HAL Non-alcoholic beverage questions

[sandjb]

We've never bothered with a beverage package before since we don't drink alcohol or a lot of soda. We've always been fine with water and the free juices, lemonades, etc. But we're about to board our first HAL cruise and as part of the deal we got, we find ourselves with a beverage package for the first time. So we figure since we have it, we might as well make good use of it. I've read some threads about people's favorite mocktails, and looked at the bar menus, and I have some questions. Up front - if you don't drink mocktails, no need to chime in and let everyone know. This thread obviously isn't directed at you.  

 

1. On the 2023 bar menus that I have found online, most of them have alternatives like water and soda listed, but I think the Lido bar menu is the only one that lists and describes actual mocktails. I am assuming though that they could be ordered off-menu at other bars, right? 

 

2. I've seen lots of people suggest the chocolate mint buzz, but I haven't seen it on any menu. So am I to assume that I can order it anywhere? Or are there only certain bars that would be able to make it? And if so, how do I know which ones?

 

3. Related to #2, it seems like there are lots of drinks, like daiquris, that you don't see on the menu but I'd assume would be available. And even the mocktail menu doesn't have standards like Arnold Palmers or Shirley Temples but I'd think they'd be available, right? Is the menu really just to give people suggestions?

 

4. I see hot chocolate on the Explorations Cafe menu. Anywhere else on the ship that hot chocolate should be available? (We'll be on the Nieuw Statendam sailing from Copenhagen to Norway, btw).

 

5. What's your favorite or go-to mocktail, and can you order it by name or do you have to explain to the bartender what it is?

 

Thanks and happy sailing!

[RuthC]

28 minutes ago, sandjb said:

2. I've seen lots of people suggest the chocolate mint buzz, but I haven't seen it on any menu. So am I to assume that I can order it anywhere? Or are there only certain bars that would be able to make it? And if so, how do I know which ones?

The (delicious) Chocolate Mint Buzz was not on the menu at all when I was on the Nieuw Statendam last year. BUT! I got lucky, and the bartender at the bar where I did ask about it remembered the recipe, and happened to have all the ingredients at that bar. So, I got my drink (as good as I remembered). 
So, if you don't ask, you don't get is the rule to follow. See if the bartender has any suggestions, and the ingredients to make what you are interested in. 

You can get a potent daiquiri, of that I am positive (I drink them), but you have to be careful to insist on the correct ingredients. At least with the one with liquor in it, they also add club soda. 
Heresy. 

[Hlitner]

The bar menus are marketing and somewhat meaningless.  Any of the bars can make any drink for which they have the proper items.  In theory, this should mean that any bar can make any reasonble request.  In practice, there can be shortages from one bar to another.  We have found HAL bartenders to be friendly and helpful.  If you have a favorite bar, and they do not have what you want, just ask the bartender.  In most cases, they will get it..although it might not be immediate. 

 

When we were recently on the Westerdam, we would walk by one bar on our way to the main theater and, one time, I asked if they had some Glenmorangie.  That bar did not have any (there were many shortages and outages on our cruise).  The following evening as I was walking past that same bar the bar tender got my attention and said, I have plenty of your Glenmorangie :).  

 

On the other hand, I sometimes lie a Vodka Gimlet which is made with vodka and Rose's Lime Juice.  On our 42 day cruise, the ship ran out of Rose's after a few weeks.  When we reached Kodiac, Alaska, a drinking friend noticed that a local booze store had plenty of Rose's and bought two small bottles as a gift to me.  He gave the bottles at our favorite bar, and I immediately gave them to our favorite bar tender who hid them away for our "private stash."  I did suggest that he mention to the ship's beverage manager that if passengers can easily get products, HAL needs to improve their buying practices.  But this was also a cruise where they ran out of basic black tea only a few days into a cruise around Japan (where you can buy tea anywhere).  Finally, after about a week of complaints, one of the Maitre d's went ashore in Yokohama and bought a supply of black tea at a local shop (a friend saw it happen).

 

Hank

[iceman93]

More or less, all the bars on the ship can make the same drinks.  And since the bartenders often have to cover shifts in other than their "home" locations, they pretty much know all the recipes.  In addition, these are full bars, meaning they can make lots of drinks besides the few that are on the printed menus.  Any favorite mocktails you enjoy at home can likely be made on board (e.g. virgin pina coladas, virgin daiquiris, virgin mudslides, virgin lava flows).  Some of the best mocktails my daughters have enjoyed on board came from asking the bartender "I'm in the mood for a non-alcoholic drink that doesn't taste too fruity but has a hint of banana in it" or something like that.  They love to whip things together, alcohol or not!

[SilvertoGold]

Chocolate Mint Buzz is always available but it just comes in different disguises and as a mocktail. On the Noordam and Koningsdam they never had any mint liquor so made it with coffee or whatever.  All were good, just not the "real thing" that would satisfy RuthC.  You need to ask very specifically if you know exactly what you want.

 

Most bartenders will make you anything you want as long as they have the ingredients.  The bill will come out as something totally different but it will be what you ordered.

Edited July 16, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[Florida_gal_50]

While not mocktails on my last cruise they would not make drinks that were the specialties of other bars. Unrelated but  I love a virgin Caesar and even a leaded one.  Most of the time I got a virgin Bloody Mary.  It’s not the same.

[Banditswife]

On the N Statendam, I found a menu for virgin drinks.  This was near the sea view pool area.  I loved the lightly spiked mojitos, but I imagine they could make those as virgin as well.  N Statendam has the Grand Dutch cafe on deck 3, midship where I am sure you could get a nice hot chocolate or wonderful specialty coffee.  These can be served hot or iced.  

I might be wrong, but I always thought a "Shirley Temple" was just Sprite or 7 up with a bit of cherry juice or grenadine added.  I am sure they could make something like that.

[Haljo1935]

@Banditswife called it out - Grand Dutch Cafe for hot chocolate and yummy coffees.

Aligned w/everyone saying ask for what you want (as well as suggestions) from any bar, including GDC & Explirations - you should come away with a drink.

Strawberry Mojito and Mango Mojito were bartender recommendations by a bartender on Nieuw Statendam  - they were really good, especially the strawberry; just ask for a virgin.

Have fun experimenting. Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

[POA1]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

So, if you don't ask, you don't get is the rule to follow. See if the bartender has any suggestions, and the ingredients to make what you are interested in. 

 

This is stellar advice. Always ask the bartenders if you want something "off menu" or out of the ordinary. And remember, you want to talk to the bartender and not the server. The servers are great, but the bartender is making the drink.

 

I think you'll be delighted about what they'll come up with.

[Crew News]

As a HAL beverage menu collector, I can report that up until this year, HAL had a master bar menu and each bar had an addendum with their special drinks.  Now, only the special drinks are available.  When I asked several bartenders how they new the price of other drinks, i was told that they remembered the prices from the year before. 

 

Here is a list of what drinks are available, linked to beverage packages, but without individual prices:  Beverage Package Contents

[renee00]

The ginger mango splash mocktail is delicious. I think it's just mango puree and ginger beer.

[Kirsten T]

We've had mixed results when ordering a mocktail by the name on the menu; sometimes waiters know what it is, sometimes not. Bartenders are more savvy about the silly names HAL gives them. Sometimes nobody knows what it is. It seems to depend on the bar or dining location and the staff's experience.

 

Most of the mocktails listed on the Quench package have been too sweet for our taste, but they can be altered on request - a lot of them use Sprite, and plain seltzer can be substituted if you ask. The virgin Mojito is probably my husband's favorite, and I like the Grapefruit "not a Cosmo". Ginger mango splash is yummy, I agree! It's a nice sugar splurge.

 

It is always safer to specify "no alcohol", in our experience, when ordering something that normally comes high-test like mojitos, pina coladas, daquiris and so on. Sometimes a high-test version shows up. We've also had good luck ordering the mocktail I make at home by just explaining it, which is basically a Nojito using tonic water instead of seltzer, with a splash of cranberry. As others have said, if they have the ingredients, they'll make what you like.

 

You can make your own Arnold Palmer at the buffet beverage stations, and buffet and dining room waiters do know what that is. I don't think iced tea is available anywhere else, but I've never asked.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, renee00 said:

The ginger mango splash mocktail is delicious. I think it's just mango puree and ginger beer.

The first time I had this I loved it.  I ordered it again and it was so sweet I couldn't drink it.  There was a time when all drinks tasted the same at any bar.

[sandjb]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts and recommendations! Now we're thirsty 🙂

[Peaches02]

I love nojhitos!  And, I ask for my version of a dirty martini made with club soda and olive juice I make those at home a lot.

[PigsCanFly]

On 7/15/2023 at 8:25 PM, sandjb said:

We've never bothered with a beverage package before since we don't drink alcohol or a lot of soda. We've always been fine with water and the free juices, lemonades, etc. But we're about to board our first HAL cruise and as part of the deal we got, we find ourselves with a beverage package for the first time. So we figure since we have it, we might as well make good use of it. I've read some threads about people's favorite mocktails, and looked at the bar menus, and I have some questions. Up front - if you don't drink mocktails, no need to chime in and let everyone know. This thread obviously isn't directed at you.  

 

1. On the 2023 bar menus that I have found online, most of them have alternatives like water and soda listed, but I think the Lido bar menu is the only one that lists and describes actual mocktails. I am assuming though that they could be ordered off-menu at other bars, right? 

 

2. I've seen lots of people suggest the chocolate mint buzz, but I haven't seen it on any menu. So am I to assume that I can order it anywhere? Or are there only certain bars that would be able to make it? And if so, how do I know which ones?

 

3. Related to #2, it seems like there are lots of drinks, like daiquris, that you don't see on the menu but I'd assume would be available. And even the mocktail menu doesn't have standards like Arnold Palmers or Shirley Temples but I'd think they'd be available, right? Is the menu really just to give people suggestions?

 

4. I see hot chocolate on the Explorations Cafe menu. Anywhere else on the ship that hot chocolate should be available? (We'll be on the Nieuw Statendam sailing from Copenhagen to Norway, btw).

 

5. What's your favorite or go-to mocktail, and can you order it by name or do you have to explain to the bartender what it is?

 

Thanks and happy sailing!

Our son (30 yr old) has ordered virgin daquaries and virgin margaritas on many cruises.  They seem to be the same except for the Alcohol.  I expect that any drink can be made with the 'virgin' option.

Edited August 4, 2023 by PigsCanFly

[PRPLE]

I agree with all who said talk to the folks behind the bar… they can make suggestions if you give parameters… sometimes the servers helpful but the bar folks know their stuff!