us Tasters want to know!

 

[All about me]

I agree that for the tastings listed they don't hold back any seats, but are you SURE that ALL of the tastings they will do on the ship are listed online ahead of time (not counting privately arranged group ones).

According to the three people I communicated with, everything that is available is available on-line.

One of the reason it may appear bookings open up is due to people who book everything as soon as their window opens and then wait to the last minute to make their final choices and cancel those they don't want. (That is not from a Disney agent but from a family member who cruises with Disney bi-annually)

Of course, even if that is what the DCL reps say, it isn't for certain. For example, they told me that NO ONE would be getting on the ship before 1:30, but I knew better from these boards.

I, too, have been given misinformation by Disney agents (one woman told me tips are mandatory and it is it in my cruise contract; false) which is why I communicated with three instead of just taking the word of one.

 

[southerngirl528]

I just can not imagine doing a tasting at 2pm. I would love them to be offered pre late dining, Say 6-6:30p. But I know they never will happen.

I surely get the point you're making and agree. Except on cruises, if you are 2nd seating, that means the classes would be during the time 2nd seating is going to the show.

 

[dinahfig]

I have heard that most of the private tasting groups are being held on port days recently. I hope this changes since it's difficult to organize a tasting on a port day around everyone's excursion schedules.

 

[cmph]

They are definitely NOT all listed online in advance across all ships and sailings. Chocolate/liquor was full in the single session they had online, but they had an additional open one when i went to sign up at embarkation. June sailing on the Wonder.

Now, that won’t keep a CM from claiming otherwise for a different ship or sailing, of course.

 

[CM Dad]

The one I was interested in was at 2pm on Castaway day. But I have a cabana and want to make the most of it so I probably won’t do it. Oh well.

That one is probably done at the Heads Up bar on the island, so you wouldn't need to take the time to go all of the way back to the ship.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

That one is probably done at the Heads Up bar on the island, so you wouldn't need to take the time to go all of the way back to the ship.

Well that’s certainly interesting information. I wonder how I would go about finding out if that’s where it would be.

 

[party-of-five]

That's very interesting and helpful, but I'm still not certain it is clear. We may need the help of VERY recent cruisers to answer this.

I agree that for the tastings listed they don't hold back any seats, but are you SURE that ALL of the tastings they will do on the ship are listed online ahead of time (not counting privately arranged group ones). That would indeed be a big change and important to know.

Of course, even if that is what the DCL reps say, it isn't for certain. For example, they told me that NO ONE would be getting on the ship before 1:30, but I knew better from these boards.

So how about it DIS'ers? Can anyone confirm that ALL tastings are now listed online ahead of the sailing and that (other than closed private groups) they don't add any additional sessions on board the ship?

Us Tasters want to know!

I'm hoping there are either additional seats, or additional tastings. We booked last minute and of course there aren't any tastings available. That would be pretty crummy of Disney to not have offerings for those who book late. When we cruised in Nov it seemed like they had additional tastings, not listed online, because DH and I signed up for tastings day of. In the meantime, I keep checking daily, in case someone has canceled and I plan to check with GS when we board... I'll report back.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Well that’s certainly interesting information. I wonder how I would go about finding out if that’s where it would be.

That’s certainly where the mohito tasting that I did on CC while sailing on the Magic in January. It was a good tasting in a delightful location.

 

[Figment_Fan]

My wife and I did the mojito tasting on Castaway Cay and it was at the Head's Up bar. It was one of the better tastings we have gone to. Noting that NONE of the tastings have ever been anything but really good. We had 5 full size mojitos, but as stated at that time, not all tastings will have that, it just happened at that one.

We were told on two different occasions that the bartenders have a lot of input as to the tastings and types of tastings. On our last cruise, April 2018, we did an Amari tasting. We had never heard of that type of drink - they are digestifs. That was one of the tastings that informed us of the input of the bartenders. Especially for that one, the ship had to have a person with knowledge of the drinks in order to present it. My wife's notebook from all of our tastings looks like the book Indiana Jones' father wrote on the Holy Grail. She has most (if not all) of the recipes and anecdotes. I've warned her that one day I'm going to publish it.

 

[southerngirl528]

My wife's notebook from all of our tastings looks like the book Indiana Jones' father wrote on the Holy Grail. She has most (if not all) of the recipes and anecdotes. I've warned her that one day I'm going to publish it.

Good for her!!! I am a note taker big time, but it never occurred to me to take a notebook to a tasting! Great idea!!

 

[SuJo]

Our port days were late as well but that was because we are on the Mediterranean cruise and excursions didn't get back till late, then you have dinner, so they did them after dinner to allow people to sign up. The ones at sea were in the afternoons so those you could sign up for. Our cruise was in June of this year.

 

[britinva]

Where do you go onboard to check availability?

 

[southerngirl528]

Where do you go onboard to check availability?

It will say where/when in the DCL Personal Navigator that you should receive upon check in at the port! Good luck!

 

[Sytrace]

Where do you go onboard to check availability?

First check at Guest Services as you board since it is right there. Otherwise it depends on which ship you are on as to alternate location.
On the Fantasy it will be at La Piazza on Deck 4 aft and on the Dream it will be The District on Deck 4 aft.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

From what I understand, the ones offered ahead of time are only a small portion of those that will be offered. Unless that has changed since the last reports I saw.

On our Fantasy Cruise last August I’d say less than half of the total tastings were available for pre-book. There was one Mixology to pre-book. There were at least four options for it once on board. Same for several of the more popular tastings.

 

[closetmickey]

Has anyone ever seen the chocolate/liquor tasting offered in the evening?