Weak Drinks

[Iamcruzin]

This thread drove me to drink. DW just made a pitcher of frozen Margaritas and they are definitely not watered down. Summer has officially started.

 

Have a happy safe Memorial Day weekend.

　

Cheers :)

[Richie2pies]

It would seem Princess is getting a reputation for weak drinks. I wonder if the $2.99 specials after 8pm have anything to do with it? Maybe they're trying to make up the profits? All these people can't be wrong. As far as extra tipping to get a legit drink....... that ain't right!

[captainron]

Weak drinks? I'm being polite because I am really talking about watered drinks. DW and I are now on the Emerald and several nights ago on Italian night DW ordered a limoncello, not for the drink itself, but for the glass it came in. Something about completing her collection. But the "limoncello" itself was clearly cut. It was thin, had no lemon taste, and was nothing more that sugar water. I've made it myself (the best stuff) and I've had plenty of the Italian commercial product. Believe me, this was watered down. Now, if something as obvious as limoncello has been tampered with, the old question of cut liquor rears its ugly head once again. I never would have believed Princess would risk its reputation playing around like this, and maybe, just maybe, it was only this waiter/bartender. But now I have to wonder once again.

 

Tippled a few limoncellos to expand my glass collection on Coral, Golden and Star with never any problems.

 

Resolution...take your own limoncello with you to the DR, pour a glass of your own (in a previous shot glass) and place next to a glass of Princess then invite the Maitre'D to come over and tell you which is the real limoncello. :rolleyes:

 

Ciao for now!!!

[pris993]

We have noticed this for years. We like a good dry martini. We don't drink that much, but when we do if it is watered down we just as soon skip it.

 

On our last Princess cruise we went to the Captain's Welcome party, ordered martinis, waited forever for them, then the waiter brought only one and it was watered down. Next time I will bring my own:) ;).

 

My husband was a bartendar years ago, when he orders a straight shot of Brandy, he can tell by looking at the drink it was poured short. He calls them on it.

 

In the old days, he use to even bet the wine steward on whether it was a full shot. If he was right, he got a free drink. If he was wrong, he gave them a big tip. He had a lot of free drinks and a lot of fun. So this is not anything new.

[Pitt Meadows cruiser50]

that's why Ionly order martinis,beer,wine or stright booze in the rocks

[BosoxI]

As far as the lemoncello, the server told us that it was homemade lemoncello, not commercial so that may explain some of the weakness.

 

He's wrong. Homemade is stronger, tastier, and thicker than most commercial products. I didn't pursue it cause it was trhe glass that countedand the server was a roving guy in the DR. Probably should have taken it up with someone and maybe still will as I am still on board. But one thing is for sureTHAT DRINK WAS CUT. No two ways about. I know my limoncello, believe me.

[drumline13]

We had the limoncello last week on the Emerald in Sabatini's & thought the same thing. It was a complementary drink so I couldn't complain but it did taste weak. I had nothing to compare it to since the only time I've had it was on Princess but I wouldn't order it again.

It must be an acquired taste.

 

We had limoncello at Chef's Table on the Emerald in 2009, and it was really, really good. Then again, we payed $75/person for that meal, so maybe that's why we got the good stuff! :)

[dclark]

Is it still easy to smuggle a bottle of booze onboard in your check in luggage or have they started clamping down like CCL?

Two years ago on the Dawn, we brought a bottle of excellent tequila (it was an anejo, not like the cheap cuervo stuff) and I filled a couple of small 1 oz bottles with it. I would order a virgin margarita ( I think they cost around $3 with tip, might have been less) and would dump 2oz of tequila into it.

[BosoxI]

that's why Ionly order martinis,beer,wine or stright booze in the rocks

 

Limoncello is straight, that's why I can't believe they'd cut it. But they did.

[Kruising Katt]

Many of the drinks we've had on Princess have little or no alcohol. It's

annoying to get drinks where you can't taste any liquor at all. This seems

especially true of the drinks like the "rum punch" sold at sailaway and

pina coladas, mojitos and most foo foo drinks. I even had a martini that was bland and most drinks served in the theater taste like fruit punch. We've never complained but have decided to send them back for some

added alcohol on our next cruise.

On our last cruise we attended the Chef's dinner on what was Italian night

in the dining room and they had limoncello. I love it so, at the end of our

dinner, I asked if we could have a glass. It was not watered down. That

night was the only one I even knew I'd had alcohol to drink and that was

because of all the excellent wine served with the meall.

[Kruising Katt]

Bosox1, I was introduced to limencello on a Princess cruise and love the stuff. Like you, I would certainly know when it had been watered down.

[mafig]

I haven't been on Princess for a few years, but I do remember DH commenting several times "I don't think there's any alcohol in this drink!"

 

I'm sorry to hear it's still the case.

[caribill]

Is it still easy to smuggle a bottle of booze onboard in your check in luggage or have they started clamping down like CCL?

 

With all the supposed watering down of drinks, you would think Princess would be more concerned if passengers smuggled water onboard.

 

That would really cut into bar profits if passengers watered down their own drinks.

[dutchess43]

My first introduction to limoncello was in Capri wow is all I can say & I was hooked after that. I now will be able to tell if Princess is watering them down in Aug when we sail. Yes the home made is stronger. If I buy the drink of the day I go to the bar & get one I never buy the ones that are floating around on their trays by the time they sell them they are warm & definately watered down.

[1 HappyCruiser]

If any local establishment where I live pulled a scam like they do it would be out of business in no time but people continue to but they're over priced fruity drinks & seem to love them.

[geoherb]

There are lots of different recipes for limoncello. They all call for simple syrup--sugar dissolved in water. But some call for more than others. For instance, Giarda de Laurentis's has 3-1/2 cups of water, 2-1/2 cups of sugar, and 750 ml of vodka. That works out to be more water than vodka.

 

Another recipe has less water but two 750 ml bottles of vodka.

[RickEk]

And don't they actually make the Limoncello at first seating? Or is that just a punchbowl full of the stuff?? :confused:

[ONT-CA]

Who wants to drink alone? As Elite passengers we are graced with a mini bar of various 50 ml bottles of spirit. I place at least one of these gifts in my pocket to take to the Wheelhouse and if I happen to find my drink on the weak side, I know only too well how to strengthen it...

[jagsfan]

There must be a problem with the drinks......there are 2 threads on the first page right

now on the subject!!!!!

[Richie2pies]

Maybe people should order fewer drinks. When their booze sales go down, they might get the clue. Reporting the weak drinks to an officer might also help. Telling the bartender or server won't help as they are probably "stockpiling" the excess alchohol for crew parties.

[WestCoastCruzinator]

He's wrong. Homemade is stronger, tastier, and thicker than most commercial products. I didn't pursue it cause it was trhe glass that countedand the server was a roving guy in the DR. Probably should have taken it up with someone and maybe still will as I am still on board. But one thing is for sureTHAT DRINK WAS CUT. No two ways about. I know my limoncello, believe me.

 

Since REAL limoncello is ONLY vodka (or some other neutral sprit) that has had lemons soaking in it for months, about 10% water and some sugar for sweetness if it doesnt taste like strong alcohol then something is SERIOUSLY wrong..

 

side note...I have read Everclear makes good limoncello but I dont think I could walk after 3 or 4 shots of that! :eek:

[tequilasunrise]

I quit ordering alcoholic drinks with mixers after our last cruise because they were so watered down. I don't mind an alcohol free evening, but If I'm going to receive a non-alcoholic drink, then I want to pay for a non-alcoholic drink.

 

I think this is relatively new. Probably a cost savings measure, but it's a bad idea.

 

Next cruise I plan to smuggle booze for the first time on any cruise; and add it myself like a few others have mentioned.

[m steve]

They are cheaper because they have less liquor in them. Even on shore most fancy drinks have less booze in them. I don't want lemonade or fruit punch but rather a good strong rum drink so I just have it on the rocks or with soda. A lot of people don't like the taste of liquor so they hide it with a lot of other stuff and really don't care. I only order daqueris and margeritas hand shaken, not frozen from a machine. I don't think they water down the contents of a bottle but just don't pour an honest shot. I have ordered expensive scotch and had a double poured at the single price on several cruise ships of different lines. A tip up front never hurts.

[pa-annie]

on our Ruby cruise last November that bottles of liquor are inventoried after each shift. The basic premise was the "powers to be" know exactly how much booze is in each bottle, and reconcile the amount that is used against the drink tickets. Our bartender friend explained that any discrepancies are cause for a reprimand.

 

The reason the question came up is that we were at the bar when a new bartender's shift started and there was a supervisor with a clipboard checking bottles which were lined up on the bar. He was noting how much booze as a percentage was in each bottle and marking it down.

 

So ... I can see why bartenders might error on the conservative side when pouring drinks. And .... if you over pour for a generous patron, it only tends to reason that subsequent drink seekers may get short changed.

[1 HappyCruiser]

So ... I can see why bartenders might error on the conservative side when pouring drinks. And .... if you over pour for a generous patron, it only tends to reason that subsequent drink seekers may get short changed.

 

This is why a person who tips extra will get the extra amount (or at least a full shot) where all the others suffer a little bit. Princess management is the one causing people to get consistently short changed.

The only solution is to bring your own unless you don't mind paying $8 for fruit juice drinks. :rolleyes: