Deluxe Beverage Package Exploration Project

[IRMO12HD]

On our next two cruises, we'll be purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package.  One of the things I want to do is to try new drinks -- I've been developing a list of possible candidates (the first cruise is just a 4-night cruise).  What's your recommendation for new drinks to try when purchasing the DBP?  I've been making a list . . . Just added Caipirinha to it!!  I am not wild about whiskey/bourbon, but am willing to give them a try!  I would appreciate any and all recommendations!

[Merion_Mom]

16 minutes ago, IRMO12HD said:

On our next two cruises, we'll be purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package.  One of the things I want to do is to try new drinks -- I've been developing a list of possible candidates (the first cruise is just a 4-night cruise).  What's your recommendation for new drinks to try when purchasing the DBP?  I've been making a list . . . Just added Caipirinha to it!!  I am not wild about whiskey/bourbon, but am willing to give them a try!  I would appreciate any and all recommendations!

 

A word of caution about those caipirinhas:

 

Not all bars make them equally well.  If you get a bad one, just try a different bar.  (easy to do when you have the package).  On Grandeur, the R Bar is the place to get one.  😉

[ibonexheadi]

wait, they actually have cachaça on the ships to make caipirinhas? awesome. 

[ptod]

Try the Lavender Daiquiri in the Schooner.  Yum!

[IRMO12HD]

Thanks for the suggestions so far -- I'm adding all of them!  

 

About the Caipirinhas -- I had to Google the term to find out what's in them -- and how to pronounce it (kai-purr-REEN-yah).  Can't wait to try out my pronunciation on a bartender :-).

 

A (maybe) funny story -- when I spent my Junior year in London, I spent some time traveling around Scotland with some newfound friends (Kiwis!).  In one pub, I decided to try out a new drink I had heard about back in the US; being just a LITTLE inebriated, I found the cutest bartender in sight, and asked him if he could make me a Sloe Comfortable Screw (Sloe Gin, Southern Comfort, Vodka and orange juice).  He looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and said with a gorgeous Scottish burr, "You'll have to wait a wee minute, Lassie, until I'm off!"  Loud guffaws all around . . .

[SRF]

9 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

A word of caution about those caipirinhas:

 

Not all bars make them equally well.  If you get a bad one, just try a different bar.  (easy to do when you have the package).  On Grandeur, the R Bar is the place to get one.  😉

 

Pool bar on Grandeur makes very good ones.

 

But to get a really good one, ask them to make it with raw sugar, not simple syrup.  At the pool bar, they can run into WJ and get raw sugar packets.   I tip extra for this.

 

It was funny, last cruise, I met and would chat with the Beverage Manager when I saw her.  She was from Brazil.  I mentioned that they were making caipirinha with syrup.  She made a very pained face and stated, NO, they should be made with sugar. 😄

 

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by SRF

[SRF]

8 hours ago, IRMO12HD said:

Thanks for the suggestions so far -- I'm adding all of them!  

 

About the Caipirinhas -- I had to Google the term to find out what's in them -- and how to pronounce it (kai-purr-REEN-yah).  Can't wait to try out my pronunciation on a bartender :-).

 

It won't make much of a difference to them, unless they are from Brazil. 😄

[SRF]

9 hours ago, ibonexheadi said:

wait, they actually have cachaça on the ships to make caipirinhas? awesome. 

 

YES, they do.  Unless they run out.

 

Both cachaca and caipirinha are listed in the drink menu.

 

Our August 2017 Grandeur cruise, they ran out of cachaca.  You can switch of caiperoska (made with vodka), but it is not the same.

[Christinampl]

My favorite cruise ship drink is the Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar. When I ordered it I assumed it was a fruity frozen drink and when I received it, it was more martini-esque and not what I was hoping for/expecting.  I turned out to LOVE this drink so much.  So much so that I drank the Anthem out of the Miami Club Rum that they use to make this drink. I cannot wait to be on board the Brilliance in two days to have a few (just know that this is a strong cocktail if made correctly).  Enjoy your experiment!

[bcs819]

i love the Caiparinha, too!!!

 

also a fan of a good BBC (Bailey's Banana Colada)

[Icesk8rReedy]

4 hours ago, Christinampl said:

My favorite cruise ship drink is the Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar. When I ordered it I assumed it was a fruity frozen drink and when I received it, it was more martini-esque and not what I was hoping for/expecting.  I turned out to LOVE this drink so much.  So much so that I drank the Anthem out of the Miami Club Rum that they use to make this drink. I cannot wait to be on board the Brilliance in two days to have a few (just know that this is a strong cocktail if made correctly).  Enjoy your experiment!

That's because it's how a true daiquiri is made.  They are named that because they originated from the town in Cuba.  A true one isn't a frozen sugary concoction. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by Icesk8rReedy

[debgreg]

I have always found the schooner and Champagne bars make the best cocktails for some reason...my OH became quite fond of the Dublin Ice tea and me  the tequila with jalapeños topped with beer 🤗 on Symphony in the pub ...us Brits love the DP 😜

[Ilovesailaway]

17 hours ago, IRMO12HD said:

  I've been making a list . . . Just added Caipirinha to it!!  

Op this is a cool idea.... travel is a great time to try new things. Can you post your list so far, I would love to try a few 

[IRMO12HD]

My list so far (not in any particular order; just the order I "found" them:

 

Caipirinha (kai-purr-REEN-yah) is the national drink of Brazil. – uses Cachaça (a Brazilian liquor (pronounced kah-SHAH-sah) ), sugar, and lime. Check the R Bar. Ask them to make it with raw sugar, not simple syrup.  At the pool bar, they can run into WJ and get raw sugar packets

Lavender Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar

Coco Loco on Coco Cay

Pina Colada with double shot of Malibu (maybe ask for ice cream for the perfect PC as found in Old San Juan?)

Infinity Recipe (one of a handful of "Bionic Signature" drinks)

Ingredients: 2 oz. Beefeater gin, 2 oz. cranberry juice, 2 oz. tonic, 1 oz. lime juice

Add ingredients to cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into glass, over ice.

Miami Vice*

Master Card*

Mudslide

Cosmo

Sex on the Beach

Chocolate Martini (Baleros Bar)

Rising Tide*

Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar

Dublin Ice tea

tequila with jalapeños topped with beer

 

* I don't know what's in these; they just sounded interesting!  Any hints as to ingredients?

 

Two more days to complete my list!!

 

 

 

 

 

[crusin'2]

Last cruise I fell in love with the frozen Mojito! Also the coconut mojito. Yum!

[Paulxyz2004]

On ‎1‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 1:13 PM, SRF said:

 

Pool bar on Grandeur makes very good ones.

 

But to get a really good one, ask them to make it with raw sugar, not simple syrup.  At the pool bar, they can run into WJ and get raw sugar packets.   I tip extra for this.

 

It was funny, last cruise, I met and would chat with the Beverage Manager when I saw her.  She was from Brazil.  I mentioned that they were making caipirinha with syrup.  She made a very pained face and stated, NO, they should be made with sugar. 😄

 

 

 

Yes they should be made with sugar, but they should be made with White sugar not raw sugar. In Brazil White sugar is used!

 

[Septemberbride07]

DH and I enjoy pineapple ritas and bay breezes by the pool.

[Tiggerontheseas]

18 minutes ago, IRMO12HD said:

My list so far (not in any particular order; just the order I "found" them:

 

Caipirinha (kai-purr-REEN-yah) is the national drink of Brazil. – uses Cachaça (a Brazilian liquor (pronounced kah-SHAH-sah) ), sugar, and lime. Check the R Bar. Ask them to make it with raw sugar, not simple syrup.  At the pool bar, they can run into WJ and get raw sugar packets

Lavender Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar

Coco Loco on Coco Cay

Pina Colada with double shot of Malibu (maybe ask for ice cream for the perfect PC as found in Old San Juan?)

Infinity Recipe (one of a handful of "Bionic Signature" drinks)

Ingredients: 2 oz. Beefeater gin, 2 oz. cranberry juice, 2 oz. tonic, 1 oz. lime juice

Add ingredients to cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into glass, over ice.

Miami Vice*

Master Card*

Mudslide

Cosmo

Sex on the Beach

Chocolate Martini (Baleros Bar)

Rising Tide*

Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri in the Schooner Bar

Dublin Ice tea

tequila with jalapeños topped with beer

 

* I don't know what's in these; they just sounded interesting!  Any hints as to ingredients?

 

Two more days to complete my list!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Miami Vice is half Pina Colada and half Strawberry Daiquiri.  They're pretty!   

[barbiecruiser27]

When I have seen recent bar menu photos (Mariner) it seems all drinks are $13- Lavender Daiquiri, Mojitos from Boleros  etc etc....doesn't the package only cover up to $12..Hopefully my info is wrong because the extra $1 will be annoying 😕

 

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, barbiecruiser27 said:

When I have seen recent bar menu photos (Mariner) it seems all drinks are $13- Lavender Daiquiri, Mojitos from Boleros  etc etc....doesn't the package only cover up to $12..Hopefully my info is wrong because the extra $1 will be annoying 😕

 

 

Some ships have $13 limits.  Unfortunately, you won't know the limit until you are onboard. 

[barbiecruiser27]

sneaky sneaky of them- im sure a mojito in boleros should be covered..it always has been....fingers crossed!!

[IRMO12HD]

I'll be sure to post a "Post Exploration" report!

[BigRed93]

I was just planning on grabbing the menu and working my way through everything on it, plus whatever signature drinks that particular bartender might have.  That lavender daiquiri sounds interesting.  Don't think I've ever had one of those.

[Hoopster95]

Best ever after dinner drink, try a "Beautiful" (one ounce each XO Cognac + Grand Marnier) 

re the Boleros Mojito ... try the Coconut Mojito  (only in Boleros).

[NovCruisin]

On 1/28/2019 at 8:44 PM, IRMO12HD said:

On our next two cruises, we'll be purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package.  One of the things I want to do is to try new drinks -- I've been developing a list of possible candidates (the first cruise is just a 4-night cruise).  What's your recommendation for new drinks to try when purchasing the DBP?  I've been making a list . . . Just added Caipirinha to it!!  I am not wild about whiskey/bourbon, but am willing to give them a try!  I would appreciate any and all recommendations!

My two favorites are:

 

White Russians (Kahlúa, Vodka, and Cream)

French Martini (Chambord, Vodka, and Pineapple Juice)