FAO Bonnie: Suggestion for beverage package improvments

[workingtocruise-59]

The more inclusive drinks package does work for me, it may mean some compromises but se la vie.

The one drink I wish Azamara could sort out is the Tonic water they serve. The Royal Club brand they serve is so sub standard it means a G&T is virtually unpalatable.

I conversation last year with Heike Berdos she agreed with my criticisms of Royal Club and stated " a G&T is not a G&T with out Schweppes". Her words not mine.

 

Quite agree ...the Royal Club tonic ruins any G & T.

We did actually manage to track down some Schweppes at the pool bar on one Azamara cruise but, sadly, never since.

I mentioned this to Tomasz ( F & B) and we agreed that the next time we're onboard we'll bring some Schweppes and some Fever Tree and have a "blind tasting".

[uktog]

Fever Tree - now that's a proper tonic!

[oddjob16]

Bought the premium package in 2011 and what you basically got was any drink or coctail under 12$ included. Smart deal.

Bought the premium package in 2013 and didn't find it interesting.

Would never buy a drink package as it is now.

[English Tim]

Bought the premium package in 2011 and what you basically got was any drink or coctail under 12$ included. Smart deal.

Bought the premium package in 2013 and didn't find it interesting.

Would never buy a drink package as it is now.

 

You should stick to your Champagne, as befits a man of taste.:)

[norn iron]

Fever Tree - now that's a proper tonic!

 

Yes please, with a Martin Miller gin, it doesn't get much better than that!

There again if ACC would offer Schweppes I'd be happy

[norn iron]

I've just had an after thought. Our first port of call later in the year onboard Journey is Gibraltar.

There is a Morrison's supermarket in Gib, so I'll be bringing some Schweppes (or Fever Tree if they stock it) on board. even more reason to look forward to the cruise.

[uktog]

Where there's a will there's a g and t :)

[excitedofharpenden]

I am currently on Journey having a wonderful time and just to let those interested know there is Schweppes tonic in plentiful supply in the bars (and my fridge). Not sure if this is thanks to the suggestion to Heike, but it's happened.

 

Phil

[English Tim]

I am currently on Journey having a wonderful time and just to let those interested know there is Schweppes tonic in plentiful supply in the bars (and my fridge). Not sure if this is thanks to the suggestion to Heike, but it's happened.

 

Phil

 

Keep on having great cruises, Phil and save some tonic for us!

[Texed]

Phil,

 

I hope you have a great cruise. :)

[Tony UK]

I love a kir royale too - cassis is on the included list but not sparkling wine:(

[norn iron]

I am currently on Journey having a wonderful time and just to let those interested know there is Schweppes tonic in plentiful supply in the bars (and my fridge). Not sure if this is thanks to the suggestion to Heike, but it's happened.

 

Phil

 

Phil

Thanks for the update, please let the Schweppes continue until our cruise later in the year. Well done Heike

[librarylady19]

Keep on having great cruises, Phil and save some tonic for us!

 

 

Me too! Just hope there is no lime shortage

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[uktog]

I am currently on Journey having a wonderful time and just to let those interested know there is Schweppes tonic in plentiful supply in the bars (and my fridge). Not sure if this is thanks to the suggestion to Heike, but it's happened.

 

Phil

 

Schhhhh Phil

 

Tell Papa to have some ready for me ;)

[Eloise4Ever]

We are currently on Quest and have been told there is no Schweppes on board. As others have said, Royal Club tonic is indeed truly unpleasant :(.

 

Eloise

[cruising22]

I am going on Jounery in May and so hope there is Schweppes on board as anything else ruins any drink.

[dln929]

I am going on Jounery in May and so hope there is Schweppes on board as anything else ruins any drink.

 

Unless excitedofharpendon has drunk it all, you should be good to go. ;)

Edited April 28, 2014 by dln929

[Tony UK]

We have just booked our first Azamara cruise. I was a little surprised how the drinks packages are organised - or maybe I'm a little odd! I like a variety of different drinks depending on how the mood takes me!

 

I do like a Bombay Sapphire G&T so will upgrade the liquor package. That also gives me the beer package which I'm not bothered about, but not the premium water which I really like at dinner with my wine. Can the water package be substituted for the beer package?

 

If I have the liquor package are any martinis made using the premium spirits?

 

I must say a price band would be much easier to understand.

 

Angie x

[Eloise4Ever]

I agree Angie, the packages are a little odd. It would be much better if they were organised like the ones on Celebrity which include water and all alcoholic beverages up to a certain price.

 

We recently returned from Quest where we did not upgrade our drinks package. We sailed with friends who did. At the end of the cruise they did not feel they had gained very much in doing so. If you do upgrade you can specify which brand of spirit you would like the bartender to use in your cocktails. In general we were all unimpressed with the cocktails on Quest and the preparation and/or presentation of the same cocktail varied depending on which bar you were in. I think anyone who is used to cocktails in the Martini Bars and Molecular Bars on Celebrity will be disappointed with the Azamara cocktail offerings. For what it's worth, the overwhelmingly sweet and chemical taste of Royal Club tonic kills the flavour of anything it is served with so you might be just as well off sticking with the included gin. Unless of course Quest guests are treated the same as Journey guests by the time you cruise and Schweppes tonic is provided for all.

 

Eloise

[Tony UK]

Eloise

Thanks for the tips. I'll just have to find my way. I guess it will all be part of a new experience!

 

.

[Eloise4Ever]

Absolutely Angie, at the end of the day any cruise is a great cruise and each is made up of many elements.

 

Enjoy your first Azamara cruise :)

 

Eloise

[bigbenboys]

It's ok, but to my mind not great and isn't champagne, but rather sparkling wine. Better mixed with orange or cranberry juice.

 

Phil

 

We are looking at a cruise on Azamara for Aug 2015. We are a group of 6. One friend only drinks sparkling wine, champagne, water and coffee. Is there a sparkling wine or champagne on the complimentary beverages that come with the cruise. Richard

[uktog]

We are looking at a cruise on Azamara for Aug 2015. We are a group of 6. One friend only drinks sparkling wine, champagne, water and coffee. Is there a sparkling wine or champagne on the complimentary beverages that come with the cruise. Richard

 

No I am afraid there is not - it is something we miss but if I want some bubbles I pay for them

[Riocca]

We have just returned from Quest and it was our first Azamara cruise since it became more inclusive, so it was an opportunity to see exactly how it worked in practice, our overall impression was that the thinking is a little muddled.

 

Firstly we are not beer or premium water drinkers so that aspect did not bother us, however the we felt the included liquor package did not reflect the international aspirations of Azamara. Included liquor seemed only to be there to form the base of the included cocktails so as we are not great cocktail drinkers left some "holes" in what we would consider a normal bar selection. Our normal drinks are Gin, so quite happy with that, Rum, would have liked a dark rum included but no real problem with the one listed, Brandy, the Napoleon brandy on the Premium list is no more expensive than the Gins or Whiskeys on the inclusive list so why not include it? and Pastis, again Pernod is rightly on the premium list but Ouzo is a relatively cheap alternative and thats only available at a premium. We are sure there are other drinks that could be included to make the package more "international"

 

So to get the drinks we wanted we took the Premium package which worked extremely well and gave us all we wanted, and a good deal more, however even this resulted in some strange anomalies. For example a cocktail containing Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Pineapple rum was provided with no problem, however Venetian Coffee containing Frangelico and Napoleon Brandy (both on our package) was not. Although we were offered a DIY kit of all the ingredients http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/smilies/confused.gif

 

So after all that our conclusion was that for us the packages were OK but could do with just a little thought to appeal to more international tastes and remove the anomalies as it's the small things that annoy the most.

[gymfreak]

I am going on Jounery in May and so hope there is Schweppes on board as anything else ruins any drink.

 

Sorry to say they than out of Schweppes tonic on our Journey cruise in April about half way through and substituted it with the unpalatable Royal brand. Hope they have restocked for you!

Vicki