A guide to the Alchemy Bar, Carnival’s hot spot for cocktails (with menu)
If one of your favorite components of a cruise vacation is a robust cocktail scene, Carnival Cruise Line has you covered. The Alchemy Bar, found on most Carnival ships, is a popular hangout among cruise passengers. It made TPG's list of the best cruise ship bars for good reason.
Here's all you need to know about Carnival Cruise Line's Alchemy Bar (including its menu).
What is Carnival's Alchemy Bar?
The Alchemy Bar is designed to resemble a pharmacy from a bygone era. The venue's vintage pharmacy theme plays out in bar props like apothecary jars, antique-looking wooden drawers and lab coat-wearing mixologists.
The rustic leather-covered cocktail menu contains a list of "remedies" and "elixirs" made with various herbs and botanicals.
If you don't see what you like on the menu (or have already tried everything on it), no problem. Share some of your cocktail preferences, and your Alchemy Bar mixologist will "prescribe" something just for you.
The Alchemy Bar typically opens at 4 p.m. on embarkation and port days. On sea days, it opens at 2 p.m. It has no official closing time, but it's often open past midnight.
Carnival Alchemy Bar menu
Freshly prepared, botanical-forward cocktails are the star at the Alchemy Bar — you won't find any frozen drinks here. The Cucumber Sunrise (a fan favorite), made with vodka, lime and orange juices, watermelon and muddled cucumber, is definitely worth checking out. Also, the Quick Fix, with vodka, gin, rum, Midori liqueur, absinthe and Sprite, should cure all that ails you.
You can also enjoy thoughtfully designed mocktails at the Alchemy Bar. Carnival offers seven of its cocktails in a spirit-free format, made with a range of Lyre's nonalcoholic spirits instead of their alcoholic counterparts. Enjoy a refreshing spirit-free Martini Seduction, made with Lyre's White Cane, red passion fruit nectar and freshly squeezed lime juice, or check out another option from the extensive list.
What do drinks at the Alchemy Bar cost?
Cocktails at the Alchemy Bar cost $14.25 for alcoholic beverages and $10.25 for nonalcoholic drinks. Drinks on the Alchemy Bar menu are covered under the Carnival Cheers drink package.
Which Carnival ships have the Alchemy Bar?
All ships in the Carnival fleet (except Carnival Paradise, Carnival Firenze and Carnival Venezia) have the Alchemy Bar.
Carnival Cucumber Sunrise recipe
As I mentioned earlier, the Cucumber Sunrise is probably my favorite Alchemy Bar cocktail. Refreshing and light, it tastes like a vacation in a glass. It's made with Belvedere vodka, fresh lime juice, watermelon syrup and orange juice and is topped with cucumber wheels.
Whether you want to celebrate an upcoming Carnival cruise or are craving to relive your previous Alchemy Bar experience, here's the recipe for the Cucumber Sunrise so you can create it at home. Throw on a lab coat for the ultimate Alchemy Bar vibe.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of vodka (Alchemy Bar uses Belvedere)
- 1 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce of watermelon syrup (Alchemy Bar uses the Monin brand)
- 3/4 ounce of orange juice
- Three cucumber wheels
Preparation
- Muddle two cucumber wheels in your cocktail shaker tin (or pint glass).
- Build your ingredients over the muddled wheels, and add ice.
- Shake and double-strain through a fine tea strainer (to catch the cucumber pulp).
- Add ice, garnish with your last cucumber wheel and enjoy!
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The ultimate guide to Carnival Cruise Line ships and itineraries
- 43 Carnival Cruise Line tips, tricks and hacks to enhance your vacation at sea
- Best Carnival cruise ships: Here's which ship you should sail, based on your travel style
- Carnival cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise, Fun Ship style
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- 8 cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid
- Which cruise brand is best for you? A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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