Aside from the specialty dining options and the lure of the drink package, there are many extras available on a cruise. During our recent sailing on the very charming Jewel of the Seas, one such offering was wine tasting on a cruise ship!
We purchased Wine Tasting Around the World.
This “extra” was available for purchase in the Entertainment & Activity section of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner.
I love to learn and experience new things and when that experience includes wine tasting on a cruise, well, I’m all in!
Here are 5 reasons why YOU should give wine tasting on a cruise a try.
1. Relaxed environment
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you probably know that I am a serious introvert. In a big crowd of people, I tend to be a wallflower and in a smaller group, I definitely do not want to be the center of attention. So, why did I sign up for this activity? Well, it was actually an ideal situation for me.
The overall group was a decent size, maybe 40 people but each table a small group of 6-8. So, I had the overall experience but was able to just focus on the presenter and our small group. Because you are engaged in an activity, you instantly have things to talk about. We chatted about our common love of cruising and of course, wine.
2. A good value
The cost of our “class” was $17.70 per person. So, for approximately $35 we had about an hours worth of entertainment and information. We also were served a hearty snack of cheese and fruit and by estimation, two full servings of wine distributed between 5 tasting glasses.
My husband feels that my “two full servings” is generous and maybe he is right. But I was feeling pretty darn smiley at the end of our hour. I’ll leave it at that.
Did we purchase this activity to get a good deal on a glass of wine? No. We booked it to do something different during our cruise together, and the experience was worth it!
For more information on the “extras” of cruising, and a free budget planning worksheet, check out this post.
3. Learn something new and impress your friends. 😉
Brian and I have been fortunate enough to have toured a few wineries in the Stag’s Leap area of Napa Valley. The tours there are amazing, beautiful and very educational. If you ever get the chance to go to Napa…GO!
While the specific wine knowledge provided during this tasting was not to the same level, it did cover a wider range of information. Our presenter also shared stories of how families migrated to different regions to explore different varieties. Very interesting!
We deeply sniffed along with everyone else and gave our glass a hardy swirl. You can’t help but feel a little silly doing this so we all shared some laughs!
We are red wine drinkers and the Oberon was my favorite. Napa Valley for the win!
Do you see a favorite of yours on the list?
4. Meet new people!
Our favorite part of our Wines Around the World experience was meeting our new friends Patty & Lee.
All of our table mates were warm and friendly but we really seemed to hit it off with this duo from New York. In fact, we saw them a few more times during the week and even shared a game or two of evening trivia in the Schooner Bar.
Call us dorks but we LOVE trivia in the Schooner Bar!
When we returned, Patty found me on my Facebook page. It really touched my heart and we truly hope to see them again on a future cruise. Patty, let’s get planning!
Meeting new people is just another beautiful thing about cruising… and travel in general. You meet people and share experiences that under “normal/every day” circumstances would likely never cross your path. These people become part of your travel memories and that is a tremendous gift.
The ability to travel is a blessing that I am thankful for every day.
5. Have fun!
Finally, It was FUN! We laughed because one gentleman said his wife made him come. We laughed about how we all sipped and forgot to sniff first. And, how we were all searching for our reading glasses because one of the handouts had such tiny print. This educational experience was a TON of fun.
If wine tasting on a cruise isn’t your thing, try a sushi making activity. You could learn to decorate a fancy cupcake or work on your scuba certification.
There are also many free activities going on throughout the day, too. Get out there! Give the Thriller dance a try out on the pool deck or learn how to fold a towel animal.
I’ve realized more and more that each experience in life is less about the circumstances and more about how you approach it.
So, no matter what you do, do it with great joy.
And…when you learn that Thriller dance, post it to the Finding Jillian Facebook Page.
I can’t wait to cheer you on!
Have you tried wine tasting on a cruise, or another onboard experience or class? Tell us about it in the comment section below.
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