Free drinks at Captain's Party

[aggiejade]

Sailing on Mariner and was wondering if you can order any drink at Captain's party. Last cruise was on Carnival and waiters had a selection of maybe 5-7 different drinks on trays and you had to choose from that selection. Does RC use the same method?:confused:

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

Sailing on Mariner and was wondering if you can order any drink at Captain's party. Last cruise was on Carnival and waiters had a selection of maybe 5-7 different drinks on trays and you had to choose from that selection. Does RC use the same method?:confused:

 

Are you talking about the Captains Party or Past Guest Party? ... I was on Carnival last month and the drinks at the CP were only $2 off. At the Past Guest Party it was as you described.

 

I am also curious about how RCI does things.

[cb at sea]

We've always gone to the bar and by-passed the "drinks on the tray"...you couldn't get "top-shelf" liquors, but you could get the drink of your choice....I don't think many folks knew you could do that, as ther were alot of people drinking that nasty "champagne" or Mai Tai...and I'm not sure if they STILL do that, but in the past, you could!

[aggiejade]

Are you talking about the Captains Party or Past Guest Party? ... I was on Carnival last month and the drinks at the CP were only $2 off. At the Past Guest Party it was as you described.

 

I am also curious about how RCI does things.

 

It wasn't Past Guest Party, the event I attended was in the showroom and the Captain and high-ranking crew were at back of showroom to greet everyone and drinks were free.

[Loyal2RCCL]

On the Mariner, the Captain's Party is held in the Royal Promenade and the only "free" drinks are champagne and fruit juice which is passed by waiters carrying trays. During the C&A Party you can usually order your drink of choice if you don't wish to drink what's being passed around.

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

It wasn't Past Guest Party, the event I attended was in the showroom and the Captain and high-ranking crew were at back of showroom to greet everyone and drinks were free.

 

Ohh - well, they don't have free drinks anymore unfortunately. :( Actually, the Captain's Party wasn't that special at all ... now at the PG Party, that was a different matter. They were practically pouring booze down my throat!:D

[John Henry on CC]

Sailing on Mariner and was wondering if you can order any drink at Captain's party. Last cruise was on Carnival and waiters had a selection of maybe 5-7 different drinks on trays and you had to choose from that selection. Does RC use the same method?:confused:

 

On the Mariner, the Captain's Party is held in the Royal Promenade and the only "free" drinks are champagne and fruit juice which is passed by waiters carrying trays. During the C&A Party you can usually order your drink of choice if you don't wish to drink what's being passed around.

So true for the Mariner.

 

aggiejade was probably on a Vision or Sovereign class ship before, from her/his description.

 

On the Mariner, you will be "stuck", aggie. There will be two choices: take it or leave it. :D

[montgomeryfamily]

While several years ago you could order what you wanted at both parties, now Royal Caribbean does not permit you to order any blended drinks, including non-alcoholic, and they also seem incapable of making any non-alcoholic cocktail except for the vile punch which is so sour even the children won't drink it. :(

[critterchick]

While several years ago you could order what you wanted at both parties, now Royal Caribbean does not permit you to order any blended drinks, including non-alcoholic, and they also seem incapable of making any non-alcoholic cocktail except for the vile punch which is so sour even the children won't drink it. :(

 

That's not true on every ship. On Rhapsody and Radiance we were able to order what we wanted at both the Welcome Aboard and the P/D parties (within reason; no Johnnie Walker Blue). But on Vision and Mariner the Welcome Aboard drinks were very limited and they weren't taking special orders.

[Loyal2RCCL]

While several years ago you could order what you wanted at both parties, now Royal Caribbean does not permit you to order any blended drinks, including non-alcoholic, and they also seem incapable of making any non-alcoholic cocktail except for the vile punch which is so sour even the children won't drink it. :(

 

On almost every ship I've been on, I was able to order my drink of choice at the Plat/Diamond Welcome Back Party. As for the Captain's parties, I really don't care, since I don't go to those. :D

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

I wonder if P/D parties are a lot different than "Gold" Parties :confused:

[Jimnbigd]

The old Captains party with free drinks and appetizers is no more. The Voyager of the Seas instead had a party in the Royal Promenade with free champange, mostly standing room only. As has been said, the past guest party does have the free drinks and appetizers -- at least the Voyager of the Seas and Carnival Ecstasy did. Also some past guest level (I think it is 5 cruises or more) get a nice lunch with free wine on Saturday on the Voyager of the Seas.

[suezyq50]

What happens on FOS/Plat? What is served at Captains Party or Meet and Mingle?

[montgomeryfamily]

According to the bar, a blended drink is a drink made using a blender, whether with alcohol or without alcohol (virgin). This includes all types of daiquiri-type drinks and margaritas, as well as other drinks such as chocolate banana and mudslide. I posted that Royal Caribbean does not permit you to order any blended drink at the Captain's reception and Crown and Anchor party.

 

For several years now, we have been told that we cannot order any blended drink (even non-alcoholic) at the Captain's party and the repeater guest Crown and Anchor party, regardless of which ship we have been on. This includes on the Radiance in April, the Enchantment this past December, and the Monarch last August. The Diamond/Diamond Plus party is the only party where we could order such a drink and even then on our Radiance cruise, the waitstaff at first told us that we could not order blended drinks. It was only after I complained to the Captain's Circle hostess that we were allowed to order a virgin pina coloda.

 

The excuse we have been given is that the "blender makes too much noise and so they are not permitted to make them during the party". I think this is a poor excuse given that first, many drinks are made in the overflow bar which is separated from the lounge and not in the open, and second, the blenders are running constantly in the lounges after the parties and there has never been an issue, even during the Superstar Competition or other events where it is important to be able to hear. I have no problem with stopping the blenders when an officer is making a speech, but as we all know, that is a very small portion of the party.

 

Knowing this would possibly be the case, on the last three ships I named, after ordering and being refused the blended drinks (needed to make sure the unwritten policy was still in effect), we ordered several different non-alcoholic cocktails, but were told that the bar staff did not know how to make any of those. All of these were mocktails we had gotten on Princess ships and a couple drinks also in Las Vegas as well. This attitude is especially irritating when well drinks and other more expensive alcoholic cocktails are being ordered and served.

 

So Critterchick and Loyal2RCCL, if you have ordered and received a blended drink (either with alcohol or virgin) at the Captains Reception or Crown and Anchor party on any ship in the last two to three years, I would very much like to know what it was you received and on which ship.

 

I suspect what both of you are actually talking about are ordering alcoholic drinks/cocktails that are not blended, that is, made in a blender. However, we have already commented on our comment cards several times in regard to this unwritten policy prohibiting blended drinks from being served, so if you have ordered and received any blended drinks at these parties on any of the ships you have been on in the last several years, then I intend to follow up the issue with Crown and Anchor.

[welsh292003]

What happens on FOS/Plat? What is served at Captains Party or Meet and Mingle?

 

I was on the FOS June 13th sailing and we didn't bother to go to the Captain's party. But we were just waiting in line for some officials ship board photographs on the Royal Promenade when half a dozen waiters came over to us with trays filled with glasses of champagne. My wife's family doesn't drink, so I got theirs too and knocked back about four glasses of bubbly.

 

It was an unexpected surprise. There were no other options available, not even glasses of water. But as I mentioned, these were the offerings on the Royal Promenade the night of the Captain's dinner.

 

Hope that helps,

Nick!

[FLACRUISER99]

On almost every ship I've been on, I was able to order my drink of choice at the Plat/Diamond Welcome Back Party. As for the Captain's parties, I really don't care, since I don't go to those. :D

I knew I was not the only one that didn't go.

[lovemylab]

When I was on the AOS last year they were passing around champagne and mimosa's at the Captain's Party. I did not see a bar set up for being able to order a mixed drink of your choice.

 

At the Welcome Back party the servers had a variety of mixed drinks on their tray. We didn't bother asking for anything different as what they had satisfied us but I am sure that you could have asked for something else and they would have brought it to you. There was also a bar open in the back of the room.

[Puffinater]

I knew I was not the only one that didn't go.

 

Not high on my list either, it usually cuts into my CL time.

[stargate fan]

Sailing on Mariner and was wondering if you can order any drink at Captain's party. Last cruise was on Carnival and waiters had a selection of maybe 5-7 different drinks on trays and you had to choose from that selection. Does RC use the same method?:confused:

 

FYI, for future Carnival cruise references, you do not have to choose just from the selection of drinks the servers have on their trays. On our Carnival Miracle cruise in October, and other past Carnival cruises, I ordered Pina Coladas and Kisses on the Lips from the servers. Got them no problem.

 

Also be aware that Carnival changed its parties. The Captain's Party no longer offers guests free drinks. Instead, all drinks on the ship are reduced in price. The Past Guest Party is still the same and a Farewell party, with complimentary drinks, has been added to the last night of the cruise.

 

Since it's been four years since we sailed RCCL, what parties are available to past guests and C&A members?

 

And, hey, if USA Network can advertise shows from SYFY and TNT, why can't I inform about Carnival on this thread, right?

[Oscar_the_Grouch's_Sis]

 

And, hey, if USA Network can advertise shows from SYFY and TNT, why can't I inform about Carnival on this thread, right?

 

Because the same company owns USA, SiFi and TNT ;)

 

(but there is nothing wrong with Carnival - I like BOTH cruise lines. I was just on the Spirit to Alaska last month. )