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Serving Champagne on a Yacht: the Do's and Don'ts
Ready to pop the bubbly? Here's some good advice to follow the next time you find yourself sipping champagne on board a mega yacht.
November 30, 2018
The moment has finally come: youāre on boat! Surrounded by your closest friends and family, itās time to celebrate, whether itās a major life milestone or just the thrilling fact that youāre breathing fresh air and exploring the sea. And nothing gets the party started while setting a glamorous tone quite like the pop of a champagne cork and the fizzy, sweet goodness of flowing, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. But long before you take that first sip, there are a few things you and your group should consider. Read on for the dos and donāts of drinking champagne on a yacht.
Donāt: Throw Bottles at the BoatāUnless Itās Yours to Christen!
Smashing a bottle of champagne against a boat became a big thing after since Queen Victoria christened the HMS Royal Arthur in 1891, and nowadays tossing a bottle over the bow is seen as a rite of passage to ensure good luck. To be clear, though, this tradition is only appropriate when itās your boat thatās being named and christened, not when youāve chartered a boat for the day.
Do: Chill Your Champagne
How delicious does a hot, sticky gulp of champagne sound? Not! Everyone expects champagne to be cold, ideally hovering around 47 degrees. The two best ways to achieve this: Place the bottle in the refrigerator for a couple hours, or in a proper champagne bucket filled with half ice, half water for about 20 minutes. This acrylic bucket on Amazon is highly rated thanks to its handles and large size, which gives you the option of chilling more than one bottle at a time. You could always chill your champagne in the freezer for about 15 minutes, but be careful not to chill it too long ā no one wants their champagne frozen and stuck inside the bottle, only to later emerge with the consistency of a 7-Eleven Slurpee.
Donāt: Drop the Bottle on the Deck
Nothing will spoil your celebration like the sound and sight of shattered glass ricocheting all over a yacht deck, not only frightening and endangering everyone aboard, but ultimately killing the party buzzāat least until someone finishes cleaning up that mess of glass! Yes, be sure to handle your bottles with care. That means wiping down a slippery bottle to make sure it doesnāt slide out of your hands, only holding bottles only in areas with light foot traffic, and getting a tight grip on the bottle. And if youāre in rough seas, well, the last thing on your mind should be pouring a glass of champagne.
Do: Watch Your Aim with That Cork
The pop of a champagne bottle is music to everyoneās years, but the feeling of it hitting you in the face? Not so much. And itās really not a joke: āMore people are killed each year by flying champagne corks than bites from poisonous spiders,ā wrote Jane Fryer for the Daily Mail.
The best way to avoid an accident is to take a pre-pop moment to anticipate where a champagne cork is going to land. Being cautious is especially important when youāre in a remote area, such as the middle of the ocean or several minutes away from shore, where medical assistance is not immediately available. As the saying goes, itās all fun and games until someone loses their eye to a champagne cork. Thatās why some people simply aim the bottle at the water. In addition to being safe, itās fun to see where that cork lands!
Donāt: Use Glass Champagne Flutes
This is not a time to be picky about the glass from which youāre sipping. Sure, the Tiffany & Co. champagne flutes add a touch of classic, but save it for the mainland. Trading glass for plastic doesnāt mean you need to completely compromise on aesthetics, however. Itās 2018, and youāre one Google search away from finding the ideal plastic flutes. This 30-piece set on Amazon has a four-star rating and sells for under $14. At that price, you wonāt feel bad about recycling them at the end of your voyage, and most importantly, you wonāt run the risk of glass ruining your celebration.
Do: Bring Enough for Everyone Onboard
Weāve all been at that party where thereās enough champagne for a big toast, and then all the bubbly is gone. Donāt be that host! According to Epicurious, āOne 750-ml bottle of champagne fills five regular champagne glasses.ā Author and dinner party pro Linnea Johansson figures that āsome guests will have a couple glasses and some will have none at all, so it's safe to estimate that guests will drink, on average, one glass of champagne each.ā Donāt stop there, though, she advises: āAdjust this figure if you know you have a inordinate amount of champagne enthusiasts in your crowd.ā All things considered, you should have on average at least one bottle per five guests, Johansson says.
Do: Bring More Than Champagne
Not everyone will drink champagne beyond that first toast, and given its sugar content, even the biggest champagne lover should avoid the headache-inducing hangover that comes with downing one too many glasses of liquid bliss. That means youāll not only want to load up on enough beverages (especially water!) to responsibly satisfy everyoneās unique tastes, but also watch how many glasses of bubbly youāre indulging in and balance it all out with enough food. As it turns out, some of the most popular foods for yacht trips also happen to pair well with champagne. Among them, according to HGTV: cheese (think āaged, hardā varieties like parmesan, gouda and cheddar), ādessert that isn't very sweet,ā nuts, pasta with cream or mushroom sauces, and, of course, seafood!
Do: Nail Your Toast
Winging it is for the mainland. Here at sea, itās good to be prepared. So use your imagination and get creative with a toast that will set the tone for your beautiful day on the water. Remember, this is all for fun, so donāt let last-minute nerves make your champagne toast go flat. As Sally Hogsheadāthe New York Times bestselling author and renowned speakerāonce said of speaking for an audience, "You don't have to change who you are, you have to become more of who you are." And what brings out your personality more than being on your yacht? Cheers!
For further advice on playing the best host onboard your boat or yacht, follow these tips:
- Essentials for Your Onboard Bar
- Smoke on the Water: Cigars and Yachts
- Brunch on the Water: Mimosas, Skewers and More
- Boat Grills: BBQ Equipment on the Water
- How to Party on a Boat
- What to Wear to a Yacht Party: Classy Chic to Seafarer Style
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