First Beverage Recommendations?

[aliaschief]

Actually a Weng Weng only contain two ounces of liquor if made properly. The different spirits are only a 1/4 oz.

Always has been a tradition to have at least one per cruise. They are quite tasty.

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 5/9/2023 at 2:27 PM, GoHawks-43-8 said:

My recent cruises have been on Princess. When we get on board, we head up to the pool deck and get an Ultimate Cooler to have as our first drink on board before / while we explore. It's refreshing, not too sweet, not frozen, and just tasty goodness.

 

Do you have a recommendation for a good first beverage on HAL? 

 

Although reading about the troubles getting on the ship in Vancouver, a shot of tequila might need to be the first one. 😀

 

Going directly to the pool after boarding is a great idea and is always my first stop.  Remember to pack your suit in your carry-on luggage and stop by the pool for a drink.  A Bahama Mama is always my first drink on-board.  

[dreamer321]

Just make sure you get there early before Pee has had too many drinks and needs to use the pool. 😁

 

P. S. a Bahama Mama sounds good, I may have to give that a try.

[ExpatBride]

14 hours ago, lissie said:

Looking at the menus published here and elsewhere - I haven't even seen any Hendricks - the gin collection seems very,very limited - to basically Bombay 

 

Nooooo!!!! 😩 This is definitely a change for the worse. Hendrick's was in good supply the last time I sailed HAL (admittedly, it was in 2016  😬)

[ExpatBride]

6 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Hubby seems to think Hendrick's was there, but only in the premium package or for an "upcharge" .

 

Seem to recall Bombay, Gordon's, Tanqueray being available at the Ocean bar.

 

Gordon's 😝 I hope your hubby is right 🙏

[Dobby36]

6 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Hubby seems to think Hendrick's was there, but only in the premium package or for an "upcharge" .

 

Seem to recall Bombay, Gordon's, Tanqueray being available at the Ocean bar.

it would seem none of the Gins are above the beverage package limit, if made with a free mixer like tonic. This is from 2022, but I imagine even if an increase has happened it wouldn’t need an elite package to cover it.  

[Dobby36]

I should caveat with an asterisk: IF they have them in stock…

[rodndonna]

8 minutes ago, ExpatBride said:

 

Gordon's 😝 I hope your hubby is right 🙏

 

I gotta say - I am pretty sure Gordon's was there because that was my parents brand from my childhood - and now I've never see anyone drink it (not sure why) .

 

I always order "Tanqueray" because it sounds classy 🙄

 

Edit: I don't see it on the list above from 2022 - maybe it was Celebrity. 😗

Edited May 14, 2023 by rodndonna

[seaoma]

2 minutes ago, Dobby36 said:

it would seem none of the Gins are above the beverage package limit, if made with a free mixer like tonic. This is from 2022, but I imagine even if an increase has happened it wouldn’t need an elite package to cover it.  

 

 

I will say that my Bombay Sapphire and Tonic just this past March was $10.75, so one more price increase and it may take the Elite package.

 

 

3 minutes ago, Dobby36 said:

I should caveat with an asterisk: IF they have them in stock…

 

That's a big IF. Someone posted some menus and Sapphire was not listed. I'm hoping that it can be found at one bar somewhere on the ship.

[ExpatBride]

6 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

I gotta say - I am pretty sure Gordon's was there because that was my parents brand from my childhood - and now I've never see anyone drink it (not sure why) .

 

I always order "Tanqueray" because it sounds classy 🙄

 

Gordon's was my grandparents' brand and they bought it in plastic jugs (1.5 litre?). It's forever tainted 😅 

In Denmark, it's a cheap gin... 89 DKK for 70cl on special offer, which is well below Bombay/Tanqueray, which are 119- 129 DKK on offer. Beefeater can be found for 99 DKK and it's definitely an acceptable (budget) classic.  Gordon's is what I'd expect if I ordered a G&T at a dive bar here. I don't consider it a call brand.

Edited May 14, 2023 by ExpatBride

[rodndonna]

Just now, ExpatBride said:

 

Gordon's was my grandparents' brand and they bought it in plastic jugs (1.5 litre?). It's forever tainted 😅 

In Denmark, it's a cheap gin... 89 DKK for 70cl, which is well below Bombay/Tanqueray, which is 109- 119 DKK.  Gordon's is what I expect if I order a G&T at a dive bar here. I don't consider it a call brand.

 

That sounds right. I think here (in Canada) it is the best of the cheap Gins. I think it is better than "Amsterdam" which was the default Gin on one of our HAL cruises, but maybe it is just because Gordon's is always my benchmark Gin.

 

 

[lissie]

3 hours ago, ExpatBride said:

 

Gordon's was my grandparents' brand and they bought it in plastic jugs (1.5 litre?). It's forever tainted 😅 

In Denmark, it's a cheap gin... 89 DKK for 70cl on special offer, which is well below Bombay/Tanqueray, which are 119- 129 DKK on offer. Beefeater can be found for 99 DKK and it's definitely an acceptable (budget) classic.  Gordon's is what I'd expect if I ordered a G&T at a dive bar here. I don't consider it a call brand.

That's the same in NZ -  Gordon's is pretty much the cheapest one here for years - now there is a Larnios brand from Italy which is slightly chaper. Bombay  is a permium brand. The truely expensive and excellent brands are Nz gins e.g. Scrapegrace or Australian e.g. Bloody Shiraz 

[Blackduck59]

On 5/12/2023 at 11:35 AM, ExpatBride said:

Does anyone know if it's possible to get a Pimm's Cup on HAL? That would be my first choice followed by a good old Hendrik's & tonic. 

That would be my wife's first choice, Pimm's cup Is very nice. My first choice is always a Caesar. 

I like the "Pusser's punch" name, I may have to give it a try.

[Ipeeinthepools]

14 minutes ago, lissie said:

That's the same in NZ -  Gordon's is pretty much the cheapest one here for years - now there is a Larnios brand from Italy which is slightly chaper. Bombay  is a permium brand. The truely expensive and excellent brands are Nz gins e.g. Scrapegrace or Australian e.g. Bloody Shiraz 

 

4 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

That would be my wife's first choice, Pimm's cup Is very nice. My first choice is always a Caesar. 

I like the "Pusser's punch" name, I may have to give it a try.

 

Whatever you choose, have your drink at the pool.

[Ipeeinthepools]

deleted

Edited May 14, 2023 by Ipeeinthepools

[RuthC]

4 hours ago, ExpatBride said:

Gordon's was my grandparents' brand and they bought it in plastic jugs (1.5 litre?). It's forever tainted 😅

Sing along now---

She thinks Gordon's Dry Gin makes the world go round. 
She drinks more than you and I! 
And the girl of my dreams is not what she seems; 

She's the sweetheart of six other guys. 

[shack]

43 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

deleted

'Have your drink at the pool' response posted and deleted by Ipeeinthepools.  Probably just as well.  I think I'll stick to the hot tubs and shower before AND after... ;-))

[Ipeeinthepools]

8 minutes ago, shack said:

'Have your drink at the pool' response posted and deleted by Ipeeinthepools.  Probably just as well.  I think I'll stick to the hot tubs and shower before AND after... ;-))

 

Sorry, it was just a duplicate response.  You are more than welcome to join us in the pool for a welcome aboard drink and maybe a sail away drink. BTW no one showers before they get into the pool or hot tubs.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Ipeeinthepools

[Florida_gal_50]

26 minutes ago, shack said:

'Have your drink at the pool' response posted and deleted by Ipeeinthepools.  Probably just as well.  I think I'll stick to the hot tubs and shower before AND after... ;-))

Yes people soup is a lot better 😋 

[Linaeve]

I love their Orange dreamsicle!

[dreamer321]

I think I’ll try the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai up first.

[Navybikermom]

On 5/9/2023 at 6:01 PM, MisterMatthew said:

Interesting stuff... I had to look up the Weng-Weng.  Never heard of it up until four minutes ago.  Yikes, that is a lot of DIFFERENT types of alcohol.

 

Is there something called "Pusser's Punch"... etc?  If I have the name wrong, do forgive me.  I thought i overheard that beverage being ordered last time on the Zuidy.

 

----misterMatthew

You might be thinking of a Pusser’s Painkiller. I used to love them but since Covid they don’t seem to be made correctly. Something is missing but I don’t know what. I had them on two different ships and finally gave up and switched to a Harvey Wallbanger. Pretty hard to mess that up, unless you add too much Galliano. 
 

My favorite summer cocktail is one I made up one day - peach Malibu rum with half orange juice and half Cran-Tropical, with a maraschino Cherry or two 🥰. 

[OlsSalt]

Tropa-Mango-Mojito - which is sweet, and is ice blended and does come with a straw for us sissy drinkers. And can give you an ice-cream headache, if/when the ice slush hits your soft palate.

 

But other than all that,  it became our tradition once when taking the long slow cruise out of Sydney Harbor. It is now  our go-to embarkation drink and our farewell to another great cruise drink. Getting harder to find bar tenders who know how to make it.  Was a featured HAL drink once, but no longer shows up on their menus.

 

From the WayBack Machine, when Tropical Specialties were $6.95, thanks to HalFacts:    https://halfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/nrdm-Bar-Menu-.pdf

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by OlsSalt

[Ipeeinthepools]

40 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Tropa-Mango-Mojito - which is sweet, and is ice blended and does come with a straw for us sissy drinkers. And can give you an ice-cream headache, if/when the ice slush hits your soft palate.

 

But other than all that,  it became our tradition once when taking the long slow cruise out of Sydney Harbor. It is now  our go-to embarkation drink and our farewell to another great cruise drink. Getting harder to find bar tenders who know how to make it.  Was a featured HAL drink once, but no longer shows up on their menus.

 

From the WayBack Machine, when Tropical Specialties were $6.95, thanks to HalFacts:    https://halfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/nrdm-Bar-Menu-.pdf

 

 

 

Remember to bring your own plastic straws unless you want one of those silly paper things.

[POA1]

High end Scotch, Tequila and Cognac exceed the SBP limit. All the gins, including Hendricks, are covered.