Martinis

[Schplinky]

I've been reading in someone's posted Daily Celebrity's that there are sometimes martini specials for $6.50. Are these simply price reductions or are they special flavours or presentations?

[WeBeCruisin']

I'm not sure about that, but on the first night most of the Celebrity ships seem to have a Martini Tasting where you can get five small martinis for a total of five dollars. Each of the martinis is a different flavor (of their choice) and is an excellent way to sample some of the more exotic mixtures. No two ships seem to have the same selection. It's usually around 7:00 or 7:30 in the Martini Bar. We've been on the Constellation, Summit, and Horizon, and they had the Martini Tasting on each of those ships when we were there. It's not always listed in the bulletin, so you may have to ask about it.

[Schplinky]

Thanks, Allen.

[Lois R]

Hi there:) Allen, You are correct. The Martini Tastings are the first night.

But, If I recall, it starts quite a bit earlier than 7. In order for main

diners to participate, if memory serves, it starts closer to 5:30.

 

I have also been to them and they are definitely a lot of fun.:D

 

As for Martini Specials, I have not heard of any others. They do

offer a "Drink of the Day"....fully potent as well as a Virgin drink for

those who do not partake.

[DeputyBob]

I believe that they have basic gin or vodka Martinis as Drink of the Day once on a cruise, but it doesn't apply to the fancy ones like Chocolate or Apple and they are smaller than the ones normally served in the Martini Bar. They do offer the Martini sampler, usually on the second night of the cruise.

[Schplinky]

Thanks Lois. We're early diners and I wouldn't want to miss out on this. The other specials I read about were from the Constellation Daily Celebrity's that Tom posted at http://www.TomandEmily.com and they were from a couple of weeks ago.

[Lois R]

Hi DebutyBob, every Martini Sampler I have been to was

on the first evening.

I distinctly remember it too. I was thinking it would be the first full day

at sea and I almost missed it. Luckly, I got there before dinner and they

were still doing it;)

[C 2 C]

The Martini Tastings are the first night.

But, If I recall, it starts quite a bit earlier than 7. In order for main

diners to participate, if memory serves, it starts closer to 5:30.

 

On Summit Nov 6 and 20th, the "Tastings" time was changed; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. There must have been too many "abusers" :pon previous sailings. Having missed the one on the 6th due to our early dining, we arrived at the martini bar at 7:52 on the 20th. The bar tender stated that the tasting was over!! We indicated the time (8:00 pm) from our daily program stating the fact that this pretty well excluded the first seating pax. He relented.. served us our martinis.. (his assistant still had all the stuff on a separate table).. and presented us with the bill... $9.95 + tip!! We again pulled out our program indicated the posted times and $6.95 Martini Tasting price. Now he told us it must have been because it was after 8:00. We pointed out the time stamp on the bill 7:56 pm. He then said that this sailing all the prices had gone up ..( all the drinks, including daily specials had increased by 20% form the 6th sailing). We finished our martinis, and feeling much better, we just left the problem with guest relations who adjusted our bill after a second visit three days later.

 

This was just a minor annoyance but there were many more incidents on the second leg of our B2B. :( We just could not believe we were on the same Celebrity ship.

[Lois R]

C2C, sorry the bartender gave you a hard time:(

 

When I was on Summit in October the bartender was Marlon and

he was absolutely wonderful:) One of the waiters was Luis and I can't

recall the other one.

If you want, check out my photos below;) maybe the bar will at

least bring you a good memory!

[DeputyBob]

Lois,

I stand corrected. On the last Connie cruise I was on (29 Oct), the Martini tasting was the first night, and they had it again on the 5th night. Thanks.

[Lois R]

Hi Bob:) you had 2 Martini Tastings? Nice:D

[constantcruiser]

On our first night on the Zenith last month, we THOUGHT we liked the chocolate vodka martinis served in the Cova Cafe even better than the ones served in the Martini Bar. But not wanting to jump to any hasty conclusions, we continued to compare them throughout the cruise...and yes, the final tally came out unanimously in favor of the Cova Cafe. Or wait, maybe it was the Martini Bar....hmmm, may have to go back and conduct that research again just to be sure!

[Eliger]

Just to add my experience on the Summit Panama Canal sailing of December 4th...

 

The martini tasting was scheduled for the first night from 6 to 8 and the cost was $9.50. During the cruise connection party the next morning, one pointed out to the cruise director that it was not fair to exclude the main seating from this experience. After much discussion on this, the cruise director, John Howell, promised that we would have one earlier in the following days. Well we did have one in the "Edge of the Earth" bar at 5:00 p.m. a few days later. The price has increased from a year ago, but so has the tastings. Instead of 5 small glasses, there were 6 and the glasses were larger :eek:. Going through these six martinis made it a happy dinner :D.

 

Hope every main seating guests can have the same experience. :)

[C 2 C]

During the cruise connection party the next morning, one pointed out to the cruise director that it was not fair to exclude the main seating from this experience. After much discussion on this, the cruise director, John Howell, promised that we would have one earlier in the following days.

 

Just shows how valuable these CC parties are.. not only new friends but influence on board.

[starrynites]

On the Dec 2 cruise on the Mercury we had two martini tastings. The third night and the eighth night I believe.(definitely not the first night) It was real easy to spot on the daily planner and the price was $6.50. Very nice presentation.

 

Original martini

Flirtini

Apple

Limon

Chocolate

Sunset

 

I could be wrong about some of the martini names but I do know they were all delicious. and LOTS of fun!:D

[Leela]

I had a price suprise when I was on Horizon: the price we got charged in the bar for the tasting (and we were there on time) was a few dollars higher than advertised in the program. I was so tipsy from the martinis by the time it was over and was really jonesing for some solid food, so we just signed and made our way on to the dining room afterwards.

 

Still, even at the higher price, it's still worth it! I enjoyed the tasting and spent the rest of the week sampling my way through the menu. And then I took a menu home with me and now make martinis off of it at home :-)

[TWG_ag]

While I have not seen lower price specials, I have seen deals on Century twice where they had two for ones. This is a deal where for the price on one of the large martinis they give you two regular ones. This way you can split one or get two differnt ones for the price of one. My wife likes this as she does not always want something as large and powerful as the full boat martini they usually serve, while I have the little and a large one, so it is like one and a half for me. We will be on the Infinity for two weeks starting the 29th on January and will see if they have these deals.

[tarheelmjfan]

On Infinity in June we missed the tasting on the 1st night, & looked for it all week. They never offered it again. :( So on Century in Nov., we made a point of making it on the 1st evening. Turns out they had 2 more. :p We didn't go again, but it was nice that they offered it more than once. I'm pretty sure that there were 2 times for the tastings on both cruises. The tastings on Century were from 5pm to 6pm & from 7pm to 8pm. The price quote in the Century dailies is $6.50.

[FLACRUISER99]

On HAL,s Westerdam martini's of the day were $4.50.:mad:

[Lsimon]

C2C, sorry the bartender gave you a hard time:(

 

When I was on Summit in October the bartender was Marlon and

he was absolutely wonderful:) One of the waiters was Luis and I can't

recall the other one.

If you want, check out my photos below;) maybe the bar will at

least bring you a good memory!

 

I'm surprised too, we've had such great experiance with the bartenders and waiters in the Martini Bar. Luis was great - remembering us from an earlier cruise and giving us great service throughout the cruise. Other martini bar waiter on our trip was Juan.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

On Summit Dec 4, 2005 Martini tasting was 6:00 to 8:00 pm as Eliger stated in earlier post. I had early seating for dinner. What to do? While waiting (for some time) for main course to be served, I decided, at around 7:00 pm to visit the Martini bar which was nearby since I was on deck 5. The bar had no customers. Late seaters were all at the show in Celebrity Theatre I guess. I asked for the Martini sampler (six glasses for $9.50 + 15% gratuity). The waitress agreed to bring it to my dinner table. She lined up six 1/3 full martini glasses at my place at the table. I enjoyed sampling the flavors with dinner.

 

I also attended the "special" tasting that Cruise Director, John Howell, arranged for "Bar at the Edge of the Earth" on a later date. We had about 25-30 people for that. Some glasses were filled to almost full for this tasting. Guess it depended who was mixing the drinks.

 

There was a martini (cosmopolitan) as a "Drink of the Day" one day. Drink of the day is now $4.95 + 15% gratuity. It was $4.25 + 15% on my May 2005 cruise on Summit.

 

Happy cruising and tasting to all.

[C 2 C]

On Summit Dec 4, 2005

There was a martini (cosmopolitan) as a "Drink of the Day" one day. Drink of the day is now $4.95 + 15% gratuity. It was $4.25 + 15% on my May 2005 cruise on Summit.

 

The Price change took place between our Nov 6 th and Nov 20th cruise. After increasing the price they also ran out of all bar snacks which were just tough to get on the earlier cruise (ie ask and ask again) On Constellation in September, they were delivered as soon as you ordered a drink. (experience from daily Rendezvous visits only). On the last evening (Dec 3rd), snacks were reintroduced.

[M&M CRUZERS]

On the 12/12 Mercury sailing, we had a Martini Drink of the Day, everyday, for $4.95 + tip, along with the Margarita Drink of the Day, and the "foo foo" drink. Beer was $4.50+. Only one Martini Tasting the first night, I think.

 

Martini Bar is small, but drinks are great!! Had several in the Rendevous Square Bar before dinner while we enjoyed the music and dancing.

[flowy]

Was also on the 12/12 cruise of the Mercury -- disappointed with the size of the Mercury Martini Bar. Too small -- more of a hallway rather than a bar. Often the other bars had no one in them -- bad use of great real estate! Loved the Summit Martini Bar -- friends often met there. Martini bar on Mercury too small to get a get together to meet there. Often aggravating to have folks walk thru conversations to get to the other side of the hall.

 

Mercury would have a lot more business if they moved the Martini Bar and the wonderful Bobo bartender to one of the other bars where business was dead.

[WeBeCruisin']

So, basically, the martini-tasting is whenever they decide it's going to be and can vary vastly from ship to ship and from cruise to cruise. :)

 

On our Summit trip (10 days) there was one tasting and it was from 7:30 to 8:30. We were told that this made it available to both late and early diners.

 

On the Constellation, it was from 7:00 to 8:30 and we only had one tasting in 14 days.

 

On the Horizon, it was 6:30 to 8:00 and there was only the single tasting on the first day.

 

We loved the Martini Bars on the M-class ships, but were disappointed in the one on Horizon. It was tucked away in a corner of the Rendezvous Lounge and only had six tiny tables, and there were no seats or stools at the bar itself.

 

The Schooner Bars on the Radiance Class RCCL ships are very nice, too, and have live entertainment and restrooms in the bar area itself. That's also the area where Portofino's and Chops are located. Very convenient.

 

Allen