Alchemy Bar

[Jasonsterling]

Really cool atmosphere and environment- the drinks are inventive and different than anywhere else on the ship. It feels a bit steampunk with a sort of apothecary vibe. It's a great, calmer hang out spot.  

[Cruise Related]

17 minutes ago, Jasonsterling said:

Really cool atmosphere and environment- the drinks are inventive and different than anywhere else on the ship. It feels a bit steampunk with a sort of apothecary vibe. It's a great, calmer hang out spot.  

Wow, never really considered the steampunk aspect of it, but damn, did you nail it! My mind is kinda blown right now. Huge fan of that genre when it comes to literature. 

[mexicobob]

2 hours ago, thanna said:

Its terrible, don't go!

That way I can get a seat.

I will stay there all night and warn people. 🙂

 

On that note....folks that have not been to this bar should be prepared for large crowds at times, especially later on when people have discovered the place. It is not a big venue so does not take many people to fill it up. If you go early in your cruise and find a small crowd make sure you tip the bartender VERY WELL. Later in the cruise when the bar is packed you are more likely to be remembered and served quickly. Or served at all. 

[Jasonsterling]

On 6/24/2021 at 8:30 PM, Cruise Related said:

Wow, never really considered the steampunk aspect of it, but damn, did you nail it! My mind is kinda blown right now. Huge fan of that genre when it comes to literature. 

Yeah that was the first thing that occurred to me, lol- with the internally lighted "leather bound" menus, apothecary feel, hanging Edison bulbs and so on. I was surprised to see Carnival take that style on but the bar is such a hit- always crowded. Probably one of their better ideas- feels up market as well.  

[tap_out]

The bartenders at Alchemy can really make it or break it. We had a great group on our Horizon cruise and we spent a ton of time there. Last year on the Breeze not so much. Not that they were bad just not very personable. Fingers crossed for a great crew on our upcoming Horizon cruise. 

[Jeafl]

I cannot recommend the chipotle pineapple martini highly enough!  It almost became an addiction on our last cruise.

[ninjacat123]

On 6/26/2021 at 11:48 AM, tap_out said:

The bartenders at Alchemy can really make it or break it. We had a great group on our Horizon cruise and we spent a ton of time there. Last year on the Breeze not so much. Not that they were bad just not very personable. Fingers crossed for a great crew on our upcoming Horizon cruise. 

I agree about bartender/mixologist personality making a difference.  We always enjoy Alchemy Bar (Caribbean Manhattan isn't on the menu now but they will make it for me anyway) and don't expect the staff to entertain us but a positive and pleasant demeanor goes a long way!

[SNJCruisers]

Two new additions that I am looking forward to hearing feedback about are the Fortune Teller Bar and the Brass Magnolia Bar on the Mardi Gras.

[AHS123]

On 6/24/2021 at 6:30 PM, Cruise Related said:

Wow, never really considered the steampunk aspect of it

Oh sure, this couple were having their picture taken on Elegant Night before

segueing to Alchemy for a pre-dinner cocktail.

[reeinaz]

On 6/22/2021 at 7:27 PM, ultrafighter said:

Honestly, I'm really intimidated by Alchemy.  I'm not a very knowledgeable drinker so I usually order the same boring, basic drinks everywhere I go.  I'm really hoping the creativity and vibe in general help me break out of that shell.

I'm not experienced in a huge variety of drinks but I know what kind of drinks I like. Not too sweet. What liquor I'm in the mood for at the moment. And the bartenders have always managed to concoct something yummy or suggest something from the menu.

[cruisingguy007]

They make strong drinks if you ask them and they can curate something if you ask but some are exaggerating a bit about their mixology skills. They mostly stick to the script. Many times they will make you a very strong unbalanced drink experiment that tastes alright. The same bartender may be making your specialty coffee in the morning or working at some other station as well. It's not like they are professional bartenders as a career choice or anything. I think people get tipsy there and that leads to some favorable sentiment. Plus they are working for tips so if you want to get hammered and toss them tips, they'll happily oblige your mission.

 

That said, as far as mixed drinks go, The Agave Pineapple Tea at BlueIguana and the Pirate Punch at the other bars will definitely get the job done and actually taste good. They can knock your socks off if you tip the bartender well and inspire them to inspire you. 😆     

[ninjacat123]

I do love the bit of showmanship, squeezing an orange peel while holding a lit match and having a firework splay across my drink. Or making the martini tasting and pouring all four martinis at once into four small martini glasses at the same time.  Or making me a Caribbean Manhattan and it's not on the menu (which I know, I've stated before) and I savor it down to the Luxardo cherry.

Alchemy Bar is fun!

[tommmcruise]

I'll have to admit that on my earlier Carnival cruises I always thought that the Alchemy Bar just served pretentious drinks to pretentious people... Then, I decided to give it a try. Sometimes, it takes a few visits before the bartender acclimates to my tastes, but soon after, the magic happened. To this day, I've never had one single drink from their regular menu, but I have had many (maybe too many at times) great drinks there... 

[IntrepidFromDC]

12 hours ago, Jeafl said:

I cannot recommend the chipotle pineapple martini highly enough!  It almost became an addiction on our last cruise.

I tried the martini flight, some chocolate martini and the chipotle pineapple martini and the chipotle pineapple martini was the only one I thought "WOW!" which is what I want to think/feel at a place like this.