Silver Spirits Beverage Package

[MaxFan]

On 10/9/2023 at 2:59 PM, duquephart said:

Watch out for bogus cocktails - see "Mai Tai."

OMG did you get a bad mai tai on Viking? I did! From the Sky last year. It was horrible and made me wonder if I really knew what a mai tai was. I couldn't even drink it, so a waste of money, too.

[CCWineLover]

On 10/10/2023 at 3:01 AM, CDNPolar said:

We have found also that the selection is not the same on every cruise.  Depends on where in the world the ship is and if Ocean or River.

 

River have in the past included some items in the Silver Spirit package  that Ocean has not. 

 

(I know that this is not a question about Silver Spirits, rather just the drink menu.  Also note that whether on Silver Spirits or not, you have access to everything on the menu if you choose to pay for it.)

 

We also experienced a completely different drinks menu on River versus Ocean cruises, including the one where we went from Ocean direct to River in Amsterdam.

 

In addition, Viking may "standardize" the Ocean drink menus for the printing, but just because it is in print does not mean it is available on your particular cruise  (could be not in inventory, shipment didn't arrive, or can't get a particular wine or whatever in a given port).  We experienced a wine menu that was maybe about 70% available.  Keep that in mind.

[duquephart]

5 hours ago, MaxFan said:

OMG did you get a bad mai tai on Viking? I did! From the Sky last year. It was horrible and made me wonder if I really knew what a mai tai was. I couldn't even drink it, so a waste of money, too.

 

What they call a Mai Tai isn't a Mai Tai. Three of the listed ingredients - apricot brandy, amaretto, pineapple juice - have no business being within ten miles of a Mai Tai.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

What they call a Mai Tai isn't a Mai Tai. Three of the listed ingredients - apricot brandy, amaretto, pineapple juice - have no business being within ten miles of a Mai Tai.

Haven't we heard this story before somewhere 🙂

 

[duquephart]

14 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Haven't we heard this story before somewhere 🙂

 

 

If folks had a problem with things being rehashed ad nauseam this booard wouldn't exist.

[CDNPolar]

7 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

If folks had a problem with things being rehashed ad nauseam this booard wouldn't exist.

 

Very true... but at least you are consistent.  As soon as I saw the drink Mai Tai mentioned, I knew you would respond...

[rmalbers]

I can see why there is a problem with commonly named drinks from different parts of the world having different ingredients.  What I've seen people do is ask for the drink and give the bartenders the common ingredients that are in it so there is no confusion.  I've also seen the bartenders ask about ingredients before,  I think they might 'know' about some of the 'problem' drinks.    From Wiki: "In the years thereafter, pineapple juice, orange juice, and a dark rum float became commonly used in Mai Tais produced in Hawaii.^[11] 

Edited October 30, 2023 by rmalbers

[duquephart]

The Mai Tai is about as iconic as a drink gets. Figuring out how to at least come close isn't that far a fetch. Sorry ----- I'm a Mai Tai purist ----- and I'm not alone.

[rmalbers]

4 minutes ago, duquephart said:

The Mai Tai is about as iconic as a drink gets. Figuring out how to at least come close isn't that far a fetch. Sorry ----- I'm a Mai Tai purist ----- and I'm not alone.

What  I was 'trying' to point out is that even with Mai Tai's, there are regional differences, just like with a LOT of drinks. The 'recipe' for purist's changes depending on the region you are in. 

[duquephart]

15 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

I can see why there is a problem with commonly named drinks from different parts of the world having different ingredients.  What I've seen people do is ask for the drink and give the bartenders the common ingredients that are in it so there is no confusion.  I've also seen the bartenders ask about ingredients before,  I think they might 'know' about some of the 'problem' drinks.    From Wiki: "In the years thereafter, pineapple juice, orange juice, and a dark rum float became commonly used in Mai Tais produced in Hawaii.^[11] 

 

"The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for decades."

----- Liquor.com

[CCWineLover]

12 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

If folks had a problem with things being rehashed ad nauseam this booard wouldn't exist.

Au contraire - we love it!!

[rmalbers]

3 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

"The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for decades."

----- Liquor.com

Ok, fine, for others, if you want to make sure you get what you want. on really any cruise ship, give the bartender a hint of what you want for main ingredients in your drink order.  

[duquephart]

8 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

What  I was 'trying' to point out is that even with Mai Tai's, there are regional differences, just like with a LOT of drinks. The 'recipe' for purist's changes depending on the region you are in. 

 

Variations --- sure --- mostly due to the fact that Trader Vic kept the recipe under his hat prompting lots of attempts to duplicate. What I'm 'trying' to point out is that Viking doesn't even come close. And, what "region" is Viking Cruises?

[rmalbers]

3 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

  And, what "region" is Viking Cruises?

From what I've seen they cruise in about every region of the world, except Africa.  But I'm sure you know that right?   So why would you ask that? 

Edited October 30, 2023 by rmalbers

[MaxFan]

13 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

What they call a Mai Tai isn't a Mai Tai. Three of the listed ingredients - apricot brandy, amaretto, pineapple juice - have no business being within ten miles of a Mai Tai.

Just reading these ingredients now makes me feel about as sick as when I was drinking them! I'm so glad you pointed that out. After the Viking mai tai abomination, it's made me afraid to try one anywhere else. Which is too bad because I've gotten good ones before. Now I live in fear. 😬

[duquephart]

5 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

From what I've seen they cruise in about every region of the world, except Africa.  But I'm sure you know that right?   So why would you ask that? 

 

I'm suggesting what Viking calls a Mai Tai is a company rather than regional thing.

[duquephart]

To be clear --- my position is that what Viking calls a Mai Tai is not a regional variation as you suggest. It's an adomination. An insult to the Tiki world.

[rmalbers]

39 minutes ago, duquephart said:

To be clear --- my position is that what Viking calls a Mai Tai is not a regional variation as you suggest. It's an adomination. An insult to the Tiki world.

That's so funny.

[mariners]

As a new to Viking Ocean cruiser, but someone who has sailed many years on various cruise lines, one of the reasons that I choose to buy a beverage package (on those cruise lines where it is not already included) is so that I can try different drinks.  If a specific drink is not what I prefer, I know that I need to share why with the bar staff.  Most of the time, providing they have the ingredients onboard, the end result is getting the drink made the way I prefer the drink to be made.  Sometimes, I have found drink versions made by different bar staff work well for me.  Other times, I am unable to drink the concoction and move on to a different drink or request a specific recipe.  Is that not possible on the Silver Spirits Beverage package on Viking? 

 

 

[rmalbers]

22 minutes ago, mariners said:

 Other times, I am unable to drink the concoction and move on to a different drink or request a specific recipe.  Is that not possible on the Silver Spirits Beverage package on Viking? 

 

 

Yes, that's what a lot of people do.  I want to say I've seen it more with martini's than other stuff.  The bartenders on VO are VERY GOOD and after the first day or so they know what you want and you don't have to repeat it.  Drink orders at dinner/lunch are a different story because of the regular staff.   

[pavementends]

10 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

"The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for decades."

----- Liquor.com

 

Viking says in there promotional materials "no umbrella drinks." How is a Mai Tai not an umbrella drink?

[CDNPolar]

We have used the Silver Spirits package to do our own "tastings" with various liquors.  We did a gin tasting one evening, asking the bartender to just pour a quarter of an ounce to each of our glasses as we sampled various gins.  This was on Ocean in the Explorers Lounge where we got to know the crew well, but I suppose it could happen on River as well.  

[CDNPolar]

Mai Tai?

 

How about a Rusty Nail?

 

Recently on Viking River our newly met travel friend ordered a Rusty Nail.  She was disgusted with what she received.  She tried to tell the server what was wrong, but then gave up.  I think that the server was fairly new to Viking and bar service.

 

Later we noticed that the "Rusty Nail" was on the Viking cocktail list as a featured cocktail.  The recipe that was under it was exactly how she received it, but not how she expected it.

 

Regional differences?  Viking's own concoction?  Regardless, we had to go to the bar each day and ask for ONLY scotch and drambuie and we entirely lost the name Rusty Nail from our vocabulary because when we did ask for that, even with coaching, it came not as anticipated. 

[duquephart]

10 hours ago, pavementends said:

 

Viking says in there promotional materials "no umbrella drinks." How is a Mai Tai not an umbrella drink?

 

Great question! The little paper umbrella has a long and storied history as a garnish. While associated with Tiki cocktails the umbrella is more likely to be found in drinks at the sweeter, fruitier, more Polynesian end of the range. Classic Tiki - and the Mai Tai is as classic as it gets - leans more towards balance of exotic ingredients. In Hawaii it's not unusual to find an orchid floating atop your Mai Tai. But the drink is not from Hawaii. For the "authentic" (if there is such a thing) way to garnish a Mai Tai you need half a spent lime (spent in obtaining fresh juice) and a nice sprig of mint - meant to evoke a tropical island with a palm tree.

[shipboy]

On 10/29/2023 at 5:00 PM, deec said:

I just looked at your signature...what date are you doing British Isles?  we go May 1?

Have you arranged to meet up with Jane McDonald again 😀