Sailaway Parties

[Kruz Guys]

This may be a stupid question.....but.....

 

If someone wants to host a sailaway party in their suite for a group of fellow travelers / friends, is it possible to hire a bartender to bring the booze / wine / glasses etc and serve?

 

Is it possible to have this like a BYOB or a BYOCC (bring your own cruise card) so that each person either bring his/her own drink(s) or people can charge what drinks they order from the bartender to their onboard account?

 

I know you can order appetizers through room service / the butler but I wasn't sure how one could arrange drinks.

 

Has anyone done this and can give me some ideas / pointers please?

 

Thanks

Stephen

[BroncosFan2010]

You could purchase the "in room bar setup" and do it that way! Or you could buy several bottles of wine (or ask each couple you invite to bring their favorite bottle) and serve it that way. I am sure you could ask for additional wine glasses.

[Kruz Guys]

You could purchase the "in room bar setup" and do it that way! Or you could buy several bottles of wine (or ask each couple you invite to bring their favorite bottle) and serve it that way. I am sure you could ask for additional wine glasses.

 

 

That sounds the easiest way to handle it. Less complication and less arrangements to make.

 

Thanks ;) :cool:

[Lsimon]

I've heard of people in the Penthouse hiring a bartender for a sail away party - and even arranged for embarkation day in advance through the contact person who sets things up for Penthouse guests. But I've never been to nor held such a party. I've never been through more than a glance into the Penthouse. I do not think the ship would arrange for a ship card version of a cash bar to be set up in a stateroom or suite but who knows what you can get for the asking. I think a BYOB or BYOD would be more appropriate than a "cash" (ship card) bar if the host doesn't want to provide drinks.

 

While I've never personally been to a party where there was a server we have had our butler in a sky suite set up a serve-yourself party for us - including juice mixers at no charge. We've also had our stateroom attendants set these up for staterooms with larger than average verandas. Clearly the butler did the best job but in both scenarios we've had snacks, glassware and such set up for guests. These usually involve wine we've brought on board or purchased on board but we could have also arranged for liquor or a liquor set up as well. Usually some of our guests offer to bring some along as well - we tend to have a lot of the complimentary CC room sparkling wine and other wine gift bottles used at these - and often people bring their own drinks if they'd like something different.

[Lois R]

This may be a stupid question.....but.....

 

If someone wants to host a sailaway party in their suite for a group of fellow travelers / friends, is it possible to hire a bartender to bring the booze / wine / glasses etc and serve?

 

Is it possible to have this like a BYOB or a BYOCC (bring your own cruise card) so that each person either bring his/her own drink(s) or people can charge what drinks they order from the bartender to their onboard account?

 

I know you can order appetizers through room service / the butler but I wasn't sure how one could arrange drinks.

 

Has anyone done this and can give me some ideas / pointers please?

 

Thanks

Stephen

 

Hi Stephen:) You are in the PH suite, right? I sailed with friends

back in January (on SUMMIT too:D) and they were in the PH. They

had a few friends over and we all had a really nice time. I know they

had the butler help with all of it. So I would say talk to him. They were in

6148 and Rikki was the butler. He is terrific:). That balcony is

an awesome spot for sailaway! Hope you have a wonderful time:)

[Kruz Guys]

I've heard of people in the Penthouse hiring a bartender for a sail away party - and even arranged for embarkation day in advance through the contact person who sets things up for Penthouse guests. But I've never been to nor held such a party. I've never been through more than a glance into the Penthouse. I do not think the ship would arrange for a ship card version of a cash bar to be set up in a stateroom or suite but who knows what you can get for the asking. I think a BYOB or BYOD would be more appropriate than a "cash" (ship card) bar if the host doesn't want to provide drinks.

 

While I've never personally been to a party where there was a server we have had our butler in a sky suite set up a serve-yourself party for us - including juice mixers at no charge. We've also had our stateroom attendants set these up for staterooms with larger than average verandas. Clearly the butler did the best job but in both scenarios we've had snacks, glassware and such set up for guests. These usually involve wine we've brought on board or purchased on board but we could have also arranged for liquor or a liquor set up as well. Usually some of our guests offer to bring some along as well - we tend to have a lot of the complimentary CC room sparkling wine and other wine gift bottles used at these - and often people bring their own drinks if they'd like something different.

 

Excellent information. Thanks so much for sharing. This gives us some additional ideas.

 

Thanks again.

Stephen and Tom

Kruz Guys

[gracecarmo]

We had Rikki on our recent Summit cruise. He will provide everything you need....glasses, ice, cheese etc. Even a plate of shrimp. We had a small group and just served the sparkling wines from our TA and also the bottle that was in the suite. He set up the table nicely as well, but be sure to give him advance notice.

[Winedown2]

This is great to hear... I wonder if it is b/c of the PH though. When we were in a RS on Summit last year, out Butler would not get us anything for sailaway, which I thought was weird....He said they were too busy with switchover.

 

Hoping we have bettter luck next week on Eclipse in the PH.. but I am going to call and put the request in today to be safe! :p

[gracecarmo]

I mentioned that we had some guests in our RS, on the Summit: this was not on the embarkation sailaway day, but on another sailaway. (From Quebec).

Sorry, my error, as this thread is about the initial sailaway.

 

I can see how the butlers are very busy the first embarkation day.

 

Of course, the PH is a different suite, so it still may be possible.

[Kruz Guys]

I agree.

 

I don't think the first day out would be a good time to ask the butler to help with a sailaway party. Probably a day or two into the cruise would be fine.

:D

[Bet & Peg]

Last February on RCCL (Voyager from Galveston) one of the Roll Call members voluntered to host a Sail-Away party in his PH. He had to limit it to the first 60 RC members who signed up - we had a fabulously active RC! He arranged for trays of snacks and had champagne & glasses at the bar - sort of "serve yourself". Something got spilled and his wife went behind the bar to wipe it up - she was a lovely woman wearing black slacks, white blouse and a black vest - and, yes, you might have guessed - people coming in thought she was the bartender!!!

 

We had a wonderful time - all wanted to meet everyone we'd been talking to - but we all wanted to see the PH also!!!

 

A little different was our Baltic Cruise. We had a fabulous aft cabins with a large balcony. Last day was a sea day so we made some quick phone calls and had an informal "good-bye" party. Our steward arranged for extra glasses and some snacks. Almost everyone brought something to drink with them - soda/ice tea or wine they hadn't finished and we had a great time.

 

I'm sure you can make many different combinations of arrangements - just let everyone know ahead if they should bring a drink/bottle/whatever.

 

Have a great time!!

[Kruz Guys]

Last February on RCCL (Voyager from Galveston) one of the Roll Call members voluntered to host a Sail-Away party in his PH. He had to limit it to the first 60 RC members who signed up - we had a fabulously active RC! He arranged for trays of snacks and had champagne & glasses at the bar - sort of "serve yourself". Something got spilled and his wife went behind the bar to wipe it up - she was a lovely woman wearing black slacks, white blouse and a black vest - and, yes, you might have guessed - people coming in thought she was the bartender!!!

 

We had a wonderful time - all wanted to meet everyone we'd been talking to - but we all wanted to see the PH also!!!

 

A little different was our Baltic Cruise. We had a fabulous aft cabins with a large balcony. Last day was a sea day so we made some quick phone calls and had an informal "good-bye" party. Our steward arranged for extra glasses and some snacks. Almost everyone brought something to drink with them - soda/ice tea or wine they hadn't finished and we had a great time.

 

I'm sure you can make many different combinations of arrangements - just let everyone know ahead if they should bring a drink/bottle/whatever.

 

Have a great time!!

 

Thanks Peg for the terrific story. How funny about the guests thinking the wife was the bartender. LOL. Good information about the parties as well.

Thanks again

[Lsimon]

...If someone wants to host a sailaway party in their suite for a group of fellow travelers / friends, is it possible to hire a bartender to bring the booze / wine / glasses etc and serve?...

 

Just got this season's Captains Club News in the mail. There is a section about the Personal Concierge service which sounds like it is just what you're looking for if you want to plan a party with this type of service. There is more info, repeating more or less the same verbiage as in the newsletter (including pre-cruise contact info), here: http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=0000F9y9g3YA1PuC02RZ_ZC7D3N:12hdebebp?pagename=outstanding_service

[jackdiamond]

We always book on the port side in AQ on the Equinox sailing out of Port Everglades; hence, we always have our own sailaway party with the supplied bubbly. It is neat to observe the bells and whistles that emanate from the houses and condos that we pass.

[Kruz Guys]

Just got this season's Captains Club News in the mail. There is a section about the Personal Concierge service which sounds like it is just what you're looking for if you want to plan a party with this type of service. There is more info, repeating more or less the same verbiage as in the newsletter (including pre-cruise contact info), here: http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=0000F9y9g3YA1PuC02RZ_ZC7D3N:12hdebebp?pagename=outstanding_service

 

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.:D

Kruz Guys

Stephen and Tom

stepenandtom@att.net

PH Suite 6148