Favorite Drinks?

[TetonPost]

Taking my first cruise shortly, the Empress to the Bahamas, bought the deluxe drink package and I'm looking for some suggestions. I avoid sugar and corn syrup based sodas, I drink vodka for the most part and looking to try out some good whisky and rum, but open to anything adventurous! Thanks.

[Ray]

A Long vodka

[TetonPost]

Long vodka: Lemonade, or soda water, and lime cordial with 1 or 2 shots of vodka on ice. Added to my list!

[AshleyDillo]

1 minute ago, TetonPost said:

Long vodka: Lemonade, or soda water, and lime cordial with 1 or 2 shots of vodka on ice. Added to my list!

I always just order a vodka soda with lime and get this..sometimes I will have them add a splash of cranberry as well.

[SpeedNoodles]

My new favorites after my last sailing are the Lavender Martini and French Martini.  

[TetonPost]

Lavender Martini: 2 ounces gin,  1/2 ounce dry vermouth, 1/2 ounce lavender simple syrup and  2 dashes orange bitters. Looks like the French is made with vodka and, raspberry-flavored liqueur. Added...

[sk8erguy1978]

Rum punch!

[TetonPost]

Rum Punch: Jamaican white rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and nutmeg. Sounds good!

[Ray]

53 minutes ago, TetonPost said:

Long vodka: Lemonade, or soda water, and lime cordial with 1 or 2 shots of vodka on ice. Added to my list!

You missed out the angostura bitter, i got them made on FOTS last year...ok i had to talk them through the process of making it but they got there 

[DDaley]

Vodka, water, splash of pineapple or cranberry is my go-to. Refreshing and hydrating at the same time! 

When I asked for this in New Orleans the bartender guys kept saying "oh so you want a vodka cranberry?" nOOoo no, I want a vodka water WITH a lil cranberry. They could not understand why I wanted any water. Maybe it's a CA thing? 

[TetonPost]

10 minutes ago, DDaley said:

Vodka, water, splash of pineapple or cranberry is my go-to. Refreshing and hydrating at the same time! 

When I asked for this in New Orleans the bartender guys kept saying "oh so you want a vodka cranberry?" nOOoo no, I want a vodka water WITH a lil cranberry. They could not understand why I wanted any water. Maybe it's a CA thing? 

Actually, vodka water is my primary drink! I'm sure I'll have a few of these

[TetonPost]

15 minutes ago, Ray said:

You missed out the angostura bitter, i got them made on FOTS last year...ok i had to talk them through the process of making it but they got there 

List item updated

[SpeedNoodles]

1 hour ago, TetonPost said:

Lavender Martini: 2 ounces gin,  1/2 ounce dry vermouth, 1/2 ounce lavender simple syrup and  2 dashes orange bitters. Looks like the French is made with vodka and, raspberry-flavored liqueur. Added...

Hmmm, not even remotely close to how they the Lavender Martini on Ovation - and when I google, no two recipes agree. I hate bitters and gin. It was definitely made with vodka.

[TetonPost]

25 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Hmmm, not even remotely close to how they the Lavender Martini on Ovation - and when I google, no two recipes agree. I hate bitters and gin. It was definitely made with vodka.

I wonder if R/C bartenders read this forum? Maybe one could enlighten. I prefer vodka also.

[TetonPost]

This is my current list (before adding the ones here) and I plan on trying each one over the 8 days. They seem to meet my no added sugar requirement and only the Iced Tea adds coke, which I could ask them to skip. These were taken from the R/C site so I assume they are accurate.

• Rolling Stone: Ilegal Joven mezcal, honey, lemon & cucumber juices, yogurt mix and basil leaves
• Baton Rouge: Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, Hennessy Cognac and pear syrup with bitters and lemon juice
• Sandy Collins: Whisky - Crown Royal and maple syrup whisked with lemon juice and ginger soda
• Spiced Rum Runner: Captain Morgan spiced rum, creme de banana, blackberry brandy, pina colada, grenadine
• Teqmo: Jose Quervo Gold Tequila, agave syrup, fresh lime, mint leaves
• Strawberry Mezcal Pepperita: Del Maguey Vida Blanco Mezcal, Cointreau, strawberry rita mix, pinch of pepper
• Kentucky Burgundy: Maker's Mark, creme de classic, fresh lime, strawberry mix
• Long Island Iced Tea: Mount Gay Eclipse rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, Coke
• Wildberry Margarita: Patron Silver, Island Oasis wildberry, margarita
• Mango Sunrise: Captain Morgan mango rum, Smirnoff Raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, lemon
• Shanghai Smash: The Macallan Select Oak, orange curacao, lemon and mint
• Vanilla White Russian: Absolut vanilla vodka, Kahlua

[GatorCruiser]

Dirty martini with vodka or gin 

[TetonPost]

1 minute ago, GatorCruiser said:

Dirty martini with vodka or gin 

Sounds right up my alley.

[GatorCruiser]

I’m going on symphony in November armed withe the DBP, by the end of that cruise there will be a premium liquor shortage onboard 

[TetonPost]

Thank god we're on different ships!

[TetonPost]

22 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said:

I’m going on symphony in November armed withe the DBP, by the end of that cruise there will be a premium liquor shortage onboard 

Just kidding of course, they could always airlift in more supplies.

[AshleyDillo]

15 hours ago, TetonPost said:

They seem to meet my no added sugar requirement

You have to watch out, though.  Anything that's a syrup or a mix is going to be sugar-based.  Even ginger soda has sugar in it.  Flavored alcohols also have added sugar in them.

All of those Island Oasis mixes are corn syrup based.

[TetonPost]

24 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

You have to watch out, though.  Anything that's a syrup or a mix is going to be sugar-based.  Even ginger soda has sugar in it.  Flavored alcohols also have added sugar in them.

All of those Island Oasis mixes are corn syrup based.

Yea, I suspected that. I may have to trim my list down from the syrup containing ones. But, I'm beating my liver up with alcohol anyway and maybe I should just get off my high horse and endure some of the other bad things. It is about the experience and the taste after all, and it's only for eight days.

[JLMoran]

2 minutes ago, TetonPost said:

It is about the experience and the taste after all, and it's only for eight days.

Well, since you're opening yourself up for some other options...  

• Dark & Stormy -- Goslings Black Rum & Ginger Beer; sometimes a slice of lime depending on the recipe -- If it's good ginger beer, it shouldn't be as sugary as regular sodas and will likely also be made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup
• If you're open to trying tequila, check out the Melon and Mango Margarita in Boleros; made with añejo tequila and very tasty!
• Only vodka-based option I can recommend is a bacon and jalapeño Bloody Mary; on the plus side, no corn syrup or added sugar here!

[TetonPost]

43 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Well, since you're opening yourself up for some other options...  

• Dark & Stormy -- Goslings Black Rum & Ginger Beer; sometimes a slice of lime depending on the recipe -- If it's good ginger beer, it shouldn't be as sugary as regular sodas and will likely also be made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup
• If you're open to trying tequila, check out the Melon and Mango Margarita in Boleros; made with añejo tequila and very tasty!
• Only vodka-based option I can recommend is a bacon and jalapeño Bloody Mary; on the plus side, no corn syrup or added sugar here!

All three sound great, adding to my new list. Tequila is most definitely a go, although I remember the time I ate that damned worm decades ago (but that's another story...)

[Pima1988]

@JLMoran.  My favorite at Boleros is the Crown Marq rita.

[TetonPost]

1 minute ago, Pima1988 said:

@JLMoran.  My favorite at Boleros is the Crown Marq rita.

Which brings up an interesting question: I'm on the Empress (first cruise ever) and are these drink options generally available across all R/C ships? If so, are they available across all bars on each ship?

[JLMoran]

7 minutes ago, TetonPost said:

Which brings up an interesting question: I'm on the Empress (first cruise ever) and are these drink options generally available across all R/C ships? If so, are they available across all bars on each ship?

In my experience, the menus in the fleet-wide bars are the same from ship to ship, specific to each bar. So all Boleros will have the same menu of specialty margaritas and mojitos; all Schooner Bars will have the same menu of Collins variants; all of the Pub venues (Brass & Bock, Bull & Bear, etc) will typically have the same beer menu; etc.

[WannaCruise]

Just now, JLMoran said:

In my experience, the menus in the fleet-wide bars are the same from ship to ship, specific to each bar. So all Boleros will have the same menu of specialty margaritas and mojitos; all Schooner Bars will have the same menu of Collins variants; all of the Pub venues (Brass & Bock, Bull & Bear, etc) will typically have the same beer menu; etc.

Great question....To add to it....are say, frozen drinks such as "frozen" mojito only offered at pool bars?  

[TetonPost]

12 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

In my experience, the menus in the fleet-wide bars are the same from ship to ship, specific to each bar. So all Boleros will have the same menu of specialty margaritas and mojitos; all Schooner Bars will have the same menu of Collins variants; all of the Pub venues (Brass & Bock, Bull & Bear, etc) will typically have the same beer menu; etc.

Good to know, thanks. So, if I ask for a drink on my list at an Empress bar, there is a chance (possibly a likelihood) that they may say "Sorry, not offered here" ?

[JLMoran]

1 minute ago, TetonPost said:

So, if I ask for drink on my list at an Empress bar, there is a chance (possibly a likelihood) that they may say "Sorry, not offered here" ?

If it's a specialty drink like the Mango & Melon Rita, you may be told to go to Boleros for that. I can't say for sure, since I haven't tried, but it really just depends on whether the other bars carry the other juices / mixers / specific liquors used in making that particular drink.

For more "generic" beverages like a Cape Cod (vodka & cranberry) or a generic margarita made with a reposado or añejo tequila, any bar will make it and you can request whatever brand you see on the shelf.

[TetonPost]

1 minute ago, JLMoran said:

If it's a specialty drink like the Mango & Melon Rita, you may be told to go to Boleros for that. I can't say for sure, since I haven't tried, but it really just depends on whether the other bars carry the other juices / mixers / specific liquors used in making that particular drink.

For more "generic" beverages like a Cape Cod (vodka & cranberry) or a generic margarita made with a reposado or añejo tequila, any bar will make it and you can request whatever brand you see on the shelf.

Copy that, JL.

[AshleyDillo]

2 hours ago, JLMoran said:

Only vodka-based option I can recommend is a bacon and jalapeño Bloody Mary; on the plus side, no corn syrup or added sugar here!

Bloody Mary mix often has corn syrup or sugar in it..you'd be surprised where that stuff lurks!

I learned to pay attention and read drink descriptions because I will get a minor reactive hypoglycemic reaction from ingesting the sweet stuff.  Nothing life threatening but it makes me feel really horrible for 30 minutes to an hour after eating or drinking.  I'm a glutton for punishment so I will allow the siren's call of a fruity frozen concoction make me temporarily forget the future suffering.  The drink package is helpful because I can literally take one sip and leave it and not be too affected..as long as it doesn't overcome my willpower to down the entire thing .

[TetonPost]

6 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Bloody Mary mix often has corn syrup or sugar in it..you'd be surprised where that stuff lurks!

I learned to pay attention and read drink descriptions because I will get a minor reactive hypoglycemic reaction from ingesting the sweet stuff.  Nothing life threatening but it makes me feel really horrible for 30 minutes to an hour after eating or drinking.  I'm a glutton for punishment so I will allow the siren's call of a fruity frozen concoction make me temporarily forget the future suffering.  The drink package is helpful because I can literally take one sip and leave it and not be too affected..as long as it doesn't overcome my willpower to down the entire thing .

Sorry you have that reaction but at least you understand the cause. I've been avoiding corn syrup like the plague for years now so I really don't know how I will react to it if it ends up in a cocktail I'm trying, we'll see... As to leaving a drink behind after one sip, package or not, I don't think I can do that though. Somewhere there's a homeless guy on the street that would love to have that drink, so I will drink it for him.

[ScottL]

19 hours ago, TetonPost said:

This is my current list (before adding the ones here) and I plan on trying each one over the 8 days. They seem to meet my no added sugar requirement and only the Iced Tea adds coke, which I could ask them to skip. These were taken from the R/C site so I assume they are accurate.

• Rolling Stone: Ilegal Joven mezcal, honey, lemon & cucumber juices, yogurt mix and basil leaves
• Baton Rouge: Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, Hennessy Cognac and pear syrup with bitters and lemon juice
• Sandy Collins: Whisky - Crown Royal and maple syrup whisked with lemon juice and ginger soda
• Spiced Rum Runner: Captain Morgan spiced rum, creme de banana, blackberry brandy, pina colada, grenadine
• Teqmo: Jose Quervo Gold Tequila, agave syrup, fresh lime, mint leaves
• Strawberry Mezcal Pepperita: Del Maguey Vida Blanco Mezcal, Cointreau, strawberry rita mix, pinch of pepper
• Kentucky Burgundy: Maker's Mark, creme de classic, fresh lime, strawberry mix
• Long Island Iced Tea: Mount Gay Eclipse rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, sweet & sour, Coke
• Wildberry Margarita: Patron Silver, Island Oasis wildberry, margarita
• Mango Sunrise: Captain Morgan mango rum, Smirnoff Raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, lemon
• Shanghai Smash: The Macallan Select Oak, orange curacao, lemon and mint
• Vanilla White Russian: Absolut vanilla vodka, Kahlua

Thank you so much for this list.  I just had gastric sleeve surgery about a week and a half ago and my wife is sad because she doesn't think I"ll be able to drink by the time our cruise rolls around on Sept. 7.  I just need to find drinks that aren't carbonated and/or don't have any carbonated mixers in them and I think this list does the trick!  Bonus, they all sound super tasty!

[TetonPost]

10 minutes ago, ScottL said:

Thank you so much for this list.  I just had gastric sleeve surgery about a week and a half ago and my wife is sad because she doesn't think I"ll be able to drink by the time our cruise rolls around on Sept. 7.  I just need to find drinks that aren't carbonated and/or don't have any carbonated mixers in them and I think this list does the trick!  Bonus, they all sound super tasty!

Watch out for that Iced Tea, though, I'm sure they can replace "Coke" with something else

[ScottL]

yeah, I'll stay away from that...I think the Spiced Rum Runner is going to be my drink of choice.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

3 minutes ago, ScottL said:

yeah, I'll stay away from that...I think the Spiced Rum Runner is going to be my drink of choice.

Good choice. I became friends with them last cruise. 

[JLMoran]

Oh, just remembered a favorite of mine as an after dinner cocktail -- iced coffee with Bailey's.

The way it was served (in an Old Fashioned glass instead of a coffee mug) was more like Bailey's on the rocks with a shot of espresso mixed in, but same difference in my book! Just be ready to be awake until 1:30 or 2 AM.  

[TetonPost]

2 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Oh, just remembered a favorite of mine as an after dinner cocktail -- iced coffee with Bailey's.

The way it was served (in an Old Fashioned glass instead of a coffee mug) was more like Bailey's on the rocks with a shot of espresso mixed in, but same difference in my book! Just be ready to be awake until 1:30 or 2 AM.  

I'm adding that to my list as Bailey's on the rocks with a shot of espresso, and I'm having it with lunch.

[TetonPost]

One thought, perhaps a bit off-topic, but what's the proper way to order these drinks to imply that you don't want to exceed the package cap (what, about $13). It's great to request a top shelf label, but do you say "only if it's covered under the package"? That just seems kind of uncool.