Cost Benefit Opinion, Scotch By The Drink or By The Bottle?

[SargassoPirate]

With an upcoming cruise on HAL - only my second with HAL - I was looking at the possibility of pre-ordering some bottles of Scotch for delivery to my cabin at the start of the cruise.  My question is, dollar for dollar, is it more cost effective to buy my evening wee drams by the bottle or by the drink?

 

Thanks!

Edited May 7, 2019 by SargassoPirate
Punctuation

[ScubaPirate]

12-16 drinks per 1 liter bottle, so assuming at least $10 per drink, probably cheaper by the bottle...

[SargassoPirate]

56 minutes ago, ScubaPirate said:

12-16 drinks per 1 liter bottle, so assuming at least $10 per drink, probably cheaper by the bottle...

 

Thanks. With little experience on HAL, I was wondering how generous the pours are.  Your experience is appreciated.

[TAD2005]

The pours are fair and in most instances a little heavy in our experience.  However, if you have a bottle of scotch in your cabin, unless you like your scotch "neat", you will need ice at the very minimum, and maybe some mixers.  Your in-room ice bucket will be replenished during the morning room cleaning and again at the turn-down service while you are at dinner.   And you cannot take your bottle to the MDR or a bar and pour your own.  It is for in-cabin use only.   Unless you want top-shelf scotch, you can get almost all scotches at the bars for under $8.00 plus 15%.   That's $9.20 per drink.   If you get 12 pours from a 1 liter bottle, that would be $110.   That would definitely be a savings over the purchase of a bottle for the cabin.  But it is strictly for the cabin.  Only you can weigh the advantages and costs.

[Overhead Fred]

A Bottle of Johnnie Walker Black is $86.25 if you pre-order for your room. A JWB on the rocks will be $8.25 in any of the ship's bars. So assuming a 50ml pour (about 1.7 US ounces), your bottle will be 20 drinks or $4.31 per drink. Unless you find an exceptionally friendly bartender, you are financially better of with the bottle in your room. However, you miss out on the social interaction at the bars - which can be a lot of fun, especially during happy hours!

[SargassoPirate]

Any problems with pouring my own wee dram and then wandering around the ship?  I'm used to the D+ lounge on RCI where I can both drink for free and interact with other passengers.

[Double D Cruisers]

My personal opinion.  We go to the bars to meet people and socialize.  You won't be able to bring your bottle of liquor to the bars.  So you'll be drinking in your room or sneaking it about.  Sneaking around ruins all the fun (for me.)  I might as well stay at home under those circumstances.  Again my personal opinion.  Do what ever makes you happy.  Its your cruise.

[KroozNut]

7 minutes ago, Double D Cruisers said:

My personal opinion.  We go to the bars to meet people and socialize.  You won't be able to bring your bottle of liquor to the bars.  So you'll be drinking in your room or sneaking it about.  Sneaking around ruins all the fun (for me.)  I might as well stay at home under those circumstances.  Again my personal opinion.  Do what ever makes you happy.  Its your cruise.

 

🙄😏

[DoggyDaddy]

No problem with pouring a drink in your room and then wandering about the ship with glass (or thermal mug) in hand. We have done this in the past.

 

Doggy Daddy

[Overhead Fred]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Any problems with pouring my own wee dram and then wandering around the ship?

 

Technically, I think you are not supposed to do this but I doubt that anyone will stop you. The glasses in the rooms are different than those in the bars so anyone that cares would know what you are doing. 

[kazu]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Any problems with pouring my own wee dram and then wandering around the ship?  I'm used to the D+ lounge on RCI where I can both drink for free and interact with other passengers.

 

Other than the fact that you are not supposed to do it? 😉 😞 

 

There are happy hours on the ship where you can get another drink of the same type for $2 so why not take advantage of that?

 

8 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

Technically, I think you are not supposed to do this but I doubt that anyone will stop you. The glasses in the rooms are different than those in the bars so anyone that cares would know what you are doing. 

 

Exactly - the staff are not blind nor dumb 😉

[SargassoPirate]

Thanks for everyone's opinions.  I think I'll enjoy a nice scotch in my cabin and/or balcony from the bottle I am buying from HAL. Then, if I feel like another before dinner, I can head for one of the ship's watering holes.