How are the drinks on Panorama?

[IcanSeaclearlynow]

We were on Horizon last April and the drinks had no kick, even at the usually wonderful Alchemy.   I don’t drink to get drunk but do like to get my $ worth and be able to taste my rum or vodka.  For recent Panorama cruisers, how have the drinks been?  

[lincdax]

38 minutes ago, IcanSeaclearlynow said:

We were on Horizon last April and the drinks had no kick, even at the usually wonderful Alchemy.   I don’t drink to get drunk but do like to get my $ worth and be able to taste my rum or vodka.  For recent Panorama cruisers, how have the drinks been?  

Always tasted the alcohol in my drinks.  My wife had one which she was dissapointed in.  It came from the Tides pool bar pretty late on a slow night.

[coevan]

We always get hefty pours, but never order slushy drinks. 

[crzndeb]

That’s why I drink martini’s...I can taste the alcohol.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

That’s why I drink martini’s...I can taste the alcohol.

 
On a related note, that’s one good thing about drinking beer on a ship, you know exactly what you are getting alcohol wise.  I have never had a bad pour of beer at any bar on the ship, although I have been accused of drinking “water” when ordering a light beer. 

[Ak4n3]

I always thought Iced Tea of the Long Island persuasion is the best bang for your buck.  Alexis in the Piano Bar (Panorama) tried to kill me.  😜 (love her, though!)

[sanmarcosman]

5 hours ago, coevan said:

We always get hefty pours, but never order slushy drinks. 

Were the pours heftier or the same on the Panorama? 

Edited January 21, 2020 by sanmarcosman

[mexicobob]

On any ship, sometimes it helps to tip the bartender WELL the first few times. Assuming you are planning on going back to the same location.

[coevan]

I doubt the ship has anything to do with how a bartender pours. They have no reason to short pour, not like they get the profits. They want your tips, tip and you'll always get a good pour

[Jim and Monika]

I would have to say the ship does not matter. What matters is the individual bartenders. I have had some that precisely make sure they don't give a drop more than the shot which usually gave me less, and others that over pour into the glass. I do tip with each drink and select the bartenders that give me the most bang. I will say, I'm under the impression that the shots on Carnival are not 1 1/2 ounces. I have no proof other than the "strength" of some drinks even with an over poor. We never get drinks from a server, we order at the bars to get a connection with the bartender, and of course to see the drinks being made.

[coevan]

1 minute ago, mexicobob said:

On any ship, sometimes it helps to tip the bartender WELL the first few times. Assuming you are planning on going back to the same location.

great minds think alike

 

[john91498]

I usually take a picture of my bartender on the first pour of the cruise. I have him hold up the shot like he's offering it to me. I've never been given a bad pour...lol...

[crzndeb]

So if somebody is getting a bigger pour, for whatever reason,  somebody is getting a shorter pour. They are watched pretty closely on this, and everything is a calculation. And some of the bartenders are so experienced, they can free pour and get it just right.

 

Recently on the Splendor, several of us were talking about the decanters they use to pour the wine into the glass. They were marked with a 6oz. line. He said he had been called in to talk to a higher up, about the wine pours. Seems like the previous decanters were marked incorrectly, so guests were getting more than 6oz. They had to completely reorder the decanters. 

Edited January 22, 2020 by crzndeb

[coevan]

1 hour ago, crzndeb said:

So if somebody is getting a bigger pour, for whatever reason,  somebody is getting a shorter pour.

 

 

I don't buy this argument. I never have seen anyone watching them. 

[sanmarcosman]

Lots of eyes in the sky on the ships, they watch like hawks.

Edited January 22, 2020 by sanmarcosman

[crzndeb]

47 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

I don't buy this argument. I never have seen anyone watching them. 

They don’t have to watch them...they know exactly how many bottles are used and all drinks are in a computer....it’s simple math. Everything is computerized and inventoried.

[jdemps]

I thought the idea of a good mixed drink from Alchemy was to not taste the alcohol but it's definitely in there.  The cucumber sunrise is delicious and when you watch them make it, there is around 2 ounces of booze in there but you can't really taste it.  

[coevan]

15 hours ago, crzndeb said:

They don’t have to watch them...they know exactly how many bottles are used and all drinks are in a computer....it’s simple math. Everything is computerized and inventoried.

 

 

I have been in the business for over 40 years. They have no idea if they are pouring an ounce or 2 ounces. When factoring  in Cheers, I can't see any way to get an accurate liquor cost. The computer only tells them what drink they sell, not how much liquor was in it. I can tell you for sure our up martinis had 3 oz of vodka and an oz of vermouth. Not Carnival, but in land restaurants the saying is " it's not whether a bartender steals, only how much" Giving a friend a beer and pocketing a $2 tip is stealing.

[jdemps]

31 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

I have been in the business for over 40 years. They have no idea if they are pouring an ounce or 2 ounces. When factoring  in Cheers, I can't see any way to get an accurate liquor cost. The computer only tells them what drink they sell, not how much liquor was in it. I can tell you for sure our up martinis had 3 oz of vodka and an oz of vermouth. Not Carnival, but in land restaurants the saying is " it's not whether a bartender steals, only how much" Giving a friend a beer and pocketing a $2 tip is stealing.

Most inventory systems have the recipe for every drink so they know what should be used vs what is actually used.

[coevan]

I have never seen any P.O.S with recipes

[mexicobob]

8 hours ago, jdemps said:

I thought the idea of a good mixed drink from Alchemy was to not taste the alcohol but it's definitely in there.  The cucumber sunrise is delicious and when you watch them make it, there is around 2 ounces of booze in there but you can't really taste it.  

The cucumber sunrise is a reason I like to cruise with Carnival.

[BaronArroz]

Am I the only one who doesn't like a super heavy pour? I like my drinks to be balanced, not burn my throat. 

Also, Carnival has never watered things down like Royal- after a week on that ship I thought I had a high alcohol tolerance. One drink on land and nope, it was their weak drinks.

 

[Joebucks]

As with most big companies, they are taught to control their pour. Most of the time I noticed they use a jigger to measure the alcohol. Maybe an extra second or so pour if you've had a good relationship with the bartender.

[pacruise804]

On 1/21/2020 at 7:27 PM, crzndeb said:

So if somebody is getting a bigger pour, for whatever reason,  somebody is getting a shorter pour. They are watched pretty closely on this, and everything is a calculation. And some of the bartenders are so experienced, they can free pour and get it just right.

 

Recently on the Splendor, several of us were talking about the decanters they use to pour the wine into the glass. They were marked with a 6oz. line. He said he had been called in to talk to a higher up, about the wine pours. Seems like the previous decanters were marked incorrectly, so guests were getting more than 6oz. They had to completely reorder the decanters. 

I'd never really considered this before.  If there is truth that those who tip get better service ("regular" customers being ignored so they can rush to the tipper) and they get heavy pours which are made up by those only paying the 18% gratuity (it is hard to imagine a company the size of Carnival doesn't track cost of goods sold and wouldn't notice overuse of alcohol), then we are back to a class system on ships. 

 

 

On 1/22/2020 at 12:42 PM, coevan said:

 

 

I have been in the business for over 40 years. They have no idea if they are pouring an ounce or 2 ounces. When factoring  in Cheers, I can't see any way to get an accurate liquor cost. The computer only tells them what drink they sell, not how much liquor was in it. I can tell you for sure our up martinis had 3 oz of vodka and an oz of vermouth. Not Carnival, but in land restaurants the saying is " it's not whether a bartender steals, only how much" Giving a friend a beer and pocketing a $2 tip is stealing.

 

On 1/22/2020 at 5:04 PM, coevan said:

I have never seen any P.O.S with recipes

Do you truly not know how much inventory was used in your sales?  You wouldn't notice if an employee was giving more food in an order than what the order calls for, even though your receipt would only say "burger & fries" (picture you've shared) and not 6 oz meat, etc.?

[glrounds]

Also wanted to include but wasn't allowed to: (time)

 

Having said that, I did have occasion to enjoy a couple drinks at the P&D party last week on the PANORAMA. WOW ! As best as I could find out they were serving a slushy, sweet Margarita w/o salt that was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I enjoyed several later in the casino bar and found out what they were. They certainly weren't short-pouring these, but maybe because it's the "inaugural season" as they repeat constantly ad infinitum.