Your favourite drinks on HAL ships

[ellieanne]

For alcoholic drinks, I'm pretty simple. I really like a Campari & Soda or Campari & Grapefruit Juice.
Holland America has such a nice selection of non-alcoholic mixed drinks. It makes me feel really fancy when I want something mixed drink-ish. My go-to is the Fresh Grapefruit Not-a-Cosmo. (I really love grapefruit juice!) But if I'm feeling something different, I'll pick the non-alcoholic Mojito, though sometimes I find the muddled mint to be overwhelming and I'm picking it out of my teeth like spinach.
I tried the mixed Lemonades on my most recent cruise and I think I may have found a new favorite for relaxing on the Lido deck.
I'm much more adventurous when I have the "Magic Drink Card." When I have to pay for my own drinks, I usually stick to the tea, lemonade, water and juice available in the Lido.
Though my Husband swears the lemonade when you come back from a day ashore is different and so much better than the lemonade in the Lido. it is quite refreshing, but I don't notice it's all that different.

[alwaysfrantic]

I actually didn’t love any of them.  I love trying specialty cocktails in restaurants.  I never found one on HAL that I wanted to order again.  I thought there would be better drinks and choices.  I will enjoy seeing the replies here in hopes I find a favorite for next trip. 

[robotpony]

On 10/19/2023 at 3:00 AM, ski ww said:

Wang Wang

This is our favourite sweet drink too. I've only seen it charged as a single, but it's usually free-poured and a bit more generous than the average drink. We've also found that staff are entertained when anyone orders it, as it's a favourite in the staff bar (and "wang wang" is slang for the sound an ambulance makes when you've had too many).

 

I generally stick to gin and soda outside of a few splurge sweet drinks. Holland America has a special anniversary gin (De Ligne?) that is quite nice.

 

My partner usually has a few sweet drinks before dinner, and occasionally an espresso martini from the Crow's nest that she really enjoys.

[RedneckBob]

Any drink with alcohol! 

[Greysandy]

Most of them are too sweet for my palate, but my favorite so far is the Penicillin, made typically the best in the Ocean bar. It can be terrible if made incorrectly (like we had in just about every other bar).

 

• 2 ounces blended scotch

• 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 3/4 ounce honey-ginger syrup*

• 1/4 ounce Islay single malt scotch

• Garnish: candied ginger

[Duane S.]

hoping to. get a cable car Ala the Bellagio in Vegas, spiced rum, cointreau, sweet and sour, orange twist in a cinnamon sugar rimmed glass. as smooth as kool aid and addictive. love them.

 

[CruisingAndDiving]

Can't go wrong with a single malt scotch!  Pina Colada is also a great daytime drink!

[Gibbie42]

I drank Patron Palomas all night from Billboard on Board. The acid from the grapefruit juice was perfect for cutting through the rich meal we'd just had at the MDR. 

[Crazy For Cats]

My vote is for Mango Champagne Dream.

[RD64]

A De Lijn gin and tonic - truly the best gin ever. Anything made with De Lijn gin is exceptional.

 

Mind you I also enjoy a good Negroni - especially if Benji at the Ocean Bar on the Noordam is making them.

[sciencewonk]

I only drink wine (alcoholic) or diet coke (non-alcoholic), but my DW's favorite drink is the cocktail of the day.

[mawvkysc]

Do they sell the De Lijn gin in the onboard shop?

[Banditswife]

When we have a drink pkg I like to try the drink of the day or a non alcoholic mojito.  But my all time fave is a caramel latte (iced or not) from the Grand Dutch Cafe on ships that have GDC.

[RD64]

23 minutes ago, mawvkysc said:

Do they sell the De Lijn gin in the onboard shop?

Yes they do - however - by the time I discovered it on Day 3 of a B2B cruise to Alaska in August it was already sold out in the shops. It would not be replenished until the return to Vancouver, so sadly none for me to purchase. That being said, I did spend the next eleven days drinking De Lijn.

 

There are also several drinks made with DeLijn - found on the last page of the drink menu. I have been struggling to recall - but I believe one was called the Rembrandtini - or something like that that had a Dutch cultural significance - very , very good but I did find it strong.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

Whiskey Collins + Dry red wine, Syrah was the best on our last cruise.

[whogo]

Beer.

 

It's not just for breakfast anymore.

[PalmSprings]

The Rotterdam Martinez is really nice. . . . .cheers.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Lemon drop. 

[PolythenePam57]

Miami Vice.

[MikeD4134]

The FREE ones.  I love free stuff.

[BetsyS.]

I ordered a Metropolitan on the Zuiderdam this summer from the Pinnacle Grill bar. 

It is similar to a Cosmopolitan and it has Chambord added. The bartender was Jury.

A nice drink.

[fabuloso]

Trader Vic's Mai Tai.

Bloody Ceasar in the morning.