mixology?

[daisyx3]

We aren't booking much since we are only on a 3 night cruise. We are getting rainforest day passes to use on our Nassau day. Skipping Palo this time. No excursions on CC, just want to relax and finally enjoy Serenity Bay (last trip there was a monsoon and the trips before, years ago, we were with the kids). May rent a float.
I am intrigued, though, by the mixology. I don't drink that much but I do like "boat drinks", so I thought the tequila/margarita tasting might be interesting. Looking for opinions from anyone who has done it. Second choice is champagne tasting.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We aren't booking much since we are only on a 3 night cruise. We are getting rainforest day passes to use on our Nassau day. Skipping Palo this time. No excursions on CC, just want to relax and finally enjoy Serenity Bay (last trip there was a monsoon and the trips before, years ago, we were with the kids). May rent a float.
I am intrigued, though, by the mixology. I don't drink that much but I do like "boat drinks", so I thought the tequila/margarita tasting might be interesting. Looking for opinions from anyone who has done it. Second choice is champagne tasting.

We've done mixology twice. Loved it. I don't drink hardly at all. I would just take a taste from each drink as we made them, and only drank most of one of them.

I'd like to give the chocolate & wine tasting a try sometime.

 

[apathetic]

They are good to sample a range of drinks, some you may never try or think you would like. They are usually fun too. If it is a beverage you like, then give it a try.

 

[YawningDodo]

I did mixology on my solo cruise and enjoyed it -- I did drink everything given to me, and even having had a large lunch minutes before the class, I was still pretty tipsy/sleepy on my way out. I thought the class itself was fun; I learned some things about how mixed drinks are made and why things are done the way they're done, and the bartender had some fun anecdotes. And, yes, I tried a few new things and discovered some things that I like now and some things that I now know I do not like.

Something to note -- are you cruising on one of the classic ships or one of the newer ones? I was on the Magic and in our class they weren't allowed to take any of us behind the bar because Keys is set up in a way that would have you going through a backstage area to get there. They'd have someone come up and demonstrate a technique for each drink, but the actual drinks distributed were mostly pre-made ahead of time by the bartender. I'd assume it's the same on the Wonder. I've heard that on the Dream and Fantasy you're more likely to actually go behind the bar and help make drinks, so that's something to keep in mind if it makes a difference to you.

 

[CM Dad]

Not sure if you are interested in mojitos or caipairina (sp?), but they probably offer this on Castaway Cay at the Heads Up Bar. Wouldn't matter what ship you are on for that one, since you would not have to go backstage to get to the bar there.

 

[oufpat]

I felt it was the one time we got our money's worth, and it was a lot of fun!!

 

[oakleycat]

We do Mixology every time and the drinks are different each time, so that's highly recommended. I have also done the Tequila/Margarita tasting and did not really enjoy it. Ours was 3 shots of tequila which were not great (one was cocoa) and one standard margarita.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

We aren't booking much since we are only on a 3 night cruise. We are getting rainforest day passes to use on our Nassau day. Skipping Palo this time. No excursions on CC, just want to relax and finally enjoy Serenity Bay (last trip there was a monsoon and the trips before, years ago, we were with the kids). May rent a float.
I am intrigued, though, by the mixology. I don't drink that much but I do like "boat drinks", so I thought the tequila/margarita tasting might be interesting. Looking for opinions from anyone who has done it. Second choice is champagne tasting.

I have done Mixology and the martini making class. The martini class was a lot more fun than the mixology class. Maybe it was who hosted the class, but IMHO, the mixology class has too much education and not enough drinking haha. The martini class was a blast though! Nothing but different types of martinis and how to make them.

 

[mevelandry]

Mixology and alcohol tastings (we've done one with wine) are fun!

 

[hardis5]

The classes are fun and as educational as you want them to be (seem to absorb more the first few drinks but near the near the end for some reason my focus disappears). Have done and arranged mixology sessions, done the mojito class whenever held (only seems to be on the Dream), wine tasting with only the tequila one less than thrilled with (still very educational - just not a tequila drinker). Some (arranged) were large groups with 60 split between 2 sessions where all took turns making the drinks for all with most sessions just mixing our own. I'd never had a mojito before doing a session and is now one of my favorites.

Our first mixology session we rush back to the ship from Castaway to get to our class and see two empty seats at the bar in the District and quickly take our seats. They finishing up the 2nd drink we are quickly walked through the process for the first 2 by one of the bartenders (they slowing down immensely when doing the pour count for some reason). Downing those and working on the third another couple comes by and asks where the mixology class was and they are told by one of the bartenders around the corner - we were in the wrong class! Were told we could go to that session or stay and enjoy the remainder of what i discovered was the mojito class. Needless to say we stayed and were hooked. The background to the drinks, trivia, history of the alcohols used and the pride in their jobs many of the bartenders that run the sessions display make each session unique and enjoyable. You can make as strong or weak as you want, there is never pressure to try, drink or finish any you do not like and we've been in a few sessions where partners, designated room keycard holders or those with dietary/health conditions that did not allow them to participate sit with friends/partners. Finally in terms of value for the drinks received, you'll not find a cheaper way to try/buy 4-5 drinks on the ship if a value conscious bar patron.

 

[kickash]

We did Mixology a few years ago. We had a group that met through another social media site and we booked it together so we could drink, chat, and talk in person after talking online for months. I'm not a big drinker but I enjoyed the class.

 

[su_A_ve]

On a short trip, mixology may not be offered. But more than likely there will be an organized private one, either in the group meet page here on DIS or FB.

 

[lilsonicfan]

That's interesting about mixology in the older ships! We were on the Fantasy and did mixology in the Meridian bar/lounge, next to Palo and Remy. There were probably at least 30-40 guests. For each drink, about 7-8 people were taken behind the bar area while the rest of us stood and watched as they made our drinks. Really fun, I imagine it varies by bartender. There maybe wasn't a lot of history but I think almost everyone got to make a drink.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That's interesting about mixology in the older ships! We were on the Fantasy and did mixology in the Meridian bar/lounge, next to Palo and Remy. There were probably at least 30-40 guests. For each drink, about 7-8 people were taken behind the bar area while the rest of us stood and watched as they made our drinks. Really fun, I imagine it varies by bartender. There maybe wasn't a lot of history but I think almost everyone got to make a drink.

On the Fantasy class ships, you typically don't have to go through a "backstage" area to access behind the bar. That's the difference. On the Magic class, many of the behind the bar areas are only accessible by going behind the scenes.

And Disney is very protective about letting the public see their backstage areas.

 

[daisyx3]

Well thanks guys, just booked mixology. It's day 2 at 4PM: since we are staying onboard and have our spa passes and plans to lounge at the pool, it should work well (and time for a nap before late dining if needed )

 

[kiford]

I'd like to give the chocolate & wine tasting a try sometime.

It's awesome. I was amazed at how differently the wine tasted when your tongue is coated by chocolate.

I am intrigued, though, by the mixology. I don't drink that much but I do like "boat drinks", so I thought the tequila/margarita tasting might be interesting. Looking for opinions from anyone who has done it. Second choice is champagne tasting.

We loved the champagne one. So much so, that I kept ordering the one champagne throughout the rest of the trip. We've done mixology twice (completely different both times), wine twice, tequila twice, cognac, martini, and whiskey. And the chocolate/liquor.

When we did the tequila the first time, there was no margarita and the second time, they just came around with a small taste of one after the main tequila tasting. It may be different now. We are now avowed tequila drinkers and I was someone who considered tequila something you only did in university and grew out of it. After the session, I realized that we were: (a) probably not drinking tequila but mescal; and (b) whatever it was we were drinking was cheap and not at all comparable to a decent tequila. We learned so much and got a real appreciation for the complexity of flavours with good tequila.

We did mixology on the Magic so could not go behind the bar. But 2-3 of the drinks were unconstructed and they walked us through the mixing of it - such as muddling, trying to layer two different alcohols (not very successful but tasted fine), etc. For the price you pay, it's worth it even if you only drink a sip or two from a drink and it's fun and interesting. That's actually true of all of the tastings.