Beer Selection Available

Stella Artois is also available, usually on tap. I'm not a beer connoisseur or snob at all, and maybe this is swill to others, but I like it.

On our Dec 16 Getaway cruise, they definitely had Lagunitas (I can't recall off hand if it was the IPA or Little Sumpin) and Grolsch, Sam Adams and Newcastle. Not a great selection, but better than the all BMC I was expecting.

I AM somewhat of a beer snob, and while I don't have an issue with the brands of beer on all NCL ships (except the Escape), I just wonder why they have so many of the same style. Stella, Urquell, Moretti, Peroni, Grolsch, Heineken, etc etc are all so similar. Again, I wish they'd just throw in a couple popular smaller brews. Even if they want to keep with the big brewers, give me a Beck's Dark or Lagunitas IPA.

That's good to hear about Lagunitas. We responded at the same time. It definitely wasn't on the Getaway just last year. Maybe that Heineken takeover is doing some good after all!

That's good to hear about Lagunitas. We responded at the same time. It definitely wasn't on the Getaway just last year. Maybe that Heineken takeover is doing some good after all!

There was Lagunitas Lil Sumpin on the Jade last October. It wasn't on any menu, and it wasn't at every bar, but if you asked for it by name the barman would go into the room behind the bar to get it.

As a Brit and a somewhat of a beer snob the range of beers on most NCL makes me a little bit sad.

It seems many other lines have a range of beers instead of mostly pilsners and lagers that have no taste.

Most of the people that say they prefer Guiness or Bud over a crafted porter or a real pale ale usually haven't tried the latter. Its not even about 'craft ales' (which rock btw) its also about all the different beer styles of the world that have been making interesting beers before the craft movement came along.

Since I have a Belgian beer obsession I spend most of my cruises drinking Blue moon. Mass produced it is indeed but it has got some taste unlike Bud and friends. I agree there should be a bigger range of different beer styles...especially some dark and wheat beers.

In the UK Boddingtons is considered a low quality cheap beer that you only drink when you are already trollied. Stella is also known as a strong cheap beer to get you off your face if you have a problem.

Just to add to Velvetwater's post - Stella Artois is known as 'wifebeater' by some in UK. Draw your own conclusions...

Just to add to Velvetwater's post - Stella Artois is known as 'wifebeater' by some in UK. Draw your own conclusions...

That's hilarious! Just like Australians consider Fosters Lager to be "cooking beer", but people in the US will drink it as if it's fancy. LOL!

But hey, at least we know what a "cold one" is. Every time I'm in the UK all the beer is warm! :')

Since I have a Belgian beer obsession I spend most of my cruises drinking Blue moon. Mass produced it is indeed but it has got some taste unlike Bud and friends. I agree there should be a bigger range of different beer styles...especially some dark and wheat beers.

Come on folks, theses ships have to stock beer by multiple pallets to survive a cruise so trying to find a true craft option will only happen on shore. I am a craft beer fan but don't expect to get them as a daily option on a cruise ship.

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I'm not saying that they should try to get beer from the craft beer bar on the corner, but I'm pretty sure New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Victory, Troegs, Bell's, Oskar Blues, Dogfish, etc etc etc could sell them however many hundred pallets of beer they desire. These aren't exactly rinky dink bathtub operations like the troll on the first page was talking about.

Come on folks, theses ships have to stock beer by multiple pallets to survive a cruise so trying to find a true craft option will only happen on shore. I am a craft beer fan but don't expect to get them as a daily option on a cruise ship.

 

 

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On a smaller ship with a limited number of venues, sure, but on the Escape they managed to introduce a craft beer concept bar... and while the most extreme beer snobs may turn their noses up on the selection there (from what I hear it's on par with a Buffalo Wild Wings in a craft heavy area), they do a good job at appeasing beer fans into various styles, mostly the American larger craft brewers, but still nicely varied.

On the Alaskan cruise they had Alaskan Brewing Company beers. It was great. I am hoping they have some good beers at Maltings and O'Sheehans on my Western Caribbean cruise this winter on the pearl.

I'm not saying that they should try to get beer from the craft beer bar on the corner, but I'm pretty sure New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Victory, Troegs, Bell's, Oskar Blues, Dogfish, etc etc etc could sell them however many hundred pallets of beer they desire. These aren't exactly rinky dink bathtub operations like the troll on the first page was talking about.

Your right and on RCCL in the English Pub bars they have these and many more, I think about 100 beers of the world. Now some are your standard weak beers but they have many that you named.

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Blue Moon was started by a former part of the Hoegaarden team. While not nearly as good, it's much cheaper and easier to find in the states, that's for sure.

Its funny you say that as Hoegaarden was one of my regular drinks when in bars with a limited beer selection. Blue moon started appearing on tap and I tried it and actually preferred it slightly. Not like there is a massive difference.

Hoegaarden is still lovely and I still drink it but Blue moon probably has a slight edge due it being stronger.

Your right and on RCCL in the English Pub bars they have these and many more, I think about 100 beers of the world. Now some are your standard weak beers but they have many that you named.

 

 

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Yeah, the draft list is just as weak on RCCL as it is on NCL ships without a District Brewhouse, but all the RCCL ships with a British pub have a decent-enough bottle/can list that a beer fan can still enjoy some decent choices.

That being said, I am glad to see NCL continuing the District Brewhouse concept on Bliss.

I was happy to see Alaskan Brewing Company onboard the Jewel. When I did a Baltic cruise on Princess years ago there was absolutely zero European beer (unless you count Heineken, which I don't), just the Budweiser/Coors Light variety. I like to enjoy local drinks and food when I'm in a region and it seems like some of the ships are doing a little more of this.

Really hoping the POA has Kona on board? I recall reading that somewhere.

Coors, Coors Lite, Bud, Bud Lite, Miller, Miller Lite -- what do you mean there's no variety? Maybe NCL can be contacted directly and asked to include a couple of IPAs and Porters on all ships. The last time I checked, for my upcoming cruise on the Gem, NCL had Sam Adams seasonal in some bars, so there is hope.

Usually the uneducated beer drinkers think this.

The micro brew stuff is usually garbage that can never be reproduced. (and the bars are always closing down)

All the micro breweries that pop up in the US sell this bath tub beer and sucker folks into thinking its better that the beer that has been made for over 200 years not just in the US but in England, Ireland and other places.

 

I will take a real Guinness, Boddington, or Murphy over the imitations they come up with in a Micro Brewery. I will also take a miller or a Bud over there lager or pale ale.

I agree most of these so called "craft" beers are just horrible.

Usually the uneducated beer drinkers think this.

The micro brew stuff is usually garbage that can never be reproduced. (and the bars are always closing down)

All the micro breweries that pop up in the US sell this bath tub beer and sucker folks into thinking its better that the beer that has been made for over 200 years not just in the US but in England, Ireland and other places.

 

I will take a real Guinness, Boddington, or Murphy over the imitations they come up with in a Micro Brewery. I will also take a miller or a Bud over there lager or pale ale.

Perhaps, you could have indicated that this is your opinion. It's certainly one not shared by those with discerning palates. And your contention that the US has a grand 200 year tradition of brewing excellence is hilarious.

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Perhaps, you could have indicated that this is your opinion. It's certainly one not shared by those with discerning palates. And your contention that the US has a grand 200 year tradition of brewing excellence is hilarious.

 

 

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Ok Yuengling 188 years old. Fm Shaffer 175 years old, Pabst Miller 173 years old, Anheuser Bush 165 years old. Not so hilarious. So alot of the beers that claim they are crafts are not micro so give your list of discerning palate beers and we will see what is hilarious . Opinion and fact. When you open the bar doors in 2015 and sell made up named beers that change constantly and are not consistent or last more than the first batch it tends to suck. I have tasted many.

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Ok Yuengling 188 years old. Fm Shaffer 175 years old, Pabst Miller 173 years old, Anheuser Bush 165 years old. Not so hilarious. So alot of the beers that claim they are crafts are not micro so give your list of discerning palate beers and we will see what is hilarious . Opinion and fact. When you open the bar doors in 2015 and sell made up named beers that change constantly and are not consistent or last more than the first batch it tends to suck. I have tasted many.

 

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The thing is though you talk of 'traditional beers' such as Guiness and friends and how these new craft beers have come along and are wierd and modern etc when it is actually the craft beers that imitate the traditional brewing process and not those canned tasteless swills and their bottled US counterparts.

Most of the popular mass brewed beers (both US and European) are brewed in hours with added rubbish. Sometimes these breweries produce smaller batches of craft style beer and on occasions it can be successful but we are talking well known brand production here.

A microbrew/craft brew is a pure beer with simple ingredients (4 unless its fruit/wheat beer) that is carefully made over a longer period and is more akin to how beer has been made centuries and centuries ago not to mention with better quality ingredients. It costs more to produce and most good brewers can reproduce a beer but since foodies like a bit of change thats what craft brewers give them.

Oh, btw I forgot to mention that on our Jade cruise last week they had Franciskaner Wiessbier up on deck and included in the UBP. It appeared during the oompah festival but I am sure you might have got some before if you asked nicely.

I see Samuel Adams now has some IPAs. My husband loves IPAs. Hopefully Breakaway will have some.

Wait a minute.... no Natty Light?

Just off the Gem. They had Sam Adams lager, nothing else. Seasonal is on the menu, but not on the ship. Newcastle Brown is available along with a couple of other choices. A vast improvement from 5-10 years ago. Not perfect, but so much better.