Ginger Ale on HAL

[boojimom]

Recent posts about passengers bringing their own soda on board will hopefully serve to remind me to bring my own ginger ale on my next HAL cruise. Ginger ale is my soda-of-choice but all I could get on the Westerdam recently was Seagram's (tasted like sugar water -- not very refreshing). I prefer Schweppes and but will settle for Canada Dry.

 

In fact, all of the mixers (tonic and club soda) on the ship were Seagram's. I didn't notice it with my Tanqueray & Tonics but I guess credit for that belongs to the bartenders. They earned that 15%. :cool:

[fann1sh]

Seagram's on Eurodam, too. :(

[kazu]

If you are fussy on your ginger ale - I would definitely bring some with me:) If you find you are happy, you don't have to pick any up at a port of call:)

 

I don't remember the brand on the P'dam - but it was better than others on the other HAL ships - might be because it was a European cruise though:confused:

[DaveOKC]

I always bring a bottle of ginger ale on our cruises - helps with upset stomachs.

 

DaveOKC

[jaynesteve30@tds.net]

We take ginger capsules few days before a cruise & all

during the cruise. We never get seasick. It really does settle

your tummy. We buy it at Walmart.

[Amuse Bouche]

Good reminder!!!!

 

I LOVE Verners! If you haven't tried it, do so.

 

It's going on my packing list.

[SwissMyst]

The Australian brand Bundaburg Ginger Beer is my all time favorite. (And I tried them all every where around the world I can find a ginger beer) You can get Bundaberg at Cost Plus World Market. Schwepes Ginger Beer (not ale) is a good second choice. Wish they would carry ginger beer onboard.

[TheCalicoCat]

I prefer Schweppes and but will settle for Canada Dry.

I prefer Vernor's - it has a nice Ginger bite!

[sparky-elpaso]

Surprising to hear Vernor's from non-Michiganders. I grew up with Vernor's and was soooo happy when one of our supermarkets here in El Paso started stocking it.

[fann1sh]

Vernor's is *so* familiar, but I don't think of it as ginger ale. It's just....well....Vernor's. :)

 

Ditto ginger beer. Our Canadian grocery stores sells a house brand 2 litre bottle ("President's Choice Jamaica Style") for about a buck - 70 cents on sale.

 

I'm betting you have to pay more than that for Bundaberg, SwissMyst!

[SwissMyst]

Vernor's is *so* familiar, but I don't think of it as ginger ale. It's just....well....Vernor's. :)

 

Ditto ginger beer. Our Canadian grocery stores sells a house brand 2 litre bottle ("President's Choice Jamaica Style") for about a buck - 70 cents on sale.

 

I'm betting you have to pay more than that for Bundaberg, SwissMyst!

 

A four pack of Bundaberg is about US$5.49 at CostPlus World Market and I certainly think it is well worth it. It does get pricier at local speciality beverage stores.

 

I parcel out each bottle into two servings for myself. Not crazy about the "Jamaican" brands as they add fruit juices. Plus some ginger ales add cayenne for its "bite" which is just not necessary when it is the real ginger beer - with its true ginger flavor. Bundaberg, no additives necessary.

 

Of course the best "ginger" drink was a freshly made one at Coconut Palms Resort in Kerala India. And I imagine one could easily make their own at home too with muddled fresh ginger root, simple syrup and sparkling water.

 

In my pursuit of things ginger I did try the ginger cocktail special at the Pirate Ship bar at Half Moon Cay on our last pass through. Terrible, but at least the alcohol temporarily made me overlook what an abomination that structure is. But if did not drown out the amplified noise coming from the Pirate Bar so basically it just set us back $11 bucks which would have been far better spent on two 4-packs of Bundaberg. :(

 

We have a west coast outfit called "BevMo!" bulk retail liquor and they pride themselves on the "depths" of their brands. I bought every single brand of their ginger beer with all sorts of obscure labels and tried them all. 99% of them all tasted exactly the same (bad) leaving me to wonder (opinion) if BevMo themselves bottled this junk under a number of fake labels just to look like they had brand "strength".

 

After that failed exercise which included Vernors as well, I made my choice to stick to Bundaberg until I get out of the US and back into SE Asia area where better ginger beer judgement prevails. Thank you Aussies, for offering this impeccably prepared elixir to the rest of the world.

[Amuse Bouche]

DH and I did the same thing, sampling the different types of ginger beer. We love Moscow Mules.

 

We like the original Cock N Bull brand the best. Very gingery without a lot of other flavors mixed in.

[SwissMyst]

DH and I did the same thing, sampling the different types of ginger beer. We love Moscow Mules.

 

We like the original Cock N Bull brand the best. Very gingery without a lot of other flavors mixed in.

 

Odd little store in Southern California that has them all - Galco's - http://www.sodapopstop.com/products/browse.cfm?link=4

 

(Warning: sound of bubbles when opening website)

[DaveOKC]

Surprising to hear Vernor's from non-Michiganders. I grew up with Vernor's and was soooo happy when one of our supermarkets here in El Paso started stocking it.

 

I hate to burst your Vernor's "bubble", but they recently had to change the formula for Vernors and it is not quite the same taste. I miss it as well.

 

DaveOKC (ex-Michigan).