The recurring tonic question! Anyone on Journey now?

[hiccups]

This thread has been quite the education for me, as I dislike both gin and tonic. I certainly assumed there were differences in gin, but had no idea about tonic! My husband likes to imbibe in the occasional G&T, but he makes his own tonic using our Soda Stream because a bottle goes flat before he can use it all. I have a sneaking suspicion Soda Stream tonic is probably not good.

 

My husband has definite preferences in Scotch and bourbon, but apparently not gin and tonic, because he had a few G&Ts onboard and didn't complain, that I recall. And now, reading this thread, I find it rather amusing he switched to G&Ts because he couldn't get an old fashioned made the way he liked :)

[BBMacLaird]

I have shared this thread with the appropriate department.

[hiccups]

I have shared this thread with the appropriate department.

 

Bonnie, one of the things that impresses me most about Azamara is your role on CC, answering questions, and pushing comments like these up the ladder. Your effort is very much appreciated!

[woodlander1]

Agree totally with this thread. I have pretty much given up drinking a G&T on Azamara because of the tonic. Fever Tree Naturally Light is my choice! Schweppes would be ok - to be frank anything would be better than the current offering

[gymfreak]

I have shared this thread with the appropriate department.

Thank you Bonnie

Not looking forward having to cart a load of my own tonic onto the ship next Monday, and as many have pointed out shouldn't have to do this on what is after all deemed luxury cruising

Vicki

[Lottie A]

I have shared this thread with the appropriate department.[/quote

 

Thank you Bonnie. The G&T drinkers amongst us will live in hope! :D

[Riocca]

Unfortunately I think that the choice of mixers is more a corporate thing done by bean counters than for taste. Same thing applies to available spirits and beers, Royal Club is a brand of Heineken, Schweppes is complicated having been part of Cadbury now under Dr Pepper but marketed by Coke in some markets. So for a smaller producer like Fever Tree it maybe difficult to compete, it would take a conscious decision by Azamara to please their customers for Fever Tree to be offered.

 

 

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[DKNYC]

This thread has made me want to try Fever Tree Tonic, so I just picked up a bottle of the Naturally Light variety at my local Whole Foods Market for $2.99 for 16.9 oz size. Can get a case of 8 at Amazon for $ 24.83. Can't wait to try it. Although I may become spoiled.

 

Denise

 

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[DKNYC]

Seagram's mixers are a Coke product which probably explains their use on Royal Caribbean owned lines. The Ginger ale is in the freestyle coke machines on some Royal ships. However, so is Schweppes according to Wikipedia. I would definitely rather Azamara use Schweppes than Seagram's or that awful Royal club.

 

Denise

 

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[LuAnn]

WOW...what an education I'm getting on tonic!!...I'm a vodka and tonic person rather than the G&T version...but never realized there was such a difference in tonic! Thanks for the info and I'll pay more attention in the future to my tonic!! ;p LuAnn

[Dylandude]

I have a slightly different question to ask in relation to the horrible Royal Club Tonic.

We have a upcoming cruise on Journey and have a large OBC, one consideration for spending the OBC is upgrading to either the Premium of Ultimate drinks packages.

Whilst I have no issue with the Gordon's Gin that is served as standard, upgrading allows us to enjoy Tanqueray, Hendrick's and Tanqueray 10 (we'll pass on the Bombay).

 

Should we upgrade and get on board to discover Royal Club Tonic is being served do we have the right to ask for a cancellation and refund for our upgraded drinks package?

The justification is simple, the Gins will be ruined with Royal Club.

I appreciate the upgraded packages offer an additional wider selection of drinks, however it is the better Gin selection that would be the driver in making the upgrade choice.

 

 

 

I guess the answer to your question would be a rather blunt NO.

You do make a very valid point though, if you have paid for goods or service you are dissatisfied with you should be entitled to a refund.

Perhaps Bonnie could clarify this.

Riocca makes a very valid point, if Royal Cola was served instead of Coca Cola, it would be unacceptable, so why should G&T drinkers have to accept an inferior tonic.

Whilst I prefer Fever Tree, I accept sourcing it world wide could be problematic, which shouldn't be an issue with a Schweppes.

Either of these tonics would be a dramatic improvement over the vile Royal.

[bob278]

I have a slightly different question to ask in relation to the horrible Royal Club Tonic.

We have a upcoming cruise on Journey and have a large OBC, one consideration for spending the OBC is upgrading to either the Premium of Ultimate drinks packages.

Whilst I have no issue with the Gordon's Gin that is served as standard, upgrading allows us to enjoy Tanqueray, Hendrick's and Tanqueray 10 (we'll pass on the Bombay).

 

Should we upgrade and get on board to discover Royal Club Tonic is being served do we have the right to ask for a cancellation and refund for our upgraded drinks package?

The justification is simple, the Gins will be ruined with Royal Club.

I appreciate the upgraded packages offer an additional wider selection of drinks, however it is the better Gin selection that would be the driver in making the upgrade choice.

Do you have to upgrade before boarding? Can't you wait until you board to see what's offered and then decide?

[BBMacLaird]

Do you have to upgrade before boarding? Can't you wait until you board to see what's offered and then decide?

 

That's what I suggest as well.

[DKNYC]

This thread has made me want to try Fever Tree Tonic, so I just picked up a bottle of the Naturally Light variety at my local Whole Foods Market for $2.99 for 16.9 oz size. Can get a case of 8 at Amazon for $ 24.83. Can't wait to try it. Although I may become spoiled.

 

Denise

 

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I tried the Fever Tree Light Tonic and found it to be pretty good. :cool: Added some Vodka and that was good too, Try it LuAnn!

While we are on this subject, I seem to be having trouble finding the listing of the up charges for the more premium beers and liquor that used to be on the Azamara website in case I decide to pay as I go instead of buying a package. Also I did read in FAQs that you can buy a package anytime but whenever you upgrade it will be for the rest of the cruise. also it seems that nespresso coffee and sparkling water is only on the ultimate package.

 

Denise

[norn iron]

Do you have to upgrade before boarding? Can't you wait until you board to see what's offered and then decide?

 

That's what I suggest as well.

 

 

Bob and Bonnie, thanks for the suggestion, its probably what we will do, along side bringing on our Tonic water onboard.

Our last time on Journey we stopped in Gibraltar and bought the last 36 tins of Schweppes Morrisson's Supermarket had in stock. We had an envious audience every evening in Discoveries bar before dinner.

[LuAnn]

I tried the Fever Tree Light Tonic and found it to be pretty good. :cool: Added some Vodka and that was good too, Try it LuAnn!

While we are on this subject, I seem to be having trouble finding the listing of the up charges for the more premium beers and liquor that used to be on the Azamara website in case I decide to pay as I go instead of buying a package. Also I did read in FAQs that you can buy a package anytime but whenever you upgrade it will be for the rest of the cruise. also it seems that nespresso coffee and sparkling water is only on the ultimate package.

 

Denise

 

Thanks for the tip Denise...I think I see a trip to Whole Foods in the future!! LuAnn

[Grandma Cruising]

Sparkling water is now included.

 

 

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[uktog]

Sparkling water is now included.

 

 

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If you want San Pellergrino or Perrier you will have to upgrade it is a bit like the Fevertree debate some of the sparkling waters onboard recently have been dire (the flavoured water April/May in particular) and you really have to watch bar staff when serving. If sparking water is in shorter supply they will try and fob you off with club soda especially in the MDR.

Funny though certainly not a fan of the tonic served onboard, my taste buds are more sensitive to water and the mineral constitution of some can play havoc for me. And no I can't drink the tap water!

Personally I was disappointed when they did away with the separate water package.

[Lottie A]

I drink a lot of sparkling water and have to say I found the "sparkling" to be sadly lacking recently. At first I thought it was because the bottle had been opened a long time so the bubbles had gone....but no, it was the same with a newly opened bottle.

 

If you want truly sparkling water to enjoy then you may have to buy a bottle of Perrier or San Pellegrino, but if you are just thirsty then the included water will do I suppose. It's better than the Club Soda anyway.

[uktog]

Yes the quality of the included sparkling water has gone down. Definitely a cheaper variety being served. It's ok if it's just to quench thirst but if like me you often have a sparkling water instead of an alcoholic drink it's a big disappointment. Another bean counter effort in my view.

 

 

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[Spursgirl]

It's certainly the first sparkling water I've ever had which has no sparkle at all. In the UK the product would have a problem with trade descriptions legislation

 

As some on here will know I am not a great water lover 😃but had to resort to buying Perrier on a few occasions as the included product was so awful

[excitedofharpenden]

Yes the quality of the included sparkling water has gone down. Definitely a cheaper variety being served. It's ok if it's just to quench thirst but if like me you often have a sparkling water instead of an alcoholic drink it's a big disappointment. Another bean counter effort in my view.

Many of the bar tenders in May/June on Journey served soda water not sparkling water, so you just have to watch that. They aren't the same thing if you are drinking a lot of it!

 

Phil

[uktog]

Thanks for the warning. I never had that problem with the bar staff before so I will be watching closely later in the month. As the guys used to always get it right before I am wondering if they have been told to hold back on the sparkling water. Lottie is right the sparkling water was so flat it was not pleasant.

[DKNYC]

I am not a fan of still water so would like to know how much an occasional Perrier or San Pellegrino would cost. Thanks

Denise

 

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[Lottie A]

I am not a fan of still water so would like to know how much an occasional Perrier or San Pellegrino would cost. Thanks

Denise

 

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Not something I paid that much attention to but I think a bottle of Perrier was about two dollars twenty. It won't break the bank! Of course, you can always bring a few bottles onboard at a port to drink on your balcony.