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Just thought I would share this and wonder how many others have experienced this? I have always known there was a huge mark up, but almost 6 times?
We have just returned from a cruise and fell in love with a particular Malbec wine which we have had on cruises before, but just learned it is sold in our liquor store. Ok, so here is the breakdown: at our local store it is $6.48 a bottle: on the ship, if you order it in a wine package, it is $22 a bottle, if you order it just by the bottle and not the wine package it is $29 a bottle and if you order it by the glass it is $7.25 a glass. A bottle normally has about 5 glasses, that comes to $37.50 a bottle.
I had always heard 3x, but yes, a ship is a little difference. For the most part drinks are no higher than at a decent restuarant or bar, but the wine thing, more than bothered me, it just surprised me. We were happy with the wine, not surprised at the $22, but when we got back home and I realized what I had been paying here my thought was WOW!!! Will I stop buying it, holy cow, no. Our next cruise is 6 months away and I will be drinking it on the ship everyday.
General rule in Belgium for restaurants, if the restaurant owner is honest, is about 3 to 4 times the buying price. Usually this buying price is lower than what you can get at your wine shop or supermarket, because they work directly with retailers.
In Spain it is more 4 to 5 times the buying price, but wine it is much cheaper in Spain so at the end the final price in a restaurant is cheaper than in Belgium.
At the Trader Joe's in my area two-buck chuck (Charles Shaw wine) is now $2.50 per bottle, so there can't be all that much mark up. However I suppose that's an exception.
I had always heard 3x, but yes, a ship is a little difference. For the most part drinks are no higher than at a decent restuarant or bar, but the wine thing, more than bothered me, it just surprised me. We were happy with the wine, not surprised at the $22, but when we got back home and I realized what I had been paying here my thought was WOW!!! Will I stop buying it, holy cow, no. Our next cruise is 6 months away and I will be drinking it on the ship everyday.
From that description it sounds like they were working the numbers out in reverse - they decided what they could get away with charging, and then got the cheapest wine they could find to meet the expectations at that price. It's probably the difference between people running a regular restaurant, and a large company with accountants giving a list of options to food and beverage managers to pick from.
Just thought I would share this and wonder how many others have experienced this? I have always known there was a huge mark up, but almost 6 times?
We have just returned from a cruise and fell in love with a particular Malbec wine which we have had on cruises before, but just learned it is sold in our liquor store. Ok, so here is the breakdown: at our local store it is $6.48 a bottle: on the ship, if you order it in a wine package, it is $22 a bottle, if you order it just by the bottle and not the wine package it is $29 a bottle and if you order it by the glass it is $7.25 a glass. A bottle normally has about 5 glasses, that comes to $37.50 a bottle.
That's about fair.........................
When it comes to having a meal at home and buying it at a restaurant, overall, one is looking at a price that is 3X.....at least.
Now consider the overhead of the "restaurant" in question. Further, do consider this: on ship, everything might be IMPORTED.
Finally, about falling in love. In the early 90's, I fell in love with Carmen from Chile. It was wonderful, but first the price took it away and then, being unable to find those who sold it took it away further. A few years ago, I found some bottles at World Market and while they were $15 apiece, I just had to have it.....only to find out that while it was great, it wasn't the fantastic I remember. What had happened?
In the years of our separation, I had experienced other wines. The taste buds had learned that it was better to experiment than to keep focused on one type.
Food for thought...............
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