Silver Spirits Beverage Package Option

[zitsky]

Silver spirits package excludes champagne.  Has it always been that way?  I don't remember drinking much champs on my my last cruise.

[deec]

As I remember itexcludes Champagne but includes Prosecco  and a Viking "sparkling wine".

[zitsky]

Sparkling wine (whine).  It could be anything.  LOL.

[deec]

It was fine to use in my favorite French 75

[Kikkycat]

We are exploring a VO cruise next April, to replace the cruise on RCCL that was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, we are looking at Barcelona to Bergen in late April. DH and I are craft beer aficionados (or snobs, it’s ok). Can anyone tell me what beers they’ve seen onboard?

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Kikkycat said:

We are exploring a VO cruise next April, to replace the cruise on RCCL that was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, we are looking at Barcelona to Bergen in late April. DH and I are craft beer aficionados (or snobs, it’s ok). Can anyone tell me what beers they’ve seen onboard?

 

I can't tell you what beers are served on board but I would like to remind you that Viking has a very liberal BYO policy and encourages guests to sample the local tipples. There are no restrictions to bringing potables -- potent or otherwise -- on board and no restrictions to when or where they may be consumed.  In other words, you don't have to be entirely dependent on what Viking stocks to indulge your love of craft beers; you just need to do a bit of advanced research of what is out there and where is the best place to buy a six pack in port.   

[duquephart]

2 hours ago, Kikkycat said:

We are exploring a VO cruise next April, to replace the cruise on RCCL that was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, we are looking at Barcelona to Bergen in late April. DH and I are craft beer aficionados (or snobs, it’s ok). Can anyone tell me what beers they’ve seen onboard?

 

There is probably a menu posted here somewhere but choices likely depend on itinerary. I've seen Carlsberg, Bitburger, Kostritzer and a couple of Norway brews. If you are truly craft beer snobs you're going to be out of luck - I doubt you will see anything but "normal" beers.

[zitsky]

This is a few years old.

 

 

[Heidi13]

12 hours ago, Kikkycat said:

We are exploring a VO cruise next April, to replace the cruise on RCCL that was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, we are looking at Barcelona to Bergen in late April. DH and I are craft beer aficionados (or snobs, it’s ok). Can anyone tell me what beers they’ve seen onboard?

The selection of beers is fairly extensive and in addition to the regular offerings, at least on the World Cruise they brought on some regional beers.

 

Suggest trying the Norwegian Beers - IPA, Porter, Double Amber and a Double Dark.

 

The IPA was most enjoyable, sadly we drank the ship dry about 4 times.😁

 

Coming from the West Coast, I don't drink anything that is yellow or made by a multi-national and found the selection acceptable. Usually always had 1/2 dozen IPA in the fridge.

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

There is probably a menu posted here somewhere but choices likely depend on itinerary. I've seen Carlsberg, Bitburger, Kostritzer and a couple of Norway brews. If you are truly craft beer snobs you're going to be out of luck - I doubt you will see anything but "normal" beers.

Having just spent almost 4 months aboard Viking Sun, I certainly wasn't disappointed, or out of luck. While I didn't have the usual selection from 100+ craft breweries in Vancouver, what Viking provided was superior to most hotels and pubs outside the West Coast.

 

While the Porter wasn't the specialised Rice Pudding Porter or Milk Chocolate Mint that we get out here, it was made in Sweden as a traditional Baltic Porter. 

 

The IPA is brewed by a Craft Brewery in Flam and is a traditional West Coast hoppy IPA, with some Citra hops. They also brewed the Amber Ale.

[Kikkycat]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

Having just spent almost 4 months aboard Viking Sun, I certainly wasn't disappointed, or out of luck. While I didn't have the usual selection from 100+ craft breweries in Vancouver, what Viking provided was superior to most hotels and pubs outside the West Coast.

 

While the Porter wasn't the specialised Rice Pudding Porter or Milk Chocolate Mint that we get out here, it was made in Sweden as a traditional Baltic Porter. 

 

The IPA is brewed by a Craft Brewery in Flam and is a traditional West Coast hoppy IPA, with some Citra hops. They also brewed the Amber Ale.

Sounds great - Thank you! We will also try to find and bring back onboard some local beers.  We might be the only people in Paris looking for beer 😂.

 

 

[pacruise804]

On 4/20/2020 at 10:29 AM, Heidi13 said:

The selection of beers is fairly extensive and in addition to the regular offerings, at least on the World Cruise they brought on some regional beers.

 

Suggest trying the Norwegian Beers - IPA, Porter, Double Amber and a Double Dark.

 

The IPA was most enjoyable, sadly we drank the ship dry about 4 times.😁

 

Coming from the West Coast, I don't drink anything that is yellow or made by a multi-national and found the selection acceptable. Usually always had 1/2 dozen IPA in the fridge.

 

Is the Double Dark a stout?  I'm not a beer drinker but my husband enjoys.  He will drink porters but generally prefers stout.  I'm pretty sure I saw some ciders listed so I should be good 🙂 

[duquephart]

24 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

 

Is the Double Dark a stout?  I'm not a beer drinker but my husband enjoys.  He will drink porters but generally prefers stout.  I'm pretty sure I saw some ciders listed so I should be good 🙂 

 

Probably more akin to a double bock or Munich lager. These can be quite good (Ayinger Celebrator is generally regarded as one the best beers on the planet). Your husband will have no problem. Stout, by the way, is a porter. Buy him a bottle of Old Rasputin.

[pacruise804]

I wonder if they are labeled differently around here.  We can get both stouts and porters and the stout is definitely darker/more coffee-esque than the porter is.  Either way I'm sure he can find something to enjoy even if it is slightly see-through 😉 

 

Realistically it's hard to say if we will even get to take our cruise, but it's fun to dream 🙂 

[duquephart]

42 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

I wonder if they are labeled differently around here.  We can get both stouts and porters and the stout is definitely darker/more coffee-esque than the porter is.  Either way I'm sure he can find something to enjoy even if it is slightly see-through 😉 

 

Realistically it's hard to say if we will even get to take our cruise, but it's fun to dream 🙂 

 

Stout is a more robust, or stout, porter. 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

I wonder if they are labeled differently around here.  We can get both stouts and porters and the stout is definitely darker/more coffee-esque than the porter is.  Either way I'm sure he can find something to enjoy even if it is slightly see-through 😉 

 

Realistically it's hard to say if we will even get to take our cruise, but it's fun to dream 🙂 

 

The Double Dark on the Sun was a Stout, although if memory is correct the bar menus showed it as being a Belgian beer. Never did see the bottles, as it always came in a glass. Jim might recall the brand.

 

Affirmative on the difference between Stouts and Porters. Porters started in UK, as a ready to drink dark beer, which originally had a fairly high percentage of alcohol. As taxation was based on alcohol content, the alcohol content dropped to around 4%. The stronger Porters started out as "Stout Porter", which over time became shortened to "Stout"

 

Stouts are generally darker colour, as they are normally made from roasted barley, which gives the distinctive flavours. Porters are normally made from malted barley, so can be lighter in colour.

[CurlerRob]

On 4/19/2020 at 10:02 PM, Kikkycat said:

 DH and I are craft beer aficionados (or snobs, it’s ok). Can anyone tell me what beers they’ve seen onboard?

 

This was reasonably accurate as of September 2019 - it's the full menu from the Living Room, but I found most of the selections available in each venue. There may well have been others, or substitutions locally as well.

Viking Ocean Cruises Bar Menu 2018.pdf Viking-Ocean-Cruises-Wine-List 2018.pdf

[Kikkycat]

Thank you, Rob!

[What was that?]

Going in a slightly different direction - when you purchase the SSBP, will you receive an accounting of the beverages and costs at the end of the cruise?

[Jim Avery]

17 minutes ago, What was that? said:

Going in a slightly different direction - when you purchase the SSBP, will you receive an accounting of the beverages and costs at the end of the cruise?

Ooooo, scary 🍸😎

Not sure I would want to know...

Edited April 13, 2021 by Jim Avery

[What was that?]

5 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Ooooo, scary 🍸😎

Not sure I would want to know...

Inquiring minds want to know...

Jim, we are signed up for the Northern Lights cruise (12 nights)  and the Grand European (14 nights) next year so I have more than an academic interest in the question. We will be on the Orion "Bermuda Escape" (7 nights) 20-27 July this year and I thought if I could get a measure of how cost effective the SSBP is on this cruise, I could use that information to decide yes/no on the SSBP for next year's cruises. If Viking is going to keep the records for me it would be a benefit to my analysis.

I have a scientific and engineering background, so it is all about the data and planning for me! (as if you couldn't tell!)

I can almost taste the rum swizzles now...

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, What was that? said:

Going in a slightly different direction - when you purchase the SSBP, will you receive an accounting of the beverages and costs at the end of the cruise?

 

I don't recall getting something like that.

 

How much detail do you mean?

[What was that?]

14 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I don't recall getting something like that.

How much detail do you mean?

Just a list of drinks and the prices that would have been charged. 

[photomom5]

We did not get a tally at the end of our cruise, thank goodness! We loved The Northern Lights cruise, you will have a wonderful time. 

[duquephart]

24 minutes ago, What was that? said:

Just a list of drinks and the prices that would have been charged. 

 

Perhaps a piece of paper and a pencil would help?