Educate me on the Alchemy Bar

[l8cruiser]

I have read about the alchemy bar and how great it is. What makes it so great. We haven’t sailed in 6 years. 

[boomhower]

It’s a more upscale bar. The bar tenders there will create custom drinks to suite your taste. They have access to ingredients other bars don’t.  Of course their are sole bar tenders better than others but in general the Alchemy bar tenders are outstanding. 

[coevan]

There is a bar menu specific to the Alchemy Bar, drinks you won't find anywhere on the ship. The Cucumber Cocktail is to die for.

[mdsgu]

It's a great little bar and usually tucked away (at least on the Dream).  It's more upscale than most of the other bars onboard, and the cocktails a little more expensive (but still covered by Cheers).  Definitely a great place to hang out.

[moondog73]

The main thing is they actually use fresh ingredients as everything is made from scratch.  No mixes!!!

[katstoy]

Only bar on the ship with blue cheese stuffed olives for us dirty martini lovers!

[ProgRockCruiser]

As mentioned, it is a specialty (alcoholic) drink bar, serving upscale martinis, sidecars, and all kinds of variations of unique-recipe cocktails.

 

They do not serve beer.

 

The menu they offer is full of very interesting drinks.  The "mixologists" (not bartenders) are very friendly and even more knowledgeable, and will be able to tailor or create a drink upon your request.

 

The drink-making is a show unto itself.  A classy show full of twirling air-thrown shakers and drinks all lined up, not a coyote-ugly type show.

 

It is, by far, my favorite bar on Carnival ships.  My upcoming cruise on Elation will not feature this bar, but hopefully I will make do with Gatsby's Great Bar.

[crewsweeper]

And to add to all the accolades....the mixologists usually run a course or two on mixing drinks and on blending scotch.  Either one are great to go to, you learn a lot and you imbibe the results!

[MauiWowie57]

They are very good bartenders; Carnival really worked on developing a coherent theme, providing some excellent training, and stocking these particular bars with outstanding, fresh ingredients.  

I just completed a HAL cruise last December, and was again reminded that although they have "good" bartenders - Carnival Alchemy mixologists are world-class.

Here's a simple litmus test - sit down at a bar and order a "Vesper." (That's James Bond 'shaken not stirred,' 1 pt vodka-2 pts gin with Lillet dry vermouth and a twist, not an olive). If you get a fuzzy look ... not a world class professional bartender. 

[ricew001]

I personally didn't like it. Hubby drinks only Crown and Coke so he was out of luck while I waited for them to make me a drink that was awful. And the bartender acted personally insulted when I didn't like the drink. Very hard to get waited on. I just wasn't impressed and don't see what all the hoopla is about.

 

I much preferred the great bartenders at the Serenity Deck. 

[Saint Greg]

[dmet0225]

Holy smokes, Saint Greg.  Were those just last week on the Vista?  I discovered the Alchemy on the Glory last year in the middle of the cruise, and had, at most, 2 per day.  I plan on taking full advantage on the Freedom in July!

 

 

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, dmet0225 said:

Holy smokes, Saint Greg.  Were those just last week on the Vista?  I discovered the Alchemy on the Glory last year in the middle of the cruise, and had, at most, 2 per day.  I plan on taking full advantage on the Freedom in July!

 

 

 

Those are some of last weeks drinks and some of decembers dream drinks. The bottom ones being some of last weeks. They weren't nearly as fancy as the dream team. I've got a lot more on file here.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Saint Greg

[Bob Bob]

Some ships were testing a small food menu at the bar.

Are they still doing that?

[Saint Greg]

Just now, Bob Bob said:

Some ships were testing a small food menu at the bar.

Are they still doing that?

 

It's on Vista

 

[Saint Greg]

25 minutes ago, dmet0225 said:

Holy smokes, Saint Greg.  Were those just last week on the Vista?  I discovered the Alchemy on the Glory last year in the middle of the cruise, and had, at most, 2 per day.  I plan on taking full advantage on the Freedom in July!

 

 

 

I'll be hitting Glory in August. But I'll usually have 1 or 2 before dinner..then more in the evening. On Dream we always had a crew that closed down Alchemy. Vista was a little different. 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Saint Greg

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Those are some of last weeks drinks and some of decembers dream drinks. The bottom ones being some of last weeks. They weren't nearly as fancy as the dream team. I've got a lot more on file here.

 

I thought that was just a routine night for you at Alchemy 😊. I would definitely be drinking like that if the Eagles ever lost two playoff games in two consecutive years the way the Saints have. I don’t like the Saints, but I do feel bad for the heartbreak Saints fans have endured the last two seasons. 

[mexicobob]

7 hours ago, coevan said:

There is a bar menu specific to the Alchemy Bar, drinks you won't find anywhere on the ship. The Cucumber Cocktail is to die for.

Agree. The Cucumber Cocktail is worth going on a cruise for, and have booked a cruise with that reason in mind.  

[Joebucks]

17 minutes ago, mexicobob said:

Agree. The Cucumber Cocktail is worth going on a cruise for, and have booked a cruise with that reason in mind.  

 

On my last cruise, I had to use my last night free cocktail, and nothing sounded good. I had one of those, and it was very light and refreshing.

 

The alchemy is a real treat. Great quality drinks. The mixologists there are some of the best on the ship. I can only drink so many of those sugary drinks though. 

[schazzy]

10 hours ago, Joebucks said:

The alchemy is a real treat. Great quality drinks. The mixologists there are some of the best on the ship. I can only drink so many of those sugary drinks though. 

 

I agree with this, and with the exception of one drink I didn't like, which really was my fault for ordering the Alchemist's Sidecar just because the characters in my book were drinking them, I have liked everything else I've had.

 

But, I have gotten a before or after dinner drink there only a few times each cruise because they are pretty sweet and like you, I can only drink so many sugary drinks.

[schazzy]

16 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

My upcoming cruise on Elation will not feature this bar, but hopefully I will make do with Gatsby's Great Bar.

 

Yeah, I noticed that the Elation wasn't given an Alchemy bar, which isn't a deal breaker for me, but it looks like from what I've seen, Gatsby's bar has pretty much the same menu as the atrium bar, but I did read they still have a martini tasting available.

 

16 hours ago, katstoy said:

Only bar on the ship with blue cheese stuffed olives for us dirty martini lovers!

 

I saw a bar menu for the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and there was a martini listed that had the blue cheese stuffed olives in it. 

[sredish]

18 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Those are some of last weeks drinks and some of decembers dream drinks. The bottom ones being some of last weeks. They weren't nearly as fancy as the dream team. I've got a lot more on file here.

And here I sit at work wishing I could grab every one of those drinks through my computer screen.  And it's only 9 am.  

[ProgRockCruiser]

44 minutes ago, sredish said:

And here I sit at work wishing I could grab every one of those drinks through my computer screen.  And it's only 9 am.  

 

It's 5 o'clock somewhere...

 

[CRocks]

19 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

 

AND STILL.....a pictures worth a thousands words!!!

[ray98]

It totally depends on what kind of drinks you like.

 

 

If your thing is classic simple drinks such as a rum and coke or the sugary concoctions such as what is featured at the rest of the bars this will not be your thing.  If you are a fan of drinks such as a Old Fashioned or Martini (not the flavored drinks Carnival puts in a martini glass) then you will probably like some of their offerings.