Sailing on Freedom or Navi soon and wanna do me a solid?

[monorailmedic]

So as some of you know, I'm a big fan of Scotch.  RCCL's site and customer service has a very limited list of single malts that they say they carry, and nothing I'm interested in.  That in mind, despite my inquiring many times, on the Allure I found that the champagne bar had several great single malts I enjoy (Laphroaig and Ardbeg, to name two).  Again, they were only in the champagne bar, and I only found them by luck.

 

I'm trying to decide on beverages packages for the Freedom and Navigator group cruises, and whether or not these single malts are available is key to that decision.  If you happen to be sailing on Freedom or Navigator soon, and can ask every bartender you come across if they have any of the Scotches below, I'd be very grateful, and would be glad to buy you a drink or two for your trouble as well as make you a star on an upcoming Periscope ;-)

 

-Laphroaig

-Ardbeg

-Caol Ila

-Lagavulin

-Bunnahabhain

 

I put them order based on how likely I think it is that they'd have them.  I really wish RCCL customer service didn't disappoint me (and my agent) on this front, so if you can be my hero, let me know.

 

Thanks!

'First World Problems' Bill

[PRC]

Bill I will be boarding Freedom this Sunday. I'm not much of a drinking man, but I will try to remember and ask around some if the venues.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Billy, Dan is also a fellow single malt scotch drinker.  He also has had limited luck in finding the better ones on RCI.  In fact, I don't think he knows that the champagne bar has some of them....unfortunately, aren't they doing away with the champagne bars on most of the ships ??

 

We will be on Freedom June 26 (and Navigator at Christmas and New Year) and he will be on the hunt for SMS once again.  We will make a scavenger hunt of it. and report our findings when we get back.

 

His faves are also Lapfrog (that's what we call it), Lagavulin and Ardbeg.  I have never heard of Cao lla or Bunnahabhain.  Are these highland, lowland or Islay scotches ?  Personally, I think Scotch smells like ass (also another personal joke we have) so I steer clear...but Dan is all about it....

 

Just for the record, we are sailing on Celebrity in Feb. 18 and as part of a current suites promotion, we are getting their unlimited premium drink package.  They have a few nice SMS that are included.  Of course, they don't give you the distilling date so you don't know what year they are, but they are sure to be better than the Macallan and Dewars that RCI routinely serves. I'll see if I can attach the flyer.  I have such bad luck with these things.

Classic-Premium-Bev-Pckgs.pdf

[monorailmedic]

Thank you both for your efforts!  I really appreciate it.  As an aside, I'm reaching out to Royal *again*.  It's the principal at this point.  In the past I even offered to pay for the bottle (as some lined will do this for special requests) but was denied.

 

We were on Connie in Dec and will be on Reflection this Dec.  Both times we opted for the $300 OBC and the Classic bev, then used the OBC to upgrade the bev package.  We drank a lot of Laphroaig on that trip.  The Laphroaig they have is the 10 year and the Lagavulin is the 12.  

 

Cao lla or Bunnahabhain are also from Islay, that's our thing.  

 

Thanks

BH

 

PS - We have friends that say they smell like band-aids.  Not to me.

[DunkelBierJay]

In the interest of being a star on one of your scopes, I copied your list into an Evernote list of things to do after boarding Freedom on May 29, and it's at the top. I will try some too since I recently transitioned from Gentleman Jack to Jamison and may have found my new thing -- I may have to make the transition from Dublin to Scotland to find another new favorite....I will provide a full report. I will also be on the Navigator GC, so I'll be looking to you for a single malt education!

[monorailmedic]

In the interest of being a star on one of your scopes, I copied your list into an Evernote list of things to do after boarding Freedom on May 29, and it's at the top. I will try some too since I recently transitioned from Gentleman Jack to Jamison and may have found my new thing -- I may have to make the transition from Dublin to Scotland to find another new favorite....I will provide a full report. I will also be on the Navigator GC, so I'll be looking to you for a single malt education!

You too, are a mensch, thanks.

 

If you like Jameson I highly recommend checking out Jameson Caskmates.  It's maybe $5 more for a bottle but is a nice change.  It's regular Jameson but aged in beer barrels.  

 

The thing to know about Scotch is that Scotches from different regions taste quite different, not just to discerning pallets.  Most every Scotch you've seen or tasted was a Highland.  The Highlands, Islay, Speyside, and other islands on the West side all produce distinct flavors.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I think the Islay Scotches smell even worse than the others (if that is possible).  It's all that peat.  OMG, it's so overwhelming.

 

I guess smelling like band aids beats smelling like ass.  LOL

 

All in good fun.  I actually enjoy the "condescending elitist" aspects of Scotch drinking (if not the smell and taste).  I didn't realized (until Dan fell into it) that there are rules to pouring, drinking and sharing Scotch (even more so than other drinks).  I find those aspects, along with the distilling history, very entertaining.  SMS drinkers are definitely in a class all by themselves.

[bcarney]

Way back in 2010 we were on Adventure and one night they offered a SMS tasting.  I'm a rum guy, but I thought what the heck and signed me and my wife up.  When we showed up it was the bartender, my wife and I, and two dudes wearing full-on kilt regalia.  Emily didn't get past the first drink or two.  I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and enjoyed the scotch, but I hadn't yet developed the palette for tasting the nuances between some of them (other than the obvious regional differences).  The guys in kilts were in heaven.

 

Auchentoshan 12 year is my mainstay, though once in a while I do enjoy a big old peaty punch in the face.

 

Have you ever had this scotch liqueur?  http://www.cockothenorth.com/history_of_the_drink.html  One of my hobbies is genealogy, and I'm related to the folks that produce it through this dude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Gordon_(pioneer)

 

I'm veering way off topic for this site.  I'll log off now. :)

[Todd]

 

I'm trying to decide on beverages packages for the Freedom and Navigator group cruises, 

 

-Laphroaig

-Ardbeg

-Caol Ila

-Lagavulin

-Bunnahabhain

 

  I really wish RCCL customer service didn't disappoint me (and my agent) on this front, so if you can be my hero, let me know.

 

Thanks!

'First World Problems' Bill

 well here is one way you can get a answer. But you will need to make two phone calls. Both to Royal's Corporate Office. The first call ask who the Hotel Director is on Freedom, and then after getting his/her full name ask for their email address. If they give to you in that call get, if not just call back the next day and state the person name and ask for the email only. The second time you will get the email, then contact that person. The big advantage here is you will have a email reply so if not the same once on the ship you will have his/ her documentation.

[monorailmedic]

 well here is one way you can get a answer. But you will need to make two phone calls. Both to Royal's Corporate Office. The first call ask who the Hotel Director is on Freedom, and then after getting his/her full name ask for their email address. If they give to you in that call get, if not just call back the next day and state the person name and ask for the email only. The second time you will get the email, then contact that person. The big advantage here is you will have a email reply so if not the same once on the ship you will have his/ her documentation.

 

Not a bad idea, actually.  It seems so silly to have to go to such lengths to see what they'll sell me, but the normal routes haven't yielded success.  

 

I think I'll see if PRC, WAAAYTOOO, and Spiegeje come up with anything and then go the route of the hotel director.  Good call!

[monorailmedic]

Way back in 2010 we were on Adventure and one night they offered a SMS tasting.  I'm a rum guy, but I thought what the heck and signed me and my wife up.  When we showed up it was the bartender, my wife and I, and two dudes wearing full-on kilt regalia.  Emily didn't get past the first drink or two.  I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and enjoyed the scotch, but I hadn't yet developed the palette for tasting the nuances between some of them (other than the obvious regional differences).  The guys in kilts were in heaven.

 

Auchentoshan 12 year is my mainstay, though once in a while I do enjoy a big old peaty punch in the face.

 

Have you ever had this scotch liqueur?  http://www.cockothenorth.com/history_of_the_drink.html  One of my hobbies is genealogy, and I'm related to the folks that produce it through this dude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Gordon_(pioneer)

 

I'm veering way off topic for this site.  I'll log off now. :)

 I didn't know this was a thing but now I'm going to see what it would cost to order locally.  I'll let you know, thanks.

[DunkelBierJay]

If you like Jameson I highly recommend checking out Jameson Caskmates.  It's maybe $5 more for a bottle but is a nice change.  It's regular Jameson but aged in beer barrels.  

 

 

You appealed to my tastes with that tip...thanks...somehow avis tell stories...

 

I googled the labels you listed so it sounds like I know what I'm doing when I talk to the bartender...thanks to the actor and proud Scot Brian Cox on Youtube...

[Matt]

Being the awesome friend I am, I could only be bothered to ask one bartender on Navigator about Billy's issue.   :P

 

At R-Bar, they told me the best chance of success was at the Pub.  

 

I also recall on Allure RC told you there were none and then the Jerel Memorial Bar and Lounge (Champagne Bar) had some scotch available.  YMMV.

[monorailmedic]

Being the awesome friend I am, I could only be bothered to ask one bartender on Navigator about Billy's issue.   :P

 

At R-Bar, they told me the best chance of success was at the Pub.  

 

I also recall on Allure RC told you there were none and then the Jerel Memorial Bar and Lounge (Champagne Bar) had some scotch available.  YMMV.

 

I should have asked Marissa.

 

Also, loving the name change for the Champagne bar.  This gives me some ideas, but we need to come up with something that sounds less like Jerel didn't make it back from the trip.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Bill[Carney], Dan and I did the Scotch tasting thing at the Pub a while back, too.  Can't remember which ship it was.  Oasis maybe.  There were only a few of us there, then, too.  Dan enjoyed it but he said they included too many blended Scotches and he is a single malt snob so I guess you get what you get.  There turned out to be not too many of the more "exotic" SMS at that event. 

 

I don't think I even had a single drink.  I probably didn't even pay...just tagged along with him.

 

Those kinds of events are interesting I think, and I'm glad that they have them on the ships.  It's something different.

[PRC]

Freedom Schooner Bar: none of the above.

[Matt]

Freedom Schooner Bar: none of the above.

Check the Pub

[PRC]

That's on today's list. They were slammed last night.

[monorailmedic]

The Pub would seem the logical place, but oddly wasn't where they were found on Allure.  I appreciate the detective work.

[PRC]

None at the pub. Will check R Bar in a bit.

[PRC]

None of those at R Bar or Boleros 😞

[monorailmedic]

None of those at R Bar or Boleros

Not looking good for me...or the long list of people about to receive my emails of disappointment ;-)

[WAAAYTOOO]

There's always rum runners !

[Matt]

There's always rum runners !

I will show Billy's liver the right treatment, with a daily dose of lava flows and tequila flights

[DunkelBierJay]

I got off Freedom about three hours ago, and I can report the only sms I found were Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and then a bunch of blends. None of the brands you listed were available, although I bought a bottle of Caol Ila in your honor in St. Thomas.

 

I checked R Bar, Boleros, the Pub, the Sky Bar, the Schooner Bar, and the Pool Bar. It was pretty much the same story everywhere. I never went up to Olive or Twist.

[PRC]

I may have forgot...O&T had zero as well 2 weeks ago.