Included drinks with meals - non-alcoholic beer and wine?

[Berlin Bear]

A simple question - are non-alcoholic beers and wines included at mealtimes?

 

As we now drink very little alcohol, it’s not really worth us getting the SSP, but we would be very happy to drink something other than water, juice or lemonade with our meals. We‘ve had the SSP in the past, so I know that non-alcoholic beer and wine are available on board, just not sure whether they are included.

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[Mike07]

You can order soda, and I think I heard a table over from me order a non alcohol wine. I don't know about NA beer.

[photopro2]

Simple answer too 😁 yes those non alcoholic drinks are included. The non alcoholic lager, Heineken 0 I think, became our standard drink at lunchtime. We also tried ice tea for the first time, which we enjoyed. It is available in sweetened and non sweetened versions.

[Berlin Bear]

Many thanks for these speedy replies. I can imagine it being the case for non- alcoholic beer, but was less sure about the wine. I know, non-alcoholic wine is not always particularly palatable, but at least it gives us the choice 😉

[photopro2]

Though I can confirm they are included, availability is a slightly different matter! 

As you say, non alcoholic beer is readily available. Non alcoholic wine was not always "to hand" however waiters usually found some of the sparkling type. On one occasion the bartender in the Aquavit bar made me up a special alcohol-free cocktail as an apology for not having the wine.

[Berlin Bear]

Thanks for the tip. We frequently cruise on the German Mein Schiff (TUI Cruises). They have a really good selection of non-alcoholic cocktails which are not too sweet. But no wine of the non-alcoholic variety at all unfortunately.

[LindaS272]

I have had non-alcoholic wine at Chef’s Table before, both red and white. The white was not too bad, but the red wasn’t great.

[Berlin Bear]

1 minute ago, LindaS272 said:

I have had non-alcoholic wine at Chef’s Table before, both red and white. The white was not too bad, but the red wasn’t great.

Thanks for confirming. Was that included in the „complimentary inclusive wines, beers and soft drinks at mealtimes“?

 

[LindaS272]

Just now, Berlin Bear said:

Thanks for confirming. Was that included in the „complimentary inclusive wines, beers and soft drinks at mealtimes“?

 

I think I may have asked for a non-alcoholic wine at dinner in the Restaurant once after having tried it at CT. So yes, it was included.

[Berlin Bear]

You are all so helpful - thanks for answering my question! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

[Capt_BJ]

Was that included in the „complimentary inclusive wines, beers and soft drinks at mealtimes“?

 

We've cruised both ocean and river and experienced differences 'tween

 

BUT in every case the 'included wine' was a choice of the day - a red and a white - but ONLY that one and not anything from the wine list.

 

On our river cruise the included beer was the 'tap' beer which was Carlsberg as I recall. On subsequent ocean trips it appeared they would provide any beer they had (can) at lunch/dinner under 'included'.

 

At both meals on both o and r at lunch and dinner no charge for coke, coke sugar free, <sometimes 'zero' some times the EU product of Diet Coke ...> can not comment beyond other to say they have ice tea which I always take unsweetened

Edited April 22 by Capt_BJ

[Berlin Bear]

9 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

Was that included in the „complimentary inclusive wines, beers and soft drinks at mealtimes“?

 

We've cruised both ocean and river and experienced differences 'tween

 

BUT in every case the 'included wine' was a choice of the day - a red and a white - but ONLY that one and not anything from the wine list.

 

On our river cruise the included beer was the 'tap' beer which was Carlsberg as I recall. On subsequent ocean trips it appeared they would provide any beer they had (can) at lunch/dinner under 'included'.

 

At both meals on both o and r at lunch and dinner no charge for coke, coke sugar free, <sometimes 'zero' some times the EU product of Diet Coke ...> can not comment beyond other to say they have ice tea which I always take unsweetened

Aha - thanks for this additional information. As it’s an ocean cruise we’re looking at at the moment, I can probably rely on being able to order „complimentary“ non-alcoholic beer with lunch and dinner, but possibly/probably not non-alcoholic wine. OK, I can live with that 😄.

[LindaS272]

3 hours ago, Berlin Bear said:

Aha - thanks for this additional information. As it’s an ocean cruise we’re looking at at the moment, I can probably rely on being able to order „complimentary“ non-alcoholic beer with lunch and dinner, but possibly/probably not non-alcoholic wine. OK, I can live with that 😄.

Please see my posts at #7 & #9. My experience is different.

[Berlin Bear]

4 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Please see my posts at #7 & #9. My experience is different.

Thank you. That is good to hear. So, I shall simply presume that these drinks are included at mealtimes and go ahead and order them 😊. If refused, I shall refer to all your experiences.

 

i love this crowdsourcing function of CC!

[LindaS272]

59 minutes ago, Berlin Bear said:

So, I shall simply presume that these drinks are included at mealtimes and go ahead and order them 😊. If refused, I shall refer to all your experiences.

😂🫠May not help with Viking—but good luck! I hope you can swing it.

[hutch1994]

It would be interesting to know how many people would have wine at lunch, etc. if it wasn't included and they had to pay.

[OneSixtyToOne]

2 hours ago, hutch1994 said:

It would be interesting to know how many people would have wine at lunch, etc. if it wasn't included and they had to pay.

 

We have had the SSP included twice and even then only had wine at lunch less than half the time. Wine and a meal before an afternoon excursion and I’d be sleeping on the bus. Prefer to be caffeinated.

 

Edited Sunday at 04:25 PM by OneSixtyToOne

[Mike07]

1 hour ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

We have had the SSP included twice and even then only had wine at lunch less than half the time. Wine and a meal before an afternoon excursion and I’d be sleeping on the bus. Prefer to be caffeinated.

 

 

 

With the way Viking river cruises are organized... I agree. I tend to drink 3-4 cokes at lunch to get rehydrated and take the caffeine.

[Mike07]

4 hours ago, hutch1994 said:

It would be interesting to know how many people would have wine at lunch, etc. if it wasn't included and they had to pay.

 

 

I'm not one that needs wine or beer at lunch or dinner. Though, I know some households that open a bottle of wine almost every evening meal.

 

Truth be told, I think alcohol consumption would plummet on a Viking ship if said drinks were with a package or by the glass/bottle. When TH says Viking is for the "thinking" crowd, sometimes I roll my eyes as the lectures are too basic, IMHO. But, I would say the crowd Viking attracts is not really the drink, smoke, and joke crowd either. I don't really envision the Viking crowd to be the ones that are on Viking one week and then down in Margaritaville the rest of the time trying to stay forever young and soaking up the sun.

[hutch1994]

2 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

We have had the SSP included twice and even then only had wine at lunch less than half the time. Wine and a meal before an afternoon excursion and I’d be sleeping on the bus. Prefer to be caffeinated.

 

We also have had the package and just either have ice tea or water at lunch.  Just wine at dinner.  

[hutch1994]

1 hour ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

I'm not one that needs wine or beer at lunch or dinner. Though, I know some households that open a bottle of wine almost every evening meal.

 

Truth be told, I think alcohol consumption would plummet on a Viking ship if said drinks were with a package or by the glass/bottle. When TH says Viking is for the "thinking" crowd, sometimes I roll my eyes as the lectures are too basic, IMHO. But, I would say the crowd Viking attracts is not really the drink, smoke, and joke crowd either. I don't really envision the Viking crowd to be the ones that are on Viking one week and then down in Margaritaville the rest of the time trying to stay forever young and soaking up the sun.

Good call.  Lots of people on these cruises only drink the included wine because it's free.  Otherwise, they probably in a lot of cases wouldn't.