Loved Princess, but what's with the drinks?

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Yes, with the Mojitos they used to muddle the mint and the lime together with the sugar syrup. Now they just throw a couple of limes in the glass, add a mint sprig and the mix. Not nearly as good.:(

 

ALL the bartenders I deal with make them the first way you describe. I never saw anyone just throw the limes in. I would refuse the drink & let him deal with it.

[davekathy]

Beer, wine or wisky neat. No complaints.

[tutak]

You would think that for as much as they charge for drinks they ought to be able to serve quality drinks whether that requires better training and/or mixes.

[partybarbie]

ALL the bartenders I deal with make them the first way you describe. I never saw anyone just throw the limes in. I would refuse the drink & let him deal with it.

 

Sadly, I did return the first one. I told the waiter it was the worst Mojito I had ever tasted. He brought me another, but it was not better. This has been my experience on Star and the Island in 2014. Perhaps the new mixes haven't been rolled out to all of the ships yet? Anyway, didn't want to complain too much over a $5.00 drink. :o

 

There are some "fruity" drinks where Princess doesn't use a mix. Now I'll order one of those, or I make my own drink with the free mini-bar in my cabin and my own mixers from home.:D

[partybarbie]

I am taking my first cruise in just a few days on Caribbean Princess and we are planning to get the drink package so I am not happy reading this post. Not at all! I want lots of fruity alcoholic drinks!

 

Check with the bartender. Not all of the fruity drinks use the mixers. He can show you the ingredients prior to making your drink.

[Mackenzie1]

Oh my, that means skipping the top shelf margaritas (no doubt made with a margarita mix) and sticking with beer and wine!

[Woobstr112G]

Beer, wine or wisky neat. No complaints.

 

 

.....:):):)

 

Bob

[cruisequeen4ever]

I have always loved Princess' mixed drinks. Last summer, all tasted the same as ever, except for the Piña Colada not being quite as good. I really hope they're not using mix with High Fructose Corn Syrup!! 😱 With their emphasis on making food from scratch, I'd be surprised that they would serve drinks loaded with chemicals.

 

 

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[Merlinite]

hard to hurt a martini/ dw does like the dirty banana tho

[Merlinite]

... 😱 With their emphasis on making food from scratch,

 

 

 

who told you that? :confused:

[Happy2Crews]

Yes, with the Mojitos they used to muddle the mint and the lime together with the sugar syrup. Now they just throw a couple of limes in the glass, add a mint sprig and the mix. Not nearly as good.:(

 

I'd have to disagree....as we just got back from a cruise on the Regal where we spent 3 of 6 days holding down prime real estate at the bar for BOGO...even with all the chaos they muddled the mint and lime together with the syrup..... We saw it...for real! :)

Edited January 15, 2015 by Happy2Crews

[iceleven]

My husband and I didn't enjoy the mixed drinks on the Star in October. The margaritas and mojitos were horribly sweet so we went back to martinis and wine.

[F5Loar]

Just back from the Regal NYEve cruise and got the drink package. I had previous gotten the FREE drink package on X two times and felt it was worth it even if paying for it. To break even you have to get down about 7 drinks a day. I kept up a pace of about 10 a day and never got the buzz I got on X line. I tried most anything from the bloody mary to the martini and felt they were just weak in alcohol content. I landed on their signature Silcilian Kiss which is very close to a Toasted Almond. Couldn't taste much in the Dirty Banana or Mudslide. The Blue Margarita was the best I had all week. Warning: Unless you are a heavy drinker, throwing down 10 sweet cocktails per day can pull you down by day 5. Also first cruise I've been on I did not see one drunk on board. So I think they are watering them down. Too much ice and filling the bottles back up at late night with a little guy that sits down behind the bars with a funnel. I personally will not get the Princess drink package again.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

My husband and I didn't enjoy the mixed drinks on the Star in October. The margaritas and mojitos were horribly sweet so we went back to martinis and wine.

Why didn't you ask the bartender to adjust the mix to make it less sweet? He could have done something to sour it up a bit. Perhaps a little lime juice?

[partybarbie]

I'd have to disagree....as we just got back from a cruise on the Regal where we spent 3 of 6 days holding down prime real estate at the bar for BOGO...even with all the chaos they muddled the mint and lime together with the syrup..... We saw it...for real! :)

 

Glad you had a better experience on the Regal.

 

This has been my experience on Star and the Island in 2014. Perhaps the new mixes haven't been rolled out to all of the ships yet?

 

I was also shown the paper carton of Mojito mix and told it was the new policy to make the drinks with a mix.

Edited January 15, 2015 by partybarbie

[davekathy]

My husband and I didn't enjoy the mixed drinks on the Star in October. The margaritas and mojitos were horribly sweet so we went back to martinis and wine.

 

Whenever I have a margarita I always tell the bartender no salt, no ice, no lime, no triple sec or anything else. Just the tequila. Perfect every time.

[PrincessNancy]

Whenever I have a margarita I always tell the bartender no salt, no ice, no lime, no triple sec or anything else. Just the tequila. Perfect every time.

Yep.:D

[golfb4cruzing]

No, we did not. We don't drink enough to justify a package...

 

I will add this...my Mother-in-law was drinking Martinis, and she said all of those were very good. So, it seems like the issue was just with drinks that required some kind of mix.

 

 

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I'm a fluffy dude, 6'3' and 300+ and I had a chocolate martini one night that sat me in my chair. Must be their mixes. Go with the martinis.

[satxdiver]

Good reason to stay with my knob creek bourbon and water or my sapphire gin and tonic. They can't mess that up!

[davekathy]

I'm a fluffy dude, 6'3' and 300+ and I had a chocolate martini one night that sat me in my chair. Must be their mixes. Go with the martinis.

 

Make mine a dirty martini.

[Emperor Norton]

Except for the ice, the Manhattan's ingredients are all alcohol: whiskey and sweet vermouth. So it should taste like alcohol.

 

You forgot bitters :D

[paddingtonbear]

So, are the mocktails made with the same mixers as the mixed cocktails?

[SBGbrady]

On the last few Princess cruises I have found the ratio in the mixed drinks to be mostly Oasis mix (all sugar) and a small jigger of alcohol. Heartburn city. No other cruise line uses the jigger anymore. Martinis are a different drink. The bartenders are wonderful but they are instructed how to make the drinks.

[greenie082756]

Best drink I have had was a fireball shot. Figured that couldn't be made incorrectly! ;) It was funny how the bartender's face looked when I asked if he had fireball whiskey. Coke chaser! :D

[golfb4cruzing]

cubsfan63

One would think a Manhattan is impossible to mess up but it is very difficult to find a great one. Best one I ever had was by an 85 yr old bartender that promised the best ever. Delivery accepted!!