Happy Hour Special: Holland America’s Sangria

In true cruise spirit, every evening this week, we’ll be offering up special happy hour recipes for you to imbibe at your leisure. With Friday approaching, we thought a nice glass of sangria would help mellow you out. Of course, this isn’t any sangria — it’s Holland America‘s jazzed up version. The original version of Spanish sangria is simply made with assorted fruit, dry red wine, some sugar and a splash of club soda. But HAL makes it a bit more potent with the addition of triple sec and brandy. The mixture sits for at least two hours and is served chilled in a large wine glass. Since the flavor of the wine gets muddled by the fruit and the addition of the other liquors, there’s no need to splurge on an expensive bottle, which makes this an affordable option for a party. Be sure to check back tomorrow for a recipe from Royal Caribbean.

Now tell us: What’s your drink of choice? Cocktail, wine, beer or something non-alcoholic? Tell us in the comments below — by November 10 at 6 p.m. EST — for your chance to win a Holland America cooler pack (perfect for keeping a few beers cold) and a Cruise Critic T-shirt.

Get the 411 on cruise booze in our Guide to Drinking at Sea, including 7 Ways to Score Free Drinks and 5 Cruise Lines That Let You BYOB.

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80 Responses to “Happy Hour Special: Holland America’s Sangria”

1. Lauren
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:01 pm

   As much as I love a delicious Strawberry Daiquiri, I cannot pass up a Diet Coke.

2. rhonda
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:02 pm

   Most days an ice cold beer.

3. Beth Donnelly
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:02 pm

   My drink of choice is a Pina Colada!

4. Beth Donnelly
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:03 pm

   pina colada!!

5. Christine raker
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:03 pm

   Nothing like a dirty banana to wet my whistle! Yum yum.

6. Beth Donnelly
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:03 pm

   pina colada!

7. LAURIE Hopper
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:03 pm

   Cocktail, love me a good Foo Foo Drink!!!

8. Huw Headd-Williams
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:04 pm

   Yellow Bird Cocktail

9. Lisa K.
   November 10th, 2011 @ 5:04 pm

   Miami Vice!

10. Jennifer Slovick
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:04 pm

    Margarita w/salt

11. Leah
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:05 pm

    Drink of the day while by the pool. Dinner a glass of wine.

12. Marilyn
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:05 pm

    Cocktail while cruising. They just naturally go together.

13. Jill Alley-deBeaupre
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:05 pm

    Sangria sounds fine! However, I am always anxious to get onboard and order a Miami Vice to start off a great vacation!!

14. wendy
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:06 pm

    I like to try the cocktails .

15. Brenda Bradford
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:07 pm

    While cruising, I prefer cocktails over beer and wine. Especially any kind of rum drink.

16. danita conte
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:07 pm

    my drink of choice depends on my mood, setting and time of day. Bloody Mary’s for breakfast, Rum & diet after work, frozen mudslide or margarita by the pool, ice tea with lunch, wine with dinner. Bailey’s & coffee in the morning or late at night.

17. Susan willis
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:07 pm

    Hendrick’s gin on the rocks is my favorite but this sangria recipe sounds tasty too!

18. Michael Combs
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:08 pm

    My favorite is KISS ON MY LIPS – and maybe it’s because it’s usually a cutie serving it!

19. Susan Gilliamsen
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:08 pm

    A yummy tropical cocktail by the pool!

20. Kimberly Mc
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:09 pm

    On our last cruise (Emerald Princes – Trans-Atlantic) I discovered “Beverly Hills Iced Tea” it’s similar to a Long Island Iced Tea, but has Champagne in it instead of coke. YUM!

21. Mike
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:13 pm

    Nothing like an ice cold Corona!!

22. Jessica Price
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:13 pm

    My drink of choice is Mountain Dew. Since most of the cruises I have been on only serve Coke products I usually have to bring a pack of my own.

23. Larry Hanken
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:13 pm

    I prefer a Beafeeter Martini on the rocks with a twist, hold the olive. It does the job quickly and effectively.

24. Melissa
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:14 pm

    Cocktail…something fruity and frozen Maybe a Bahama Mama or Coco Loco!

25. Cindy Harmon
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:14 pm

    vodka/energy drink..yum yum

26. Cindy Harmon
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:15 pm

    vodka/ enery drink yum yum

27. Craig
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:15 pm

    sounds good.

28. Matthew
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:15 pm

    Carib beer

29. Ron StCharles
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:16 pm

    Yum, Yum !!!

30. karen cruizilla
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:17 pm

    I’m strictly a coffee and water GIRL!!!

31. Kathy McNulty
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:18 pm

    I’m usually a lite-beer kind of gal, but when I get on a cruise ship I do enjoy ordering something fruity, blended, and pretty! Miami Vice comes to mind..pina colada and strawberry daqueri swirled into a glass…yum!

32. Tracey
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:18 pm

    I LOVE a Dirty Monkey…..if you have the recipe please share it…

33. Alyson
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm

    A minty, lime Mojito is a must when cruising the Caribbean!

34. Mark Anderson
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm

    A nice craft beer will do me fine, thank you.

35. Cindy
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:20 pm

    what is a dirty banana?

36. Lorie McGuire
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:20 pm

    I like Grey Goose Vodka and a splash of cranberry juice with a squeeze of lime for my cocktail

37. Mary
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:21 pm

    Ice cold beer for me!

38. Mary
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:22 pm

    Ice cold beer for me

39. Pam Guariglia
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:23 pm

    Vodka and Tonic with a fat wedge of lime. Ahhhh….the perfect cruise adult beverage.

40. Kellie Weaver
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:28 pm

    I start off with the sail away drink of the day. Then I have 3 choices after that either a Sangria with fresh fruit in it, then a mojito or a pina colada. Non alcoholic would be a Diet Coke with lime or lemon.

41. julianne smith
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:30 pm

    Give me anything cool,served on the back deck,feeling a cool tropical wind in the Caribbean.

42. Brad
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:31 pm

    A Wang Wang from any HAL ship or a BBC

43. unissa lumsden
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:31 pm

    While cruising sipping on a long island with orange slice and cherries as garnishments….Yum Yum what a way to cruise.

44. Jo
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:32 pm

    Pina colada and anything tropical

45. julianne smith
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:33 pm

    Give anything to drink that is cool and being served on the back deck and feeling the cool tropical wind in the Caribbean

46. Shelley
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:33 pm

    Margaritas are my favorite but Sangria is great along with any of the Rum frozen drinks on the ship.. yum!

47. Diane
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:33 pm

    Wow, I do love Sangria, so I will be trying out the recipe! My favorite is the Jim Beam Stag (cherry overtones) and Mtn Dew or a good Dirty Martini!

48. Lisa Roberts
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:34 pm

    Wheat beer by choice, if it is wine then sangria, hard liquer give me a shot of whiskey. Now that sounds like a plan, a drink in hand, Cruise Critic t-shirt on and a cooler to keep the others cold while I’m hanging by the pool..Whoop, Whoop!

49. julianne smith
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:35 pm

    give me anything that is cool to drink and served to me on the back deck and feeling a cool tropical wind in the Caribbean

50. Joanne Flanagan
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:38 pm

    Love my virgin screwdrivers and bloody marys.

51. Tom W
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:45 pm

    Martini du jour!! My choice depends on the mood, with espresso, limoncello and lemon drop among the favorites and an occasional chocolate depending on the ingredients.

52. Gail Murphy
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:50 pm

    Cosmopolitan…..yummmm…..but have to have the drink of the day on the cruises!!! Its a MUST!!

53. Joseph
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:54 pm

    Simple! Shirley Temple with extra cherries and lemon wedges!!!!!!!

54. Denise Viorde
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:56 pm

    Do love Sangria but prefer it using white wine!

55. Karen
    November 10th, 2011 @ 5:56 pm

    Can’t do red wine. Gives me an instant headache. Can anyone tell me why?

56. Cruise Critic
    November 10th, 2011 @ 6:02 pm

    The winner is … Christine Raker. Christine’s drink of choice is a ‘dirty banana to wet her whistle!’ Congrats on picking up some sweet swag.

57. Vinnie Phares
    November 10th, 2011 @ 7:08 pm

    Sangria is my weakness ! OMG

58. Sasha
    November 11th, 2011 @ 3:39 am

    HAL Sangria sounds great, I’ll have to try it it 3 weeks. But I do like my Bailey’s on the rocks.

59. heather rimmer
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:06 am

    Mud Slide cocktail – all that chocolate !!!!

60. wendy
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:08 am

    I like to try all of the cocktails

61. rich m
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:14 am

    A nice ice cold heinekin

62. Jim Kious
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:29 am

    Make mine a Cuba Libra…Bacardi, Coke, with a twist of lime.

63. Sherry
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:31 am

    COFFEE…. and a little sum sum added depending the mood/time of day… <3

64. Sherry
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:34 am

    nfansl 171

65. Daryll D
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:36 am

    Love a nice microbrew beer.

66. Patty
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:52 am

    Oh I love my margaritas on a trip!

67. Heidi
    November 11th, 2011 @ 7:59 am

    Would love to have Sangria…but it’s only 8AM and I’m at work….

68. ann
    November 11th, 2011 @ 8:00 am

    Margarita please!

69. Cheryl Lesage
    November 11th, 2011 @ 8:31 am

    I learned to make Sangria on LaRamblas in Barcelona. This recipe sounds close enough to make me want to whip up a pitcher.

70. Sue
    November 11th, 2011 @ 8:33 am

    Drink of choice? Wow that is easy! Sex on the Beach! Even my husband likes it!

71. Toni
    November 11th, 2011 @ 8:44 am

    Cuba Libre but made with Diet Coke.

72. Nancy
    November 11th, 2011 @ 8:48 am

    Love my martinis!

73. Stan Sorochman
    November 11th, 2011 @ 9:27 am

    Sam Adams Boston Lager, pulled from my cooler full of crushed ice.

74. Karen Wemett
    November 11th, 2011 @ 5:08 pm

    Ice Cold Boddington’s

75. Huw Headd-Williams
    November 11th, 2011 @ 5:10 pm

    Normally around 3 am when the nightclub has finished and the ship is all quiet with no one wandering around.

76. Shannon
    November 11th, 2011 @ 5:16 pm

    The wee hours of the morning!

77. Terry Edwards
    November 11th, 2011 @ 5:18 pm

    I would stay up all night if there were enough things to do! On my last cruise, everything pretty much stopped after midnight. (Except for the stroby dance party, which I did not have THAT much energy for!)

78. Chyrie Moore
    November 11th, 2011 @ 5:20 pm

    When I can no longer prop my eyelips open with unbrellas picks from the drinks.

79. Melody
    November 16th, 2011 @ 7:59 pm

    Mojitos in the crow’s nest on the Rotterdam going thru the Panama Canal.

80. Dan
    June 27th, 2012 @ 7:37 pm

    Equal parts Midori and Stoli in a rocks glass over ice, either that or Dr. Pepper.

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