Cruise ships are a popular option for travelers around the world. The ship’s set itinerary, bountiful amenities, and onboard entertainment make it an easy choice for vacation-seekers who want to take a trip without spending time making a personal travel plan.
For all their benefits, however, manifold things can go wrong on the boat. For example, one internet user claimed that her cruise threw her bag into the ocean. Another documented how their cruise ship became flooded with water just before their trip was over.
Still, for everything that can go wrong on a cruise ship, there’s still plenty to do, eat, and drink onboard, making the experience entertaining. That said, there’s always a chance that the drinks are not as they appear. This was recently alleged by TikTok user Aubs (@onlyaubss) in a video with over 832,000 views.
Does Royal Caribbean water down their drinks?
According to Aubs, her Royal Caribbean trip on the boat Symphony of the Seas was a “hot mess.” It included schedule changes due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. Still, she was managing to have a good time, even finding a bar onboard with a musician that she liked.
However, upon visiting the musician a second night, something strange happened. Her group ordered shots of Jameson, which she states in the caption cost $11 each.
First, when the drinks arrived, they were clear—a stark contrast to Jameson’s famously golden-brown color. Second, the glasses contained only a small amount of liquid. Then, the aroma of the shot came as a surprise.
“I always smell my drinks, and I was like, ‘Weird, this [doesn’t], like, have a smell’—like…alcohol is a strong smell,” Aubs says.
Upon taking the shots, the group realized that they had been served water, not alcohol.
Demanding answers
Confused, the group approached the bartenders, who immediately began “scurrying trying to figure out what happened.” Eventually, Aubs says the staff apologized and brought out proper shots, but that still left her wondering how this could have occurred in the first place.
While the group continued to return to that bar, and Aubs noted the compassionate and watchful care of the staff in subsequent visits, she couldn’t shake the question of how such an incident could have happened. She was told that an investigation would be taking place to determine the cause of the issue.
Finally, she says she was given a card instructing them to contact the staff to follow up on the investigation. The conclusion she was told? “The shots were delivered to our table without being ‘ready to go,’” she says.
“My husband had to explain to them what needs to be done to a shot of straight liquor,” Aubs says in her video. “Nothing needs to be made. You pour it out into the cup.”
This led Aubs to believe that the alcohol on the ship was being watered down.
“Since their investigation showed the shots weren’t done, I fully believe that Royal Caribbean is diluting the alcohol that they’re serving—and charging an up price, of course, which makes sense,” she states.
As a result of this experience, she says that she’s unsure about whether she’ll take a cruise again.
What do other Royal Caribbean sailors say?
While this may have been the case on Aubs’ cruise, other Royal Caribbean travelers are divided on whether the cruise ships water down their drinks.
In a Reddit discussion on the topic, many users claimed they hadn’t had the same experience, stating that people who believe they’ve gotten a light drink might simply be used to heavier pours they make at home or get in local bars.
That said, others in the thread and on various online discussion forums have alleged that their drinks tasted weaker than they are used to, or did not have the impact on their sobriety that they would expect, leading them to believe that they had been served diluted drinks.
@onlyaubss this sailing of tbe symphony of the seas with @Royal Caribbean is a hot mess. and on top of it theyre serving $11 shots that are 2 parts water #cruising #royalcaribbean #symphonyoftheseas ♬ original sound – Aubs
Commenters offer explanations
In the comments section, users offered other reasons why the cruise may have served them water instead of alcohol.
“Bartender here! Sometimes we keep a fake bottle of ‘liquor’ (water) behind the bar to pour ourselves ‘shots’ to take with guests (so we don’t get too drunk on the job). So it COULD have been a mistake,” a user suggested.
“Bartenders will sometimes serve water when people over drink. Maybe it was sent to the wrong table,” added another.
“Sounds like maybe the shot glasses had just been washed and that water could have been leftover dishwater,” wrote a third. “Whoever brought it maybe didn’t know what it was and just saw liquid so thought it was ready.”
That said, others alleged that they’ve experienced similarly watered-down drinks on cruise ships.
“IMO, ALL cruise ships does this. We sailed on Carnival last December and I started getting shots because the drinks were not doing anything,” a commenter said. “The shots were watered down as well!”
“Yeh normally I can’t drive after I have 2 drinks in a restaurant. On RC cruise I had 4 daiquiries on an empty stomach,” stated a second. “The whole world should have been spinning and I felt nothing.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Royal Caribbean and Aubs via email.
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