Cocktails Before/Drinks After Dinner?

[sail7seas]

I hardly drink when we are at home...... a glass of wine here and there if I feel like it.

 

But on a cruise (or any vacation), I enjoy a drink with DH (and friends) before dinner. We never think to drink in our room. We enjoy the social aspect of the lounges.

 

Do you prefer having a cocktail in your cabn or in a lounge?

 

(I'm not getting into the saving money thing by drinking your own bottle in your room.)

[ekerr19]

We drink in our cabin. We like to relax there. We also like to go to the lounges and drink. We drink a lot on cruises - it's our vacation. :D

[Nauga146]

My husband doesn't drink at all, but there's something civilized about a cocktail before dinner. Then we like to head to the back of the ship for a cigar for him and another cocktail for me as we watch the water roll by. If we are on vacation not on a cruise, I don't drink much at all. Must be that fresh salt air. ;)

[Conniepo]

We always go to the lounges/bars - never drink in the cabin. We like to "people watch" while sipping martinis (me) :) and a good glass of wine (DH).

 

Connie

(only 69 days to go! whoo-hoo!!!)

[CowPrincess]

We usually enjoy a glass of wine in the cabin pre-dinner.... it's a chance to unwind, relax, re-connect, prepare for dinner. We aren't much into the lounges, though we hit the Crows Nest once or twice and the other one :) (can't remember the name) once or twice for happy hour.

[kyriecat]

We usually prefer drinks on our balcony. It's nice to sit and watch the island fade into the distance as we sail away. Occasionally we'll meet a nice couple or group of people and make plans to meet before dinner for drinks, but most of the time it's hubby and I on the balcony. :D

[innlady1]

We enjoy a drink on our veranda at sailaway and before getting ready for early seating...a glass wine for me...diet soda for DH (he doesn't drink)....especially on port intensive cruises. In fact, last cruise, I got in the habit of calling room service a couple times for cheese & crackers.

[TMWeddle]

We like the Crows Nest and the lounge with classical music are the places we like.

[nu2sea]

I don't drink much at home, save holidays or other special occasions, but there is something about the ambience of a cruise that brings out a thirst in me for a martini. My husband doesn't drink at all, but enjoys the social activity that "cocktails" represents.

 

I am looking forward to finding a lounge for a pre-dinner drink and one, or more for a nightcap after the show. I'm prepared to do a lot of trial and error in order to find the perfect places!;)

[esther e]

We never drink in our staterooms other than bottled water. Our before-dinner drink is always in a lounge where we can people watch and perhaps meet new friends and have them join us.

[sail7seas]

If we have generous friends who send us wine, we're delighted. :)

 

We love having the concierge deliver it to the dining room for us and we totally enjoy it with dinner.

 

But, I must say there have been a few times (now that I think about it), when we've opened the bottle (s) in our cabin and totally enjoyed it on our veranda. DH got some nibbles from Neptune and we relaxed and sipped and it was wonderful.

 

[K&RCurt]

My DW doesn't drink but we do enjoy having a drink (a "mocktail" for DW) in the Ocean Bar before dinner. It is such a great way to relax before dinner, we meet and talk to some interesting folks, enjoy the music and, above all, "People Watch"!

 

The only "drinking" we do in our cabin is a soda or two on the veranda in the afternoon and coffee from room service on the veranda as we wake up in the moring. We would both rather be "out and about" meeting and talking to folks than in our cabin.

[innlady1]

We do enjoy a drink in the Ocean Bar before dinner sometimes, and many evening, enjoy a drink while listening to the classical music in the Explorers Lounge.

[fsdj1097]

I don't drink, DW loves a Margarita every now and then. We do enjoy hitting the Piano Bar after dinner and play "Name that Tune", or just sing along with the tunes.

 

If they're having a special out by the Lido Pool (The ultimate Bloody Mary e.g), we may partake.

[cb at sea]

We, too, enjoy the social aspects of the bars....drinking in my room isn't that much fun! Might have one while dressing, but I sure wouldn't want to sit in my room all night!

 

We do the majority of our drinking before dinner...after I eat, I'm simply not in the "mood" anymore, unless we're doing the nightclub thing.

[uppitycats]

We never drink anything stronger than coffee in our cabin. We'll get coffee in the morning while we're dressing for the day, and occasionally in the afternoon.

 

Otherwise, drinking for us is a social activity. We'll have a drink before dinner, head to the restaurant / dining room, eat, and then maybe a drink or two after dinner, listening to the piano bar, or classical guitar or something similar. We rarely go to shows, don't gamble, so the after dinner thing is our chance to catch up with each other (we'll often go off on different adventures during the day), plan the next day, and generall just "people watch".

[airlink diva]

Like Sail7seas, I rarely drink that often (I work crazy hours!!) except at a party or dinner with certain people.

I love heading to the Crow's Nest for cocktails prior to dinner!! I had a routine each day when on board. I would head to the Crow's Nest around 7:15 p.m. each evening for a lemon drop or ultra strawberry lemonade :D:D!

It was a nice way to catch my second wind for the evening and to chat with my fave wait staff!!

I would sometime have another drink after dinner if I was heading to the show or hanging in the piano bar with friends.

[LMB01]

Drinks before dinner every evening in the Ocean's Bar. We will do a bottle of champagne in our suite after we retire for the evening but we do not do pre dinner cocktails there.

[Doonan]

Every evening 'coctails' and like to try all of the differen bars .. but the Ocean Bar see's us most night. 2 coctails then late dinner with wine .. then see how we feel.

 

Never drink in the cabin as we enjoy the bars for the music, the fun with the waiters, snacks and as others have said people watching.

 

Neil

[Rowan813]

It varies for us. Sometimes we will enjoy a glass of wine on the balcony and sometimes in one of the lounges. Sometimes, if we are enjoying ourselves we we will spend a bit of time in a bar or lounge. WE don't keep a set routine. It all depends what we are in the mood for. I must admit there is nothing better than early morning coffee on the balcony.

[FightOnRon]

Love the Crow's Nest the most. 3 of my 4 cuises so far have been with friends and we would always meet at the CN for a leaving port drink and a before dinner drink. If you look at my siggy you'll see I am going on a CCL ship for the first time. I've been cruising thier forum and what I have learned is there is a lot of smoking, the food is hit or miss, and there is no Crow's Nest (oe equivalent). My favorite part of the ship.

[RTanner]

I'd love to post something new and different but, with HAL I can't. Finishing the evening with a drink or two (or three) up in the Crow's Nest ( hopefully in one of the chairs facing the windows) then reflecting on just good life really is, is just about as good as it gets for us.

 

I have yet to find a place to finish the day, on cruise on any , as well is the Crow's Nest on HAL. Second choice would be the Piano Bar on the Noordam.

[cruisinbulldog]

My problem:rolleyes:, is trying to decide on a bloody mary or white russian for breakfast.. When on vacation I let my hair down.. Unfortunately at some point I have to get off the ship and get back to reality..;)

 

Bulldog

[Kathyh1313]

DH and I always have a cocktail or 2 on Friday night after a busy work week, its a way to unwind and signal the beginning of the weekend.

 

On a cruise....we drink quite a bit. DH has a few beers duing the day, I may have a gin and tonic while lounging. Some time in the Ocean Bar for a pre-dinner Martini. And then the Explorer's Lounge following dinner, DH will have a Congac and I love the Flaming Spanish Coffees. Oh and once or twice during the cruise a mid morning Bloody Mary.

 

We don't drink to get intoxicated, but to relax and enjoy the social atmosphere. No wonder our on board account is always so high!:eek:

[hal lover]

Most of the time it's a glass of wine for me and a pina colada for the DH before dinner in the Ocean bar.

 

There have been times that I have opened a bottle of wine in our stateroom and enjoyed a glass or two before heading out to the Piano bar.

 

We never have much of a bar bill. Maybe we should work on that!:D