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Posted
14 minutes ago, JohnK6404 said:

I noticed some new onboard activities too!

We've personally never seen these 4 tasting (alcohol) experiences before:

 

image.thumb.png.76901ef12cf3fcb9150bf884ae0cab3c.png

I've done the taste of the caribbean, and enjoyed it. Also did the sip/tour/brunch several years ago (it may have been called something else). DH has done the whiskey tasting. The champagne tasting isn't for me - I like champagne, but not enough to pay for several different tastings, and i have a very unsophisticated wine palate, so the other wouldn't be worth it to me. And, as a diabetic - no way am i doing the cupcake decorating (not new, been around for a while) or the candy sushi. 

Posted
43 minutes ago, Rackham said:

Overpriced for what's primarily rice crispy treats, fruit roll-ups, and a few Starburst candies.

Here's a video showing you how to do this at home. https://youtu.be/OHwZcdVRC9o

Cute video…if only my grandkids were a little younger 😂 I’m sure they would have enjoyed doing this (especially the ones who actually love sushi).

 

Posted
On 3/27/2025 at 11:33 AM, smokeybandit said:

THe Macallan one is new to me, though I've seen onboard whiskey tastings available, just not in the cruise planner. The others I've seen before.

But $55 to taste Macallan? Pass.

Did this one on Harmony of the Seas August of 2023 out of Miami. Of all of the specialty tastings available I thought this one was very well priced. Maybe slightly more expensive than sitting down and ordering a few scotches outright, but the tour of the scotches with complete history of the distillery was done very well. It was interesting and worth the time and money for the experience.

Posted
40 minutes ago, CruiseRoyalDad said:

Did this one on Harmony of the Seas August of 2023 out of Miami. Of all of the specialty tastings available I thought this one was very well priced. Maybe slightly more expensive than sitting down and ordering a few scotches outright, but the tour of the scotches with complete history of the distillery was done very well. It was interesting and worth the time and money for the experience.

The Celebrity version of this activity when I partook was discounted by half for those with a drink package. It was not a pre-paid activity and the discount was applied on the spot.

Posted
On 3/27/2025 at 11:33 AM, smokeybandit said:

THe Macallan one is new to me, though I've seen onboard whiskey tastings available, just not in the cruise planner. The others I've seen before.

But $55 to taste Macallan? Pass.

Same thought here .... now if it was Glenmorangie or something somewhat comparable, I might do it. And it would have to be a real tasting, not the thimble that you get like at the rum and tequila distilleries. If it was not in a proper glass and with the proper quantity you would not be able to have a discerning test.  Not to mention that they did not spell Whisky properly, but I just did. heh!

Posted
11 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

they did not spell Whisky properly

They spelled it in American and Irish. You are quite right that proper Scottish and Canadian producers dispense with the e. Given that Scottish whisky is (generally) superior to Irish whiskey and Canadian is (typically) superior to American, the correct spelling is whisky.

Interesting note - while verifying that I had the correct local preferences, I learned that whisky is also prefered by the Japanese.

Posted
On 3/27/2025 at 11:24 AM, JohnK6404 said:

I noticed some new onboard activities too!

We've personally never seen these 4 tasting (alcohol) experiences before:

 

image.thumb.png.76901ef12cf3fcb9150bf884ae0cab3c.png

We booked the Taste of the Caribbean for our Sept cruise without the kids. We paid way less than 55 buck a person though. We are not big drinkers but sounds like fun. We are gonna be stumbling out of that one. 🤣

Posted
On 3/28/2025 at 1:56 PM, HeWhoWaits said:

They spelled it in American and Irish. You are quite right that proper Scottish and Canadian producers dispense with the e. Given that Scottish whisky is (generally) superior to Irish whiskey and Canadian is (typically) superior to American, the correct spelling is whisky.

Interesting note - while verifying that I had the correct local preferences, I learned that whisky is also prefered by the Japanese.

Uh OH! Now you've done it! Pitting the Scottish against the Irish and their respective spirits. That's going to cause a bar fight with some very colorful accents. As for Canadian whisky being superior to American. What!? It's time we take a tour through bourbon country together. I know what you're going to say, you meant Rye. I say US distillers have the friends up north beat in that category too! 

Posted
On 3/28/2025 at 1:40 PM, Jolly Ogre said:

Same thought here .... now if it was Glenmorangie or something somewhat comparable, I might do it. And it would have to be a real tasting, not the thimble that you get like at the rum and tequila distilleries. If it was not in a proper glass and with the proper quantity you would not be able to have a discerning test.  Not to mention that they did not spell Whisky properly, but I just did. heh!

The one on Harmony was done with proper whisky glasses, including a generous sampling, similar to one that you would find at an upgraded tasting at a bourbon country distillery. 

Posted
9 minutes ago, CruiseRoyalDad said:

The one on Harmony was done with proper whisky glasses, including a generous sampling, similar to one that you would find at an upgraded tasting at a bourbon country distillery. 

ok then that would not be to bad.

Posted
3 hours ago, CruiseRoyalDad said:

Uh OH! Now you've done it! Pitting the Scottish against the Irish and their respective spirits. That's going to cause a bar fight with some very colorful accents. As for Canadian whisky being superior to American. What!? It's time we take a tour through bourbon country together. I know what you're going to say, you meant Rye. I say US distillers have the friends up north beat in that category too! 

As an individual of partial Irish descent, it pained me to type about the superiority of Scottish whisky to Irish Whiskey (thus the caveat that read generally).

As for American whiskey, I do not include bourbon in the discussion. Bourbon is an entity unto itself to be savored appropriately (yes, it's technically whiskey, but...).

Best alcohol-based extra activity I ever participated in was a "Bourbon and Bacon Tasting" on Holland America because everything is better with bourbon AND everything is better with bacon - the ultimate combination!

Posted

@HeWhoWaits well you're right. Scotch is just better. Especially the very deep, smoky, single malts with silky body. Don't tell St. Patrick I said so. Also, very true!  All bourbons are whiskeys but not all whiskeys are bourbon. This is a very hard concept for some to grasp. You might need to swing the August 3rd Wonder of the Seas cruise. This conversation deserves some serious research. 

Posted

Hubby did the whisky tasting on ovation last year while we were on a B2B2B so by the time he did it on the third cruise the guys in Vintages knew us

we are diamond so they took the price of a drinks voucher. $15 off the price of the tasting

the three macallans were 8, 12 and 15 year olds and were full measures

we had just been to a local hotel in July in Scotland and a measure for a 15 year old was being sold at almost double the price of the tasting! So it is definitely good value - for once it seems that RC are not fleecing their customers. The 3 measures plus the talk were well worth it in his opinion (even if we did have to correct the pronunciation for a couple of the brands mentioned 😄

as a side point - if you ever get see Glenfiddich vat 01 in any of the bars onboard DO NOT drink it. It’s so bad my husband reckons he wouldn’t even clean the toilet with it. There is no taste at all at the front or middle of the mouth and just a horrible burn of the alcohol at the back

oh and my brother in laws family grow the grain for Glenmorangie so we are a wee bit invested in various Scotch whiskys

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
On 3/31/2025 at 12:01 PM, Jolly Ogre said:

My family from way back is from out side of Aberdeen in Oldmeldrum

Went to University in Aberdeen a few years back and it is a lovely part of the world - if a bit windy in winter

Posted
On 3/31/2025 at 11:34 AM, HeWhoWaits said:

As an individual of partial Irish descent, it pained me to type about the superiority of Scottish whisky to Irish Whiskey (thus the caveat that read generally).

As for American whiskey, I do not include bourbon in the discussion. Bourbon is an entity unto itself to be savored appropriately (yes, it's technically whiskey, but...).

Best alcohol-based extra activity I ever participated in was a "Bourbon and Bacon Tasting" on Holland America because everything is better with bourbon AND everything is better with bacon - the ultimate combination!

You should taste my brown butterscotch bacon bourbon pecan chocolate chip cookies.

Or as the family calls them "Lawd Sakes!" 

Just sayin'. 

 

Posted
11 hours ago, SeaSunnedTraveler said:

You should taste my brown butterscotch bacon bourbon pecan chocolate chip cookies.

Or as the family calls them "Lawd Sakes!" 

Just sayin'. 

 

My address is...

Or I can come to your place to pick them up.

Posted
19 hours ago, SeaSunnedTraveler said:

You should taste my brown butterscotch bacon bourbon pecan chocolate chip cookies.

Or as the family calls them "Lawd Sakes!" 

Just sayin'. 

 

That's a lot of tasty ingredients only to be ruined by butterscotch

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