Slimmed down cocktail menu?

[raesive]

Just got off Zuiderdam and wondering if their drink menus are different or the same to the rest of the fleet... there was only a single page with cocktails, plus a "Drink of the day" in all the menus I found throughout the ship- still listed all beers, liquors, wines, sodas, etc. There was a separate list in addition in the Billboard Onboard and BB King bar areas, but between those it was still lacking from when I cruised on NS back in April where there had to be at least 5 pages of just cocktails. Did they pare down the menu dramatically fleet-wide? Seemed odd to no longer see the suncicle (one bartender made it for me, but he had to do it from memory, and it wasn't in the computer) and many others from that previous trip. I also really wanted this frozen chocolate mint concoction (can't remember the name anymore), but was told the closest they could do was a mudslide- good, but not the same. Anyone else have a similar experience? Or was it just this ship?

[Higntn]

I hope we can still get a Wang Wang!

[raesive]

1 minute ago, Higntn said:

I hope we can still get a Wang Wang!

Yes, those are definitely available... though idk if that was a menu item ever? 

[Gigi1977]

Think they have changed fleet wide.  Our favorite in Tamarind was no longer available.  Think it was the Snow Tiger??  Wish I knew how to make it! 

[llbz327]

on the k-dam in dec. and the book with the drinks in does not have many cocktails listed but you could  still get the same drinks. the still had the wang wang. the tamarind dinner menu was also different, not as many choices loved the ship but did notice alot a changes. sign of the times

[jagger16]

We're on Koningsdam right now. The cocktail menu has been the same in every bar. There is only a small list of specialty cocktails. All the former drinks are gone.  But they will make anything you want. We haven't tried to order a Wang Wang yet but I think as long as the bartender knows what it is, it can be made. The only exception we have found is Tamarind which still has some of their own cocktails. 

 

BTW . . . This is the first time we've seen the new shortened room service breakfast menu with additional charge add ons. We've been successful with write in changes to the omelette but haven't gone crazy with any other write in attempts.

 

The dining room menu also seems smaller but so far we have enjoyed many of our dishes.

 

We were on Koningsdam back in 2016 and were not impressed but we have seen great improvement in service this time and are really enjoying this cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear that HAL is cutting back on the number of cocktails being offered.

[fatcat04]

Hoping someone will post the new shorter menu. 

[YXU AC*SE]

38 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Sorry to hear that HAL is cutting back on the number of cocktails being offered.

 

I think you are conflating 'promoted' with 'offered'  ...    most (if not all, iirc from my Nieuw Statendam TA) listed cocktails being promoted are Dale DeGroff custom creations.     Hardly a cutback?    I had no problems in ordering a Pearl Drop martini (remember those?) or my usual Crown Royal Manhattan with a whisper of vermouth.       Scott.  

[fatcat04]

42 minutes ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

I think you are conflating 'promoted' with 'offered'  ...    most (if not all, iirc from my Nieuw Statendam TA) listed cocktails being promoted are Dale DeGroff custom creations.     Hardly a cutback?    I had no problems in ordering a Pearl Drop martini (remember those?) or my usual Crown Royal Manhattan with a whisper of vermouth.       Scott.  

Good to know. Thank you.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, fatcat04 said:

Hoping someone will post the new shorter menu. 

 

Here is a link to the new beverage menus.  Note that each bar will add a specialty page in the front.  The NS Ocean Bar added a page offering snacks such as calamari, nachos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Current wine list:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdfhttp://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdf

[seachef318]

3 hours ago, Higntn said:

I hope we can still get a Wang Wang!

Pretty sure that’s the Filipino version of a Long  Island Ice tea not a HAL exclusive.  I worked on ships 12 years ago and my bartenders were making those every time someone said “surprise me”

[PSR]

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

Current wine list:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdfhttp://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdf

 

Thank you for the drink and wine lists. Still slim pickings for a glass of wine with the regular Beverage package...At the end of the wine list there was mention of the Wine Packages, but no listings of the wines in each (Cellar) package; do you have a listing of those? Or did I miss an earlier posting? Someone mentioned a while ago that the packages were changing.

[tv24]

This is kind of crazy.  Don't they make money off of their cocktails?

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, PSR said:

 

Thank you for the drink and wine lists. Still slim pickings for a glass of wine with the regular Beverage package...At the end of the wine list there was mention of the Wine Packages, but no listings of the wines in each (Cellar) package; do you have a listing of those? Or did I miss an earlier posting? Someone mentioned a while ago that the packages were changing.

 

As requested:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Sommelier-Suite.pdf

[crystalspin]

9 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Here is a link to the new beverage menus.  Note that each bar will add a specialty page in the front.  The NS Ocean Bar added a page offering snacks such as calamari, nachos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

That's really amazing in the negative sense of the word. Surely people will still be able to order a Pina Colada, Margarita, Pain Killer??? I guess they save money not printing thicker menus, but it bursts a balloon for anyone wanting to try something new that isn't a Dale whatshisname's concoction. (I for one did not know what a Painkiller was until our last TA on the Zuiderdam.)

 

I know! I'll print Roger's OLD bar menu and take it as a crib-sheet!

[PSR]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

 

8 hours ago, PSR said:

 

Thank you for the drink and wine lists. Still slim pickings for a glass of wine with the regular Beverage package...At the end of the wine list there was mention of the Wine Packages, but no listings of the wines in each (Cellar) package; do you have a listing of those? Or did I miss an earlier posting? Someone mentioned a while ago that the packages were changing.

 

As requested:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Sommelier-Suite.pdf

 

 

Thank you. The selections seem very similar to our last cruise a year ago...especially since they still have the ones we like!

[fatcat04]

That really lovely late harvest Sauvignon Blanc they have had for a long time and that we ordered after dinner for years has sadly been eliminated from the posted MDR wine list. I would even order a glass of that instead of dessert it was so flowery sweet and luscious. That is a real shame. 

[VTcruisenut]

right?  where's the Margarita's, the Mojito's etc.?  maybe they are specialties for the day?  I'm not a fan of all these "Celebrity" sponsored things, the chef, the mixologists and Oprah.  Focus on what HAL has always done best, good food, excellent service and less advertising!

[fatcat04]

2 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

right?  where's the Margarita's, the Mojito's etc.?  maybe they are specialties for the day?  I'm not a fan of all these "Celebrity" sponsored things, the chef, the mixologists and Oprah.  Focus on what HAL has always done best, good food, excellent service and less advertising!

Ditto..I am puzzled by this change. I will still order my Sidecars, Caribbean Coolers, and Hemingway Daiquiris even if they are not on the menu. can't imagine those would not be available. Every cruise we would try a couple new HAL cocktails just for fun. The mixology class bartenders were always good about introducing us to fun stuff. Like Crystal said above, might crib sheet Rogers old menu and see if they will still make drinks off it. 

[YXU AC*SE]

28 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

right?  where's the Margarita's, the Mojito's etc.?  maybe they are specialties for the day?  I'm not a fan of all these "Celebrity" sponsored things, the chef, the mixologists and Oprah.  Focus on what HAL has always done best, good food, excellent service and less advertising!

 

Perhaps HAL has come to the realization that most customers already know what they want, will order what they want,  and don't feel the need to explicitly list every single cocktail permutation and combination in a menu?  It is also an interesting way to conceal price to the pax (and thereby stimulate sales?).   No menu, no prices, no paper chit to sign, no thermal receipt to stick in a suit coat pocket, no cash.    Scott. 

Edited December 31, 2019 by YXU AC*SE

[KruisingKaren]

Crew News thanks for sharing the bar menus and wine offerings.  Will definitely be making a trip to Total Wine and More before we board our ship in Fort Lauderdale.  I don't mind paying the corkage fee to drink wine I know that I like.

[fatcat04]

Just fyi, we were able to order that lovely late harvest Sauvignon Blanc dessert wine in the mdr on NA last night even though it was not on the menu. So happy! I think it is still on the PG menu so good for us. 

 

Also, I don't know about the rest of the fleet but the wine by the glass menus prices seemed lower than our cruise on NA last Feb. My go to Gruener Veltliner was less expensive I know. We both had so much obc this time it almost completely covered 2 Elite Bev Pkgs so we purchased them as soon as we got on and immediately inaugurated them with a glass each if the Rose Brut sparkling, which is quite pleasant even for a non-rose drinker like myself. Dh and I are both quite pleased with the wines so far.

 

I will snap some pics of the mdr wine by the glass menu today and post. Seems like a lot more Signature and Elite Bev pkg options due to the lower prices. 

Edited January 5, 2020 by fatcat04

[Sir PMP]

On 12/30/2019 at 1:09 PM, Crew News said:

 

Here is a link to the new beverage menus.  Note that each bar will add a specialty page in the front.  The NS Ocean Bar added a page offering snacks such as calamari, nachos:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Current wine list:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdfhttp://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Wine-List.pdf

As you can see the beer list is trimmed also, no more Stella (most popular) and Grolsch(tradition), just came off the Amsterdam, they had no Hoegaarden, Molson, ran out of Dos Equis, ran low on Bud and Heineken, at one time there was only Corona left, great selection. The same with the wine list which is going to be changed again, needs too...

[tamsno]

I hope NS has the excellent Bloody Mary with huge shrimp and veg garnish I enjoyed at aft pool bar on K when it was new.

Almost lunch.  Not on a special menu at the time but many takers.