MSC Non-alcoholic beers and wines

[Zerodrinker]

Sadly, my wife and I are unable to drink alcohol. But we do enjoy a good non-alcoholic beer or red wine (or a GOOD red grape juice) at dinner and when socialising. But we always run into a problem finding drinks we like when on a cruise. We end up arguing with reception and, eventually, something might be found for us.

 

We do not want SUGARY "mocktails". There are lots of good quality zero beers and red wines available now. We particularily enjoy the new Guinness zero - which is really excellent - and Doom Bar ale.

But please - not the horrendous Becks Blue.

 

It is particularly disappointing and annoying to find literally dozens of different makes of alcoholic beers and wines for all tastes on a menu - then just one non alcoholic fizzy lager and probably no zero red wine.

It wouldn't cost much to add a few non-alcoholic beers and wines - and the profit would be high. Why don't Pubs, restaurants and Cruise lines stock more?

 

I mention MSC because we are booked on the Euribia in January. Whenever we contact a cruise lines' customer service desk on this topic we receive the same non-committal brush-off

ie:"some of the restaurants might stock a non-alcoholic wine - if available - and we do offer fruit mocktails and one non-alcoholic lager".

It shouldn't be like this - should it?

[drsel]

From what I remember there are very very few non alcoholic beers.

I don't think there any non alcoholic wines available on MSc

[CruisingFox27]

5 hours ago, drsel said:

From what I remember there are very very few non alcoholic beers.

I don't think there any non alcoholic wines available on MSc

I've only seen Heineken zero as the alcohol free beer option. And I've never noticed an alcohol free wine either. 

[skipsaur]

10 hours ago, Zerodrinker said:

I mention MSC because we are booked on the Euribia in January. Whenever we contact a cruise lines' customer service desk on this topic we receive the same non-committal brush-off

ie:"some of the restaurants might stock a non-alcoholic wine - if available - and we do offer fruit mocktails and one non-alcoholic lager".

It shouldn't be like this - should it?

 

I think you get brushed off because the minimum wage customer service representative probably gets as much say in what is stocked as you do. It's like complaining to cashiers when grocery store prices go up... it's way above their paygrade, it's not like corporate asks their opinions.

 

I sympathize. It's frustrating when your choice of beverage isn't available AND the cruise line doesn't allow you to bring it on board yourself.

 

How I deal with it is just reminding myself I can live without my favorite beverage for a week. Maybe I'll find an appreciation for something new, which is part of the fun of travel. You can drive yourself to frustration with thinking how things should be, but if it won't change anything, then the choices are to find a way to accept it or don't.

[days@sea]

I feel your frustration as well.  Holland America had a great list of Mocktails at almost every bar, but most were sugary as you say.  Virgin was better, it offers a selection of alcohol-free Spirits and Tonics and I was able to get some great crafted drinks that were not sugary.  I wish cruise lines would wake up to what's happening on land, there's even zero-proof bars in NYC now.  

[perakcruiser]

On 7/1/2023 at 7:11 PM, Zerodrinker said:

It wouldn't cost much to add a few non-alcoholic beers and wines - and the profit would be high. Why don't Pubs, restaurants and Cruise lines stock more?

They do have this. On Middle East cruises.