Scotch drinker but don't need the "drinks package"

[PaperSniper4]

I don't drink much, but I do like one scotch and water or martini prior to diner, prepared in my cabin. My wife has a glass of wine. Having our drinks on the balcony is one of our favorite things to do.....along with coffee in the morning.

We plan on bringing a bottle of wine each on our cruise, but of course I may not bring my favorite scotch on board with me. I checked this page for what is available for cabin delivery. Johnny Walker Red is not one I like. So, I would be forced to drink that (for an outlandish price), or order my drinks at a bar and bring them back to our cabin. I do not want to use "Room Service" for my drinks, even if available.

 

Can someone please tell me what scotches were available on a recent cruise? And the price? We'll be on the Serenade but I suspect all ship bars have about the same. I prefer Glenlivet 12 year, but just about anything comparable is fine with me, just no Cutty, J&B or Johnny Red please!

 

Thanks, ya'll

 

 Doug

[PaperSniper4]

Update: Found this link that answers my question:

[badaple92]

Not a scotch drinker but hubby gets Johnny Walker double black and Dewars 12 year on Anthem.  Not sure about other ships

[SRF]

Personally, there really aren't any drinkable Scotchs on RCCL ships.  😄

 

I know some people, not naming names, that will carry a rum runner with a bit of a GOOD whisky for a drink or two on the balcony before dinner. 

[Charles4515]

Personally, there really aren't any drinkable Scotchs on RCCL ships.  [emoji1]  

I know some people, not naming names, that will carry a rum runner with a bit of a GOOD whisky for a drink or two on the balcony before dinner. 

 

 

To each their own taste but they had Macallan single malt last year and personally I find that one very drinkable. I plan on having some next week if the have. If not I am okay with Glenlivet or Glenfidich which they also had.

 

 

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[drneal]

I was on Mariner 2 weeks ago and they had Chivas, Crown Royal, Dewars, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet

This was only in one bar, different bars had different drinks

 

[Charles4515]

I was on Mariner 2 weeks ago and they had Chivas, Crown Royal, Dewars, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet

This was only in one bar, different bars had different drinks

 

 

I see Ardbeg and Talisker on that menu which are very good single malts. Ardbeg is one of my favorites. Never saw it before on a cruise drink menu. Hope they have it next week on Harmony.

 

 

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[George C]

Rccl has a great selection of scotch’s chevis regal 18 year old is including in drink package. Many single malts 12 year old are included and of course they have really good stuff like Johnny Walker blue which is 21 year old which will cost a extra ten or so above what package cost,

[SRF]

18 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

To each their own taste but they had Macallan single malt last year and personally I find that one very drinkable. I plan on having some next week if the have. If not I am okay with Glenlivet or Glenfidich which they also had.

 

 

I don't drink any Speysides.  To me, they have a nasty, back of the tongue aftertaste.

 

I prefer highlands and islands.

[Charles4515]

  I don't drink any Speysides.  To me, they have a nasty, back of the tongue aftertaste.

 

I prefer highlands and islands.

 

 

The Mariner menu posted from the pub has Talisker which is an Island and Ardbeg which is an Isley. Don’t know if the menus are standard across the fleet or even in every bar on the same ship. There is a chance they could have one you could drink.....

 

 

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[SRF]

I have not seen Ardbeg on Grandeur.   Not sure about Talisker.

 

Ardbegs are one of my favorites (have over 20 different ones in my collection).   And Talisker will do. 😄 

[Balsam12]

I would also refuse the Johnny Red.

 

I prefer the Islay malts, with Laphroaig begin my preferred choice.

 

Not sure if it's allowed, but you could take an empty hip flask on board with you, then just before going back to your cabin to prepare for the evening meal, visit a bar and order a shot of whichever Scotch you choose, pour it into the flask, and then it's waiting for you when you get back to your cabin after dinner. Your wife could even order a shot of the Scotch... for herself of course.

 

If that's not allowed, you just take the glass of scotch back to the cabin with you.

[FPP777]

My advice to you is this. Before you cruise check out the deck plan and plot the deck/location of every bar. One the first day, as you stroll around, try to go by every bar and ask what they may have. You may find that different bars have different bottles. This way you know where to go when you want what you want.

 

I prefer a particular bourbon and found on my last two cruises only one bar on the ship had it. I plotted my course to pass that bar and the way to something so I could get what I like.

[shellunderwater]

Was on Freedom in November.  Greatly disappointed in the selections of whiskeys, bourbon and scotch.  Not saying anything wrong with what I found, but largely I thought it was average, not outstanding.  I was hoping from a 21 year scotch or a bourbon like Blantons.  I couldn't find anything and every bartender said that's all they had on the ship.  Just wanted something special to have before dinner, even if it was over the package allowance.

 

Now, that was sailing out of San Juan, and the guest mix might affect what they stock.

[Charles4515]

 

Now, that was sailing out of San Juan, and the guest mix might affect what they stock.

 

In my opinion it is to be expected that the selection on a mainstream cruise line is.....mainstream. I have noticed in the past that Oasis class has had a better selection. With that in mind I will try to take a survey of what is available on Harmony next week. My survey will probably be scotch centric though since I have never really gotten into bourbon.

 

 

 

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[PaperSniper4]

On 1/5/2019 at 10:00 AM, badaple92 said:

Not a scotch drinker but hubby gets Johnny Walker double black and Dewars 12 year on Anthem.  Not sure about other ships

Thanks. I believe those are shown on the menu I saw earlier. Either of those are okay with me.

[PaperSniper4]

On 1/5/2019 at 10:06 AM, SRF said:

Personally, there really aren't any drinkable Scotchs on RCCL ships.  😄

 

I know some people, not naming names, that will carry a rum runner with a bit of a GOOD whisky for a drink or two on the balcony before dinner. 

That remains an option....even it it means filling that Rum Runner from the ship's bar and taking it to our cabin. It's a PITA no mater how I do it. I wish ships would have a wider selection of booze, and also more sizes; on CCL I can only get a 1 liter bottle; on RCI only a .375l bottle. Now 1 liter is okay for a 7 day CCL cruise since I take along a Rum Runner to bring the excess home with me in my car after the cruise. But a .375 l bottle for a 10 days cruise? That's just nuts. I have long wanted cruise lines to consider a "Booze Surcharge" much like NCL and some others charge for wine.  Many of us are very particular about the spirits and wine we like, and on a cruise I just like to have my favorites with me.  I realize this is a complicated issue and its 90% the bottom line (i.e., $$$) but that 10% remains  - Let's please and attract our passengers.

[PaperSniper4]

On 1/5/2019 at 10:56 AM, drneal said:

I was on Mariner 2 weeks ago and they had Chivas, Crown Royal, Dewars, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet

This was only in one bar, different bars had different drinks

 

Thank you for posting that.

Wow - prices are up! I have been figuring $10 for a scotch I'd drink....looks like I'm a little low on that planning estimate. Ouch!

[PaperSniper4]

18 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

...... you could take an empty hip flask on board with you, then just before going back to your cabin to prepare for the evening meal, visit a bar and order a shot of whichever Scotch you choose, pour it into the flask, and then it's waiting for you when you get back to your cabin after dinner. ....

Yes, that is one of my alternate plans. I did that on another cruise for a similar reason. I just ordered 1 or 2 drinks a couple times during the day, took them untouched back to my room and dumped into the Rum Runner I'd brought on board with me. Worked fine once I had enough there for the remainder of the cruise. I only had to be careful not to spill my glasses on the way back to the cabin.....eventually figured out I could ask for "scotch, neat, in a tall glass". That worked great!

[Charles4515]

Was on Freedom in November.  Greatly disappointed in the selections of whiskeys, bourbon and scotch.  Not saying anything wrong with what I found, but largely I thought it was average, not outstanding.  I was hoping from a 21 year scotch or a bourbon like Blantons.  I couldn't find anything and every bartender said that's all they had on the ship.  Just wanted something special to have before dinner, even if it was over the package allowance.
 
Now, that was sailing out of San Juan, and the guest mix might affect what they stock.

On Harmony of the Seas now. They have Blanton’s in the pub.


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