Royal Club Hell is back on Quest.

[oddjob16]

The ongoing struggle for decent tonics seems to be a lost one. On Quest now every Gin is served with the Royal Club Tonic. They do have some Schweppes sugar free, but regularily it is The Cheapest Tonic on Earth served. 

By orders of Higher Management. they say.

[roberts2005]

If I have to make a choice, I would take the sugar free Schweppes 

[excitedofharpenden]

Odd, it will never change. It keeps coming back. The new CEO gets onboard Quest next week. Maybe someone can make a representation to her?

 

Phil 

[oddjob16]

19 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Odd, it will never change. It keeps coming back. The new CEO gets onboard Quest next week. Maybe someone can make a representation to her?

 

Phil 

I can do that😎🤭

[excitedofharpenden]

7 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

I can do that😎🤭

I have another friend onboard who is meeting with her and I've sent her a link to this thread. Maybe we can do something, but my confidence is not high. Hope you are having a super time on Quest. Wish I was there. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

Good tonics used to carry a premium price and had unreliable supply chains.  That is no longer the case and other cruise lines that are direct competitors can carry decent tonic so why can Azamara not.  I suggest again something I have said before - if it is a general cost issue, hold back the better tonic (Fever Tree, Fentemans, London Pride or whatever) and only serve it with the premium gins on the ultimate package.  That would be a very fair compromise.

 

Ironically I go on land holidays to Lanzarote.  Its a great island but not always known for the quality of its bars where cheap is king.  Recently a bar has opened that is mobbed.  It focusses on gin and tonic and has a separate tonic menu and pairing recommendations.  Not that I am suggesting Azamara goes to that level of tonic offerings but if I can be done for 6 euros for a double measure and premium tonic on a Spanish island, it should be possible to do something better for the premium gins on Azamara.  Its not fair on the Tanquerey, Aviation and Hendricks and even sadder now they are stocking a fabulous Islay gin The Botanist🙂 

Edited May 14 by uktog

[oddjob16]

54 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I have another friend onboard who is meeting with her and I've sent her a link to this thread. Maybe we can do something, but my confidence is not high. Hope you are having a super time on Quest. Wish I was there. 

 

Phil 

Apart from this minor issue with the tonic we are very well taken care of. We are approaching Elba (Portoferraia) as we speak and that will be a new port for us. Livorno tomorrow will be a sea day.😄

[ChucktownSteve]

Considering all that Azamara has had to go through for the split and subsequent actions/decisions, I suspect the tonic brand is pretty far down on their priority list.

 

Personally, if I were drinking what I consider to be a good Gin, scotch or vodka; the only thing I usually add is a little ice.🥃😁

[royallondon]

27 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Considering all that Azamara has had to go through for the split and subsequent actions/decisions, I suspect the tonic brand is pretty far down on their priority list.

 

Personally, if I were drinking what I consider to be a good Gin, scotch or vodka; the only thing I usually add is a little ice.🥃😁

 

Or a “quick win at minimal cost” on their “how to improve customer satisfaction” list.

[laurieb]

4 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I have another friend onboard who is meeting with her and I've sent her a link to this thread. Maybe we can do something, but my confidence is not high. Hope you are having a super time on Quest. Wish I was there. 

 

Phil 

I'll be onboard too!  I had no idea she would be sailing with us.

[oddjob16]

3 hours ago, laurieb said:

I'll be onboard too!  I had no idea she would be sailing with us.

It was decided just the other day. She will be on board for three days from Saturday and I just spoke to Johannes about it. He and the rest of the senior crew has high expectations and they are convinced she is the right person at the right time. 
Hence I said that I have ONE issue that has not been fixed for several years and that I have done this conversation with numerous F&B Managers over the years: namely the Tonic Gate. He was sincerely surprised. Maybe it will go to the top this time.

[Catchum]

8 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Considering all that Azamara has had to go through for the split and subsequent actions/decisions, I suspect the tonic brand is pretty far down on their priority list.

 

Personally, if I were drinking what I consider to be a good Gin, scotch or vodka; the only thing I usually add is a little ice.🥃😁

For years I thought I didn't like gin. I have now discovered gin tastes just fine so long as it is on the rocks or in a martini. IMHO Tonic water is acceptable if you are suffering from malaria. To say one brand is better than another is like debating which cough syrup tastes less bad.

[Host Jazzbeau]

54 minutes ago, Catchum said:

For years I thought I didn't like gin. I have now discovered gin tastes just fine so long as it is on the rocks or in a martini. IMHO Tonic water is acceptable if you are suffering from malaria. To say one brand is better than another is like debating which cough syrup tastes less bad.

It sounds like you have never tried Fevertree Elderflower Tonic with a floral gin like Tanqueray No 10.

[oddjob16]

17 hours ago, Catchum said:

For years I thought I didn't like gin. I have now discovered gin tastes just fine so long as it is on the rocks or in a martini. IMHO Tonic water is acceptable if you are suffering from malaria. To say one brand is better than another is like debating which cough syrup tastes less bad.

Personal taste is always what is important. Nobody can argue personal taste and I always accept other choices in regards to this. I even accept people who prefer bad wine🤭🤣🤣

[Catchum]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It sounds like you have never tried Fevertree Elderflower Tonic with a floral gin like Tanqueray No 10.

Yep have tried fevertree tastes like ....... Tonic Water. I just don't like it.

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, Catchum said:

Yep have tried fevertree tastes like ....... Tonic Water. I just don't like it.

I don’t like it either. 

[futian]

We were on Quest for 2 weeks in April and was able to have Fever Tree with The Botanist every night without fail....?

[Dr H]

Oy! Another worry! The go-to drink is the G&T, Beefeaters preferably with "decent", ie not dietetic tonic. We board Quest in 1 month, heading north to Iceland. I can switch over to Scotch with no problem, SewingSandie? That could become an issue. She's taken a liking to Pinacoladas in recent months... (With all due respect, and not wanting to insult anyone too badly, putting tonic water of any quality into Tanqueray 10 is a crime against nature)

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 minutes ago, Dr H said:

Oy! Another worry! The go-to drink is the G&T, Beefeaters preferably with "decent", ie not dietetic tonic. We board Quest in 1 month, heading north to Iceland. I can switch over to Scotch with no problem, SewingSandie? That could become an issue. She's taken a liking to Pinacoladas in recent months... (With all due respect, and not wanting to insult anyone too badly, putting tonic water of any quality into Tanqueray 10 is a crime against nature)

As the English comedians Flanders & Swann said, "One man's meat is another man's poisson"...

[kool kruiser]

14 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

As the English comedians Flanders & Swann said, "One man's meat is another man's poisson"...

Indeed. Whilst I absolutely respect those who like their gin neat, many prefer the addition of tonic. Of those, many also prefer a higher quality offering. If not, fevertree would not have grown from a tiny start-up to a worldwide brand in such a very short period of time. Incremental cost cannot be high when ordered in high volumes so hope that the new CEO will satisfy the perennial passenger demand for fevertree varieties to be available.

[Mackdogmolly]

12 minutes ago, kool kruiser said:

Incremental cost cannot be high when ordered in high volumes so hope that the new CEO will satisfy the perennial passenger demand for fevertree varieties to be available.

Or at least have Schweppes as the default 

[excitedofharpenden]

4 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Or at least have Schweppes as the default 

Yes, Schweppes is just fine. Doesn't have to be Fevertree. I think we need to walk before we can run!🙂

 

Phil 

[Stem to Stern]

On 5/14/2024 at 3:58 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Fevertree

I enjoy their Ginger Beer.

[Host Jazzbeau]

7 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Yes, Schweppes is just fine. Doesn't have to be Fevertree. I think we need to walk before we can run!🙂

 

Phil 

I read somewhere that CocaCola was giving them Royal Club free to carry Coke products.  So take it and push it on the unsuspecting.  Then add Fevertree to the Premium (or at least Ultimate) package for those who are entitled to the better Gins.  That would hardly be a major expense.

[Riocca]

9 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I read somewhere that CocaCola was giving them Royal Club free to carry Coke products.  So take it and push it on the unsuspecting.  Then add Fevertree to the Premium (or at least Ultimate) package for those who are entitled to the better Gins.  That would hardly be a major expense.

Royal Club is actually a Heineken brand, and it was said was part of the deal to carry their beer. However Schweppes is part of the Coca-Cola empire so it shouldn’t be difficult to negotiate a reasonable deal for that product given the number of Coca-Cola brands normally stocked.

Fevertree being a stand alone brand and a premium one at that will obviously be more expensive so the suggestion it should be available on the Ultimate Package is a good compromise.

 

Royal Club also produces a cola product I’ve always wondered how that would be received by customers if it was the only cola offered?