Beverage Question

[FBZero]

Have a cruise books that originates in Barcelona. Asked the booking agent is we could get DIET DR PEPPER and she said she would take care of request; however, I'm wondering if RSSC actually has or can get DIET DP since i don't see it on their list???

[BBfromCA]

We have asked for and received Diet Dr. Pepper on several past cruises.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

A related question... My wife's current drink of choice is fruit flavored vodka (cherry, grape, orange, etc.). I consulted Travelcat2's very helpful list of onboard liquor, and there wasn't anything like that in the vodka section. So I called Regent today and asked if a bottle could be procured for our room. She's not fussy about the brand, or even the flavor. However, the person I talked to said "if it's not on the list, it's unavailable." And that was that.

 

This is totally the opposite of what this board has led me to believe. Did I just get the wrong person? Or is there another method to use other than calling? Any liquor store has hundreds of varieties of flavored vodka, so it's not like I'm asking for anything exotic.

[Cattravel10]

I'm a beer drinker. On my last cruise to Alaska, they did not have Miller Genuine Draft. I was told it was not very popular. It has always been on my other cruises with Regent. I called the Regent number to request if this could be on board for my next cruise (3/18/15). She told me since I had requested it so far in advance, it will definately be on board and couldn't understand why it wasn't last time. We shall see.

 

Barb

[Zqueeze1]

A related question... My wife's current drink of choice is fruit flavored vodka (cherry, grape, orange, etc.). I consulted Travelcat2's very helpful list of onboard liquor, and there wasn't anything like that in the vodka section. So I called Regent today and asked if a bottle could be procured for our room. She's not fussy about the brand, or even the flavor. However, the person I talked to said "if it's not on the list, it's unavailable." And that was that.

 

This is totally the opposite of what this board has led me to believe. Did I just get the wrong person? Or is there another method to use other than calling? Any liquor store has hundreds of varieties of flavored vodka, so it's not like I'm asking for anything exotic.

 

Don't give up hope. Call again and see if you can get better assistance. During our April 2014 cruise, I called about a month in advance to request Hendrick's Gin (which is not carried by Regent) and found a bottle waiting for us in our suite.

[Suite Travels]

Why bother calling Regent just tell your travel agent about any special requests as they can do this faster.

[thecleave]

Don't give up hope. Call again and see if you can get better assistance. During our April 2014 cruise, I called about a month in advance to request Hendrick's Gin (which is not carried by Regent) and found a bottle waiting for us in our suite.

 

Zqueeze, I drink Hendrick's gin too. I called and requested it for my November cruise and the rep said they might charge me for it. I restrained myself - barely - from mentioning anything about the $$$$ I've already paid for the cruise. I'm just curious if they charged you for it.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

I called again, and the fellow that answered was more than happy to take care of me. He said that there shouldn't be any problem getting my wife's request taken care of. I don't know what the story was with the first guy I talked to.

 

And I guess I'm surprised Regent doesn't stock flavored vodkas. In the US, any liquor store will have a whole wall of the stuff.

[lonestarlady53]

It may not be on the menu, but they do stock quite a few flavored vodkas, mostly Absolut brand - I have seen Citron, Kurant, Mandrin, Pear, & Apple We are Long time Regent Cruisers, and have mostlty been successful in getting our special requests. For the past coupe of years, we have found you need to try and make special requests at least 3 months out, especially for cruises originating in Europe, as they have to get the product shipped to the embarkation port, and many times it comes from Florida.

[Zqueeze1]

Zqueeze, I drink Hendrick's gin too. I called and requested it for my November cruise and the rep said they might charge me for it. I restrained myself - barely - from mentioning anything about the $$$$ I've already paid for the cruise. I'm just curious if they charged you for it.

 

Not at all. When I called Regent, they said that they would submit a request and try accomodate it if possible. No one ever mentioned the possiblility of getting charged. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that beautiful bottle in our suite along with its two friends: diet cranberry juice and diet tonic water.

 

 

Why bother calling Regent just tell your travel agent about any special requests as they can do this faster.

 

True for most folks, but in my case, we purchased our cruise through a military travel agency which, although the rate was great, their level of service and proactiveness is about as fast as a sloth in a race against a turtle.

 

Z and TB

[NJBelle]

To answer the OP's question, they have Diet Dr Pepper on the Voyager. I am on her right now and I saw Diet DP, diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet 7 up, diet root beer and maybe a few others in the beverage area by the Pool Ice Cream bar. Also know that they have diet tonic at the bar.

[GNALUZU]

I had no problem requesting Sugar Free Redbull to be stocked in my cabin. Four days into the cruise I needed more so I just asked the cabin steward. When I returned from the day's excursion they had restocked my room. We were at a port in Turkey, so I'm guessing that someone went to a local store to buy it because the cans weren't in English when they were restocked.

 

The bartenders were surprised when I mentioned Redbull because they said that they never see energy drinks on board.

[lalabama]

I love Hendricks gin, too. What number do I call to request it?

[lalabama]

Please tell me what number you called to request the Hendricks.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

I just called the main number, 1-844-4REGENT (1-844-473-4368). The first person wasn't helpful, so I called another day and there was no problem.

[lalabama]

Thank you for the number. I called it and Jeanine was happy to accommodate me with the Hendricks and diet tonic. This will make me even happier and now I can relax.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

and now I can relax.

With a Hendick's G&T!

[Winner]

which is a brand of gin, and tonic--served over ice unless you are British and prefer your cocktails and beer at room temperature.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Winner

[ann135]

Can I just take exception to the comment by Winner.

I am British and certainly do not like my cocktails or beer at room temperature - they would be returned if presented to me (and everybody I know) that way.

Do I detect a suggestion that the British are not educated as to what the correct temperature is for drinks to be served?!

Careful when you choose to insult other nationalities - it is offensive and you should never generalise.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Can I just take exception to the comment by Winner.

I am British and certainly do not like my cocktails or beer at room temperature - they would be returned if presented to me (and everybody I know) that way.

Do I detect a suggestion that the British are not educated as to what the correct temperature is for drinks to be served?!

Careful when you choose to insult other nationalities - it is offensive and you should never generalise.

 

I suspect it's just the commonly-held perception in N.A. that English ale is served close to room temperature. I realize drinking habits have changed, but the traditional ales I drank back in the 70's and 80's in the U.K. were that way--"warm" in comparison with Canadian beer of the time.

[Suite Travels]

Nothing against the UK but in some pubs the ale is not chilled. You need to beg for ice in your cocktail. Why is ice so taboo in Europe? I have never figured that one out.

 

My uncle loves his scotch neat...yuch.

[Winner]

I am truly sorry if I offended anyone. My comment was meant in jest. I am an Anglophile at heart to which many of my British friends can attest.

 

Drinks are on e next time!

[Travelcat2]

My DH is British and doesn't like much ice in his drinks (even after being in this country for many, many years). When we go to the U.K. and order Guinness, there is generally a choice of chilled or not chilled. Since the weather there is on the cool side, the "room temperature" ale/beer is not really warm (as most of you know). You may notice on Regent that the bartenders put much less ice than they put in drinks in the U.S. Sometimes it seems that they fill the glass with ice here so it looks like they are putting more alcohol in:-) As a side note, I noticed that alcohol is carefully measured in England and Canada which makes the drinks seem a bit weak so we stick to beer or wine when we are out of the country.

[RachelG]

Having travelled extensively in Europe and the UK, I can verify that it is very difficult to get more than a single cube or two of ice in a coke. I don't understand why ice is such a hard to come by commodity as it is just frozen water, but it seems to be. Even in the British airways lounges, they have an ice bucket and tongs designed to pick up a single cube, whereas in the US, there is an ice machine. And you have to specifically ask for ice in your drink on their planes.

[ann135]

I think I have created some controversy which was not my intention! Copied and pasted below may say it better than I! -

 

Misconception: British people drink beer warm at room temperature. I myself have heard this said a number of times but I have yet to discover where it comes from. Walking into a British bar and ordering a beer any way but cold would raise eyebrows just like everywhere else. In fact, the most popular lager beers in Britain tend to be of the “Extra Cold” variety, and this applies to most bitter beers and ales too! Nobody likes a warm beer, the British included.Having said that, most Americans like their Beer super cold, so an English beer may appear to be warm in comparison, but it is still cold. Chilling beer too much can damage its flavor.

 

Personally, I love my beer and cocktails and do like them cold. However, being a really mean Brit - too much ice just waters the cocktails down and seriously cold beer just impairs the flavour - so don't ruin my drinks by too much ice or too much chilling!

 

So live and let live and let's all enjoy our drinks the way WE like them!

CHEERS everyone!

Edited August 3, 2014 by ann135