Mixology and Other Alcohol Events

[EvieBug]

Experienced cruisers, I have a question please!

My husband drinks, I generally do not. I know these events are an added cost, and I have my suspicions of the answer already but I did want to ask. Is it possible for a non-drinker to attend these without paying, just to be able to be with their partner? Has anyone done this?

I am guessing the answer is no, as I can see how that might be tough to police. I'm just looking for a way we can do activities like this and still be together.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmouse37]

Not really. Each person has a set up in front of them so you would not even be able to sit next to him. You would have to sit over by the window. I went to 3 tastings on our last cruise and didn't see any non-drinking attendees.

MJ

 

[ladypiph]

This may be a special case but a friend of mine is a drinker her husband mainly like beer they both paid to go to the mixology class but he just gave her the drinks he made. I don't think you are required to drink them all either. Hope this helps!

 

[EvieBug]

Thanks to both of you - I suspected as much! I figured I can pay and just not drink my drinks, but that seems a bit silly. May end up doing that anyway. Thank you!

 

[hollypoast]

Thanks to both of you - I suspected as much! I figured I can pay and just not drink my drinks, but that seems a bit silly. May end up doing that anyway. Thank you!

My husband and I are not heavy drinkers... maybe 1-2 glasses of wine a month, and we both really enjoyed the Mixology class. The bartender was interesting and shared a lot of info about DCL bar operations, etc. Many of the drinks we made where 1/2 the size of normal drinks. I thought it was well worth the money, IMO.

 

[gumbypee]

Thanks to both of you - I suspected as much! I figured I can pay and just not drink my drinks, but that seems a bit silly. May end up doing that anyway. Thank you!

but I believe you could give YOUR drinks to him.

 

[cddrewski]

On my most recent cruise, I was waitlisted for a class that my boyfriend was confirmed for. I was not going to be charged for the class unless I was able to get a confirmed seat. Both the Cast Member at the time of the booking and the Bartender were fine with me sitting beside my boyfriend while he participated in the class and I watched.

 

[EvieBug]

My husband and I are not heavy drinkers... maybe 1-2 glasses of wine a month, and we both really enjoyed the Mixology class. The bartender was interesting and shared a lot of info about DCL bar operations, etc. Many of the drinks we made where 1/2 the size of normal drinks. I thought it was well worth the money, IMO.

Oh really? Half size seems better - that I could do (probably still just have a sip from each but thats fine) Somehow I thought I had read on here that folks practically staggered from this class, is that not correct? That's why giving him my drinks was not a preferred option either, as I don't really want him to be drunk after class!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Would there be an option to make non-alcoholic drinks?
I have the same issue. My husband drinks and I only drink a couple times per year. I would enjoy the class, but wouldn't drink much. I'm sure my husband would drink most of my drinks and yes, he would stumble afterward.

 

[princessmommyx3]

I went to a martini tasting once where there was a couple and the guy had bought a ticket but the girl had not because she didn't want to participate. They asked the bartender if she could sit next to him and watch and the bartender said that it was fine. There were only a few people at this tasting however, so space was not an issue. Maybe it is a case by case basis depending on how crowded it is?

 

[hollypoast]

Oh really? Half size seems better - that I could do (probably still just have a sip from each but thats fine) Somehow I thought I had read on here that folks practically staggered from this class, is that not correct? That's why giving him my drinks was not a preferred option either, as I don't really want him to be drunk after class!

Here is the picture of us at the event. You can see the size of the martini we made (glass in my hand)... pretty little. We didn't finish every drink we made but I drank approx. half of all and I was by no means stumbling out the door at the end. Now, if you put some effort into it and really wanted to get your money's worth you probably could get pretty "snockered". They play some drinking games with select people in the group so don't offer to volunteer for any of the games and you'll be fine.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I did the chocolate class on the magic a couple weeks ago and there was a couple where the wife was not going to participate and just watch. Did not seem to be an issue at all. However everything looks so good she changed her mind and they made a set up for her and added her to the tasting!

 

[krhardy]

We have done this in the past...I don't like beer...another friend doesn't like champagne. They simply move the setup you won't be using. It's not advertised, but it is doable.

 

[EvieBug]

Wow, thanks all!

 

[jpeka65844]

We've done a Mixology, a whiskey tasting, and a martini tasting. Easily the best $$ we spent on the ship. This next one we want to try champagne and/or chocoloate/liqueur.

The martini tasting got WAY OUT OF HAND; we were a rowdy bunch of random people who wound up having a lot in common. The bartender lost control of the room but was a good sport and we all had a great time!

One caution: Do NOT attend a DVC presentation directly after any alcohol tasting event. You will come home much much poorer than you arrived.

 

[tobikaye]

...Somehow I thought I had read on here that folks practically staggered from this class, is that not correct? ...

These might be people who did multiple drink events in a row in the same day, people that had started drinking before the event, or lightweights. I was a little lightheaded after my Mixology, but I had drank some of my dad's drinks and did not eat much lunch before hand.

 

[kiford]

I think you'll find that it's up to whoever is running the class. We've had people turned away asking that very same question. We've also had people who did pay to come although they weren't really drinkers and sometimes they passed their drinks to their partner(s). In the mixology classes we've done and the martini one, not everyone drank all of their drinks because there were some that they didn't like. In a cognac tasting we did, one woman clearly did not like cognac at all but had come with a party of people so participated so as not to be left out. She tried everything, made faces at most of them, gave her (hilarious) assessment of what she thought they tasted like and passed them off to the rest of her party. She had fun, though, and said that she learned a lot. The classes are not that expensive, so you can pay and just give each one a try. Bottom line - you may or may not be allowed to stay without paying.

 

[JW9DVC]

Thanks to both of you - I suspected as much! I figured I can pay and just not drink my drinks, but that seems a bit silly. May end up doing that anyway. Thank you!

Your partners get to double fist the drinks. Win win for all.

 

[chamberlain]

We loved the mixology class we took and we aren't big drinkers. Some drinks we just took a sip of just to see what it was like. If we said we were done with that drink they would take it away no problem, then on to the next one. If I were you I would ask about a non-alcoholic option. Some of our group got pretty loaded at our class but I think they had been drinking before they even got there.

 

[rcchello]

My wife is a non-drinker and has attended all of the classes with me without paying. Depending on the setup in the room she either pulled up a chair near me, sat next to on the couch or had to sit a few yards away. She usually brings her nook to read, if she has to sit away from me. After the whiskey tasting it was nice having a designated walker, so I could get back to the stateroom without getting lost .