micro brew shortage on RC

[cardamon]

Are there any other beer snobs/home brewers/micro-only drinkers besides my husband cruising RC? How have you solved this problem? This is the main reason my husband is not real excited about cruising. Cruise lines carry various levels of quality wines and liquors- why not micro brews? Any sugestions tohandle this problem? Thanks!

[cjcruiser]

Cardamon - I feel your husband's pain. I exclusivley drink micros or homebrews (mostly my own), but I also love cruising. And whereas I have major anxiety issuses just prior to cruising, I manage. My method - we usually do a pre-cruise stay the night before and I'll find a bar in the city (usually Ft. Lauderdale or Miami) that has micros had have a few there. While on board, I will actually switch to mixed drinks (bloody marys or vodka tonics), wine, or bourbon. If I really need a beer (which is usually by day 2, LOL!) I will take a Guinness or, on my last cruise, they had Pilsner Urqell which I found to be a reasonable substitute. The only other time I've had a PU was from a bottle at home and it was horribly skunked. The drafts on the ship were fresh, hoppy and quite tasty.

They also had Blue Moon, but if your husband is anything like me, that is worse than than the Bud, Mil, Coors trio.

I wrote a letter to the cruise line and complained, but don't expect my next cruise will be any better.

Here is a link to another thread (my entry is on pg 2.).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=966358

Oh and, believe it or not, there was an outdoor bar in Grand Cayman just before you get back on the ship that had a really decent local German Bock. It was pretty good and a welcome surprise.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

My son and DIL are big micro brew fans. They have found the beer and ale choices on RCI ships quite frustrating because they are so limited.

[cruzevirgins]

It's been a few years since we've sailed on RC and I was really hoping this would have changed. We sailed with NCL two years ago and they had a great selection of craft beer available.

 

It's really disappointing to hear that RC hasn't picked up on the fact that craft beer sales are on the rise and crap beer (B/M/C) is flat / declining. This is an opportunity for RC to sell more beer!

 

We're sailing on the Voyager in February so I guess we'll see what our options are, but I'm not liking the sounds of this.

[LBumb]

how about an ipa or apa. just one.

[cruzevirgins]

how about an ipa or apa. just one.

 

Zactly, is that too much to ask?

[Aquahound]

I love micro brews and I love darker beers. Brown or amber ales are my favorite. On Oasis and on some other RCI ships, they have Newcastle. It's not a micro, but at least, to me, it was better than drinking Bud. I'm another one who wishes they would get a better selection with more variety.

[CFIGuy]

I finally took it upon myself to send a brief e-mail to the C&A e-mail address listed. Who knows, maybe things will change. I think that they could do a craft beer offering at the cigar lounge rather easily, even though I am not a smoker, seems like it would fit in with the scotch/whiskey/etc of a gentleman's area. I would be happy even with Sam Adams & Royal back.

[butterfly2]

I wish they offered Guiness on draft for DH. If not, Boddingtons or Guiness in a can would be good.

[telecruiser]

If I am on a cruise with any beer in hand, I am pretty happy.

[pltag]

No shortage of Bud Light!!! :D :D

 

Glad OP was able to refer to himself as a "beer snob"!! Sorry folks, simple supply and demand. I realize that it's sort of a "chicken / egg" conversation ..... that is if they don't supply it, then how can passengers demand (buy) it??

 

One thing that might help is if each of you beer snobs would drink 12 -15 Honey Amber Fat Tire Wicked Stout Ales per afternoon ..... the way we Bud Light drinkers do! :D :)

[Gonzo70]

Try Royal Caribbean's sister line Celebrity. Celebrity's newest ship (Silhouette) is going to feature a bar (Michaels Club) that will offer over 50 different beers as well as complimentary munchies such as caramel popcorn, homemade potato chips etc. They will also feature beer events such as beer & food pairings and lectures about beer. Celebrity also has optional drink packages where you can pay a fee for unlimited beverages (including beer and other booze)!

[CarpeCerevisi]

I wish they offered Guiness on draft for DH. If not, Boddingtons or Guiness in a can would be good.

 

I believe a lot of the ships have Boddington's and Guiness draft cans, at least the larger ones, i.e. Voyager class on up. Not all the bars will have them, though, but usually the pub on the promenade will. Most of the bars on the Oasis have both.

 

When I'm on a ship with a narrower selection I usually drink Bass Ale. On Alaskan cruises they usually have Alaskan Amber and Alaskan Pale. On one of my cruises they were testing Sam Adams; I guess they didn't sell enough for them to carry it full time.

[cjcruiser]

When I wrote to RC to complain, I made points like: "Of the 22 or so different beers offered, only 3 were Ales. Those being Guinness, Bass and Blue Moon. All the rest are generally Pilsner-style Lagers. To me and many craft brew drinkers, that is as insulting as offering one or two red wines and dozens of whites. Or one or two Chardonnays and dozens of White Zinfandel's."

Their response was: "We thank you for taking your valuable time to offer your candid feedback and comments on our the beer selection we offer onboard our cruises. We have passed along your comments to our Management for thorough review and evaluation."

 

IMHO, I'd be happy with Sierra Nevada or Bud American Ale, but ideally, a Dogfishhead 60 Minute or Bell's Two-Hearted would be the bomb!

[schmoopie17]

If I am on a cruise with any beer in hand, I am pretty happy.

 

Agree...I also enjoy "good" beer. However, if I have to put with Bud products for a week, it probably won't kill me. It might come close, though...

[jty1220]

I would love it if RC would carry just one good IPA

[CHAMPDDS]

Try Royal Caribbean's sister line Celebrity. Celebrity's newest ship (Silhouette) is going to feature a bar (Michaels Club) that will offer over 50 different beers as well as complimentary munchies such as caramel popcorn, homemade potato chips etc. They will also feature beer events such as beer & food pairings and lectures about beer. Celebrity also has optional drink packages where you can pay a fee for unlimited beverages (including beer and other booze)!

 

This my friends might be the Holy Grail (Ale) of cruises.....Sign me up !!!

 

D:D